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Metro State’s position of associate dean of teacher education,
held by Barbara Baker was eliminated, and she was notified and relieved
of her position by Metro’s Board of Trustees on Nov. 4.
Baker held the associate dean position since 1997, and was a critic
of the plan to link Colorado Student Assessment Program scores to
the effectiveness of teacher education that was proposed and defeated
in 2001.
“No, her (Baker’s) politics were not a consideration
in the elimination of the associate dean position,” said Cathy
Lucas director of communications, and spokeswoman for Metro State.
Baker was not available for comment.
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“The elimination
of the position was due to a charge from the Interim President
ray Kieft, which was to flatten the administrative structure
and decentralize.”
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Sandra Haynes, interim dean of the
School of Professional Studies
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Lucas said that the elimination of the associate dean position was
spurred by an attempt to flatten the organizational structure of the
education department, and to more efficiently use financial resources.
“The elimination of the position was due to a charge from
the Interim President Ray Kieft, which was to flatten the administrative
structure and decentralize,” said Sandra Haynes, interim dean
of the School of Professional Studies.
Haynes was selected by the board for her position in October after
serving as associate dean for the School of Professional Studies for
just over two years.
Haynes’ referral to this charge is from the Fall Convocation
speech that Kieft delivered to college on Aug. 28.
In the speech, Kieft said, “My sense is that Metro State could
benefit from some streamlining of administrative procedures and protocols,
and a possible decentralization of certain areas of decision-making.”
In the speech, Kieft called for a bottom-up review of organizations,
which contrasts the top-down process that was began by former President
Sheila Kaplan.
The elimination of Baker’s position came after Haynes determined
that with some reorganization, the duties of the associate dean could
be handled by herself and other members of the staff, and made a recommendation
to the board to cut the position.
Haynes said the elimination of the associate dean position will put
a fair amount of added work on key people in the department.
“We are trying to put our money where our mission is,”
Haynes said, “and that is in teaching.”
Haynes said that Larry Bettermann, chair of the teacher education
department, will take on the supervision of some of the ancillary
groups to the education department such as clinical services, the
teacher education center and will be involved in advising the child
development center.
Haynes will take on the external contacts with groups like the Colorado
Council of Deans of Education and contact with the Colorado Commission
on Higher Education.
With Baker’s position eliminated, the 10 department chairs
that represent each of the departments in the School of Professional
Studies will now report directly to Haynes. The remaining associate
dean position in the School of Professional Studies is held by Kathy
Heyl, and she acts as support for Haynes.
Prior to Baker’s position being eliminated, Heyl supported
nine of the 10 departments in the school, with Baker supporting only
the teacher education department.
As for the financial benefit of the new restructuring, Baker’s
salary, including benefits is a savings of $110,419 per year.
According to Haynes, this amount of money is enough to make up the
operating budgets for several departments.
Lucas said that until the Joint Budget Committee for the state gives
the school figures for the next year, trying to conserve financial
resources is a priority.
“We are not having budget constraints, but we are looking at
how we are using the money we do have. The question is how to utilize
what we do have left,” said Charlie Branch, professor and Chair
for Human Services, and former dean of education.
Baker is on paid leave until the end of 2003, and with six months
left in the fiscal year, the money allocated for her salary can be
used elsewhere.
“With the Board of Trustees’ approval we can move the
money to where we need it,” said Michael Barnett, vice president
of administration and finance. “Metro State may not be receiving
any more money from the state so we must allocate money where we can.”
Baker is the fourth administrator in the last five months removed
from Metro.
Her removal follows that of President Sheila Kaplan who resigned
in July after 10 years in office, and the resignation of Cheryl Norton,
who held the offices of vice-president of student affairs and provost.
Norton’s resignation of the vice-president position was effective
Nov. 1, and she will leave her post as provost on July 1, 2004.
Some students, unsure of what the changes in administration mean
for the future, express concerns about the recent turnover.
“I do wonder and worry about the future of the school because
reputation is important,” said Jenna Miles, a senior student
in art history.
This concern is echoed by Jacquie Baker (no relation to Barbara Baker),
a Teacher’s Education major who said, “I don’t want
the school to go down and have it look bad on my resume.”
Both Kieft and Lucas said that there are no more cuts on the table
at this time.
“Perhaps down the road there will be more cuts, depending on
what the review committees find in their assessments,” Lucas
said.
The committees that Lucas referred to were appointed by Kieft to
assess the efficiency of various programs and activities at Metro.
“Their (the board’s) concern is how can we have a good
institution and save money,” Bettermann said.
Despite cuts, he also said, “We haven’t cut one class
or turned anyone away who wants to be a teacher, and we’ll continue
that.
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