In the “Total Quality Management Symposium,” held last Wednesday (March 22), Dr. Joe Alexander, Dean of The Monfort College of Business, University of Northern Colorado, USA, was invited to share the experience of how his college won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Dr. Alexander indicates that his college commits herself to providing high-quality education, career and leadership trainings with affordable tuition.

TKU President C. I. Chang points out in the opening ceremony that this is an inspiring speech for TKU faculty to brainstorm new ways to promote the quality of education, research, administration, and services, hoping to win national recognition next year.

In Dr. Joe Alexander’s speech, “Total Quality Management Drives the Bottom Line.” he highlights the educational achievement of his college with statistics. The students of The Monfort College of Business perform distinctively well in national standard tests, such as being ranked top 10% in 2003-2004 ETS test. Even during a depressed economic era, 98.3 percent of the graduates get full-time jobs within a short time after graduation. The college’s high satisfaction rate for the students is evaluated among the top 1% of American universities.

Dr. Alexander remarks that the three pillars of the success are: 1. the concentrated business education in undergraduate programs, 2. highlighting close-contact, multiple technology, and expertise in teaching—with small size class teacher-and-student interaction, students learning in practices, and 90% Ph.D. professionals as well as business administrators as teachers, 3. reasonable tuition, which is averagely lower than other schools in the market.

At the end of his speech, Dr. Alexander focuses on “market segregation”--every university has her targeted market area. Some stress on the graduate institutes. However, University of Northern Colorado cancels graduate programs in order to concentrate on undergraduate ones. Though promoting the quality of education is a common goal for all schools, every school should progress on her specialty. He gives some valuable suggestions for TKU: to expand the extent of sanction for each college; not to satisfy with meeting the national standard but to aspire to excellencies; prepare to face frustration while making progress; maintain consistent focus and not swerve to vogue; promises on long-term industry. (~ Chi-szu Chen )