Faculty of Management

Our values tell a lot about us. They are enduring and we are passionate about them. We would hold them even if they led to being a competitive disadvantage because we believe in them strongly. They guide us in our interactions with one another and in our decision making.

Community values

The following values provide the context for how we conduct ourselves.

• Striving for excellence in all that we do
• Challenging ideas while respecting the rights, differences, and dignity of others
• Acting with honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community
• Taking personal accountability for our actions

These values help to create a lively, open and inspiring atmosphere which is conducive to personal learning and growth as well as organizational progress. Everyone in our community—students, faculty, staff and alumni—accepts a personal responsibility to integrate these values into all aspects of their behaviour.

Research and teaching in balance

Both research and teaching are valued at the University of Lethbridge. We are extremely proud of our heritage in creating and disseminating knowledge. We look forward with anticipation to continuing to make our mark in discovering, synthesizing and interpreting knowledge and, increasingly, playing an important role in the training of new scholars. We respect academic freedom.

Students matter. In the Faculty of Management we place importance on the experience of students and inspired teaching. In particular, we strive to develop the whole student by nourishing competencies and a sense of self that are integral to success. We engage and challenge students in the learning enterprise and support them when they have problems. We provide students with small class sizes and experiential learning opportunities and connect our research to their learning.

Importance of liberal arts

The importance of the liberal arts as the cornerstone of a university education is a core value of this University. The importance of broad, critical, long-term thinking and an appreciation for art, literature and culture is as important for management students as it is for students in other areas.

Accessibility

Every qualified student has the right to be educated in a university and over the years we have provided pathways for traditional and non-traditional students to reach their post-secondary goals. For example, our post-diploma program provides the opportunity for college graduates to transfer seamlessly into our management program. The Edmonton and Calgary campuses serve to accommodate working students and post-diploma students who wish to continue living in these centres. We continue our efforts to find ways to enhance the accessibility of management education for First Nations people. Our facilities and practices support accessibility for students with physical or other special needs. We welcome students from around the world as full-time and exchange participants. Accessibility is also enhanced when financial support exists for students with limited financial means and we have a long tradition of providing financial support.

Innovation

The needs of organizations, society, academic communities and the students that we educate are continually evolving and so too must our teaching, research, and experiential programs. The Faculty of Management has a long tradition of innovative offerings. Examples are the first post-diploma program in the province; the Integrated Management Experience, the only program of its kind at an undergraduate level in Canada; the First Nations’ Governance program; the first co-op program in the province; and the establishment of Calgary and Edmonton campuses to provide flexible programming for non-traditional students.

Our research also strives to keep pace with emerging needs. In addition to important contributions by individual researchers, both the Centre for Health Management Research and the Centre for Socially Responsible Marketing are breaking new ground in these vital areas. This focus on innovation must continue as we strive to be known as a leader among institutions throughout Canada and around the world.

Global mindset and social responsibility

Social, political and economic divisions across the global landscape threaten the global marketplace and even world peace. We will nourish a global mindset in our students and faculty to facilitate a better understanding of our differences, to create cultural awareness and sensitivity, and to promote an understanding of business practices across the world.

This mindset is further underscored by the importance the Faculty places, through its course offerings and research, on social responsibility. In the continuing shadow of corporate governance scandals, we must take the lead in instilling a social and moral compass in our students.