PRESIDENT'S LETTER

It seems but a short time ago that I accepted responsibility as president of the Institute, and now it's almost time for Betty Whitten (University of Georgia) to take on the responsibility, followed next year by Jim Evans (University of Cincinnati), our most recently elected president-elect.

It has been a wonderful opportunity to serve the Decision Sciences Institute over this past year, to work with so many capable and energetic members and leaders, and to see the many accomplishments of our efforts. I shall always value this experience and the strengthened collegial relationships that it has enabled.

If you recall, my first President's Letter outlined five priorities, which the Board later confirmed as the focus of our efforts this year: (1) increased visibility of the Institute in promoting interdisciplinary research, instruction and service initiatives within the decision sciences and related fields; (2) increased attention to the Institute's role in improving instructional competencies within the decision sciences; (3) increased use of advanced technology within the programs, communications and workings of the Institute; (4) increased internationalization of the Institute; and (5) continuous improvement of the functioning of all activities of the Institute. In this issue of Decision Line I would like to report on our accomplishments and the leadership that has helped to bring them about.

An earlier President's Letter of mine focused on the interdisciplinary priority of the Institute. This year we've taken strides to further strengthen the Institute's interdisciplinary nature. We continue to enjoy an active membership with diverse disciplinary and interdisciplinary interests. We have taken steps to continue to nurture a broad representation of disciplines within the Institute, and furthermore, have sought ways to realize the synergies of interdisciplinary perspectives within our plans, publications, and meetings. The Decision Sciences Journal under Lee Krajewski's editorship (University of Notre Dame) continues scholarly excellence of a truly interdisciplinary journal. Decision Line under Terry Rakes' editorship (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) demonstrates continued excellence consistent with an interdisciplinary focus. We look forward to Barb Flynn's (Iowa State University) leadership as editor of Decision Line, beginning in 1997, as recently confirmed by the Board.

Our meetings increasingly hallmark an interdisciplinary agenda. As I've mentioned before, I'm excited about the matrix program planned for the 1996 annual meeting in Orlando, which the Board affirmed in January as an ongoing future design for our annual meetings. This design enables a clear vision of the interdisciplinary nature of our work. Please read 1996 Program Chair Lori Franz's ( University of Missouri at Columbia) article in this Decision Line to learn more about plans for the Orlando annual meeting. In addition, the Board again this year affirmed its commitment to high-visibility invited sessions at our annual meetings, continuing the legacy of many successful invited sessions that we experienced in Boston (1995 Program Chair Ernie Houck, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University). Look for these excellent sessions to continue in Orlando. It's anticipated that many of these sessions will focus on interdisciplinary themes. All of this is accomplished with the continued commitment to provide a forum for both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and instructional competitive papers at our meetings.

This year we have expanded the interdisciplinary priority of the Institute to explore cooperative initiatives with other disciplinary and interdisciplinary organizations and associations; initiatives that can enrich the programs, publications and services of the Institute. These initiatives may simply involve sharing of mission, priority and plans; sharing communications (and possibly publication efforts); cross-representation in meetings and conferences; expanded promotion of programs and meetings; sharing of best practices; or exemplary program initiativesþall done for the purpose of realizing synergy. Our discussions to this point have been very simple and preliminary (and somewhat reminiscent of a youth seeking a first partner for a dance), yet I continue to sense opportunity hereþopportunities quite similar to what's happening in industryþcooperative organizational alliances. I look forward to continued progress and cooperation in this regard.

This year's accomplishments have served to advance the innovative education activities and agenda of the Institute. Our Instructional Innovation Award Competition continues to be a meaningful and successful endeavor, and there is the possibility of it being expanded to include an International Instructional Innovation Award Competition, to be held for the first time at our 1997 international meeting in Sydney, Australia.

In addition, the Board has approved the establishment of a Best Case Award Competition to be implemented in conjunction with our 1997 annual meeting in San Diego. As I mentioned in my January President's Letter, the ``MBA Curriculum in Revision'' Conference during our annual meeting in Boston proved very successful. This has led the Board to affirm that three conference programs (each focusing separately on the Ph.D., MBA, and undergraduate degrees) will be a standing part of our annual meetings and, hopefully, play a similar role at our regional meetings. These programs will be in addition to the existing standing consortia and workshops, so plan your annual meeting time carefullyþyou will have a variety of excellence choices. We are continuing to pursue ways to provide meaningful programs and activities related to innovative education.

I'm encouraged by the progress that we are making toward the use of information technology within the programs, communications and workings of the Institute. Many of our members have demonstrated expertise and excellence in the area of information systems for research, instructional and professional activities. This is evident in our publications and conference presentations. Clive Sanford's (University of South Florida) leadership as the Institute's recent coordinator of computer services provided a useful foundation. Major advances have been realized in database systems in the Institute's Home Office. Al Avery's (Towson State University) continued support and development of conference system software used at both the Institute and regional meetings levels has been very helpful. This year's Ad Hoc Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Bill Perkins (Indiana University), provided an insightful set of recommendations for the Institute. I'm pleased to report that the Board has approved the establishment of an Information Technology Committee as a standing committee that will be instrumental in operationalizing plans in this regard. Our plans at this point are promising and ambitious. Watch for developments as the Institute moves ahead. The Board has made a commitment to further investment in technology and support in order to provide greater access to information and services of the Institute through information technology.

Also, the Board has committed to explore greater use of the Internet and the WWW for Institute communications and publications. Specifically, we'll be placing the 1996 Proceedings abstracts on the WWW, and we're committed to exploring the possibility of CD-ROM Proceedings for the 1997 annual meeting in San Diego.

This year we've continued to nurture the international priority of the Institute. Bob Markland became the Institute's first global development coordinator, and serves as chairperson of the Strategic Planning for International Affairs Committee. The Committee under Bob's leadership has worked to provide structure to the Institute's plans and organization regarding international opportunities. The Board has approved the plan to conduct international meetings on a two-year cycle, and further approved the proposal to hold our next international meeting in Sydney, Australia in July 1997. Norma Harrison (Macquarie University, Australia) will be the program chair. This year the newly formed Asia Pacific Region of the Institute will hold its first regional meeting on June 21-22, 1996, in Hong Kong (Program Chair Ho Geun Lee, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology). Further plans are currently underway this year for an organizing meeting on the possible establishment of a Latin America region of the Institute. Several other committee recommendations aimed toward nurturing global activities at our meetings and in publications were accepted and further encouraged by the Board.

The final, and perhaps most fundamental, priority is simply the continued improvement of the Institute's activities and services. This year we've designed and implemented a set of guidelines for committees that serves to structure and coordinate our efforts. Improvement means that we make progress while holding the excellence of what we've achieved in the past. I trust that we've accomplished this sense of purpose.

From my perspective it has been a productive year. All of the committees have carefully examined their charges and have made numerous improvements within their areas of responsibility. As a result, the Institute is financially stronger, our meeting attendance is on the increase, the number of people actively engaged, and institutions represented, in the Institute is increasing. The Home Office under Carol Latta's leadership has implemented a number of systems and operational improvements that have served to increase both efficiency and effectiveness of what we do for our membership.

These accomplishments, and many others not highlighted here, have been made possible by the efforts of many people, including the Executive Committee, Board members, coordinators, committee chairs and members, and the Home Office staff. This year has taught me, more than ever before, the diversity and extent of energies necessary to produce the excellence that we enjoy.

Special recognition should be given to committee chairpersons and coordinators for their leadership throughout the year (see below). Please take the opportunity to follow their leadership and become more involved in the Institute. I know, first-hand, that you will find it a rewarding and growing experience.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND COORDINATORS...

Brenda Killingsworth, East Carolina University, Chair, Alpha Iota Delta Liaison Committee

Lester Digman, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Chair, Development Committee for Excellence in Decision Sciences

David Olson, Texas A&M University, Chair, Doctoral Student Affairs Committee

Norm Chervany, University of Minnesota, Chair, Fellows Committee David Dilts, University of Waterloo, Chair, Innovative Education Committee

Marion Sobol, Southern Methodist University, Chair, Investment Advisory Committee

Mark Davis, Bentley College, Chair, Member Services Committee

Roscoe Davis, University of Georgia, Chair, Nominating Committee

Jatinder N.D. Gupta, Ball State University, Chair, Programs and Meeting Committee

Bernard W. Taylor, III, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Chair, Publications Committee

Betty Whitten, University of Georgia, Chair, Regional Activities Committee

Robert Markland, University of South Carolina, Chair, Strategic Planning for International Affairs Committee

Bill Perkins, Indiana University, Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Advanced Information Technology

Clive Sanford, University of South Florida, Computer Services Coordinator

Kevin B. Wood, Georgia State University, Associate Computer Services Coordinator

Robert E. Markland, University of South Carolina, Global Development Coordinator

Mark M. Davis, Bentley College, Member Services Coordinator

R. Leon Price, University of Oklahoma, Placement Services Coordinator