Johnson C. Smith University President Ronald Carter, Ph.D., announced today a major reorganization of the university’s academic division, decentralizing its structure with a Council of Deans.

Formerly the Office for Academic Affairs, the unit was headed by a vice president and associate vice president, to whom deans and faculty department chairs reported. The new decentralized organizational structure eliminates those two positions and replaces them with a six-member Council of Deans. The new administrative unit will govern through consensus and be an advisory committee to the president. “The reorganization will greatly benefit the university by encouraging collaboration and providing improved transparency, increased autonomy and responsibility,” Dr. Carter said. “It will allow faculty to have better participation and make for a more vibrant faculty senate, of which I am a strong proponent.”

Deans will now be responsible for their own departmental budgets along with working with the university’s admissions office to recruit and retain students in their respective academic areas.

The Council of Deans will consist of the following: Dean of Arts and Letters, Dean of (STEM) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Dean of Professional Studies, Dean of Academic Services, Dean of Freshman-Sophomore Learning, and Dean of Metropolitan College. Dr. Don Mager, currently dean of College of Arts and Sciences, will serve as the Dean of Arts and Letters and will explore opportunities to offer dance and theatre degrees at JCSU; Dr. Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, current interim vice president for academic affairs will serve in her former position of Dean of the Professional Studies starting Aug. 4; Dr. Magdy Attia, current Dean of Professional Studies will serve both as Dean of STEM and Council of Deans chairman; Dr. Eugene Hermitte will continue to serve as the Dean of Freshman-Sophomore Learning; the other newly-created positions, Dean of Academic Support Services and Dean of Metropolitan College are vacant. The Council of Deans’ Chamber, located on the second floor of Biddle Hall, will serve as the central meeting area and repository for all essential documents of the council.

The area, formerly home to the Office of Academic Affairs, will also become a showpiece for the university’s academy where the council will host dignitaries, visiting scholars, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools officials and other accrediting agencies’ officials. The area will be staffed with a secretary to the Council of Deans, which is also a new position. The currently unfilled position will manage the chamber area, establish processes for document retrieval, schedule meetings, and assist the deans of the council. In relationship to the Council of Deans, Dr. Brian Johnson will serve as the new Chief of Staff serving as the liaison from the President’s Office to the Chair of the Council of Deans.

Dr. Johnson, who formerly served as the associate vice president of academic affairs, will also serve as an ex-officio on the Council of Deans, and at times represent the president on various committees to make sure Dr. Carter’s policies and concerns are articulated. Dr. Carter said he expects to see “accelerated positive change” from his decision during the 2008-2009 academic year, which ends June 30, 2009. “I believe this organizational change will make for efficient management and show my commitment to transparency by getting more people involved in the decision-making process,” he said.