Business Students benefit from philantrophy

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- When businessman and former Colorado Rockies owner Jerry McMorris was a young man, he spent a part of each morning speed-reading The Wall Street Journal.



He credits part of his business success to the broad financial picture he developed from gleaning the pages of the financial paper. Now, he’s offering that same chance at success to business students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.



This fall, thanks to a grant from McMorris, the Wall Street Journal delivers 200 copies of the paper daily to Dwire Hall and gives 1,100 MBA and undergraduate business students access to subscriber-only online content. The pilot program is similar to one he began at CU-Boulder several years ago. Professors in the college are using the paper to enhance discussions in their classes, and students are finding the headlines have more meaning when they understand the concepts at play.



Tracy Gonzalez-Padron, assistant professor, Business, uses The Wall Street Journal in her graduate-level business, government and society course.



“I’m very happy to have it,” she said. “Especially with the current business headlines, it brings immediate relevancy to what we’re covering in class.”



Gonzalez-Padron asks her students to select an article that reflects class topic and start a discussion on the class’s electronic discussion board.



“This sort of interaction is possible because every student has access to the paper and its online content,” she said.



“This gift from Mr. McMorris will go a long way in pursuing our vision of building successful futures for our students,” said Venkat Reddy, dean, College of Business. “The Wall Street Journal gives our students an opportunity to stay current with the latest happenings in the business world and discuss these issues in the classroom with faculty and fellow students, thereby tying theory and practice.”



Students already recognize the value of the program.



“Please pass on to Mr. McMorris my sincere gratitude,” wrote Michael Britt, a distance MBA student, shortly after receiving an email alerting him of the gift. Britt, who lives in Virginia, is specializing in project management and finance.



The College of Business has more than 1,100 undergraduates and 450 MBA and Distance MBA students. The college is accredited by AACSB International, an organization that accredits less than 15 percent of business schools worldwide.



UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado, and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 30 bachelor’s degrees, 18 masters’, and four doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 8,000 students annually. (Posted 2008-09-29)

Look who's in the Million Dollar Club!

Look who's in the Million Dollar Club

Faculty and staff actively engaged in campus research were recognized for their contributions at the 4th Annual UCCS Celebration of Research and Scholarship Thursday in the Lodge. In particular, 12 faculty members who have raised more than a million dollars in sponsored research were inducted into the “Million Dollar Club.”

“The work these individual produce continues to advance our university. It also creates an infrastructure that supports a variety of future research endeavors,” said Michael Larson, associate vice chancellor for research and innovation.

The 2008 Million Dollar Club Charter Inductees Include:

* Bill Ayen, senior instructor, Business
* Terrance Boult, El Pomar Chair of Innovation and Security
* Zbigniew Celinski, professor, Physics
* Bob Camley, professor, Physics
* Lindy Crawford, assistant professor, Education
* Bob Durham, associate professor, Psychology
* Jugal Kalita, professor, Engineering
* T.S. Kalkur, professor, Engineering
* Kelli Klebe, professor, Psychology
* Michael Larson, associate vice chancellor for research and innovation
* Karen Newell, Markert Professor, Biology
* Tom Pyszczynski, professor, Psychology

Original Article - http://www.uccs.edu/~ur/communique/2008/09/19/milliondollarclub.html (Posted 2008-09-25)

Dr.'s O.C. and Linda Ferrell to visit the COB

Great news for the College of Business! Dr. O.C. Ferrell is a Professor of Marketing and Creative Enterprise Scholar at the University of New Mexico. In 2005-2006 he was the first Bill Daniels Distinguished Professor of Business Ethics at the University of Wyoming and in charge of a state-wide business ethics initiative. He is also editor of www.e-businessethics.com and has developed a business ethics certificate program through the University of New Mexico's Management evelopment Center. His academic research focuses on ethical decision making, stakeholder relationships and social responsibility.





He is past president of the Academic Council of the American Marketing Association and chaired the American Marketing Association Ethics Committee twice. Under his leadership, the committee developed the AMA Code of Ethics and the AMA Code of Ethics for Marketing on the Internet. He is a Society for Marketing Advances Fellow and a member of the Board


of Governors for the Academy of Marketing Science. (Posted 2008-09-16)

UCCS lauded as top rated University

The undergraduate engineering program at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is among the best in the nation and the entire university is among the best public universities in the Western United States, according to the editors of U.S. News and World Report.

In the 2009 college rankings edition, "America's Best Colleges," to be released Aug. 25, the magazine's editors ranked the UCCS undergraduate engineering program tenth in the nation among public engineering schools offering bachelor's or master's degrees. The magazine's editors ranked the overall quality of UCCS sixth among public master's degree-granting Western universities.

For the past several years, UCCS ranked in the top tier of all public and private master's universities in the West. Master's universities provide a full range of undergraduate and master's degree programs.

The undergraduate engineering program at UCCS was ranked in the same category as U.S. military academies. Other top engineering programs at public universities offering bachelor's or master's degrees were California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo, the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, California State University Polytechnic-Pomona, Rowan University, San Jose State University, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Virginia Military Institute, and UCCS.

The top public Western universities granting master's degrees were California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo, New Mexico Institute of Technology, Western Washington University, California State University-Long Beach, Evergreen State College, Arizona State University-West, California State University Polytechnic University-Pomona, and UCCS.

In ranking more than 1,400 colleges and universities, U.S. News relies on quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality. Among the measures are student retention rates, graduation rates and class size.

"On behalf of all UCCS faculty and staff, I am pleased the high-quality of UCCS was recognized from a non-partisan and objective point of view," Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak said. "Rankings demonstrate the commitment of this university to providing affordable, accessible education opportunities for the southern Colorado region."

A round up of rankings of other CU System universities is available at https://www.cu.edu/. The complete rankings are available at www.usnews.com.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado, and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 29 bachelor's degrees, 18 masters', and four doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,700 students annually. (Posted 2008-08-25)

Alumni Networking at the ballpark!

Alumni Networking at the ballpark!

DATE: Thursday, August 28, 2008

TIME: Game begins at 6:05 p.m.

LOCATION: Security Service Field, 4385 Tutt Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80922

Bring your family and come root for the Sky Sox as they take on the Tuscon Sidewinders! We have 150 free tickets for the College of Business Alumni section.

Get your free tickets!

Contact Jana Hyde with your name, class year, mailing address, phone number, email address, and number of tickets requested. (jhyde@uccs.edu or 719-262-3755)

So that as many people as possible may participate, tickets are intended for an alumnus and a guest or an alumnus and his/her immediate family. Tickets are available until they are depleted or until August 21, whichever comes first. Parking and concessions are not included with the ticket. (Posted 2008-07-29)

Photos - Presidential Candidate Obama at UCCS

View the photo gallery.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., visited UCCS Wednesday as part of his bid for the presidency of the United States.

In an invitation-only event at the University Center Gymnasium, Obama talked about his personal background and values and encouraged the audience to help him redefine service to the country. An estimated 400 people attended the event that began shortly after 11 a.m. and concluded shortly after noon.

“In America, each of us is free to seek our own dreams,” Obama said. “But we must serve a higher calling, our country.”

While complimentary of men and women in the armed forces, Obama called for an expansion of all Americans to answer a call to serve the country. He talked about expanding such programs as Americorps, the Peace Corps, foreign diplomatic service and creating what he termed a “civilian national security force.”

Using references to John F. Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt and quoting Martin Luther King Jr., Obama talked about the joining of forces – government, private sector and academia – to create a social investment network that would spur innovation in the non-profit sector of the economy.

“I ask that you stand up and plant your foot firmly in history.”

Obama’s visit was unsolicited by the university. The Obama campaign rented the University Center Gymnasium and reimbursed the university for time employees spent assisting in set up. (Posted 2008-07-09)

COB honored by the CSBJ

the 2008 Best of voting recently closed with over 43,000 votes (survey done by the CSBJ) and UCCS was voted the Best Colorado School for an MBA, the Best Colorado Business School and runner up for the Best Colorado School for an Online Degree. The Best of Party will be held in Dwire Hall on Thursday, July 24th.

Register for the event over at the CSBJ (Posted 2008-06-05)

COB students place 2nd at D.O.D. Competition

Jeff Frausher, Lindsey Meyer, Jenna Daurio, and Shell Herbst)placed second in the EdVenture Partners Department of Defense National Case Competition. Yesterday they were among three finalists to present at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. A special thanks goes to Glenn Steimling for accompanying the students to Washington in place of Dr. Andrew Czaplewski.

These students topped a very good field of schools including the University of Wisconsin, Madison and Drexel University.

The students put together an integrated marketing communications campaign plan for the DoD to recruit "heritage speakers" (graduating college students with fluency in specific languages).

These students will be recognized personally at the 2008 College of Business Student Awards Ceremony being held in late May. P join us in congratulating them. (Posted 2008-05-19)

SHRM wins Merit Award for Student HR Group

Recently we were informed that our UCCS student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) received an annual merit award from the national SHRM office. The merit award is given to those chapters who are actively involved in a variety of professional HR activities on campus and in the community. Among the students who are leaders of our SHRM chapter this past were Heather Jungst, Vicky Earl, Debbie Strauch, April Archuleta, and Roseann Valdez-Anderson. Special thanks also to my faculty co-advisor, Don Gardner. Please join me in congratulating these students. (Posted 2008-05-19)

Dr. Miller wins prestigious Lybrand award.

THE LYBRAND AWARDS



The Lybrad Awards have been established to honor the thirty-one years of service of William A. Lybrand to the Institute. Awards of medals and certificates are made to the members of the Institute who make outstanding contributions to the literature of industrial accounting during the year.



Dr. Miller's paper was chosen as the leadning document out of 150 submissions from across the nation. Congratulations go to Paul! (Posted 2008-05-12)

College of Business receives EDC award

The Colorado Springs Economic Development Corporation awarded its 2007 Community Enhancement Award to the UCCS College of Business this week.

The award recognizes people or organizations that contribute to the economic vitality of the greater Colorado Springs area.

“Under the guidance and leadership of Dean Venkat Reddy, the College of Business has launched several new initiatives to further connect the college to the greater business community,” Mike Kazmierski, president and CEO, Economic Development Corporation, said.

“This award is the result of a team effort,” said Reddy. “Our faculty, staff, alumni and the administration of the university have fully supported these innovative programs. By giving us this award, the community also gives us an obligation to continue improving our college.”

Kazmierski cited Reddy for creating and driving “a vision for the college and its role in enhancing the business climate for employers and in building bright futures for its students.” Kazmierski noted Reddy’s vigorous marketing of the college to the business community, and using successful alumni to drive the mission.

In reaching out to the community, the college has developed programs that respond to market forces and business needs. The Professional Golf Management program, accredited by the Professional Golfer’s Association of America, prepares students for careers in the golf industry.

The growing College of Business Alumni Association is organizing discussions between the faculty and local companies to learn how the college can better prepare graduates for the work force. The results will help shape the curriculum and auxiliary programs offered by the alumni association.

In November, the college’s Distance MBA program will celebrate 10 years of graduates. One of the earliest online MBA degrees available, the program is the oldest online MBA program accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the leading accrediting agency for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in business administration and accounting.

In 2006, the College of Business, in partnership with the College of Engineering and Applied Science, launched the multi-disciplinary Bachelor of Innovation degree. The BI is the only degree of its kind in the country with a core curriculum in innovation and entrepreneurship classes offered by both colleges.

This fall, the college will introduce a Sport Management track to meet the needs of the $213 billion sports industry. The program will draw on the faculty of the College of Business, and will also take advantage of the Colorado Springs area’s rich sports culture, including the United States Olympic Committee, the national governing bodies of Olympic sports, and the many professional sports organizations located along the Front Range.

“We are in the business of building successful futures,” Reddy said. “By that, we mean ‘successful futures’ for our students, faculty, staff, alumni, university, and greater community.”

The College of Business graduates more than 350 students each year, with more than half remaining in the Colorado Springs area. More than 3,400 alumni live in the Pikes Peak region.

The College of Business enrolls 1,100 undergraduates and 450 MBA and Distance MBA students. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, an organization that accredits less than 15 percent of business schools worldwide.

-- Jana Hyde (Posted 2008-05-02)

A rising star among us

I am delighted to let you know that Lisanne McNew, Assistant Director of SBDC was recognized last evening at the Colorado Springs Business Journal Rising Stars function as one of the Colorado Springs Rising Stars.

Please join me in congratulating her. Way to go Lisanne! (Posted 2008-04-25)

Dr. Fred Crowley speaks on recession

The nation has already slid into a recession, but the Pikes Peak region has been spared so far because it has continued to add jobs, local economist Fred Crowley said Wednesday.

"Are we in a recession? I'm pretty sure we're in a recession right now," said Crowley, a senior economist with the Southern Colorado Economic Forum at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He spoke to about 75 people during a Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs breakfast meeting. Full Article here (Posted 2008-03-13)

Graduate School of Bus. Admin earns top nod

GetEducated.com is honoring the Graduate School of Business and Administration with a ranking amongst the top 30 "Best Buys" for an MBA program in the states. This national designation indicates that our institution offers a high quality distance MBA to a national audience at an affordable cost.





More than half a million learners visit GetEducated.com each year seeking advice on which of the 168 distance MBAs that are profiled best fit their needs, and UCCS's Graduate School of Business and Administration has been prominently featured for the past several years! (Posted 2008-03-10)

Sport Management Program covered in RMN

The Undergraduate Sport Management Progam at UCCS's College of Business has recently been convered in the Rocky Mountain News "This just in..." section. Check out yesterdays featured article for the full coverage. (Posted 2008-02-29)

Business Students get personal finance lesson

Link to full article at Gazette.com
In an age when more college students have iPods than IRAs, it’s not easy to find a student who cares about retirement income. Unless you’re at the Finance 220 class at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

There you will find 42 students analyzing issues in debt, budgeting, investments, insurance and retirement planning.

The lesson they’re taught: how handling money now will affect the rest of their life.

This semester’s class, taught by local financial planner and CU alum Allan Roth, is the first personal finance offering at UCCS’ College of Business. It was the idea of UCCS professor of finance Tom Zwirlein after thinking his son could have benefited from such a class after making financial mistakes early in his life.

Roth uses a textbook and his experience to bring reallife issues into the class.

Thursday, he decried extended warranties and praised the wonders of compounded interest on savings.

Roth tells students he wants them to think about better ways to use their money, whether it’s by shopping around or creating a diversified portfolio.

“Having a class aimed at helping me understand what’s good and what’s not will really benefit me in the long run,” said student Jacob Rice.

Added student Anton Liashko: “It really helps with knowing that when you are young you do have the know-how and skill to really grasp what’s out there.”

Most of the students agreed that the class should be a requirement instead of an elective.

“If you understand now the how-to for when you do have money, that’s the biggest point that will help you later,” said student Lisa Zueck.

Research may support the students’ belief that studying personal finance in college has the biggest payoff later in life.

A study at Ohio State University found college students who took a personal finance class scored higher in investment knowledge than those who studied it in high school.

The reason, according to study co-author Jonathan Fox of the college’s consumer sciences program, is that lessons are more relevant in college than high school.

“College students may be paying rent, tuition, cell phone bills and dealing with financial aid issues,” Fox said in a statement of his results. “They can see the importance of financial literacy.”

This week, the class studies investments in retirement planning as they prepare for next week’s final exam. Roth expects them all to pass — and leave with even more.

“I hope they walk away with some concepts. I at least want them to be aware of these things and understand the role money has in their lives.”

Contact the writer or send personal finance questions to: dan.serra@gazette.com or Dan Serra, Gazette Business Desk, 30 S. Prospect St., Colorado Springs 80903. (Posted 2007-12-13)

Honoring Dr. Wilcox- Accounting Professorship

Dr. Kirk Wilcox, an expert in International Accounting Standards has announced his retirement from UCCS. He will be leaving after a 3-year phased retirement.



We have been blessed to have outstanding faculty such as Dr. Wilcox and our continuing challenge is to build on that legacy in the midst of tight market conditions. Our goal, is to meet and exceed the standards set by the retiring faculty whose careers we celebrate and honor.



The campus and the College of Business are committed to working with the community and alumni, to raise the necessary funds to establish an endowed faculty position to recognize Dr. Wilcox, for his outstanding achievements in accounting and teaching. The minimum amount required to endow a position is $500,000. Earnings from this endowment will enhance the funding the campus and college will need to provide to add a new faculty line. (Posted 2007-11-14)

Article by COB faculty published in Gazette

Dr. Crowley, a long standing member of the Southern Colorado EconomicForum, has recently published an article concerning troubles with hotel occupancy in the Colorado Springs area. The article was published in the CS Gazette and Fred was was quoted in the Rocky Mountain News. (Posted 2007-11-14)

Another successful SCEF this year

This past week saw another successful Souther Colorado Economic Forum take place. It was attended by a number of key leaders in our community, with a total attendace of over 530. Please download an electronic copy of the Forum booklet and of the Presentation Slides.

A number of articles related to the forum appeared in the Gazette.

Dr. Crowley's audio from the forum

Dr. Zwirlein's audio from the forum (Posted 2007-10-15)

New area of emphasis within the College

Starting fall semester 2008, the College of Business at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will initiate a new undergraduate major in sport management. This program will build upon the college's highly successful marketing and Professional Golf Management programs. With this new offering in sport management we will now be able to provide an AACSB accredited management education to students with a broad range of sports interests.

Colorado Springs arguably offers the best location in the country to pursue a degree in sport management. Located within our community are the headquarters of US Olympic Committee and its adjoining training facilities, as well as twenty-nine national sport governing bodies including USA Hockey, USA Volleyball, USA Basketball, USA Swimming, USA Wrestling, and US Figure Skating to name just a few. Colorado Springs is also home to the Sports Corporation – host of the State Games of America, the Sky Sox AAA baseball team, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Mountain West Conference, National Junior College Athletic Association, as well as major college sports programs including the Air Force Academy, Colorado College, and UCCS's fast rising collegiate athletics program. Located an hour's drive north in Denver are seven highly successful professional teams including the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Crush and of course the Denver Broncos. And finally, Colorado Springs lies within easy driving distance of the country's best skiing, hiking, fly fishing, rafting, and mountain biking. It is the college's proximity to these organizations that gives us the ability to offer a sport management program like no other in the country. Students in our program will experience multiple internships with these and/or other prominent sports organizations. In addition, our students will have access to managers in these companies during their on-campus class experiences. (Posted 2007-10-09)

11th Annual Southern Colorado Economic Forum

The Southern Colorado Economic Forum brings together local experts from the public, private, and academic sectors to report on our economy. Thought of by many as our region’s economic “State of the Union,” the Forum offers the community an annual snapshot of local economic activity and provides forecasts to help businesses plan for the upcoming year.


This valuable research about where our community has been and where we are headed is made possible through a cooperative effort between UCCS and local business sponsors. This long-standing partnership between the academic and business communities has produced timely, accurate, and objective economic data to guide local businesses for nearly a decade.


When: October 11th 2007, 7:00am - 12:00pm

Where: Antlers Hilton Hotel

Register now! (Posted 2007-09-27)

Dwire Hall covered in the Gazette and CSBJ

Dwire Hall is the object of much fanfare and attention these days. The Colorado Springs Gazette wrote two glowing articles on us. One was under the Business section and the other resides under the Frontpage Headlines. The Colorado Sprigns Business Journal wrote a wonderful pithy piece that featured us as well (Posted 2007-08-21)

Dwire Hall Grand reopening a Grand success!

This return to Dwire Hall brings faculty and staff members back under one roof. Feel free to come back and talk to any of our knowledgable faculty members and courteous staff members about our time apart and how we're all looking forward to the Fall 2007 semester! (Posted 2007-08-17)

Careers with the College of Business

The College of Business is currently accepting resumes for new faculty and staff positions. If you're interested, head over to our Job Opening page. (Posted 2007-08-09)

RMAC names Business grad athlete of the year

Lindsay Shandera was named the RMAC female Scholar-Athlete of the year for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the conference announced Wednesday.

As it has done the past four years, the UCCS Athletic Department nominated its McLaughlin Award winners since the criteria for each award are the same. The McLaughlin Award is the highest honor an athlete can receive at UCCS.

Each of the 14 RMAC institutions chose a male and female athlete as their honoree for RMAC Honor Student-Athlete. To be eligible for the RMAC Honor-Student Athlete award, individuals must be an athlete in one of the conference sponsored championship sports; carry at least a 3.20 Grade Point Average (GPA); be either a starter or key reserve on their respective team; be of good character and must have participated at the active member institution for two (2) or more seasons in at least one (1) sport. True freshman and Junior College or Community College transfers are not eligible their first year at the RMAC institution.

The 2006-2007 RMAC Honor Scholar-Athletes will be recognized at the 2007 RMAC Hall of Fame and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, July 14 at the Silverwood Hotel and Conference Center in Colorado Springs. In addition, a sign with each athlete’s name will be provided to each school for display. (Posted 2007-06-06)

Business students earn national recognition

The Society for Human Resource Management has recognized the UCCS student chapter with a Superior Merit Award. The competition considered 118 entries from more than 400 student chapters. The award recognizes College of Business student SHRM members for their exceptional ability in operations, the professional development of chapter members, promotion of the profession and support of SHRM.

Dr. John Milliman, Professor of Management and Organization, and Dr. Don Gardner, Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior, lead the local student chapter.

Learn more about our local SHRM chapter by visiting the SHRM student chapter at http://www.uccs.edu/~shrm, or by visiting the main SHRM web site at http://www.shrm.org.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management, representing more than 210,000 individual members. (Posted 2007-05-04)

Trumpfheller honored by University

As a COB alumnus, Sheri Trumpfheller is putting her education to good use, by giving back to the College.

Six and a half years after receiving her MBA from UCCS, Sheri has come full circle, having been tapped by the University as this year's Instructor of the Year. Sheri teaches Principles of Accounting I and II, Intermediate Accounting I and II, and Cost Accounting.

Sheri identifies five factors for her success as an instructor:

• The firm belief that all students can learn all subjects at some level
• The outstanding student body at UCCS
• A willingness to keep learning and trying new things in the classroom
• A willingness and desire to learn from others (students, other teachers, staff, friends, family, everyone!)
• Dedication!

Czaplewski wins "Outstanding Teacher" award

Dr. Andrew Czaplewski, Associate Professor of Marketing and International Business, has been named "Outstanding Teacher" for 2007 by the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Andrew teaches a variety of classes in the areas of Marketing, Advertising, and International Business. He is the founder of and Coordinator for our International Business Seminars program, a Short Term Study Abroad Program in Europe. Since its inception, 55 UCCS students have gone on an international business seminars trip.

Andrew has been teaching at UCCS since 1999 and has twice won the College of Business Outstanding Teaching Award and is this year’s winner of the College of Business Outstanding Distance MBA Teaching Award. He has twice been a finalist for the College of Business Outstanding Faculty Award, which recognizes excellence in all three areas of teaching, research and service.

When asked about the key factors for his success in the classroom, Andrew replied "Overall, it’s empathy. Everything I cover in front of student I first play out in my mind and try to see it as a student would. From a student perspective, I ask 'is this interesting, is it holding my attention, does the way it is being presented help be better understand the concept, and most importantly, so what... Is it apparent why this content is valuable and will help students succeed.' Getting to know students personally is a value we all share. I and my colleagues are vested in our students’ success." (Posted 2007-05-02)

Series of Finance seminars offered freely

Four widely respected speakers will present various engaging topics in four one hour events at the University Center Theater. On February 20, Carlos Frum, founder of Northbrook Computers, INC Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, and Entrepreneur in Residence at DePaul University, will present "From founding to exit in 14 years."

"Successful Failure" is the title of the speech Steve Baker will present on February 28th. Baker is the founder of Global Group, and is a serial entrepreneur and author.

Karl Dakin will share his experiences in venture capital funding by presenting "Raising Angel Funding and Seed Capital" on April 4th. Dakin is an entrepreneur and start-up specialist.

On April 25, Patrick Bultema will present "Venture Capital". Bultema is a Venture Partner at vSpring Capital.

These presentations are part of the 2007 Entrepreneurial Finance Speaker Series, sponsored by the Colorado Institute for Technology Transfer and Implementation and the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration.

Parking is available at nominal charge in the visitor section of the UCCS parking garage. Please RSVP to CITTI at citti@uccs.edu. (Posted 2007-03-25)

New Director of Undergraduate Programs

The College of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Glenn Steimling, PhD as the new Director of of Undergraduate Programs for the College of Business. Steimling replaces outgoing director Kathleen Thompson. "Kathleen has done an outstanding job for the College and we will miss her very much," said Dean Venkat Reddy.

Steimling is a native of Pennsylvania where he was born and attended school, graduating from East Stroudsburg HS. He began his college studies at Bucknell University before transferring to Plymouth State College where he earned his BS degree in Education. The University of Arizona was his next stop for a Masters of Education in Higher Education before earning his doctorate at the University of New Mexico in Sports Management. Prior to relocating to Colorado Springs, Glenn was a tenured Assistant Professor and Department Chair in the Human Performance and Sports Sciences Department at Tennessee State University in Nashville. He has been on campus as the Business Liaison in the Student Success Center since August 2005. Glenn and his wife Linda live in the Briargate area with their children Nicole and Marcus. (Posted 2006-12-26)

Reidl-Smith joins PGM program

The College of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Rosey Reidl-Smith as the new PGM Executive Assistant for the College of Business.

Reidl-Smith worked for the Broadmoor Golf Club, a five star, five diamond resort as the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Golf. She graduated from Campbell University in North Carolina in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Science, majoring in Sport Management. Reidl-Smith is married to a PGM graduate who is a PGA Teaching Professional working for GolfTEC. Reidl-Smith is excited about helping the PGM students succeed through each level of the Professional Golf Management Program; as well as assisting the entire PGM team.

Retiring PGM executive assistant Kathy Abeyta Kathy "has done an outstanding job for the PGM program and the College of Business and we miss her very much.," said Dean Venkat Reddy. (Posted 2006-12-11)

New Bachelor of Innovation degree approved

The University of Colorado Board of Regents today (Nov. 2) unanimously approved a new family of degrees for students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Meeting at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center campus in Aurora, the regents agreed with recommendations made by UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and CU President Hank Brown to offer what is believed to be the first degrees of their kind in the United States, a bachelor of innovation. Initial offerings will include the BI in Business Administration, BI in Computer Science, BI in Electrical Engineering and BI in Game Design and Development.

The new family of degrees will include initial offerings in business and engineering and are designed to meet the needs of employers interested in graduates who have skills in both areas as well as experience in the innovation process and working extensively in team environments. Students will be able to further enhance their skills by opting for specialization in areas such as globalization, creative communication, advanced engineering and advanced business.

“I am appreciative of the support of the board for UCCS to create what we believe will be a unique educational experience that allows students to expand their base of knowledge and to meet the needs of industries who must compete globally,” Shockley-Zalabak said.

Currently, UCCS offers bachelor’s of science and bachelor’s of arts degrees in engineering and business. Under the plan approved by the regents, those degrees will remain but students will have the option to complete 42 to 50 credit hours of additional courses to earn a bachelor’s of innovation. The additional coursework includes an innovation core that includes topics such as entrepreneurship, business law and intellectual property law. In addition, students will choose a cross-discipline specialty area such as globalization or creative communication. For example, students choosing the globalization area will be encouraged to have a one-semester study abroad experience. The students who complete the requirements will receive a bachelor of innovation degree in business administration, computer science, electrical engineering or game design and development.

“The need for a dramatic reform in engineering education is nationally recognized,” Jeremy Haefner, dean, College of Engineering and Applied Science, said. “UCCS is responding to this need by working to create engineers with business and innovation skills who will be effective in furthering the goals of both profit and non-profit organizations.”

Venkat Reddy, dean, College of Business, said business administration majors who select the innovation emphasis will have an improved understanding of engineering processes.

“This is a great opportunity for business and engineering students to gain skills that cannot be easily duplicated as they prepare to compete in the new global economy. This increased knowledge will also help them to become effective leaders in local, international, and multinational organizations,” Reddy said.

Both deans said they have received strong support for the bachelor of innovation concept from local and national industrial leaders. Each also credited Terry Boult, El Pomar Chair of Communication and Computation, for his role in sparking discussion about developing a new curriculum that would allow business and engineering students to combine interests.

The new program must be approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. Once approved, UCCS plans to offer the degree for the Fall 2007 semester. For more information, contact the College of Business and Administration, (719) 262-3408 or http://business.uccs.edu/ or the College of Engineering and Applied Science, (719) 262-3541 or http://eas.uccs.edu/. (Posted 2006-11-06)

Business Development director wins award

Matt Barrett, director of the Small Business Development Center hosted by the College of Business at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, was recently selected as the 2006 State Star of the Colorado SBDC.

“I am pleased to make this announcement, and to recognize Barrett for extraordinary contributions to small business in Colorado,” said Kelly Manning, state director, Colorado SBDC.

Barrett was recognized for being an exemplary performer, making a significant contribution to the UCCS SBDC program and showing a strong commitment to small business in Colorado Springs.

“It is an honor to accept this award,” said Barrett “and to have the opportunity to help so many people achieve the dream of starting and succeeding in their own business.”

Barrett took lead of the UCCS SBDC in January.

“Matt brings to the SBDC a desire to help accomplish the dreams of current and prospective small business owners in our community by guiding them through the business planning process,” said Venkat Reddy, dean, College of Business and Administration at UCCS.

America’s Small Business Development Center Network connects private enterprise, government, higher education and local nonprofit economic development organizations. It is the Small Business Administration’s largest partnership program, providing management and technical assistance to help Americans start and run their own businesses. With about 1,000 centers across the nation, the SBDC network assists about 700,000 small businesses every year. (Posted 2006-10-23)

Forum to provide S. Colorado economic insight

A senior economist who specializes in U.S. and international energy market and agricultural economic trends will be the keynote speaker for the 10th Annual Southern Colorado Economic Forum Oct. 11.

Michael Swanson, senior economist and agricultural economist, Wells Fargo Bank, will analyze and forecast developments in the U.S. and international economic arenas as part of a series of discussions scheduled for 7 a.m. until noon Oct. 11 in the Heritage Ballroom of the Antler’s Hilton Hotel, 4 S. Cascade, Colorado Springs.

Swanson will be joined by Southern Colorado Economic Forum founders, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs College of Business and Administration faculty members Fred Crowley, associate director, and Tom Zwirlein, director. UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Anne Macdonald will serve as panelists. Macdonald is deputy commanding general of Division West, First United States Army at Fort Carson.

Swanson works with a diverse set of agricultural producers and processors across the United States. His expertise focuses on competitive strategy and risk management for a variety of crops and livestock. His work experience includes most segments of the agricultural food chain, including transportation, trading, processing, marketing and finance.

Considered the economic “State of the Union” for southern Colorado, the forum brings together local experts from public, private, and academic sectors to report on the regional economy. The forum offers an annual snapshot of local economic activity and provides forecasts to help businesses plan for the upcoming year. The forum is made possible by a cooperative effort between the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the College of Business and Administration, and local business sponsors.

This year, the forum joins with the Holland and Hart Business Symposium to provide a series of panel sessions forecasting trends in residential and commercial real estate markets. Panels providing information about working with government entities and new business financing are also planned.

Registration is $75 and includes breakfast and all panel sessions. Realty professionals can earn continuing education credits. Admission and Realtor continuing education credits are $125.

For registration and additional information, visit www.southerncoloradoeconomicforum.com. (Posted 2006-09-25)

Fall Career Fair to be held Oct. 5

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs students and alumni will browse career opportunities offered by more than 70 companies at the Fall Career Fair from 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 5, 2006 in the University Center Gymnasium.

Recruiters from companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Intel as well as the Peace Corps and Northwestern Mutual Financial will answer questions, discuss job openings and present opportunities to the students and alumni of UCCS.

“This event provides graduating students and alumni with opportunities in accounting, management, human resources, sales, nursing, journalism and customer service, and in many other fields as well,” said Vanessa Ea, coordinator, UCCS Career Center. “Job seekers should come prepared with several copies of their resume and dressed in their best business attire.”

UCCS Fall 2006 Career Fair is open to the public. Parking is available in the visitor lots for $1.50/hour. After 4:30PM, free parking is available in Lots 3 and 4.

For more information on the career fair, please visit http://web.uccs.edu/careercenter. (Posted 2006-09-25)

Dwire Hall web cam online

View both historical and current images on the UCCS Dwire Hall Reconstruction web cam. This high resolution web cam provides new images every 15 minutes, and provides and easy-to-use interface for viewing historical images and slideshows.More details can be found on the Dwire Hall Reconstruction web site. (Posted 2006-09-18)

Web development course offerred this summer

Learn one of the hottest new skills in Information Technology: PHP and Web Site Development. This four-week, three credit hour summer course introduces HTML, XHMTL, and PHP scripting, providing you with a competitive edge in the workplace. Adoption of PHP and web standards is driving the move to dynamic web sites across the world wide web; This course gives you the foundation to join the of ranks of professionals with highly sought-after skills. Taught by the team of Dr. Ben Martz (Associate Professor for Information Systems) and Christopher Brewer (award-winning Web Developer), the course (INFS495) is open to all students and can be counted as an upper division business or INFS elective. The course is offered from 9 am to 1 pm, Friday and Saturday, June 2 through the 10th, and then finishing on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays from June 13th through the 24th. Enrollment is limited, so sign up today! Enroll online via the Student Online Center contact Kathleen Thompson at 719-262-3587 or email business@uccs.edufor more information. Learn more about this exciting course by visiting www.uccs.edu/cbrewer/. (Posted 2006-05-15)

Father of Spam, Gary Thuerk, to speak

Called the "Father of Spam" by the national media, computer pioneer Gary Thuerk will host a presentation on distruptive technology, the history of e-mail spam, and fostering an entrepreneurial work enviornment. This exciting one-hour presentation, presented by the Center for Entrepreneurship , will take place in University Center on Monday, May 1st from noon to 1 p.m. Refreshements will be served. (Posted 2006-04-25)

Upcoming award events [corrected]

The College of Business will be honoring the accomplishments of students, staff and faculty in several events. Faculty and Staff will be honored on May 5th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in UC303A/B. The Student Awards Ceremony will be held May 17th, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the UCCS Lodge.  (Posted 2006-04-24)

Dwire Move Update

The College of Business will host an update on the Dwire Hall Reconstruction and move on April 19th from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in UC303B. (Posted 2006-04-17)

COB professors in the news

Fred Crowley, associate research professor, Business, was interviewed by KOAA 5/30 Feb. 16 about plans by Penrose -St. Francis Hospital to build a new hospital on the city’s east side.

Lex Higgins, professor, Business, was interviewed by the Colorado Springs Business Journal about product labeling trends. To see the story, click here.

 (Posted 2006-02-20)

College receives nationally recognized award

The College of Business and Administration & Graduate School of Management at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs was honored with a coveted ADDY Award, for their Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program brochure. The award, recognizing both visual and copy writing excellence, was presented at the Pikes Peak Advertising Federation banquet February 18th. The brochure was awarded a Silver ADDY in the Direct Marketing to Consumer division.

“We’re excited to be recognized with this award,” said Dr. Venkat Reddy, Dean of the college. “It shows we’re firing on all cylinders, and that we’ve managed to extend our reputation for excellence in education to other areas of operations, such as marketing.”

Local advertising firm Cukjati Design and Advertising teamed with local photographer Brad Armstrong and College of Business staff to identify, develop and produce the brochure. “It was a very enjoyable experience working with the College of Business,” noted Mary Cukjati. “We value the relationship a great deal because they allow us to do excellent design and push us to do our best.”

The ADDY Awards, the world’s largest and arguably toughest advertising competition, are presented by the American Advertising Federation. The ADDY Awards recognize all forms of advertising in all types of media, with over 60,000 entries annually, worldwide.  (Posted 2006-02-20)

New Small Business Development director hired

A former director of the Oklahoma Native American Business Development Center will lead the Small Business Development Center at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Matt Barrett, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, was hired to direct the SBDC Jan. 1, replacing Luis Saldarriaga.

Barrett most recently served as an assistant pastor for a church in Mt. Pleasant. Earlier, he directed the Oklahoma Native American Business Development Center, where he assisted individuals in starting and expanding businesses and assisted in the human resources duties of a small business, Granite and Marble Innovations.

“Matt brings to the SBDC a desire to help others accomplish their business goals and achieve their dreams,” Venkat Reddy, dean, College of Business and Administration, said. “His variety of experiences and ability to form relationships with ease provide him an excellent foundation for this position.”

Barrett earned a bachelor’s degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a master’s in business administration from Iowa State University.

In Mount Pleasant, Barrett served on the entrepreneurial committee and business improvement committees of the Mount Pleasant Chamber Alliance. He previously served as president of the Minority Affairs Commission in Tulsa, Okla.

The SBDC offers management assistance to current and prospective small business owners, providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible locations. The SBDC is a cooperative effort of the private sector, education, and federal, state and local government. UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in northeast Colorado Springs, is the fastest growing university in Colorado and one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The university offers 25 bachelor’s degrees, 18 master’s and two doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 7,800 students annually. (Posted 2006-02-11)

Welcome back students!

The faculty and staff in the College of Business are very pleased to welcome our new and returning students to campus. We hope you had an enjoyable and productive holiday. Everyone here is eager to assist you in any way possible to ensure your success in the College of Business. I wish only the best as you progress towards building your futures.

-- Dean Venkat Reddy, PhD. (Posted 2006-01-18)

New marketing course offered for Spring 2006

The College of Business is offering a new upper-division marketing elective during the Spring 2006 semester. MKTG 455, Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations, will be taught by Dee Fowler on Wednesday evenings from 7:15 to 9:50 p.m. Students should visit the Student Online Center to enroll. (Posted 2006-01-09)

Schedule Change for Undergraduate INFS Course

Most undergraduate INFS courses will only be offered ONCE PER YEAR starting in Fall 2005. Prerequisites are strictly enforced for INFS courses, so it more important than ever that you carefully plan your schedule. Other changes for Fall 2005 include the addition of INFS 340 and cancellation of INFS 440. Please see the attached memo for further details. (Posted 2005-06-15)

College mourns passing of professor

The College of Business is sad to report that Dr. Ken Meisinger passed away Saturday April 23rd. A memorial service for Dr. Meisinger will be held Saturday, April 30th at 11:00 AM at Mountain View Mortuary, 2350 Montebello Square Dr, (Tel: 590-8922). Dr. Meisinger had previously requested that donations be made to charities in lieu of flowers. A scholarship fund has been established in his name. Contact the Dean's Office at 262-3113 for more information on the scholarship fund. (Posted 2005-04-29)