An Interview with
Dr. K.O. Long

Dean, School of Business

How do you view your role in strengthening McMurry University’s academic programs as we approach our Centennial in 2023?

While it is not an exhaustive list, I believe that my role in strengthening academic programs in the School of Business by 2023 should include the following, in no particular order:

• Increase the level of participation among alumni of the Business School. Certainly, the sharing of financial resources is important, but the contribution by alumni of their time, their expertise and their contacts, is a valuable addition to the business program. Business alumni have a wealth of experiences they could share with current and potential students by speaking to classes, participating in teleconferences, or serving on the School of Business Advisory Board;

• Encourage creative approaches to “hands-on” experiences for business students. Those experiences could include additional internship opportunities, as well as employing other innovative approaches. These types of invaluable opportunities enable students to see the connection between their classroom studies and the “real world” of business;

• Assist more students to study abroad. Because of the cost of the trip, many students are unable to participate in travel courses. It is an extraordinary opportunity for our students to travel to one of the world’s business capitals and to meet with representatives of major companies in a small group setting to discuss issues of international management and marketing. Enabling students to participate in such activities will better prepare them for the competition of current and future global markets;

• Insure that our business program is challenging, relevant and evolving, in order to prepare our students for employment and for graduate or professional schools. This will require periodic review and evaluation of core business courses and business concentrations to determine their relevance and rigor;

• Advocate for the business program. This could involve such things as assisting in efforts to attract and to retain quality students, providing assistance to business faculty and cultivating relationships for the School of Business.

If we succeed in transforming our culture to embrace these truths, McMurry’s science graduates of 2023 will have a very bright future.

 
How will the new restructuring of the academic area into six schools change the way McMurry educates its students?

Although much of the impact of restructuring into six schools will be administrative in nature, the reorganization will increase the opportunities for student contact with deans, and it should result in better communication between the deans and their students.

Under this format, deans will also have teaching responsibilities, which will allow the deans to maintain classroom contact with students. Even students who do not have classes taught by “their” dean, will see the dean more frequently. This increased familiarity should encourage students to communicate with the dean of their school, if they deem it necessary.

Increasing the number of deans should create additional opportunities for professional development, which can result in new and creative approaches to student learning. These ideas will be shared by the deans as they work collaboratively to benefit their students.