Page 255 - Crisis in Higher Education

226 • Crisis in Higher Education

3. Executive VP and provost: This is often the most powerful person
at a university after the chairperson of the board and the president.
The provost is responsible for all aspects of academics. Figure 11.1
shows some of the elements within the purview of the provost.
a. Sponsored research: This function supports the pursuit, budget-
ing, and compliance of research grants from federal, state, and
other sources.
b. Institutional research: Information about students, resources
consumed, and outputs achieved are collected and analyzed by
this group.
c. Colleges: Each college has a dean who reports to the provost, and
each dean is supported by associate and assistant deans as well
as other administrators. Faculty report through their academic
department chairs to the dean and to the provost.
d. Graduate school: This is the management home for graduate
programs. It usually supports admissions, provides and controls
the budget for graduate assistantships, and creates and monitors
compliance with university guidelines and state rules regarding
graduate education.
e. Budget and finance: Ensures that colleges and other entities do
not overspend, and what they do spend is in accordance with
university and state policy.
f. Library: Universities may have multiple libraries that support
learning and research.
4. VP finance: Responsible for budget preparations, accounts receiv-
able, accounts payable, payroll, and other functions
5. VP student affairs: This is a very large bureaucracy as it deals with
all aspects related to students such as housing, student activities,
food services, book stores, campus security, parking service, student
healthcare, and more. At some universities, this function reports to
the provost.
6. VP of operations and facilities: Deals with day-to-day support for
facilities, including comfort and cleaning as well as sustainability
of buildings and equipment, renovations and new construction, and
requirements driven by government regulation.
7. More Presidential Direct Reports: The president has a legal staff to deal
with various issues. Intercollegiate athletics, by itself, is a major under-
taking. Government relations, marketing the institution, and ensuring
high-quality, reliable, and safe information systems are critical.