On August 5th, Dr Beth Walker, Dean of the CSU College of Business, shared the college's Strategic Plan 2025: “Business for a Better World”. The formulation of Mission, Vision, and Goals was derived from all constituents, including students, faculty and community. Key questions raised were, "Where does the College want to be in five years?", and "What do “we” want to be known for?" These questions were framed in CSU's unique foundational context - a Land Grant University, a Research level 1 institution (Carnegie Foundation designation) and its’ unique location in the Rocky Mountain west.What are the distinguishing characteristics of the CSU College of Business? It is “student centered”, providing excellence equally in teaching and research and it remains a pioneer and leader in distance learning (access). The school’s impact ethos is “Business for Good”.
What will be the challenges for the next 5 years? Affordable education, shifting student marketplace and the “new normal” (businesses will need to focus on community, social justice and alignment of purpose with student needs and wishes).
With this background, the Mission, Vision and a set of Strategic Goals were formulated. The Mission of transforming lives (business education, scholarly research and community engagement) has not changed over the years. The Vision of “Business for a Better World” leads to a nationally recognized College of Business that provides access to education, excellent published research and leverages the power of business to make the world a better place. The student part of the equation will focus on access, especially for first generation students, better retention and graduation rates and preparation for evolving technologies and globalization. “Signature experiences” and community engagement are unique to the CSU education.
Enabling strategies take advantage of the excellent faculty and funding opportunities. The College of Business seeks sustainable practices and revenue streams. Making the most of human capital as well as fund raising are more important than ever in these times of decreased state support and COVID. Once again, President Benson extended the time after the formal meeting ended to allow for several excellent questions.