Departmental delirium

With the appointment of Karen Hanson as the new provost for the Bloomington campus, last Friday marked the first time since 2001 that the University has had a permanent administration. And it’s about time. Though we don’t for a second doubt Interim-Chancellor-turned-Provost-turned-permanent-Chancellor Ken Gros Louis’ dedication to IU or his unfettered concern for its students (indeed, he has been a friend of the IDS for many years and one of our staunchest advocates), the complexities of the University demands a stable upper-level staff.\nHere’s a quick history lesson: In 1962, Herman B. Wells – the man, the legend, the champion of higher education – was named IU’s first chancellor when he stepped down from his post as University president. Until 2006, the University’s president and chancellor ran the University in tandem, sharing responsibilities but apparently also getting in each other’s way. In 2006, the overlapping roles prompted former-President Adam Herbert to restructure the upper-level administration and, with approval from the board of trustees, created the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs. \nSo, for those of you not keeping track, there are now three positions instead of the original two, each with slightly different and yet remarkably similar job descriptions. At the top of the entire University system is recently elected President Michael McRobbie. Since February 2006 he had served as interim provost and reported directly to then-President Herbert overseeing academic and budgetary policy. His new job (in a nut shell) is to coordinate the various satellite campuses, to spearhead state-wide education initiatives and to occupy Bryan House from time to time. \nDirectly beneath him is University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis. He was appointed in 2006 to provide system-wide leadership with a focus on the Bloomington campus’ flagship role. What’s the difference? Parking privileges, mostly. Beyond that, Gros Louis serves as a top-level advisor to the University, a vital connection to student groups and a lead counsel to the president and board of trustees. Gros Louis exudes IU. In fact, given his tenure and seniority, he is in many ways more respected than McRobbie or any other University figure. \nKaren Hanson, then, is next in the line of succession. She is the former dean of the Hutton Honors College and has served the University in varying capacities since 1976. The provost supports “faculty and student initiatives to improve the quality of education at IU-Bloomington and maintain our status as a world-class research institution,” according to her Web site. McRobbie chose her from among seven candidates to give focus to strengthening the Bloomington’s academic profile, diversity initiatives and the implementation of general education programs.\nDo you see the differences? No? Don’t try, because neither do we. When Herbert decided to reorganize the University hierarchy in favor of a more comprehensive – and independently responsible – division of labor, he provided the framework for a truly effective system of governance. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that the new structure is any less convoluted than the one it replaced. Still, a permanent snarl of administration is preferable to a transient one.