Faculty and staff members at universities across Georgia are concerned for their jobs because of a Comprehensive Administrative Review currently being conducted by the University System of Georgia.
The CAR is meant to take an in-depth look at administrative functions and gather information from all 27 USG institutions, according to the USG’s website. The USG will use information gathered from the CAR to restructure operations and realign positions as a way to be more effective with the university system’s resources.
The university system officially launched the CAR in the fall 2017 semester, and the review continued on in two separate phases. In phase one, the USG gathered information from seven institutions, including KSU, and in phase two, the USG will gather information from the other 20 universities in the system.
The USG hired Huron, a third-party consulting group, to gather data and information from each institution. Huron conducted focus groups and interviews with faculty and staff at KSU in February and the USG finished phase one of the review over the summer.
According to the Red&Black, the University of Georgia’s student-run newspaper, staff members from UGA, KSU, Georgia Southern and the University of Texas all attended a digital town hall meeting on Oct. 16. During the town hall meeting, staff members brought up concerns about Huron evaluating their job’s functions at their respective universities and potentially eliminating their positions.
Those that attended the meeting were also concerned that Huron wants to start creating relationships with universities in Georgia as a consultant while the company is also trying to sell Huron Technologies services, software solutions for research administration, to universities, according to the Red&Black.
The staff members ended the town hall meeting with a call to action for members from universities across the state to team up with UCWGA and stand up against the USG’s initiatives with Huron, according to the Red&Black.
KSU President Dr. Pamela Whitten sent an update on the review in an email to KSU faculty and staff on Oct. 12. In the email, she attached a memorandum that lays out what the CAR is, what its goals are, how KSU is involved and some of the results of what the focus groups and interviews at KSU showed.
In the memorandum, it states that between January and April of this year, non-teaching administrative employees provided input to the CAR, and it states that participation in the surveys conducted was high amongst KSU employees.
The memorandum states “what’s working” and “what needs focus for improvement” at KSU as part of the results of the CAR.
“With the report as a guide, the administration has begun to act on the local opportunities identified for KSU,” the memorandum says. “The actionable items are in all areas of the university, and efforts will be focused on enhancing our efficiencies while continuing the commitment to our student’s success.”
The memorandum states that the university is working on a web page that will provide updates on any actions at the university that may come as a result of the CAR.
“When the web page is completed and activated, notification will be provided to all stakeholders,” the memorandum states.
The review is being conducted by a steering committee led by University of West Georgia President Dr. Kyle Marrero. The committee is made up of a faculty or staff representative from each institution, except for KSU which is represented by a student.
Former Student Government Association President Victoria Brock served as KSU’s representative and lone student on the committee last semester and has since been replaced by Matthew Hunnicutt, the SGA’s current president.
KSU faculty and staff brought up concerns about the steering committee representative at a town hall meeting held in February this year. Dean of the Graduate College Mike Dishman said that it is “very alarming” that a student is acting on behalf of faculty and staff.
During the meeting earlier this year, KSU employees were able to address their concerns to representatives from Huron and ask questions about the review.
The Sentinel requested a final draft of a report from phase one of the CAR from the university late in August. On Aug. 24, University Spokesperson Tammy DeMel replied in an email, saying that a final draft was ready and the university would be able to share it within the next week. Nearly two months later, a final draft of the report has still not been provided.
All of the results from the CAR will be officially published by the USG in April 2019.
