[The following article appears in the February 1995 edition of
_TQM_in_Higher_Education_, pages 3 to 6.]

                            TAKE SMALL STEPS

     Six years ago, a professorial sabbatical led Missouri
Southern State College (MSSC) to take the first steps on its TQM
journey.
     The original topic of that faculty member's sabbatical--
which he broadened after partnering with several businesses--was
statistical process control. Eventually, one of his business
contacts was tapped to teach TQM seminars at the college,
training more than a dozen faculty and staff from the school of
business on quality processes.
     A quality council, comprised of faculty and staff from the
B-school and supported by James Gray (dean of the school of
business), was the outcome of the training. The all-volunteer
council of 12-15 members meets once a week for 65 minutes. It's
goal: "to prioritize activities that the school of business
should address," says Terry Marion, coordinator of the quality
resource center and a B-school faculty member.
     From the council's priorities, came class assignments for
Marion's full-credit class on TQM for B-school students last
semester. The students learned the principles of TQM by
choosing a problem from the council's prioritized items.
     The four teams of six worked on problems such as scheduling
of classes "we've never had any scientific data to determine when
the classes should be offered," says Marion--student-industry
networking, and student services. While the students could select
both their teams and the problem, Marion ensured that one student
on each team was an "expert" in statistical process control.
     After learning how to use brainstorming and cause/effect
tools, several of the teams found they needed more data. So they
created survey instruments to collect the information from their
peers, faculty, and local businesses.
     What the students discovered was, because of time, they
weren't able to see their problem through to conclusion. However,
they did learn that "TQM can't solve problems overnight," says
Marion. A new class will pick up where the old one left off, and
Marion hopes for some results to be communicated to the quality
council in the spring.
     In addition to improving B-school student services, the
council is using TQM to:
     * increase enrollment in the school of business, and
     * cause further interaction between the school of
     business and the work environment.
     The council has recently broadened its membership to include
several faculty from the school of technology, who share common
bonds with a joint major in computer-aided manufacturing and
integrated manufacturing and relationships with industry.
     A quality resource center, which Marion heads, supports the
council in its efforts. The center, which is under the umbrella
of small business development, includes more than 250 tapes, 300
books, and numerous kits and other quality materials, many
donated by local industries who are allowed to borrow them for
free. "We do ask for donations however," says Marion.
     The center acts as a clearinghouse for both industry and the
students who use it as a resource library. Several of Marion's
students earn independent study credit for the research they do
for faculty using the center's resources. An electronic bulletin
board, where individuals can call in and view the items that are
available, helps make the center user-friendly. Support for the
center comes from grants, overload pay, faculty volunteers, and
student help.
     Support for TQM among the faculty seems to be growing, as
evidenced by a new minor in TQM. While some react with the
customary "over my dead body," new faculty are told that they
will be expected to be involved with TQM before hiring.
     But Marion finds the selling of TQM to new faculty a
double-edged sword. The people who are hired are supportive of
the effort but "we also get people who are a little bit
disappointed about the pace of TQM because we're taking such
small steps."
     But the college is finding that the benefits far outweigh
the negatives. Marion points out that since the development of
the council and the center, there's now more interaction with
industry, recruiters are happy to see quality management courses
on students' transcripts, and communication has improved among
the faculty and staff in the school of business and between the
schools of business and technology--"as Deming said, 'break down
barriers,"' remarks Marion.
     But the greatest benefit may be impending, says Marion, "by
bringing the 'real-world' in, TQM is making us more competitive."
     For more information, contact: Terry Marion, Coordinator,
Quality Resource Center, Missouri Southern State College, 3950 E.
Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801; Ph: 417/625-9538; Fax:
417/625-9782.