The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a former state teachers college, undertook a major organizational change during the period 1974-1977. The chancellor, new to the position at that time, was faced with two mandates: (1) to "turn around" the institution, then facing retrenchment, and (2) to involve faculty in institutional decisionmaking. He organized a committee to propose a number of new academic calendars meeting specific conditions, and to circulate the proposals among the faculty for comment. The resulting calendar, largely a creation of the chancellor but integrating ideas from a variety of sources, allowed more flexibility of scheduling and funding for courses and faculty, continuous registration, improved staffing, and faculty development. The new calendar was felt to address organizational concerns deeper than the purely practical, such as accountability, relationships with the central administration, institutional distinction in mission and role within the state system, leadership within the institution, the faculty political structure, and organizational values changes. The project involved a political strategy focusing on short-term change to effect innovation where a long-term effort might not have worked and where the options for productive change were limited. A list of references is included. (MSE)