“Objectives and Key Results for the Academy” (OKRAs) refers to a collaborative goal-setting framework for defining objectives and their outcomes in a measurable way. OKRAs provide a practical way for us to set objectives, track progress toward specific outcomes, and align and connect to the OKRAs of the University.
Provost Marie Lynn Miranda’s OKRAs for the University contain the strategic priorities that the provost plans to focus on for the 2021-2022 academic year:
- Improve the experience of faculty and students of color on campus.
- Actively manage the University during the ongoing global pandemic in ways that strengthen Notre Dame over the long term.
- Maintain excellence in delivering on Notre Dame's vision for undergraduate education.
- Enhance graduate and professional programs.
- Enhance research at Notre Dame and its impact externally.
- Determine the key academic priorities that will animate the University Strategic Framework and the upcoming Comprehensive Campaign.
The College’s OKRAs align with the provost’s and reflect our main priorities. The OKRAs for 2021-2022 listed below are the outcome of many conversations with faculty and staff leaders in the College.
#1: Emphasize Research Excellence. The first objective is to continue to advance our scholarly contributions. Key results for this academic year are:
(i) Launching of the Ph.D. Program in Management and the Ph.D. Program in Analytics, under the leadership of professors Jason Colquitt and Ahmed Abbasi, respectively.
ii) Starting the Business Ethics and Society Program, which was recently endorsed by our College Council and which will facilitate the hiring of tenure-stream and teaching faculty in the area of business ethics and how business contributes to society, under the leadership of professors Jim Otteson, Ann Tenbrunsel and Fr. Ollie Williams.
iii) Expanding resources for faculty and research, where we hope that both benefaction and net tuition revenue from graduate programs can help to hire additional faculty.
ii) Starting the Business Ethics and Society Program, which was recently endorsed by our College Council and which will facilitate the hiring of tenure-stream and teaching faculty in the area of business ethics and how business contributes to society, under the leadership of professors Jim Otteson, Ann Tenbrunsel and Fr. Ollie Williams.
iii) Expanding resources for faculty and research, where we hope that both benefaction and net tuition revenue from graduate programs can help to hire additional faculty.
#2: Engender a Diverse, Equitable & Inclusive Culture. The second objective is in regards to our efforts to promote diversity, equity and an inclusive, welcoming environment. Key results are:
(i) Proactively recruiting faculty and staff members who will help us become a more diverse community.
(ii) Focusing on engagement and retention, and introducing more programming that promotes equity and inclusion for faculty, staff and students.
(iii) Creating a “culture of encounter” by finding ways to meet others whom you might not encounter during the course of your usual day; i.e., being intentional about getting to know each other, caring for each other and creating this culture of encounter within and across faculty, staff and student groups.
(ii) Focusing on engagement and retention, and introducing more programming that promotes equity and inclusion for faculty, staff and students.
(iii) Creating a “culture of encounter” by finding ways to meet others whom you might not encounter during the course of your usual day; i.e., being intentional about getting to know each other, caring for each other and creating this culture of encounter within and across faculty, staff and student groups.
#3: Enhance Undergraduate Curriculum. The third objective is to enhance our undergraduate curriculum, where we are aiming for the following key results:
(i) Continuing the launch of our Business Honors program, which started this fall semester and consists of 53 sophomores, and is led by faculty director Jim Otteson and program director Craig Iffland.
(ii) Reviewing our undergraduate curriculum under the leadership of associate dean Jim Leady, who is working with the department chairs and me. Some of the goals include increased flexibility for our students while enabling more specialization.
(iii) Integrating analytics across the curriculum, facilitated by requiring all business majors to take the new Coding Fundamentals with Python course by the end of their sophomore year.
(ii) Reviewing our undergraduate curriculum under the leadership of associate dean Jim Leady, who is working with the department chairs and me. Some of the goals include increased flexibility for our students while enabling more specialization.
(iii) Integrating analytics across the curriculum, facilitated by requiring all business majors to take the new Coding Fundamentals with Python course by the end of their sophomore year.
#4: Elevate the Notre Dame MBA and Specialized Master’s Programs. The fourth objective is to elevate our graduate programs academically, especially in terms of how the students experience the programs, with a focus on:
(i) Growing applications and enriching the class profile, plus improving the student experience across their entire student journey — from marketing and admissions to student services and operations, academic learning, leadership development, career services and alumni relations.
(ii) Completing the move of the MBA program into the Stayer Center as the MBA’s new “home,” adding team rooms, renovating the third floor lounge and adding other amenities.
(iii) Expanding experiential learning opportunities, including through the Meyer Frontlines Program and the new Mods Away initiative starting Mod 2 of this year with MBA students going to ND California.
(ii) Completing the move of the MBA program into the Stayer Center as the MBA’s new “home,” adding team rooms, renovating the third floor lounge and adding other amenities.
(iii) Expanding experiential learning opportunities, including through the Meyer Frontlines Program and the new Mods Away initiative starting Mod 2 of this year with MBA students going to ND California.
#5: Engage in Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement. The fifth objective is to create a new strategic plan and continue improving our organization, processes and systems, including:
(i) Renewing our strategic plan using the University’s planning process in order to translate our ambitious vision for the College into a strategic plan that will guide all of our departments and programs, ensuring that our efforts will contribute to our common goals, including specific strategic plans for DE&I, research growth, the MBA program and so on. This includes developing a comprehensive DE&I strategic plan for the College that aligns with the University’s objectives and provides guidance for efforts to advance inclusiveness and a culture of engagement for our students, faculty and staff.
(ii) Completing the matrix organizational restructuring and staffing of functions to support the entire College. We have made significant progress on this objective, including the realignment of our graduate programs into the MBA and Specialized Master’s Programs portfolios, restructuring Graduate Career Development and reorganizing Marketing and Graduate Enrollment’s functional groups to bring paid advertising strategy in house. Our focus going forward is to ensure organizational efficiency and that our teams have a good understanding of individual roles and how they contribute to the larger mission of the College.
(iii) Continuously improving our technology and processes to make our matrix organization as effective and efficient as possible in serving our students and helping our staff members carry out their roles and responsibilities. These last two goals involve collaborations between Rob Kelly, Kara Palmer, Tim Bohling, the associate deans and the academic directors, so it’s a big effort and a very important step in accomplishing our fourth objective of elevating our graduate programs.
(ii) Completing the matrix organizational restructuring and staffing of functions to support the entire College. We have made significant progress on this objective, including the realignment of our graduate programs into the MBA and Specialized Master’s Programs portfolios, restructuring Graduate Career Development and reorganizing Marketing and Graduate Enrollment’s functional groups to bring paid advertising strategy in house. Our focus going forward is to ensure organizational efficiency and that our teams have a good understanding of individual roles and how they contribute to the larger mission of the College.
(iii) Continuously improving our technology and processes to make our matrix organization as effective and efficient as possible in serving our students and helping our staff members carry out their roles and responsibilities. These last two goals involve collaborations between Rob Kelly, Kara Palmer, Tim Bohling, the associate deans and the academic directors, so it’s a big effort and a very important step in accomplishing our fourth objective of elevating our graduate programs.
I hope the list of OKRAs gives you some idea of the College’s priorities for this academic year. The associate deans, staff directors and myself would be glad to receive your feedback and ideas.
In Notre Dame,
Martijn