ExternalReviewoftheManagementDepartment

UniversityofNorthTexas
February29March1,2016

ReviewTeam: DavidOlson,UniversityofNebraska
BarbaraFlynn,IndianaUniversity

A. ExecutiveSummary

a.GeneralObservations
TheManagementDepartmentcomponentoftheUNTMBAprogramwasevaluated.Weappreciatethe
cooperativeandfrankinputsprovidedbyDeanMarilynWiley,Dr.LewisTaylor,theManagement
Departmentfaculty,staffandstudents.TheMBAprogramishealthyandviable,witharound200
students.Onlinedeliveryiscommendable,expandingthepotentialpoolofstudentsandmakingthe
programmoreaccessibletothestudentbody.Deliveryofonlinecoursesinanumberofvenuesisa
severechallengefortheManagementDepartment,butthevalueprovidedisworthnotonlycontinuing
butexpanding.

b.ProgramStrengths
PopulationofMBAstudentsandpotentialMBAstudentsintheDallasFortWortharea
Dedicated,wellinformedfaculty
Goodmixofresearchfacultyandteachingfaculty
Motivated,enthusiasticstudents
Outstandingfacility
Tieroneresearchuniversitystatus
Commendableresearchproductivitybyresearchfaculty,giventeachingloads
StudententhusiasmaboutacceleratedonlineMBAprogram
Soundcurriculumthatoffersvaluetostudents

c.ProgramWeaknesses
Duplicationofcoursesrequiredtomeettheneedsofmultipledeliverymethodsandlocations
ResponsibilityforthreeMBAcorecourses,requiredofallMBAstudents
DuplicationofsupplychainmanagementcontentwithMBAprograminMarketing&Logistics
IssueswithMGMT5070course
Curricularinconsistenciesbetweenonlineandfacetofacerequirements
Lowrateofpayforsummerteaching
Lackofstudentawarenessaboutplacementresources

d.Opportunities
PotentialforfurtherdevelopmentofhealthcareadministrationMBAprogram
Newdeliverymethodsandlocations
StreamlineMBAprogramthrougheliminationoflevelingcourses
Focusjournallisttorecognizetrulypremierepublications

e.Threats
CompetitionforMBAstudentswhoareworkingprofessionalsintheDallasFortWortharea
Maintaintieroneresearchstatus,whilesimultaneouslyofferingtheneededcourses
 Advancingageoffacultyandimpendingretirements
Currentstaffinglevelisperilouslyclosetotheminimum;facultyarestretchedthin

f.Recommendations(inorderofpriority)
Anticipatoryhiring,inadvanceofpendingretirements
SchedulemoresummerMBAcoursesthroughincreasingsummerpayorschedulingsummer
coursesinload
Increasetotalnumberoffaculty,inordertosupportincreasedneedforcourseofferingsdueto
addeddeliverymethodsandlocations
TransferManagementDepartmentOM/supplychainofferingsandresourcestoMarketing&
Logistics
Increaseproportionoftenuretracktoadjunctfaculty
ReviseMBAcurriculumforconsistencybetweenManagementDepartmentprogramsand
programrelevance
Graduallysegmentjournallistintotiers
Providefacultywithresourcesforonlinecoursedevelopment
Providefacultywithmorefundingtoattendprofessionalconferences
PromoteplacementresourcestoMBAstudents,includingonlinestudents

B.ProgramReviewEvaluation

f.Curriculum

i.Consistencywiththeacademicphilosophyofthefield
TheexistingManagementMBAcourseworkanddeliveryiscompatiblewithacceptedpracticein
AACSBschools.Thestudentstakeacombinationofrequiredandelectivecoursesandcan
specializeinOperationsandSupplyChainManagement,OrganizationalBehavior/Human
ResourceManagementorStrategicManagement.Studentswithoutabusinessbackgroundare
requiredtotakelevellingclasses,whicharedesignedtobringthemuptospeedinthecore
areasofbusiness.Whiletherearestillsomeuniversitiesthatfollowthisapproach,ithasbeen
phasedoutatmanyuniversities,intheinterestofstreamliningthetimethroughtheprogram
forstudents.Theseuniversitieshaveredesignedtheircorecoursessothattheyareaccessibleto
allstudents,ratherthanexpectingaleveloffoundationknowledgeasaprerequisite;thisis
consistentwiththephilosophythatanMBAdegreeisforstudentsfromallbackgrounds,rather
thanaspecialistdegreeforundergraduatebusinessmajors.Inlightoftheintensecompetition
forMBAstudentsintheDallas/FortWortharea,thismightbeanapproachtoconsider.

ii.Consistencywiththeneedsandgoalsoftherelatedprofessions
TherewereafewquestionsaboutthespecificcoursesrequiredineachofthethreeMBA
programs.First,therewassomeconfusionbetweentheterminologyusedinthevariousareas,
withsomehavingconcentrationcoursesandothershavingrequired,supportingandelective
courses.Consistentterminologybetweentheprogramswouldbeuseful.

Inaddition,thereweredifferencesinrequirementsbetweentheonlineandfacetoface
versionsoftheprograms.Forexample,whileManagingOrganizationalDevelopmentand
ChangeisanelectiveintheonlineversionoftheStrategicManagementprogram,itisa
supportingcourseinthefacetofaceversionofthesameprogram.Employment,Placementand
PersonnelPlanningisanelectiveintheonlineversionoftheStrategicManagementprogram
andisnotlistedaspartofthefacetofaceprogram.ThesameistruefortheSeminarinLabor
RelationsandSeminarinCompensationandMotivationTheory.Thus,thereshouldbemore
consistencybetweentheonlineandfacetofacerequirementsforthesameprogram.

Also,itisnotclearhowsomeoftherequirementsreflecttheneedsandgoalsoftheprograms.
Forexample,whileSeminarinLaborRelations,SeminarinCompensationandMotivationTheory
andEmployment,PlacementandPersonnelPlanningareveryappropriatefortheOrganization
Behavior/HumanResourceManagementprogram,therearecontentareasthatarenotnormally
associatedwithaStrategicManagementprogram.

iii.Structuralarrangements
TheCollegeofBusinessoffersMBAdegreesinbothLogisticsandSupplyChainManagementand
inOperationsandSupplyChainManagement.ThelatterprogramisintheManagement
department,whiletheformerisintheMarketing&Logisticsdepartment.Thecontentcovered
inthesetwoprogramsisquitesimilar,andthedistinctionbetweenthemmustbeconfusingfor
thestudents.TheotherofferingsoftheManagementdepartmentfocusonbehavioralareas:
organizationalbehavior,humanresourcemanagementandstrategicmanagement.The
operationsandsupplychainmanagementofferingswouldbeabetterfitwiththelogistics
offeringsoftheMarketing&Logisticsdepartment.Inlightofanexpectedretirement,itwould
 makesensetotransfertheManagementDepartmentOM/supplychainofferingsandresources
toLogistics.

Thestudentspointedoutthatschedulingofcoursesisnotideal.Severalcitedexamplesof
havingonlyoneavailableelectiveavailableduringthesemesterthatheorshewasreadytotake
theirelective.BecausethestudentsdonotprogressthroughtheMBAprogramasacohort,the
classschedulingischallenging,sincetherearestudentswhoneedeverycourseeverysemester.
Thisissueisamplifiedbytheexistenceofseveralcoursedeliveryoptions(online,facetoface)
andlocations(maincampus,Frisco).ItisabiggerproblemfortheManagementdepartment
thanitisforotherdepartments,sincemostdepartmentsneedtocoveronerequiredclass,
whiletheManagementdepartmentmustcoverthreerequiredclasses,ineachprogram.

Theschedulingproblemiscompoundedbythelowrateofsummerpayandcorresponding
reluctanceofthefacultytoteachsummercourses.BecausetheMBAprogramisayearround
program,thestudentsexpecttohavesuitablecourseofferingsduringthesummersemester.

iv.Balancebetweenbreadthanddepth
Somestudentsexpressedadesirefortheoptiontotakemoreelectiveswithintheir36hour
program(asupplychainstudentstatedthattherewerefiveelectiveshewouldliketotake,but
thatheonlyhadroomforone),aswellashavingmoreelectivesavailableinsomeareas
(conversely,studentsinotherManagementfieldsexpressedaperceptionofalackofelective
options).

v.Distinctionbetweengraduateandundergraduatelevels
Wedidnotseeanycombinedundergraduate/graduatecoursesinManagement,whichis
appropriate.However,someofthestudentsmentionedthattheyweremixedwith
undergraduatestudentsinsomeofthefacetofacecourses.

vi.Degreeofrigor
Ingeneral,thestudentsfoundthecoursestoberigorousandthattheinstructorswerewell
informedandconscientious.

However,therewereconcernsexpressedaboutsomeofthelevellingcourses.Atleastoneon
linecourse(MGMT5070)hasbeendeliveredsimplyusingMcGrawHillConnectproblemsand
quizzes,withlittlefacultydevelopedinput(nolectures,questionandanswersessions,office
hours,etc.)Studentsexpressedconcernsaboutthis,withrespecttothevalueoftheeducation
provided.Theywerealsoconcernedbecauseitwaseasyforotherstudentstogetperfect
scores,sincetheseproblemsandquizzesarereadilyavailableontheinternet.Someofthe
studentssaidthattheyfeltcheatedandpoorlypreparedforthecorecourseinthesamearea.
OnestudentstatedthatthesamecoursecouldbetakendirectlyfromMcGrawHillforonly
$125,andthatitseemedlikeawastetopayUNTtuitionforthis.Attheotherextreme,someof
thestudentssaidthattherewerelevelingcourseswhereitwasstatedthattheyweretaughtas
afull,3creditcourse,eventhoughthestudentsonlyearned1.5credits.Thesedidnotappearto
beManagementcourses,however.

Generally,however,wesawnoevidenceoflackofrigor,withtheexceptionoftheleveling
coursedescribedabove.

 vii.Areasofconcern
Solutionstocurricularproblemswouldallcallformoreresources,especiallyinlightofprogram
deliveryatnewlocationssuchasFriscoandwithnewdeliveryoperations,suchasthe
acceleratedonlineMBAprogram,whichplaceincreasingstrainonexistingresources.We
understandtheconstraintsontheothersideofthebalance,inthatresourcesaredifficultto
obtain.Butvaluecanbeobtained,particularlyasenrollmentsincreasethroughincreased
demand,newlocationsandnewdeliveryoptions.

PendingfacultyretirementsaregoingtoseverelytaxdeliveryoftheMBAprogrambythe
ManagementDepartment.Thisisaparticularlyimportantissue,inlightofthelargenumberof
requiredclassesdeliveredbyManagementDepartmentfaculty.

viii.Recommendations
Plansneedtobeadoptedtohiretoreplaceretiringfacultyinanorderlymanner.Giventhelarge
numberoffacultywhocouldpotentiallyretireatthesametime,itwouldbehelpfultohire
somenewfacultyinadvanceoftheretirements,sothatthereisntalargeturnoverinoneyear.

Inadditiontoreplacingretiringfaculty,increasethetotalnumberoffacultymembersinthe
Managementdepartment.Thisisnecessary,inordertocoverincreasingstudentdemandand
newlocationsanddeliverymethodsforcourses.

SchedulemoreMBAclassesduringthesummer.Thiswillmostlikelyrequirepayingahigher
amounttofaculty,butanotheroptionwouldbetoconsidermovingsomeoftheirregular
teachingloadtothesummer.

Provideguidancetoteachersofonlinecourses,intheformoftraininginindividualcases,if
necessary.CarefullymonitortheMGMT5070coursetomakesurethatitisbeingofferedata
levelofrigorthatiscomparabletotheotherlevelingcourses.

AttheMBAprogramlevel,considereliminatingthelevelingcoursesandreplacingthemwith
redesignedcorecoursesthatareaccessibletoallstudents,regardlessofbackground.

g.Faculty

i.Qualityofteachingandadvising
TheuseoftheMcGrawHillConnectmaterialsinMGMT5070,withoutinstructorinput,
jeopardizesthequalityoftheprogram.

Otherwise,indicationsofhighqualityweredetected.Thestudentsweregenerallypleasedwith
thequalityofteachingandadvising.

ii.Scholarlyproductivity,research,andfunding
Thereiscommendableresearchproductivityonthepartofthenineresearchfaculty(as
identifiedbyteachingload).Theyaverage3.33papersperfacultyoverathreeyearperiod.
Thereareafewindividualfacultymembersthathaveespeciallycommendablerecordsof
scholarlyresearchproductivity.

 Therehasbeensignificanteffortgiventodevelopmentofajournallist.Therewereconcerns
thatthelargenumberofjournalsonthelistcoulddefeatthepurposeofattaininghigherratings
oftheprogram.Weroughlycount147journalsonthislist,whichseemsinlineforthecollege
asawhole,giventhatonlypremierjournalsareusedforpromotiontofullprofessor.Faculty
seemedawareoftheusesofthelist.

However,werecommendgraduallymovingfromalistof147equallyvaluedjournalstoalist
thatisseparatedintoseveralsubgroups.Thiswouldallowidentificationofthetrulypremier
journals,whilestillrecognizingpublicationsinhighlyrespectedacademicjournals.Wewould
notanticipatethatthistransitionwouldbeimmediate,butthatitshouldbeagoaloverthenext
fewyars.

iii.Servicetothefield
Whilefacultyparticipateinprofessionalorganizations,greaterparticipationinsuchvenues
shouldbeencouraged.Fundingofonetripperyearisnotabnormal,butmorefundingwould
leadtomoreparticipationandgreatervisibilityoftheprogram.

iv.Faculty/studentratiosandFTEratios
StudentenrollmentinMBAcoursestaughtbyManagementDepartmentfacultyseemed
reasonable,ranging,forthemostpart,fromthe30stoabitover60.

Thereisahighrelianceonadjuncts,forcedbyhistoricalbudgetrestrictions.Whilethereare
manygoodadjunctsavailableinthenorthernMetroplexarea,itisofcoursepreferableto
maintainahigherproportionoftenuretrackfaculty.

v.Morale
Whiletheremaybeanindividualissue,forthemostpartfacultymoraleseemedcommendably
good,asdidstudentmorale.Severalofthefacultymembersexpressedconcernaboutwhatthe
comingyearswillbring,inlightoftheanticipatedretirementsandthehighteachingloadofa
fewofthefacultywhowillberetiring.Theywerecautiouslyoptimisticaboutthejournallist.

vi.Areasofconcern
Currentstaffingseemsperilouslyclosetotheminimum.Anticipatedretirementspromise
severechallengesifanticipatoryhiringisnotconducted.

Morefacultydevelopmentopportunities,throughconferenceattendance,couldbehelpfulin
stimulatingresearch.

vii.Recommendations
Addingcoursedeliveryatnewcampusesmayofferadditionalrevenuetooffsetneededfaculty
hiring.

Morefundingforfacultytotraveltoprofessionalconferences.

h.Students

i.Quality
Wewerepositivelyimpressedwiththestudentswemet.Therewasanicemixofbackground,
ageandexperience,andtheywereveryopenintheircommentsandpositiveabouttheir
experienceatUNT.

ii.PerformanceandSuccess
Wesawnonegativeevidence.Studentsexpressedthattheylovedtheflexibilityofonline
coursework.Theyseemedtobeparticularlyenthusiasticabouttheacceleratedonline
program.

iii.Retentionanddegreecompletion(especiallyatdoctorallevel)
Retentionof80%seemsadequate,giventhevarietyofstudentworksituations.

iv.Opportunities/placement
Placementseemsabitlowatanaverageof75%,especiallygiventhatmanyofthestudents
alreadyhavejobs,howeverthismayhavebeenanartifactofthewayinwhichthedatawas
collected.

Therewasconfusion,amongthestudents,aboutanumberoftopicsrelatedtoplacement.Some
ofthisistobeexpected,sincethereweresomestudentswhowereveryearlyintheMBA
program.However,therewereotherswhowereactivelysearchingforjobswhodidntseemto
knowwhethertheyshouldbeworkingwiththeCollegeplacementgrouportheuniversity
placementgroup.Onestudenthadattendedanumberofprogramsofferedbytheplacement
groupandhadfoundthemveryhelpfulindevelopingherresume,preparingforinterviewsand
soforth.Theexistenceoftheseprogramsseemedtobeasurprisetootherstudents,andthey
exchangedinformationaboutthem.Someofthestudentsaidthattheyusedonlineresourcesto
prepareforplacement,forexample,YouTubevideosonresumedevelopmentandinterview
preparation.Thus,althoughitsoundsliketheplacementteamintheCollegeisprovidingnice
resourcesforthestudents,studentawarenessoftheseresourcesislow.

v.Morale,attitudetowardfaculty/university
Withtheexceptionofoneorafewfaculty,studentsseemedveryappreciativeoftheir
professorsandwiththeprogramingeneral.

vi.Areasofconcern
Duetopayrestrictions,itisdifficulttoattractfacultytoteachinthesummersessions.MBA
studentswhoareworkingprofessionalsneedtokeeptakingcoursesinthesummer,anditis
importantthatthereisagoodselectionofrequiredandelectivecoursesforthemtoselectfrom
duringthesummersessions.

Placementresources,whileadequate,needtobebetterpromotedtostudents.

vii.Recommendations
Summerteachingproblemsmightbealleviatedbyfacultyofferingindependentstudiesinthe
summerorbyassigningsummerteachingaspartofthefacultysregularteachingload.

Resourcesfordevelopinginterviewportfoliosandskillsshouldbebetterpromotedtoall
students,includingthestudentswhotakeonlyonlineclasses.

 Considerdevelopingonlinevideosandworkshopstohelpstudentsprepareforplacement,asan
alternativetoliveworkshops.Thiswouldbealignedwiththepreferencesofthisgenerationfor
asynchronousinstruction,butwouldstillensurethequalityofthematerialthatwasbeing
presentedtothestudents.Itwouldalsoaccommodatetheneedsoftheonlinestudents,who
arenotphysicallyoncampus.

i.AdministrativeStructure

i.Appropriatenessofsize
TheManagementDepartmenthastwoprimarystaff,andtheyseemtobeverymuchontopof
theirjobs.

ii.Effectiveness
Noproblemsweredetected.

iii.Supportstaff
Thesupportstaffencounteredseemedtobedoingcommendablework.

iv.Facilities/laboratories
Thenewbuildingprovidesoutstandingfacilitiesandclassrooms.

v.Recommendations
Noneinthisarea.

j.Capacity
i.Adequacyofspaceforeducationalandresearch/creativeactivities
Thenewbuildingprovidesoutstandingspaceandamplefacilitiesforgroupactivities.

ii.Adequacyofresources,includingfaculty
Facultyresourcesaregood,buttherearentenoughofthem.Thishasforcedaheavyreliance
onadjunctfaculty.Dentonoffersmanyoutstandingpeoplewhocanprovidevaluablepractical
experiencetostudents,butitwouldbebettertohavesufficienttenuretrackfacultytodeliver
courses.

iii.Opportunitiesforincreasingenrollments
Thereareopportunitiesobservedinhealthadministrationforincreasedstudentpopulation.
However,thiswouldcallformoreresourcestoteachthem.