A Faculty Service Bureau

1
A Faculty Service Bureau

• The Bureau of Business Research at Ball State
  University

2
Ball State University

• Founded as Indiana Normal School in 1920s
• Became a University in mid-1960s
• Business school once taught typing, stenography
• Became accredited by AACSB in early 1980s

3
Original Purpose of the Bureau

• Founded in 1972 to help pre-accreditation faculty
  carry out research
• A central repository to house College resources
  that could not be duplicated in all departments
• Specialized support of finance datasets (CRSP,
  Compustat)
• Survey research support

4
Bureau Operating Details

• Six full time positions
• Budget is almost 100 percent hard funded
• Primary mission is faculty research support
• Secondary mission is outreach

5
Faculty Support Activities

• The research analyst
• Publications, conference and editing support
• Nurturing of embryonic centers
• Grants administration and faculty development

6
Specific Activities

• Summer Grants administration
• LAN/Server administration
• Support for small centers
• Survey research support
• Conferences and publications support
• Interface with University bureaucracy

7
The Challenge to the Bureau

• Rationing services
• Remaining relevant
• Avoiding the computer support trap
• Surviving administrative turnover