Geosciences  Geosciences Communications State of the College Addresses 18 October 2006 |
| 18 October 2006 |
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Shifting Winds: Managing Change and Balancing Responsibilities
State of the College, I would like to welcome all of you, Faculty, Research Scientists, Staff, Students and Friends of the College of Geosciences, to the annual College Fall meeting, my third State of the College presentation. Thank you for attending this special occasion. As I look around this room, as I reflect on the awards just presented, and as I note the many new and familiar faces in the crowd, I am reminded of how privileged I am to be your Dean. I am also reminded that it has been less than 27 months since I arrived at Texas A&M University. Looking back, I am humbled by all that I have learned and I am proud of what we have accomplished together in this short time. Looking forward, I am energized by our potential and very optimistic about our opportunities and the future that lies ahead. Today, there will be no PowerPoint presentation, no data tables, no histograms. Instead, I have chosen to present the State of the College address the old fashioned way. Please let me try to share with you my thoughts on what has transpired since I arrived two years ago, and where I envision we should go in the future. To say that the past two years have been exciting would be an understatement. In my opinion, hiring new faculty is the single most important function in the College and must be done with the greatest of responsibility. Because of the Reinvestment and ODASES hiring programs, we have been privileged to add eighteen tenure or tenure-track faculty members since 2004. Few universities worldwide can match this rapid hiring rate of new Geoscientists. I can honestly say that I am thrilled by the quality and capacity of all of our recent hires. Such an outstanding group of hires would not have agreed to come to Texas A&M University, had it not been for the extraordinary reputation of the departments in the College of Geosciences and the unselfish effort of faculty, staff, and students in conducting time-consuming searches and screening candidates and meeting with interviewees. This year alone, we will fill at least twelve additional faculty slots – maybe as many as 16 - adding new expertise and competence to our already great Geosciences family of faculty, research scientists, post-docs, staff, and students. If we succeed in increasing the number and quality of faculty and research staff, we will have made great strides towards achieving the top ten-status directive in Vision 2020. I note that this effort has been supported by many. The Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of Graduate Studies have helped by contributing approximately half of the $2.6 million to the start-up packages of these new faculty, helping jump-start their research. To house the new faculty, the Offices of the Provost and the Vice President for Research and our College have spent or committed close to $4 million towards office and laboratory renovations in the O&M, Halbouty, and Teague buildings. The Radiogenic Laboratory facility, which will be housed on the third floor of Halbouty, is an example of the level of commitment to establish a world-class laboratory in our College. A generous donation by a former student, Ken Williams, is helping us to make this come to fruition. I am also pleased to report that negotiations on a purchase of a TIMS instrument, to be housed in the Radiogenic Lab, are completed. Further, with support from Physical Plant, we have benefited from more than $4 million in deferred maintenance to fix long-standing problems in the buildings in the College of Geosciences. Although there was talk of a new Geosciences building long before I came to A&M, this idea has not progressed significantly. I become more philosophical each time I see the unprecedented construction boom that the A&M campus is experiencing. At present, this construction is valued at more than $300M and includes a new Life Sciences building, a Veterinary School complex, TIGM, and two Emerging Technology Buildings (ETED) to flank the Williams Administration Building next door. The nearest of those building provides a potential opportunity for Oceanography to forge an alliance with Engineering to develop joint research in coastal engineering, offshore technology, and ocean observing and modeling in exchange for space. The ETED construction will unfortunately result in the loss of many parking spots in Lots 54 and 55, which will impact Atmospheric Sciences, Geography, and Oceanography. At the same time, the construction of two new Physics buildings will eliminate numerous parking spaces near Halbouty, which will impact the Geology and Geophysics faculty and staff. If a Geosciences complex is ever to happen, we need to engage in serious discussion, planning, and development. With the backing of a major donor, we could potentially leverage additional state and federal funding and have a new building a decade or so from now. But the discussion we first need to have is whether bricks and mortar for a new building have a higher priority than seeking support for endowed scholarships, professorships, and chairs. I would like to report that as of this past Monday, the College of Geosciences and the A&M Foundation have hired a new Development Officer to serve the College of Geosciences. She is Diane Barron, and we welcome her to the College. With Diane onboard, we will revisit and refocus our development goals and efforts and start revising our development strategy. Our College, although relatively small in number of faculty compared to the colleges of Engineering, Agriculture, and Science is a leader in research expenditures per FTE faculty at Texas A&M University. The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program - IODP - is largely responsible for this prominent research statistic, accounting for more than $45 million in research expenditures per year. Winning the IODP contract, which happened before I came to A&M, is an example of what the College of Geosciences is capable of accomplishing when faculty and administrators work together as a team. Both GERG and Sea Grant are also important partners in the research enterprise of the College of Geosciences. Although extramural funding is one universal measure of research success – it certainly not the only one. Nevertheless … One of the challenges I articulated for the College of Geosciences in my initial State of the College address in 2004 was to encourage you, the faculty and research scientists, to increase the number and types of research proposals submitted each year. Although the results are mixed, many of you have answered this call in an exemplary fashion. For example, we are seeing substantial increases in NSF research and other traditional Federal support by the newly hired faculty in all departments, especially in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. But it is research support from non-conventional sources that has maybe the greatest promise of growth. For example, Oceanography is in the process of carrying out an archeological oceanography project supported with more than $5 million by BP. Oceanography also receiving industry support to analyze real-time ocean data from the Arabian Sea for $600 thousand. And most exciting, faculty in Oceanography and Geography have received a commitment for $30 million for the next 6 years to carry out a coastal zone science-based management project in the eastern Caribbean from private sources. These are indeed exciting times. At present, the NSF budget is growing significantly, eventually doubling; NASA is receiving more funds from Congress than before, albeit not for research. Unfortunately, at the same time, EPA, DOE, NOAA, ONR and USGS have curtailed their science and research funding support. As a result, competition for research dollars has increased and a smaller percent of submitted research proposals are funded than ever before. We certainly need to continue to be aggressive and innovative in seeking research support, both by continuing to apply for traditional Federal resources, but at the same time by seeking funding from industry and private sources based on entrepreneurial ideas and submission of relevant proposals. I challenge each of us to meet the goal of having our research expenditures reach the level of our aspirant institutions, particularly the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) at Penn State University. My emphasis on research funding must not be interpreted to mean that it is the only priority for the College. Our ability to reach top-ten status is not only about the amount of research funding we generate, but rather about the quality of scholarship, placement of graduates, and our educational and research reputations. Extramural funding is the fuel for the vehicle to get us there, to achieve and be recognized for world-class scholarship, research, mentoring, education, and service. We need to keep this in mind, and work together as a team to reach our objectives. Overall, I think we are doing very well. Our academic programs continue to be strong in the face of a discouraging national trend – the diminishing number of students majoring in the sciences. The number of undergraduate and graduate students in our College has been level for the past five years. Decreases observed in some departments have been offset by increases in others – symptomatic maybe of natural fluctuations all disciplines experience over long time periods. Unquestionably, the Environmental Geosciences Program is responsible for keeping student numbers at steady state. It is my opinion that this Program, in combination with the boom in the oil industry, will lead to increasing student enrollment in the next five years. New institutional funds to cover tuition for all graduate assistants will also significantly help this process and make us more competitive nationally in recruiting the most outstanding graduate students. First, let me tell you about the Environmental Programs in the College of Geosciences, which will be a major focus in the College for years to come. I have asked Dr. Andrew Millington, Geography, to be the Interim Director of the Environmental Geosciences Program, beginning on 1 January. I am happy to report that he has accepted. Dr. Millington will provide the leadership needed to move this program to the next level with the help of his executive committee and the ca. 40 faculty in the College who have expressed an interest in participating. Further details of how we will proceed will follow in the months to come. Second, the College of Geosciences has just this month hired a Recruitment Coordinator, Irma Weatherford. Irma is a graduate of our Geography Department, speaks Spanish, and will proactively focus on recruiting students into the College of Geosciences on behalf of all four departments and the interdisciplinary programs. Third, I am planning to form a committee, certainly including Academic Dean, the Recruitment Coordinator, the Academic Advisors in the departments, and our new Senior Academic Advisor, Roxanna Russell. The charge will be to develop and implement a modern and effective recruitment strategy for the College of Geosciences, focusing on high schools and junior colleges in Texas, hopefully helping raise the awareness of what the Geosciences represent and what it offers in terms of employment and opportunities. It is my expectation that this will lead to increased undergraduate enrollment, in time followed by an increased graduate enrollment. Effective recruitment cannot be accomplished without modern communication tools. Unfortunately, it has been years since the College has devoted significant resources to our computing infrastructure. In my first State of the College address, I noted three areas that needed urgent attention: upgrade of the network, redesign of the web sites in the College and departments; and reorganization of College IT structure. The upgrade of the network was completed in 2005. In January of 2006, the College hired Jim Rosser as Director of Information Systems and directed him to plan and execute a major upgrade of our IT facilities. This is a work in process and is presently 30% complete. In addition to the upgrade of the computer facilities In the College of Geosciences, we are assisting the University with its upgrades. The VPR’s Office with a significant contribution from the College of Geosciences and several College faculty have joined forces to purchase an IBM 5-575+ cluster, 640-processor, 4 tera-flop supercomputer system, organized into 40 nodes. Two of these nodes are dedicated for the exclusive use of the College of Geosciences during the next three years, at the same time that we have full access to a grid of supercomputers among five neighboring SURA universities. Both Jim Rosser and Jay Slovacek, our Communications Specialist – responsible for GeoConnections - have been working with you to update and improve department and College web sites with a consistent modern look, following the approach by A&M to brand its web presence. This task has taken much longer than anticipated, and is still only 50 % complete. I have, therefore, asked Jim Rosser to outsource portions of the job, with the objective to have all College web sites and pages updated, consistent, and fully functional with content management software implemented by the summer of 2007.
There are many exciting and positive happenings in the College, but I will not pretend this has been a road without many twists and turns. The Reinvestment hiring is an amazing opportunity for all of us, but it has created space, staffing, and start-up issues. It has meant too many committee meetings, too many interviews, too many lunches and dinners at a time when we are also asking for submission of more research proposals and a greater production of student credit hours. All of us are feeling the pressure to increase student enrollment and student credit hours, without being provided the adequate space and staff to meet these demands. The University Studies Degree is an exciting recent development which could be advantageous for all departments, but especially for Oceanography, as a means to raise student enrollment and the production of additional student credit hours. So if I were asked to characterize the past two years, I would say these are times of unprecedented change at Texas A&M University. Change presents us with great opportunities but also provides us with enormous challenges and responsibilities. I can honestly say that learning how to manage change effectively within the College has been my greatest trial. I have learned that managing change well is difficult, but it is critically important. As Darwin put it, “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most responsive to change.” In the face of the lightning fast changes taking place at A&M - curricular, research, funding, and politics - like Darwin's surviving species we must remain responsive to change. Universities, and A&M is no exception, are often slow to respond because they, in contrast to industry, use a horizontal organizational structure. More than in industry, the rank and file does contribute to the management of universities. How well this model works in times of rapid change is open to debate. However, we do not want to install a vertical administrative structure similar to industry, but we must evolve a College administration structure that can respond to rapid change while honoring principles of shared governance. I hope to continue to grow a governance structure for the College of Geosciences which relies on faculty and staff participation but can adapt and respond quickly. In this regard, President Gates’ made a powerful statement in his Convocation address last month: Department heads, deans and the president and provost must, and will, continue to make the final decisions. But those decisions will be better, and be better understood and supported, if transparency, discussion and debate, communication, and collaboration precede them. Shared governance based on those principles -- transparency, open communication and discussion, and mutual respect -- establishes the healthy and open environment necessary for creating a culture of excellence in all we do and for our further enduring improvement as a university. In this light, I want to make sure that my administration is transparent, has open lines of communication, and treats each and every one of you with respect. You, in turn, must be willing to participate - provide service - in the governance of your unit, department, and College in an informed and professional manner. Information-sharing helps establish transparency in governance, involving and concerning all faculty, staff, and students. I became concerned last year that the faculty did not always hear my messages and, in particular, much of the dialogue shared at Executive Committee meetings. Thus, I have begun writing a series of Information Letters, which I send by email directly to all faculty and staff in the College. In these letters, currently five, I present: news and happenings; ideas and plans; performance data; budget information; and much more. This will hopefully lead to improved communications and better information-sharing between the Dean’s Office and the faculty, staff, and students. In addition, I meet frequently with small groups of faculty, sometimes individual faculty, just to listen, to discuss ideas and plans, and solicit opinions. So far I have also conducted two informal Town Hall meetings to provide faculty the opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas. I will continue to hold Town Hall meetings as important issues arise. The formation of the four College Councils during my first year in office was an attempt to provide opportunities for more shared governance, but the experiment was a mixed success at best. As we move forward, we will reinstate the Academic and Research councils, and ask them to address broad philosophical issues in the College. GFAC, faculty members elected by the faculty in the College, is again an active committee with whom I meet, and this committee is currently developing a revised simplified tenure and promotion document for the College of Geosciences. I receive regular feedback from each and every College search committees, and am looking for a mechanism to listen better to both the staff and the four faculty senators in the College. The College of Geosciences has a 12-person executive committee which meets monthly. It is my understanding that each academic department now also has a functional executive committee to support decision-making and advise the department head. These structures are all in place and hopefully will help ensure everyone’s participation in department and College governance. Should you, however, feel that your voice is not heard adequately, and you would like to discuss an issue with me directly, please let Connie Toon know, and she will be happy to schedule a meeting. As long as my schedule permits, my door is wide open, and I would like to invite you to discuss your concerns - a cup of espresso or possibly lunch can be part of the agenda if you have the time and inclination. Shortly after I arrived, I asked all departments and units to produce strategic plans. I was aware of the resentment and frustration over the lack of faculty input into the process used to the define signature programs in the College Reinvestment Plan. Thus, I felt it was important for the College to have a roadmap that would help guide us the in times of change, but a road-map with greater faculty buy-in, i.e. a new strategic plan. This process was more difficult and time-consuming than it should have been. In hindsight, the College should have produced a strategic plan before the exercise began. In the absence of such a strategic plan, I am continually asked, what is the vision of the College? To quote a Chinese proverb: “If you are planning for one year, grow rice. If you are planning for 20 years grow trees. If you are planning for centuries, grow men." I am not able to look ahead one hundred years, but do have a vision of what our College of Geosciences should look like. Strategically, I see a College that is ready and able:
These are the three strategic priorities for the College of Geosciences. Although details and an implementation plan are still to be developed fully, with your help, and working together as a team, we will get there. I believe we all want for the College of Geosciences to be a global leader in atmospheric sciences, geography, geology and geophysics, oceanography, environmental geosciences, and water management and hydrological sciences, and I am optimistic enough to believe that we are well on the way towards this lofty goal. Further, I see a College that is balanced and fair and equitable in how it allots and uses its resources and rewards its people. I consider you the best group of faculty, staff, and students in the University. Each of you has special talents. Some of you are highly successful at garnering extramural funding. Some of you are master teachers. Some of you are highly effective student mentors. Some of you write scholarly works and highly regarded textbooks. Some of you provide great service to the University and the Geosciences community at large. And some of you in this room are a combination of all of these. We must strike a balance in the way we use the great talent in the College of Geosciences. I firmly believe that this can be achieved if there is the expectation that all of us contribute our best to the College and that those of us who are exemplary in the areas of research, teaching and service are fairly rewarded. It is apparent to me that the winds are shifting at Texas A&M University in terms of student expectations, research climate with intense competition for resources, and an overall strong institutional growth. We need to work together as a team towards achieving College and departmental goals. Faculty, staff, and students need to make sure to join forces to manage change and balance responsibilities such that the College of Geosciences and its units can continue to enjoy success locally, nationally, and globally, and fulfill the hopes and expectations of individuals in the College of Geosciences. Thank you for your hard work during the past year. And I thank you in advance for your hard work in the years to come. |
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