TAM Five Year Strategic Plan
2020-2025

Mission:  To provide focused academic programs of excellence that generate, disseminate, apply, and preserve knowledge and the arts in the area of textiles, apparel design, and merchandising, for the benefit of the people of the state, the nation, and the global community.  

Vision: The Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising prepares students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development for meeting today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

SWOT Analysis- Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising

Strengths

  • Strong mix of experienced and dedicated faculty to teach and publish in the areas of textiles, apparel design, and merchandising.
  • Up-to-date technologies and facilities incorporated into teaching, and research.
  • Redesigned, up-to-date curriculum programs.
  • The best comprehensive fashion and textile institute in Louisiana and Gulf Coast.
  • Enhanced curriculum with more courses implementing hands on applications of industry processes.
  • Active student organization and events including annual fashion show.
  • Programs to enhance students’ career development chances including Alumni network, field studies, and internship.
  • Courses incorporating professional presentations, writing techniques and oral presentations. 
  • Highly qualified and professional faculty.
  • LSU Fashion Association, a TAM student organization.  
  • Textile & Costume Museum; public events, exhibits, etc. 
  • International reputation built through sponsoring visiting scholars and recruiting international students.

Weaknesses

  • No clear strategic positioning and no central direction/identity.
  • Limited publicity and branding.
  • Limited budget and resources to support the department to sustain and grow.
  • Not offering major courses every semester.
  • Slow in digitalization development, including no online program has developed.
  • Lack of industry advisory board or partnership, or a strong alumni network.
  • Small graduate program.
  • Lack of fashion merchandising technologies in merchandising courses.
  • Not enough faculty to teach classes, including faculty to teach courses with future industry changes.
  • No lab fee/charge to maintain equipment, supplies, etc.
  • Lack of new exhibits in Textile & Costume Gallery on a regular schedule or timely basis.
  • Majority of faculty do not have AgCenter appointments. 

Opportunities

  • Use online resources to advance course development and/or develop online programs.
  • Assigned LSU AgCenter faculty appointments and collaboration with 4-H programs.
  • Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation to increase program’s exposure and increase national and internarial awareness and competitiveness.
  • Acceptance and application of fashion technologies.
  • Collaborations with other departments on campus, local community, national and international programs.
  • Develop and offer summer camp programs to attract more and better students.
  • Alumni organization be developed to support department.
  • Optional courses where students acquire industry experience.
  • Develop and promote fashion entrepreneurship among local communities and in the state.

Threats

  • Increasing cost of education.
  • Holistic approach to freshman acceptance - students not fully prepared for college.
  • Increasing competitiveness from local, national, and international textiles and fashion institutes.
  • Limited domestic technical support for small textiles and fashion businesses.
  • Increased online programs at other institutions.
  • Other institutions offering similar programs.
  • Serious university budget cut.
  • Insufficient funds to properly teach courses and hire new faculty.
  • Unqualified faculty to teach courses without considering future industry changes.
  • Building space could be taken if it looks like we don’t occupy most of HUEC.
  • Not getting to replace faculty members when they retire.

Departmental Goals

Goal 1

Enhance the student experience to ensure success and create leaders prepared to engage in the complex global arena of the textiles and apparel industries.

Excellence in Undergraduate Education:  

Initiatives: 

  • Provide more opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research.
  • Encourage students to submit their work to the LSU Undergraduate Discover Day.
  • Experiential Learning.
    • Increase student awareness of cultural diversity through experiential learning with more opportunity for international relationships in the classroom and study abroad/study tours.
    • Provide and encourage participation of undergraduate students to prepare to be competitive for post graduate opportunities including employment and graduate education.
      • Supervised internships.
      • Shadowing a professional employed in a career interest.
      • Service learning experience.
      • Leadership development opportunities.
  • Participation in the University Honors program.
  • Increase scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Courses incorporating professional presentations, writing techniques and oral presentations.
  • Active student organization (LSU Fashion Association) with events including annual fashion show.
  • Programs to enhance students’ career development chances including Alumni network, field studies, and internships.
  • Enhanced curriculum by increasing number of courses that implement hands-on applications of industry processes. 
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
Undergraduate opportunities for research  175 undergraduate students with none participating in research opportunities  There will be a 10% increase in TAM students who have had the opportunity to assist with faculty sponsored research 
Undergraduate students submit their work to LSU Undergraduate Discover Day  n/a A minimum of three undergraduate students will participate in the LSU Undergraduate Discover Day
International experiences  n/a  50% of graduating students will have participated in a meaningful international experience, which may be face-to-face or mediated trough digital technology 
Undergraduate experiential learning n/a 50% of students in TAM will complete at least two of these experiences prior to undergraduate degree completion 
Scholarships awarded  $12,000 Increase scholarship dollars awarded by 20% 

 

Excellence in Graduate Education:

Initiatives:

  • Recruit exceptional students into the graduate programs through multiple means including but not limited to participation in college and university recruiting activities.
  • Increase funding for doctoral students.
  • Seek additional funding/positions through grants and contracts for all Graduate Research Assistants, and from the Dean and Provost for all Graduate Teaching Assistants.
  • Build collaboration among graduate students and recognize graduate students for accomplishments.
  • Mentor graduate students to develop their capacity to teach and engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
Graduate student recruiting Submitted applications 20 Recruitment focus will be on obtaining more high quality students to the graduate programs to increase submitted graduate student applications by 20% 
Increase doctoral student funding n/a Funding  will support students on assistantships at levels comparable to peers including both a stipend and tuition waivers
Graduate student collaboration n/a Encourage graduate students to participate in departmental, college and university organizations, specifically those for graduate students
Graduate student teaching and engagement n/a Ensure that all GTAs are mentored to learn effective teaching practices

Graduate students on assistantships will be valued by students (as evidenced by student evaluations) and faculty supervisors

All graduate students will be prepared for future study or academic positions in higher education 
Graduate Student Rates n/a The number of doctoral degrees awarded will increase by 20% from an average of 1 per year to 1.2 per year
Doctoral students will be encouraged to publish in peer reviewed venues and present at national conferences  n/a 50% of doctoral degree recipients will have had a manuscript accepted for publication in a peer reviewed venue prior to degree completion and presented at, at least one national conference 

 

 

Goal 2

Seek to achieve a culture where everyone in the department is included, respected, and supported.

Initiatives:

  • Encourage participation in diversity initiatives 
  • Recruit a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students  
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
Diversity and Inclusion Training   Two faculty are Safe Space certified. Two faculty have completed NCBI training.  The majority of faculty will complete Safe Space or NCBI training.
Participate in diversity and inclusion initiatives within LSU and COA  n/a Continue TAM faculty membership within D&I Champions and the COA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council 

 

Goal 3

Create premier academic programs designed to address future challenges in the textiles and apparel industries and to enhance the undergraduate student experience locally, nationally, and internationally.

Initiatives:

  • Strengthen the program’s reputation as the best comprehensive fashion and textile institute in Louisiana and Gulf Coast.
  • Implement the redesigned, up-to-date curriculum programs. 
  • Acceptance and application of fashion technologies in teaching and research.
  • Use online resources to advance course development and/or develop online programs.
  • Seek accreditation through TAPAC.
  • Create programs to enhance students’ career development chances including Alumni network, field studies, and internship.
  • Develop and promote fashion entrepreneurship.
  • Strategic and cohesive focus on sustainability and well-being.
    • Faculty will submit more funding proposals and seek partnerships with others to increase multidisciplinary grant proposals.
    • New faculty hires will support department foci identified in the mission and vision statement to improve human well-being within the contexts of social, environmental and economic challenges which may result in enhancing the quality of all human life.
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
TAPAC accreditation n/a The LSU TAM programs in Merchandising and Apparel Design will be fully accredited 
Increase external funding In 2019 TAM had a total of $50,000 in external funding  External grant submissions will include provision for support of Graduate Assistantships that provide adequate support for both tuition and stipends when the granting agency allows
External funds will have provision for graduate students  n/a External grant submissions will include provision for support of Graduate Assistantships that provide adequate support for both tuition and stipends when the granting agency allows 
Faculty scholarship 14 manuscripts and 6 designs published/exhibited for a total of 20. There will be an average annual 20% increase from the baseline in the number of peer-reviewed faculty publications and juried, adjudicated or externally vetted shows and designs 
Support department efforts to improve human well being  n/a New faculty hires will advance the TAM Vision and Mission

 

Goal 4

Advance in our goal of developing a community of connected, collaborative, and committed faculty, staff, and students.  

Initiatives: 

  • Obtain LSU AgCenter faculty appointments and collaboration with 4-H programs.
  • Collaborations with other departments on campus, local community, national and international programs.
  • Advance Engagement.
    • Faculty will seek greater opportunities to integrate engagement/service learning in coursework.
    • Engage students, faculty and the public to meet our mission to improve human well-being within the context of social, environmental and economic sustainability challenges.
    • Continue to use the LSU Textile & Costume Museum as a repository of historic artifacts for research and for education of students and the public.
  • Strategically recruiting, supporting and retaining faculty.
    • Seek additional funding/positions from the Dean and Provost for faculty and staff to support the TAM academic programs so that they are on par with peers when comparing FTE faculty positions per students and per scholarship outcomes.
    • Seek funding from the university and private sources to update existing facilities to be comparable to peer university programs.
    • Retain use of existing facilities to meet minimal needs for instruction.
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
Service learning n/a The number of students participating in engagement/service learning activities will increase by 10%
Improvement of human wellbeing n/a Provide leadership through research, teaching and service to assist others with needs related to quality of life and sustainability 
LSU Textile & Costume Museum  n/a Continue to host researchers, use the teaching collection for teaching students about textiles and apparel and provide curated exhibits for public education

Adopt practices that better use technology as a way to educate the public and students around the world about the history of textiles and apparel through the museum collection 
Faculty positons Faculty teaching equivalent/student - 35  Add at least one faculty position to reduce  FTE/student to a more manageable number in keeping with peer institutions  

Numbers of faculty and support staff relative to student enrollment will be in the top third of our peer group 
Faculty awards n/a At least one faculty member will be nominated/receive an award for teaching, research or service endeavors 
Facilities n/a Update existing facilities to support teaching and research at the top 20% of peers in the disciplines of apparel and textiles 

 

Goal 5

Cultivate a community of industry partners, engaged alumni, and supportive donors.





Initiatives: 

  • Further develop the fashion technology lab and eventually establish a fashion business incubator to be leveraged for:
    • seeking industry partners.
    • cultivating fashion entrepreneurs to develop local, and state fashion economy.
    • branding LSU TAM program.
  • Increase number of LSU Textile & Costume Museum exhibit installations and utilize new renovated space with special events.
Performance Indicator Baseline (2019) 2025 Target
LSU Textile & Costume Museum n/a Continue to host researchers, use the teaching collection for teaching students about textiles and apparel and provide curated exhibits for public education  

Adopt practices that better use technology as a way to educate the public and students around the world about the history of textiles and apparel through the museum collection 
Establish stronger alumni engagement  n/a Send out yearly TAM newsletter to alumni

Continue to cultivate relationships with alumni through NY trip and Fashion Show

Establish a network of alumni on a social media platform like LinkedIn 
Seek out industry partnership n/a Create documents to distribute to potential industry partners outlining areas of collaboration or specialty among faculty
LSU fashion technology lab/institute n/a Continue to seek funding to increase the scale and scope of fashion technology acceptance and application to teaching, research, community service, and local economic development

Develop summer programs to cultivate fashion entrepreneurs, and attract potential studen ts to join the LSU TAM

Seek collaborations with other departments, colleges, and institutes to develop a collaboration network