The strategic planning steering committee participated in an exercise to prioritize opportunities for TSPHTM based on the current perception of the position of the school. The committee members participated in a weighted voting technique to surface the most commonly identified and pertinent strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Strengths 

areas in which we excel; leverage strengths to capitalize on opportunities and counter or avoid external threats:

  • Strong research-active faculty with a range of expertise across public health disciplines
  • Diversified research portfolio with funding from a variety of federal agencies (e.g., CDC, NIH, and USAID) and private foundations (e.g., Gates Foundation)
  • Well-established major research programs in key public health areas: global health; cardiovascular epidemiology; genetics and molecular biology; prevention research; disasters and; evaluation and effectiveness research and health administration
  • Long-term research programs in Latin America and Africa and growing presence in China
  • Steadily growing undergraduate BSPH program; curriculum strengthened with undergraduate core courses
  • Successful alumni that have achieved leadership and influential positions in public health
  • Well-positioned to support international students 
  • Compared to peers, tuition for the MPH is one of the most affordable
  • Dedicated, competent staff who are proud to be here and willing to go the extra mile
  • Venerated legacy as a founding school of public health
  • Located in a community rich both in culture and rife with public health problems

Weaknesses

areas where we’re not performing at optimum levels; resolve and find ways to minimize them to avoid threats:

  • Lack of a clearly defined home for health disparities research and teaching
  • Positioning as a global health-focused school confuses some about our commitment to domestic health issues
  • Mix of faculty is not optimized: too few minorities, too few with practice experience, and too few to support BSPH
  • Many faculty feel overwhelmed by workload 
  • Emphasis on research de-emphasizes and de-incentivizes efforts to improve teaching, curriculum, and the learning experience 
  • Unusual organizational structure lacks key positions of responsibilities: associate deans for research, faculty development, public health practice, diversity/inclusion 
  • Lack of funding for doctoral students and merit scholarships for master’s students 
  • Significant graduate student enrollment declines over last five years, including international student declines 
  • Understaffed in crucial functions, particularly grant support, marketing and admissions
  • Majority of staff feel that they lack a voice, opportunities for  professional development and do not feel a sense of belonging to the school 
  • Tidewater Building has limitations that impact the work and learning environment; needs renovation
  • Large number of degree programs offered: some not clearly differentiated from others, lack innovation, have very small enrollment and are missing in some key growth areas
  • Insufficient coverage of key skill areas such as: GBSDS (data science, informatics), HPAM (analytics, cultural competency), GCHB (digital media in health communications) 

Opportunities 

external factors that could grow the School; use to overcome internal weaknesses:

  • High demand for degrees in public health education at the bachelor’s and master’s levels driven by the promise of strong job opportunities in coming years
  • Public health is the 2nd most popular online degree in the health sector, and many of our peer institutions have not yet developed robust online programs
  • Significant room to expand community partnerships to promote engagement with SPHTM, perhaps focusing locally, regionally and state-wide to be involved with the depth and breadth of PH issues in our communities
  • Potential to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with local universities for research, and graduate student recruitment
  • Creation of a Center for Health Disparities within SPHTM to gain synergy and to link local and global efforts to reduce heath disparities.
  • The physical space at Tidewater can be used in innovative ways, were prime spaces not currently occupied by unrelated units (VP for Research, Legal Counsel, School of Medicine) 

Threats

external factors that can hurt or impede our growth or ability to thrive:

  • Perceived lack of engagement in New Orleans may have encouraged local universities to develop competing MPH programs and competing MHA program(s)
  • Changing technology will continue to require ever increasing computing capability and personnel training
  • Students are generally price sensitive and expect discounts, given the lower expected salaries of PH careers
  • There has been significant online program proliferation among our peer set (Harvard/NYU/UNC/Michigan)