The summer has now passed and a new academic year has begun. It has been a good experience for me to visit the past two weeks with returning faculty who have been engaged in different forms of research over the summer months and to listen to them about their travels. Many of the faculty made presentations at conferences here in the U.S. as well as throughout the world. I am never disappointed to hear how they relate to that part of our mission which focuses on the global perspective. In this statement to you, I would like to present many of the action items in which the faculty, staff, and I will be engaged this academic year.

• We will be drafting our maintenance of accreditation report which is required by AACSB International.  Our peer-review team has been selected, and during the spring individual visits will be held with each one of them here on campus.  The members are:  Dean Terry Maness, Baylor University; Dean Gale Sullenberger, Tulsa University; and Dean Norman Solomon, Fairfield University.  We look forward to working with them as we continue the process of building an outstanding business school grounded in quality and continuous improvement.
  
  
• This year we will be reviewing our undergraduate business program to determine what changes, if any, should be made.  Stakeholder input will inform the faculty as we examine the curriculum, admission requirements, the experiential learning component, an accelerated BBA program, and a 5 year MBA. 
  
  
• Building on the faculty discussions which began last year, we will examine areas in which we can create a niche for the school.  How will we be distinctive and for what will we be known?  We hope to nail down answers to those questions.
  
  
• Curricular initiatives will continue to be expanded with the School of Pharmacy as well as with other Health Profession programs.  The ability to collaborate in meaningful ways with other units on campus is a strength of the Byrd School and will continue.
  
  
• Developing a business plan for curricula offerings in health care administration is forthcoming.  A huge portion of this university is geared toward the health professions, so this natural extension to our school only seems right and appropriate.
  
  
• A business boot camp for liberal arts students will be developed to help those students build a bridge between the world of liberal arts and the world of business.  We hope to share with those students a basic understanding of career tracks in the various business disciplines; knowledge of industry terminology; networking experience and contacts; and an understanding of the transferable liberal arts skills that make the student a strong candidate for the marketplace.
  
  
• The entrepreneurship area in the school is receiving lots of students who want to learn more about small and family business.  They are wanting to know how to start a business from scratch.  We want to continue the work that has already been done to determine what additional course work should be added and what additional elements in our Institute for Entrepreneurship should be pursued.
  
  
• We will continue to analyze our assurance of learning plan to ensure students, both undergraduate and graduate, are learning what we as a faculty have deemed most important for them to know before they graduate. 
  
  
• Building on the positive discussions we have had with Valley Health System over the past two years, the school is in early discussions on the creation of a Physician Leadership Academy.  We believe a joint, collaborative partnership can result in a program that will greatly benefit Valley Health personnel who have middle and upper management aspirations. 
  
  
• A detailed SWOT analysis will be conducted along with a review of the school’s mission, vision, guiding principles, and strategic directions.
  
  
• Implementing the marketing recruiting plan developed with the assistance of the Office of Admissions and the Office of Marketing and Communications is forthcoming.  With an eye on increasing enrollment, the first phase of that plan has already begun—modifying our existing website.
  
  
• We will continue our international programming through both our winter intersession study-abroad program as well as with our summer offering at Oxford University.  At this time, it would appear that the winter program will be based in Latin America.
  
  
• Plans are continuing to be made for our spring Business Symposium.  This hands-on program has become a value-added experience for participants as well as connecting our school to the greater regional business community.
  
  
• Our Board of Advisors continues to grow with 10 new members added during the past three weeks.  We will examine areas in business and the not-for-profit sector to see what further additions can be made that will render a benefit to our school.  It is gratifying to see individuals who desire to be affiliated with the Byrd School and who want to make a difference in the lives of our student body.
  
  
• All of us who fulfill faculty roles will continue to focus on outstanding teaching, scholarship, and service.  We fully understand our responsibilities in each area, and we want to be exceedingly strong in each of these areas.  We know what we do individually is a reflection on our school and this university.
  
  

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  The Byrd School of Business is solidly grounded in recent accomplishments, those which were strategically determined and pursued.  We are an organization responsive to key stakeholders, and we are dedicated to providing a quality learning experience that connects the classroom to the business enterprise, to employing faculty who engage and inspire, to sharing insights with students through the production of scholarship, and to fulfilling our role as effective servants at the university, in the community, and in professional associations and organizations.  We believe we do a very credible job in all of these areas.

  Please come and visit us in Halpin-Harrison Hall or send us an e-mail message.  As was true of all of last year, we welcome your comments and suggestions on how to build a stronger business school at Shenandoah University.