Strategic Plan 2021-2026

Ivy College of Business, Iowa State University

Approved as amended by the Dean’s Cabinet on December 18, 2024.

Mission

Further Iowa State University’s land-grant ideals by training students to be knowledgeable and ethical communicators, leaders, collaborators, and problem solvers through impactful research, innovative teaching, and community engagement.

Vision

Be at the forefront among colleges of business for creating knowledge, maximizing student potential, engaging businesses, and promoting global citizenship.

Values

We value:

Excellence in research that impacts theory and practice.
Innovation in teaching that leads to student success.
Variety in ideas, people, and culture that broadens perspectives.
Integrity in our work that earns respect.
Service to others that makes a difference.
Citizenship that supports our mission.

Strategic Priorities

In the next five years, the Ivy College of Business will focus on:

Advancing innovative, high-quality, and high-impact academic programs.
Increasing the quality and impact of scholarly research.
Expanding opportunities for community, business, and global engagement.

Goals and Metrics

For each of the three strategic priorities, specific goals are articulated. Specific metrics for each of the goals are established in a companion document. These goals and metrics are to be reviewed annually to measure success, identify gaps, and make adjustments.

Strategic Priority 1: Advancing innovative, high-quality, and high-impact academic programs

Goal 1: Enhance student experiences and outcomes to sustain and improve rankings and educational quality.

Develop undergraduate and graduate curriculum and business programs based on fundamental business principles and sensitivity to ongoing industry needs.
Prepare students for personal achievement, professional success and societal contributions.
Promote ethics education throughout the business curriculum.

Goal 2: Provide innovative and effective educational opportunities.

Create and support classes and programs using innovative and effective technologies, pedagogies, and/or diverse delivery formats and channels, as deemed necessary.
Create and support interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs in collaboration with other colleges on campus.
Deliver innovative course content.
Provide educational opportunities in partnership with businesses, both locally and abroad.

Goal 3: Support, recognize, and reward high-quality teaching and service to students.

Incentivize and reward high-quality teaching in classrooms.
Encourage high-quality, innovative teaching and teaching scholarship.
Enhance student experience with outstanding services.

Goal 4: Recruit and retain talented students, faculty, and staff.

Continue to expand the enrollment of talented students in all business programs.
Increase the percentage of students enrolled who are in the top tier of their incoming class at Iowa State.
Recruit and retain talented faculty and staff Increase support for faculty and staff professional development.
Increase market awareness of our programs, students, faculty, and college.

Strategic Priority 2: Increasing quality and impact of scholarly research

Goal 1: Support, recognize, and reward high-quality research.

Incentivize top tier and premier journal publications.
Monitor and improve our teaching load policy based on research quality and productivity.
Increase and expand research support for research-active faculty.
Expand funding for research infrastructure.
Foster research collaboration across academic disciplines.

Goal 2: Improve scope, reach, and quality of the PhD program.

Improve the admission and quality standards for doctoral students.
Focus efforts to improve doctoral student placement.
Foster a research culture for doctoral students that reaches across academic disciplines.

Goal 3: Increase external visibility of faculty.

Publicize faculty research accomplishments through traditional and social media.
Recognize and reward faculty for outstanding professional leadership activities.
Increase endowed chairs, professorships, and fellowships.

Strategic Priority 3: Provide business, community, and global engagement opportunities

Goal 1: Promote business engagement and support.

Offer support and development to startup and small businesses.
Facilitate consultative and advisory relationships with industry.
Invite thought leaders to campus • Encourage professional engagement opportunities.
Encourage professional engagement opportunities.

Goal 2: Deliver experience-based learning.

Facilitate internships and co-ops for students.
Offer live case and CyBIZ Lab consulting opportunities.
Offer and facilitate student business competitions.

Goal 3: Develop community and global leaders.

Promote community service and engagement opportunities, upholding Iowa State’s Principles of Community.
Promote study abroad, summer abroad, and study tours.
Provide financial support for study abroad opportunities.