After almost two full years since the first pandemic shutdown, massive budget cuts, and a complicated restructuring plan, both students and faculty have been stretched to the limit.
But these problems do not mean that students should expect any less transparency or communication from the administration. In fact, we should be receiving more.
Having a clear message prevents confusion and the spread of misinformation and rumors. It also gives people peace of mind knowing that the decisions being made are not arbitrary but rather are made with a coherent rationale.
The pandemic has been the perfect example of why concise and frequent communication is important. Without transparency, both the administration and students will suffer as a result.
As the university moves forward with restructuring plans, students should not only be informed of any planned changes but also be allowed to have an active voice in the process.
President Ed Seidel announced the first restructuring proposal to the Board of Trustees in July of 2021, which included eliminating several departments in order to deal with budget cuts.
On September 16th, the administration backtracked when a press release from UW institutional communications announced that “Input from internal and external stakeholders has resulted in some likely adjustments to the University of Wyoming’s proposal for academic restructuring and reductions.”
These stakeholders included commenters on a public portal regarding restructuring which took place from August 27-October 1, 2021.
Out of 715 completed responses, 138 were students.
Responses to the survey included calls for “more transparency regarding vision/plans for UW and its income,” “more communication on status – otherwise rumor-mill will fill gaps,” and “too rushed, not well thought out, should have come from deans and faculty.”
Obviously, these comments do not reflect the whole of the campus community. It is clear, however, that there is some concern over clarity and transparency within the restructuring plan.
While the University publishes regular press releases regarding major campus events, there seems to be a disconnect between students and upper-level decision-makers such as the Board of Trustees and the administration.
This disconnect is not entirely the fault of the administration. Students must obviously hold themselves accountable for staying up to date on what is happening on campus. But having a clear line of communication is more important than ever.
Having more opportunities for students to voice concerns will not only improve the decision-making process for administration but will also ensure that students are being listened to and that outreach from the administration continues to develop.
There are a few actions that UW administration can and should take in order to relieve some of the confusion and worry among students.
First, public attendance at the Board of Trustees meetings should be actively encouraged, and students should work to attend these meetings. Communication is, after all, a two-way street.
Second, there should be more opportunities for students to speak, whether that be in the form of surveys, in-person events, or Q&A events with the administration.
People like President Seidel should not only be visible on campus but also be willing to addressthe opinions and concerns of students.
Covid limited Seidel’s in-person opportunities in his first year as president. Now, he should put a priority on meeting with students in all departments.
Finally, public records regarding budget, restructuring and any other matter on campus should continue to be made readily available in a digestible format for community members to access.
If the administration continues to work on promoting transparency and dialogue between students, the university will be much better equipped to handle changes and the big decisions ahead.
