OK.  My last blog was about spring break and now it is summer.  How did that happen?  Time has a way of moving way too fast.

Since I last wrote, I have checked students who plan to graduate in August to make sure they meet all requirements, got things ready for Commencement, updated records, put in exceptions, certified May graduates (Congratulations to those who graduated).

I finished my two classes in the spring and made myself VERY happy with my grades.  I have found that on-line classes require LOTS of work, but I really learned a lot this semester.  Ask me about the different philosophies of education.  There are many and they are all very different.  Some I agree with and others I think are just crazy ideas.  Others really like those, so it is up to each person what they believe about education.

I also found out about gemstones (my one credit hour fun class).  You can ask me about cut, clarity, carat, color.  I know what they mean now!  I can’t wait to have the money to buy some jewelry now.

Now it is summer.  No, I don’t get the summer off.  I work 12 months of the year.  I used to have time during the summer to get special projects done.  Now I am so busy during the summer, that my special “summer” projects get done during the fall semester!

I am getting ready to check records for students who plan to graduate in December.  I also have to update the degree progress reports (DPR) so the new general education requirements are in there and working properly (which is going to be a challenge).  I also have to work on getting exceptions entered into the DPRs so any changes we have made on records show up and make requirements complete.

Along with this, I will be seeing transfer students, returning students, answer e-mail and the good old...other duties as assigned!

The life of a recorder is never slow.  We are always busy helping students, making sure records are correct, etc.

Here’s to a great summer!

New General Education requirements

For students first entering the Kelley school in Fall 2008, we have new general education requirements.  While students who entered Kelley prior to the Fall 2008 semester may continue with the old general education requirements, we believe that many students will prefer the new requirement.  For this reason, we are also giving students who entered the Kelley school prior to Fall 2008, the option to switch to the new general education requirements.  Effectively, if you are already a Kelley student, you will have the choice of adopting the new requirements or continuing with the old requirements.  If you do decide to adopt the new requirement, please contact a Kelley advisor, so we can place your interest in adopting the new standard in your file and provide you advice as to which may be the best choice for you.

Now you should all be curious as to what the new standards are and how they compare to the old standards.  First, the new requirements provide greater choices for Kelley students, second, the new standard raises the standards.

In the prior general education requirements, you needed a minimum of 12 credits in humanities, 6 credits in social science, and 5 credits in science.  With the new requirements, you will need a minimum of 24 credit hours of general education, with a minimum of 6 credits in humanities, 6 credits in social science, and 5 credits in science and mathematics.  For example, a student could take 9 credits of humanities, 9 credits of social science and 6 credits of science and mathematics to complete their requirements.  Another students might take 6 in humanities, 6 credits in social science, and 12 credits in science and mathematics.  This should make it easier for Kelley students to obtain an emphasis in another area of interest outside of business.  As another example, we frequently see Management and Marketing students consider a minor in sociology or psychology (both of which fall under social science).  Under the old requirements, only 6 of the credits in these non-business areas counted for the general education requirement, under the new requirements, 12 credit hours for this non-business area will count toward the general education requirement, making it easier for students to obtain a secondary emphasis in a non-business area of their choice.

Since our last revision, there have been many changes in the courses offered at IUPUI.  So as you evaluate the new general education requirements, you will also note that courses from several additional schools were added.  So your options in this area have also increased.

As stated earlier, the standard also increased.  The minimum is 24 credit hours in general education and of these 24 credit hours at least 6 credit hours must be at the 200 or higher level.  In the past, some students completed their general education all through 100 level courses.  Under the new requirements, students will have to take a minimum of 6 credits at the 200 or higher level courses.

See our updated link on General Education Requirements (http://kelley.iupui.edu/undergrad/academics/general.cfm ) for information on both the old requirement and on the new requirement.  The two sets of requirements will be available via this sight for several years, so students can make comparisons.

Have you ever wondered what the process is for changes, like this, in our curriculum?  For a change in the general business requirements, the process begins with a subcommittee of the general education committee.  For a change in the requirements for a major, the faculty members in that discipline make a proposal to the undergraduate policy committee.  The undergraduate policy committee then discusses and votes on the proposed change and takes it to the general faculty.

For the most recent general education requirement changes, a subcommittee of the undergraduate policy committee (UGPC) gathered information on general education requirements from other schools on the IUPUI campus, gathered information from other business schools in Indiana, and evaluated the requirements at Kelley Bloomington.  Once this information was gathered, we asked Kelley advisors how students use the general education requirements.  The Kelley advisors provided detailed feedback from students on what Kelley students frequently ask regarding courses that they would like added to our general education list.  The advisors also provided information on student comments about general education.  Any proposal must be consistent with the Principles of Business Learning (http://kelley.iupui.edu/undergrad/academics/principles.cfm ) and must meet the requirements of AACSB, the premier business accrediting agency (http://www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/standards.asp ).

Based on this feedback, the sub-committee presented alternatives for the undergraduate policy committee to consider as changes in the curriculum.  The first full-meeting of the UGPC was to discuss items in general and suggest alternatives that the committee should entertain.  A good deal of discussion was making sure that any proposals were consistent with the goals of why we have general education requirements.  The general education requirement provides students with a diverse background to understand the world in a broader context.  All businesses operate within the general role of society and gaining a broad background provides the basis on which businesses operate.  At the second meeting, the subcommittee presented several options for the committee to discuss and vote on.  The discussion on these proposals continued for a third meeting as well.  This is only the first stage of changing the curriculum.

Once the curriculum was approved by the UGPC, it goes to the Indianapolis faculty meeting.  This is where, all the Indianapolis faculty may discuss the proposal and make amendments to the proposal.  The faculty members take general education very seriously, so there was a good discussion on the proposal prior to passage.

Next, the proposal goes to the Academic Council.  The Academic Council includes the dean, the associate deans, program chairs, and department chairs from the Kelley School, including Bloomington and Indianapolis.   This group can be viewed as the watchdog of Kelley programs.  The goal is to make sure that Kelley provides the highest quality programs and opportunities for our students.  In this group, we also evaluate resources needed to implement new programs and requirements.   The Academic Council can accept, reject, or send the proposal back to one of the prior levels for changes.

The final step in changing the curriculum is a vote by the entire Kelley faculty, including both Bloomington and Indianapolis faculty members.  Again, this group usually accepts, rejects, or sends the proposal back to one of the prior levels for changes.

Once approved by the entire Kelley faculty, the proposal becomes the requirement for the program.  In taking this proposal through the different levels, it was impressive to see the questions regarding implications and implementation that were addressed by each of these groups.

It’s interesting to note, that there are many proposals that go even further in the system.  For example, our new Masters of Taxation program, started in a Masters committee, moved to the Indianapolis faculty, then to the Academic Council, to the entire Kelley faculty, to the IUPUI Academic Policies and Procedures Committee, to the Dean of Faculties, to the Chancellor, to the President, to the Board of Trustees for the IU system, and then to a statewide committee on higher education.  It’s entirely, possibly that I may have missed a step in this process. 

And you thought that changing something in Congress took a lot of layers!

Hey everyone, I hope you are enjoying your summer. I am currently in Bloomington taking a class at IUB. I am enjoying my parents hospitality and loving the idea that food will be in the fridge when I get home.

The real reason I am writing this entry is to compare the Kelley School at IUB to the Kelley School at IUPUI's. I know that it is summer and I am not really getting the full feel of IUB, however, I went to IUB my Freshmen year and have taken summer classes on this campus twice. In addition, I grew up in Bloomington so I know its flavor. So here is my take on IUB vs. IUPUI:

Atmosphere:
IUB definitly has more of a college feel. Every where you look, you see kids that are typically between the ages of 18-25. The only people that are above 30 are the professors. At IUPUI, it would be wierd not to have 50% of the students in class above 25 years old. It makes for a much different atmosphere in class. Instead of feeling free to stop class and ask a question, I am intimidated that other students will get upset. Where at IUPUI, I ask questions everyday. This is not the fault of the professor, and may have something to do with the summer calss just getting started, however, I feel that when other students are asking questions and I myself am asking questions it creates a better learning environment.

Class Content:
The class I am taking this summer is F303, Intermediate Investments. The content is somewhat challenging although it is A-able (a word I just made up that means I think I can get an A in it). It is a summer course so we have class every day Monday - Friday for an hour and 15 minutes. It moves very fast. The thing that would be different taking it in Bloomington is IUB's content for I-Core is somewhat different then IUPUI's and this class builds on IUB's I-Core. Other then that, the class seems like it would be handled the same way at IUPUI. We had our first project due today and we have our first test Monday so we shall see where I stand after I get grades back from each of these.

Professor:
I really enjoy my professor at IUB. He is a good teacher with a lot of energy and a good sense of humor. I do not think he is a full time professor at IUB, so, in that sense, I cannot say whether he is a good reflection of how the other professors teach. He is available to help with any questions either after class or through office hours which is always nice.Compared to IUPUI, I have really enjoyed my professors in Indianapolis. They are always accessible and create great learning environments which makes it easy to learn.

Campus:
The campuses at IUPUI and IUB are completely different. IUB is a "College Campus" in every sense of the word, with Fraternities and Sororities, a Basketball and Football Stadium, tons of dorms, and a lot of lecture halls. IUPUI is in the middle of a city so space is not as easy to come by. However, with the addition of the Campus Center and the remodeling of the hallways on the second floor of the Kelley School, IUPUI is creating more of a college campus feel. Each campus works for their respective students and I really enjoy them both.

Students:
The last comparison I want to make is the students on each campus. As I mentioned above, there is quite an age difference between the two campuses. I feel comfortable in each but they do create different vibes. The first day of my summer class the professor asked if anyone was married. I was shocked when nobody raised their hand because there are so many students at IUPUI who are married. There is a similar mix betweent IUPUI and IUB of international students. It is nice to be able to learn from different people. Each campus provides a learning environment where students find time to laugh and soak up the material which is what college is all about. 

I hope my comparison of the two campuses help. You will not here me say one is better than the other because I am bias towards both, but I will say that I enjoy my experiences at each. Indiana University is a great University no matter which campus you are on.

Jargon… acronyms… lingo.
 
I had to share this with you. Who hasn’t found her/himself sitting in a meeting and wondering just what people were saying? Jim Ylisela, president of Ragan Consulting, recently found himself pondering the prevalence of “consultant speak.” Of course, consultants aren’t the only ones who spin a phrase to dazzle (or baffle) the others in the room. Below are a few of Jim’s favorites. Check out his entire column at Ragan.com. It’s absolutely hilarious! By the way... do they teach this stuff in Business school??
 
1. Sandbox. You think this is a noun, but if you’re really good at consulting, you should always use it as a verb, as in: “Once we sandbox that theory, then we can roll it out for full implementation.” Does anyone else get the image of a kitty litter box with this one?
 
2. Iterations. Not stages, or phases or steps, but iterations, as in, “We’ll work through at least six iterations before this implementation reaches its full functionality.” If you are asked about schedules or progress, simply respond: “Don’t worry. This is an iterative process.”
 
3. Socialize. Yes, as in “have you socialized that idea?” No, it’s not about going out to dinner… it means have you discussed the idea with the client or others.
 
4. Bus theory. This one’s been around for a while, but it’s a good example of the kind of language consultants use to set themselves apart from mere mortals. I used to think it was just shorthand for “Business Theory.” Wrong. Bus theory suggests that you should plan ahead, and make sure you have back-up knowledge and resources, just in case. You know… in case someone important gets hit by a bus. Seriously…
 
5. Standpoint/perspective. Everyone knows these words, and if you’re a good writer and editor, you realize that in most cases you don’t need them. They’re add- on words that make sentences long and complicated. That makes them perfect for consultant-speak or corporate insiders. Newbies would say this: “Let’s base our training plan on the skills our people need the most.” Crusty veterans will ramp up that simple sentence and make it their own: “From a training perspective, it’s imperative that we facilitate a strategy from a user standpoint.”

Graduation

Congratulations to the class of 2008.

It was a great ceremony on Sunday evening, May 11.  Yes, Mother’s Day.  I know my mother was extremely proud of my accomplishments when I received my degree.  I’m sure each of your mothers were also very proud to see you walk across the stage and receive your diploma.  For those graduates who are also mothers, a special congratulation in your ability to balance a family and complete your degree. 

I’m always impressed with the ability to handle multiple tasks while going through school.  Many manage school, jobs, and family as they maneuver their way through the curriculum.  A job well done!

So what’s next?  I hope you have a couple of weeks to recuperate with the completion of school.

I remember my graduation summer.  It was definitely a busy time.  Curious how many years ago that was? Well, I graduated with my Bachelors degree in 1988. Yes, 20 years ago!  That May, my wife and I looked for work in Lafayette, Indiana.  She found a job on a hog farm near Waynetown, I ended up deciding to do a little summer work in St. Louis, instead of Lafayette.  In the Fall, I started the PhD program at Purdue University, the Monday following my wedding.  Doesn’t that sound like a great honey moon to start a graduate program.    Finding new jobs, working, getting married, and starting the PhD program, it was definitely a busy time, but all well worth it.

I announced the names of all the graduates this year.  I hope I pronounced everyone’s name correctly.  My apologies, if I mis-pronounced your name.  It is always a great time seeing the excitement of graduation.

Have a great summer!

Best Wishes as you start you move forward with your career!

As many of you are well aware, Kelley School of Business is a highly respected school and have been ranked high on many lists. Most of our students come to us because of our fantastic (and well deserved!!) reputation. I just recieved word that we have moved up several spots on various lists and this makes me proud!! Please pass along the following information to any prospective students, your family friends and anyone who will listen. We should all be proud to be part of this university!!

My friends and family always drive me crazy right about now.  The sun (at least today) is finally out, graduation was on Sunday, and everyone keeps telling my how lucky I am to have the summer off. 

The only thing is – I don’t have the summer off.

Believe it or not, summer is my busiest time of the year.  It’s quieter, for sure, with fewer students on-campus, but this is when I have the opportunity to dig in and get everything ready for the upcoming academic year.  I’m an idea guy, so during the year I’m constantly coming up with new ideas for increasing student involvement with the CPO, innovative programming, employer development strategies, etc.  The summer is my time to bring the best of these ideas to fruition.  Just off the top of my head, I’ve got a new class to plan for the Fall (which I’ll write about later), a whole new set of online interactive resources to evaluate, and a strategic plan for the Kelley Honors Program to develop.

At that same time, this means that my schedule is incredibly flexible, as I am in the office just about every day.  Summer is a great time to begin (or to continue) a career conversation.  Most Kelley Indianapolis students are taking at least one summer course, which means you are likely to be on-campus – why not come in and talk about your career when you are taking one or two courses rather than 12-18 credit hours in the Fall or Spring?  I’m happy to meet with you in the Fall when you have a 15 minute window somewhere between classes and work, but I’d prefer to have a little more time to get to know you as an individual. 

So take advantage of my open schedule (and the availability of the entire CPO staff) by stopping by this summer.  We have formal walk-in hours 5 days a week throughout the summer (9:00-11:00am and 2:00-4:00pm), though there is almost always someone available for an immediate conversation whenever you have time to pop in.  If you are only here for evening classes and would like to meet after 5pm, just send us an email and we can make arrangements for an evening meeting at your convenience. 

And I won’t take it personally if you’d prefer to meet with Tim, Sherry or Angie – I’ll even link you to their contact information.

Capsim Competition

Congratulations to Nathaly Reyes and Jacob Wilkes!  They took second place in the Capsim Global Business Simulation Competition.  The competition had a record-breaking number of participants.  The challenge “provides an opportunity for students of all levels – from first-year undergraduate to MBA students to find out if they have what it takes to run a multi-million-dollar company,” a Dan Smith, president of Capsim.

Nathaly Reyes and Jacob Wilkes entered the Capsim Competition.  The competition is an international competition that includes both undergraduate and MBA students.  642 teams began the competition and 266 teams persisted to the eight round of the competition.  The top six teams in the preliminary competition get the prestige of going into a final round against each other.  A school can only have one team in the final round.  Kelley Indianapolis had a second team (Jessie Cartine and Leinid Grabovsky) that was in the seventh position.  In total we had eight teams placing in the top 10 percent of the teams entering the competition.

Each of the teams were in our new spring J411 Analysis of Business Decisions course.  J411 uses the Capsim simulation where students compete against other teams of students in their class in an industry.  Effectively, the teams are running a company for eight periods.  The simulation helps students hone their business skills and consider the impact of different business decisions on the success of their firm in a competitive industry.  The competition was an optional opportunity for students participation.

The capstone provides an experiential learning component for Kelley students.  Congratulations to each of the teams that entered the competition.  A job well done!