DEAN’S RESPONSE
Planning and Review Committee
Program: B.S. Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management
College: College of Management
Year: 2012
Recommendations for the Program Director:
Issue/Concern:
Faculty and Staff Resources – need faculty in lodging administration and hospitality finance. If
enrollment increases there will not be enough faculty to meet need. Need lab manager and more
support staff.
Facilities – proprietary simulation software & laboratory modernization. Pursue distinct building
for School of Hospitality Leadership.
Marketing – increase publicity about School of Hospitality Leadership within Polytechnic
setting.
Limited Opportunities for Faculty Professional Development – faculty falling behind in latest
developments in the field, increase opportunities.
Response from Program Director:
1. Begin working with the Chair and Dean to hire another faculty member in Lodging, a lab
manager and another part time / LTE support staff and purchase of appropriate simulation
software.
• The Department Chair has initiated the advertisement for the faculty member in
lodging; the department personnel committee will carry out the formal hiring
process.
• A lab manager has been hired and will begin working in March, 2012.
• Industry partners will be contacted in regard to support for simulation software to
utilize in the classroom. Hospitality and Tourism faculty have identified key
industry software companies that may be willing to donate software use for
students. One such company that will be contacted in the near future is a meeting
planning software, MeetingMatrix.
2. Work with University Advancement and Administration to explore options for a separate
standalone building for the School of Hospitality Leadership.
• A committee has been formed to investigate and identify opportunities for a
standalone building. This committee has welcomed faculty input and program
director input into the process and visioning of the new building.
3. Work with Admissions, University Publications for greater visibility and marketing of the
School of Hospitality Leadership.
PRC H&T Dean’s response
Page 1
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The program director has met with key contacts in the Admissions office to
discuss collaborative marketing efforts as well as joint funding for key tradeshows
to be attended on behalf of the School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL).
4. Explore additional sources of funding for faculty professional development, attendance in
national conferences, etc through Research Services.
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The program director has identified conference scholarship opportunities for
faculty to offset the cost of attending professional development
conventions/conferences.
Industry partnerships will be investigated to identify industry partners that would
be willing to sponsor faculty attendance at national conferences/conventions.
Various grants will be identified, which are offered through UW Stout’s Research
Services for professional development. The program director will share these
opportunities with the faculty in the department of Hospitality and Tourism.
Recommendations for the Department Chair:
Issue/Concern: Same as above
Response from Department Chair:
1. Support Program Director’s efforts to hire another faculty member, lab manager and
support staff.
• After several revisions of a position description for an Inventory Control
Coordinator, we were successful in filling this position. This full-time
appointment will streamline and standardize the purchasing, inventory and repair
responsibilities that were, up to now, added to the duties of the instructors
assigned to a given laboratory. This appointment will permit instructors to again
focus on the education of our students.
•
The department Personnel Committee has completed the initial paperwork leading
to the recruitment of a faculty member with lodging expertise and a faculty
member who will serve as the Program Director of a Master’s degree program (.5
time appointment as P.D.). This person will also assist in the teaching of courses
we need.
2. Work with University Advancement and Administration to explore options for a separate
standalone building for the School of Hospitality Leadership.
• This initiative has progressed at a pace far beyond initial expectations. The
Chancellor, Provost, COM Dean, Stout Alumni Association and the Stout
Foundation are having frequent meetings—all for the purpose of making this a
reality.
3. Publicize the School of Hospitality Leadership at different campus and industry venues.
Make additional efforts in creating a unique brand for the HRTM Program within the
School of Hospitality Leadership and marketing it.
PRC H&T Dean’s response
Page 2
Three major accomplishments last year propelled the recognition that we needed to
publicize the School of Hospitality Leadership. ACPHA accreditation included the
recommendation that we publicize our School achieving this accreditation, also served as
a branding opportunity. The College of Management also embraced branding and
publicity. Indeed, the Dean attended the annual conference of CHRIE (Council on Hotel,
Restaurant and Institutional Education). The third accomplishment was Stout’s high
administrative support of the School of Hospitality Leadership and the quest for a
standalone building. We have had an unprecedented year of industry conference
involvement including:
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ProStart Culinary Competition—Baltimore, MD
NGTCO Nation Show—Las Vegas
Hospitality, Sales and Marketing Association International—Minneapolis, MN
ICHRIE—New York
Wisconsin Restaurant Association Celebration of Excellence Dinner—
Minneapolis
• Wisconsin Governors Conference on Tourism—Green Bay
• American Resort Development Association National Convention—Las Vegas
• Institute of Real Estate Management Chapter—Milwaukee
• National Association of Realtors business meeting –Anaheim, CA
• National Golf Course Organization Golf Show—Las Vegas
• Midwest Golf Course Owners Association meeting—Bloomington, MN
(Note: This is a sampling of our recent branding initiatives. We are committed to
continuing these efforts.)
4. Support faculty with resources for professional development.
• As noted elsewhere in this report, department funds for travel were used to reestablish our position with industry associations. In virtually every case, these
events were also opportunities for professional development. The department
also funded department members presenting research papers in Madison at the
Conference on Distance Teaching, certificate renewal meetings at the Upper
Midwest Law Institute and the Real Estate Institute. In total over 45 travel
authorizations for the department were processed in the last year.
•
Department members took advantage of workshops and training sessions offered
by Stout during professional development week and throughout the year.
•
Finally, it must be noted that our present budget did not allow us to upgrade our
membership to CHRIE to the level of an “institutional membership”. This higher
level of participation will become a reality in the next fiscal year.
5. Encourage other tenured faculty to share the work of advisement, program revision,
recruitment, and various other aspects of program administration. This will ensure the
long-term health of the program by preventing Program Director burn out, which has
affected many program directors of large programs with myriad duties.
PRC H&T Dean’s response
Page 3
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The Program Director and the Chair have discussions several times a week on
both programmatic issues and workload. Together we have initiated a central
advisement center (room/student assistant and posted hours) which will handle
routine questions. The P.D. receives a teaching assignment of courses and class
hours that best fit her schedule.
•
Above all, she is supported by the tenured faculty. All faculty share in advising,
but we also share program history and strategies. We are all focused on
streamlining the HRTM program and that in itself will reduce the P.D. workload.
Recommendations for the Dean:
Issue/Concern: Same as above
Response from Dean:
1. Support the Program Director and Chair in hiring additional personnel, a faculty member,
a lab manager and an additional support staff.
•
The Dean will support the Department Chair in hiring additional personnel
(faculty, lab manager, and support staff).
2. Work with University Advancement and Administration to explore options for a separate
standalone building for the School of Hospitality Leadership.
•
The Dean is currently working closely with University Advancement and
Administration to explore options for a building dedicated to the School of
Hospitality Leadership.
3. Publicize the new School of Hospitality Leadership within the university and to external
stakeholders.
•
The Dean supports mechanisms for promotion of the School of Hospitality
Leadership. Current efforts include a College level newsletter, a SHL specific
newsletter, Executive Education programs, and an annual Career Conference
dedicated to the Hospitality industry.
4. Provide resources for professional development of faculty so that they can be at the
cutting edge of their profession and the School can acquire a national and international
reputation.
•
The Dean supports professional development of faculty. For example, COM
Research Associate provides a bi-monthly digest of funding opportunities for
faculty in the SHL. Increasing awareness about professional development grants
via Research Services will be shared with faculty.
PRC H&T Dean’s response
Page 4
5. Ensure an equitable workload for Program Director by sharing of advisement duties by
tenured faculty, to prevent over-reliance on the energies of a single individual and
thereby ensure long-term sustainability of the Program.
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The Dean is highly supportive of an equitable workload for the Program Director
and will work closely with the Department Chair to ensure shared advisement
load. Long-term sustainability of the program is critical to the success of our
College and University.
PRC H&T Dean’s response
Page 5