College of Business Strategic Plan

The 2022-2026 College of Business Strategic Plan was developed through an iterative process involving key stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff and the Executive Advisory Board. The successful 2017-2022 Strategic Plan was used as a starting point, specifically the existing mission, vision, core values and eight strategic priority areas. The goal in developing a new strategic plan was to provide focus by reducing the number of priorities, thus increasing the ability to achieve excellence in fewer and more impactful areas.

In developing the new plan, it was critical to separate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) from being a single priority, rather making it an overarching theme of the plan and a critical lens that will be used to assess each priority. A college committee developed a DEIA statement that outlines and defines diversity within the college, and expresses the ongoing commitment to make a societal impact in this area.

Tom De Weert speaks to students in a dimly lit Baker Center Theatre

The desire to provide high impact experiential learning opportunities to our students in a post-COVID world overwhelmingly emerged as a top priority. The College of Business has excelled in this area in the past, but the need to stay innovative with how students are served both inside and outside the classroom is critical to achieving our mission. Goals related to enhancing experiential learning in curricular and extracurricular activities, assistance with preparing students for meaningful employment, and providing learning opportunities for both traditional and non-traditional students are included in this priority.

Members of the Society of Alumni and Friends pose in front of the Class Gateway

Utilizing our proud and active alumni base rose as another key priority. While traditionally alumni have been used as a conduit for philanthropic giving, the College of Business aims to further engage alumni to assist in using their time and talents. Goals from modest engagements like classroom visits and alumni networking events to more structured functions like the formation of key alumni groups to assist with recruitment and retention are a part of this priority.

An organization is only as good as its people, and our third critical priority is about providing professional growth and recognition opportunities to our faculty and staff. Enhancing the reward structure is critical to job satisfaction, as well as ensuring faculty and staff are continually trained with the best practices so they can better serve students. Emphasis is placed on ensuring resources are available for the three key functions of faculty (teaching, scholarship and research/professional qualifications, service) as well as professional growth opportunities for all.

The foundation of all priorities lies in recruiting and retaining a strong and diverse student population in undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and non-degree programs. A foundational element is creating a marketing plan for the college that aligns with the mission. Additionally, there is an emphasis on early and targeted recruiting coupled with retention strategies related to academic and career advising.

Shot of Copeland building with green �� branding on its side

The College of Business Strategic Plan will serve as the foundation for decision making for the next five years, and a critical addition to the plan is the inclusion of measures to determine relative success of goals, as well as an owner who will be held accountable for each goal. These actions, measures, owners and DEIA considerations are outlined in the Companion Document to the Strategic Plan.

Strategic Priorities, Goals, and Actions

Over the next five years, the College of Business will focus on the following strategic priorities:

Priority 1: Provide a Relevant, Rigorous, Experiential, and Transformational Learning Experience

The College of Business at �� is focused on setting our students up for career success. We emphasize experiential learning that leads to student transformation. We also align with opportunities and skills that are trending and in need by employers. We have focused on career support at the undergraduate level over the last 5 years – we will continue this; however, we will also focus much more on career support in graduate programs moving forward. We also want to further our current strategy of allowing for unique combinations of specializations and skill areas by incorporating new types of professional training modules in the future.

1.1 Goal: Enhance student success
1.2 Goal: Support the evolving talent development needs of business and working professionals
1.3 Goal: Incorporate Real World Experiences into learning
1.4 Goal: Develop community within and across professional and online graduate programs
1.5 Goal: Enhance/Encourage offering of agile pedagogy/programs/opportunities

Priority 2: Provide Opportunities to Expand Alumni Impact

One of the greatest strengths of the College of Business is the �� Bobcat family, which includes the over 38,000 living alumni. The college can leverage the gifts the alumni are willing to provide in a variety of ways through coordinated and targeted efforts aimed at aligning their gifts with student needs. We have always had a small, committed base of alumni who have given so much to the College of Business, but we feel that there is untapped potential that needs to be tapped in the Bobcat family.

2.1 Goal: Increase the amount of time our alumni spend with the College of Business
2.2 Goal Increase the amount of fundraising dollars generated from alumni

Priority 3: Enhance Support for Faculty and Professional Staff Development in Order to Achieve Excellence

To operate at a high level and meet the needs of our stakeholder groups - educated, energized, and engaged faculty and professional staff are required. Additional support to improve professional competencies is needed, ample opportunities for recognition is critical for sustained motivation, and a dedication to recruiting and retaining a diverse and competent employee base is imperative for the efficacy of the entire strategic plan. We must work to ensure our faculty and staff are fairly and equitably compensated.

3.1 Goal: Increase faculty research impact
3.2 Goal: Increase faculty teaching impact

Priority 4: Increase Access to Opportunities Through Improved Student Recruiting and Retention

Students are our “why” and our life blood, and the College of Business must be committed to recruiting talented students while concurrently providing opportunities for those who come from underrepresented and underserved communities. Attention must be directed to targeted strategies, consistent engagement, and a commitment to creating a high-touch, small college experience for every Business Bobcat.

4.1 Goal: Develop a comprehensive college marketing plan
4.2 Goal: Engage potential students early
4.3 Goal: Leverage Non-Degree Executive and International Programs
4.4 Goal: Recruit and Yield a More Diverse Student Body
4.5 Goal: Increase Retention and Graduation Rates for Student Body

Glossary, Acronyms, and Abbreviations

Asst Dean – Assistant Dean
Assoc Dean – Associate Dean
BAACS – Business Academic Advising & Career Services. The “One-Stop Shop” for undergraduate career services and academic success coaching and advising.
BAR – Black Alumni Reunion
COB – College of Business
DEIA – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access
DEIAB – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging
DFW – Grades of “D,” “F,” and “Withdrawal (W).” Certain courses are well-known for their rigor and are viewed as “weed-out” courses. So, a higher DFW rate is seen as normal, for example, the first two Accounting courses. Higher level courses (junior and senior-level) and courses with very high DFW rates (typically above 18-20%) need to be reviewed for academic quality. The goal is to graduate students who are well prepared for the next stage of their lives, not to make them repeat courses arbitrarily.
Grad & Prof Programs – Graduate and Professional Programs
UCM – University Communications and Marketing
UHR – University Human Resources
Undergrad – Undergraduate programs

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