The Donald L. Harrison College of Business and Computing at Southeast Missouri State University provides contemporary business studies designed to meet the educational and professional needs in southeast Missouri and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, while attracting students regionally, nationally and internationally. The faculty are committed to providing business studies today that will support tomorrow's business successes; that is, to offer a curriculum that prepares students for the future while taking advantage of established concepts and best business practices today.
Undergraduate students further develop the skills and attributes demanded by the business community by completing the nationally recognized University Studies program. Graduate students are provided the opportunity to further develop their knowledge base, management related skills and personal attributes so that they may advance professionally and provide executive leadership to their organization. As part of the teaching/learning process, the college applies the faculty's expertise and the enthusiasm of its students, in conjunction with the work of its service units, to improving the business and economic climate of Southeast Missouri.
The vision embraced by the Harrison College of Business and Computing is ambitious. While maintaining highly regarded graduate programming, we are establishing the best undergraduate business program in the state of Missouri, thus becoming the campus of choice among undergraduate students wishing to pursue business studies at a medium-sized university that focuses on student learning and student success. The “best” encompasses multiple dimensions including a top flight faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, superior support services, highly professional staff, a relevant curriculum that connects theory with practice, and a personal environment that passionately engages students.
Through the accomplishments of its students and faculty members, and with a commitment to continuous improvement and excellence, the faculty sees the Donald L. Harrison College of Business and Computing becoming the college that sets the example for the campus and other colleges of business with similar missions. As a result of its academic growth and development, the faculty foresees a stronger college identity enhanced by local, regional, national and international linkages, which benefit students, faculty and the University's larger community. The stronger college identity that emerges from the accomplishments of the members of the business faculty and business students will affirm the high quality of the college's programs.
The Harrison College of Business and Computing aspires to attract, retain and develop students who have the intellectual capacity and personal skills to succeed in their academic, personal and professional endeavors. Paramount in this is the promotion of diversity and cross-cultural sensitivity. The faculty is committed to supporting student success through excellent instruction, student advising and career counseling, internship development, the encouragement of co-curricular activities and student placement.
Student progress is monitored through the activities of the College Advising Center, faculty advising in the major, by program evaluation, the leadership of department chairpersons and through the college's student outcomes assessment processes. We recognize that, in the end, the success of the Harrison College of Business and Computing will be measured by the personal and professional accomplishments of its graduates.
The faculty subscribes to the University's values (learning, excellence, academic access, regional service and new knowledge), and is committed to excellence in teaching, intellectual contributions and professional service consistent with the teacher-scholar model, and supports the direction defined by the strategic priorities of the University. Greatest attention is given to high-quality teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, emphasizing conceptual reasoning, problem-solving, critical thinking, preparation for life-long learning and an ever-changing global business environment.
The active learning environment fosters integration of knowledge, an international perspective and ethical valuing. To ensure continuous improvement and relevance, faculty members review and revise curricula and other elements of the teaching process regularly. This requires faculty to give special attention to assessment activities and to connect the results from these activities to changes that improve student learning.
All forms of research are supported, but discipline-based research and scholarship connected with instructional development are emphasized. Excellence in the classroom goes hand-in-hand with on-going research programs that result in work favorably reviewed by and distributed to peers. Through the teacher-scholar model, scholarly work is transformed into student learning that is relevant and contributes to the professional success of graduates.
Because of the fast rate of change in disciplinary knowledge and the practice of business, faculty members are expected to maintain contact with their discipline and continuously develop professionally. Faculty members are expected to be active in academic and practitioner organizations and to develop and enhance professional linkages with the business community, area schools, other colleges and universities, governments at all levels, and organizations and agencies in other countries. When the faculty brings its professional service experiences into the classroom, students are better able to understand the connection between the theory and practice of business.
In today's environment, the proper stewardship of resources is critical to achieving the college's mission and vision. Stewardship involves astute management, being accountable and allocating resources in a manner that is aligned with the priorities established through planning processes and the college's commitment to excellence and improvement.
Faculty recruitment, retention, development and incentive processes are designed to recognize and promote teaching effectiveness, intellectual contributions and professional service. Investments in facilities and equipment are guided by academic priorities focused on insuring relevance and student success.
The phrase "Business studies today that will support tomorrow's business successes" summarizes the mission, vision and guiding principles the faculty has defined for the Harrison College of Business and Computing. This statement underpins the goals and objectives established for the BSBA and MBA degree programs.
The college's mission statement is forward-looking and sufficiently flexible to embrace the changes required by external conditions. It requires us to keep current in regard to conceptual foundations and to be aware of changes in the practice of business so these may be incorporated into the curriculum. Our emphasis on undergraduate education is accommodated in this statement, as well as the college's offering of a highly-regarded graduate program in business to meet regional needs. Finally, it complements the University's statements of mission, scope and values.
The vision for the Harrison College of Business and Computing requires us to:
Although the undergraduate and graduate programs are designed to meet the needs of students drawn from Southeast Missouri, the faculty recognizes that excellence will attract students from throughout the state, from across the nation and internationally. The faculty promotes this "reputation effect" because it enhances diversity and enriches the learning environment for all students.
The college's mission statement recognizes the importance of effective teaching and learning based on the teacher-scholar model; that is, it recognizes the most effective teachers maintain active involvement with their discipline through scholarly work and professional service. Teaching excellence presupposes an active scholarly program. The faculty understands that intellectual activities are essential to creating an effective learning environment. Applied research and research associated with instructional development are emphasized, but all types of research are supported and recognized (e.g., through professional development, annual review, merit salary determination, promotion and tenure processes).
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