College of Business Strategic Plan
THREE YEAR ROLLING PLAN: 2003
Initial Draft, 10/7/03; revised 10/14/03

This document identifies the original strategic objectives that the college initiated as part of a revised strategic planning process consistent with the new AACSB accreditation guidelines. Updated annual maintenance reports specify progress toward these objectives. Questions regarding this document should be directed to the dean's office at 601-266-4659.

A key element in the AACSB maintenance of accreditation model is the strategic planning process. Given the recent reorganization of the university, changes in the university strategy, and the reconfiguration of the college into the College of Business (CoB), the college needs to reinitiate a strategic planning process and revise our strategic objectives. To structure the initial discussions, I offer the following strategic objectives as a “straw man (person?)” model. As we identify the important strategic objectives, remember that we will need to identify behaviors, practices, and routines that will help the college achieve the objectives. There is still much to be done in this planning cycle.

 
Priority Objectives

Design and Implement AACSB continuous improvement model

• Progress is ongoing – new vision/mission approved
• Participatory governance structure designed
• Design strategic planning process.
• New AACSB accreditation committee formed; Chair off to AACSB
• Dean and others attending AACSB meetings
• Many of the issues addressed in this strategic plan outline.

Design and implement assessment of learning outcomes.

• Reactivate the Assessment and Teaching Committee.
• Allocate sufficient funding.
• Implement the assessment strategy designed by the committee
• Average compensation in the business school to increase by 15% over the three year period (contingent on legislative approval of 12% increases).
• Develop and implement performance management system including annual performance guidelines and tenure expectations.
• Focus on increasing the variance in merit raises; range from 0% to double digits (to the extent possible – sometime the allowable range is restricted by upper administration). Currently zero variance due to across the board raises last year.
• Push to move new hires to AACSB average.
• Targeted faculty to AACSB average.

Rationalize the course schedule to a demand driven model.

• Develop forecasting model to significantly reduce the number of very small classes.
• Make strategic decisions about what classes can be offered in large sections.
• Determine capacity
• Identify strategic growth areas and acknowledge that growth areas may result in smaller classes in the short term.

Enhance the research productivity (publications) of the COB.

• Develop a more accurate and rigorous journal classification system.
• Conduct a citation analysis of the published work of all faculty members in the COB.
• Increase the research reassignment time of all untenured assistant professors.
• Develop a performance management system that differentiates workload and rewards based on the level of research productivity.
• One “Premier” publication for the COB in the next three years, then one “Premier” publication for the COB per year.
  

Resource Enhancement Objectives

Annual giving to increase by 15%.

• Increase dues participation in BAC from current 35% to 75%.
• Variable fee structure for BAC.
• Develop long-term development strategy.

10 million dollars raised for capital campaign from private sector.

• Develop capital campaign plan.
• 2 additional named professorships
• 1 named center
• 1 named program

Student Services Objectives

• Development of placement activities in-house
• Greater cooperation with Placement Services
• Creation of placement office in the COB
• Hire a dedicated placement professional to be housed in the COB
• Design and implement an internship program within the COB

Re-engineer the student advising process

• More efficient management of students in Undergraduate Services Office
• Creation and implementation of Faculty Advising System

Academic conduct process

Program Development Objectives

Undergraduate programs completely revised and implemented

• Incorporate the new areas into the curriculum; economic development as a core course.
• Reduce the number of hours associated with a major.

Design and launch 5 year MBA Program

• Using current course offerings with 500 level courses for undergraduates
• Attract 20-30 undergraduates by the end 2006 – 07

Design and launch distance learning MBA

• Think about this as a hybrid model
• Follow Syracuse model – focus on the Coast?

Design and launch 3 certificate programs via distance learning

• Key issue here it to package certificates as unique packages of courses we currently offer.
• Develop certificate offering in Hospitality management?
• Perhaps in Government contracting?
• International business?

Reinvent Ph.D. program

• Assure rigor and quality in coursework
• Integrate all graduate business faculty into program
• Consider effort to rename to reflect reorganized college

Growth Objectives

Increase the student credit hour production on the Hattiesburg campus by 20%

• Grow the number of COB majors by 10%
• Remainder of growth to come as a result of better serving the larger university.

25% increase in MBA students at Gulf Park campus

• Redesign program for focused concentration
• Ensure consistency and transferability of core courses among campuses
• Cooperation with business community on the coast.
• Advertising

Increase number of tenure track positions in COB by 10% (contingent on student growth).

Scholarship Activities

Begin developing a culture that values the scholarship of discovery, application, and learning.

• Identify important teaching journals.
• Open contacts for Faculty interested in developing cases.
• other

Increase in funded research activities

• Increase to 5 faculty with sufficient external funding to buy release time.
• Increase to 3 faculty eligible for MIDAS program
• 10 percent increase in number of external funding proposals submitted