TO:Dr. H. Fenwick Huss

January 26, 2009

TO:Dr. H. Fenwick Huss

Dean, RobinsonCollege of Business

FROM:Debby Cannon

Director, School of Hospitality

RE: APR Action Plan Development

Before addressing the specific recommendations from the Academic Program Review Committee, I would like to emphasize the positive potential that both the APR Committee and our individual accreditation site teamfor reaccreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA) stressed in their 2007 reviews. The School of Hospitality is the largest, oldest and only accredited program (by ACPHA) in the state of Georgia. The program has been consistently growing in enrollment over the last seven years. Our partnerships and involvement in the hospitality community have also been expanding as well as the support from this community. During this time period, the School was also listed in the “Top 25” hospitality programs in the nation ranking number 13 overall and number 12 in public institutions.

The School’s growth and accomplishments have taken place with a relatively small faculty and limited funds. Georgia State’s School of Hospitality has the potential to become one of the nation’s top programs. The hospitality industry is the largest employer in the metro-Atlanta area. While the hospitality industry, like most industries, is experiencing declines in conjunction with the economy, the industry is projected to rebound in late 2009 or early 2010 with significant growth to follow. Hospitality operations continue to grow in the Atlanta area with new hotels slated to open in 2009-2010 as well as new tourist destinations added (The Civil Rights Museum) and expanded (the Georgia Aquarium).

The School’s facilities have expanded over the last two years with the opening in August 2007 of the HospitalityLearningCenter (in the GeorgiaWorldCongressCenter) and the opening in April 2008 ofCulinaryLearningCenter in the BennettBrownBuilding. These facilities were funded by industry contributions. The School’s industry supporters are aware of the potential of the hospitality program but also recognize that our facilities were not comparable to many of our competing schools such as FloridaStateUniversity, the University of South Carolina and the University of Central Florida.

The specific recommendations from the APR Committee are appreciated and action steps have been initiated which are described below. I would urge the University to also recognize and support the potential of the School of Hospitality, as was echoed by the reviewers, to build this program through additional faculty to support doubling the enrollment in the next three to five years.

The School is afforded numerous opportunitiesby being in an international city where hospitality is the largest private sector industry. Since the Summer Olympic Games in 1996, the city’s international presence has grown. Providing essential support to this growth has been Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest airport. Atlanta would be the most logical location in the Southeast for a Center for International Tourism and Economic Development. The proposed Center could play a pivotal role in establishingfaculty and student exchanges around the world. This Center could also extend worldwide some of the industry-specific professional development programs that have originated in the School of Hospitality. Research in international tourism as it impacts Atlanta and the Southeast is needed. The proposed Center would specialize in economic impact tourism research including the impact of specific industry segments such as restaurants, attractions, cultural events and sporting events.

In addition to the proposed Center, a hotel and conference center are needed on campus. GeorgiaState would benefit from these resources, available at most leading universities, as would the School. The School is also working with the College and University’s development offices for corporate funding of an endowed chair, other naming opportunities and scholarships and would appreciate this continued support through targeted fund raising on the College and University levels.

There were four recommendation areas from the Academic Program Review which was completed in early 2007. Each recommendation follows as stated in the CAP-approved Report of the Academic Program Review Committee followed by responses and corresponding action plans.

Recommendation 1

To address concerns about the lack of depth in the BBA curriculum raised by the external review committee, the School of Hospitality should restructure the BBA curriculum to incorporate greater depth of knowledge and thinking skills. Stronger learning outcomes should be developed and sequenced into courses with appropriate prerequisites to assure student attainment.

Response/Action Plan:

Hospitality majors, as do all College of Business majors, take 21 hours (7 courses) in the major. In addition, hospitality majors take an additional nine credit hours (3 courses) in elective courses in their major. Hospitality majors are the only students in the College allowed to take elective courses in their major. This exception provides hospitality majors the opportunity to take industry-specific courses that are vital to the program’s curriculum. Combined with the required internship or work experience, hospitality majors are able to gain specialized knowledge and experience.

All hospitality courses have been reviewed and learning objectives have been revised to incorporate higher levels of learning and critical thinking skills. Hospitality courses have increasingly utilized teaching methods that are appropriate for these objectives including case studies and in-depth industry-based projects.

The School consistently includes in its assessment measures feedback from industry recruiters and employers regarding the knowledge and skill levels of graduates and the fit for management and leadership responsibilities.

Recommendation 2

With the continuing growth in the number of undergraduate students and the strategic goals of the School of Hospitality, RCB, and GeorgiaState to become highly regarded as a research university, additional tenure-track faculty members are warranted.

Response/Action Plan for Recommendation 2:

The School of Hospitalityneeds at least two additional tenure-track (TT) faculty lines to address current enrollment levels and potential future growth. The demand exists for hospitality courses and the School could generate even more credit hours if additional course sections could be staffed. The funding potential was very different in 2007 and realistically faculty expansion may not occur until after 2010. One senior hospitality faculty member has projected his retirement to be spring 2011 which will certainly complicate the current staffing situation.

GeorgiaState’s Strategic Plan for 2005-2010 identifies increasing the number of TT faculty as a strategic goal for the university. The Robinson College of Business has targeted a goal of, at minimum, having 75% of RCB courses taught by TT faculty. The School of Hospitality’s current situation is below the University and College’s goals.

The School would like to have the support of the College and University in achieving its growth potential by supporting the addition of more tenure-track faculty lines.In addition to the recommendation for additional TT faculty being part of the School’s Academic Program Review, the same recommendation was made by the site team for the School’s reaccreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA). A detailed list of faculty requirements and needed specializations within the hospitality discipline will be generated when additional faculty lines are possible.

Recommendation 3

The significant number of GSU students and high proportion of employees in the hospitality industry in Atlanta who are African-American suggests that a special effort be made to recruit well-qualified minority candidates for all upcoming faculty positions.

Response/Action Plan:

Minority representation is sought through guest lecturers in hospitality courses at present. There is an increasing percentage of highly qualified African-American candidates in the field of hospitality and this will be addressed when the School is able to expand faculty lines.

Recommendation 4

Unless enrollments increase in the next two years, cease participating in the MBA program.

Response/Action Plan:

The School of Hospitalityhas been approved to offer a career track specialization in Hotel Real Estate which is offered in conjunction with the Department of Real Estate. Since this is the only MBA program in the country with a Hotel Real Estate concentration, it is expected that there will be interest from individuals nationwide.

• Because of the faculty shortage and preparing for AACSB reaccreditation (therefore avoiding use of part-time hospitality faculty teaching graduate courses,) no hospitality graduate courses have been scheduled through fall 2009. It is likely that no hospitality courses in the Hotel Real Estate specialization will be scheduled until fall 2010.

• The recommendation of allowing two years to evaluate whether the School should discontinue its participation in the MBA program is not realistic with this delayed start-up. The School agrees that an analysis of the demand for this concentration is important but cannot gauge the actual level of interest until courses are scheduled. The School would, therefore, like to address the issue in 2010 – 2011.

RESOURCE NEEDS

The School of Hospitality’s major resource needs are in the area of new faculty lines with two additional positions. One would be a tenure track assistant professor line and one would be a non-tenure track associate professor line for the proposed Center for International Tourism and Economic Development. In addition, three additional GRA positions are needed to support existing and new faculty research productivity. The expansion of faculty is also reflected in requested additional equipment and supplies.

Budget

Salary for one TT Assistant Professor: $ 80,000

(Excluding payroll tax and employee benefits)

Salary for one NTT Associate Professor to head

the Center for International Tourism and

Economic Development $110,000

Salary for two faculty lines: $190,000

(Excluding payroll tax and employee benefits)

Salary for one GRA II per academic year - $ 4,000

Salary for three GRA II positions: $ 12,000

Additional equipment & supplies – $ 25,000

Annual total requested: $227,000

Projected Time Line

Fall 2009 - Approval of two hospitality faculty lines

Fall 2009 –

Spring 2010 - Recruiting and hiring of two faculty positions

Fall 2010 - Two faculty positions start

Fall 2010 - Faculty teaching assignments realigned to staff graduate hospitality real

estate courses with tenured, senior faculty; Hospitality MBA courses

launched

Fall 2010 - Additional support implemented through GRAs and equipment/supplies

The faculty and I would like to thank the APRC Review Committee for their thorough evaluation of the APR process. We look forward to any additional feedback or recommendations.

Contact Information:

Debby Cannon, Ph.D., CHE

Director

School of Hospitality

Office (direct): 404-413-7617

Cell: 678-571-4039

Fax: 404-413-7625

E-mail:

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