Restructuring makes sense

In this corner, weighing in at an undisclosed number of pounds, wearing the crimson trunks, IU-Bloomington Chancellor Sharon Brehm.\nAnd in this corner, weighing in at an also undisclosed -- but significantly greater -- number of pounds, wearing the cream trunks, IU President Adam Herbert.\nAnd thus the duel began, or so it seemed on Sept. 24, when the IDS reported that Herbert had called off Brehm's plan for a provost. It's been her holy grail since October 2002, but it's just not in the cards while Herbert does some administrative restructuring of his own.\nTuesday, the IDS reported that Herbert said a provost position would make a chancellor unnecessary. "We're not structured in a fashion that makes the provost position a reasonable one," he said.\nNow we know political answers, and between the lines, this sounds like a power struggle. Positions don't really ever become "unnecessary" unless someone wants to make a point.\nAnd if his point is to do a little administrative trimming, we're all ears.\nTo that, he's announced a no-search for the replacements of two IU retirees: Don Weaver, director of state relations, and Moya Andrews, vice chancellor of academic affairs.\nHerbert also plans to re-examine the roles of the seven vice presidents employed by the University. In regards to these positions, Herbert questioned their worth.\n"The question is, 'What do they do?' and 'What value do they have?'" he said to the IDS.\nIt seems as if some jobs are on the line, and as far as we're concerned, for good reason. \nPerhaps one of the greatest critiques of almost all major organizations that extend beyond their grassroots is that they are too top-heavy -- they demand money and resources to operate their intended purposes, but don't want those to come out of the pockets of those in upper management. To compound the issue, upper management seems to grow exponentially with the decline in resources for the product.\nBut here comes Herbert, cutting red tape and at least letting us dream that maybe, just maybe, he'll make some sense out of the IU administration. \nIn regard to IU's leviathan of administrative positions, Herbert could only politely say, "We are one of the most unique universities I have come across in regards to structure."\nUnique. It seems Herbert has learned to say something nice, instead of nothing at all. In political terms, such a statement amounts to saying, "No one else does things like we do ... might that be a problem?"\nIf so, we give Herbert our full support in his endeavor to make our structure less "unique" and more "effective"