Nicholls State University as people know it may change if president Stephen Hulbert’s proposed restructuring is passed.Hulbert said he believes “we are capable of changing this University in ways that are necessary” to help with budget cuts, loss of significant staff, changing student demographics and technological innovations.

Associate provost Larry Howell said, “It’s about narrowing upper level administration. You can’t just reduce the numbers in faculty and staff, you also have to reduce the numbers in administration.”

With all of the uncertainties facing Nicholls, Hulbert said he prefers to be “out in front” when it comes to taking the initiative to make the University better and face the reality of what is to come.

Hulbert said that in 2009, Nicholls was the only institution to make drastic changes.

“We will no longer be focused on adding and growing,” Hulbert said. “We will solidify our base and continue to be an excellent teaching institution at the graduate and undergraduate level and a University that serves its region.”

Howell said that Hulbert does not have a timeline to put things into action.

Before Hulbert submits the proposal to the Board of Regents, he said he would like the input of others such as the deans, vice presidents, Unclassified Senate, Classified Senate and Student Senate, to get input and is “interested in hearing from the view of faculty through the faculty senate.”

Hulbert said, “What I have proposed may be the least dramatic of changes that we see at Nicholls in the next couple of years.”

In response to the possible loss of at least $7.4 million of federal stimulus dollars in June 2011, Hulbert believes, “We are not capable of making that kind of adjustment without damage to this institution.”

Despite the possible cut, Hulbert said that the proposed reorganization will not save the University a lot of money right away, but the University may be able to save more over time.

Laynie Barrilleaux, interim vice president for academic affairs, said she believes in the quote “Where there is a threat, there is opportunity”

“Our opportunity is to continue to show our strengths and do something with them,” Barrilleaux said.

The University’s strength is “to be adaptive, recognize what’s going on and serve our region,” Barrilleaux said.

While there are different opinions about the restructuring, Barrilleaux said she believes that “through this collaborative effort, we will take what he (Hulbert) has proposed to us. It’s jolted us, and it’s making us think outside of the box. Together we will come up with a plan to help us be innovative and restructure to streamline and save money as well.”

Some of the changes Hulbert is proposing are the reorganization of Level I administrators, the structure of institutional administration and the structure of academic affairs. Further stories will dig deeper into each section and explain the proposed changes.