SWOT ANALYSIS
A SWOT analysis was carried out in the frame of the Spring 2014 “Strategic Planning” taught by Meagan Jordan. The goal of the analysis was to assess ODU's internal conditions for setting up MARI. Four groups carried out independent SWOT analyses. Below is a integrated summary of these four analyses. There was considerable overlap in the findings.The four indivdiual analysis are available for groups 1, 2, 3, 4.
Strengths
- Strong interdisciplinary support and participation by dedicated and experienced faculty at ODU in sea level rise and climate change issues
- Participation/support of many groups on campus
- Location
- Undergraduate summer program funded
- Support of research funding by Office of Research
- ODU's reputation and long term community presence
- Many departments, faculty, and ODU-based organizations are assets
- ODU-based organizations are already involved
- Cultural groups are involved
- Contributions from strong institutes
- National focus on climate preparedness (Executive order)
- Transatlantic partnership
|
Weaknesses
- Funding
- Lack of environmental/sustainability courses outside of the oceanography and engineering departments
- Egos/Territorial
- Lack of student/campus group support
- No permanent building or &ldqou;storefront”
- Lack of understanding of the topic
- Parallel existence of MARI and CCSLRI
- Slow hiring process at ODU
- Construction and procurement policies
- Lack of building and limited opportunities for buildings and aging built environment
- Large commuter population
- Conflicting ideological believes connected with diversity
- ODU as a politically and socio-economically conflicting group
- Decentralized structure
- Lack of dedicated funding
- Difficulties in evaluating impacts
- Inter-departemental rivalry
|
Opportunities
- Crossdiscipline collaboration
- Representatives from community environmental organizations come to campus to speak
- Funding for graduate level fellowships
- Opportunity to work with other schools in the area
- Possible new degree programs
- Possible new job opportunities in the community
- Tenure
- Educating the Community, i.e., Science Alliance Live
- Recent additional funding announced October 2013 for Science Alliance Live
- Bringing in additional departments, such as Depts. or Modeling and Simulation, Mechanical and Aerospace Eng., Teaching and Learning, additional faculty, and additional institutes, such as VMASC, SDI, CECP, SMRO, Perry Library, Distance Learning, OCE, Office of Research, etc.
- Linking to existing organizations
- Links to governmental groups (administrations, agencies,
- Alumni
- Increasing accpetance of CC
- More focus events
- Web presence
- Resilient Cities Network
- Flood insurance
- DoD
- NGOs and businesses
|
Threats
- Political fallout for supporting the topic of SLR and climate change
- Possible impact to faculty recommendations for tenure
- Lack of buyin from the community or identification of it as a low priority initiative
- Approval from BoV
- ODU's Budget Office
- Information Technology Services (for web developments)
- Office of Research and IRB
- Provost's council
- Storm surge
- Crime
- Lack of government support
- Cuts of military budget
- Lack of awareness and/or interest
- Competing research
- Undesirable research outcomes
- Time until impacts are visible
|
|
