LCBAS Dean

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

The mission of the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences is to create an academic environment based on intellectual inquiry that facilitates for stakeholders the development of personal, professional, and technical characteristics that have economic and social value.

The Dean’s Office serves as the creative and administrative center for the college. In doing so, the Dean and his staff encourage and actively support our academic and outreach programs as they reach and exceed annual goals designed to forward university priorities.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

All of these services relate to the mission of the college and university as we seek to engage different constituencies, both internally and externally, in providing a diverse student body with a vibrant, relevant, accessible and rigorous academic environment.

Whom does the program serve?

The LCBAS Dean’s Office serves: faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, area business and industry, governmental agencies, the local community and campus administrators.

What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

The Dean’s Office provides arbitration for student and faculty concerns; communications services; donor stewardship; alumni relations; planning, management and oversight of college initiatives; encouragement for initiatives undertaken within individual academic units and outreach programs; graduation certification for undergraduate students; representation at university policy development and advisory boards; advocacy for the college within the university and greater community; college budgeting; and, personnel administration.

All of these services relate to the mission of the college and university as we seek to engage different constituencies, both internally and externally, in providing a diverse student body with a vibrant, relevant, accessible and rigorous academic environment.  

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

The current configuration for the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences came about in 1993. Presently, LCBAS includes the Schools of Business; Technology; and Family and Consumer Sciences; as well as the Department of Military Science. Each school offers undergraduate and graduate programs, with Military Science offering a minor program. LCBAS is also responsible for the administration of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R), Business Solutions Center (BSC), Center for Clean Energy Research and Education (CENCERE), Literacy and Financial Education (LIFE) Center and Sustainable Entrepreneurship Through Education and Development (SEED) Center.

How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

The creative focus of the Dean’s Office has evolved over time to meet new programmatic and service needs benefiting our students, alumni and the greater community. An emphasis on communications, alumni and donor relations, new student recruitment and retention efforts (as with Scholarship and Undergraduate Retention First (SURF) and integrative learning initiatives (such as Women Exploring Business and Technology (Web@), are among these evolving initiatives, led primarily by the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office facilitates the administrative and creative process through bi-weekly meetings of the Administrative Council with the Dean and his staff serving as a source of on-going support and oversight.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in the number of majors, minors, options, and concentrations.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in student credit hour (SCH) production, percent of SCHs that are general education, and percent of SCHs that are taught to non-majors.

What elements of the program’s curriculum are offered specifically to support other academic majors, minors, options, and concentrations?

The Dean’s Office is not a purely academic program, rather we provide creative and administrative support, including:

• evaluation of Faculty A and B portfolios;
• support for hiring and training of faculty, staff and chairs;
• undergraduate graduation certification;
• college budget oversight;
• arbitration of personnel and student concerns;
• identification and procurement of private support for college initiatives;
• preparation of reports and information requests;
• representation at university and community policy and oversight bodies;
• approval of curriculum;
• facilitation of student related academic requests (changing majors);
• assist in preparation of proposals, grants and materials for college programs and initiatives;
• assistance in accreditation and reaccreditation for academic programs, including NCA;
• awarding of faculty research awards;
• administration of college summer school program;
• implementation of specific initiatives of the president and provost;
• approve funding for registered student organizations;
• conveyance of college and university initiatives and expectations for faculty/staff through regular communications (college annual meeting);
• student recruitment and retention efforts (Prowl);
• facilitate college administrative council meetings ;
• student engagement (Dean’s Student Advisory Board and the “Dine with the Dean”).

The Dean’s Office maintains significant interactions with faculty, staff and students. Through attendance at meetings, presentations, and personal communications, the Dean’s Office engages LCBAS’s 125 faculty and staff. The Dean’s Office handles matters related to graduation certification for undergraduate students. This service and the ensuing interactions, serve an estimated 650 students throughout the year with interactions through phone calls, e-mails and personal visits. College curriculum development in managed through the Dean’s Office and our curriculum advisory board. Likewise, the Dean’s Student Advisory Board offers meaningful engagement with current students.

We cannot underscore the volume of Dean’s Office interactions with faculty, staff and students through our engagement in college affairs. These interactions and the associated matters emanating from them constitute a significant portion of the efforts expended by the Dean’s Office.    

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

List relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) New Graduate Salary Survey, and the EIU Career Services Annual Report.

Does not apply.

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

Does not apply.

Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

Does not apply.

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?

LCBAS maintains extensive outreach efforts within the university and local community, with the Dean’s Office placing particular emphasis on our interactions with alumni and donors affiliated with our college. Examples of external programing and services the Dean’s Office oversees:

• Communications efforts, as well as special events and donor recognition activities.
• While many of the “direct asks” for financial giving emanate from the Office of University Development, the Dean and his staff have significant interaction in the process; including the identification, solicitation and stewardship of donors and prospective donors.
• Donor stewardship letters are personally signed by the Dean and mailed to every donor annually, with a special section highlighting donor generosity within the college annual report.
• The Dean nominates alumni and donors for various university sponsored recognitions, including those presented by the Foundation, Alumni Association, Graduate School, International Students and Scholars, Board of Trustees (honorary degree), as well as distinguished alumni awards for the Schools of Business and Technology. These recipients are often the guests of honor at special luncheons and dinners hosted by the Dean.
• Attendance at meetings of various advisory boards within the college, which are largely composed of alumni and donors.
• Special events are often hosted in conjunction with Homecoming, Foundation Legacy celebrations, the Alumni Association and Athletics sponsored functions, and those associated with academic areas and student organizations.
• Communications efforts focused on alumni, donors and prospective students are produced throughout the year and are largely electronic based as we seek to reach as many affinity groups as possible on a limited budget.
• The college produces an annual college report and other publications which are posted on-line and disseminated electronically.

How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

The Dean’s Office encourages our academic areas to pursue private support to sustain and expand community efforts. Examples being the Literacy and Financial Education (LIFE) Center, the Center for Clean Energy Research and Education (CENCERE), and Sustainable Entrepreneurship Through Education and Development (SEED) Center, all of which have received private support. The Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) program and the Business Solutions Center also rely on private and grant support for their operations. All of these centers, agencies and programs are fulfilling critical needs within the local community by forwarding the economic development of our region, academic research, the provision of child care training and referral, and personal and professional development.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Creating a climate within LCBAS where our students are supported through an educational experience that is both rewarding and fulfilling, is a significant focus of the LCBAS Dean’s Office. We complete this task through assistance to the academic and outreach programs of the college as we endeavor to strengthen and enhance their services. Among these examples:

• Aiding IBHE program reviews through the preparation of strength and weakness analysis, noting areas for change or improvement.
• Assist academic areas as they seek accreditation and reaccreditation by providing analysis and data, as well as attending accreditation team visits.
• Provide committee staffing and overall leadership as the college develops its analysis of university-wide Undergraduate Learning Goals.
• Support academic areas as they seek First Choice status for graduate programs through letters of support, participation in the development and provision of surveys to alumni, and participation in committee discussions and planning.

Many of LCBAS’s academic programs enjoy current accreditation by their designated oversight and compliance bodies, with both the Gerontology and Master of Business Administration programs having attained First Choice designation by the Graduate School.

Among these accreditations:          

• The School of Business holds accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.
• The Accountancy Program is one of only 168 accounting programs world-wide that have received special accreditation from the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business International.
• The School of Family and Consumer Sciences is accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and was the first school accredited by American Home Economic Association now known as AAFCS in October, 1974 and was recently accredited through Spring 2022.
• The Dietetic internship program within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences has been granted accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• The Gerontology program within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences has been designated a national program of merit by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE). The designation provides gerontology programs with an AGHE stamp of approval administrators can use to verify program quality. As of 2010, there are only two master's degree programs in the United States bearing this designation.
• The School of Technology’s Applied Engineering and Technology (AET) program is accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

Does not apply.

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

The LCBAS Dean’s Office engages in resource development through a variety of means, including:

Fundraising –

• The cultivation of relationships both within the local community and from among alumni and donors, generating leads for future support in the form of gifts, volunteers, and both corporate and foundation support.
• Assisting the development officers assigned to the college in identifying, cultivating the stewarding donors.
• Aid in identification and acquisition of grant resources, as with the recent foundation and grant funding received in support of CENCERE,SEED and LIFE.

 Curriculum Development –

•  Academic areas are encouraged both to develop new curriculum and revise existing curriculum, with an emphasis on meeting future educational needs thus drawing more students and enhancing tuition revenue.  
• Dean’s Office has general oversight for development of 2+2 and articulation agreements. These agreements can generate interest in our programs, leading to higher enrollments and corresponding revenue enhancements.

The Dean’s Office continues to emphasize the need for private support, largely in recognition of the on-going funding limitations for higher education related to state budget appropriations. We make every effort to encourage the academic areas and outreach programs within the college to consider alternate means for supporting our educational efforts.  

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

The LCBAS Dean’s Office maintains several unique relationships, among them:

1)      U.S. Army – Significant funding for university participation in Army ROTC is received from the Army. This support allows the Department of Military Science to offer an academic minor in military science and provides a professor and support staff for the program. EIU has been an ROTC participant since 1980.

2)      Illinois Department of Human Resources – Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) receives funding through the agency with the university serving as the grant sponsor, a role we have fulfilled since 1990.

3)      Alumni, Donors and the local community – all of whom provide significant support for our programs and services.

4)      Department of Children and Family Services – is the regulator for the Child Care Laboratory within the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. The Dean’s Office assists FCS in regulatory and program oversight.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

The LCBAS Dean’s Office makes every effort to pursue and implement creative methods and techniques in our operations. Many of these efforts focus on communications activities, both with internal and external constituencies, and include expanded electronic communications designed to cut costs and more effectively utilize staff resources:

• Eliminated the former LCBAS “list-serve” which only boasted approximately 1,400 subscribers and transitioned to an e-mail based electronic communications piece. Our LCBAS E-News is now delivered to nearly 12,000 alumni and donors utilizing contact records from the BANNER advancement database maintained by the university. This has translated to lower costs and utilizes staff resources more effectively.
• The LCBAS Annual College Report is published on-line and disseminated via electronic notification. This effort has saved approximately $7,000 on resources previously devoted to printing and mailing the report.
• Forms utilized by Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) to request gift account funds are now downloaded and submitted electronically.
• Undergraduate certification is now facilitated electronically with degree audits sent to students via e-mail. These efforts have saved resources previously designated for postage, printing, and the production of letterhead.
• Faculty research awards (FAIR and Creative Activity awards) are available for download and electronic submission.
• Use of “free media” available through various EIU sources to expand our outreach and communications with alumni, friends and donors (EIU 360 / Alumni Magazine).

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

As detailed in Section 6, creativity and resourcefulness are important in our college operations. This is especially true of the Dean’s Office where operations budgets are limited and the emphasis is on cost-effective programming.

The bulk of the Dean’s Office budget allocation is designated for staffing, with the staff largely focusing their attention on providing support for our academic programs and outreach efforts. The salary totals for the Dean’s Office also include the director for the Business Solutions Center. Examples of the support staff members extend to our academic areas include:

Budgeting –

• Provide for the acquisition of equipment via the equipment reserve.
•  Allocate and oversee the operational budgets designated for each academic and outreach area.
•  Load personnel contracts.
•  Distribute gift funds.

 Communications –

• Aid the academic areas and outreach programs in developing methods and means for communication to various constituencies, with an emphasis on donors, alumni and prospective students.

 Curriculum Development –

• Provide oversight and approval for academic areas as they both develop new curriculum, and revise existing curriculum, with an emphasis on meeting future educational and workforce needs.  
• Support students in their educational planning through the provision of degree audits and graduation certification.

The activities of the Dean’s Office are often labor intensive and the budget reflects that priority. The staffing is flexible and trained in different, unique areas to enhance and support the efforts of the academic areas and outreach programs of the college.

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

The Dean’s Office is a motivator, creator and administrator for the implementation of the university’s mission as it relates to our college. We take special pride in the creation and enhancement of student-faculty scholarship and applied learning opportunities. We actively pursue this objective through:

• Enhancement of global outreach and citizenship as we encourage academic areas to incorporate these elements into their curriculum.
• Assistance in the development of new, and expansion of existing, study abroad programs.
• Aid in the creation of career development programing, as with the College to Career Program and Web@.
• Encourage the expansion of undergraduate and graduate research opportunities between faculty and students.
• Development of internet and hybrid courses to expand the impact of learning opportunities while simultaneously expanding enrollment.
• Aid in the recruitment and retention of a diverse faculty and staff within the college.
• Promotion of new student recruitment, with attention to international students and the diversity their presence brings to our campus community.

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

Among the methods the Dean’s Office uses in evaluating our unique role in furthering the mission of the university are the following:

Number of Research and Creative Activity Awards granted.

Number of FAIR Awards granted.

Number of Registered Student Organizations to receive funding.

Number of undergraduate students certified for graduation.

Number of alumni contacts via various newsletters, events, letters, etc.

Number of student and faculty issues resolved.

Number of grade appeals processed.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

The Dean’s Office works to ensure that our academic areas meet the academic excellence goals as detailed in the University Strategic Plan.

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

The Dean’s Office collects a summary from each academic area annually as to how they are meeting university goals. As part of this analysis, academic areas must provide documentation on how they are meeting the goals set forth in the Provosts annual management letter.

What are the program’s two or three most promising opportunities that could help advance the university’s academic mission? Provide an estimate of additional investments or other costs required and additional student credit hours, revenue, or other resources generated.

The LCBAS Dean’s Office is preparing for the future with creativity and resourcefulness, especially as it relates to the following:

1)      Increasing operational efficiency.

LCBAS is expanding communications efforts while combating budgetary constraints through the use of electronic communications. As detailed in section 6, these efforts have resulted in cost savings while simultaneously allowing more efficient outreach.

We have also made concerted efforts to restrain the growth of staffing, emphasizing the evolution and alteration of staff duties over time to meet challenges. At present, our personnel include three assistants to the dean, each responsible for specific areas of operation, including: communications, administration and undergraduate certification. We are supported in our efforts by two office mangers; with a staff member from the Center for Academic Technology assigned to our office to handle technology issues and to assist faculty in the integration of technology into their teaching methods.

Efficiency in the development and evaluation of curriculum will be important moving forward. As budgetary constraints limit our ability to expand educational offerings, we must apply justification for the development of new courses or modification of existing academic programs. The Dean’s Office is responsible for committee staffing and leadership as the college develops its analysis of university-wide Undergraduate Learning Goals. In doing so, we will position our academic programs to better meet student educational needs while acknowledging budgetary constraints.

2)      Retaining and expanding student enrollment.

Fall 2013 enrollment for LCBAS increased significantly in three key areas: freshman, graduate and transfer. While overall freshman enrollment for the university remained static, LCBAS saw a 6.8% increase. Likewise, graduate enrollment for the university remained unchanged from fall 2012, while LCBAS posted an impressive 16.98% increase. Transfer students also rose in LCBAS by 4.06% over fall 2012, compared to a university loss of -8.81%.

In an effort to continue this positive trend, the LCBAS Dean’s Office is endeavoring to reinvigorate our summer school program. New innovations will be fostered as we enhance academic offerings, making them engaging and useful for a student’s career development.

We continue to encourage new and expanded study abroad and internship programs. Innovative efforts such as Scholarship and Undergraduate Retention First (SURF) and Women Exploring Business and Technology (Web@) will likewise feature prominently in these efforts.

3)      Student Research.

The Center for Clean Energy Research and Education (CENCERE), Sustainable Entrepreneurship through Education and Development (SEED), and Literacy in Financial Education Center (LIFE) program offer students an opportunity to expand their learning outside of the traditional classroom by undertaking unique research efforts under the tutorial of experienced faculty.

The Dean’s Office continues to provide vital resources through the provision of FAIR Awards, with faculty recipients required to show how research efforts include students. The Research and Creative Activity Award will be similar in nature. The Dean’s Office is also creating an Undergraduate Research Calendar.

4)      Emphasize private funding.

The Dean’s Office continues to emphasis the need for private grants and fundraising through our efforts at donor identification, solicitation, stewardship and recognition.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.