Discussion of SWOT Analysis
In addition to qualified faculty, a strength not noted on the
SWOT, is the College’s small core of committed adjunct faculty.
A weakness in that same area is the difficulty in finding additional
qualified adjuncts, given the current adjunct salary structure.
A contributing factor to many of the weaknesses is a lack of depth
in some degrees and a lack of any coverage in others. The College
currently lacks qualified faculty in Human Resource Management and
International Business. There is only one Finance faculty member,
and only two in Accounting, Marketing, and MIS.
It is difficult for the College to respond more effectively to
the external environment due in large part to the nature of those
factors. Most are beyond the control of the College. Some of the
external factors are outside the control of the University, and
some are just outside the control of the College of Business. Perhaps
the best example is the possible damage to the College’s reputation
of not being AACSB accredited. A&M College Station, International,
Commerce, and Corpus Christi are already AACSB. Prairie View is
becoming, and Tarleton, Kingsville, and West Test Texas are ACBS
accredited. Every Louisiana business school is AACSB. All the Arkansas
business schools surrounding Texarkana are AACSB: Henderson, Ouachita,
Southern Arkansas, and Arkansas Tech. UT Tyler, SFA, and Sam Houston
are also AACSB. These surrounding AACSB competitors are marketing
their schools in Texarkana. There has been discussion that the Red
River Intern Program (60-100 graduate TAMU-T business majors) could
be lost to an AACSB accredited university.
It is the perception of the College of Business that its current
position is being eroded at the expense of the University’s
plan for new program expansion. New resources, time, effort, and
funding are being channeled into programs with what could be very
marginal potential. While the College has approximately both a third
of the student population and university’s credit hours, its
resources have been fixed for the past few years. There has been
only one additional business faculty added in the last twenty plus
years. Resources are particularly being stretched thin with the
recent influx of 60-100 graduate business students from the Red
River Intern Program.
There are many important opportunities that exist for the College.
Many of these could help the University meet its number one goal:
that of increasing the student enrollment to 2800. Such strategies
as: international partnerships; a new MS in MIS online; and putting
the MBA online. Increased contributions to, and support from, the
local community through the development of a Business and Economic
Center would serve to increase the visibility and stature of the
College of Business. It appears that every A&M business school,
but Texarkana, already has a Business and Economic Center.
College of Business Objectives and Strategies:
• Obtain AACSB accreditation. (University goals 1, 4, &
5)
1. Determine the initial costs associated with AACSB.
2. Determine the initial steps associated with AACSB
• Continue working toward possible new degrees. (University
goals 1, & 2)
1. Continue assessing the need for degrees such as: MS in MIS, BS
in Logistics & Supply Chain Management, BS in Health Care Management,
a combined ACCT/MIS graduate degree.
2. Continue assessing existing programs for eliminating or combining
in order to
to better utilize existing resources.
• Continue working at expanding existing programs. (University
goals 1 & 2)
1. Continue to put the MBA on line.
2. Increase the marketing of the on line classes and programs.
3. Take additional steps in the potential international partnerships.
• Continue to improve the College’s role in the community.
(University goals 1, 2, 3, & 6)
1. Continue to explore the possibility of offering continuing education
learning.
2. Continue to assess the need for and value of a Business &
Economic Research Center.
• Increase scholarly activity and research productivity. (University
goal 2, 4, & 5)
1. Reward such activity.
2. Provide the support for such activity such as reduced teaching
loads and graduate assistants.
3. Find ways to fund such research.
• Continue to increase and identify sources for discretionary
funding that the College can use for various college, faculty, and
student opportunities. (University goals 1, 3, 4, 5, & 6)
1. Establish a business alumni list.
2. Publish a College of Business Newsletter biyearly.
3. Make additional efforts to gain discretionary funding from student
projects and professional development seminars.
• Add additional full-time faculty and adjuncts. (University
goals 1, 4, & 5)
1. Add two or three full-time faculty in Accounting, Human Resource,
and IB.
2. Continue to identify qualified adjuncts and lobby to increase
their salary.
Comments on the objectives of the College of Business:
It is the consensus of the College that obtaining AACSB accreditation
should be the College’s number one priority. To not take tangible
steps toward will only serve to exacerbate the weaknesses and threats
faced not only by the College but the University as a whole.
Every faculty member will be involved in making progress toward
these goals. Costs and time tables will be established as needed.
Every goal is measurable, and the value of each is obvious.
