 The BuffBusiness eNewsletter No. 6 September 2009
In this issue of the Buff Business Newsletter you will read about:
If you'd like to correspond with us, feel free to email us.
We're Back in the CC!
About the only thing remaining from the old building is the flooring. The remainder of the building was gutted. A new elevator shaft was added, allowing for a cozy lobby area with sofas across from the Dean's Office. All three academic departments are in proximity to one another, as well as classrooms.
Our new classrooms are now rich in technology. Two classes are ITV-equipped in order to do double duty with our Amarillo location. Impressive arrays of 40" LCD TVs adorn hallway and office walls, allowing us to promote university and college functions, as well as feed information. Seven classrooms have been named and will receive additional upgrades by Spring 2010.
The Classroom Center was built in 1968 and was in need of a complete makeover. The $18 million dollar project, completely funded by the State of Texas, means that students will be able to receive their education with cutting-edge technology in every room.
This Just In: College of Business Ranked #1 by EBI Faculty Survey
The College of Business at West Texas A&M University was ranked first out of fifteen participating institutions for overall program effectiveness in 2008-2009 Educational Benchmarking Institute (EBI) faculty survey. Business schools participating in the survey are:
Angelo State University
Across multiple comprehensive categories ranging from quality of programs to technology support, the College of Business at West Texas A&M University ranked in the top four in 12 out of the 15 categories and first in overall program effectiveness. Dr. Neil Terry, dean of the College of Business said "Although we still have room for continued improvement, the positive EBI results imply our faculty members are relatively pleased with the current efforts to improve the quality of our academic programs and create a supportive work environment." EBI will be in touch with College of Business students in the spring of 2010 to request survey information from the student perspective.
COB Graduates Weathering the Storm
The College of Business (COB) believes that employment of our graduates is a key indirect assessment tool. The University surveys undergraduate students at the spring graduation to obtain general job market information on current graduates. The College of Agriculture, Science and Engineering (ASE), College of Business (COB), College of Education and Social Sciences (ESS), College of Fine Arts and Humanities (FAH), and Nursing and Health Sciences (NHS) all participate in the survey. Although current labor market conditions are not ideal for new college graduates, College of Business students appear to navigate the recessionary storm better than other areas. Below is a comparative summary report of the employment status of College of Business and WT spring (May) 2009 graduates:
Table: Employment of Graduates by College (WT Spring 2009)
Source: WTAMU Institutional Data (5-15-2009)
Chevron Exec Slated to Speak
Randy Mills, a graduate of WTAMU, will be at WTAMU's Amarillo Center on Tuesday, September 29, to discuss the Chevron MBA Commercial Skills program. The link below provides details about the program. Some of the abilities needed for people who work in this program include the following:
FDIC Internship Program Returns to WTAMU
Question: How do you get a job in the banking and financial services in a time some banks are closing? Answer: Seek training as a financial regulator.
This October the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will return to campus interviewing students for the Student Career Experience Program, Student Trainee (Compliance Examiner) position. The FDIC has a history of seeking West Texas A&M University business students as prospective employees. The paid internship position seeks business students with over 60 credit hours of College work completed (including principles of accounting) and a GPA of 2.8 or higher. Student interns are assigned to a Field Office located in one of the Corporation's Regions. As assigned, the incumbent will be engaged primarily in bank examinations, the purposes of which are to determine compliance with applicable consumer protection, fair lending and civil rights laws and regulations, Community Reinvestment Act, and related enforcement responsibilities.
Dr. Neil Terry, dean of the College of Business, stated "Students participating in the FDIC internship program gain professional field experience that is very valuable to both government and private financial institution employers. Several of our students have participated in this program and we have been extremely happy with the associated employment opportunities and career advancement of our graduates."
West Texas A&M University was introduced to the internship program when distinguished alumnus Don Powell (B.S. in Economics, 1963) was Chairman of the FDIC. Several past internship participants landed jobs with the FDIC upon graduation including the following graduates currently employed by the FDIC:
Daniel Khunert, BBA in General Business (2003) currently at the FDIC in Lubbock, TX
Students interested in the FDIC internship program should contact Career Services at 651-2345 for more details. The FDIC will host an informal information session scheduled for October 5, 2009 and conduct on-campus interviews on October 6, 2009.
Student Advisory Board Selected
The College of Business is please to announce the following list of students selected to serve on the 2009-2010 Student Advisory Board:
Andrew Bennett, M.B.A. student
Student Advisory Board members share in the governance of the College by offering suggestions in a wide variety of topics to the dean and associate dean. Discussion topics for the coming year include prioritization of international travel opportunities, applied domestic travel opportunities, creating a pre-business major, curriculum changes, internship programs, implementation of an electronic faculty evaluation system, furnishing the named classrooms, internal brand management issues, external bran management issues, and job placement activities.
Study Abroad in Summer 2010
Although completely different, the British Columbia and San Miguel de Allende locations both offer students a tremendous opportunity to explore applied cross-cultural and international economic issues in a safe and affordable location. The British Columbia study abroad program will include a stay at Whistler Village, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Historic San Miguel de Allende is the birthplace of the Mexican independence movement from Spain. The Mexico and Canada study abroad trips are tentatively scheduled to include four student-faculty campus meetings and 10-13 days abroad. Price estimates are $1,850 for British Columbia and $1,350 for San Miguel de Allenda, including tuition and fees for three credit hours of course credit in management or economics. Additional information will be forthcoming in the months ahead, but students interested in either location for the summer of 2010 are encouraged to contact Dr. LaVelle Mills (lmills@wtamu.edu) or Ms. Lynsee Womble.
Owens Completes 30th Year at PCBS
Dr. James Owens, AEF department head and professor of finance, was recognized August 2009 by the Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS) for 30 years of service. During this time he has witnessed enormous changes in the structure and practices of the commercial banking industry.
PCBS was founded in 1938 and is operated under the auspices of the Pacific Bankers Management Institute in association with the University of Washington in Seattle. The three-year program serves as a professional training opportunity for bankers. Owens teaches Understanding Business Finance as part of the first-year required curriculum and an International Finance elective course.
"The opportunity to train and interact with professional bankers keeps me very current with the challenges in the finance profession and helps me prepare West Texas A&M business students for these challenges," said Owens. Owens earned B.B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from West Texas A&M University before completing his doctorate degree at the Harvard Business School and returning to West Texas A&M as a faculty member.
Dr. Owens with his wife, Carolyn Balzar at the Pacific Coast Banking School
New Faculty Welcomed to the COB
The College of Business welcomes four new faculty to its ranks for the Fall 2009 semester. Joining us are:
SIFE Attends Training
 SIFE officers attended a Fall Training Conference at the University of Texas at Dallas on September 19 to prepare for the year. With more than 100 members, this years SIFE team is excited about a new leadership team, a new office in 218A of the refurbished Classroom Center, and new projects such as working with Refugee Services of Texas to help with refugee settlement in Amarillo. They look forward to continuing their dominance at regional competition next Spring.
Graduate Student Organization Forming
Some West Texas A&M faculty and graduate students are interested in creating a campus organization for graduate students. This organization would unite the approximately 1500 graduate students who are pursuing a masters or doctorate degree at West Texas A&M. In addition to creating a social community for graduate students, it is hopeful the organization will one day be able to provide opportunities for scholarships and involvement in student affairs that specifically impact graduate students.
Charter representatives from across the campus are needed to help in the creation of this graduate organization. If you are interested in helping with the start-up of a graduation organization, please email Teresa Shrock, or call 806.651.2730. Once the organization has been chartered, a campus-wide invitation for all graduate students interested in joining.
Quick Links
Remember these easy-to-use URLs for quick access to relevant web pages. No longer do you need to drill down through several pages to find what you are looking for. Now you can go directly: Thanks for reading this far. On behalf of the College of Business, have a great semester. As always, if you have any suggestions, please feel free to drop me a line.
R. Nicholas Gerlich
(The views expressed herein are those of the individual author, and do not necessarily represent the views of West Texas A&M University, its faculty and staff, or its students. Feel free to distribute this as you wish.) |
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Welcome to the first edition of the Buff Business Newsletter for the 2009-2010 academic year! We hope you are settling into the new semester, as well as enjoying our newly renovated digs. The faculty are every bit as happy as you are to finally be home. And what a nice home it is!
The week of July 20th marked a momentous occasion for the College of Business. Our 18 months of exile in the Old Fine Arts Building came to an end with our return to the newly-renovated Classroom Center. For the first time, the COB is located on only one level in the building. While there is still a little unpacking remaining, we are now settling into our new home.
The College of Business is pleased to announce preliminary efforts to create summer study abroad opportunities in Canada and Mexico. The North America study abroad initiative is being organized by Dr. LaVelle Mills, associate dean & professor of management. This fall Dr. Mills is traveling to British Columbia and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, in an effort to finalize transportation, lodging, and excursion opportunities.
