The Interfolio Blog

We've been discussing a lot lately about the state of higher ed, looking at recent trends, cuts in programming, jobs, departments and funding, and hikes in tuition. All of these issues have a major impact on millions of people nationwide. Students, faculty, their families and communities, research institutions, budgets from the local to federal levels - the state of higher ed has far-reaching affects. One of the arguments we've made is that transparent communication, better collaboration and networking across faculty, students and staff is necessary for the future of higher ed.

So it was with great interest that we learned about what University of Massachusetts Amherst's new Chancellor Robert Holub has been doing this past academic year to engage with the campus community and communicate about what budget cuts mean for a major state-funded university and research insitution. With a foundation of transparency, collaboration and cooperation, Holub has initiated an open-door policy in tackling difficult funding decisions as well as decisions about the short and long term future of the university.

In a series of e-mails beginning in the fall of 2008, Holub has reached out to students, faculty and staff directly, communicating openly about budget cuts, and asking for ideas and input from anyone and everyone to address the crisis as a community. A separate page for budget discussion was created on the campus website, and a dedicated e-mail set up to gather questions, comments, and suggestions on moving forward in the face of $12 million in budget cuts that were announced mid-fall semester and effective immediately for the 2008-2009 academic year.

In addition, the Chancellor has pushed forward with major initiatives to plan for UMass's future , inviting input on documents that lay out short and long-term plans for University research and academic initiatives. Many of these documents are shared on the UMass website, and have solicited hundreds of emails over the course of the semester from campus members sharing fears, ideas and support for university plans and decisions.

This commitment to campus-wide inclusion and collaboration is commendable, and we look forward to seeing how it affects the decision making processes and future success of the university as a whole. As current student Adam O'Neill noted, "this kind of communication policy has allowed UMass to be more engaged, cohesive, and communicative as a whole than it has ever been in the past. I personally feel that it has and will mark a dramatic improvement in the level of alumni, student and community involvement with the university, strengthening the reputation of the school in the long run."

We always welcome and encourage conversation on these topics, and would love to hear your thoughts below.