“To combine the offices administratively was never one of the specific topics discussed,” he says.

Similarly, Brandt says that while he is sure Kirby had good reasons to make the change, he “never heard him fully articulate his rationale for doing it.”

And while many say they were caught off guard by the decision itself, others say that the manner in which Kirby proceeded was what most surprised them.

“I don’t know why is was announced as abruptly as it was,” MacFarquhar says.

But according to Kirby, the decision is the realization of a long-considered idea, one he has been contemplating since taking office last summer.

“The possibility had been discussed for a number of years,” Kirby says, referring to a 1994 report—co-authored by Lewis—on the structure of the College. “This change will try to address the artificial separation between our support for the academic and non-academic lives of our students.”

And MacFarquhar says that while Kirby’s decision may have been surprising, to make it was his prerogative.

“Choosing personnel is the key decision to getting many other things done,” he says. “I would expect him to be far more decisive than coalition-building.”

Though many faculty were willing to concede Kirby’s right to act decisively in personnel decisions, several have raised concerns about another major administrative restructuring that will be realized next fall.

By fall, Kirby says he will have in place two new area deans for the humanities and the social sciences.

These part-time positions, to be filled by professors, will last several years and will help the dean make appointments and recruit faculty throughout FAS.

In contrast to his consultative style over making appointments, Kirby decided to implement the new structure without ever bringing it before the Faculty for a formal discussion.

Though he solicited feedback from his colleagues earlier this year, few were aware these deans would be in place so quickly.

“I have no idea whether or not they will be in place in September. That seems quite soon,” says Professor of History Lizabeth Cohen.

Kirby is also in the process of finding a dean for the life sciences.