Romain College of Business

 

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--January 2005 Learning Goals/
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Strategic Priorities

Consistent with our SWOT analysis, vision and mission statements, and guiding principles, the College of Business has developed the following strategic priorities, strategies, and initiatives:

  1. Enhance Development And Integration of Effective Teaching

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IVA, faculty strengths)

    Strategies:
    1. Review "best practices" in pedagogical development within the College of Business(Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Review syllabi for evidence of current use of best practices in pedagogical development (e.g. beyond use of lecture and testing))
      2. Review recent faculty annual reports (last three years) for evidence of attempted pedagogical innovations
    2. Provide opportunities and incentives for the development of innovative and effective pedagogy (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Survey faculty for interest in learning use of specific pedagogies
      2. Develop opportunities for faculty to gain awareness and expertise in the use of specific pedagogies and technology of high interest.
    3. Disseminate information within the college on best practices in pedagogical development and associated results (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Review annual reports for evidence of best practices in pedagogical development
      2. Provide opportunities for faculty to share best practices in pedagogical development and associated results

  2. Develop Learning Outcomes Assessment Capabilities

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IIA, IIB, IIC, IIIB, IIIC, faculty strengths, learning outcomes assessment weakness)

    Strategies:
    1. Develop faculty assessment capabilities with respect to learning outcomes (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Sponsor outcomes assessment workshops for College of Business faculty
      2. Support faculty from each department to attend future assessment conferences
    2. Develop an assessment plan for the College of Business for the core and each program (major) (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Identify specific outcomes (knowledge & skills) that all College of Business students will develop
      2. Develop assessment procedures for identified college-level outcomes
      3. Identify specific outcomes (knowledge & skills) that students within each program (major) will develop
      4. Develop assessment procedures for identified program-level outcomes
    3. Track pedagogical innovations and their impact on learning outcomes (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee; Faculty Affairs Committee; and Student Affairs Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Encourage and support faculty to link outcomes assessment to the use of pedagogical innovation (Assessment Committee)
      2. Revise the annual evaluation process to include the reporting of pedagogical innovation tied to learning outcomes (Faculty Affairs)

  3. Explore/Develop Distinct Niches for the College

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IB, IIB, IVB, IVC, weaknesses and threats, opportunities)

    Strategies:
    1. Examine possible partnerships with the Engineering Program at USI
      Initiatives:
      1. Select a faculty member to serve as a liaison with the Engineering Program
      2. Identify possible synergies between the two programs (Business and Engineering)
    2. Explore distinct niches in teaching (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee; Faculty Affairs Committee; Student Affairs Committee; and External Relations Coordinator)
      Initiatives:
      1. Determine possible niche(s) in teaching with reference to desired student competencies (Teaching Improvement)
        1. Identify existing strengths in teaching
        2. Evaluate 'recognition potential' associated with major learning outcomes (2007-2008)
        3. Identify and rank feasible niches in teaching given resources and constraints
      2. Develop focused approach for gaining recognition in teaching niche(s) (External Relations)
        1. Conduct an audit of existing links that can provide visibility to the College’s teaching distinctiveness (e.g., affiliations to organizations; recognition of contributions)
        2. Identify the most effective avenues for promoting teaching niche(s)
        3. Provide support to faculty to disseminate pedagogical innovations
        4. Develop a teaching resource area on the College's webpage that disseminates our contributions in this area
        5. Increase participation with regard to Requests For Proposals (RFPs) related to Instruction and Learning Outcomes (e.g. University, Company, State, Federal Government, Foundations)
        6. Identify opportunities and implement steps to attract high-achievement students (e.g. Presidential Scholars, Honors students) to the college (Student Affairs)
    3. Explore distinct niches in research (Faculty and Student Affairs Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Identify possible niches in scholarship based on resources and focus of College
        1. Identify existing strengths in scholarship
        2. Assess and rank feasible niches in scholarship given resources and constraints
      2. Identify the most effective avenues for increasing the visibility of student and faculty scholarship (e.g. web sites that share working papers – submissions to Social Science Research)
        1. Provide support to faculty to disseminate scholarship
        2. Explore the possibility of creating a journal in an area of expertise
      3. Increase the number of publications in niche area(s)
        1. Develop a research resource area on the College's webpage that would be useful to colleagues (e.g. suggestions for using national datasets)
        2. Increase participation with regard to Requests For Proposals (RFPs) related to research projects (e.g. University, Company, State, Federal Government, and Foundations)
        3. Increase the number of graduate student publications
    4. Explore distinct niches in service (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee; External Relations Coordinator)
      Initiatives:
      1. Determine the effective use of service activities by faculty, staff, and students (Service Committee)
        1. Identify needs in the College's service area
        2. Investigate strengths in the service activity of faculty, staff, and students
        3. Based on the results, match the strengths of faculty, staff, and students with needs in the College's service area
        4. Explore student participation in internships and cooperative education.
      2. Identify the most effective avenues for increasing the visibility of service and engagement activities (e.g. activities with the different types of media – number of press conferences, etc.) (External Relations Committee)
        1. Develop an engagement and service resource area on the College’s webpage that would be useful to various community constituents
        2. Create an annual report highlighting College service activities
        3. Track community use of existing College provided resources (e.g., Factbook, Experts Guide)
      3. Increase the number of service activities in niche area(s)
        1. Increase student involvement in service-learning projects (undergraduate and graduate)
        2. Increase participation with regard to Requests For Proposals (RFPs) related to engagement and service projects (University, Company, State, regional, and local organizations)
        3. Increase participation in USI’s Speaker’s Bureau

  4. Advance External Relations Capability

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IA, IB, IID, IVA, IVB, IVC, IVD, strengths, opportunities, and supports Strategic Priorities)

    Strategies:
    1. Develop framework for disseminating information about the accomplishments of the college’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni (External Relations Coordinator)
      Initiatives:
      1. Review the process for notification via local media (paper, student newspaper, television, radio) of noteworthy faculty accomplishments (research, presentations, awards)
      2. Utilize University Notes more effectively with department chairs reporting publications, presentations, awards and other noteworthy faculty accomplishments
      3. Highlight achievements and accomplishments on College’s webpage
      4. Develop process for notification of hometown newspapers with student and alumni information (e.g., Dean’s list, etc.)
      5. Promote avenues for building relationships with the community (e.g. community use of College resources etc.)
    2. Develop an active alumni base (External Relations Coordinator)
      Initiatives:
      1. Improve current alumni database
      2. Expand existing newsletter with personal and professional alumni information and alumni contributions
      3. Explore and develop alumni activities involving faculty
    3. Explore increased engagement of advisory boards and groups(External Relations Coordinator)
      Initiatives:
      1. Review roles and functions of current advisory boards
      2. Evaluate potential for other advisory groups
    4. Identify and pursue likely sources of external funding and establish growth targets (External Relations Coordinator, Dean’s Office)
      Initiatives:
      1. Prepare alumni profile with emphasis on funding potential/capability
      2. Set targets for alumni giving
      3. Prepare list of potential local donors
      4. Set targets and steps for funds to be requested from local donors based on resource needs identified in the other strategic priorities
      5. Prepare list of potential private sector non-local donors
      6. Set targets and steps for fund requests to be submitted from non-local donors based on identified resource needs not met from regular budget process
      7. Develop a list of possible government funding sources
      8. Set targets and steps for funds to be requested from the public sector (grants)
      9. Review results annually

  5. Enhance Student-Centered Learning

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IA, IB, IC, IIC, IVA, strengths)

    Strategies:
    1. Promote awareness among students of their responsibility in the learning process (Faculty Affairs Committee; Student Affairs Committee; and Graduate Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Help students identify their responsibilities in the learning process
      2. Develop and implement a program to address student responsibility in the learning process
    2. Increase student involvement in learning through reflection (self-assessment) (Teaching, Learning Assessment, and Curriculum Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Identify any student self assessment tools/methods being used in classroom (graduate & undergraduate)
      2. Develop student self-assessment activity across curriculum (e.g. students self-interpret the Strong Interest inventory before seeing advisor)
    3. Identify opportunities for student-faculty connections outside the classroom (Faculty Affairs Committee; Student Affairs Committee; and Graduate Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Encourage student and faculty participation in living learning communities program (Student Affairs)
      2. Increase student participation in clubs and organizations Student Affairs)
      3. Explore additional opportunities for student-faculty connections outside the classroom (both committees)
      4. Encourage student participation in scholarship (e.g., Endeavors Program etc)

  6. Cultivate an Efficient and Effective Organizational Support System

    (Addresses Guiding Principles IB, IIB, IIIA, IVA, weaknesses)

    Strategies:
    1. Identify organizational inefficiencies (Strategic Planning Committee, 2005)
      Initiatives:
      1. Identify existing information flows and gaps in the College of Business
      2. Conduct process analysis to identify critical organizational challenges
      3. Combine results from the previous two steps and prioritize list of informational and organizational challenges
      4. Align faculty expertise with organizational challenges wherever appropriate
    2. Improve organizational effectiveness (Planning Committee; Staff)
      Initiatives:
      1. Prepare an annual action plan for the College of Business at the beginning of each college year (Planning Committee)
      2. Prepare and make accessible a College of Business Calendar of major events for each forthcoming year (Staff)
      3. Evaluate current College of Business programs with reference to quality growth (student/faculty ratios, class sizes for major required courses, class sizes for major electives) (Planning Committee)
        1. Use this information as input for planning faculty hiring priorities
        2. Explore GPA requirements for majors or minimum grade standards in prerequisite courses
    3. Ensure active college involvement in the budgeting and design phases of the new building (Strategic Planning Committee)
      Initiatives:
      1. Survey the current and future facility needs of all stakeholders of the college
      2. Serve as a liaison between the college and the university from the beginning stage of master planning