College of Business Administration ▪ Abilene Christian University

Continuous Improvement Review Report June 1, 2008-May 31, 2013

for

AACSB International

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business October 15, 2013

Dr. Richard S. Lytle, Dean College of Business Administration

Abilene Christian University ACU Box 29303

Abilene, TX 79699 rick.lytle@coba.acu.edu

(325) 674-2503

mailto:rick.lytle@coba.acu.

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PREFACE

As a business school, we face the challenge of navigating constantly shifting winds of the global economy, student preparedness, industry demand, faculty availability, knowledge and research, competitive strategies, financial resources, and pedagogical approaches. Forces inside and outside the University require vigilance, innovation, and wisdom in responding. Yet, as we sense and adapt, our mission remains clear:

To glorify God by creating a distinctively Christian environment in which excellent teaching, combined with scholarship, promotes the intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth of business students, and educates them for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Achieving accreditation by AACSB International in 2004 was a milestone for the College of Business Administration and Abilene Christian University. During candidacy, we clarified our mission, measured our performance, deepened our resources, and increased our quality. Since 2004, we have completed two five-year maintenance periods, the most recent of which is summarized in this report, representing June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2013. During each maintenance period, accreditation processes have become increasingly internalized and transparent in our operations.

The present report summarizes challenges and advancement during the past five years and points the way toward continuous improvement. Our record demonstrates the quality expected of an AACSB-accredited business school. Although designed in accord with 2003 business accreditation standards, we already are taking steps toward integrating the newly adopted standards as we grow in innovation, impact, and engagement. A sampling of the ways we are anticipating meeting the 2013 standards are highlighted in “Beyond 2013” boxes throughout the report.

Many contributed to the efforts summarized in this report. Our faculty members excel in competence, character, and community as they teach, research, and serve students daily. Our staff serve prospective students, current students, faculty, and alumni with exceptional care and professionalism. Assistant Dean Tim Johnston significantly propelled career services during the past five years. Dr. Jim Litton significantly expanded educational opportunities in entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Chairs Don Pope and Bill Fowler manage a host of tasks including upholding assurance of learning processes. Associate Dean Monty Lynn, Assistant to the Dean Frankie Montgomery, and graduate student Kyndal Coleman assembled and edited the report, with inputs from several faculty and staff. Many supporters and administrators enabled our efforts, including ACU President Dr. Phil Schubert, ACU Provost Dr. Robert Rhodes, and our dedicated Dean’s Advisory Council. Finally, our students employed gifts and efforts in their vocations which become the outcomes we measure. We appreciate each of these for advancing the mission of the College of Business Administration at Abilene Christian University and for making our mutual work so meaningful and rewarding.

Dr. Richard S. Lytle, Dean College of Business Administration Abilene Christian University

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface................................................................................................................................................... iii

Table of Contents.................................................................................................................................... v

Exhibits ................................................................................................................................................. vii

1. Situational Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 2

1.1 Historical and Local Context ........................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Strengths and Advantages ............................................................................................................. 3

1.3 Challenges and Disadvantages ....................................................................................................... 6

1.4 Opportunities ................................................................................................................................. 6

1.5 Degree Programs and Enrollment .................................................................................................. 7

2. Progress Update.................................................................................................................................. 8

3. Strategic Management ...................................................................................................................... 12

3.1 Mission ......................................................................................................................................... 12

3.2 Strategic Planning Process ........................................................................................................... 12

3.3 Strategic Plan ............................................................................................................................... 14

3.4 Continuous Improvement Process ............................................................................................... 15

3.5 Strategic Outcomes ..................................................................................................................... 15

3.6 Financial Strategies ...................................................................................................................... 20

3.7 New Degree Programs ................................................................................................................. 21

3.8 Intellectual Contributions ............................................................................................................. 23

4. Participants ....................................................................................................................................... 28

4.1 Students ...................................................................................................................................... 28

4.2 Faculty ......................................................................................................................................... 31

5. Assurance of Learning ....................................................................................................................... 34

5.1 Curricular Development ............................................................................................................... 34

5.2 Methods of Assessment ............................................................................................................... 38

5.3 Assessment Results ...................................................................................................................... 40

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6. Other Material .................................................................................................................................. 44

6.1 Impact 2012 ................................................................................................................................. 44

Appendices ........................................................................................................................................... 46

Appendix A: University Organization Chart ....................................................................................... 47

Appendix B: Selected University Recognitions .................................................................................. 49

Appendix C: Twenty-First Century Vision .......................................................................................... 51

Appendix D: General Education Curriculum Goals and Outcomes ..................................................... 52

Appendix E: Degree Program Exclusions ........................................................................................... 54

Appendix F: COBA Organization Chart .............................................................................................. 55

Appendix G: COBA Dean’s Advisory Council ...................................................................................... 60

Appendix H: Comparable, Competitive, and Aspirant Institutions ..................................................... 61

Appendix I: COBA Vision 2015 ........................................................................................................... 62

Appendix J: Academically and Professionally Qualified Faculty Guidelines ..................................... 102

Appendix K: Summary of Intellectual Contributions, 2008-13 (Table 2-1) ........................................ 105

Appendix L: Analysis of Intellectual Contributions, 2008-13 ............................................................ 108

Appendix M: Peer-Reviewed Journals and Publication Frequency, 2008-13 (Table 2-2) ................... 109

Appendix N: Faculty Sufficiency by Discipline and School, 2012-13 (Table 9-1)................................. 111

Appendix O: Student Credit Hours taught by Discipline, 2012-13 ..................................................... 113

Appendix P: Faculty Qualifications, Development, and Responsibilities (Table 10-1)....................... 116

Appendix Q: Calculations Relative to Deployment of Qualified Faculty (Table 10-2) ....................... 118

Appendix R: Learning Goals and Objectives .................................................................................... 120

Appendix S: Course Alignment Matrix of Course-Embedded Assessments ...................................... 127

Appendix T: Example Input Form for Course Embedded Assessment Feedback .............................. 129

Appendix U: Assessment Results Other than Course-Embedded .................................................... 130

Appendix V: Detailed Findings of Learning Objectives, 2012-2013 ................................................... 133

Appendix W: COBA Operational and Financial Summary, 2008-13 .................................................. 149

Appendix X: COBA Endowments and Scholarships, 2009, 2013 ....................................................... 150

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EXHIBITS Exhibit 1: Graduates by Degree Programs, 2008-2012 ............................................................................ 7

Exhibit 2: COBA Mission and Strategic Commitments .......................................................................... 12

Exhibit 3: Strategic Planning Stakeholders and Relations ..................................................................... 13

Exhibit 4: Significant Planning Processes .............................................................................................. 14

Exhibit 5: Continuous Improvement Cycle .............................................................................................17

Exhibit 6: Degree Concentrations ......................................................................................................... 21

Exhibit 7 Category A and Total ICs per Full-Time Faculty over Accreditation Periods ............................ 23

Exhibit 8: Comparison of Intellectual Contributions across Accreditation Periods ................................. 24

Exhibit 9: Composite Intellectual Contribution Objectives .................................................................... 25

Exhibit 10 Forms of Scholarship, 2008-2013 .......................................................................................... 26

Exhibit 11: COBA Enrollment, Fall 2008 -Fall 2012................................................................................. 28

Exhibit 12: COBA Enrollment as a Percent of ACU Enrollment, Fall 2008-Fall 2012 ............................... 29

Exhibit 13: COBA Undergraduate Students by Major, Fall 2008-Fall 2012 ............................................. 29

Exhibit 14: COBA Students by Gender, Fall 2008-Fall 2012 ................................................................... 30

Exhibit 15: Minority Ethnicity of COBA Students (US Citizens), Fall 2008-Fall 2012 .............................. 30

Exhibit 16: Curricular Development during Review Period .................................................................... 35

Exhibit 17: Methods of Assessment ....................................................................................................... 38

Exhibit 18: Direct Assessment Tools ...................................................................................................... 38

Exhibit 19: Indirect Assessment Tools ................................................................................................... 40

Exhibit 20: Summary Listing of Issues and Responses ........................................................................... 42

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1. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS 1.1 HISTORICAL AND LOCAL CONTEXT

Established in 1906, Abilene Christian University (ACU) seeks to “educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.” ACU is affiliated with Churches of Christ, a fellowship of 1.55 million Protestants in the US, 22% of whom reside in Texas. ACU is the third largest of 19 US higher education institutions affiliated with Churches of Christ, other large institutions being Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA), Harding University (Searcy, AR), and Lipscomb University (Nashville, TN). Churches of Christ have a congregational polity and have no authority over colleges and universities, yet service to the church remains an enduring commitment. Trustees, senior administrators, and full-time faculty are members of the Churches of Christ as were 40% of the entering freshmen in 2012. ACU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).

ACU is located in Abilene, Texas (Taylor County) with a 2011 three-county MSA population of 166,414 (US Census Bureau). Surrounded by rural areas and small towns, a more distant ring of metropolitan areas are located between 90-180 miles away—San Angelo, Fort Worth-Dallas-Arlington, Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Midland, and Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood. Abilene has significant labor employment in federal government (Dyess AFB), education, health care, and retail sectors. Abilene is home to three private universities—ACU, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University—and to branch campuses of three public institutions—Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas State Technical College, and Cisco College. Hardin-Simmons and McMurry offer BBAs in business and Hardin-Simmons offers an MBA and MBAE.

ACU offers 94 baccalaureate programs and 27 graduate programs including a Doctor of Ministry. ACU’s academic structure (Appendix A) is divided into four disciplinary colleges, an honors college, a school of nursing, and a graduate school. Most academic credits (95% of student credit hours sold) are delivered to residential students although the University offers five graduate programs exclusively via distance learning, none of which are in business. ACU leases study abroad facilities in Oxford (England), Leipzig (Germany), and Montevideo (Uruguay). In 2012-13, ACU leased and renovated learning and residential facilities in Dallas, Texas to offer selected graduate programs and enhance undergraduate learning in partnership with CitySquare, a non-profit organization that reduces Dallas poverty through community development.

In fall 2012, ACU enrolled 4,367 students, 741 (17%) of whom were graduate students. The entering freshmen class was 28% ethnic minority, the largest groups being Hispanic (14%) and African American (7%). Generally, 48-50 states are represented among the student body with the largest percentages coming from Texas (78%), California (3%), and Colorado (2%). International students constituted 2% of entering students in fall 2012.

Annual University tuition increased sharply during the review period from $596 per credit hour in 2008 to $892 in 2012—a 50% increase. University enrollment declined by 7% during the same period but academic quality, student retention, and revenue remained stable or increased. Tuition and fees account for approximately half of all revenue. The University benefits from a healthy endowment which increased 28% during the review period, despite the recessionary economy ($239.5 million in May 2008 to 307.1 million in May 2012). The University’s endowment performance is among the best in the nation. ACU has received accolades for academic performance and initiatives, including mobile learning (Appendix B). The University’s academic strategy remains under the 21st Century Vision (Appendix C)

http://www.acu.edu/http://www.cccu.org/http://www.texasahead.org/texasedge/map_tool.phphttp://www.texasahead.org/texasedge/map_tool.phphttp://www.acu.edu/academics/cebr/profiles/Taylor/index.htmlhttp://www.hsutx.edu/http://www.mcm.edu/newsite/web/http://www.ttuhsc.edu/abilene/http://www.tstc.edu/campus/wtxabilenehttp://www.tstc.edu/campus/wtxabilenehttp://www.cisco.edu/s/926/start.aspxhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/undergrad.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/graduate/degree-programs/index.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/studyabroad/http://www.citysquare.org/http://www.acu.edu/news/2012/120504-endowment.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/aboutacu/choice.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/technology/mobilelearning/index.html

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and is currently being updated. Business degrees build on a foundation of general education for all majors (Appendix D). In 2013, ACU was invited to join the Southland Conference and move to NCAA Division I status.

The Department of Business Administration was formed in 1929 and graduated its first student in 1934 with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration. Enrollment growth was slow until 1963 when department chair Dr. A. Overton Faubus added faculty, increased undergraduate offerings, and added a graduate program. The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree was first awarded in 1974. In 1981, the College of Business Administration (COBA) was created under the direction of Dean William J. Petty. Two academic departments—Accounting and Finance and Management Sciences—were created and still operate today (Appendix F). Under Dean Petty, enrollment reached 1,200, COBA endowment increased rapidly, and in 1986, the Mabee Business Building was constructed.

In 1993, under the leadership of Dean Jack A. Griggs, the college’s business programs were accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). In 1999, Dean Griggs initiated candidacy with AACSB International. COBA was accredited by AACSB in 2004 under the leadership of Dean Richard S. Lytle. In 2007, the School of Information Technology and Computing (SITC) was created by the University as a separate academic unit reporting to the COBA dean.1 Housing the SITC within COBA enhanced technology-related course offerings, research and faculty resources, and computing facilities. A Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) (Appendix G) supports business programs.

1.2 STRENGTHS AND ADVANTAGES

The Texas higher education marketplace is large and competitive. As a mid-size institution, ACU has some advantages when compared with comparable and competitive institutions (Appendix H). Among competitors, COBA is unique in providing a relational, high-quality business education with a Christian emphasis. As a predominantly undergraduate business school, we aim to be brilliant at the basics, providing a foundation in business reinforced by opportunities and resources for learning which often are inaccessible to undergraduate students. We are small enough to know students personally but large enough to offer exceptional learning opportunities. Distinctive strengths in COBA programs, reputation, resources, and supporters include:

Strong, Service-Oriented Faculty: Our 25 full-time, 2 in-residence, and 3 part-time faculty members have rigorous academic training and over 300 years of business and management experience. Faculty often host students in their homes for meals, mentor and volunteer with students one-on-one and in student organizations, mentor students in undergraduate, research, and lead students in field experiences locally, domestically, and internationally. Many faculty members apply their skills in academic, professional, community, and/or church organizations, serving in such organizations as the Academy of Management and CEO Forum. Faculty are active researchers and frequently engage in professional development.

Hands-On Entrepreneurship: Established in 2011, the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy offers opportunities for students to sharpen their entrepreneurial skills through a start-up to harvest freshman experience called Venture Out, two annual competitions—an elevator pitch and a business idea competition—a student business incubator, and leadership

1 For purposes of this report, “COBA” and the “College of Business Administration” will refer exclusively to

the business programs. SITC programs are not included, having been excluded from review by AACSB (see Appendix E for all degree exclusions).

http://blogs.acu.edu/acutoday/2012/08/25/acu-announces-move-to-southland-division-i/http://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/griggscenter/index.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/griggscenter/index.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/griggscenter/springboard/index.html

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roles in Wildcat Ventures, a 100% on-campus student-run business. In 2013, we expanded course offerings and added a concentration in Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. The 2012-13 the Griggs Center speaker series included talks and mentoring by ten presenters including Dan Austin (Founder, 88Bikes), Ryan Dunagan (Co-founder, Stoodify), Jerry Browder (Founder and CEO, Signet Health), April Anthony (CEO, Encompass Home Health), Darbie Angell (Founder, Crü Dinnerware), and Shannon Wilburn (Founder, Just Between Friends). COBA entrepreneurs-in-residence mentor students in creating value and giving back. These include: Jim Porter, a former Silicon Valley CEO and angel investor; Chad Hutchins, a young tech entrepreneur; and Jarrod Brown, a global social entrepreneur. The Griggs Center encourages students to be philanthropic and employ socially-responsible operations.

Global Study: Since 2008, COBA faculty members have lead 195 students on study abroad trips to England (4 trips), Germany (2), China (2), Honduras, and Australia. Academic rigor, cultural engagement, and student formation are emphasized. Consulting projects on study abroad trips have included projects for Subway, Bridgestone, Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing, Oxfam International, the Leipzig Eagles professional basketball team, and Dallas 2024. In Honduras, students obtain hands-on experience in social entrepreneurship at Mission Lazarus, a development NGO with a 1,250-acre campus.

Integrated Career Preparation: Professional development experiences are integrated across the undergraduate curriculum so students acquire just-in-time skills as they progress through their program. Students explore possible careers and construct a simple career plan in a freshman course. At the sophomore level, students plan by narrowing their career plan and considering actions to prepare for career entry. At the junior level, students register on CareerLink, refine their resume, select an elective internship, and obtain one-on-one coaching in job search strategies and interviewing. Internship and career opportunities from alumni and other contacts are regularly cultivated. Across the University, the 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) survey indicated that 90% of ACU students talked with a faculty member about his/her career. ACU’s CareerLink contains more than 4,300 registered employers offering 500 job opportunities. Over 6,100 students and alumni are currently registered.

Outcomes: COBA achieved a 92% undergraduate placement rate within 60 days of graduation in 2012. ACU was highlighted as #10 on sections of the CPA exam passed versus attempted among 81 Texas higher education institutions.2. We rank 1st among Churches of Christ colleges and universities and 36th in the US among mid-size academic programs on first-time attempts on the CPA exam.3 Our satisfaction ratings are consistently high when current students evaluate student services and alumni evaluate their preparation and learning experience in COBA.

Business Immersion: About 50% of COBA students complete at least one internship prior to graduation. Several courses engage live consulting clients in Abilene or Dallas, with increased collaboration with CitySquare in Dallas, a large non-profit focused on poverty reduction. To observe leading business centers, in Fall 2011 and 2013, students traveled with COBA to New

2 Gordon Heslot, Virginia Fullwood, and Rafiu O. Fashina, “Where Texas CPAs Come From,” Today’s CPA,

Jan/Feb, 2013, 20. 3 NASDA, 2011 Uniform CPA Examination Candidate Performance, Nashville: National Association of State

Boards of Accountancy.

http://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/griggscenter/speakers/http://www.acu.edu/news/2012/120905-88bikes-founder-to-speak-on-entrepreneurship.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/griggscenter/in-residence/index.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/student-opportunities/programs/globalapprentice.html

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York City on a non-credit tour to meet with executives from Johnson & Johnson, Tommy Hilfiger, Latham and Watkins, CNN, American Express, and the NYSE. In fall 2012, students and faculty traveled to Silicon Valley to meet with representatives from Google, Apple, Corona Labs, Silicon Valley Bank, and other tech start-ups. Both trips included dinner or panel discussion sessions with alumni and/or Christian business leaders.

Student Organizations: Students and faculty in COBA participate in several business related organizations which meaningfully enhance learning and career preparation: Our student-managed investment club (STAR) manages $500,000 of the University’s endowment and sends delegates to the annual RISE conference at the University of Dayton; our Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) chapter hosts multiple speakers each semester and supports student-run businesses through Wildcat Ventures; students and faculty engage in service, learning, and excelling through ACU chapters of the Student Accounting Organization, American Marketing Association, Association of Information Systems, Enactus, Beta Gamma Sigma, and other organizations.

Undergraduate Research: Pursuit, ACU’s undergraduate research initiative, has catalyzed 15 students and 13 faculty mentors to present papers at the ACU Research Festival since 2009. Others have co-authored papers with faculty at the Academy of Management, Christian Business Faculty Association, and other organizations.

Mobile Learning: ACU has gained international notoriety for leading implementation and research in utilizing mobile technology in learning. The University has hosted several conferences and is engaged with global technology partners (Appendix B). Four COBA faculty have been named Mobile Learning Fellows and have conducted research in mobile technology.

Leading Speakers: The ACU network of alumni and friends has assisted the Distinguished Speaker Series and Griggs Center to host business professionals who interact with students. Speakers since 2008 have included James Lentz (COO, Toyota Motor Sales US), Blake Mycoskie (Founder, TOMS Shoes), Cheryl Bachelder (CEO, AFC Enterprises), William Greehey (Chairman, NuStar Energy), Kellie Fisher (CFO, Texas Rangers), April Anthony (Founder, Encompass Home Health) and others. Each year at COBA’s Leadership Summit, (2011, 2012, 2013) national leaders speak to students in a Colorado retreat setting about leadership in business, home, and community. Speakers in 2012 included marriage and family experts Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley, Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, and John Aden, EVP for Walmart General Merchandise.

Dean’s Advisory Council: Constituted by 23 professionals, the DAC (Appendix G) advises the dean, provides internships for students and faculty, contributes financially, and represents COBA’s interests to the broader business community.

Mabee Business Building and Information Infrastructure: The Mabee Business Building (MBB) is twenty-eight years old but is still in excellent condition. Fixed seating was replaced in four classrooms since 2008 and one business classroom was redesigned as an interactive classroom in 2011. The University is testing a Virtual Lab environment that would greatly expand computing capacities on campus. Mobile learning technology and supporting training and infrastructure are ubiquitous on campus. Campus computers are replaced every four years.

Endowment: As of May 2013, COBA’s portion of the endowment was $15.7 million, up from $8 million in 2004. These funds, generously given by donors over several decades, enable many programs and resources.

http://www.acu.edu/news/2013/121220-COBA-silicon-valley.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/student-opportunities/programs/speakerseries.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/academics/coba/student-opportunities/programs/speakerseries.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/news/2012/121105-entrepreneur-and-whos-who-honoree-to-speak.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/news/2011/110207-Leadership-summit.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/news/2012/120201-summit-2012.htmlhttp://www.acu.edu/news/2012/121119-2013-leadership-summit.html

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1.3 CHALLENGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Undergraduate Competitive Set: ACU’s competitive landscape is complex and dynamic. In past years, prospective students often compared ACU with other Churches of Christ institutions. Today, prospective students more often compare ACU against Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. Shifts in market position necessitate a compelling value proposition against lower-priced programs with greater brand recognition. Historically, most ACU students had a history with the University prior to matriculation; fewer do today resulting in enrollment and retention uncertainty. COBA supplements ACU recruiting efforts but is less able to influence early stage recruiting.

Graduate Market Access: ACU is 96% undergraduate by headcount. The University is targeting graduate programs for growth but geographically has limited surrounding market potential for graduate and executive business programs. Distance education programs are of increasing interest but are somewhat counter to the highly residential and traditional target student and relational culture.

Finding and Retaining Faculty: Available faculty are often limited given ACU’s requirement that all full-time faculty be active members of Churches of Christ. The policy has advantages and disadvantages although locating qualified faculty is perceived as one of the latter. Additionally, faculty compensation has lost pace with market averages due to University budget pressure and priorities. These pressures are in addition to the need to maintain large numbers of academic and professionally qualified faculty given our relatively small size.

University Budget Pressure: Cost reductions and efficiencies in the University budget necessitate doing more with less. COBA endowments are increasingly under pressure to support quality teaching and research. A net reduction of 1.5 FTE faculty during the review period increases class sizes and prevents the offering of some elective courses.

Student Readiness: Students arrive with varying levels of academic, social, personal, and spiritual readiness for university study. Gaps in any of these require continuous improvement in teaching, curricular and co-curricular programs, and mentoring.

1.4 OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to supporting the strengths noted above, several opportunities are at hand, including:

Innovation and Impact: Institutional cost containment and AACSB’s 2013 accreditation guidelines provide opportunities to reemphasize strategy and impact and evaluate afresh our support of faculty, staff, students, and programs. Innovative staffing and pedagogies can be considered as can new approaches to research support and impact.

Product and Market Development: ACU’s investment in ACU@CitySquare (511 N. Akard, Dallas, Texas) provides an opportunity to consider innovative business applications in an urban setting in undergraduate and graduate programs. The growth of Hispanic students in Texas and ACU’s recent success in recruiting Hispanic students provides a mission-centered market development opportunity.

Spiritual Emphasis: University strategic planning in 2012-14 provide an opportunity to reevaluate academic programs. Dean Rick Lytle’s recent fellowship also provides cutting-edge insights into spiritual formation, workplace spirituality, and work-life balance.

http://www.acu.edu/news/2012/121008-lytle-to-engage-in-fellowship-and-practicum.html

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Financial Development: National economic recovery, the recent Cline Shale and Eagle Ford Shale oil field discoveries in Texas, and a growing and robust Texas economy suggest potentially favorable economic boosts for student employment prospects, family incomes, and fund raising climate.

1.5 DEGREE PROGRAMS AND ENROLLMENT

COBA offers two degrees included in this review: The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with majors in Accounting, Financial Management, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing; and the Master of Accountancy (MAcc) with a general emphasis in accounting. Although overall enrollment declined from 771 in COBA in 2008 to 718 in 2012 due to a sharp increase in pricing, a redesigned core curriculum which initially created transfer obstacles, and a recessionary national economy, COBA’s percentage of ACU total enrollment slightly increased during the maintenance period (from 17% to 18%). The number of graduates in each program is shown in Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 1: Graduates by Degree Programs, 2008-2012

Academic Program 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting 44 61 35 32 48

Bachelor of Business Administration - Financial Management 21 25 18 33 22

Bachelor of Business Administration - Information Systems 0 4 4 4 10

Bachelor of Business Administration - Management 64 56 56 59 52

Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing 46 26 35 32 43

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE 175 172 148 160 175

Master of Accountancy - Accounting 28 41 36 21 32

TOTAL COBA 203 213 184 181 207

Note: Years represent totals for May, August, and December graduates

Distinguished Speaker Cheryl Bachelder, CEO of Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits / AFC Enterprises with Dean Rick Lytle and guests

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2. PROGRESS UPDATE The 2009 AACSB Peer Review Team cited two areas of concern. Their comments are below along with a summary of our actions highlighted in bold font:

Annual Maintenance Reports

The PRT commends ACU-COBA on an informative and detailed set of documentation to support the Maintenance Review. Specifically, the PRT found the first-year annual maintenance report, completed the year after initial accreditation, and the Fifth Year Maintenance Report to be well-designed and appropriate to the task. The PRT recommends that ACU-COBA spend more time aligning each annual maintenance report to focus on continuous improvements as they relate to the strategic plan and action items identified to achieve strategic goals and objectives. Specifically, the PRT recommends that ACU-COBA adopt the format suggested in the Maintenance of Accreditation Handbook.

Response: AACSB discontinued detailed annual maintenance reports during the review period. COBA’s Business School Questionnaires are up-t0-date and on-file as confirmed by AACSB International.4

Faculty Qualifications

o Stated AQ and PQ Maintenance Guidelines

The PRT found the standards for both AQ and PQ faculty status to be lacking in sufficient guidance related to both the type and intensity/frequency (i.e., quantity of ICs) of maintenance activities. Regarding the maintenance of AQ status, the PRT recommends that ACU-COBA address the ambiguity in Exhibit 7 in the Fifth Year Maintenance Report regarding the intended differences between “peer-reviewed intellectual contributions” and “peer-reviewed published contribution[s]”. The PRT needed significant clarification and guidance as to the interpretation and implementation of these definitions. More guidance should be given in this area. Additionally, given the stated mission and vision of ACU-COBA, and given the resources allocated to scholarship and the production of ICs, the stated maintenance activities required to maintain AQ status appear to be lower than many other peer schools with similar research efforts.

The PRT suggests that ACU-COBA consider raising their AQ maintenance standards, particularly with respect to the number of peer-reviewed journal articles and substantial proceedings publications.

With respect to the initial assignment of PQ status in Exhibit 7, more guidance should be provided regarding the nature and significance of “professional experience” needed to be assigned as PQ. The current policy makes no distinction between the possible scope and intensity of managerial and functional responsibility potentially found across candidates for PQ faculty positions. Additionally, the maintenance activities listed to maintain PQ status make no mention of the intensity or frequency of such activities necessary over a 5-year period needed to maintain PQ status. The PRT recommends that the definition of sufficient professional experience needed to be deployed as a PQ faculty member be defined in such a way as to set a sufficiently high standard, and the PRT recommends that guidance be added to address the frequency and intensity of maintenance activities to maintain PQ status.

4 Email correspondence from Maria Baltar, Senior Manager of Accreditation and Member Services, AACSB

International, March 18, 2013.

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Response: In Fall 2009, the COBA Research Committee evaluated our academic and professional qualification (AQ and PQ) definitions. The Committee proposed a major redefinition (February 2010) which was ratified (April 2010) by the COBA faculty. The new definition:

1. Clarified degree requirements for academically and professionally qualified faculty

2. Excluded proceedings from “published contributions,” thus raising the requirements for academic qualification

3. Required one or more published contributions to attain AQ status and retained the “5 ICs and 1 PC in 5 years” standard after benchmarking with peer institutions

4. Specified the scope, intensity, duration, and recency of professional development activities applicable for AQ and PQ designations

We believe the new definitions are appropriate to our mission and buttress faculty quality and currency.

o Classification of specific faculty members as AQ or PQ

Several ACU-COBA faculty members appear to be misclassified given the standards for AQ or PQ maintenance articulated in the policy documents of ACU-COBA. For example, one faculty member classified as PQ should be classified as “Other”. Additionally, at least two faculty members who were classified as AQ should be reclassified to either PQ or “Other”.

Response: The clearer 2010 AQ/PQ definitions have been applied by an independent faculty committee through three annual rounds of evaluations. In few cases has judgment about faculty status generated committee discussion. Deans and chairs are provided an opportunity to inquire about judgments and all questions have been resolved. Clearer definitions have enhanced accuracy and agreement regarding faculty status.

o Insufficient AQ coverage in Marketing

Given current faculty deployment and qualifications, two functional areas do not meet the minimum standards for AQ coverage as articulated in the accreditation standards. Specifically, marketing (major) has only 44% AQ coverage (

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In sum, both marketing and economics meet AACSB faculty deployment requirements and we continue to support faculty members in both areas as they engage in research and professional development.

COBA Leadership Summit, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2012

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Beyond 2013

We will examine our mission and strategic

commitments afresh and evaluate expected

outcomes and strategies

The Mission of the Abilene Christian University College of Business Administration is to glorify God by creating a distinctively Christian environment in which excellent teaching, combined with scholarship, promotes the intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth of business students, and educates them for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

3. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 3.1 MISSION

The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. The mission of COBA furthers the University’s purpose. The COBA mission has not changed since 2008. COBA’s mission and strategic commitments provide direction and discernment for all college strategies, programs, and processes (Exhibit 2):

Exhibit 2: COBA Mission and Strategic Commitments

The strategic commitments which support our mission are:

Center our work on students and their educational developmental needs

Uphold high standards for faculty and students in learning and scholarship

Foster moral, ethical, and socially-responsible behavior with students, faculty, and staff, affirming the importance of faith in God and Christ.

Hire, develop, and retain outstanding faculty who actively support and identify with the mission of Abilene Christian University and who are members of the Churches of Christ

Offer a continually updated curriculum that integrates faith and learning within a global context

Employ advanced technology to enhance learning while strengthening students’ abilities to create business solutions

Continuously improve through self-evaluation and peer review, incorporating the views of multiple stakeholders

Provide high-quality academic and career advising

Maintain an active partnership with the business community by promoting internship opportunities for students, serving as consultants, and involving business leaders in the educational process

Nurture relationships with students and alumni to create friends for life

3.2 STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS

Responsibility for strategic planning in COBA rests with the Leadership Team (LT) which is comprised of the dean, associate dean, assistant dean, department chairs, and the executive assistant to the dean and operation’s manager. Each member creates, monitors, and revises strategic plan components in

13 | A C U

their areas. Although utilizing a range of methods, strategic planning in COBA and at ACU typically involves three actors (Exhibit 3):

Exhibit 3: Strategic Planning Stakeholders and Relations

ACU Board of Trustees, President, Strategic Leadership Team, and Provost: Planning processes initiated at the presidential, trustee, and/or provost levels often influence academic strategy and operations. Faculty members are often invited to consult, influence, and engage in the strategy planning process. An example is the Horizon Report (2013) compiled by an ad hoc academic team to identify academic issues for the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT).

COBA Leadership Team: Strategies are frequently created at the college and academic unit level in concert with administration initiatives or as needed. An example of the latter is the Vision 2015 plan which was initiated between University planning stages. The current college planning process (2013) updates the 2011 plan and is part of a University-wide planning process.

Faculty Committees and Task Forces: Faculty members and committees contribute to the continuous improvement cycle and timeline (Exhibits 3 and 4) which informs ongoing curricular change, resource allocation, student support, and other strategic planning inputs and outcomes (e.g., academic benchmarking and chapel curriculum planning).

Stakeholders, Regulators, and Environmental Trends: Constant environmental scanning and systematic and anecdotal feedback and from stakeholders (e.g., students, alumni, parents, employers), regulators (e.g., Texas State Board of Accountancy and AACSB), and business and technology trends (e.g., economic cycles and mobile technology) inform strategic planning processes.

Board of Trustees

President and Strategic

Leadership Team

Provost

COBA Leadership Team

Faculty Committees and

Task Forces

Environmental Trends

Stakeholders & Regulators

14 | A C U

Two primary groups are tasked with ensuring strategic management and accountability:

Leadership Team: Leadership Team members, the Director of the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy, and the Director of Global Initiatives are generally responsible for strategic implementation. Performance on strategic goals is reviewed by the Leadership Team every six-months.

Stakeholders, Regulators, and the Provost: Stakeholders such as the Dean’s Advisory Council, AACSB peer review teams, and the University administration review COBA’s strategic goal performance.

3.3 STRATEGIC PLAN

A series of significant University- and college-level strategic planning processes have been orchestrated over the past two decades. A timeline of significant ACU, academic, and COBA planning processes are displayed in Exhibit 4. The University’s 21st Century Vision set overarching aspirations and goals for educating critical, global and missional leaders, maintaining and developing distinctive and innovative programs, nurturing Christ-centered community, and Christian influence and educational reach nationally and internationally. A campus-wide strategic planning process for creating the next vision was launched in 2012.

Exhibit 4: Significant Planning Processes

In 2011, the President commissioned a “Horizon Team” to assess the landscape of higher education externally and internally and make recommendations for the future of ACU. This five-person taskforce was chaired by COBA faculty member Dr. Mark Phillips. The Horizon Report highlights the cost of delivering an education generally and at ACU, the quality of teaching and learning, and how ACU might advance its quality and expand its reach. In April 2013, the deans and provost engaged in a strategic planning retreat to discuss the next phase of strategic planning among academic units. This process is yet unnamed but will work in concert with the University’s planning aspirations and goals.

In summer 2011, Dean Lytle led administrative leaders through a process to create Vision 2015 (Appendix I), a strategic plan to guide COBA’s strategic direction from 2011 to 2015. Implementation progress has been monitored by the COBA Leadership Team at six-month intervals. To sync with the

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

21st

Century Vision

In Process (yet unnamed)

Horizon Team

In Process (yet unnamed)

In Process (yet unnamed)

Vision 2015

A

CU

Aca

dem

ic

C

OB

A

http://blogs.acu.edu/spohttp://blogs.acu.edu/spo/2013/02/13/horizon-team-final-report/

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Beyond 2013

We will update our strategic plan, following

ACU’s lead in 2013-14

University and academic planning processes, COBA began a new college-level strategic planning process in fall 2013, with a focus on academics.

COBA’s Vision 2015 capitalizes on trends in the current environment, supports ACU’s 21st Century Vision, and harnesses competencies to create a roadmap to success building on the foundation of five fundamental pillars of excellence. The five pillars contain between 3 and 24 business-related goals and 3 and 39 strategies. They are:

Faith in God: This pillar addresses faith and ethics integrated with a business vocation within teaching, research, and co-curricular activities.

Academic Excellence (“Brilliant at the Basics”): This pillar contains 19 goals and 39 strategies and incorporates quality assurance processes, scholarships, faculty sufficiency and salaries, curriculum, and academic program development.

Global Leadership Development: This pillar calls forth a study abroad strategy, alumni and student leadership development through programs and executives- and entrepreneurs-in-residence.

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy: Curriculum, co-curricular, network development, and faculty are all addressed by this pillar.

Professional Development and Career Connections: Career outcomes and opportunities are the focus of this pillar.

3.4 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS

COBA’s continuous improvement process incorporates external inputs from a variety of sources (e.g., alumni surveys, environmental scanning, AACSB white papers) and internal assurance of learning performance measures against performance targets. The continuous improvement process is highlighted in Exhibit 5.

3.5 STRATEGIC OUTCOMES

Progress toward Vision 2015 goals was tracked and monitored throughout implementation. A few significant improvement outcomes since the 2009 review are highlighted below. Additional assurance of learning improvements are documented in Section 5.

Professional Development (fall 2010 and ongoing): Led by Assistant Dean Tim Johnston, our student professional development processes and outcomes have been strengthened considerably:

o Class Insertions: Career preparation elements were embedded in the core BBA curriculum (fall 2010). For freshman, we added two hours of career sessions focused on “exploring” using exercises and career search tools such as O*NET. At the sophomore level, students engage in two sessions focused on “preparing” which includes a behavioral interviewing demonstration and an exercise further identifying career preparation actions. The third phase, “acting” engages junior and senior students in one-on-one coaching on networking, job search, and interviewing strategies.

16 | A C U

o Professional Development Manager: A staff marketing position was reallocated to professional development and located in the advising center to support various career readiness initiatives.

o Advising Requirements: All juniors and seniors complete a 45-minute training session on CareerLink and LinkedIn annually and complete a survey regarding their targeted job function, industries, and cities of choice.

o Placement Tracking: From January through August of each year a monthly review of each graduating senior is conducted in COBA Connections to help secure our goal of 85% placement within 3 months of graduation.

o Partnership with University Relations Managers: COBA Connections representatives meet regularly with the Director of University Relations to coordinate networking efforts in major Texas cities. Since 2012, we have held networking lunches in Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Houston (twice). The plan is to have at least one COBA networking event each year in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

o A Career-Focused Culture: Monthly Career Connect luncheons are welcome an alumnus or employer on-campus to talk about career opportunities in various industries (since fall 2011). Recent speakers have included:

Scott Orr, VP of Public Affairs, Fidelity Investments (Westlake, TX)

Colter Lewis, Managing Director, Wealth Advisory Services, Northern Trust (Houston)

David Ashmore, VP of Plan Operations, HCSC, BlueCross BlueShield (Dallas)

Kathryn Thompson, Corporate Recruiter, Paycom (Oklahoma City)

Chad Baker, SVP and National Director, Jones Lang LaSalle (Houston)

Chris Christian, CEO, CC Entertainment (Dallas)

News of career opportunities and photos of students who attain an internship, graduate school, or job opportunity are celebrated in the atrium and COBA Connections office.

Alumni Engagement (spring 2012): Alumni are valued stakeholders yet often not immediately visible in our operations. To address this, in spring 2012, we hosted an alumni networking and continuing development event called “IMPACT 2012” (Appendix Z). To reach a large number of alumni, the event was held in the Arlington (TX) Convention Center and included keynotes from six prominent Christian business leaders. Event attendance numbered 275. Future potential plans include smaller gatherings of to allow mentoring of alumni.

Graduate Programs (fall 2012): We prepared a feasibility study of a Master of Management (MM) degree delivered under a 4+1 format. Market research and a cost-benefit analysis did not indicate adding a MM would achieve our quality and financial specifications. We continue to scan opportunities for graduate offerings.

Study Abroad: COBA’s study abroad programs have been successful and have the potential to include more students. Global programs director Dr. Andy Little undertook an evaluation of

Exhibit 5: Continuous Improvement Cycle

18 | A C U

COBA’s study abroad programs in spring 2013 and recommended adjustments in curriculum, enrollment, site and faculty selection, funding, and pricing. These adjustments are being implemented currently and will feed into the next strategic plan.

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy: Considerable advances have been made in entrepreneurship. A nascent entrepreneurship program was initiated in the prior review period. Since that time, entrepreneurship was targeted in the COBA strategic plan and Dr. Jim Litton was hired to direct the Center. Partial funding was provided by the ACU Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy endowment which was established in 2009 and has a current balance of $1.05 million. Entrepreneurship advances include:

o Curriculum: The development of six courses in entrepreneurship and a nine-hour concentration for any business or non-business major

o Study Travel: Entrepreneurial integration in study abroad and domestic trips including a social entrepreneurship trip to Honduras in summer 2012 and a non-credit trip to Silicon Valley in fall 2012.

o Student Programs: Several hands-on programs for learning entrepreneurship have been developed since 2009, including:

Springboard: An Elevator Pitch in the fall and an Idea Challenge in the spring

Wildcat Ventures: 100% student-run ventures on campus which include a café and multiple sales contracts

Entrepreneur Speaker Series: Multiple speakers come to campus annually to address various aspects of entrepreneurship (see section 1.2 for details)

Entrepreneurs-in-Residence: Several seasoned entrepreneurs mentor students (see section 1.2 for details)

Student Organizations: Active chapters of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) and Enactus (formerly Students in Free Enterprise) operate in COBA—both of which emphasize entrepreneurship—and the Women in Business student organization frequently hosts entrepreneurs for luncheons with students

eHub: A student enterprise accelerator was established at a renovated campus house; the eHub houses Wildcat Ventures, Springboard winners, and other student businesses

Community Partnerships: In 2011 and 2012, the Griggs Center promoted and supported entrepreneurship training initiatives with the Texas Tech Small Business Development Center, Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas, and the West Texas Innovation Network. Griggs Center facilitation has included an entrepreneurship bootcamp, angel investor seminar, community leader training, business plan workshops, and small group rural training.

Faculty Recruiting: During the review period, seven full-time faculty members exited COBA (Boisvert, Coburn, Griggs, Jinkerson, Reid, Winegeart, Wright); three part-time faculty exited (Bolin, Brant, Young). During the same period, we added five full-time faculty, are sponsoring two faculty members in PhD programs, and have two adjuncts who will began teaching in fall

http://www.acu.edu/news/2012/120629-griggs-center-training-events.html

19 | A C U

2013. The net reduction of 1.3 faculty FTEs was due to university-mandated budget contraction. We are managing smarter by leveling demand through summer on-line courses, seeking optimized section sizes, and regulating the numbers of sections. New faculty members hired during the review period are:

o Jennifer Golden (PQ, marketing): MBA, George Washington University

o Ryan Jessup (AQ, marketing): PhD, Indiana University

o Andy Little (AQ, business law): JD, Texas Tech University

o Jim Litton (PQ, management/entrepreneurship): JD and MBA, Vanderbilt University

o Kyle Tippens (AQ, finance): PhD, Texas A&M University

Future faculty members who are being supported in graduate school are:

o Dennis Marquardt (management; fourth year): PhD program, University of Texas, Arlington

o Sarah Easter (marketing/entrepreneurship; second year): PhD program, University of Victoria (Canada)

o David Galaz (personal financial planning; first year): PhD program, Texas Tech University

A new adjunct faculty member joining us in fall 2013 is:

o Katie Wick (economics): PhD, University of Pittsburgh

Other advancements include:

Learning Space Renovations: A significant renovation project resulted in a classroom (MBB 316) being converted to an interactive and technology-enhanced learning space. It is in high demand and inspired changes to a second technology lab (completed summer 2012). Four labs were updated with new computers in summer 2013. Four tiered classrooms were made ADA compliant in summer 2010 when their fixed seating was replaced.

Faculty Development: A faculty taskforce evaluated and revised the faculty appraisal form, added an adjunct and part-time form, and proposed a peer evaluation process. The entire faculty ratified a voluntary peer review process (fall 2011). The Welch Business Fellowship was created in summer 2013 to recognize and financially support professional development of selected faculty members who have taught at ACU for at least 15 years. The recipient for 2013-14 is Dr. Paul Wertheim of the Accounting and Finance Department. The funding for the recognition is provided from the Louie Welch Chair.

Mobile Learning: ACU’s initiative in mobile learning, launched in 2008-09, has spawned considerable pedagogical research on campus. COBA (including the School of Information Technology and Computing) has a high faculty percentage of Mobile Learning Fellows on campus. COBA fellows and iPad researchers are:

o Brad Crisp (information systems): “Is it Work or Play? Utilitarian versus Hedonic Uses of Converged Mobile Devices in Higher Education” (2009, 2010)

http://www.acu.edu/technology/mobilelearning/index.html

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Beyond 2013

We will craft new financial strategies to

support our next strategic plan

o Mark Phillips (marketing/management): “Reconfiguring an Entry Majors Course Utilizing Mobile Learning Tools on Regular (Daily) Basis” (2010)

o Brad Crisp (information systems): “Longitudinal Evaluation of a University-Wide Mobile Learning Initiative: (How) Does Ubiquity Matter?” (2011)

o Ian Shepherd (economics) and Brent Reeves (management): “iPad or iFad? Realities of a Paperless Classroom” (2011) (highlighted on CNBC)

o Mark Phillips (marketing/management): “Chapter 0: A Student-Created Online Textbook” (2011)

o Ian Shepherd (economics) and Brent Reeves (management): “Mobile Data Mining: Beyond Mobile Computing Surveys” (2012, 2013)

Undergraduate Research: ACU’s 2011 Quality Enhancement Program under the Southern Association for Accreditation of Schools focuses on undergraduate research and is called Pursuit. Undergraduate research has increased with students and faculty co-authoring papers at regional and national professional conferences. Mentored by faculty, several COBA students have presented at the ACU Undergraduate Research Festival, including:

o Jess Weeden with Orneita Burton (information systems), “The Virtuous Entrepreneur” (2011)

o Ellen Pfeiffer with Laura Phillips (management), “Charity Volunteer Motivations” (2011)

o Courtney Richardson and Courtney Martin with Mark Phillips (management), “A Student-Created Textbook Replacement” (2012)

o Joseph Austin with Monty Lynn (management), “Learning and Growing: The Economic Impact of Higher Education in Abilene (2012)

o Megan Wixon and Allison Phillips with Laura Phillips (management), “Corporate Social Responsibility: We know what consumers say, but will they pay?” (2013)

Hands-on Learning: Online marketing/eCommerce course co-taught by a COBA professor and president of Allen (TX)-based PFSweb with actual data from the Canadian firm, Roots.

3.6 FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

The final two pages of Vision 2015 (Appendix I) list marginal financial resources required for selected elements of the plan. Most elements were fundable through reallocation and required no additional funding. Given tight university budgets during the review period and an emphasis on centralized development to enhance affordability, COBA fund raising was limited and few additional plan-related resources were realized. Two notable exceptions were a $4 million living trust which was finalized in 2012 for finance-related initiatives and $1 million in funds raised toward the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. Appendices W, X, and Y provide financial information about COBA.

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000027999http://www.acu.edu/academics/qep/http://www.pfsweb.com/http://www.acu.edu/news/2011/110418-roots-vp.html

21 | A C U

3.7 NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS

In the previous review period, COBA offered three concentrations which were available to any business major. We reduced the requirements for a concentration from 12 to 9 hours to allow greater access by students, and focused the content which allowed us to add three other concentrations as (Exhibit 6):

Exhibit 6: Degree Concentrations

Concentrations

2008-09 (12 hours) 2013-14 (9 hours)

Organizational Management (OM) Business Leadership (BL)

Business Processes (BP) Business Process Management (BP)

Human Resource Management (HR) Human Resource Management (HR)

Business Intelligence (BI)

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (EP)

International Business (IB)

Although these are not degree programs (degrees, majors, or minors), we include them because they are transcripted and represent curricular enhancements. Our strategy to enhance offerings in entrepreneurship and philanthropy required that new courses be developed. The other concentrations package courses that were being taught as early as 2008-09.

Concentrations enhance business majors by providing cross-functional knowledge and skills. A brief description of each concentration is provided below.

International Business (added in 2009): This concentration provides additional skill and knowledge in global business.

o Employer Needs: AACSB attests to the need for meaningful and ubiquitous global management education (Globalization of Management Education, 2011).

o Student Market: Deeper global preparation is advantageous for all students. Some, however, express interest in preparing for an eventual international assignment.

o Faculty, Technology, and Facility Support: All courses already were being offered except the Global Entrepreneur course which was created for the Entrepreneurship concentration; no additional faculty, technology, or facilities were required.

o Concentration Requirements:

Choose 6 or 9 hours from:

BUSA 419: International Business

ECON 438: International Poverty and Development

FIN 419: International Finance

MKTG 419: International Marketing

http://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/AACSB/8e669aad-807b-46e5-8d96-2df713488110/UploadedImages/AACSB%20Globalization%20Of%20Management%20Education%20Task%20Force%20Report%20-%202011.pdf

22 | A C U

Mgmt 419: Global Entrepreneur

Choose 0 to 3 hours from: Any INTS course or 3 hours of spoken foreign language (FLXX), excluding Latin

Business Intelligence (added in 2009): This concentration provides additional skill and knowledge in quantitative tools which could be applied to any major.

o Employer Needs: A need or additional technological skills was identified in our assurance of learning program and reinforced through alumni feedback and demand from our employer network. This concentration adds software skills which employers say enhance employability.

o Student Market: Although available to all BBA students, this concentration is most likely of interest to Information Systems majors—the smallest of our majors.

o Faculty, Technology, and Facility Support: All courses were already being offered; no additional faculty, technology, or facilities were required. We already have an SAP contract and the other licenses sufficient to support these courses.

o Concentration Requirements:

Choose 9 hours from:

IS 330: Business Geographic Information Systems

IS 342: Management Information Systems

IS 410: Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

IS/MKTG 432: Data Mining

MGMT 345: Introduction to Management Science

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy (added in 2012): This concentration provides additional skill and knowledge in entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship.

o Employer Needs: We do not offer a major in entrepreneurship and philanthropy because career entry for inexperienced students is difficult. The skills students learn can be exercised on the side or applied within a variety of business and non-profit settings.

o Student Market: Student interest has been strong and growing in entrepreneurship, as evidenced by their participation in a variety of academic and co-curricular opportunities.

o Faculty, Technology, and Facility Support: The concentration required the creation of new courses and financial support through the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. One new faculty member was hired to support entrepreneurship (Jim Litton) and another is being supported in graduate school (Sarah Easter). A variety of faculty members teach an occasional course.

o Concentration Requirements:

Choose 9 hours from:

Mgmt 305: Foundations of Entrepreneurship

23 | A C U

Beyond 2013

We will redefine faculty qualifications and

develop impact metrics suitable to our mission

Mgmt 320: Social Entrepreneurship

Fin420: Entrepreneurial Finance

Mgmt 419: Global Entrepreneur

Mgmt 430 Managing the Entrepreneurial Venture

Mgmt 432 Launching the Venture

3.8 INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Engagement in scholarly activity is broadly encouraged and supported for all full-time faculty members as a means of enhancing knowledge in the discipline, classroom, and faculty. Scholarly activity is included in the COBA mission and its effectiveness is assessed in multiple processes including hiring, tenure and promotion, post-tenure review, and annual reviews for the chair, dean, and provost.

Overall intellectual contributions (ICs) are meeting expectations. Scholarly output for the review period totaled 401 items across 24 full-time faculty members, or 17 items per faculty member. Full-time faculty produced a total of 92 “Category A” (peer-reviewed journal articles) ICs for an average of 3.8 each during the review period (see Exhibits 7 and 8). Total ICs decreased since the last review period but the number of Category A items increased slightly per faculty member.

Exhibit 7 Category A and Total ICs per Full-Time Faculty over Accreditation Periods

Note: Adjustments in category definitions disallow comparisons in Categories B and C.

15

22

17

2.9 3.7 3.8

0

5

10

15

20

25

Initial 2003-08 2008-13

Inte

lle

ctu

al C

on

trib

uti

on

s

Periods

Per FT Faculty Total

Per FT Faculty Category A

Exhibit 8: Comparison of Intellectual Contributions across Accreditation Periods

Total COBA Faculty

Graduate Faculty

Pee

r-R

evie

wed

A

cad

emic

Jo

urn

al

Art

icle

s (C

ateg

ory

A)

Oth

er P

eer-

Rev

iew

ed

Pu

blic

atio

ns

(Cat

ego

ry

B)

Oth

er P

eer-

Rev

iew

ed

Co

ntr

ibu

tio

ns

(Cat

ego

ry

B)

No

n P

eer-

Rev

iew

ed

Pu

blic

atio

ns

(Cat

ego

ry

C)

Oth

er In

telle

ctu

al

Co

ntr

ibu

tio

ns

(Cat

ego

ry

C)

To

tal I

nte

llect

ual

C

on

trib

uti

on

s (C

ateg

ori

es A

-C)

Pee

r-R

evie

wed

Aca

dem

ic J

ou

rnal

Art

icle

s (C

ateg

ory

A)

To

tal I

nte

llect

ual

C

on

trib

uti

on

s

(Cat

ego

ries

A-C

)

Initial Accreditation Period (1997–2002)

66 87 132 39 24 348

23 70

Continuous Improvement Period (2003-2008)

102 111 163 89 141 606

41 110

Continuous Improvement Period (2008-2013)

92 55 138 38 45 401 32 77

Note: The number of full-time faculty members varied from initial to first continuous improvement to current, with 23 to 27 to 24, respectively.

25 | A C U

COBA has three objectives related to the overall faculty portfolio of ICs (Exhibit 9):

Exhibit 9: Composite Intellectual Contribution Objectives

Objective #1 Objective #2 Objective #3

80% of total faculty members in COBA should have at least five peer-reviewed intellectual contributions (Categories A and B) during the previous five-year period

60% of total faculty members in COBA should have at least five peer-reviewed intellectual contributions (Categories A and B) during the previous five-year period, including at least one peer-reviewed published contribution (Category A)

80% of total faculty members teaching graduate courses in the Master of Accountancy program should have at least five peer-reviewed intellectual contributions (Categories A and B) during the previous five-year period, including at least two peer-reviewed published contributions (Category A)

Initial Accreditation Period (1997-2002)

81% 77% 100%

Continuous Improvement Period (2003-2008)

85% 85% 100%

Current Continuous Improvement Period (2008-2013)

83% 79% 100%

Exhibit 9 (and Appendices K-M and P-Q) provide a summary of intellectual contributions (ICs) during the five-year review period. The standard table is modified slightly to correspond to the categories used in COBA to establish faculty qualifications, which are:

Category A: Refereed journal articles, refereed research monographs, and scholarly books and textbooks.

Category B: Chapters in scholarly books, refereed proceedings, refereed papers at academic and/or professional conferences, research papers presented off-campus, and trade books in discipline-relevant fields.

Category C (scholarly output): Non-refereed academic and pedagogical publications, instructional software, book reviews, on-campus research presentations, and instructional software.

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Beyond 2013

We will revisit our research support,

recognition, incentives, and impact in 2014

Appendix N indicates that a substantial cross-section of faculty in each academic area satisfy IC expectations. Appendix M (Table 2-2) lists the peer-reviewed journals in which faculty published articles during the review period. A diversity of disciplines and scholarly forms are included.

Exhibit 10 summarizes the three types of contributions and the forms of scholarship. Peer-reviewed published contributions (Category A) constitute 26% of the total intellectual contributions. Other peer-reviewed intellectual contributions (Category B) constitute 62% of total intellectual contributions. Non-peer reviewed outputs constitute 12% of the intellectual contributions.

Exhibit 10 Forms of Scholarship, 2008-2013

The second pie chart in Exhibit 10 indicates that discipline-based research constitutes over half (56%) of the intellectual contributions. Contributions to practice research constitutes slightly over a quarter (27%) of total contributions and learning and pedagogical scholarship constitutes 17% of all intellectual contributions.

Scholarly activity and effectiveness are supported in multiple ways, most prominently via:

Reduced Loads: Reduced university teaching loads (9 hours rather than 12) for most business faculty

University Research Funding: Annual competitive funding is available primarily via Pursuit, Cullen, Undergraduate Research, Mobile Learning, and Summer Adams Center for Teaching Excellence grants; faculty renewal leaves fund large projects

COBA Research Funding: COBA provides annual funding to each faculty member for research and annually offers Advancing Business Excellence (ABE) funding on a competitive basis

Welch Business Fellowship: COBA provides significant research funding on an occasional basis in recognition of scholarly work over a career at ACU.

26%

62%

12%

Category A Category B Category C

56% 27%

17%

Discipline Practice Learning

27 | A C U

Dr. Monty Lynn’s International Poverty and Development class presents research on alternative lighting sources

28 | A C U

4. PARTICIPANTS 4.1 STUDENTS

Exhibits 11-13 illustrate enrollment trends during the review period, from which three primary conclusions may be drawn:

Enrollment: Total COBA undergraduate and graduate enrollment dropped during the review period from 736 to 692, and 39 to 28, respectively, but COBA’s percentage of ACU enrollment remained constant for undergraduate students—rising from 21% to 22% during the review period—and COBA’s percentage of the graduate school reached double-digits in 2009 and 2010 but slightly declined from 8% in 2008 to 6% in 2012.

Majors: The relative ranking of majors by size remained constant from 2008 to 2012 with management and accounting being the largest majors, followed by marketing, financial management, and information systems.

Gender: The percentage of female students increased.

Exhibit 11: COBA Enrollment, Fall 2008 -Fall 2012

The Master of Accountancy program is designed as a 4+1 program and recruits largely from the undergraduate accounting population. Since enrollment follows the undergraduate enrollment, it is important to ensure adequate undergraduate accounting majors.

736 701 735 744

692

39 54

37 29

28

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Undergraduate Graduate

29 | A C U

Exhibit 12: COBA Enrollment as a Percent of ACU Enrollment, Fall 2008-Fall 2012

Exhibit 13: COBA Undergraduate Students by Major, Fall 2008-Fall 2012

Of concern during the review period was the decline in female majors. We gave this issue considerable attention (see section 5) and believe these efforts contributed to the 4% gain to 35% in 2012 (Exhibit 14). We are continuing with efforts to attract and retain female majors.

21% 20%

22% 23% 22%

8%

13%

10%

7% 6%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

COBA Percent of Total Undergraduate COBA Percent of Total Graduate

165 148 168 187 192

104 102 84 101 99

22 27 30 24 24

292 275 287 261 239

153 149

166 171 138

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Acct Fin Mgmt IS Mgmt Mktg

30 | A C U

Exhibit 14: COBA Students by Gender, Fall 2008-Fall 2012

Ethnic diversity rose during the review period from 21% to 26% (Exhibit 15). The percentage of African-American students declined but Hispanic and other non-White students increased. The 2012 ACU class was the most diverse class in the University’s history with Hispanic students increasing 64% to reach 9.7% overall, outpacing African-American students for the first time. Admission criteria remained stable during the review period but they will be reviewed as part of the fall 2013 strategic planning process.

Exhibit 15: Minority Ethnicity of COBA Students (US Citizens), Fall 2008-Fall 2012

31% 28% 30% 33% 35%

69% 72% 70% 67% 65%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Female Male

10% 9% 7% 6% 6%

6% 6% 6% 7% 8%

5% 5% 6%

12% 12%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

African-American Hispanic Other Non-white

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

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Beyond 2013

We will evaluate our admission policy in light

of COBA mission and strategy and ACU

admissions

The admission requirements (GPA > 2.5 at 42 hours and

successful completion of a spreadsheet exam) remain

unchanged during the review period. The policy will be

reviewed in upcoming strategic planning.

4.2 FACULTY

As per our mission statement, COBA seeks to create an environment “in which excellent teaching, combined with scholarship” leads to the intellectual, personal and spiritual growth of students. At the center of our educational program is a competent and dedicated faculty. COBA recruits and retains faculty members capable of providing high-quality instruction, making intellectual contributions, and serving students, church, and community. The University hiring and tenure and promotion policies require that full-time faculty be active members in Churches of Christ. The small pool of available high-quality faculty candidates has encouraged us to financially sponsor future faculty members in PhD programs.

The University provides a year-long new faculty mentoring program for all new hires. Department chairs provide annual performance appraisals for all full-time and part-time faculty members. The COBA Research Committee reviews and classifies and informs each faculty member annually for his or her academic qualification status (AQ, PQ, or Other). Pre-tenure and tenure and promotion processes provide feedback at appropriate career milestones.

Several University funding sources support currency in development and research including a Faculty Renewal Leave program, Presidential Travel Grants, Pursuit and other Undergraduate Research funding, and weekly programs sponsored by the Adams Center for Teaching Excellence. COBA offers Advancing Business Excellence grants for summer research on a competitive basis.

Definitions of Academic and Professional Qualifications are provided in Appendix J. We follow AACSB’s definitions of and Participating and Supporting faculty.

Appendix N (Table 9-1) reports participating and supporting faculty data by discipline. Appendix O weights participating and supporting faculty by student credit hours sold for each discipline. The minimum percentages of participating faculty for the College (75%) and for each discipline (60%) are exceeded in each case.

Appendix P (Table 10-1) provides a summary of faculty qualifications, development activities, and professional responsibilities. Appendix Q (Table 10-2) provides ratios of faculty qualification by discipline. For each discipline, the 50% AQ ratio is met or exceeded in each case. The 90% AQ/PQ expectation is met or exceeded for every discipline except for the discipline of finance where the AQ/PQ percentage was 67%.

Two finance faculty were designated AQ. The faculty member who fell short of AQ status has published and presented scholarly work during the review period, was named Teacher of the Year, and sponsors the student-managed investment club. He is a strong and valued faculty member who is current in his knowledge and teaching. The financial management major includes several accounting courses which are taught by additional faculty with 100% AQ or PQ status. To plan for the future, a prospective finance faculty member is being sponsored in graduate school beginning in fall 2013.

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Drs. Brent Reeves and Phil Vardiman with students on Study Abroad to Hong Kong and Beijing, summer 2012

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5. ASSURANCE OF LEARNING 5.1 CURRICULAR DEVELOPMENT

Our assurance of learning program was praised in our last review and indeed it has prompted several innovations during the current continuous improvement period. Exhibit 16 summarizes changes to course offerings and course content during this period.

Serious thinking about the curriculum began with a faculty/staff offsite planning retreat at a remote ranch site at Truscott, Texas in August, 2009. At this meeting, those present began brain storming possible improvements based on environmental trends, faculty assessment feedback, and input from the Deans Advisory Council. Following the retreat, a Business Academic Task Force (BATF) was formed with the charge to follow up on the brainstorming ideas from the retreat and develop formal recommendations. Among the general trends, challenges and opportunities noted were:

Increases in higher education costs and increased expectations for outcomes and career preparation midst an economic downturn

Increasing globalization of business

Increasing interest in entrepreneurship

The items specific to ACU and COBA were:

Declining female enrollment in COBA

Need for more advanced and consistent Microsoft Excel preparation

Need for more concentration tracks (primarily for management majors)

Need to revisit the common COBA course curriculum and mesh with the newly revised university general education structure

The team proposed changes that addressed all of these issues, including revised degree plans, revised learning goals and objectives, a requirement that students pass a Microsoft Excel certification exam prior to formal admittance into COBA at 42 hours, and the addition of more concentrations to match different areas of student interest. These proposals formed the basis of many of the curricular changes through the review period. The BATF team finalized their report in January 2010 and most of the changes were approved by the faculty and University academic councils and incorporated in the University catalog. Many of these same themes were reflected in the COBA Vision 2015 created in 2011. Specifically, the areas of career development, globalization, and entrepreneurship received considerable focus and a number of significant achievements in these areas were gained as described elsewhere in this document.

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Exhibit 16: Curricular Development during Review Period

Item Actions Taken and Course Impact

Female Enrollment and Engagement

A decline in female business majors prompted several actions. Female student percentages have increased as shown in Exhibit 13. Specific actions included:

Focus Groups: Multiple focus groups were held and the results triangulated to identify causes behind female enrollment decline

Student Organization: A Women in Business club was launched, sponsored by two female faculty members. The club has hosted several speakers highlighting successful women in business

Exemplars: Career events profiled male and female business leaders and industries and work schedules appealing to women. Alumna were highlighted in atrium displays

Curriculum: A special topics creativity course elective was designed and taught multiple times in the marketing major where much of the enrollment change occurred

Faculty: Another full-time female faculty member was hired (fall 2012) in marketing and a female adjunct was added in fall 2013. An additional female faculty member is currently being sponsored in graduate school

Information Systems Degree

Prompted by feedback from the marketplace that the IS majors needed more technical content, a second programming course, CS 120 was moved from optional to be required in the IS degree plan, effective in the 2011-12 catalog. The CS 115 and 120 sequence was later tailored for IS and IT majors to be CS 115/116 Scripting I and II to better meet their needs as opposed to CS majors.

Other changes included the addition of a new course, ITC 110 to serve as a common introductory course along with School of Information Technology and Computing (SITC) majors. ITC 460 was developed to be the common capstone course for IS and SITC majors. IS 410 Enterprise Resource Planning Systems was changed from being optional to being required for IS majors to provide them hands on use of SAP. SAP use was added to MGMT 331 Operations Management to ensure that all COBA students had hands-on exposure to major enterprise systems in a business simulation.

International Student Language Skills

Faculty feedback in the course-embedded assessments indicated that a large percentage of Chinese stu