Navigating FAS Administrative Services

Under the previous model, administrative practices varied widely across departments and centers, and staff often covered a broad range of responsibilities without the chance to build deep expertise in any one area.

The new model addresses this by:

• Organizing staff into functional teams with deeper expertise in specific administrative areas
• Standardizing core processes where appropriate while still supporting the needs of individual disciplines
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities, so it's easier to know where to go for help
• Ensuring administrative support continues when staff are on leave, on vacation, or leave the university
• Creating larger administrative teams with clearer paths for training and career growth

Managing Directors represent the needs of departments and centers as these services are coordinated across the FAS.

An administrative grouping is a cluster of departments and centers that share a dedicated administrative team, led by a Department Administrator (DA) or Executive Director (ED). Each grouping connects to the broader FAS through a Managing Director, who represents the group's needs in FAS-level decisions and serves as an escalation point when issues arise. This is solely about how staff support is organized; it doesn't change the academic independence or boundaries of individual departments and centers.

Our target date for operating fully under the new model is mid-October 2026. In the meantime, administrative support continues as usual across the FAS, and support mechanisms are in place to help address any challenges that may arise along the way.

Some disruption should be expected. Any organizational change of this scale involves a period of adjustment, and finding a rhythm within the new model will take time. Support structures, including the Rapid Response Team, are designed with this in mind. We expect to respond quickly when something isn't working optimally.

Advisory and governance groups made up of faculty and staff will provide feedback and direction as the model takes hold. We will also track key metrics to ensure strong levels of service, and we'll be transparent about our progress.