TO: THE MEMBERS OF THE DREXEL AND MCP HAHNEMANN
UNIVERSITY COMMUNITIES

FROM: Tobey Oxholm, Chair

RE: Appointment of Subteams

As you know from having read earlier postings on this website, the Merger Transition Team has always intended to involve others in the processes of identifying issues and evaluating potential resolutions.

We have now reached the point where we have done as much as we can on some issues, and are empanelling subteams to help us press further. Our first subteams - on faculty governance, student governance, and research indirect cost reimbursement - were appointed the week of January 7, 2002. Others will follow. All will be posted here. By clicking on the name of the subteam (above), you will be able to find out who has been appointed.

Each subteam will be given specific issues to investigate for the Merger Transition Team. They will be charged with responsibility for reaching out to both Universities to obtain as much input as they can, particularly from "stakeholders" (those people who will be most affected by any proposals we might make). We expect that the subteams will hold at least one "open forum" at each University, for which there will be videoconferencing available at all other campuses. Regardless of whether you will be able to attend those forums, you are encouraged to send them your ideas via e-mail merger@drexel.edu - just be sure to put the name of the subteam in the "subject" line. As with all other communications to the Team (e-mail and otherwise), your name will be kept confidential.

Each subteam will be responsible for presenting the results of their investigation and analysis to the Merger Transition Team. We are not asking for decisions; rather, we are asking for evaluations – for the pluses and minuses of each proposal – and recommendations. The Merger Transition Team will then consider those data and others, and come to its own conclusions, which may or may not be the same as those reached by the subteams. In particular, the Team will be looking to see how well each proposal satisfies the Principles upon which the Team agreed at its first meeting (which are also posted on this website under "News").

We are on a very short timeline. The Team's report to the President is due in early February, and the Drexel Trustees are scheduled to vote on the merger question on February 27. It may well be that the subteams will be asked to continue their work after the Trustees' meeting, just as the Merger Transition Team itself will continue to work on these issues, if the Drexel Trustees vote to proceed with merger. But in the meantime, please understand that we are under substantial time pressure, and forgive us for what will surely seem to be (and is!) a very expedited schedule for considering such important issues.

As always, we welcome you comments and input. Thanks for your support and good wishes.