Academic Structure Implementation

THEC approves academic structure (June 4, 2024)

The proposed academic structure for ETSU has been officially approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC). This is the final approval that was needed to implement our new academic structure on July 1. Thank you again to everyone who helped to carry this monumental task to this point with an outcome that will shape the academic landscape at ETSU for years to come.

The Academic Structure Implementation Task Force continues to work diligently this summer to prepare the campus for the changes ahead. One element of the implementation you will begin to notice this week are navigational and name changes on the ETSU website. As soon as we received THEC approval, University Marketing and Communications began the process of moving departments to their new locations on the website, creating a web presence for the new schools, and ensuring that new names are reflected throughout the website. This is a time-intensive and laborious process that will take weeks to complete, so we appreciate your patience with the updates that are to come. The Implementation Task Force will continue to post updates about this and other implementation elements on the academic structure website.

ETSU Board of Trustees approval (May 24, 2024)



The proposed new academic structure at ETSU was unanimously approved by the ETSU Board of Trustees at its regularly scheduled quarterly meeting on Friday, May 24. Documents detailing the new structure have been sent to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for final approval so that the plan can be implemented July 1. 


The team will post updates on this page as they become available and they will maintain a list of Frequently Asked Questions. The FAQs page is a living document, and the list will be updated regularly as the team continues its implementation planning. 

Guidance About Schools

Many questions have arisen about the formation of schools under the new academic structure. A subgroup of the Academic Structure Implementation Team has worked closely with deans of colleges with schools, Faculty Senate representatives, a chair within one of the new schools, and faculty and staff members of the implementation team to develop broad guidelines for schools at ETSU. 

About the Academic Structure Task Force

In the spring of 2023, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly McCorkle and President Dr. Brian Noland convened the Academic Structure Task Force in pursuit of the vision set forth in the university’s strategic plan: “Go Beyond.” The Task Force was charged with developing a proposal to examine the academic structure of ETSU’s colleges to ensure the university continues to create clear and seamless pathways toward degree completion, provide holistic support for its students, and align with the goals and needs of the region. The Task Force submitted its final report to President Noland and Provost McCorkle on January 12, 2024.

In response to the Task Force report, Provost McCorkle and President Noland have developed a proposed plan to restructure the university's academic units, as outlined below. This proposal will be submitted to the university's governing bodies for approval in April and May 2024.  

 

 

Timeline and Next Steps

Spring 2023: Academic Structure Task Force Convened

Spring, Summer, and Fall 2023: The Task Force holds more than 100 meetings with constituency groups

December 6, 2023: Task Force holds Town Hallto share initial findings and ideas 

January 12, 2024: The President and Provost receive the final report of the Task Force

January 22, 2024: Final report shared with campus

March 2024:

  • The President and Provost provided a draft plan for structural revisions to the campus community along with a complete narrative outlining their decision-making process and their responses to decision points outlined in the final report of the task force.
  • A period of public comment was held from noon on March 4 through close of business (4:30 p.m.) on March 19

April/May 2024:

  • Following the public comment period, Provost McCorkle and President Noland released a final proposal on April 4, 2024.
  • The final proposal will be presented to university governing bodies for approval as follows:
    • Academic Council: Thursday, April 11
    • University Council: Monday, May 13
    • ETSU Board of Trustees: Friday, May 24
  • The membership and charge of the Implementation Team was announced on April 4, 2024.   

June 2024: The multi-phased implementation period begins. 

Why This Matters

One characteristic that makes ETSU exceptional is our unwavering commitment to the mission of this institution: to improve the quality of life for people in our region and beyond. Since 1911, our campus has been deeply connected to the region, recognizing that the success of the institution and the success of the communities we serve are inextricably interwoven. As we seek to magnify our impact, we know that we must continue to build on our strengths and deepen our efforts to promote student success.

As the Task Force noted in their final report, “[periodically] evaluating the academic structure at an institution is essential to ensure [its] effectiveness, quality, and overall success… From a primary care perspective, evaluating our academic structure is analogous to ETSU getting its annual physical. The moment presents an opportune time to scrutinize the university’s academic structure, considering the absence of a formal examination for decades… This initiative is rooted not only in the limited attention it received in the past 20 to 40 years, but also in dedication to aligning with the strategic goals and ensuring adaptability to the changing landscape of higher education the individuals it serves.”

Key Questions

The following key questions guided the Task Force:

  • What college organizational structure would best serve our students to ensure they have a clear path from admission to graduation?
  • How do we build on our existing strengths in teaching, research, and service by aligning academic units and expanding capacity?
  • How do we avoid duplication or overlap in our offerings and reduce confusion for our students?
  • How do we continue to build on our reputation as a premier health sciences institution in Tennessee and develop additional signature programs or areas of study?
  • How will the organizational structure lead to greater flexibility and innovation as we continue to build on the institution’s core strengths and respond to the changing landscape across higher education?
  • How will a reorganized structure ensure the university uses its resources strategically to meet its goals?
  • How will the structure support the university’s vision and mission and facilitate achieving the goals in the current strategic plan?

 

  • Academic Structure Task Force (as of completion of final report)
    Virginia Foley, Co-Chair
    Professor, Faculty
    Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
    Clemmer College


    Nick Hagemeier, Co-Chair
    Vice Provost of Research, Administration/Faculty
    Office Of The Vice Provost For Research
    Ron Roach
    Chair/Professor/Faculty
    Bluegrass, Old Time, and Roots Music
    College of Arts and Sciences


    Ginny Blackhart
    Professor/Faculty Senate/Faculty
    Psychology
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Alan Stevens
    Associate Professor and Chair
    Music
    College of Arts and Sciences


    Arpita Nandi
    Chair/Professor/Faculty
    Geosciences
    College of Arts and Sciences
    T.J. Jones
    Professor/Faculty
    Biology
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Daryl A. Carter
    Associate Dean/Professor/Faculty
    History
    College of Arts and Sciences
    Stephen Marshall
    Professor/Faculty/RC
    Media and Communication
    College of Arts and Sciences


    Dana Harrison
    Chair/Associate Professor/Faculty
    Management and Marketing
    College of Business and Technology



    Brian Bennett
    Chair/Associate Professor/Faculty
    Computing
    College of Business and Technology

    Dawn Rowe
    Quillen Chair Education/Professor/Faculty
    Education Foundations and Special Education
    Clemmer College

    Jeff Snodgrass
    Associate Dean/Professor/Faculty
    Rehabilitative Health Sciences
    College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences

    Ester Verhovsek Hughes
    Chair/Professor/Faculty
    Allied Health Sciences
    College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences
    David Atkins
    Dean/Faculty
    University Libraries

    Amal Khoury
    Chair/Professor/Faculty
    Health Services Management and Policy
    College of Public Health


    Steve Ellis
    Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

    Gatton College of Pharmacy
    Megan Roberts
     Executive Director/Academic Advising/Staff
    Student Life and Enrollment
    David Linville
    Associate Vice President for Clinical Affairs/Senior Associate Dean/Chief of Staff/Faculty
    Dean's Office/Medicine
    Quillen College of Medicine
    Joy Fulkerson
    Director of Leadership and Civic Engagement/Staff Senate/Staff
    Leadership and Civic Engagement
    Student Life and Enrollment
    Ronnie Gross
    Director of TRiO/Staff
    TRiO Programs
    Student Life and Enrollment

    Jill LeRoy-Frazier
    Chair/Professor/Faculty
    Cross-Disciplinary Studies
    College of Graduate and Continuing Studies
    Nancy Dishner 
    Niswonger Foundation Director/Community Representative
    Trent White
    SGA Representative/Student
    Brian Cross
    Assistant Vice Provost for Interprofessional Education/Administration/Faculty
    Office of the Provost
     
  • Academic Structure Task Force (ASTF) Historic Timeline

    February 20 – Co-Chairs Dr. Virginia Foley and Dr. Nick Hagemeier meet with Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle and President Brian Noland.

    February 27 – Co-chairs meet with Provost and President to identify members of Task Force.

    March 6—Co-chairs attend Faculty Senate to answer questions.

    March 8—Co-Chairs begin planning work and determine they will meet weekly or every other week.

    March 10—ASTF holds kick-off meeting with Provost and President.

    March 31— First official ASTF meeting is held and will meet every other Friday from 9-10:30 a.m.

    April 4—Co-Chairs attend listening session with SGA.

    April 10—Co-Chairs attend listening session with Staff Senate.

    April 12—Co-Chairs attend Zoom consultation with EAB.

    April 14—At ASTF meeting, Dr. Chris Keller presents an overview of Honors College visioning. Dr. Megan Roberts presents information about advising.

    April 19—Provost, President, and Co-Chairs host Town Hall Listening Session.

    April 28—At ASTF meeting, groups discuss approaches to creating individual structures and begin conversations about rubric development.

    May 9—Co-Chair/EAB conversation

    May 12—At ASTF meeting, task force participates in rubric development work.

    May 16 – Dr. David Atkins was identified as Chair of ASTF subgroup charged with exploring academic structure literature and experiences of other institutions that have undergone restructuring.  Dr. Dana Harrison and Stephen Marshall volunteer for subgroup.

    May 22—Co-Chairs begin College Leadership listening sessions.

    • May 22: Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy
    • May 23: Clemmer College of Education and Human Development
    • May 24: College of Public Health
    • May 24: College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences
    • June 9: College of Business and Technology
    • June 12: College of Nursing
    • June 21 College of Medicine
    • June 23 College of Graduate and Continuing Studies
    • July 10 College of Arts and Sciences

     


    May 26 – At ASTF meeting, Dr. Joe Chappell provides data presentation to task force.

    June 9 – At ASTF Meeting, a draft rubric is presented and feedback is elicited.

    June 23 - At ASTF Meeting, Task Force endorses rubric for assessing proposed models

    July 19 - Co-Chair/EAB conversation

    July 21 - At ASTF Meeting, Co-Chairs present summary findings from meetings with college leadership 

    July 24 - Co-Chairs met with Council of Chairs Executive Committee

    July 27 - Co-Chairs met with ETSU Admissions Staff

    August 18 - At ASTF Meeting, Dean Atkin’s Subcommittee presented findings from other universities who have completed restructuring.  Co-Chairs organized subgroups to begin creating proposed models

    August 28 - Co-chairs update the President and Provost


    September 1

    • Task Force Meeting, Teams working on models
    • Co-chairs met with Chairs
    • Co-chairs met with SLE leadership team

    September 5

    • Co-chairs met with Dean
    • Co-chairs met with Chairs

    September 7

    • Co-chairs met with Chairs
    • Co-chairs met with Alumni and Advancement

    September 8

    • Co-chairs met with Chairs
    • Co-chairs met with Literature and Language Council

    September 13 - Co-chairs met with Academic Advisement Leadership Team

    September 14 - Co-chairs met with Provost Office (minus Provost)

    September 15 - Task Force meeting - David Attis zoom

    September 18

    • Co-chairs met with SARM 
    • Co-chairs met with Chairs

    September 19 - Co-chairs met with Dean

    September 20

    • Co-chairs met with Gen Ed Redesign Chairs
    • Co-chairs met with Chairs

    September 21

    • Town Hall
    • Co-chairs met with faculty member

    September 25 - Co-chairs met with Associate Dean

    September 28 - Co-chairs met with Faculty member

    September 29 - Task Force Meeting

    October 5 - Co-chairs met with Communication & Marketing

    October 11 - Co-chair met with Appalachian Studies

    October 12

    • Co-chairs met with Chair
    • Co-chairs met with Expedition Leaders

    October 13

    • Task Force Meeting
    • Co-chairs met with College of Nursing faculty

    October 19 - Co-chairs met with Library Faculty

    October 20 - Task Force Meeting

    October 24 - Co-chairs met with Evelyn Roach

    October 26

    • Co-chairs met with LCRC
    • ASTF hosted Town Hall

    October 27

    • Co-chairs met with faculty member
    • Task Force Meeting

    October 30 - Co-chairs met with Office of Administration Staff

    November 1 - Co-chairs met with a department

    November 2

    • Co-chairs met with faculty member
    • Co-chairs met with Dean
    • Co-chairs met with faculty member

    November 3

    • Co-chair met with Digital Media Department
    • Co-chairs met with ETSU Online
    • Co-chairs met with Dean
    • Co-chairs met with Dean
    • Co-chairs met with faculty member

    November 6 - Co-chairs met with College of Pharmacy

    November 7

    • Co-chairs met with faculty member
    • Co-chairs met with staff member
    • Co-chairs met with staff member
    • Co-chairs met with staff member
    • Co-chairs met with SGA

    November 8 - Co-chairs met with faculty member

    November 9

    • Co-chairs met with faculty member
    • EAB conversation with Co-chairs

 

Proposed Academic Structure: April 4, 2024

Proposed changes are highlighted and denoted with an asterisk. No changes are proposed to the College of Nursing, Gatton College of Pharmacy, Quillen College of Medicine, or Honors College.  

College of Public Health

  • Health Sciences (Name change to be determined)*
  • Biostatistics and Epidemiology
  • Community and Behavioral Health
  • Health Services Management and Policy
  • Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Sciences

College of Health Sciences

Represents a name change from College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences*

School of Clinical Sciences*

  • Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
  • Allied Health Sciences
    • Respiratory Therapy
    • Radiology
    • Dental Hygiene
  • Rehabilitative Health Sciences
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Orthotics and Prosthetics
    • Physical Therapy
    • Rehabilitative Science
  • Nutrition
  • Social Work
  • Counseling and Human Services*

School of Human Performance and Sport Science*

  • Exercise Science*
  • MS and PhD in Sport Science/Coach Education*
  • Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education*

College of Business and Technology

  • Accountancy
  • Economics and Finance
  • Management and Supply Chain
  • Computing
  • Military Science
  • Sport and Recreation Management (SARM)*
  • Global Sport Leadership EdD*

School of Marketing and Media*

  • Marketing
  • Digital Media
  • Media and Communication*

College of Arts and Sciences

School of the Arts*

  • Music
  • Theatre and Dance
  • Art and Design

School of Humanities and Social Sciences*

  • Communication Studies and Storytelling
  • Appalachian Studies
  • Black American Studies
  • Criminal Justice/Criminology
  • History
  • Literature and Language including American Sign Language*
  • Philosophy and Humanities
  • Political Science, International Affairs, and Public Administration
  • Psychology
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

School of Science, Engineering and Math*

  • Engineering, Engineering Technology, Interior Architecture, and Surveying*
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Math and Statistics
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Geosciences

Clemmer College of Education and Human Development

  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Educational Foundations and Special Education
  • Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis
  • Teacher Education, Physical Education Concentration
  • University School

School of Interdisciplinary and Continuing Studies*

  • Professional Development*
  • Summer Camps and Conferences*
  • Cross-Disciplinary Studies*
    • Master of Arts in Liberal Studies*
    • Master of Professional Studies*
    • Archival Studies Certificate*

Office of the Provost

  • Graduate School*
  • Transfer and Adult Outreach*

Office of the Vice Provost for Research

  • Strong BRAIN Institute*
  • Child and Family Health Institute*

 

Academic Restructure Implementation Team

Purpose

The Academic Structure Implementation Team's purpose is to identify, plan for, implement, and evaluate administrative changes at the university, college, department, and other administrative unit levels to support the revised university academic structure.

Membership

  • Chair: Dr. Robert Pack, Executive Vice Provost
  • David Atkins, Dean, University Libraries
  • Joe Chappell, Assistant Vice Provost, Institutional Research
  • Tom Donohoe, University Registrar
  • Chandri Dunlap, Assistant to the Vice Provosts
  • Stephanie Fletcher, Director of Budget and Financial Planning
  • Mark Coleman, Human Resources Business Partner
  • Melissa Nipper, Executive Director of Communications
  • Megan Roberts, Executive Director of Academic Advisement
  • Alan Stevens, Vice President, Faculty Senate

Charge

The Academic Structure Implementation Team is charged with identifying, planning for, conducting, and evaluating the administrative tasks required to implement the Academic Structure Plan for the start of the 2024-25 Academic Year. To do this, the Team will:

  • Identify required changes to implement the new academic structure. These include but are not limited to budgetary transitions, coding in Voyager and other data systems, human resources, operational efficiencies, advising and tracking systems, organizational charts, communication, compliance, faculty senate and other governance unit composition, academic transcripts, record keeping, facilities, signage, and others.
  • Plan for essential implementation activities. This will include identifying processes required to enact changes and including or communicating with essential stakeholders.
  • Implement the changes or facilitate their implementation in collaboration with key stakeholders and decision-makers, in accordance with the university's core values.
  • Evaluate and communicate the process and overall impact of the academic structure changes by establishing and routinizing data collection and monitoring critical metrics identified by the Academic Structure Task Force, this team, and other sources.

Meeting Schedule

For the first nine months of implementation planning and activities, the team will meet weekly for one month and fortnightly thereafter. After December 2024, the team will meet monthly and then quarterly to monitor progress and outcomes for a year following the changes. The time of the meetings is to be determined.

Terms of Service

March 2024-December 2025