“The supply chain management program is ranked No. 1 at MSU because of the energy and synergy between the two departments, but what has happened is marketing became lost in the shadows,” said Shawnee K. Vickery, associate dean for academic affairs and research and the co-director of the master’s of science degree in supply chain management.

On Tuesday, MSU’s Executive Committee of Academic Council sent the proposal to be reviewed by two standing committees – the University Committee on Academic Policy and the University Graduate Council.

The marketing advisory board, which is made up of industry executives, recommended the split, Vickery said.

“It was a very amicable split and it provides a great way for marketing to further excel in teaching, research and outreach,” she said.

“It can establish its own identity and brand to attract students and recruiters.”

Elise Brzoska, a supply chain management junior, said she didn’t know what the two majors had to do with each other, and it would be beneficial for students if the department split.

“It would allow more focus and attention on the separate concentrations,” Brzoska said.

In the college there is some overlap with supply chain management and marketing, but that doesn’t mean they should be one department, Brzoska said.

“It makes sense to separate them because (for) most in the business world it’s a separate department, and so it should be (separate) in the college,” said Robert Duncan, the dean of the college.

These two majors have some overlap in terms of audience, focus and methodology but it is very minimal, Vickery said.

Michael Andrucyk, a marketing sophomore disagreed, and said separating the two would hurt students academically.

He said having the majors in the same department allows students to be better informed about what is happening in each of the fields.

“The two majors might not be directly related, but if you needed to know some aspect of supply chain you would have the knowledge about it,” he said.

This proposed split provides an opportunity for each major to individually focus on enhancing its curriculum, Duncan said.

“We are always looking at programs and finding new emerging issues, skills and capabilities that will be on the leading edge and attract employers,” Duncan said.