From the Dean’s Desk

Greetings! It is another beautiful, sunny day in Oregon, and I once again thank God for the beauty of his creation.

We are off to a great start in the School of Business … yes, you read that right. We are now officially the George Fox School of Business. This name change is symbolic of the commitment to expand, improve and grow the School of Business that was recently publicly announced to the George Fox community by President Robin Baker. He identified developing a premier School of Business as one of the two top academic priorities for the coming years.

While we are excited, we are also humbled … and, yes, a little nervous as to what all that may mean. We are already unpacking the implications, and have a three- to four-year plan in place. For the current year, several strategic moves are anticipated. These include the name change, a complete overhaul and expansion of the undergraduate curriculum, the implementation of both the new Doctor of Business Administration and the Full-Time MBA program, and the addition of concentrations to the MBA program.

Last year we entered candidacy for business school accreditation with the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. While this process usually takes three to four years, we are committed to fast-tracking this process into two years.

These changes are only possible because I work with a great team of program directors and faculty. You are reading in this newsletter about the talented persons who were added to the faculty for this year, and we anticipate adding persons again next year. I continue to be impressed and blessed with the vision, the expertise and the common commitment that is shared by all of this group to do what is best for our students and the business community – and to do it with the highest level of quality that we can deliver.

So, we have our marching orders for this year … and we are hard at it. All of our graduate programs came in above budgeted enrollments, and we are very thankful for that. As we move forward, there are several ways you can help us:

Keep sharing the good news about the GFSB (George Fox School of Business) with your friends and colleagues.
Think of us when your organization has opportunities for undergraduate student internships. Contact Dirk Barram, dbarram@georgefox.edu.
Volunteer to share your experience and expertise with other MBA and/or undergraduate students by speaking in a class or hosting a group of students at your place of business. Contact Amber Russell, arussell@georgefox.edu.
Let the School of Business know when you have changes in your contact information or in your job status. To update your information, click here.
As part of the accreditation process, we will probably be sending many of you one or two brief questionnaires that we will ask you to complete. It will greatly assist us if you take the time to participate in these surveys in a timely matter.
Consider making a contribution specifically to the School of Business.
The main thing really is to stay in touch. We always appreciate hearing from you!

Blessings!
Ken Armstrong, Dean