Former rector Arthur Mol of Wageningen University & Research will oversee the restructuring plans for the SSH faculties.
The university’s board of directors aims to make the organisational structure of the social sciences, humanities, law, and economics & business faculties (the so-called SSH domain) more efficient.
A working group conducted research on this matter and presented the board with a final recommendation, outlining three possible scenarios. The first scenario involves minimal changes, the second reduces the current seven SSH faculties to four, and the third merges them into one large new faculty.
Scenario two
Several members of the Groningen university council believe the board has already made its decision: scenario two. They argue that this would come at the expense of philosophy, spatial sciences, and religion, culture & society.
However, university president Jouke de Vries insists that no final decision has been made. ‘This is just the starting point for developing new plans, and within that, we do have a preference for the second scenario. But we are absolutely open to suggestions for other suitable organisational models and discussions on the matter.’
‘Agility’
The board stresses that the university must prepare for developments in the Netherlands and worldwide (including looming budget cuts amounting to millions) by remaining ‘agile’. ‘To do that, we must reconsider our organisational structure. How can we make decision-making more efficient when necessary?’ said De Vries.
The university council acknowledges this need but urges the executive board to communicate more clearly to ease concerns among staff.