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Dean's Message 


NMDA_image001.jpgWelcome back Aggies!  

Our year starts off with good news: we successfully achieved AACSB accreditation extension for the next five years for our business and accounting programs! The AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) is the world’s premier business school accrediting body. Just under 6% of worldwide business programs hold this accreditation. Credit for this belongs to the College of Business faculty, staff and leadership team, and I am proud and grateful to be your dean.  

We have also finalized the College of Business Strategic Initiatives – a set of initiatives that will move the College forward in terms of outreach, professional development, curriculum improvement, and research enhancement. These initiatives are:

  • External Engagement & Growth
    • BSAC: Establish a Business Student Advisory Council (current students).
    • YPAC: Establish a Young Professional Advisory Council (4-10 years out from graduation).
    • COB Branding: Develop an independent brand for the College of Business, one that answers the fundamental “why come here?” question for all stakeholders.
    • Alumni Engagement: Increase efforts at all levels to re-engage our passionate alumni base, and expand our geographic reach.
    • Development: Rekindle the giving efforts of alumni, and develop new donors.  
    • Professional Ed / Workforce Development: Revenue-raising programs and opportunities.
  • Professional Development & Placement
    • Center for Professional Development: Seek funding to establish a Center focused on all aspects of professional / “soft skills” development for students.
    • Data Access & Placement Rate Knowledge: Improve our use of data for decision-making, and our access to accurate info on student placements.
    • “Recruit the Recruiters”: Increase formal and informal recruiting for COB, and (more broadly) for NMSU
  • Strengthen the Curriculum
    • Experiential Learning: Enhance “real world” opportunities (e.g., client projects in coursework, internships, etc.) for our students.
    • Grow programs in High Demand: Focus on high-demand programs such as Supply Chain Management, Entrepreneurship, and Risk/Insurance Management.  
    • On-Line and Global Programming: Continue to balance our in-person and online offerings to best serve a diverse and far-flung student body.  
    • Diversity & Inclusion: Consistently weave diversity and inclusivity into our learning goals.
  • Research and the R1 Journey:
    • Increase Resources for Research: Strengthen research efforts by raising dedicated funds, establishing accounts endowments, professorship and centers.
    • Intra-disciplinary Collaboration: Encourage research projects with colleagues at other universities.
    • Inter-disciplinary Collaboration: Foster cross-disciplinary research within the COB and with other colleges.
    • Dual-Use Research: Prioritize academic research that is “dual use” – i.e., has both practical and theoretical contributions.
    • Pursue Grants: Increase efforts to expand competitively/externally funded (grant-based) research projects.

These initiatives will help propel the College forward on our journey to be the destination business college in the Southwest and Borderlands. Better still, they align with our vision to continuously improve student success, and to foster social mobility. I am looking forward to sharing more with you as our journey together unfolds.   

Bryan Ashenbaum