Next Steps: Galveston Campus Organizational Review
May 22, 2023Good morning.
President Banks announced accepted recommendations from our organizational review last week that will bring transformative change to the Galveston Campus and position us as international leaders in marine and maritime education and training. Thank you for your many contributions to helping formulate a vision that maximizes our strengths and capitalizes on our growth capabilities. I’d especially like to thank Dr. Deborah Thomas for her leadership in refining our feedback to the leadership team in College Station. Her efforts have resulted in a greater understanding of the uniqueness of the Galveston Campus and Texas A&M Maritime Academy.
President Banks’ vision is a phenomenal opportunity to clarify our value to the state of Texas and the nation in delivering academic programs, research and activities that directly support the blue economy. The organizational review also provides the setting to establish and standardize collaborative processes for greater cross-functional connectivity and transparency.
Transformative change is always challenging, and we need your support to succeed. I am committed to a measured and intentional process with full campus engagement and ask that each of you contribute positively to the process. There will be numerous opportunities to participate during the recommendation and implementation periods. The working groups will establish success measures and provide regular updates as we move forward. Additional details on the next steps are itemized below.
Centralization
I also want to provide clarity on centralized services on the Galveston Campus. As part of President Banks’ initiative, The Path Forward, Undergraduate Recruiting and Outreach, Division of Human Resources, Division of Marketing and Communications, and Technology Services are being centralized and we are now finalizing this effort. These employees continue to support the needs of the Galveston Campus locally while creating operational alignment and building stronger coordinating routes with their respective units in College Station. While the transition has not been without challenges, centralization in these areas has improved the understanding of our campus and streamlined functional efforts between Galveston and College Station. No additional centralized units are outlined in the accepted recommendations; however, I expect each unit to continue working closely with its counterpart in College Station.
Next Steps
Two working groups are being created to provide recommendations to President Banks by August 1, 2023. To that end, I have asked Dr. Deborah Thomas, Chief Academic Officer, Executive Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Provost of Texas A&M, to chair the working group outlined in President Banks’ response to develop recommendations on merging the departments of Marine Biology and Marine and Coastal Environmental Sciences and identify implementation steps required to successfully merge the two departments with synergies with the Department of Oceanography. This group will comprise Galveston and College Station faculty, staff and administrators and be supported by various subcommittees necessary to establish recommendations.
I have also asked Rebecca Watts, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications-Galveston, to chair the marketing and communications working group to review, evaluate and define the overarching brand for the new school, including the name and development of supportive elements for the newly combined department and those that will be renamed. This group will comprise Galveston and College Station marketing and communications staff and be supported by various subcommittees necessary to establish recommendations.
Membership in these working groups will be announced later this week. Their first task will be to develop a joint campus engagement plan and information release schedule to ensure timely progress reports. That plan is due to me by May 31, 2023, and will be shared with you on June 2, 2023.
To support these two groups and address the wide diversity of comments submitted through the survey, I am establishing a third working group tasked with developing recommendations to build a collaborative campus culture that supports our mission and values under the accepted changes. These recommendations are due to me by August 1, 2023. The working group recommendations should build on our strengths and be centered on delivering an exceptional experience to all students, faculty and staff. Recommendations should include sharing our core values, establishing transparency and information sharing, and increasing positive associations for all who work and attend Texas A&M University at Galveston. This working group will be chaired by a Faculty Senate and Staff Council representative, with participation opportunities from every campus unit and several student organizations.
Throughout this process, it is essential that we retain a firm grasp of our unique history and traditions and that the recommendations submitted are inclusive of these considerations. To this end, I am also forming an advisory group to provide counsel to the working groups as they finalize recommendations.
Lastly, we are posting a position for the Chief of Staff immediately. This role will help support me as a strategic advisor, manage special projects and provide oversight of campus priorities. This will allow me to redirect my efforts toward strategic objectives and philanthropic priorities. This role will also serve the executive team by enabling them to focus on strategic operations to support you better.
You have been instrumental in supporting the Galveston Campus during a prolonged period of change as we have responded to changes in the higher education climate. I see evidence of your creativity and commitment every day in each student who walks our campus, the faculty teaching in our classrooms, the researchers solving tomorrow’s problems and the staff who go far above and beyond to support those efforts. I am proud and honored to work alongside you to develop a plan recognizing our tremendous potential and achieving President Banks’ vision.
Thank you,
COL. MICHAEL E. FOSSUM