Org Review

IPS Staff,

Earlier today President Simek sent the email below to all members of agency advisory boards. I will discuss more details with the IPS Leadership Team as they are available. Your advice and counsel will be important as we move forward in this process. I look forward to hearing from you. I'm very comfortable with the approach we are taking.

Mary

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IPS Advisory Board Member,

As you know so very well, the University of Tennessee's Institute for Public Service is a strong organization that serves Tennessee's local governments and industries every day. IPS has a long history of outstanding support from people like you who make up its stakeholders, customers and funding agents. That's why I want you to hear directly from me our plans for an organizational review-and to assure you that we are keenly aware of the strengths of the IPS program and the people who run it. We aren't about to "fix something that doesn't need fixing!"

Among my priorities in my short term role as interim president is to review the entire structure of the UT system. That is a natural time to include a study of the organizational alignment of IPS-to make sure it is positioned to achieve maximum benefit and support from the University. As you know, IPS has been aligned with a variety of System units over the years beginning with the UT Nashville campus in the 70's, with Continuing Education in the 80's and with Public and Government Relations today.

My goal for this organizational review is for IPS to continue to be strong and even more effective in the future. We recognize the various relationships with city and county governments are vital to that, as are the connections we enjoy with industry and others across the state. IPS advisory board members have made great contributions in recent months and that group will be closely involved in this study. The recently updated strategic plan will serve as a road map for guiding the review.

Obviously, harming in any way the work the Institute does makes no sense and no change will be made that might affect the long-term success of the various programs.

As we begin the review, Dr. Mary Jinks will be part of a small group to study the options. You will have an opportunity for input and feedback along the way. I look forward to hearing a report from the group, hopefully by late summer, and we will share that information with you.

If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,
Jan Simek