With so much change taking place across the university landscape these days, I thought I would identify my top five prognostications, projections, or possibilities for Louisiana Tech. As an alumnus, a tuition paying parent, an aspiring campus speaker, and an active supporter of athletics, I have given a great deal of thought to various academic, athletic, and administrative opportunities for the University. The one disclaimer that I will note prior to sharing: I developed this column on a very turbulent flight to Philadelphia this week, so I might have been a little distracted!
- Identity: I speak on the importance of identity at almost every event I speak at or conduct. Whether we are talking individually or organizationally, clarifying identity is critical for defining purpose, developing strategy, setting goals, and executing daily. What is La Tech’s identity? What should it be? What are we/should we be known for as a public university? These questions are best answered after a thorough investigation of inherent strengths, the competitive landscape, consumer (student and workplace) demand, and financial capability. A possibility is that La Tech further projects itself as an engineering and business focused university that also offers selected other majors to appeal to students within a 300-mile radius. The University could also make a firm commitment to in-person teaching while growing the on-line presence for those that need an alternative learning approach.
- Athletic Conference: The current affiliation with Conference USA is beginning to offer more challenges than benefits. Travel is a major issue for the student athlete with excessive amounts of class time being missed due to the geographic makeup of the conference. Travel costs are becoming a major burden as well. The fanbase has shown a desire to renew old rivalries with more regionally based opponents. With realignment taking place across the country, it is time for Conference USA, the Sunbelt, and to some degree, the Southland, to revisit what makes sense considering today’s landscape. Forget what was said years ago. What makes sense today?
- Prioritize and Value: The financial budget reflects values and should be consistent with identity. We are a smaller university with a smaller budget. The student’s experience in the classroom could be a top priority. A potential focus area would be to ensure that we value those that are creating this experience and investing in the students. In addition, our student athletes are students first. They are not professional athletes attending school like we are seeing at the larger universities. Consequently, we would need to operate within our means both academically and athletically. It could look different, but still be appealing.
- Define the Win: I talk about this concept all the time with organizations. What does success look like? How do we know if we are on the right track as a university, a college, or an athletic department? Is it total enrollment? Is it the graduation rate? Is it winning seasons? There are any number of ways to define success. However, let’s dig deeper and go back to “why”. Why does La Tech exist? Is it to equip young people to impact the world? While we do research, aren’t we here to invest in the education of people attending the university? The same concept applies to the athletic department.
- Life-long Partners: Why settle for just graduates each year? Why not develop a culture of life-long partners. When the student experience reaches such a level that graduation is just a transition and not an end, the University will experience a level of support that is desperately needed. It’s not just the financial “giving back”, but also the vocal support, the physical attendance at events, and the life-long desire for partnership that makes an impact. That type of relationship starts day one when a freshman walks on campus and never stops. It’s a transformational relationship and not a transactional one. Far too many universities are purely transactional. I see Tech wanting more!
Just a few thoughts and a lot of questions. One thing I have found in over 35 years of leading in business, it was more important for me to ensure I was asking the right questions than for me to provide all the answers.
I noticed how eerily similar some of the thoughts are to La Tech a generation ago.
