IF YOU were the owner of a small business that faced open criticism for its ample profits, satisfied customers, ever-expanding facilities and novel approach to sales, how would you respond?
At a conference last week, Public Policy Prof. David Kirp of University of California at Berkeley criticized the Darden School's executive education programs, claiming that students enrolled full-time in the Darden School do not benefit from the research pursued in such initiatives and that the programs are designed merely to bring in funds. As Robert Bruner, dean of the Darden School, aptly said in an interview, "It's hard for me to know exactly what he's criticizing us for." Kirp's assessment of the executive education programs was off-target because it failed to take into account the financial independence which such programs provide Darden, as well as the innumerable benefits which students pursuing an M.B.A. from Darden incur as a result of continued association with the companies involved.
Nearly five years ago, Darden found itself between a rock and a hard place financially, because while business schools all around the country were expanding and becoming more competitive, the Commonwealth did not have sufficient funding to invest in the new programs and facilities the school wanted to pursue. As a result, those in control of the school's future decided to eliminate its dependence upon state funds and to create a more autonomous program. The outcome of this decision has led to one of the finest business schools in the country.
Only last year, Kirp himself wrote in an article for Virginia Business that, "It's very hard to see what Darden might have done differently, given that the commonwealth of Virginia talks a wonderful game about Mr. Jefferson's university but has been less and less willing to fund it." Darden's financial independence allows it to make key decisions for the future of the school without having to concern itself as much with how those actions will affect the University as a whole. While Darden recognizes and values its place in the University community, it also recognizes the value of its independence; the profits from its highly sought-after executive education programs for private companies have helped to further this independence and to make Darden even less reliant on state funds. Plus, between 2,500 and 5,000 visiting executives partake of the workshops every year and carry back good reports of Darden programs and facilities. The excellent reputation that Darden acquires in the process helps its current students in their search for careers after Darden.
To maintain its level of financial independence, one might expect that the Darden School might have to sacrifice its commitment to its students -- that, as Kirp suggested, the many executive education programs would be of not benefit to the full-time students. This is not the case. Bruner cited the many benefits degree students obtain from such programs, including, among other things, new teaching materials and stronger educational methods, higher quality (and better paid) professors, better and newer facilities and a more cost-effective programs for students. Bruner added that some business schools choose other alternatives to executive education programs to fund their degree programs, but these alternatives almost always take the increase in cost out of the students' pockets. Darden's executive education programs allow it not only to offer a cost-effective M.B.A. program for its students, but also to give back to the University as a whole. According to Bruner, "We provide approximately $2 million back to the University a year." Clearly, Darden's fundraising committee knew what they were doing when they made the move to sever state-funding ties more completely.
If Kirp views an independent operation, increasingly world-relevant programs, and profits large enough to continue developing the latest initiatives for the school as negative, then Darden's program is certainly at fault. It seems, though, that from any other perspective, Darden's commendable progress in the past few years keeps it right on track.
Elizabeth Mills' column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at emills@cavalierdaily.com.
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