A transition from five colleges to three integrated colleges would enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and student navigation while also helping to address the budget shortfall.

Those three colleges are:

• College of Business, Engineering and Technology: This college would focus on high-demand, career-oriented programs, strong partnerships with industry, and engaged learning.
• College of Arts and Sciences: This college would serve as the heart of the university's liberal arts mission while supporting strong foundational skills for all students in preparation for advanced study.
• College of Education, Health and Human Services: This college would combine education and health-related programs to emphasize professional preparation and field experiences, aligning directly with workforce needs in our region.

The departments and academic programs within those departments that are anticipated to be part of the respective merged colleges are as follows (with the possibility to modify department or program locations based on further conversations between administration and faculty):

College of Business, Engineering, & Technology

• Applied Education in MedTech Industry
• Business
• Computing, Informatics & Data Science
• Engineering & Engineering Technology

College of Arts and Sciences

• Art
• Atmospheric & Earth Sciences
• Biology & Chemistry
• Communication Studies
• Humanities
• Political Science and International Relations
• Psychology
• Mass Communication and Film
• Mathematics, Physics & Astronomy
• Social Sciences 

College of Education, Health and Human Services

• Behavioral Health & Counseling
• Communication Sciences & Disorders
• Criminal Justice
• Education
• Educational Leadership, Higher Education, and Student Development
• K-12/Secondary Education Preparation
• Kinesiology, Community Health & Gerontology
• Nursing
• Social Work

The organizational structure and ultimate placement of academic programs will be determined in collaboration with all bargaining units. The new colleges will be in place by July 1, 2026.

The leadership team is continuing to evaluate options for effectiveness in supporting student success with the elimination of University College. The goal is to identify a model that best supports the mission of University College while fostering collaboration, innovation, and student-centered support. The professional staff within University College will remain central to this effort, continuing to provide individualized guidance and working closely with campus partners to enhance students’ sense of belonging, well-being, and academic achievement. 

Restructuring in the Academic Affairs division will also move forward, with some modifications to the original proposal.  

• The Associate Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs position will be eliminated by the end of the 2025 calendar year, and the responsibilities of that position will be distributed among a restructured Academic Affairs leadership team. The team will consist of a Vice Provost, an Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and Academic Quality, and an Associate Vice President for Academic Operations.
• The position of the Dean of the Library will be eliminated by the end of the 25/26 fiscal year. Library faculty are anticipated to join the new College of Health, Education, and Human Services and report to the Dean of the new college.
• The Vice Provost will take on the responsibilities of the current Associate Provost for Research & Dean of Graduate Education (which will no longer be separate roles) and also provide strategic direction for the Library alongside the Dean of the College of Health, Education, and Human Services. The Vice Provost will also provide oversight to some Academic Centers. The Academic Centers that will report to the Vice Provost will be determined in collaboration with the Provost and President following a review of center activities. The new role of the Vice Provost will go into effect on July 1,2026.

We have received significant feedback regarding the proposed changes to the Office for Institutional Equity and Access, including concerns about how its important work will continue. We acknowledge those voices and, with them in mind, have decided to take an interim step that allows space for new leadership to help shape the University’s future direction in this area. While we will proceed with the proposed dissolution of the Vice President position, Title IX functions will—at least temporarily—report to the President through the Vice President for Human Resources. The Vice President for Human Resources will be responsible for Title VI, Title IX, and supervision of the remaining staff who will remain in their offices performing their regular duties. If there is any conflict of interest in the Human Resources office, a decision-maker outside of that office will be engaged, which is the current procedure. This will allow the President to remain the final decision-maker in the case of appeals. The office will also collaborate on support, training, and investigations. 

Other changes include the transfer of responsibilities for Equity 2030 and Equity by Design to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Responsibility for the Bias Incident Response Team will be transferred to the Interim Dean of Students, and the leader of the Office of Multicultural Services will serve as the Campus Diversity Officer. 

The Professional and Continuing Education office will continue under its current leadership and reporting framework through FY26. During this transition, initial staffing reductions will occur in FY26, while long-term staffing strategies are evaluated. Dean York has also announced her retirement, effective June 30, 2026. The intent is to review reporting lines and change the title of the new leader of the unit. 

Over the coming year, Dean York and colleagues will explore strategies to strengthen and expand programs into new markets across workforce development, customized training, professional continuing education, conference services, and digital credentialing. This review will include an evaluation of staffing models, opportunities for shared staffing with Graduate Studies—given the new co-location of the two divisions—and potential collaborations with undergraduate and graduate faculty and programs. PACE will also partner closely with Advancement and Alumni Engagement to enhance professional career support for SCSU alumni.

The Precision Driving Center will remain under PACE and Dean York’s leadership, with no staffing reductions anticipated. Following its program expansion in FY24 and FY25, the Center is achieving record revenue and, as an enterprise unit, is fully sustainable.

We have heard from many in our community regarding the proposed closure of the Lindgren Childcare Center. While we have not been able to find a physically or fiscally responsible way of continuing the Center, either in its current location or elsewhere on campus, we have been able to delay its closure to the end of the academic year, May 15, 2026. We hope that this will allow students working in the Center to finish the school year and give families time to make other arrangements for future childcare. We will also continue exploring other options with the leadership of the center and community partners. 

We are planning for the non-renewal of the Plymouth campus lease and transition of programs to a new location. We expect to partner with one of the community colleges to provide for these programs to continue.