More than a decade ago I joined the Goizueta Business School faculty as an assistant professor. Returning as dean, I’m happy to see the fabric of this school has remained close-knit and forward-looking. This community is committed to making Goizueta the best it can possibly be.
But I believe we can do more.
We are hard at work crafting new strategies and goals. You can expect detailed messaging in the coming months, but for now, I’d like to share three areas of focus to be addressed simultaneously.
First, we must increase collaborative efforts.
In one of my first senior staff meetings I asked for examples of Goizueta at its best. Without fail, each story included something about faculty, staff, alumni, and/or students working together toward a common goal. We work best in a spirit of collaboration. I am calling for an expansion of this collaboration to other parts of the university. For example, we could develop stronger connections with Emory Healthcare, the Rollins School of Public Health, and Emory Law School. I believe delivering, regulating, and paying for healthcare is the challenge of our generation. What answers and opportunities can we find by working together?
Second, we need to extend our influence.
Goizueta is one of only a handful of business schools in the country with four top–20 programs. But people in our own community don’t always recognize us. I want people in Atlanta, the United States, and the world to know more about the work we do. I believe this should be done, in part, by increasing our role in the corporate community and finding new ways to disseminate faculty knowledge. You will also see more of Goizueta in the marketplace as we strategically expand brand campaigns.
Finally, we require an expansion of financial resources.
We must foster a culture of giving and look for ways to increase the school’s reach. Only 10 percent of the school’s revenue comes from endowment and gifts. At Goizueta we strive to maintain a level of success that makes you able and willing to invest in the future. I encourage you to join me in giving regularly. I also plan to expand corporate outreach, develop sponsorship opportunities, and work to raise the influence of our Executive Education program in Atlanta.
In September I gave my first Town Hall address. It was shared live online, and the school commissioned this video recap: emory.biz/2014townhall. I hope this paints a clear picture of our goals. We must work together to succeed. I hope you are as excited as I am about the future.
