Mission

Vision

Core Values

Excellence -We seek excellence in all our endeavors, and we are committed to continuous improvement.

Intellectual Freedom – We believe in ethical and scholarly questioning in an environment that respects the rights of all to freely pursue knowledge.

Integrity – We are committed to the principles of truth and honesty, and we will be equitable, ethical, and professional.

Service – We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor.

Diversity – We respect others’ and value diversity of opinion, freedom of expression, and others ethnic and culture backgrounds.

Stewardship of Resources – We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust and are accountable for our actions.

Collegiality – We embrace a culture of mutual respect, caring and positive interaction.

Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal One: Improve faculty research productivity & diversity.

Critical Success Factors (measures of the degree of success over the next 5 years):

• Number of publications annually in peer reviewed journals per faculty member (1 to 2)
• Number of publications in the top journals on the Dean’s research excellence award list (1 or 2 per year for the department)
• Number of conference presentations annually per faculty member (1 to 2)
• Number of invited presentations at university research colloquia (2 to 4 per year for the department)
• Percentage of faculty serving in leadership positions (including journal editorships) for national, international, and highly regarded regional professional organizations (10-15%)
• Percentage of faculty serving on editorial boards and as ad hoc reviewers for leading accounting publications (50% of faculty)
• Ratio of research-active faculty to Ph.D. students (maximum ratio of 2 students per faculty member)
• Number of minority faculty in department

Objectives:

• Encourage faculty to publish in journals on the Dean’s research excellence award list and in other A-level journals.
• Provide course releases for faculty publishing in leading journals.
• Provide financial support in the summer for research-active faculty.
• Allow innovative teaching schedules that foster research productivity (i.e., shifts in teaching load from 2-2 to 3-1 or 3-0-1).
• Provide resources to support logistical costs associated with research activity.
• Build on synergies with the Ph.D. program as noted in Objective 1.2.
• Initiate monthly “Brown Bag Sessions” where departmental faculty and doctoral students are given a specific forum for sharing research ideas.
• Grow accounting faculty only with individuals willing and able to produce research having a reasonable probability of acceptance by leading accounting journals.

• Target minority candidates when recruiting to fill faculty positions.
• Contact KPMG Ph.D. Project to identify minority candidates in doctoral programs nationwide.
• Hire qualified minority faculty for leadership positions within the department.
• Work on retaining minority faculty.

• Enhance Ph.D. student recruiting efforts by identifying high Graduate Management admissions Test students and increasing marketing activities directed toward research-oriented candidates.
• Implement a mentoring program for first-year Ph.D. students by assigning each a faculty mentor and a senior Ph.D. student mentor.
• Include entering Ph.D. students on faculty research projects.
• Initiate socialization panels for new Ph.D. students focusing on research, teaching, and Ph.D. program success.
• Reduce teaching demands placed on Ph.D. students both in terms of loads and preps by providing 2 years of research assistantships.
• Continue to provide full tuition waivers and summer support for Ph.D. students.

Goal Two: Continuous improvement in undergraduate program.

Critical Success Factors (measures of the degree of success over the next 5 years):

• Higher proportion of students with jobs at graduation
• Higher proportion of students placed in graduate study programs

Objectives:

• Departmental curriculum committee to conduct annual review.
• Identify curriculum changes consistent with accounting career opportunities.
• Continuously assess the incorporation of critical student skills as identified by employers.
• Evaluate and respond to annual assessment.
• Encourage and support use of technology by students and instructors.

• Continue to coordinate and monitor the instruction provided by doctoral teaching assistants and adjunct instructors.
• Recognize and reward outstanding undergraduate instruction.
• Increase salaries to attract better doctoral teaching assistants and adjunct instructors.
• Upgrade classrooms to facilitate the use of technology.

• Make students more aware of accounting educational and career opportunities at the sophomore level.
• Continue to actively recruit outstanding students in beginning courses to major in accounting.
• Staff entry-level courses with tenure-track faculty to the extent possible.
• Increase scholarships provided to accounting undergraduate majors.

• Encourage student participation in accounting and business student organizations.
• Encourage student organizations to continue expanding membership bases.
• Encourage student organizations to continue to expand their interaction with the business community.
• Reward faculty support of student organizations, particularly Beta Alpha Psi.

Goal Three: Continuous improvement in Master of Science in Accounting program.

Critical Success Factors (measures of the degree of success over the next 5 years):

• Entering class size for Stillwater campus (at least 40 students)
• Number and diversity of firms recruiting on Stillwater campus
• Number of students doing internships (40 percent)
• Number of students with jobs at graduation (90 percent)
• Average starting salary of graduates ($50,000)
• Number of students with professional certification (75 per cent)

Objectives:

• Recruit students with high Graduate Management admissions Test scores and high Grade Point Averages.
• Offer competitive assistantship stipends.
• Increase the number of assistantships awarded Master of Science students to 30.
• Increase availability and amount of scholarships awarded Master of Science students.
• Increase administrative assistance to develop web-based marketing program.

• Continuously review and revise the Master of Science program curriculum to keep it state-of-the-art and comparable to leading national programs. This will require resources for curriculum development.
• Develop areas of specialization in partnership with industry that will attract students and employers. A strong specialized program should result in national recognition and increased marketability of students. Possible specializations may be energy, forensic, or international accounting.
• Increase the number of students participating in internships.

• Develop areas of specialization that will attract students and employers. A strong specialized program should result in national recognition and increased marketability of students. Possible specializations may be energy, forensic, or international accounting.
• Increase the number of students and faculty participating in internships outside Oklahoma.
• Increase faculty representation at national and regional academic and professional meetings.

• Secure additional fee waivers for Master of Science Accounting students.
• Increase availability and amount of scholarships awarded to Master of Science students.

• Increase the number of firms recruiting on campus.
• Increase the number of internships.
• Increase placements outside Oklahoma to enhance placement rate, starting salaries, and national recognition.

• Recruit a diverse student body.
• Create more scholarships designated for minority students.

Goal Four: Continuous improvement in Ph.D. Program.

Critical Success Factors (measures of the degree of success over the next 5 years):

• Placement of internally funded Ph.D. graduates at AACSB-accredited comprehensive universities (80 percent)
• Research Presentations at professional conferences by doctoral students while in the program (At least one presentation by each doctoral student.)
• Research Publications in journals by internally funded doctoral students while in the program (80 percent)

Objectives:

• Pay Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant stipends at least equal to the average of peer institutions in the Big XII and elsewhere.
• Reimburse doctoral students for journal submission fees.
• Allow for financial support for up to five years.
• Provide full tuition (not including fees) waivers for doctoral teaching and research associates.
• Provide research funds for data collection and travel to at least one conference to make presentations.
• Continue to provide internally funded doctoral students making satisfactory progress at least two semesters of release time for research over a four-year appointment period.
• Achieve a progress rate where at least half of the students graduate in four years.
• Recruit class sizes that maintain a minimum size of 3 students per year taking doctoral seminars.
• Ensure that there is sufficient number of research active faculty capable of supervising doctoral dissertations.

Goal Five: Further strengthening ties with constituents.

Critical Success Factors (measures of the degree of success over the next 5 years):

• Level of interaction with alumni (4 events per year)
• Level of interaction with Advisory Board Members (at least 2 events per year)
• Level of interdisciplinary and intercampus partnerships
• Level of fundraising from alumni and friends ($400,000 per year)
• Number of endowed faculty positions (increase from the current six)

Objectives:

• Consult Advisory Board members to seek input on any improvements that might be made to the recruiting process.
• Provide more opportunities for interaction with students (a la Energy Night, Not-for-Profit Night).

• Participate in research workshops of and with other departments and colleges.
• Recognize high quality interdisciplinary research for promotion and tenure.

• Organize regular events with alumni at their workplace and on campus.
• Upgrade and regularly update website.
• Continue to publish newsletter.

• Focus on organizations with concentrations of alumni for larger contributions.
• Educate students while on campus on how funds are used to assist students and enhance quality of programs.
• Continue to identify and cultivate possible donors for larger gifts and endowments.
• Follow up with existing commitments for endowments.