Editors note: This is the first in a five-part series about the evaluations of regional campus deans. There are two other stories in this week's issue and there will be two in next week's.
Ohio University's Eastern Campus dean received poor reviews in an annual evaluation of his performance with an overwhelming majority of faculty responding that his leadership is ineffective.
Nearly 90 percent of the eastern campus faculty responded that in 14 of the 15 review areas, Dean Paul Bibbins did not meet expectations. The only area in which he at least met expectations was in affirmative action.
There have been some challenges here and the campus is working on this and moving forward
Bibbins said.
In the anonymous survey, faculty members also were asked to comment about the dean's performance in the following areas: planning and management, personnel matters, external relations, unit goals and overall performance.
One respondent wrote, he has communicated no real vision for the campus. He does not understand the enrollment problem and is basically throwing money away advertising. Many others shared the same sentiments.
Some faculty used the evaluation of Bibbins to criticize the performance of former Associate Dean Tony Peffer.
The Associate Dean has caused terrible problems on this campus. He has alienated the faculty and staff made countless errors
pushed an absurd scheduling plan
and said outrageous things to the students
but the Dean has exerted no control over him
one respondent wrote.
Peffer could not be reached for comment.
The dean evaluation results were released in March and Bibbins said that Peffer stepped down in April. Peffer still teaches at the campus.
The Eastern campus is also facing a looming $1.5 million deficit. To counter this, Bibbins said that the main goal is to increase the visibility of the university through an intensive marketing strategy.
The issue here is a decrease in enrollment
and we have been increasing our marketing campaign and recruitment activities in an attempt to increase it.
Since Bibbins became dean of the Eastern campus in 2004, campus enrollment has decreased from 862 to 708, nearly an 18 percent drop. Bibbins, however, said he remains optimistic, as summer enrollment has increased since last year by eight students.
Kathy Krendl, executive vice president and provost, will be at the Eastern campus Tuesday to begin the next step in the evaluation process.
I always look forward to getting input from the different groups on campus
Bibbins said. I'll just have to work from here. Peer evaluations just the beginningEvaluations of all Ohio University deans are conducted yearly with the exception of first-year deans who are not reviewed.
The faculty dean evaluations are merely a small part in a more complex puzzle. Dr. Kathy Krendl, provost at Ohio University, will now complete written evaluations of each regional dean, a task that will be completed by the end of the summer. She will also travel to the regional campuses to assist the deans in setting goals, which will be completed in the fall.
According to a e-mail from Krendl, in addition to the previously stated measures, a task force will be created in the next year to examine the future of the regional campuses and the relationship between regional campuses and the Athens campus.
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