NIU College of Business
STRATEGIC PLANNING COUNCIL XVI MEETING MINUTES
(Academic Year: 2012-13) ~ Friday, March 8, 2013 ~ 1-3 p.m.
STRATEGIC PLANNING COUNCIL XVI (SPC)
SPC Members:
Tim Aurand (MKTG Faculty), Amy Buhrow (Coordinator AACSB/Assessment), Ann Carrel (Director,
Executive, Professional, & Fast-Track MBA Programs), Michelle De Jean (Director, COB Marketing),
Carolinda Douglass (Vice Provost), Ken Elliott (MGMT Instructor, UBUS 311), Geoff Gordon (MKTG Chair),
Brenda Hart (Staff Council President, MKTG Dept.), Lenita Hepker (Administrative Assistant to the Dean),
Vijay Krishnan (MKTG Faculty), Chang Liu (OMIS Chair), Kyle Lundin (Undergraduate Student Rep),Len
Lundstrum (FINA Faculty), Brain Mackie (OMIS Faculty), Sarah Marsh (MGMT Chair), Mark Misic
(Director of Technology), Paul Prabhaker (Associate Dean, College of Business), Denise Schoenbachler
(Dean, College of Business), Rebecca Shortridge (ACCY Faculty), Marc Simpson (FINA Chair)¸ Pam Smith
(ACCY Faculty), Mahesh Subramony (MGMT Faculty),Nancy Russo (OMIS Faculty), Ursula Sullivan (MKTG
Faculty), Beth Towell (Associate Dean of Undergraduate), Michael Welsh (Alumni/Welsh Industries,
Owner), Dan Wunsch (Associate Dean for Administration), and Lei Zhou (FINA Faculty)
SPC Members Unable to Attend:
Curtis Batterton (Alumni/McDonald’s Corporation), Mike Cahill (Undergraduate Student Rep), Anthony
D'Andrea (Director, Development, Senior Gift and Estate Planning Officer – COB), Lori Marcellus (Director
Undergraduate Studies), Paul Prabhaker (Associate Dean, College of Business), Pam Smith (ACCY
Faculty), Cassandra Young (Director, Alumni Relations), Jim Young (ACCY Chair)
Guest:
Anthony Preston (Asst. Director, Fast-Trak MBA, Manager, Global Programs)
The Dean welcomed and thanked the group for participating. She reviewed the agenda and emphasized
the goal of the meeting was to share information about the MBA program and Global unit. Information
about the Summer Research process was shared at a sub-group meeting. Since Paul Prabhaker was
unable to attend the March 8 meeting, information from the subgroup presentation will be integrated in
to the final SWOT analysis summary.
The college retreat is scheduled for March 29. Actions items and priorities for the college will be
generated based on what is learned during the entire exploration process. The Dean was reminded of
the recruitment open house scheduled the same day.
Ken Elliott made a motion to approve the minutes from January 25, 2013 meeting. Nancy Russo
seconded the motion. The minutes were approved as presented.
MBA Programs

Ann Carrel reviewed the history, infrastructure, operations, and SWOT of the MBA program.
The college awards one MBA degree. Students can earn the degree by participating in one of
four formats. Details on each format, the infrastructure, and a complete SWOT analysis can be
found in Appendix A.
1. Evening MBA: Started in the late 1960’s.
2. Executive MBA (EMBA): Started in 1982.
3. One Year MBA (Formerly known as Professional MBA or PMBA): Started by Harry Wright
in 2005.
4. Fast-Trak MBA: Started in 2010 by Paul Prabhaker.
Each year the MBA program hosts approximately 35 public information sessions, 10 corporate
information sessions, and 15 colloquiums. Last year marketing efforts resulted in 1,400
inquiries.

Ann highlighted the following strengths of the MBA program.
o There are a number of certificates MBA students can earn to specialize and earn a
credential in a particular content area.
o The MBA integrates global experiences into the curriculum. The One-Year and EMBA
formats require an international experience. Fast-Trak students have the option of
earning a double degree with one of two European universities.
o The MBA is a high touch program. There is a lot of staff interaction.
o Business partnerships are leveraged in the classroom to the benefit of the students.
o Of the 29 MBA programs offered in the Chicago market, only seven have AACSB
accreditation. We are one of the seven.

The following weaknesses were highlighted.
o MBA students lack scholarship support.
o The curriculum is dated and not applied consistently.
o The NIU College of Business MBA program is not named. Most ranked MBA programs
are named.
o There is not succession plan in the MBA office and the office anticipates turnover in the
next 3-5 years.
o The college relies heavily on the MBA program to generate revenue for use throughout
the college.
Global Programs

Anthony Preston reviewed the goals, outcomes, and SWOT of the College of Business Global
Program. His presentation and a complete SWOT analysis can be found in Appendix B.

The Global Program has three goals:
o Create a Global COB dimension through external reputation and internal character.
o Create opportunities for COB students to acquire a global perspective.
o
Create opportunities for COB faculty to develop a global perspective.

Goals are accomplished through faculty research, student learning experiences, curriculum,
academic programming, and global executive education.

The Global program is currently self-funded and in the entrepreneurial stage of development.
$76,500 in student scholarships were awarded from 2007-2011. Approximately $35,000 was
awarded to faculty for international travel in 2010-2011. Twenty-nine College of Business
faculty were involved in international teaching experiences from 2009-2011. The college
invested approximately $46,000 in external partnership from 2010-2012.

Anthony reviewed the strengths of the global program and emphasized the strength of the selffunded model, the strong relationships, the double degree programs, and work in the executive
education space.

Several opportunities exist. These include the opportunity to grow with the scalable business
model, the potential to impact the college curricula and expand faculty global perspectives, the
addition of faculty-led study abroad, and opportunities that can come through global alumni.

Weakness and threats include competitiveness with the International programs office, lack of
perceived value of the global program, lack of budget and personnel, lack of time, lack of
student resources (time & money) to participate
Action Items and Wrap-up
The Dean closed the meeting by thanking the group for participating and re-emphasizing the goal of the
meeting was to share information. Actions items and priorities for the College will be generated based
on what is learned during the entire exploration process at the March 2013 SPC retreat.
The next meeting will be Friday, March 29 retreat. Details will be sent shortly.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Amy Buhrow