Table of Contents pages
Eligibility Application, Items 1-20 2-44
Request for Program Exclusion 45
Organizational Information, Organization
Charts for Rhode Island College and the
School of Management 47
Financial Information about the College and
The Funding of the School of Management 58
Appendices 64
Financial Statements: KPMG Audited
Financial Statements
Fact Book: Attached for in depth
Statistical information
Current College Catalogue 2005-2007
Per disc included or on line at
www.ric.edu
Eligibility Application, Items 1-20
1. Year institution was founded: Year business academic unit was founded:
Rhode Island College was founded in 1854.
The business academic unit originated as the Department of Economics in the School of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 1969 and evolved into the Department of Economics and Management in 1974.
The Department of Economics and Management became a free-standing entity, the Center for Management and Technology, in 1994.
The Center for Management and Technology became a school within the College, the School of Management, in 2002.
2. Provide the mission statement for the business academic unit below. File a copy of the business unit strategic plan with this document.
School of Management
Mission Statement
Consistent with the mission of Rhode Island College, the School of Management is committed to being a premier teaching institution in southern New England in providing the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help students attain their lifelong learning and professional goals. The school develops and supports a highly qualified faculty dedicated to teaching excellence enriched through professional development, scholarly activity, and service. We provide an ethically based, technologically sophisticated, culturally inclusive environment that nurtures contemporary and innovative learning. Our accounting, computer information systems, economics, finance, management, and marketing majors are grounded in a liberal arts foundation and deliver programs that meld theory and application. We strive for student-centered continuous improvement and aspire to contribute meaningfully to the learning communities of the college and the region.
Strategic Plan of the School of Management
Rhode Island College
Providence, Rhode Island
2004-2007
James A. Schweikart, Ph.D., CPA
Dean
with updates as of June 1, 2007
Letter from the Dean
June 1, 2007
Office of the Dean
School of Management
Greetings:
The School of Management at Rhode Island College aspires to be recognized as one of the finest teaching institutions in New England in the areas of business and economics. We recognize this requires a commitment to on going development of programs and delivery of these programs through state of the art technology. We know, as well, that our faculty need to be at the cutting edge of their disciplines, and, as such, faculty development and scholarship are critical components to what we do.
We believe that the student must have not only a sufficient background in business and economics coursework and technology usage, but to be successful, the student must have critical thinking skills, skills in communication, a strong groundwork in liberal arts, an ability to work in teams, a sense of ethical behavior, and some experiential learning, even if in simulated exercises, prior to entering the workforce.
Our purpose is to prepare students to contribute to the development of the Rhode Island economy in a meaningful and significant manner. We also desire to contribute to the development of our surrounding areas.
For these reasons, we have developed the strategic plan that is attached. This plan is our guide to achieving the results vital to our economy as well as to the success of each and every student who comes to us. Our plan is dynamic. It changes as our environment and needs change.
I invite you to read our plan which is a sub plan of the Strategic Plan of Rhode Island College-Plan 150 and will be a sub plan of Plan 2010, the extension and revision of the current plan. The College plan can be viewed at www.ric.edu.
Your comments are welcome.
Sincerely,
James A. Schweikart, Ph.D., CPA
Dean
Our Vision for the School of Management at Rhode Island College
Consistent with the vision of the College articulated in Plan 150, Strategic Plan for 2004-2007, the School of Management seeks recognition for …
1. excellence in teaching of business and economics where faculty-scholars continually inspire students to expand their minds, meet new levels of intellectual challenge, engage in a wide range of student development activities, and thoughtfully prepare for life after college.
2. its importance as an intellectual, cultural, social and economic resource for the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, and in particular, as a resource to contribute to the well being of Rhode Islanders and southern New Englanders.
3. its character as an open, caring community in which there is demonstrated value for community engagement, civility, citizenship, ethical behavior, and development of the economy of the State of Rhode Island for the benefit of all.
4. its success in the identification, recruitment, enrollment, and degree completion with subsequent preparation for significant employment of both traditional and non-traditional students.
The span of the School of Management Vision and Plan lies within the time frame of the College Vision and Plan but will renew in 2008 with updates and revisions in Plan 2010.
Goals, Objectives, and Strategic Actions
The strategic planning process has culminated with a series of broad goals for the College, each with specific objectives, and strategic actions. The goals of the School of Management are intertwined with the College goals. In this way, we are more accountable to the public and private stakeholders in both the College and School of Management.
Responsibility to ensure continuous improvement on all objectives is assigned to the Dean of the School of Management who reports to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Naturally, this is a task of the faculty and department chairs that is overseen by the dean.
Each objective is supported by strategic actions. These actions are under constant review and revision as the climate to achieve the School of Management’s goals changes in a dynamic environment. Success toward these goals has been measured.
For a complete discussion of the strategic actions and measures of success, the reader should request the expanded version of this plan.
Goal 1
Ensure High Quality Learning Experiences for all Students.
Objective 1.1- Refine the School’s Assessment Process
Objective 1.2- Establish Student Outcomes
Objective 1.3- Expand and emphasize internships
Objective 1.4- Use Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB) standards as guidelines for continuous improvement of programs
Objective 1.5 – Improve library resources subject to funding
Objective 1.6- Involve the Advisory Board and other exterior organizations in curricula development
Goal 2
Underscore the Value of Research and Public Service to Contribute to the Improvement of the State’s Economic Base.
Objective 2.1- Increase engagement in student-faculty mentored research
Objective 2.2- Identify mechanisms for rewarding faculty research, teaching and service
Objective 2.3- Build funded research through the Office of Grants and Research Administration
Objective 2.4- Expand continuing education and public speaker forums
Objective 2.5- Expand service for community and corporate organizations
Goal 3
Recruit, Enroll, Retain, and Graduate Diverse Qualified Students
Objective 3.1- Expand recruitment efforts in Rhode Island high schools and from high schools beyond Rhode Island
Objective 3.2- Identify and recruit evening and alternative learning students by visiting companies with retraining needs and redeployment needs
Objective 3.3- Establish a reward system for high achieving students
Objective 3.4- Develop the School of Management web site to attract and retain students
Goal 4
Provide an Inviting Environment and Well Organized, Efficient, High Quality Services to Students and External Constituents
Objective 4.1- Establish a one stop service center to assure that advisement, student progress, and problem solving are augmented
Objective 4.2- Establish services to the Rhode Island business community
Objective 4.3- Develop a state of the art electronic teaching and service facility for business and economics
Objective 4.4- Maintain and continuously improve Alger Hall to reflect all necessary new teaching and service needs
Goal 5
Ensure Resource Base for the School of Management to Offer Programs at Affordable Cost
Objective 5.1- Increase giving to the School of Management
Objective 5.2- Increase donations for student scholarships
Objective 5.3- Assure that qualified full time and part time faculty are hired and available to teach the classes in demand.
3. In no more than two pages, describe the educational system within your country or state and the environment in which you offer degree programs. For example, describe your institution’s relationship with any governmental bodies (i.e. ministry of education, board of regents, system of institutions, etc) and/or relationships with non-governmental entities related to the governance and oversight of your institution and the business academic unit. Also, describe the nature of the institution’s governing body as it relates to the establishment or review of basic operating policies that govern the institution.
Rhode Island College is a member of a statewide system of public higher education. The public institutions are the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and Community College of Rhode Island. Private institutions in the State include Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence College, Bryant University, Johnson and Wales University, Roger Williams University, Salve Regina University, New England Institute of Technology, and the U.S. Naval War College (federal).
Rhode Island College is established, governed, and partially funded by the State of Rhode Island. The College’s budget is part of the state higher education funding determined in the annual budgetary process of the State’s General Assembly. The Governor and the General Assembly of the State have the ultimate authority and responsibility to oversee the financial planning and control of the public higher education system in Rhode Island although the exercise of this authority is delegated to Board of Governors for the Higher Education (RIBGHE) . External auditing of the management of the College’s funds is provided by independent certified public accountants. Despite the declines in the proportion of State’s share in the overall budget of the College, the state’s financial contributions are still very significant.
The College and related public institutions in higher education in Rhode Island operate under the purview of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education which is the State’s legal entity for public higher education. The RIGBHE is empowered to approve a master plan for higher education, new programs, and budget proposals of public universities.
While the Board is prohibited from engaging in the operation or administration of any subordinate institution, it is empowered to adopt and submit a budget for public higher education and to allocate appropriations among its institutions; to approve tables of organization; to create, abolish, and consolidate departments, divisions, programs and courses of study; and to acquire, hold and dispose of property for the three institutions.
The College’s main internal body of governance with regard to establishment and/review of basic operating policies and procedures is the College Council. The Council is an elective body and it works with its committee structure. The President and other top administrators are members of the Council. The resolutions of the Council are presented to the College President for approval and then are subject to approval of the Board.
By virtue of the fact that the College’s employees are represented by three unions, a significant portion of the policies and procedures are governed by the contracts negotiated by these unions and the RIGBHE and administered by College officials.
4. Indicate the national or regional governing body that authorizes the institution to grant its degrees and operate as an institution of higher education.
The Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education authorizes Rhode Island College to offer degrees and to operate. Its mission statement is:
“The mission of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education is to provide an excellent, efficient, accessible and affordable system of higher education designed to improve the overall educational attainment of Rhode Islanders and thereby enrich the intellectual, economic, social and cultural life of the state, its residents, and its communities." http://www.ribghe.org/
5. Indicate the accreditation(s) or other independent institutional reviews that support an assessment of the overall high quality for the programs offered by the institution.
Rhode Island College holds accreditation as an intuition. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is the primary accrediting body for Rhode Island College. NEASC provides accreditation for schools ranging from pre-K to the doctoral level in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont (http://www.neasc.org/). Rhode Island College was first accredited by NEASC in 1958, was last accredited in 2000, and will be reviewed for re-accreditation in 2010.
NEASC has accredited the following higher education institutions in Rhode Island:
Brown University
Bryant University
Community College of Rhode Island
Johnson & Wales University
New England Institute of Technology
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
University of Rhode Island
The U.S. Naval War College
As part of the accreditation process, Rhode Island College completes a self study. The self study report that was prepared in 2000 is available for review at http://www.ric.edu/neasc_self-study/.
In addition, several organizations provide accreditation to the various Schools and Programs at Rhode Island College. These include:
NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) for the Feinstein
School of Education & Human Development.
NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) for the preschool
and kindergartens at the Henry Barnard School.
CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) for the Master of Social Work and Bachelor
of Social Work Programs within the School of Social Work.
CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) for the School of Nursing.
NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design)
NASM (National Association of Schools of Music)
NASDTEC (National association of state directors of teacher education and certification)
6. Describe the administrative connection of the business academic unit to the larger institution (if applicable).
The School of Management is administratively connected to Rhode Island College in traditional academic fashion, with the School of Management overseen by the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who in turn reports to the President of the College. A table (Fact Book 2005-2006, Rhode Island College, Office of Institutional Planning, p.11, 13)) showing the academic administration of the College, and the School of Management’s place within that organization, is attached.