Delta State University College of Business and Aviation (COBA) prepares students for the marketplace by providing challenging educational opportunities.
COBA Vision
To graduate business professionals for a life of service and contribution to their organizations and the larger society, particularly improving the economic development needs of the Mississippi Delta.
COBA Values
- To pursue excellence in teaching and learning and hold ourselves accountable for continuous improvement in content and processes.
- To demonstrate a strong commitment to integrity and promote ethical responsibility as the hallmarks of a business and aviation professional.
- To perform duties of position and make decisions that demonstrate and/or support student success.
- To engage in scholarly research and service that enriches the experience and knowledge of our faculty, staff, students and local, national, and international communities.
- To demonstrate mutual respect for our students, academic colleagues, and industry with open communication, free exchange of ideas, and inclusion of different perspectives.
- To value and promote diversity and the potential of all individuals.
- To demonstrate teamwork and collaboration by contributing to the efforts of the department/division, college, and university as a team player.
Strategic Goals for 2026-2030
Goal 1: Increase Student Learning by deploying relevant degrees, certificates, and workforce programs that serve constituents.
- Aligning with the University’s mission
- Targeting growth fields with stackable credentials
- Contextualizing for emerging trends in technology and Artificial Intelligence
Goal 2: Serve the total student by enhancing workforce readiness and job placement.
- Leveraging stakeholders for mentoring in career advisement
- Collaborating with admissions to support enrollment growth targets
- Engaging with Student Success to support year-to-year retention
Goal 3: Empower excellence through strategic investments in faculty and staff development.
- Recruiting and mentoring qualified faculty aligned with clear expectations in teaching, scholarship, and service
- Deploying resources to support faculty scholarship, with an emphasis in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
- Monitoring SMART Goals for staff
Goal 4: Optimize Operations to improve efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness of key tasks.
- Revising workflows for efficiency
- Deploying a master calendar of key events and deliverables
- Automating routine tasks with systems and technologies
Goal 5: Commit to the community by activating Centers with strategic alignment of the DSU and COBA Mission.
- Prioritizing grant and Center activities toward economic development that support the region
- Expanding external stakeholder partnerships through advisory boards, internships, and key industries
- Hosting workforce awareness and development events and programs
Goal 6: Engage Alumni through affinity groups.
- Supporting key influencers that drive the brand
- Hosting alumni events in collaboration with DSU Alumni Association
- Establishing affinity groups at key employers
