Exploring an AdMU Higher Education Structure (Memo U2122-052)

Memo to        :           The University Community

Subject           :           Exploring an AdMU Higher Education Structure

Last year, the Ateneo de Manila Board of Trustees directed the University to undergo a review of its organizational structure. Phase 1 of this review focused on the Central Administration and aimed at looking into strengths, gaps and areas for improvement, interdependencies and redundancies so that there would be better synergy and organizational efficiency within the university, especially as we respond to a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Results of this review are now being utilized to reimagine the services and organizational set up of Central Administration.

At this time, we are now ready to embark on Phase 2 of the organizational review involving a study of an alignment of the structures and processes between Loyola Schools (LS) and the Ateneo Professional Schools (APS) in view of a possible higher education cluster.

In line with this proposal, I wish to inform the University community that I am forming the AdMU Higher Education Structure Committee composed of LS and APS faculty and administrators as well as external consultants (such as those from other relevant university offices and BOT level professionals and associates). The committee is meant to help clarify ideas and pave the way towards the plan to consolidate LS and APS into one AdMU Higher Education cluster. Specifically, the Committee’s tasks shall be the following:

1. Interview resource people from LS and APS and other relevant bodies on: 
   • (a) the challenges and opportunities of consolidating APS and LS into one higher education structure and
   • (b) ways of addressing challenges and harnessing opportunities^[1]
2. Process the information gathered from these interviews 
3. Propose an organizational structure for the Higher Education cluster
4. Propose a transition plan (and activities) to be carried out in SY 2022-2023

This Committee shall prepare a report that covers the fulfillment of its mandate and submit this to the Office of the President by April 2022. The committee recommendations are meant to guide the next steps in the alignment of structures and processes between the Loyola Schools (LS) and the Ateneo Professional Schools (APS) that will be carried out in SY 2022-2023. I will appoint a separate Transition Committee that can lead this process towards the creation of the VP Higher Education post which we hope to implement in SY 2023-2024.

I ask for your usual prayers and support as we reflect on the alignment of LS and APS so as to better fulfill our shared mission that is Ateneo de Manila.

[1] Information will also be sourced from the VPs Councils of LS and APS; from the schools through the deans; from other employees through the LS ADSAS/ADSF clusters and equivalent bodies in the APS; and from the different LS and APS offices.