Why publish an annual report?

If you are a member of the Owen community, you have already received (or will receive) a copy of the 2006-07 Annual Report for the Owen Graduate School of Management. If you are not, you can find a copy of it on our website.

“Why go to all the time, trouble and expense to publish an annual report?” you ask. Few academic institutions do.

I believe we have an obligation to tell our stakeholders what we as an institution have accomplished in the past year; we are accountable to those who will fuel our success. Our future rests upon the shoulders of our students and our faculty—both current and prospective. Our future is powered by our past, by our alumni who embody the life lesson that those who give—gifts of time, money or energy--receive more in return than those who merely take. Our future is shaped by businesses that recruit our students and help us define the standards by which our graduates are measured. Our future requires that all of these individuals understand who we are, what we are trying to accomplish and engage with the school in a manner that supports our efforts.

Like the for-profit world, we are influenced by the world economy and other external factors out of our control. Unlike the for-profit world, our objectives are defined by a higher sense of purpose—knowledge, leadership, professionalism--rather than the drive to maximize profitability.

I hope you will take the time to read the report, appreciate the accomplishments and challenges that lie ahead, and get to know and celebrate the contributions of 10 individuals who—along with thousands of other alumni, students, faculty and staff, and business partners--are shaping our world. It is worthy of your time.