Kelce College of Business reorganizes structure

  Tuesday, August 21, 2018 1:00 AM
  News, Milestones, Alumni, Academics

Pittsburg, KS

This academic year looks a little different for faculty, staff, and students of Kelce College of Business: the administrative structure of the college has been reorganized to do away with the traditional departmentalized concept. 

It’s perfect timing, said KCOB Dean Paul Grimes, as the college prepares for a major renovation and expansion of its physical facilities, which it has outgrown over the past 37 years. Plans for the new facility, for which a capital campaign is underway, incorporate architectural design elements that go hand in hand with the new organizational structure.  

Previously, faculty were divided into three departments that were responsible for more than one BBA major: accounting and computer information systems; economics, finance, and banking; and management and marketing. 

Thirty-two full-time faculty members were spread unevenly across three departments, each on a nine-month appointment, and each reporting to a departmental chair — some of whom were not within their discipline. The college had limited support staff, with one full-time administrative assistant per department, and the dean and associate dean sharing one. 

The reorganizational structure replaces the traditional hierarchy with a “faculty of the whole” approach — a common practice among business schools of similar size, Grimes said. The new approach eliminates departments and transforms the KCOB into a collaborative environment. 

Two associate deans will report to Grimes: Bienvenido Cortes, the associate dean for the Graduate School of Business, and Eric Harris, the associate dean for the Undergraduate School of Business and Chair of the Faculty. 

Three new appointments accompany the reorganization: 

• DavidHogard, who served in the Career Services office for more than 20 years, was named Director of Academic Advising and Career Readiness and will be the advisor for freshmen andsophomores interested in business degrees in order to best prepare them to enter the KCOB. 

• MichaelDavidsson, an associate professor of economics who has overseen the publication of the quarterly Pittsburg Micropolitan Economic Report for several years, was named the Director of the Business and Economic Research Center and will specialize in grants and contracts to support economic development initiatives. 

• Lynn Murray, an associate professor of marketing, was named Director of Outreach and Business Engagement and will take the lead on anything dealing with external constituents, internships, outside projects, and recruiting and retaining students to KCOB.

The creation of program coordinators for each undergraduate major will give faculty members and students a point person to handle teaching related services and oversee curriculum.  

The reorganization will come with growing pains, Grimes said, but ultimately it will push curriculum and student services closer to the student level and place faculty members closer to the students. 

The Kansas Board of Regents approved the reorganization in the Spring, with the majority of the work occurring this summer. 

“We’re excited to get our new academic year underway using this approach,” Grimes said.

Learn more about Kelce College of Business at https://www.pittstate.edu/business/index.html