Dean, Trulaske College of Business

Dean, Trulaske College of Business

Leadership Profile

2022

 

Executive Summary

The University of Missouri, also known as Mizzou and MU, seeks an innovative and collaborative leader to serve as Dean of the Trulaske College of Business. Reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost, the Dean of the Trulaske College of Business serves as its chief executive and academic officer, and will work closely with the college’s faculty, staff, students, alumni, business/industry leaders, and the broader university leadership to advance academic, financial, and strategic initiatives. This position offers an opportunity to play a defining role in shaping the future of business education at Mizzou.

 

MU is the flagship university of the four-campus University of Missouri System. It is the state’s land-grant university and one of the most comprehensive universities in the United States. MU’s broad undergraduate programs and its graduate, professional and research programs attract an annual enrollment of more than 30,000 students. MU is centrally located in Columbia, Missouri, a place consistently ranked as one of America’s most livable cities.

 

The Trulaske College of Business

The Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business offers rigorous undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business administration and accountancy. It has 49 full-time tenure/tenure track faculty, 30 full-time teaching faculty, 67 staff members, and an operating budget of approximately $32 million. In the College, almost 4,500 students are enrolled in undergraduate (4,236), masters (233), and doctoral (29) programs. The Trulaske College holds dual Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditations in business and accounting. The next AACSB accreditation visit for both the College and the School of Accountancy will be in May 2022, and all departments are preparing accordingly for a successful visit.

 

The College is housed in Cornell Hall, among the finest facilities on the MU campus. Featuring state-of-the art technologies, Cornell Hall includes 17 classrooms, three computer labs, an executive classroom, an active learning classroom, a 500-seat auditorium, a 118-seat lecture hall, two reception/multi-purpose rooms, and eight small breakout rooms as well as administrative offices. Flexible teaching spaces, including classrooms and breakout rooms that facilitate class interaction, teamwork, research, and small-group activities, are emphasized throughout the building.

 

The College’s nationally reputed academic units are divided into one school and three departments:

• School of Accountancy
• Finance Department
• Management Department
• Marketing Department

 

The Trulaske College of Business offers a rich variety of academic degree programs at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels.

 

Overall, the College’s academic mission is woven around its current strategic priorities of Career Readiness and Student Experience; Scholarly Research; Modular Education and Access; Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Global Engagement; and Professional Growth. More details about the College’s academic programs and faculty are available at https://business.missouri.edu/programs-admissions and at the four academic unit websites listed above and accessible at https://business.missouri.edu/department-and-faculty.

 

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration complete core business courses and then select an emphasis in Finance, Management, Marketing, Real Estate, or Economics. Students may also pursue a BSBA and BA with an International Business Track, allowing students to also obtain the BA in the language of their choice through the College of Arts and Sciences. The undergraduate experience is enhanced by a number of minors and certificates, student development/enrichment programs and study abroad opportunities in which students gain leadership, management, and technical skills to prepare for successful careers.

 

The Bachelor of Science in Accountancy/Master of Accountancy merges two degrees into a highly successful, nationally ranked integrated 150-hour accountancy program. The curriculum provides students with a strong technical accountancy background, a broad advanced business background, internships, professional skills, and certificates in Assurance, Data Analytics, and Taxation to prepare graduates for successful careers in accounting and business.

 

The Trulaske College of Business offers an in-person and online Master of Accountancy (MAcc), a hybrid format execMBA, and online MBA, MS-Finance, and MS-Business degree programs. The College also offers PhD programs in Accountancy and Business (with an emphasis in Finance, Management, or Marketing).

 

In addition, the Trulaske College is home to three centers:

• Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI)
• Center for Sales and Customer Development (CSCD)
• International Trade Center (ITC)

 

The curricula are based on the 3D Learning Model: a combination of relevant courses, out-of- classroom learning, and applied experiences built on a solid core curriculum. As an example, the Inside Sales Lab, an initiative of CSCD, provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and cutting-edge sales tools and techniques for researchers. As another example, Kaldi's Coffee is located in Cornell Hall and gives Trulaske students an opportunity to participate in experiential learning through running the business. The Trulaske Edge program contributes to students learning beyond the classroom and equips them with the skills needed to be successful business professionals. Trulaske College is truly committed to student development both inside and outside of the classroom.

 

Faculty are committed to teaching and research, and they also draw upon their practical and professional experiences to enrich the learning of their students. Many have contributed scholarship across disciplines at both national and international levels. Top journals regularly publish faculty members’ work, such as The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management

 

Journal, Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing and Journal of International Business Studies, among many other prestigious journals. In addition, many faculty serve on editorial boards or as editors of top journals.

 

The Trulaske College of Business has a great deal of momentum, and its upward trajectory is reflected in national rankings. The College is further bolstered by the tremendous pride and commitment of alumni who contribute to its continued success as members of strategic advisory boards, mentors, ambassadors, donors, and internship and employment partners.

 

The Role of Dean

The Dean oversees all academic programs and services, providing intellectual and academic leadership to the faculty in matters related to curriculum, research, and faculty development. A collaborative member of MU’s Council of Deans, the Dean will be an enthusiastic champion and advocate for the College across campus and with the upper administration. The Dean will support the development and growth of students, faculty, and staff, while engaging alumni and the community to enhance and build external relations and support for the College.

 

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide visionary leadership for the College

The Dean will work closely with faculty, administrative leadership, students, staff, and external stakeholders to re-define and articulate a vision and distinctive value proposition for the College in a dynamic and competitive field. With an understanding of key trends in business education and industry, the Dean will develop a vision that builds upon existing strengths and outline a strategy to move the College to greater prominence, drawing upon the strong sense of institutional pride that exists at MU. Through this work, the Dean will inspire faculty, students, and staff to innovate and pursue excellence in the areas that leverage the College’s strengths.

 

Manage growth and excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, strengthening the student experience across all programs

The student experience and success are at the heart of the College. The successful Dean must contribute to the student experience by being accessible, visible, engaged in student life, and invested in success. Understanding student needs and concerns and enhancing the culture of administrative accessibility, the Dean will build on a strong foundation of student satisfaction.

 

Academic quality also plays an important role in determining the College’s ranking, which in turn impacts enrollment and reputation. The College’s undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration and accounting are highly regarded and in high demand. The Dean will ensure that these programs continue to offer students a relevant, accessible, and high-quality business education that leads to career success after graduation.

 

At the same time, the Dean should enhance graduate programs and prioritize enrollment growth. The Dean should be able to identify opportunities to strengthen existing graduate programs and to establish new graduate programs that meet the evolving market needs. The Dean will manage growth and take into account the quality of the student experience, ensuring that students at all levels have access to exemplary student and career services, and make student placement a priority.

 

Support and advocate for excellence in faculty scholarship

As an AAU institution, MU aspires to the highest levels of academic scholarship. Within the College, the Dean plays a critical role enabling faculty to meet their potential in research and publications. The Dean will work with faculty at every career stage to pursue high impact scholarship. In order to do so, the Dean must generate and align resources to support faculty and explore innovative ways to support their work. Ideally, scholarly activity complements and enhances the other dimensions of faculty work: teaching and service. The Dean will therefore bring a holistic view of research as well as the highest standards for quality.

 

Serve as an advocate and enhance inclusion and diversity in the College and across the University

As a College and University leader, the Dean will work with stakeholders across campus to encourage the continued engagement and understanding of inclusion and diversity practices throughout the College. The Dean should expand the effort to build diversity, in all its forms, by recruiting and supporting faculty, staff, and students actively; focusing on retention efforts for women and minorities; developing a curriculum that incorporates diversity of thought and intercultural competency as essential learning outcomes; and fostering a culture in which all faculty, students, and staff are valued and supported for their diverse experiences and perspectives. The Dean will also advocate for inclusion and diversity across campus, working with other University leaders to create a welcoming environment for all members of the MU community. By providing strategic leadership, the Dean should be able to connect and strengthen diversity and inclusion efforts across the College. The Dean should work closely with the Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Director at Trulaske and provide leadership in guiding the development of a long-term, comprehensive, strategic diversity and inclusion plan; support the development of training programs for faculty, staff, and students; and assess the effectiveness of the college’s access and enrichment programming.

 

Increase fundraising and generate new revenue streams to support the growth and enhance the quality of the College

Like many public higher-education systems across the nation, the University of Missouri operates in an environment of declining state support and limited financial resources. To grow and improve, the Dean will lead the College’s efforts to diversify its funding base. The Dean must be a financially astute leader who provides strategic management of the College’s resources and who focuses on generating and diversifying new revenue streams. Working closely with faculty and staff in the College and across the University, the Dean will be responsible for building new revenue opportunities, such as new degree programs and interdisciplinary collaborations.

 

The Dean will strategically engage high-profile donors, explore new partnership opportunities with industry partners, and instill a sense of pride and commitment among alumni. The Dean will grow and strengthen the College’s advisory board, leveraging their expertise and connections to sharpen and focus the funding strategy for the College.

 

Through building and supporting the development team, the Dean should define and implement strategic direction for increasing visibility and support of the College throughout the state, region, and nation.

 

The Dean will be the public face of the College, enthusiastically telling its story to alumni, corporate leaders, and other high potential supporters. The Dean will effectively communicate to diverse audiences, delivering a clear and concise message about the College’s programs and achievements.

 

Provide Fiscal and People Management

The Dean will establish College strategic priorities consistent with campus vision, mission, and goals, and approve department plans. Responsible for the fiscal integrity and the ethical conduct of the College’s fiscal activities, the Dean will ensure that appropriate fiscal procedures are maintained to support internal fiscal compliance. The Dean is accountable for the financial health of the College, and should regularly monitor, review, and approve overall financial activity including actuals, budgets, and forecasts. Responsible for acting prudently to safeguard and use college assets and resources consistent with the best interests of the University, the Dean should appropriately limit liabilities and reduce and manage potential risks.

 

In addition to the financial resources, the Dean will also lead and manage the College’s workforce, its most impactful resource. The College is home to a tremendous set of dedicated faculty, staff, and instructors and it is expected that the dean will work to ensure the successful performance and development of each and every employee.

 

Enhance interdisciplinary collaborations across the University

MU has many outstanding academic programs and a longstanding culture of collaboration. Schools and colleges across campus operate with large degrees of autonomy and successful academic leaders at MU have shaped strategies that build their individual units as well as align to the campus priorities. Current University priorities offer real opportunities for the College to develop innovative programs.

 

Continuing the progress of the last several years, the new Dean will build relationships and synergies with other schools and colleges and establish interdisciplinary academic initiatives and joint programs across the University. The Dean will be a collegial, transparent, and innovative partner with other Deans, the Provost, and the Chancellor, working to further research and programmatic initiatives that cut across traditional boundaries and have the potential to have a transformational impact. A new Dean who builds connections across the University, recognizes untapped opportunities, and fosters a culture that supports interdisciplinary initiatives, will play an important role in advancing the University’s mission, and in turn, enhancing the College’s appeal to both students and faculty.

 

Engage the community and drive economic development at the regional and state levels

Among the College’s greatest assets are its partnerships in Columbia and across the state. The College engages with the local business community through faculty connections to industry for research and scholarship and internships for business students, among other activities. The Dean will benefit from a longstanding network of supportive alumni, advisory councils, and businesses eager for even more collaboration.

 

To leverage and grow these opportunities, the Dean must quickly become known as a trusted partner to the local business community.

 

The Dean will articulate a clear vision of engagement, highlighting the College’s important role in stimulating the economy and its critical, mutually beneficial strategic initiatives and partnerships with local and regional businesses.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

The Trulaske College of Business is seeking a dynamic leader who brings passion and an understanding of the convergent activities that fuel the College’s success and identity. Candidates must have exemplary academic or professional qualifications and significant achievement in leadership and administration. Candidates should have significant experience and demonstrable skills in leading and managing progressive change in the complex environment that exists within a comprehensive university. The dean must be a person of unquestioned integrity and committed to providing ethical leadership for the College.

 

Candidates must demonstrate evidence of the following qualifications:

• effective communication and public relations skills, including the ability to clearly articulate the College’s vision, goals, and accomplishments in a manner that will forge productive links with its academic units and external constituencies;
• an ability to develop and implement a shared vision through open communication, collaboration, transparency, and shared governance with all College stakeholders;
• demonstrated commitment to enhancing inclusion, diversity, and equity, including, but not limited to, experience in recruiting, supporting, and retaining a diverse faculty, staff, and students;
• proven track record in fundraising and an ability to raise financial resources to strengthen the financial infrastructure of the College;
• demonstrated knowledge and experience in financial management;
• demonstrated experience working with community and industry partners;
• an ability to cultivate a climate of unity and academic cohesiveness amongst the departments/school and programs within the College;
• an ability and desire to develop a culture of integrity, high morale and job satisfaction at all levels; and
• a congenial personality, resourcefulness, positive approach, and professional demeanor.

 

Nominations and Applications

The Search Committee will begin reviewing candidates immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Priority consideration will be given to materials received by May 15, 2022. Applications should include a 1) current CV/resume and 2) a letter of interest that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications described above. Inquiries of interest, nominations, and applications (PDF preferred) should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to:

Martin M. Baker, Managing Partner

Chelsie Whitelock, Principal

Buffkin / Baker

MUTrulaske@buffkinbaker.com

 

The University of Missouri does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability or status as a protected veteran. Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions is also prohibited. The university’s nondiscrimination policy applies to all phases of its employment process, its admission and financial aid programs and to all other aspects of its educational programs and activities.

 

Mizzou

The University of Missouri - Columbia is the flagship campus of the UM System and is a Research 1 university. As the state’s largest and most comprehensive university, Mizzou offers more than 300 degrees (including 89 online options) and certificates to more than 30,000 students and has over 13,000 full-time employees and 300,000 alumni. The university is a $2.2 billion enterprise and an important asset for the state and nation, providing significant innovation and economic impact to the state, region, nation, and the world. Today, MU is truly a global enterprise, with its students representing every Missouri county, all 50 states, and over 120 countries.

 

Based on quality of teaching, research and scholarship, MU is one of only 34 public U.S. universities with membership by invitation in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). The breadth of academic programs brings a wealth of opportunity for cross-disciplinary learning and scholarship among 18 colleges and schools. MU is one of only six public universities nationwide that can claim schools of engineering, medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, business, and law on the same campus.

 

The university’s nationally prominent faculty bring discoveries into the classroom, publish more than 1,600 books and scholarly articles each year, and spend $237 million annually on scientific research: their efforts account for about 70 percent of the research dollars flowing to the state’s public universities. Research facilities include: the internationally recognized University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), a 10-megawatt facility that is the most powerful research reactor located on a U.S. university campus; the Bond Life Sciences Center, a 230,000 square-foot building that enables 41 faculty investigators from 12 academic units to solve problems in human and animal health, the environment, and agriculture; and the NextGen Precision Health Initiative, a 265,000 square-foot building that is home to a bold and innovative interdisciplinary effort that seeks to transform how health care is delivered in the future.

 

Graduate programs, professional schools, and the discovery of new knowledge through research add unparalleled value to an MU degree. Students benefit from hands-on learning while contributing 250,000 hours of community service annually, participating in undergraduate research, and taking advantage of one of Missouri’s many study abroad programs.

 

Designated a botanic garden, MU’s 1,262-acre main campus features more than 42,000 plants and trees in numerous thematic and special collection settings. Many university buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Individuals across the state connect with Mizzou by participating in Extension programs in every county, visiting MU Health Care specialists, competing in state competitions in MU facilities and cheering on the Missouri Tigers at athletic events. A member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Mizzou's NCAA Division I athletic program has 20 sports, many ranked in the top 25 nationally. The university has a number of traditions adding to the student experience and the campus community.

 

The University of Missouri System

The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 in Columbia as the first public university west of the Mississippi River. Since then, the university has evolved as the state and its population has changed. The university had a single campus until 1870, when the School of Mines and Metallurgy (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) was established in Rolla. In the same year, the university assumed the land-grant responsibilities of providing higher education opportunities for all citizens. In 1963, the university again expanded to better serve Missouri by founding a new campus in St. Louis (the University of Missouri-St. Louis) and through acquiring the University of Kansas City (now the University of Missouri-Kansas City), created the present four-campus University of Missouri System.

 

Today, the University of Missouri System is one of the nation’s largest institutes of higher education, with more than 75,000 students on four campuses, a health care enterprise, and an extension program whose activities reach each of the 114 counties of the state. A recent study indicated the UM System has a $5.4 billion economic impact on the state of Missouri.