FROM EXCELLENCE TO GREATNESS
Ascent to the Top: The Plan for 2006 – 2011

Executive Summary

Over the last eight years, the Smith School has made a remarkable transformation from a very good regional school to a top research and teaching institution offering a wide range of products and services on four continents. The capabilities of our faculty, the scale and quality of our facilities, and the quality of our students have soared so that it is difficult to project back in a linear fashion to trace the school’s origins. The Smith School is now at the beginning of another transformation. This transformation will carry the school from excellence to greatness with the following mission:

  • To ascend to one of the top global business schools as measured by the school’s stature in research and teaching, and the quality and placement of its students. We will provide a superb research and teaching environment for our faculty and students as well as give our students a first class return on investment for their time and expense.
  • The school’s strategy ranges from initiatives aimed at producing research and program greatness to initiatives to build the Smith community, technology, brand, and revenues. Within this strategy the school will accomplish the following:
  • Continue to recruit internationally recognized faculty stars and continue key hires of senior faculty with leading research records.
  • Design and implement the Smith Undergraduate Fellows Program. Introduce the Smith Freshman/Sophomore Fellows Program in AY 2006/07 and the Smith Junior/Senior Fellows Program in AY2007/08 so that all students will be able to participate in at least one Fellows track.
  • Continue building the Smith Community of students, faculty, alumni, and recruiters—integrating activities of student, alumni and mentoring programs.
  • Improve the school’s governance system, accountability and reporting systems, and committee and organizational structures to stimulate the development of the Smith Community, marketing efforts, program delivery and operational efficiencies.
  • Fully develop our international partnerships and offer intercontinental opportunities in Asia, Europe and the United States for undergraduate, EMBA and MBA students. Develop a joint degree program in India and identify additional operating locations to extend our global presence.
  • Continue to extend technological capabilities so that the school can project its presence everywhere it operates. Ensure that potential users are aware of these capabilities and trained in their use.
  • Expand the school’s communications, marketing and branding activities through the increased use of traditional, video and Web-based media.
  • Plan, design and construct the Annex to Van Munching Hall with targeted occupancy in AY 2007/08 and continue to provide the most advanced technological infrastructure among leading business schools.
  • Increase overall revenues for the school so that by 2011 the school has total revenues among the top three public business schools.

Is this strategy achievable? We believe it is. Today, the Smith School’s reputation extends around the globe. Graduate and executive programs in China, Europe and Africa have established the school as a truly world class institution. At home, many of our academic areas have been recognized among the top 10-15 in their respective fields. As our reputation grows, so too does our ability to attract leading scholars.

While the Robert H. Smith School of Business is poised to become one of the world’s great global business schools, several challenges can hinder continuing progress. For example:

  • New, internationally recognized faculty will be attracted only if we can continue to offer endowed chairs and research professorships to compete with academically elite private business schools.
  • The school lags in the extent and development of its alumni network, in spite of significant strides in recent years. Additional resources and time must be invested to expand the network.
  • As a consequence of dealing with the pressures of creating research and rising in the academic ranks, many faculty members remain absent in all but the most minimal community activities. Faculty governance and service issues will require cultural change across the school to meet the school’s expanded needs.
  • Additional resources will be needed to attract top-quality masters and doctoral students.
  • Recent nationwide declines in full-time MBA applications remain a significant challenge affecting our ability to recruit the very best students for each of our programs.

Even with these challenges, the Robert H. Smith School of Business has earned a place among the best business schools. Generously supported by alumni, distinguished by world-class faculty, lead by dedicated staff and encouraged by extraordinary students, the Robert H. Smith School of Business is indeed destined for greatness.