Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Helping to define a new class

Next winter semester I will be teaching an introduction to business class to freshmen and sophomores. This will be a very large class – 3 sections of up to 400 students each.

I am asking for a favor from you. Seniors especially. I want you to think about what you know now, what you knew then, and what I might be able to teach to underclassmen (and women).

I have created a wiki for this course at on my server. A wiki is a Web site that anyone who visits can contribute to. This site, and the course it reflects, is nowhere near being done. I'm still changing many things about it but I am narrowing in on a specific list of topics for the lectures. There is a page for the list of lectures. Each one of the class days is a link. Think about what you might want to be covered on any one of those days. Any time over the next month or so, contribute to the appropriate page. Simply add comments at the bottom of the page. I promise to thoughtfully consider any idea that you add.

When was the last time that you were asked to design a class? I bet the answer to that is "never." I hope you contribute, and reward the faith that I have in all of you. Please be sure to sign your name on the contribution so that I know who to go to if I have some follow-up questions. Thanks.

Goings-on in the BBA Program Office

It's been a while since I've given you any updates about what we're doing in the office so I thought I'd give you an update.

  • Rob Koonce, the BBA Student Advisor, is fully engaged with the University, the School, and students. If you have any questions about what classes to take, or if you have any ideas about how to improve the BBA Program, come by and talk with Rob. He's a real dynamic guy, and cares a lot for students. Come by and chat sometime.
  • We've been talking with LS&A Honors, the Residential College, the Comprehensive Studies Program, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, LS&A Advising — pretty much anyone who has anything to do with freshmen at the University.
  • Erika Busch, the BBA Program Associate (she helps me coordinate BBA-related activities with the rest of the University), is coordinating the updating of the BBA Web site. We're trying to create a place for people to go for information about the BBA Program, whether or not they are high school students, freshmen, sophomores, BBAs, or other UM students.
  • Erika and I are working on next year's orientation. We've gone through all — and, yes, I mean all — of the evaluations from last year's orientation. (Thank you very much!) We're probably going to cut it down to 1 day. We're going to make sure that we include interaction with your sections, interaction with ambassadors, and a keynote speaker. We're also going to be sure that Amy Cell, Director of Student Life, will be on the agenda so that students might have a better idea of ways that they can, and should, get involved with activities in the business school.
  • Rob is also working on developing a study and quantitative skills program for freshmen and sophomores. We'll have a full announcement about this soon.

And, finally, we're beginning to plan for the transition to the new building. We still don't know when it's going to happen, but it's going to happen, so we've got to start thinking about all of the things that need to be done. More on this later.

So, in general, we're staying busy, trying to make the BBA Program better for you and future students. Any time that you think of something that we might want to know please come by and speak with either Rob, Erika, or me.