BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Aug. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The University of Bridgeport today announced the creation of a new academic administrative structure with the formation of three colleges: Arts and Sciences; Engineering, Business and Education; and Health Sciences. The current 14 deans and their divisions will be consolidated under three deans reporting to the provost. These three Colleges, each organized under a separate dean, will house the University's programs into a streamlined structure that will promote disciplinary equity and enhance the student experience.
Susan Resneck Pierce, author of Governance Reconsidered: How Boards, Presidents, Administrators, and Faculty Can Help Their Colleges Thrive, explained, "In recent years, many colleges and universities with financial challenges have focused on reducing expenses without simultaneously committing those resources to their core needs. I am therefore deeply impressed by the commitment of the University of Bridgeport's new president, Laura Skandera Trombley, to re-direct the resources saved by an ambitious but much-needed administrative restructuring to enhance the academic programs, contribute to faculty and staff compensation, and increase instructional technology."
The University of Bridgeport's president since July, Dr. Laura Skandera Trombley, and the Board of Trustees, announced the formation of the three Colleges, effective immediately, to the University community on Monday. This decision directly addresses the needs of students who are increasingly looking to the University of Bridgeport for career-oriented undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees.
"I am very pleased that the University of Bridgeport has taken the lead in reducing administrative ranks and investing in faculty and students," said Laura Trombley, President. "Belonging both to the University and their College will create a more intimate space for students to learn, to grow, and begin their careers."
Robert Berchem, Co-Chair, Board of Trustees, remarked on the announcement: "With the benefit of President Trombley's experience and expertise, we have been able to streamline our administrative systems and allow our gifted and talented staff to return to their classrooms—changes which will provide immediate benefits to both our faculty and our students."
Higher education institutions have been under increasing scrutiny over ballooning bureaucracies that detract from resources that should otherwise be directed toward students and faculty. The University of Bridgeport's plan, which directly addresses accreditor recommendations and relieves administrative bloat, simplifies the administrative structure so that academic programs and the student experience will be the core focus.
As a result of this decision, significant cost savings to the University will, over time, be reinvested in Instructional Technology support, salaries and benefits for faculty and staff. The University, which has supported the Connecticut Promise Program for the past three years, will continue to invest in attracting undergraduate and graduate students from the United States and internationally.
Jen Widness, President, Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, explains, "Higher education is being relied upon more and more by our state's employers to train our future workforce while at the same time, families are limited in what they're able to invest for that degree. On top of that, competition for students is getting tougher as international student enrollment is down and our college-going population shrinks in the northeast. It's a balancing act for schools who need to remain competitive, offer the degrees that are needed, and keep costs down."
About University of Bridgeport
The University of Bridgeport offers career-oriented undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees and award-winning academic programs in a culturally diverse learning environment that prepares graduates for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. There are 400 full- and part-time faculty members, including Fulbright Scholars, National Science Foundation Fellows, Ford Fellows, and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellows, American Council for Learned Societies Scholars, and Phi Beta Kappa Scholars. The University is independent and non-sectarian. For more information, please visit http://www.bridgeport.edu.
SOURCE University Of Bridgeport
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