Several of Drexel's deans have been asked to step down as a part of its ongoing “academic transformation” initiative last month.
Credit: Diego CárdenasDrexel University announced that it will combine several of its colleges and schools as part of an ongoing "academic transformation" initiative, in addition to a previously announced transition to a semester system.
According to Drexel’s University Advisory Committee on Academic Structure, the restructuring plan will involve the reorganization of Drexel’s colleges and schools into six “integrated, forward-looking pillars of expertise”: Arts and Sciences, Computing & Engineering, Business, Health, Design and Media, and Law. Several of the university’s deans have been asked to step down due to the consolidation, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The reorganization of Drexel’s colleges and schools will “break down silos, foster innovative curricula and collaboration, and enhance research and partnerships that enable our students to respond to and lead in a rapidly changing world,” the Committee said in its report.
The consolidation follows other recent changes to Drexel's academic structure. In April, former Drexel President John Fry announced that the university would switch from a quarterly system to a semester system within the next three years.
The Committee wrote that the change would not only have positive impacts on Drexel's recruitment efforts and the student experience, but also provide students with more flexibility regarding the university’s signature co-op program.
The move comes at a turbulent time for the university. This year, Drexel experienced a 15 percent drop in enrollment due to the flawed rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, resulting in approximately 500 fewer enrolled students than the university's target number.
"The decline in first-year enrollment has added $22 million to our current operating budget deficit, which we must close as soon as possible," Interim President Denis O’Brien wrote in an Oct. 1 message to the Drexel community.
Drexel officials have also cited a 10% structural imbalance in the university’s budget that has prompted the consideration of staff layoffs, according to the Inquirer.
The Committee said the university aims to finish implementing the restructuring plan by the beginning of the 2027-28 academic year, but further details about the timeline are not yet finalized.
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