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Dean Jane Wayland on Keeping UALR’s College of Business in the Mix

3 min read

Jane Wayland became dean of the UALR College of Business in February 2012.

Before being named dean, Wayland was interim dean of the UALR College of Business for two years. She also has served as associate dean of graduate studies and chairwoman of the Marketing & Advertising Department. The College of Business Advising Center was established within a year of her appointment, and she initiated the Ambassador program to showcase top students.

Wayland earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing and an MBA at the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in marketing at the University of North Texas in 1989.

What are the most popular majors in the COB, and what are the most common jobs for new graduates?

The management degree is the largest, but all of our eight degrees are doing well. Our Center for Student & Career Services holds four employee-student mixers a year. These mixers are similar to “speed dating” where employers have two minutes to speak to each student. There is one in accounting per year and this year a separate one for sales. Our students obtain employment in information systems, sales, accounting, finance, retail and marketing.

Our MBA is very popular. The program was revised two years ago based on business community input, and “soft skills” were added in the form of a boot camp at the beginning of the program. Students are coached and tracked throughout the program on leadership, communication, teamwork, critical thinking and ethical reasoning. A weekend format has been added to meet student demand. The master’s in information systems has always been a good choice to meet the demand for IT applications and project management. Our new data analytics degree and certificates appear to be the next growth area.

How does the UALR College of Business’ urban location affect the way it operates?

Being a metropolitan university is an advantage for our students. We focus on providing a solid educational foundation and connecting our students with the business community. Our students have opportunities for internships while they’re in school, work with businesses on projects through the Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center and meet business leaders through classroom speakers and our Executives-in-Residence program.

In the fall, we’ll launch our Career Catalyst program, a co-curricular program that will require a high-impact learning experience along with our current career-ready workshops. All this is possible because of the Little Rock business community.

How is online education likely to change the way the College of Business teaches and degrees are awarded?

The College of Business has had an online program for over a decade. We have been and continue to be committed to online education in addition to our traditional face-to-face and hybrid formats. Online technology has improved since we began in the early 2000s, and faculty have been quick to adopt the new techniques and platforms to engage students in the learning process. The hybrid model is becoming the most popular among our students. Students will attend class one week and then the next class is conducted online. This is the best of both worlds — convenience and high-touch instruction. Degrees will continue to be awarded the same way, when the student has completed the required curriculum.

How have developments like crowdfunding and the “trust economy” (Uber, Airbnb, Roadie) changed the way business is being taught?

These are simply a different business model that will be added to the mix of what is being taught. Faculty members stay current in their field and provide new information as it evolves.

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