Given the scope and nature of challenges facing the new department, the critical question is how can we ensure that the essential transformation and management issues receive the sustained, top-level attention that they require.
Every department can sail through its problems on its own. 
mnli hypothesis: Every department can sail through its problems on its own.  premise: Given the scope and nature of challenges facing the new department, the critical question is how can we ensure that the essential transformation and management issues receive the sustained, top-level attention that they require.