I just took on the role of the Dean for the Business School at William Howard Taft University. As you know, I am always very open to suggestions, thoughts, and even criticisms. To that end, what suggestions do you have for me as I work to make the Taft B-School programs attractive and meaningful options? My initial thoughts are very cutting edge and relevant curriculum, to recruit some high talent and exclusive faculty, and to look at options for some additional B-School accreditations… As you know from history I will listen to all suggestions and act on anything that I can. Online College Degrees : By William Howard Taft University DEL
Congratulations Dave! I foresee you doing some more of the wonderful things you did with Aspen to make it a major force in the DETC and beyond. Keep us posted.
Congratulations David! As always, we're glad to have you as a contributing member. Your knowledge and experience have been a great benefit to our other members.
CONGRATULATIONS! arty: Consider this another notch in the belt of your illustrious DL career. Are you REALLY open for suggestions? Cuz I got one... fix the website. :biggrin: Oh, and make tuition $100/credit and you'll get yourself some students
Thanks everyone for all the kind words. As the Dean my focus is on the students, academics, instructors, and success of the b-school. I can pass along suggestions for the website (honestly a bit out of my scope). BTW, I kind of like it, it is simple and easy to find the information you need. But if you give me specifics I will pass up the chain! Steve, concerning AIMS, and I have been getting a couple emails on it also. AIMS is very much at the core of what I am setting up. It fills holes in the model that pure online DL programs often have, in this case a not-for-profit status, a focus on research and original contributions to the field, and the ability to give back to the community in a big way though the scholarships fund. Money from every AIMS transaction goes into the fund, and, part of my deal with Taft is that a portion of collected tuitions are donated to the foundation to be given back out as scholarships. And not some scholarship closed circle model where it is really just some kind of discount, at the end of the day we write real checks to real students that they can dedicate to their education as they need to. There is a rigorous selection process for awarding the funds, and they go to bright students out of high school to help get them into the best school they can afford, focusing on technical and engineering programs. I keep hearing how those fields need more talent, and this is my way of doing something about it. The recipients will be decided by an evaluation test, project, and decisions are made by AIMS members on the scholarship committee, not by me or any one person. As a matter of fact there is no reason people on this board couldn’t be on those committees to see how the process works and actually help out! To me, along with some other items that will be going public throughout the year (I have a 4-pronged approach), this puts in place a very clean base to build what we all want DL education to be. And honestly if you look at some of the larger schools, through Taft we are probably putting a higher percentage of the tuition directly back into a public service than they do! Anyway, I really am open to other suggestions; as a matter of fact I really want to hear everyone’s ideas, even if you are critical of something. DEL
When you go to the main page and hold the mouse over Programs, the drop down is not a solid color or a single "form". It is more like the programs are highlighed with spaces in the middle. That is how it looks on my screen,
Congratulations, Dr Lady! You're making the DL community proud with all your "big hit" higher education leadership positions/achievements. Here are some degree programming suggestions: Your business programs could be complemented by adding technical programs/specializations/concentrations that are taught from an applied perspective with heavy technical focus to the already rich offering. I would suggest adding programs in areas that have not proliferated DL at the doctoral level, yet; areas such as telecommunications technologies (with focus in topics/courses such as wireless technologies, GIS in telecommunications, telecommunications applications for healthcare, VOIP, and ofcourse broadband technologies that also addresses cable TV network technologies), and security engineering and/or management (encompassing topics/courses in computer and information security/assurance, critical infrastructure protection, organizational/physical security, homeland security, and international security). The set of DL IT programs currently offered at the doctoral level do not sufficiently captured the convergence of IT and telecommunications (the convergence of voice, data, message switch and video networks onto a single network platform) that have taken place in the industry. Majority of these programs do not provide enough exposure to the types of telecom-related topics that would help a graduate to break into the industry; considering that there is an explosion in wireless adoption (both locally and abroad), as well as huge demand for folks who maintain these network systems. Europe and many other parts of the world now offer degrees in information and communications technology (commonly referred to as ICT, not IT anymore) that capture this convergence (University of Denver UC got it right when they combined their CIS program with their telecommunications program a couple of years ago). Adding a true ICT program either at the bachelor, master or doctoral level will attract many new students, both locally and from developing economies where ICT is just starting to penetrate. Introducing a flexible ICT program into your program offering with courses or optional area of focus that cut across traditional IT, applied computer science, and telecommunications technology topics mostly taught in Electrical Engineering programs would attract new students interested in these areas as well as improve the business schools, overall. For example, it won't be surprising to see a spike in enrollment from students in developing countries, and from those seeking jobs in the telecommunications sector – those jobs that can't be outsourced). Security engineering and/or management is another high demand area that could boost your program offering, if introduced. Adding a security engineering and/or management program; the type that would encompasses all aspects of security as well as provide optional focus in areas such as: cybersecurity/computer security/information security and assurance, physical security/organizational security, homeland/national security, international security/terrorism studies, etc., could attract the type of students that your present general business programs cannot. Presently, to study security at the graduate level through DL, the few options available are limited to degree programs in: homeland security, security management program (not many), and emergency management and criminal justice, which are not necessarily security programs (security is preventive, emergency management and criminal justice are reactive, in posture). Adding a flexible security program that present courses/topics in the many security specialty area that exist (banking, schools, government, manufacturing, lodging and hospitality, transportation, nuclear/chemical and utilities, healthcare, real-estate, etc.) would attract students who want to focus on one or more aspect of security of their choosing; for example: physical security, information security, personnel security, information systems security, critical infrastructure protection, security engineering and design, homeland security, security equipment and service sales, international security, terrorism/kidnapping studies, etc., without the need to pursue multiple security degree programs (as is the case presently). Done well, the security program may indeed satisfy requirements for certification (assuming NA schools are allowed to participate) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE), which is jointly offered by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security Committee on National Security Standards (CNSS) - an accreditation that no DL NA accredited school that I'm aware of currently holds. Another improvement strategy would be to infuse an optional information assurance (IA) concentration/specialization or add-on certificate into all the programs at the school. The reason for this is the demand for information assurance/cybersecurity professionals by organizations of all sorts. For instance, the federal government, alone, is aggressively looking for IA professionals, and degrees with an information assurance specialization or concentration seem to fit what they want (assuming other employment factors are met). Infusing IA into your programs could potentially draw new students to your school, as well as attract those presently enrolled in other programs who may want to learn IA by way of concentration, specialism, or add-on certificate (those not looking for a degree in information assurance per se). Implementing one or a combination of these suggestions in a manner that afford students the opportunity to terminate their studies at the doctoral level with degrees like Master/Doctor of Professional Studies (MPS/DPS) or Master/Doctor of Applied Science (MASc/DASc) could potentially be a game changer for your fine institution. Just my humble opinion....
Hi Cyber: Seriously, thank you for the detailed comments and suggestions. I think you are onto something as IT is making a comeback, but in a different form from the 1990’s (most current IT degree programs are still modeled as though it is 1999!), many of your comments address the new form of IT, and new specializations and skills needed within the field. I like the suggested subject areas and I also like the concept of graduate programs in an “Applied Science”, very smart thinking. Thanks also for the CAE/IAE suggestion, I will look into it. I think validation by outside organizations helps the students and makes the programs better, even competitive with other offerings. This is the style of thinking I had when I created the addictions counseling programs and got them approved by the NAADAC. In that field it was the NAADAC that made the program qualify as a credential in the field, not some other criteria. If CAE/IAE is the same then it will be a good call. You have given me a lot to think about! DEL
How about the only (as far as I know) online joint MBA/JD program? And what about going after ACBSP accreditation?
Joint MBA/Executive JD? Fascinating. For ACBSP, we would have to be a pilot given our national accreditation, I was told they would be open to a pilot but while I love being a trail blazer it might be more than we could chew off right out of the gate. What do you think about IACBE? They look interesting because of their international reach, which seems appropriate to me in the new emerging online DL world..