NEWS BRIEFS – APRIL 2007

HONORS ACCOUNTING MAJORS LEND 
A HELPING HAND TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Several hundred international students are being helped with their income taxes by honors accounting majors.  The student volunteers are members of the VCU chapter of Beta Alpha Psi.  Read more in this Richmond Times-Dispatch article.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

April 14
VCU Alumni Tent at Strawberry Hill Races
Join friends and fellow alumni on the rail at the VCU tent for the 75th running of the Strawberry Hill Races. Menu includes: Ham biscuits, pasta salad, skewered chicken, crab dip, cocktail shrimp, London broil, desserts and appetizers. Main course served until 3:30 pm. Beverages include beer, wine and mixers if you choose to bring in your own liquor. Price includes ticket to the races and food and beverage. Transportation from the Richmond Raceway Complex is also provided.
To register contact VCU Alumni Association at (804) 828-2586 or register online at http://www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/cgi-any/activities.dll/show?sitename=VCUMC&id=106&template=event_register.htm

April 17 & 18
MBA Information Sessions
Tuesday, April 17, 12:00 noon -1:00 p.m., Richmond Salon I - VCU Student Commons
Wednesday, April 18, 6 p.m., Virginia Room D - VCU Student Commons
For further information call (804) 828-4622.

April 27-29
African American Alumni Council Reunion Weekend
VCU’s African American Alumni Council invites you to join us as we affirm our connections to each other and to our university at Reunion Weekend 2007. Events throughout the weekend, on and off campus, will give you a chance to catch up with what is happening with your friends as well as what is going on at VCU. For information and registration Contact Larry Powell (804) 828-2586 or wlpowell@vcu.edu.
Visit the AAAC’s website at http://www.vcu-aaac.org to view the reunion brochure and keep abreast of the latest reunion updates.

April 27
AAAC & VCU Young Alumni Council Golf Classic
11:00 a.m.
The AAAC and the VCU Young Alumni Council have joined forces to invite all alumni to participate in the 2007 Golf Classic at The Crossings Golf Club in Glen Allen, Virginia. The outing includes carts, box lunches, golf prizes and a banquet/cookout at the conclusion of the event. Registration for this event will be handled online only and space is limited. Registration must be received by Friday, April 21. 
To register visit: http://www.vcu-mcvalumni.org/cgi-any/activities.dll/show?sitename=VCUMC&id=105&template=event_register.htm Please direct questions to Larry Powell (804) 828-2586 or wlpowell@vcu.edu

April 27-29
RPI Reunion Weekend 
Building on last year’s success, the 2007 RPI Reunion Weekend promises to be bigger and better than ever.  For details visit the reunion website http://www.alumni.vcu.edu/RPI2007/RPIREUNION or contact Diane Stout-Brown at (804) 828-2596 or dstout@vcu.edu

May 14-19

Research Methods Summer Short Course
The Center for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA) at the School of Business is hosting its Summer Short Course May 14-19. Topics include introductory and advanced structural equation methods, grounded theory methods, repeated measures/longitudinal methods, meta-analysis, multi-level methods, social network analysis, testing interactions with linear regression and survey design/data collection using the Internet. Participants may register for one course per session. Registration fees are $225 for students and $300 for faculty. Each of the short courses includes an equal balance of lecture and computer lab time with hands-on experience, with an emphasis on the application of the methodology. CARMA instructors are nationally recognized within the organizational studies and management areas as experts on their topics. For more information, visit http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/carma/

PROFESSORS ENCOURAGE FRESHMAN TO STUDY BUSINESS

Six School of Business professors wearing "VCU Means Business” t-shirts met with forty freshman on March 23 to discuss opportunities offered by the business school.  The discussion was part of the new UNIV 103 Lecture Series that is being given every Friday to highlight various majors offered at VCU. 

Panelists were Dr. Roxanne Spindle, professor of Accounting; Dr. Frank Franzak,  Marketing Chairperson; Debbie Little, Director of Insurance Studies Center; Dr. Marianne Miller, professor of Human Resources;  Dr. Edward Millner, Economics Chairperson; and David Upton, Chairperson for Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Urban Development.

INSURANCE CONFERENCE PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY
FOR REGULATORS AND AGENTS TO NETWORK

Numerous areas of concern within the insurance industry were expressed and debated at the 2nd Annual RISC Conference, “State vs. Federal Insurance Licensing & Regulation,” on March 14.  The event drew over 125 attendees. Among the top issues discussed were the prospect that too much regulation is being proposed by the Federal government, the stifling of foreign trade and the fact that the insurance industry has no recognized spokesperson to represent it as does the financial industry with its Secretary of the Treasury.

VCU President Dr. Eugene P. Trani welcomed to the campus as keynote speaker, the honorable Eric Cantor, calling him one of our strongest leaders in Congress.  Cantor reviewed some of the leaders we have had over time, including Washington, Lincoln, and Reagan.  He spoke of the lack of leadership now in the Congress, noting that there exists a climate for increased regulation and proposed tax structures.
           
Cantor was one of 15 presenters who expressed concern that since 9-11 there has been an increased amount of dabbling by the federal government in insurance matters.  Following 9-11 the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) was signed.  Since then, Katrina and other natural disasters have followed, “causing members of Congress to exercise a rescue attitude” upon the occasion of these events.
Read more http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=1994

Dr. Wynne is joined by another regional winner, Dr. Brooks Saladin from the Institute.

DR. JIM WYNNE HONORED

Dr. Jim Wynne, associate professor of Information Systems, and former Chairman of the Department of Information Systems, was presented the Distinguished Service Award on February 24 by the Southeast Region of the Decision Sciences Institute. This award is given to individuals who have demonstrated continued and quality service to the organization for several years.  Jim has served the organization in several capacities including program chair, president and most recently as chair of the advisory council. 

The Decision Sciences Institute is a multidisciplinary international association, dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving instruction in all business and related disciplines.

Special agent William Ivie of the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control discusses the enforcement and environmental regulations side of the wine and beer business.

NEW HONORS CLASS ANALYZES THE BUSINESS OF BEER & WINE

Dr. Michael Pitts, professor of Management, has created yet another successful Honors Class called “From Dirt and Vine to the Bank: The Business of Beer and Wine in Virginia."
 

The course centers around examining the long history of both beer and wine in Virginia while developing an understanding of how economically important both are to the Commonwealth. As with the popular NASCAR Honors class, each week is devoted to studying a different element of the beer and wine industry in Virginia.

Guest speakers include: Patrick Dueffler, Chairman, CEO and owner of Williamsburg Winery, the largest in the state; Buford Scott, Chairman of Scott and Stringfellow; Rock Stephens, President of the Virginia Vineyards Association; Special Agent William Ivie of the Virginia Department of Alcohol Beverage Control; and Dr. Mitzi Batterson, co-owner and manager of James River Cellars.

NEWS NOTES

Published.  Dr. Kenneth Daniels, professor of Finance, and Dr. Richard Phillips, associate professor in Real Estate, have had their research paper “The Valuation Impact of Financial Advisors: An Empirical Analysis of REIT Mergers and Acquisitions," published in the January-March issue of the Journal of Real Estate Research. Dr. Phillips specializes in real estate finance and economics. 

Speakers Guest speakers play a big role in helping broaden curriculum. In recent weeks Information Systems INFO 664 class has had three speakers.  On February 15 Luke Waid of Security Operations,  Federal Reserve Information Technology and Brad Showalter, Senior Consultant, Captech Ventures, discussed general issues in internet security, and specifically, how it relates to the Richmond Federal Reserve.   On February 22, Probodh Chiplunkar, General Manager and Executive Vice President with BI LOB KPIT Infosystems talked about business objects and business intelligence. He is a consultant who designs business intelligence systems for companies.

MBA INFORMATION DAYS SET
The Graduate Studies Office has set the following dates for Information Sessions. They will be held in the Student Commons:

April 17, 2007 - 12:00 PM - Richmond Salon I
April 18, 2007 - 6:00 PM - Virginia Room D
May 17, 2007 - 6:00 PM - Virginia Room C
June 11, 2007 - 12:00 PM - Richmond Salon IV
June 11, 2007 - 6:00 PM - Richmond Salon IV
For further information call (804) 828-4622

CARMA ACTIVITIES

CARMA’s Consortium Webcast featured Dr. Katherine Klein, (standing in photo at left), Edward H. Bowman Professor, Department of Management, The Wharton School, and University of Pennsylvania, as the keynote presenter at its February 23 event.  

http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=2008

At a reception preceding the event, Dr. Klein met with Dr. Larry J. Williams, standing, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA), Tom Hawver, left, Management Department Doctoral student, Dr. Matt Rutherford, middle, and right, Ernest O’Boyle, Management Department Doctoral student.	Dr. Neal Schmitt, University Distinguished Professor of Management and Psychology, Psychology Department Chairperson, Michigan State University, presented  "Item Response Theory" as the topic of the CARMA Consortium Webcast Event,  March 23.  Prior to the Webcast, Dr. Schmiett, left, visits with Dr. Larry Williams, CARMA Director, middle, and Dr. Anson Seers, professor of Management, right.

A BUSY MONTH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Helping to celebrate the first graduation of the Information Systems program is Ed Hellermann, Training Project, Social Work, VCU, who is a 2007 grad.  Getting some tips from him is Laans Hokanson, New Market CXI, looking toward a 2008 graduation.	Guest speaker on March 2 was the Honorable Aneesh Chopra, Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

March Tech Tuesday speaker Rose O. Parkes, Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Energy, retired,  talked  about managing information as a valuable resource. She presented examples from three government areas where information had been managed to improve efficiencies and expand programs.

Dr. Walter Griggs

HISTORY NOTES

The School of Business is lucky to have its own historian, Dr. Walter Griggs, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, who shares this bit of history with us:

In its early years, the Richmond Professional Institute (RPI ) mascot was the Green Devil which can best be described as a devil colored green. (Women were referred to as Green Devilettes.) The Ram was selected by the students who were attending RPI and became the official mascot in 1963. (Rodney the Ram is the mascot and The Rams became the team name.)   When RPI and Medical College of Virginia (MCV) merged, the Ram was retained as the mascot. (According to a study, the most popular college mascot is the eagle and the least popular is the anteater.)
 

VCU school colors have also changed over time.  When RPI was affiliated with the College of William and Mary in Virginia, the RPI colors were the same as those of William and Mary, namely green and gold.  These colors were changed in 1963 when RPI adopted its own school colors, blue and gray. Blue and gray were selected to represent the north and the south which came together in Richmond. When VCU was created in 1968, the colors became black and gold.

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