During her two-day campus visit that began Monday, Barbara Romzek, one of three candidates for the UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean position, emphasized that UF faculty input would be paramount if she was selected as the college's dean.
In a Monday morning forum at Smathers Library, Romzek, University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences associate dean for social sciences, began gathering those faculty suggestions.
Faculty members asked Romzek about fundraising, interdisciplinary programs and budget cuts.
Romzek said she wasn't scared of funding cuts because she has dealt with them during her tenure at the University of Kansas.
"When a tornado comes through, it really reorients your priorities," Romzek said, comparing budget cuts to nature's fury.
"So you're going to lose grandma's china. What is the everyday china that you need to eat?"
She said discussions with faculty members would help her decide which programs are essential, like the "everyday china."
In addition to budget cuts, Romzek said the recent restructuring of UF's administration presents a new challenge to CLAS.
UF President Bernie Machen announced Friday that UF's chief financial officer, Matt Fajack, would oversee budget operations that were formerly handled by UF's Office of the Provost and the University Controller's Office.
Romzek said this restructuring wouldn't change her role as CLAS' advocate to the provost, but it would create uncertainty among the faculty.
If chosen as CLAS dean, Romzek said she'd try to keep everyone on the same page.
"I operate on the principle that people do better when they know what's going on, so I spend a lot of time explaining to people what I'm doing," she said.
