Revive Administrative Communication with Faculty and Students in University Settings
Revive Administrative Communication with Faculty and Students in University Settings
The Issue
University is meant to be one of the most influential learning experiences of one’s life. For students, it offers networking opportunities, chances to gain essential career skills, and ways to meet people who may become friends forever, while for faculty and administrators, college can be just as fulfilling by creating the opportunity to broaden one’s cultural spectrum and build the next generation toward success. But for this fulfilling experience to be possible, all campus bodies need to work in cohesion and be support systems for each other, and in the years since the COVID pandemic, there has been a felt disconnect among faculty/staff and students from their administrators as they seem to become more engrossed in their own interests and become less communicative about growing issues on campus. In a period where universities are currently under attack in the U.S. by the sitting presidential administration and as people grow less confident about college being an adequate career path, these important connections must be re-established to ensure that universities remain successful in this country.
Where Disconnect Has Occurred and Its Effects
College organizations are designed in such a way that requires all major bodies to work in cohesion and make collaborative efforts to reach new milestones, quickly address arising problems, and make the university experience fulfilling. But increasingly across the country, university administrations have become increasingly uncommunicative or even hostile to other campus members when questioned about the needs of those other than themselves. There have been many examples over the past few years where this disconnect and tension have occurred, especially between faculty:
· In 2023, former University of Arizona president Robert C. Robbins made the decision to purchase the operations of the neighboring Ashford University, despite much faculty concern and protest that he was prioritizing the purchase of another university over the development of Arizona’s own operations. This decision put the university at an over $200 million budget deficit later that year (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· In late 2024, Springfield, Ohio’s Wittenberg University made a surprise announcement that they would not only cut almost 70 staff positions, but also eliminate multiple existing majors such as music education and multiple language studies, forcing both students and faculty to find alternative career paths. Music major Will Boeck complained to Springfield News about the possibility of needing extra finances and time to get a proper education because of the decision, stating “I blame it on the mismanagement of the board over all these years that led to where we are now” (Eileen McClory and Jessica Orozco, Springfield News).
· At the college I attend, the University of Dayton, we received an email in March stating that a total of 65 full-time employees would be cut from the college roster at the start of the next academic year, a decision made after only 2 days of deliberation despite announcements made months in advance about budget cuts (Thomas Gnau and Eileen McClory, Dayton Daily News). Staff were only told about possible cuts when deliberations started and were left in the dark about most other budget-related matters.
If these specific scenarios weren’t concerning enough, there are a multitude of other issues that may arise from such disconnect:
· Lack of communication between students and administrators can make students less eager to reach out to campus leaders for assistance; the Higher Education Studies journal found in a 2021 study that two big implications which made students hesitate to reach out were assumptions that their problems would be downplayed, judged, or not understood, and the possibility of campus leaders isolating themselves from the student body (Stephanie Rizzo et al., Higher Education Studies).
· Tension can be created among university bodies which can quickly turn unprofessional, as seen at West Virginia’s Bluefield State University in 2022, when former president Robin C. Capehart engaged in a lengthy social media rant berating campus faculty, claiming the staff to be unappreciative of their positions and always in a bad mood (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· The lack of proper communication can even result in the campus environment becoming more dangerous. In a 2019 study on the readability of sexual assault/harassment/misconduct policies on college websites, it was found that a major reason for lacking student knowledge on these policies was that they were listed at a reading level far higher than that of an incoming college student (Shannon Duncan et al., Journal of Forensic Nursing), which would make these types of crimes more likely on campus grounds because students are less knowledgeable on how to address them.
The (Possible) Solution and What It Can Do
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue, and it won’t be a quick fix, one of the simplest solutions to devise for the disconnect problem is for universities to schedule regular, consistent meetings that are open to all campus bodies and positions available to meet, no matter how high or low on the chain. These would be inclusive to those such as lecturers/professors, research assistants, student government councils, deans and university chairmen, student employees, university directors and coordinators, and other existing bodies, allowing the opportunity for every member of campus to have their needs, interests, or voices heard and create the potential to formulate plans that serve the entire campus rather than simply the needs of the few, ensuring increased success across all parties.
There are a variety of benefits that would come with such a practice:
· These regular discussions and surveys would boost morale and lead to more effective solutions to long-standing issues. At Iowa’s Buena Vista University last year, a survey was conducted by administrators asking faculty about issues of burnout on campus. This survey allowed staff to share their thoughts on existing work conditions, which later allowed administrators to create an effective combat plan that involved the hiring of freshman and sophomore success coaches and lessened course-load requirements to ensure faculty weren’t being overworked (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· This increased communication can also be essential in rebuilding student trust in campus leaders, as it has been found that students are more likely to reach out for help to those who are in contact with them more consistently on campus. Those who are seen and heard from more frequently are more recognized as leaders by students (Stephanie Rizzo et al., Higher Education Studies).
o Conversely, less frequent contact may make students more likely to blame campus administration for new issues that arise, as an anonymous student of California State Polytechnic University admitted in an article from Inside Higher Education in 2021: “I do feel heard, but the harsh reality is that most students don’t feel heard. It’s so easy to blame administration for things that are out of our hands” (Melissa Ezarik, Inside Higher Education).
· And of course, these regular interventions would allow for quality communication and dialogue to be regained, a necessary quality for colleges to succeed. Concordia University mathematics professor Angela Walmsley has admitted to communication’s importance among staff and administrators, stating that “collaboration is key. Collaboration can only occur when there is mutual respect, openness, and friendliness among both faculty and administration. Both must believe they are working towards a common goal or mission” (Angela Walmsley, The Evolllution).
Call to Action
As you have read, dialogue is one of the most foundational parts of the university experience, an essential tool for building trust among all university bodies as well as for efficiently solving problems and achieving success. Without it, the college environment only serves to be a boiling pot of tension, missteps, and inability to correct issues quickly. Unfortunately, dialogue has become a missing piece of the puzzle in a time when universities are under more threat in this country than they have been in many years. It is no more important than it is today to reform and revitalize the necessary collaboration needed to create a successful, unified campus environment that allows for everyone to stick together as one under common goals of success.
Please share this petition wherever you can and be sure to sign and comment to show your support for the cause. There is no more important time than now to help keep our universities thriving as successful career paths for young adults such as myself. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
For a more in-depth look at the issue at hand, please see attached my research paper on the problem of fleeting university communication:
References:
Duncan, Shannon, et al. “Caught in a Web of Confusion: Assessing the Readability of University Webpages for Victims of Sexual Assault.” Journal of Forensic Nursing, vol. 15, no. 1, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Jan. 2019, pp. 4–8, https://doi.org/10.1097/jfn.0000000000000228
Ezarik, Melissa. “Do College Students Feel Heard by Professors and Administrators on Their Campuses?” Inside Higher Education, 24 Feb. 2021, www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/02/24/do-college-students-feel-heard-professors-and-administrators-their-campuses
Gardner, Lee. “The Campus Cold War: Faculty vs. Administrators.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 Mar. 2025, www.chronicle.com/article/the-campus-cold-war-faculty-vs-administrators?sra=true
Gnau, Thomas. “UD Makes Jobs Cuts as It Continues to Right-Size Workforce.” Dayton-Daily-News, 4 Mar. 2025, www.daytondailynews.com/local/university-of-Dayton-lays-off-45-employees/XOLOCS3SBBEURN6V2RN562ERKE/
McClory, Eileen. “Wittenberg Cuts Employee Jobs; Will End Music, Language Programs, Some Sports.” Springfield-News-Sun, 6 Sept. 2024, www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/wittenberg-says-employee-cuts-will-be-slightly-smaller-than-stated-earlier/HRGGX67UZZBSVNTMFNTWQI2F2U/
Rizzo, Stephanie, et al. “Who Are Their Leaders? College Students’ Perceptions of and Engagement with Campus Leaders and Administrators.” Higher Education Studies, vol. 11, no. 3, 16 June 2021, p. 43, https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v11n3p43
Walmsley, Angela. “Improving the Ties between Faculty and Administration.” The Evolllution, 13 May 2016, evolllution.com/managing-institution/operations_efficiency/improving-the-ties-between-faculty-and-administration.
*Petition and linked research paper will be updated as needed*
17
The Issue
University is meant to be one of the most influential learning experiences of one’s life. For students, it offers networking opportunities, chances to gain essential career skills, and ways to meet people who may become friends forever, while for faculty and administrators, college can be just as fulfilling by creating the opportunity to broaden one’s cultural spectrum and build the next generation toward success. But for this fulfilling experience to be possible, all campus bodies need to work in cohesion and be support systems for each other, and in the years since the COVID pandemic, there has been a felt disconnect among faculty/staff and students from their administrators as they seem to become more engrossed in their own interests and become less communicative about growing issues on campus. In a period where universities are currently under attack in the U.S. by the sitting presidential administration and as people grow less confident about college being an adequate career path, these important connections must be re-established to ensure that universities remain successful in this country.
Where Disconnect Has Occurred and Its Effects
College organizations are designed in such a way that requires all major bodies to work in cohesion and make collaborative efforts to reach new milestones, quickly address arising problems, and make the university experience fulfilling. But increasingly across the country, university administrations have become increasingly uncommunicative or even hostile to other campus members when questioned about the needs of those other than themselves. There have been many examples over the past few years where this disconnect and tension have occurred, especially between faculty:
· In 2023, former University of Arizona president Robert C. Robbins made the decision to purchase the operations of the neighboring Ashford University, despite much faculty concern and protest that he was prioritizing the purchase of another university over the development of Arizona’s own operations. This decision put the university at an over $200 million budget deficit later that year (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· In late 2024, Springfield, Ohio’s Wittenberg University made a surprise announcement that they would not only cut almost 70 staff positions, but also eliminate multiple existing majors such as music education and multiple language studies, forcing both students and faculty to find alternative career paths. Music major Will Boeck complained to Springfield News about the possibility of needing extra finances and time to get a proper education because of the decision, stating “I blame it on the mismanagement of the board over all these years that led to where we are now” (Eileen McClory and Jessica Orozco, Springfield News).
· At the college I attend, the University of Dayton, we received an email in March stating that a total of 65 full-time employees would be cut from the college roster at the start of the next academic year, a decision made after only 2 days of deliberation despite announcements made months in advance about budget cuts (Thomas Gnau and Eileen McClory, Dayton Daily News). Staff were only told about possible cuts when deliberations started and were left in the dark about most other budget-related matters.
If these specific scenarios weren’t concerning enough, there are a multitude of other issues that may arise from such disconnect:
· Lack of communication between students and administrators can make students less eager to reach out to campus leaders for assistance; the Higher Education Studies journal found in a 2021 study that two big implications which made students hesitate to reach out were assumptions that their problems would be downplayed, judged, or not understood, and the possibility of campus leaders isolating themselves from the student body (Stephanie Rizzo et al., Higher Education Studies).
· Tension can be created among university bodies which can quickly turn unprofessional, as seen at West Virginia’s Bluefield State University in 2022, when former president Robin C. Capehart engaged in a lengthy social media rant berating campus faculty, claiming the staff to be unappreciative of their positions and always in a bad mood (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· The lack of proper communication can even result in the campus environment becoming more dangerous. In a 2019 study on the readability of sexual assault/harassment/misconduct policies on college websites, it was found that a major reason for lacking student knowledge on these policies was that they were listed at a reading level far higher than that of an incoming college student (Shannon Duncan et al., Journal of Forensic Nursing), which would make these types of crimes more likely on campus grounds because students are less knowledgeable on how to address them.
The (Possible) Solution and What It Can Do
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue, and it won’t be a quick fix, one of the simplest solutions to devise for the disconnect problem is for universities to schedule regular, consistent meetings that are open to all campus bodies and positions available to meet, no matter how high or low on the chain. These would be inclusive to those such as lecturers/professors, research assistants, student government councils, deans and university chairmen, student employees, university directors and coordinators, and other existing bodies, allowing the opportunity for every member of campus to have their needs, interests, or voices heard and create the potential to formulate plans that serve the entire campus rather than simply the needs of the few, ensuring increased success across all parties.
There are a variety of benefits that would come with such a practice:
· These regular discussions and surveys would boost morale and lead to more effective solutions to long-standing issues. At Iowa’s Buena Vista University last year, a survey was conducted by administrators asking faculty about issues of burnout on campus. This survey allowed staff to share their thoughts on existing work conditions, which later allowed administrators to create an effective combat plan that involved the hiring of freshman and sophomore success coaches and lessened course-load requirements to ensure faculty weren’t being overworked (Lee Gardner, The Chronicle of Higher Education).
· This increased communication can also be essential in rebuilding student trust in campus leaders, as it has been found that students are more likely to reach out for help to those who are in contact with them more consistently on campus. Those who are seen and heard from more frequently are more recognized as leaders by students (Stephanie Rizzo et al., Higher Education Studies).
o Conversely, less frequent contact may make students more likely to blame campus administration for new issues that arise, as an anonymous student of California State Polytechnic University admitted in an article from Inside Higher Education in 2021: “I do feel heard, but the harsh reality is that most students don’t feel heard. It’s so easy to blame administration for things that are out of our hands” (Melissa Ezarik, Inside Higher Education).
· And of course, these regular interventions would allow for quality communication and dialogue to be regained, a necessary quality for colleges to succeed. Concordia University mathematics professor Angela Walmsley has admitted to communication’s importance among staff and administrators, stating that “collaboration is key. Collaboration can only occur when there is mutual respect, openness, and friendliness among both faculty and administration. Both must believe they are working towards a common goal or mission” (Angela Walmsley, The Evolllution).
Call to Action
As you have read, dialogue is one of the most foundational parts of the university experience, an essential tool for building trust among all university bodies as well as for efficiently solving problems and achieving success. Without it, the college environment only serves to be a boiling pot of tension, missteps, and inability to correct issues quickly. Unfortunately, dialogue has become a missing piece of the puzzle in a time when universities are under more threat in this country than they have been in many years. It is no more important than it is today to reform and revitalize the necessary collaboration needed to create a successful, unified campus environment that allows for everyone to stick together as one under common goals of success.
Please share this petition wherever you can and be sure to sign and comment to show your support for the cause. There is no more important time than now to help keep our universities thriving as successful career paths for young adults such as myself. Your support will be greatly appreciated.
For a more in-depth look at the issue at hand, please see attached my research paper on the problem of fleeting university communication:
References:
Duncan, Shannon, et al. “Caught in a Web of Confusion: Assessing the Readability of University Webpages for Victims of Sexual Assault.” Journal of Forensic Nursing, vol. 15, no. 1, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Jan. 2019, pp. 4–8, https://doi.org/10.1097/jfn.0000000000000228
Ezarik, Melissa. “Do College Students Feel Heard by Professors and Administrators on Their Campuses?” Inside Higher Education, 24 Feb. 2021, www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/02/24/do-college-students-feel-heard-professors-and-administrators-their-campuses
Gardner, Lee. “The Campus Cold War: Faculty vs. Administrators.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 Mar. 2025, www.chronicle.com/article/the-campus-cold-war-faculty-vs-administrators?sra=true
Gnau, Thomas. “UD Makes Jobs Cuts as It Continues to Right-Size Workforce.” Dayton-Daily-News, 4 Mar. 2025, www.daytondailynews.com/local/university-of-Dayton-lays-off-45-employees/XOLOCS3SBBEURN6V2RN562ERKE/
McClory, Eileen. “Wittenberg Cuts Employee Jobs; Will End Music, Language Programs, Some Sports.” Springfield-News-Sun, 6 Sept. 2024, www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/wittenberg-says-employee-cuts-will-be-slightly-smaller-than-stated-earlier/HRGGX67UZZBSVNTMFNTWQI2F2U/
Rizzo, Stephanie, et al. “Who Are Their Leaders? College Students’ Perceptions of and Engagement with Campus Leaders and Administrators.” Higher Education Studies, vol. 11, no. 3, 16 June 2021, p. 43, https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v11n3p43
Walmsley, Angela. “Improving the Ties between Faculty and Administration.” The Evolllution, 13 May 2016, evolllution.com/managing-institution/operations_efficiency/improving-the-ties-between-faculty-and-administration.
*Petition and linked research paper will be updated as needed*
17
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on April 25, 2025