News
Message from the Dean regarding the EMBA program
During this time of economic uncertainty, the Broad School has been challenged with several difficult decisions. One I’d like to tell you more about now is our decision to end our Executive MBA program.
This decision was not made lightly. Not only is our program one of the oldest in the country, but we enjoy strong partnerships with the companies that sponsored students for the program, as well as with the many alumni who continue to support the college in recognition of enhancements the program made in their own success.
In 2008–09, a college-wide task force analyzed the executive MBA market in Michigan, and the results of this analysis were not encouraging. According to data from the Executive MBA Council, current and future demand is low for original EMBA-style programs, defined as those with students who are senior-level managers with over 12 years of experience that are sponsored by their companies. The number of executives who do not already have an MBA degree is shrinking, and our student body came almost exclusively from Michigan, so—considering the state’s economic status—our projections indicated enrollments would continue to decline.
Also, current and projected university budget cuts will result in scarce faculty and financial resources for program delivery, while multiple college programs and constituencies continue to require support.
Therefore, the cost-benefit analysis did not support continuing our EMBA program. Instead, expanding the Weekend MBA became the best option for the college, given the types of working professionals seeking MBAs in the region, its cost structure, projected enrollments, and the opportunities to expand into new locations. Our weekend program has been capacity-constrained in Lansing for some time, and the Management Education Center provided an opportunity for this program’s successful expansion.
Again, please know this was not an easy decision. The Broad School remains dedicated to examining and assisting with the future executive education needs of our alumni and the state of Michigan. We will need your help as we continue to ensure a strong future for the college and university.
Sincerely,
Elvin C. Lashbrooke, Jr.
Interim Dean