Revitalizing a Struggling MIS Program on a Shrinking Budget

With rising unemployment figures and the current economic crisis, the job outlook for graduating students is dismal. However, when economic forces stabilize and companies start rebuilding their workforce, technically skilled employees should be in demand. Few, if any, jobs are untouched by either the direct or indirect impact of some form of informationbased technology. News reports have emphasized the increase in U.S. outsourcing to overseas employers, yet examination of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and economic “think tank” white papers indicate that outsourcing is not the problem that we are led to believe. When the job/applicant demand begins to grow and student interest fails to peak, what, can we as educators, do to attract and retain the current generation of students in technology-oriented majors? This paper addresses some of the steps taken at one regional institution to sustain their MIS program while increasing student interest in the field.