Dear Clark School of Business students,
I am reaching out to you directly regarding our future plans for the Clark School of Business. I deeply appreciate that this is vitally important to you and your future endeavors and I want to be open and transparent. I also appreciate that there is quite a bit of conflicting information circulating that needs to be addressed, and that you may have questions and concerns. Here, I am sharing just a brief review – at the highest level – of what we are working toward with our plans. To explore this in more details, together, please join me for a virtual Zoom gathering next Tuesday, June 24, at 7 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. Pacific).
First, I want to underscore several key points that President Fithian shared in our June 5 message to the Clark community:
- For 40 years, our School of Business has been a vital and important contributor to the University and our student experience. We have no plans or intention to eliminate or dismantle the School or its core programming.
- We will maintain nearly all currently offered graduate and undergraduate business-related degrees, while creating new opportunities for study in relevant and burgeoning fields that tap into interdisciplinary strengths at Clark.
- We are firmly committed to not only sustaining but enhancing the quality of School of Business academic programming.
- We appreciate the long history of accreditation that our School of Business has earned; accreditation signifies our institution’s commitment to academic quality, learner success, thought leadership, and societal impact. Our plans anticipate rigorously pursuing reaccreditation during the normal process (with renewal in academic year 2027/28). Ultimately, as is true of any reaccreditation, designation is determined by the accrediting organization.
So, what specifically will change for our School of Business and why are we taking this step now?
Administrative efficiencies
At its core, our plan will achieve administrative streamlining of the School of Business and some academic realignment so that our business programs are more compelling and appealing, especially for undergraduate students. Administratively, the School of Business will operate within a division that will include arts and sciences programming, as well as the School of Professional Studies. The new structure will create essential cost savings for the University, reduce duplication of administrative effort, and streamline coordination and delivery of student services. This will benefit the University and our students. At the same time, the School of Business will continue to have its own identity as a key University academic center.
Academic programming
Our School of Business’ mission is to provide students and the community with a program of the highest quality and ethical standards, with a focus on being socially responsible citizens in fundamental business-related fields, like management, finance, marketing, and accounting. That mission will not change. Nearly all currently offered graduate and undergraduate degrees will continue to be offered, along with Clark’s signature and highly valued 4+1 master’s degree program that allows students to complete their undergraduate and MBA studies in five years. In evaluating current and future programming, we will be working toward one primary goal: well-preparing and well-positioning our students — graduate and undergraduate — for meaningful and successful careers in an evolving marketplace. Any changes will be implemented over time, and faculty will continue to play a vital role in informing and crafting the academic portfolio of the School of Business.
Why?
We are taking these steps now for one very critical reason — the current business model for our School of Business no longer works. Action today is imperative, especially given the fact that operational change in academia takes years to fully execute. Some important considerations:
- It is widely known that higher education overall is facing serious challenges, including demographic changes that have impacted enrollment and increasing costs. Clark and our School of Business are not immune.
- Our School of Business programming would be enhanced by better reflecting the changing marketplace. At the same time, we have advanced significant areas of strength at Clark — for example, climate, environment, and society; interactive media, design, and computing; and health and human behavior — that offer unique channels for our students to combine business, entrepreneurship, and other disciplines into their fields of study. Our future plans for the School facilitate and accelerate progress in both of these ways.
- Today, our School of Business graduate programs are highly reliant on international students for enrollment. Policy changes and actions by the federal government have created very serious uncertainty and vulnerability.
What it means for you, our current students
In addition to what we expect to be new academic opportunities for you to tap into, there are some important points to underscore for our current students:
- You will be able to continue and finish the degree and/or major you are pursuing.
- The value of the degree you are working toward will be sustained.
- Changes to current programming, while minimal, will be determined through a collaborative process with faculty.
Again, this message is meant as a beginning of ongoing dialogue. Please join us next Tuesday to learn more about our plans and seek answers to any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
John Magee
Provost