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FSD 25-08 Changing Academic Org Structures

February 6, 2026

FSD 25-08 Process for Changing Academic Organizational Structures

Effective Date: September 12, 2025

Statement of Process

This memorandum specifies the process for changing academic organizational structures that have a significant impact on the intellectual atmosphere and functioning of Purdue University Northwest. For the purpose of this memorandum, such changes are defined as those involving the creation, elimination, or consolidation of departments, schools, and colleges.

  1. Purdue University Northwest faculty, staff, administrators, and/or other stakeholders will submit a proposal for potential changes to academic organizational structures to the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (Provost/VCAA). This proposal must include the rationale, initial feedback/input from the unit(s) affected by this change, and anticipated impacts.
  2. Should the Provost/VCAA deem that the submitted proposal does not have potential merit regarding the best interests of the students and university, the Provost/VCAA will inform the stakeholder(s) who submitted the proposal that no further action will be taken. The stakeholder(s) may request reconsideration if new substantive supportive evidence can be provided.
  3. Should the Provost/VCAA deem that the submitted proposal has potential merit regarding the best interests of the students and university, the Provost/VCAA will seek feedback/input from the faculty, staff, other stakeholders (including students, where appropriate), and administrators of the departments/schools and colleges who would be affected by the change.
  4. After securing this feedback/input, should the Provost/VCAA no longer deem that the submitted proposal has potential merit regarding the best interests of the students and university, the Provost/VCAA will inform the stakeholder(s) who submitted the proposal that no further action will be taken. The stakeholder(s) may request a reconsideration if new substantive supportive evidence can be provided.
  5. Should the Provost/VCAA continue to deem that the submitted proposal has potential merit, the Provost/VCAA will draft a revised proposal in collaboration with the stakeholder(s) who submitted the original proposal pertaining to the change in academic organizational structure under consideration along with the rationale and feedback/input secured in step #3. The Provost/VCAA will seek feedback/input from the Faculty Senate on this revised proposal.
  6. After receiving Faculty Senate’s feedback/input, should the Provost/VCAA no longer deem that the proposal has potential merit regarding the best interests of the students and university, the Provost/VCAA will inform the stakeholder(s) who submitted the initial proposal that no further action will be taken. The stakeholder(s) may request a reconsideration if new substantive supportive evidence can be provided.
  7. After receiving Faculty Senate’s feedback/input, should the Provost/VCAA continue to deem that the proposal has potential merit and decides to pursue the change in academic organizational structure, the Provost/VCAA will include a summary of the Faculty Senate’s feedback/input in the body or appendix of the revised proposal. The Provost/VCAA will then send the revised proposal to the Purdue University System Provost to initiate the appropriate System-wide process for changing academic organizational structures following System-wide policy. Part of this process involves the Academic Organization Committee.

 

Faculty Senate Ed Policy Committee Members:

 

Shreya Bhandari

Robert Kramer

Yun Liu

Pamela Saylor

Khair Shamaileh

Diane Spoljoric

Donna Whitten