Administrators won't dismantle the atmospheric sciences department, which for the past 14 months has been targeted for possible elimination, Provost George Davis said yesterday.
Davis said administrators were persuaded not to recommend its closure after reading a report from a faculty committee charged with evaluating how the university could excel in earth sciences and environmental programs.
"They made the case," Davis said. "We will preserve atmospheric sciences."
The committee said without atmospheric sciences, the UA's research and teaching would suffer in earth sciences and environmental programs, which deal with land and water use, atmospheric changes and other threats to Earth's long-term survival. Davis and President Peter Likins have called earth and environmental studies an area in which the UA should excel in the future.
"There's some really strong sciences in that department, and the whole field of atmospheric sciences is really key," said Susan Beck, head of the geosciences department and a committee member.
Atmospheric scientists study long-term climate change, pollution and other issues with public policy implications, in addition to straightforward weather forecasting.
"The University of Arizona is one of the strongest universities for science research," said Joaquin Ruiz, dean of the College of Science. "In order to maintain that strength, atmospheric sciences is an (important) component."
Likins and Davis had proposed creating an interdisciplinary program in atmospheric sciences, but the group's report and outside experts showed that such a move wouldn't provide the necessary resources to maintain strong research.
"They're just saying you'd be crazy to turn that program into an (interdisciplinary studies program) or merge it with some other program," Davis said.
Atmospheric sciences faculty have opposed the department's proposed elimination since it was announced in January 2003. Last April administrators decided to delay a decision on whether to eliminate atmospheric sciences, saying they needed more time to investigate the effects of the proposed cut.
Faculty welcomed the support they found from the study team.
"Our faculty is certainly in favor of being saved," said atmospheric sciences professor Benjamin Herman. "The bottom line is we can't live without a healthy, good atmosphere."
Now that the department's future has been solidified, new faculty will have to be rehired to replace the people who have left in previous years, Ruiz said. Only six full-time faculty currently work in the department, down from eight when the department's closure was initially proposed 14 months ago.
When proposing the department's elimination, Davis and Likins said it lacked enough faculty to be retained as a free-standing department. They had initially proposed moving the faculty to other departments, as part of the interdisciplinary program.