Abstract
This article applies systems theory to examine how academic structure influences departmental functions within small universities, it contrasts single focus academic departments and multiple focus academic departments, assessing their effects on instruction, research, service, enrollment stability, credit hour production, faculty workload, budget flexibility, and administrative power. Through conceptual analysis and illustrative cases, this article argues that multiple focus configurations foster interdisciplinary curriculum, broaden student recruitment, and enable efficient resource allocation, while single focus units face constrained scheduling, program vulnerability, and duplicated governance tasks. It details how structure shapes faculty roles, advising practices, laboratory sharing, graduate program coordination, and external relations, offering an evaluative framework for academic planners. The discussion situates organizational design within communication studies, higher education administration, and organizational theory, recommending evidence based restructuring to enhance pedagogical innovation, scholarly productivity, and institutional resilience.
Recommended Citation
Ross, Robert F. and Emmert, Philip
(1990)
"The Influence of Structure on the Function of an Administrative Unit: Single Focus Academic Structure or Multiple Focus Academic Structure Raising -- Some of the Issues,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 71, Article 4.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol71/iss1/4
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