Swot Analysis Ball State University

Institutional SWOT Analysis

Below are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats idenitified by the Task Force.

Strengths

Nationally recognized programs

Experiential, service, and interdisciplinary learning, and opportunities for student leadership development

Significant economic development and quality of life enhancement activities throughout Indiana through Building Better Communities initiatives

Recognized professional programs with active community outreach

Significant and ongoing faculty and alumni involvement in K-12 schools

Small classes

Extraordinary emphasis on personal attention

Friendly, supportive, and comfortable campus environment

Integration of technology into the curriculum

Information technology infrastructure

Balance between teaching and research

Classes primarily taught by professors rather than graduate students

Leaders in innovation and early adopters of Indiana educational initiatives

Integration of environmental sustainability

Early adoption, continued refinement, and commitment to the Core Curriculum

Charter schools leadership and expertise

One of the largest study-abroad programs in the country

Attractive campus and facilities

Weaknesses

Lower than optimal enrollment of out-of-state and international students

Insufficient funding for graduate students

Insufficient diversity among students and faculty

Low salaries affecting morale and retention of faculty

Too few tenure-line faculty relative to contract faculty in some colleges

Inconsistent internal and external perceptions of institutional quality

Large fluctuation in funding for marketing initiatives

High cost of and low enrollment in summer school

Falling market share of qualified Indiana students

Inconsistent faculty perceptions of potential quality of distance education

Rising cost of attendance affecting access

Market niche insufficiently