Section 1. Purpose
This policy is issued to ensure that all units of the University are managed and inter-connected according to a single, definitive, widely accessible list of organizational departments and their inter-relationships, based on a proper organization of departmental data. This structure is critical to ensuring data integrity and accuracy across all University-related activities.
Section 2. Definitions
Organizational department: A group of employees organized around common functions and sets of related programs and/or services. An organizational department generally has a department head (chair, manager, director, executive) and contains more than one employee. Entities that do not meet this criterion are generally a service or an academic program of the department and are not reflected within the organizational structure. The President or designee may approve exceptions for services that have a physical public-facing office and function (example, Veteran Services).
Organizational department roll-up: Defines parent-child relationships between organizational departments. A department can simultaneously be a parent and a child. For example, a college is a parent to its academic departments, but a child to the division of Academic Affairs. ISRS supports two levels in its hierarchy. For example, college (parent) and department (child).
The entries below are the different types (names) of “organizational departments” that exist within Metro State University’s organizational department structure.
Entity: Division
- Definition: Organizational superstructure that contains multiple departments and services and/or reports directly to the President.
- Typical Leadership: Vice President, Provost, and Exec. V.P.
Entity: College
- Definition: Organizational superstructure that aggregates schools, departments, and programs.
- Typical Leadership: Dean
Entity: School
- Definition: More narrowly focused academic structures that bring together closely aligned disciplines around a particular thematic focus.
- Typical Leadership: Dean, Associate Dean, Executive Director, and Department Chair
Entity: Department
- Definition: Even more narrowly focused academic affairs, student services, or administrative structure that houses a unique or small number of unique disciplines or professions.
- Typical Leadership: Chair (academic), AVP, Director, Manager (administrative)
Entity: Institute
- Definition: Has institution-wide importance or focus. Serves research, coordination, and outreach functions.
- Typical Leadership: Director or Executive Director
Entity: Academic Center
- Definition: Serves a single college or set of colleges. May offer degree program(s). Serves coordination function.
- Typical Leadership: Associate Dean or Executive Director
Entity: Academic Support Center
- Definition: Organizational structure that provides academics support services (e.g. Center for Academic Excellence, Center for Faculty Development,) to faculty and/or students across the colleges.
- Typical Leadership: Director
The entries below are definitions of organizational entities that are not “organizational departments” but that have a relationship to them. They are maintained outside of this policy and outside of the organizational maintenance process.
Entity: Program
- Definition: Even more narrowly focused academic structure organized around a degree program or closely affiliated degree programs. Exists only in academic departments.
- Typical Leadership: Coordinator, Director
Entity: Service
- Definition: A specific set of processes for providing information or support that meets the needs of a student, employee, or community member. May exist in administrative, student services, and academic departments.
- Typical Leadership: Staff member, Service or process owner
Section 3. Policy
The University’s officially designated organizational department structure shall define and govern the University’s recognized departments and their parent-child relationships. The University’s organizational department structure shall be employed to define lines of authority, communication, and functional duties. It shall also provide organizational context for university technologies and processes, human resources management, and reporting services. The University’s organizational department structure is related to, but independent from, its cost center and financial roll-up structure.
All changes to organizational department names and/or roll-up structure, including new departments or department deletion must be approved by the President or designee prior to implementation. Procedure 170 specifies timelines and effective dates of the changes.
Section 4. Authority
This policy is issued pursuant to the operating authority granted to the University’s President by the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State system (Proc. 1A.2.2, “Delegation of Authority”).
Section 5. Effective Date
This policy shall become effective upon its signature by the University President and shall remain in effect until modified or expressly revoked.
Section 6. Responsibility
Responsibility for implementation of this policy is assigned to the Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness and Technology/CIO
Section 7. Review
This policy shall be reviewed as needed, or at a minimum, every five years.
Section 8. Signature
Issued on the 1st day of July, 2023.
______________________________
Virginia (Ginny) Arthur, JD
President