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USI College of Business advisory groups announce chairs, new members

Three advisory groups that lend their expertise to the University of Southern Indiana College of Business have announced chairs and new members for 2008-09.

Carl Chapman, president and chief operations officer at Vectren, will chair the Board of Advisors, an advisory group to all College of Business programs.

New members of the group include Robert DiNardo, vice president and general manager of WOW!; Robert J. Keller, chief executive officer of Escalade, Inc.; and Michael Walsh, general manager-Americas for manufacturing operations at SABIC Innovative Plastics.

The new chair of the Accounting Circle is Sally Joest ’74, vice president of Harding, Shymanski and Company.

New members are David Armstrong, chief financial officer at Accuride Corporation; Tonya Borders ’99, vice president and chief operating officer for the Wealth Management Division at Integra Bank; Kevin Hammett ’90, chief financial officer for Regency Commercial Associates; Liv Watson, vice president for global strategy at EDGAR Online, Inc.; and Larry Whiteside ’80 M.B.A. ’95, associate director for international business controls at Mead Johnson.  

David Yoak, chief information officer at Red Spot Paint and Varnish Company, will chair the Information Technology (IT) Alliance.

New members are Chris Boeke, director of application development and support at Vectren Corporation; Pat Fleck, Mount Vernon site IT leader, Americas/Europe Manufacturing IT operations leader for SABIC Innovative Plastics; Alan Letterman, manager for engineering and technology at Berry Plastics; Rex Masterson, IT leader for environmental, health, and safety at SABIC Innovative Plastics; and David R. Stefanich, corporate director, information technology at Accuride Corporation.

The three advisory groups serve as a link between the business community and the College of Business to enhance the continued progress of the college. 


USI accounting team wins national competition

A team of accounting students from the University of Southern Indiana has won first place in the national Student Case Competition sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants.

Other teams in the final round of competition represented Rider University in New Jersey, Wright State University in Ohio, and Western Illinois University in Illinois.

The teams made their presentations in the competition June 15 at the 89th IMA Annual Conference and Exposition in Tampa, Florida.

This was the third straight year for a USI College of Business team to qualify for the national finals. As a competitor in the “final four,” the USI team received an award of $3,000. As winner, the team received an additional $2,000.

USI team members were accounting majors Andy Dill of Princeton, Indiana; Brad Greene of Georgetown, Indiana; Angela King of Santa Claus, Indiana, and Amy Oglesby of Galatia, Illinois. Faculty sponsors were Dr. Brian McGuire, chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law and professor of accounting, and Jeanette G. Maier-Lytle, instructor in accounting.

Teams from universities throughout the country entered the first round of IMA competition. To qualify for the finals, each team prepared a 15-minute DVD presentation and submitted it for blind judging. Four teams were chosen to make live presentations in the final round. In the finals, each team’s 15-minute presentation was followed by a single common question from the judges.

The case for the 2008 competition required the students to develop accounting processes that would provide the leaders of a nonprofit organization with useful information for decision support, planning, and control. Judges chose the finalists based on technical content and presentation skills exhibited in the video.

Judges were selected from industry and academia across the country.

Three students on the team that competed in Tampa have experience on other award-winning USI accounting teams. Oglesby was a member of the IMA competition team for the second year and also was on the 2006 and 2007 USI teams that took first place in the Indiana CPA Society (INCPAS) Case Study Competition. Greene and King also were on the 2007 team in the INCPAS competition. The USI College of Business team has won that competition four straight years. Dill completed a post-baccalaureate certificate in accountancy in May. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in business administration from USI.

The USI team was recognized at IMA’s 2008 Academic and Student Awards Recognition Luncheon following the competition and will be honored again at the organization’s annual dinner on June 18.

The Student Case Competition is sponsored annually by IMA to promote sound financial/accounting analysis and presentation skills. IMA is an organization for management accounting and finance professionals. It has about 70,000 members worldwide.


Image is of Carl SaxbyBarriers to communication

By Carl Saxby
taken from Evansville Business Journal,
June 2008

"Barriers to communication'" is an article in the June 2008 Evansville Business Journal by Carl Saxby, associate professor of marketing for the College of Business.  Read the entire article... 
(Go to EBJ.biz)


Elizabeth Childers is one of Indy's Best and Brightest

Two University of Southern Indiana graduates are among 100 persons honored as Indy's Best and Brightest for 2007.  The awards, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Central Indiana and KPMG LLP, recognize outstanding young professionals (age 40 and under) in Central Indiana.

Elizabeth Childers '00, business administration, is director of corporate relations for SGI.  She was among 10 finalists in the health and life sciences category. 
     Childers set and met a $2 million revenue goal for her employer.  She also has created and led her company's government services division, servicing the Indiana Department of Administration, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Department of Revenue, and other divisions.  She serves on the board of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association and the national HBA leadership conference committee.

The other USI graduate honored was Kena S. Hollingsworth '98, English and Spanish, in the College of Liberal Arts.


USI study looks at Old Courthouse future

By THOMAS B. LANGHORNE
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7432 or langhornet@courierpress.com
Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Historic Vanderburgh County Court HouseAwaiting evaluation by the Old Courthouse Foundation is a 50-page marketing proposal and business plan for Evansville's Old Courthouse produced by graduate students at the University of Southern Indiana.

The master's of business administration students spent the past three months formulating their recommendations for the historical Downtown structure at the request of Commissioner Troy Tornatta.

Tornatta said Tuesday the report is comprehensive enough that he has not had time to fully examine it.

"(The USI students) felt they needed to immerse themselves in the Old Courthouse in order to be able to sell a plan about the Old Courthouse," he said. "That's what was intended when I got them involved. It's all about building bonds with new outside sources to try to bring new ideas to an old problem."

The Old Courthouse, one of Evansville's most recognizable structures, has fallen into disrepair over the years. That has prompted the foundation to seek public and private money for a comprehensive overhaul that would cost millions of dollars and take years to complete.

Vanderburgh County owns the 117-year-old landmark building, while the private, nonprofit Old Courthouse Foundation acts as its guardian and works for its preservation.

The USI students' report includes, among other things, a fundraising plan for renovation and marketing the 15,500-square-foot building to private and corporate donors.

Sections on the building's history, comparisons to similar facilities in several other cities and findings on the parking situation are buttressed by a comprehensive list of possible grant sources.

"Our group has determined that there is no requirement for additional surface parking," reads a section on parking. "... To increase the accessibility to the courthouse and provide a more convenient parking solution to the patrons of businesses within the Old Courthouse, we are proposing a circular drive be constructed at the Vine Street entrance."

The report envisions the Old Courthouse's basement as a possible spot for businesses that do "light manufacturing" and the main floor as a retail rental space. The second floor would be a space for preservation and rental, and the third floor would be devoted to rental to non-profits.

Tornatta said the USI students have fulfilled their mandate and possibly performed a service to the county.

"This report is a real life exercise. This could really happen," he said. "Somebody could take this plan and use it."


USI economists offer opinions from I-69 report

Taken from the Evansville Courier & Press
Thursday, May 15, 2008
By Garret Mathews

PETERSBURG, Ind. — The "big punchline behind this meeting," economist Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar announced Wednesday night before sharing the results of an Interstate 69 community development study, "is to say towns that rapidly make infrastructure investment even before major highway construction are the ones that see the biggest gains."

Image is of Dr. Sudesh Mujumdar
Mujumdar
Image is of Dr. Tim Schibik
Schibik

About 40 people came to the Pike County Courthouse to hear two economists from the University of Southern Indiana present findings from a yearlong study designed to guide planning efforts to take advantage of the growth potential of the proposed interstate and minimize adverse consequences.

"Successful communities have avoided the adversarial situations of creating an 'us versus them' competition," said Dr. Tim Schibik. "That wastes energy. Cooperation is the key."

Focusing on towns along the corridor

The study focused on the corridor communities of Oakland City, Petersburg and Washington.

The economists researched interstates across the country and decided on three that most closely match the population densities of the non-metro counties in Southern Indiana.

They were Interstate 68 in Garrett County, Md., Interstate 16 in Twiggs County, Ga., and Interstate 27 in Hale County, Texas.

"Some towns experienced negative growth for 15 years after the interstate came through," Mujumdar said. "We took a look at what they did wrong so you can try not to repeat those mistakes."

The new highway through Garrett County shortened the driving time to the Baltimore area by about an hour.

"The people of that community really weren't prepared for what happened," Schibik said.

"They couldn't think outside the box. They couldn't see their mountain location as a vacation option for big-city people, Eventually there were specialty shops and restaurants and the area prospered.

All aspects need to be involved

"My advice from that," Schibik continued, "would be to acquire the land near the interchange and control this land usage through zoning. Improve the school systems. Get involved with work-force development."

Both men noted that Interstate 69 has opponents in this area.

"We proceeded with our research by taking I-69 as a given," Schibik said. "We're not pro or con one way or the other."

Benefits for all communities

Before the presentation, Mujumdar said the new road's impact on Oakland City "would be to make it easier to get to Evansville. The bigger city could siphon some jobs. The upside would be that perhaps Oakland City could become a bedroom community for Evansville."

Mujumdar said current I-69 plans call for the highway to bypass Petersburg.

"There's no exit on the drawing boards," he said. "The Route 57 traffic would be drained to I-69. The best answer for Petersburg would be to make it a destination town ... to adopt some kind of Main Street program that would be unique enough to make people want to come."

Washington, which is on course to have an exit, has already moved toward building an industrial park, Mujumdar noted.

"One of the biggest mistakes that could happen would be to do nothing until the road is built," Schibik said.

The project was funded by the Pike County Economic Growth Council and county commissioners, the Duke Energy Foundation, the City of Washington and the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation.

Coordination for the study came from the USI Center for Applied Research.


2008 Faculty awards recognize dedicated professionals in research, service, and teaching

Three College of Business faculty members were honored May 7, 2008, for outstanding achievement during the academic year.  Receiving awards were Dr. Les Nunn, associate professor of business law, Excellence in Service; Dr. Manfen Chen, assistant professor of finance, Excellence in Research; and Dr. Katherine Sauer, assistant professor of economics, Excellence in Teaching. 

Image is of the faculty award winners
Dean Mohammed Khayum standing with the three
faculty award recipients from the left:  Dr. Katherine
Sauer, Dr. Les Nunn, and Dr. Manfen Chen.


Business alumni receive 2008 Alumni Association awards

Image is of Jamie WicksAlumni Service Award
Jamie L. Wicks ’91, M ‘97
personifies the Alumni Association’s mission to serve and develop a committed body of alumni dedicated to promoting and enhancing the excellence and reputation of the University.

Wicks, 1991 business administration and 1997 Master of Business Administration graduate, served as president of the USI Alumni Association 2004-05 and Alumni Council member from 2000-06. A member of the USI Foundation Board from 2004-06, she is past chair of the Alumni Annual Fund Campaign, and a Phonathon volunteer. Additionally she has provided leadership to Alumni special events, Alumni Benefits & Services Committee, Alumni Travel Committee, and Advocates for Higher Education.

She is the immediate past president of the Junior League of Evansville, board member of ANEW, Evansville Estate and Financial Planning Council, and the Museum Guild, as well as volunteering for her church, the Komen Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Girl Scouts, and Junior Achievement.

One of USI’s most ardent cheerleaders and volunteers, Wicks continuously spreads the word of USI and its academic programs to the community and area students. Wicks is assistant vice president, trust officer at Fifth Third Bank. 

Image is of Wayne TrockmanDistinguished Alumni Award
Conferral of the Distinguished Alumni Award provides recognition to a graduate who has made outstanding achievements in career or in public service. This year’s recipient, the Honorable Wayne S. Trockman ’81, has distinguished himself as an innovator of court programs.

Trockman, a 1981 management graduate, was appointed to the Vanderburgh Superior Court bench in December 1998 by Governor Frank O’Bannon. He was elected to a six-year term in 2001 and was re-elected for another term in 2007. Trockman served as chief judge of Vanderburgh Superior Court from 2003-08.

In 2001, Trockman organized and implemented the first drug treatment court in Vanderburgh County. The court serves as an intensive sentencing alternative for non-violent felony drug offenders who have committed crimes in the county. The program has been made successful in part by creative funding efforts by Judge Trockman. A non-profit foundation was established to seek private community support for the program, along with various state and federal grants.

Trockman is chairman of the Indiana Judicial Center Court Administered Drug Program Committee, serving as chair of the Drug Court Sub-Committee. He is also a member of the board of Governors of the Indiana Judicial Center and remains active in the Evansville Bar Association. Trockman has received numerous awards including a 2004 Jefferson Award for Public Service from the American Institute for Public Service.


Three retire from the College of Business

Mary McGrew, Joyce Babillis, and Arlene Campbell are all retiring from the University.

Image is of Mary McGrew
Mary McGrew
Image is of Joyce Babillis
Joyce Babillis
Image is of Arlene Campbell
Arlene Campbell

McGrew, senior administrative assistant, joined USI in April 1978. Babillis, administrative associate, joined in April 1990. And Campbell, administrative assistant, has been with the University since November 1990.

Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business, said, “This poses a tremendous challenge and will be a test of our resiliency in the College of Business.  With a combined 59 years of service within the College of Business these three individuals have been integral to the creation and refinement of many of the processes and procedures used by our College - particularly those related to interaction with students, parents, members of the community, and the rest of the University.  They will be remembered because of their contributions.

“We hope that they will come back to visit and wish that they realize their retirement plans and aspirations.” 


New business communication scholarship

John M. Lawrence, a 1973 accounting graduate, has established a new scholarship to recognize and reward excellence in business communication and to honor Bill and Helen Sands.  Bill taught English Literature at USI for five years and Helen is a professor emerita of communications.

The $1,000 scholarship is to be awarded to a full-time or part-time sophomore, junior, or senior in the College of Business with a 3.0 GPA or above.  To apply students will provide a minimum of three written documents in both hardcopy and electronic copy to aid in the selection; preference will be given to writing using cross-disciplinary elements.  The selection committee will be looking for standard business communication criteria: complete, concise, clear, correct, concrete, courteous, and considerate.

The selection will be made by Dr. Jane Johansen or the senior business communication faculty member by rank and years in rank with the input and support of the business communication faculty.  The first scholarship will be awarded March 2009.  Writing samples should be submitted to Dr. Jane Johansen by December 6, 2008.


College of Business computer students win

Image is of James Gosnell
James Gosnell

Image is of Jason Nichols and Casey Cambron
Casey Cambron and Jason Nichols

USI College of Business Computer Science major James Gosnell, Boonville, Indiana, received the second highest score (among 52 students) on the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP) Associate Computer Professional (ACP) examination at the 2008 National Collegiate Conference in April. Computer Information Systems major Ryan Greenlee, Lynnville, Indiana, also passed the test. Both students now hold ACP designation, a credential that substantiates their level of computing knowledge and offers proof of that knowledge for potential employers.

Also, Computer Science major Jason Nichols and Casey Cambron received an honorable mention in the Application Development contest, in which 53 teams participated. Other CIS and CS majors who attended the conference were Chad Barbre, Anthony Flamion, Danielle Knowles, Matt Lee, and Josh Sacket. A total of 562 students, faculty, and professionals, with 74 colleges and universities represented, were at the conference.

Ernie Nolan, assistant professor of Computer Information Systems, and Dr. Marvin Albin, professor of Computer Information Systems, served as coaches for the students and accompanied them to this event.

Image is of the attendees of the 2008 National Collegiate Conference Institute of the Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP)


USI’s Beta Alpha Psi team finishes third

In a close competition, USI’s Beta Alpha Psi team finished in third place in the "Strategic Planning: BAP in 10 Years" competition at the 2008 Midwest Regional Meeting of Beta Alpha Psi in Chicago on April 5.  The USI team members are Bridgitte Cheesman, Emily Shetler, Dan Berry, and Amy Oglesby, with Dr. Mehmet Kocakulah and Dr. Brian McGuire serves as the faculty advisors for the team. 

In addition to the excellent recognition, the USI Beta Alpha Psi Chapter received a monetary reward of $100 for future chapter activities.  These types of activities, combined with the support that the students receive from the faculty, make USI a great learning experience!

Indiana University-Bloomington won first place and Kent State University placed second.


Basic Internet savvy boosts Web site

Image is of Virginia WeilerBy Virginia Weiler
taken from Evansville Business Journal,
April 2008

"Basic Internet savvy boosts Web site'" is an article in the April 2008 Evansville Business Journal by Virginia Weiler, who is an adjunct instructor in marketing for the College of Business.  She is an independent marketing/communication consultant and a former brand manager for a major corporation.  Read the entire article... 
(Go to EBJ.biz)


College of Business programs reaccredited by AACSB

The College of Business at USI has again earned accreditation of its undergraduate and graduate business programs and separate accreditation of its accounting programs by AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

USI received initial AACSB accreditation for its undergraduate and graduate business programs in 1997. The accounting program achieved separate accreditation in 2003. Accredited schools must be re-evaluated every five years to maintain accreditation.

As of April, 458 institutions in the United States hold AACSB business accreditation, of which 163 have additional specialized accreditation for their accounting programs. 

Dr. Mohammed Khayum, dean of the College of Business said, "Extension of accreditation by the AACSB International is a clear affirmation of the high quality of business and accounting programs offered by our University. We have established that we are among a distinctive group of business schools worldwide with both business and accounting accreditation. Of the more than 7,600 business schools in the world only 7 percent have AACSB business accreditation.

"Extension of accreditation demonstrates that our programs have attained a high level of overall quality, that we have a culture that is committed to continuous improvement, and that we are providing educational experiences that lead to measurable student learning outcomes. These outcomes suggest that our students are well positioned to respond to the challenges and opportunities of a dynamic and competitive global economy."

Dr. Linda Bennett, USI provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said, "USI's College of Business has a growing reputation for excellence and AACSB accreditation confirms the outstanding work by the college’s administrative team, faculty, and staff.  I’m certain that even with this achievement, the faculty in the college are already thinking about ways to develop new initiatives and new partnerships in the region."

To achieve accreditation, business programs must satisfy the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process, and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.

During the reaccreditation process, the USI College of Business was visited in February by a team of evaluators with detailed knowledge of management education, applying accreditation standards that are widely accepted in the educational community.

AACSB International is an association of more than 1,100 educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations in 70 countries. The organization is the longest serving and largest global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.


2008 Honor's Day

Image is of Michael Tepsic receiving the H. Byron Hubbard Prize from Mark Hubbard
Michael Tepsic
and Mark Hubbard

The College of Business held its Honor's Day Convocation on March 26, 2008.  Six new scholarships were awarded to business students:  Atlas World Group Technology, Jennings D. and Josephine K. Carter, Cowley-Vogelbach, Craig R. Ehlen, Northwestern Mutual Intern, and Jean Schneider Memorial scholarships.  Other scholarships awarded to the College of Business for the first time were the Azteca Milling and Henry J. and Hazel D. Bennighof scholarships.  One hundred thirty-seven business students received scholarships and awards.  For a complete list of all recipients, click here.

Image is of Christina Warren with Peggy Shields
Peggy Shields and Christina Warren

Mark Hubbard presented Michael Tepsic, MBA student, with the H. Byron Hubbard Prize in Business Ethics for academic achievement, ethical conduct, and the best essay on a business ethics case.

Dr. Peggy Shields, associated professor of marketing, presented the Wall Street Journal Award for an outstanding graduating senior to Christina Warren.

Academic Achievement Awards were awarded to outstanding graduating seniors in each of the major fields. 

Recipients of the 2008 Achievement Awards
Recipients of the 2008 Academic Achievement Awards, from the left, are: Jason Hoffman, Jason VanWormer, Amy Flake, Adam Price, Derrick Brang, Michael Carter,Georgina Hostettler, Andrew Schenk, and Christina Warren.  Not pictured are Adam Knepp, Gregory Smith, and Matthew White.


Marketing students compete in National Collegiate Sales Competition

Marketing students Andrew Schenk and Blaine Craft competed in the National Collegiate Sales Competition March 13th though March 15th, 2008.  Other Marketing Club members who attended the National Collegiate Sales Competition’s Career Expo included Jessica Bellian, Nicole Drake and Alyson Neel.  The sales competition is a national event hosted at Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw Georgia where over 90 students competed.   In the NCSC, students in sales and marketing test their selling skills in one-on-one sales call challenges.

The NCSC brings the top sales students together with professionals from the business world to create exclusive networking opportunities.  Recruiters from more than 32 sponsoring companies obtain a firsthand look at competitors in action and under pressure.
The intense two-day, three-round championship tests competitors’ abilities to think on their feet, overcome objections and identify buyer needs.  Competitors train for months, hoping to be in top ranking to become the NCSC Overall Champion.  This was the University of Southern Indiana’s 2nd year in attendance.  The USI team was selected by placing first and second in the USI Marketing Club Sales Competition this past November.  The team is coached by Dr. Mark McKnight, Assistant Professor of Business Communication.


Phenomenal Women of USI and the community honored

Nancy Bizal, instructor in administrative systems, was honored at the sixth annual Phenomenal Women of USI and the Community Recognition Ceremony, sponsored by the USI Multicultural Center, Old National Bank, and the American Association of University Women. The program, emceed by Annie Krug, vice president for Advancement, was held March 20, 2008.

Held during Women’s History Month, the program honors and celebrates women from all walks of life who have made contributions to diversity in the University and greater Evansville communities. Through annual recognition of their contributions, the program aims to inspire others to embrace and promote diversity within their own lives.

Bizal, who joined USI in 1988, also serves as coordinator of external relations for the College of Business. She holds a master’s degree in business education from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree in social science from DePauw University. She specialized in business communication, career planning, and professional development. Krug said Bizal "serves her students well, taking their lessons far beyond the textbook and the walls of her classroom. Nancy, you have built strong and lasting links between your students, your colleagues, the College of Business and business leadership throughout the state. You have set a standard that your students continue to reach for, long after they leave your classroom."

Other USI honorees were Samoa Hempfling, fee waiver clerk in Student Financial Assistance; and Pam Doerter, career coordinator in Career Services and Placement. 

USI students honored were Jennifer Graham, a senior biology major with a pre-med concentration, and Janet Bett, senior social work major. 

Honorees from the community were Luzada Hayes, Mary Miller, and Dr. Victoria Pohl.

You can read more about their achievements here.

2008 Phenomenal Women
From left to right are Jennifer Graham, Janet Bett, Nancy Bizal, Samoa Hempfling, Pamela Doerter, Luzada Hayes, Mary Miller, and Sister Victoria Pohl


College of Business Students experience Europe

College of Business students at Buckingham PalaceNineteen students from the USI College of Business spent 10 days in London and Paris over spring break 2008.  They were accompanied by Dr. Katherine Sauer, assistant professor of economics.  The trip was an educational enrichment opportunity which aimed to expand the students’ world views and help them learn firsthand many valuable travel skills. 

The students gained experience with exchange rates and foreign currencies, dealing with a language barrier, negotiating major subway systems, and making international phone calls.

Ashly Hendrickson, majoring in business administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship, said, "This being the first time out of the country, I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  The group was great to travel with and the places were beautiful to visit.  I would love to do it again."

Highlights of the trip included London’s historic Trafalger Square, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and an excursion to Oxford.  In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and Fountainbleau Palace were favorites. 


College of Business Faculty Promotions

The USI Board of Trustees approved the following College of Business faculty for promotion effective August 25, 2008:

  • Dr. Gary Black--Assistant Professor to Associate Professor
  • Dr. Peter Cashel-Cordo--Associate Professor to Professor
  • Dr. Ramadan Hemaida--Associate Professor to Professor

College of Business Faculty receive grants for summer research

Three College of Business faculty members received 2008 Lilly Summer Research Fellowships. The recipients and their projects are:

Dr. Amelia Biehl

Dr. Amelia Biehl, assistant professor of economics: “The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and Housing Demand.”

Dr. Seungjin Park

Dr. Seungjin Park, assistant professor of computer science: "A MAC Protocol for Reliable Broadcast in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks."

Dr. Daria Sevastianova

Dr. Daria Sevastianova, assistant professor of economics: "MISs, WEIS, COPDAB, and VRA Events Data: A Comparative Analysis."


State OKs funds for Business and Engineering Center

Design of Business & Engineering Center(taken from the Evansville Courier and Press
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
)

Final approval to release funding came Monday for the University of Southern Indiana's new college of business project, meaning construction of the $36.5 million classroom facility can begin this summer.

The state Budget Committee, which releases funding already allocated by the Legislature, approved USI's Business and Engineering Center on Monday.

The building will house the college of business -- which will be moving from the Robert D. Orr Center -- and also will be home to the department of engineering.

Construction is scheduled to start this summer, USI spokeswoman Kathy Funke said, and be completed in 2010.


USI Speaking Eagles student wins International district competition

Toastmaster
Pictured from left to right are Eric Michalski, Anand Pandit, Mike Provost, Dustin Cline, Julie Mehringer, Emily Shetler, and Dr. Dan Wade (faculty advisor)

Mike Provost, a member of the Speaking Eagles Club, is the winner of the Toastmaster's International district competition.  Provost is the first student from USI to compete in the district competition.  It was held on Saturday, February 23, 2008, at Ivy Tech.  He will go on to compete at the area competition in Louisville, KY on March 22.

The student Toastmasters club is supported by the Accounting Circle, an advisory board for the accounting program at USI.   All student fees are paid by funds raised by the club or donated by the Accounting Circle.


Accounting student is Homecoming King

Homecoming King and Queen 2008:  Abbie Balback and Andrew McGuire.University of Southern Indiana’s Homecoming king and queen for 2008 are Andrew McGuire, Greenwood, IN and Abbie Balbach, Mariah Hill, IN. McGuire and Balbach were crowned February 9, 2008, during halftime of the men’s basketball game against University of Indianapolis.

King McGuire is a senior and a men’s tennis player. He is majoring in accounting and professional services, and he is the president of Phi Delta Theta. He also serves on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Queen Balbach is a junior studying elementary education with a minor in special education. She is involved in the Student Ambassador Association, College Mentors for Kids, Activities Programming Board (APB), Colleges Against Cancer, and AMIGOs. She also volunteers for the Evansville Area Reading Council and is one of the two Archibald the Eagle mascots for USI.

A student who is nominated for Homecoming court has to be a junior or senior, involved in campus, with at least a 2.6 GPA.


Leadership and 'street smarts'

Horace M. Lukens IIIBy Horace M. Lukens III
taken from Evansville Business Journal,
February 2008

"Leadership and 'street smarts'" is an article in the February 2008 Evansville Business Journal by Horace M. Lukens III, who recently retired as vice president of Jesse F. Stock Insurance, inc., in Evansville. He is an adjunct instructor in finance for the College of Business.  Read the entire article...  (Go to EBJ.biz)


USI takes on Courthouse task

By Thomas B. Langhorne
taken from The Evansville Courier & Press
Monday, February 4, 2008

Historic Vanderburgh County Court HouseA 40-member class of graduate students at the University of Southern Indiana has agreed to spend the next three months formulating a marketing proposal and a business plan for Evansville's Old Courthouse.

Working at the behest of Vanderburgh County Commissioner Troy Tornatta, the master's of business administration students will submit their recommendations for the historical Downtown structure to the commissioners and the Old Courthouse Foundation.

Vanderburgh County owns the 117-year-old landmark at Third and Vine streets while the private, nonprofit foundation acts as its guardian and works for its preservation.

The graduate students and their instructor, Dr. Les Nunn, agreed to make the project their sole undertaking for the spring semester, which required a restructuring of their syllabus.

Nunn said he and his students, several of whom work for marketing and real estate firms, are drawn to the challenge of "taking something that was built for one purpose and (plotting how to) innovatively use it for something else."

"I want the students to be thinking about preserving historical structures"" he said. "The Old Courthouse is a symbolic tie from the old to the new and to the future."

During a nighttime tour of the Old Courthouse last week, Tornatta told the graduate students that he and Old Courthouse Foundation officials are open-minded.

"We're looking for ideas that would potentially take us to the next level with this useful space," he said.

Tornatta also cautioned the students, who meet weekly, that they have been entrusted with an important mission.

"Be ever mindful that the public views this building as the encompassing grail of Evansville," he said. "They see this building as a fixture in Evansville that cannot be torn down. It would be like ripping the heart out of somebody."

The Old Courthouse, one of Evansville's most recognizable structures, has fallen into disrepair over the years. That has prompted the foundation to seek public and private money for a comprehensive overhaul that would cost millions and take years to complete.

At the same time, the County Commissioners are pushing to maximize rent paid to the county by Old Courthouse tenants by leasing vacant spaces in a bid to make the building more self-sufficient.

The county's investment in the Old Courthouse is considerable, a fact Tornatta stressed to the students.

The county pays more than $500,000 annually to Evansville-based Energy Systems Group on a 10-year, $5.33 million energy savings contract signed in 2004. The money comes from the county's Cumulative Capital Development Fund, which generates about $1.5 million a year.

As part of a far-ranging update of the Old Courthouse's aged electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems, Energy Systems Group worked with historical preservationists to ensure that new energy-efficient windows were historically sensitive. The updated facility's heating and air conditioning was upgraded, allowing the county to lease office space inside.

Though then-Republican County Commissioner Suzanne Crouch objected to the size of the annual financial obligation, then-Democratic Commissioners Catherine Fanello and David Mosby said the contract would yield long-term cost savings.

There are other expenses involved in maintaining the Old Courthouse.

In 2007, the County Council budgeted $140,000 -- including a $30,000 supplemental appropriation at year's end -- for the commissioners to spend on utilities for the 15,500-square-foot building. But those expenses were only partially offset by $94,072 in rent from Old Courthouse tenants, plus $11,949 for special events such as craft shows.

About 60 percent of spaces in the building are leased at a rate of $8 to $10 per square foot, and the County Commissioners are encouraging foundation board members to engage a commercial real estate agent to lease vacant spaces.

But key members of the foundation board have taken a cautious, deliberate approach.

When businesswoman Mary K. Hukill approached the board last month with a proposal to turn the Old Courthouse into a retail incubator, board secretary Kelley Coures had a measured response.

Coures said the board is "not going to do anything in terms of a marketing plan" until the Old Courthouse's second-floor Wedgwood Room for receptions has been renovated and a planned new catering kitchen finished.

Only then, Coures said, will the foundation board have something impressive and inspiring to show potential donors to the larger renovation campaign.

"We will take a hard look at marketing the (remaining unoccupied spaces in) the building in a calm and rational way once we have the restoration work currently in progress, completed," he said.

During last week's tour, the USI graduate students peppered Tornatta and foundation officials with questions about the Old Courthouse's zoning, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, potential uses and structural soundness.

After giving them the assurances they sought, Coures told the students any stranger dropped at random on the Old Courthouse property would know immediately that he had landed in Evansville.

"This building is what gives Evansville its sense of place," he said.


Finance major Alexander named Scholar All-Region

Casey AlexanderCasey Alexander, USI women's soccer senior and finance major, was named honorable mention Scholar All-Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Alexander is the first USI women's soccer player to earn the award.

To qualify for the award, a player must be at least a junior in academic standing (in the second year of attendance at the school if a transfer student), have a minimum of a 3.30 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale), start more than 50 percent of the time and be a significant contributor to the team's success.

Alexander, who was named Academic All-GLVC last year, finished her career at USI this past season. She played in 51 career games at USI, making 42 starts, in the defensive half of the field.


Dr. Katherine Sauer elected membership committee chair in Young Evansville Professionals

Two USI employees were elected 2008 officers in Young Evansville Professionals (YEP), Inc., a nonprofit group dedicated to connecting and engaging young professionals. Susan Fetscher, assistant director of development research, publications, was elected president elect and Dr. Katherine Sauer, assistant professor of economics, was elected membership committee chair. YEP was founded in 2001 and has more than 150 members


College of Business student volunteers offer free tax help

USI senior accounting students provide annual free tax assistance through the USI College of Business Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).

In VITA programs, the Internal Revenue Service partners with national and local organizations to provide tax services to individuals with low-to-moderate income at no cost to the taxpayer. Accounting students will interview and prepare the taxes of other students and relatively low-income taxpayers who make an appointment for this service. This site will not prepare Schedule C business forms or Schedule E rental forms. Your federal and state tax returns are prepared while you wait and all taxpayers must be available to sign their returns. Preparation of returns typically takes up to two hours to complete.

This year, tax help will be available at 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays starting February 6 by appointment only. The sessions will be held in Room 2039 in the Orr Center on the following Wednesdays: February 6, 13, 20, 27; March 5, 19, 26; and April 2 and 9.

No appointments will be available on Wednesday, March 12 during Spring Recess.

"This is a good opportunity for people who have reasonably simple income tax returns and want to avoid having to pay for professional tax preparation services," said Brett Long, associate professor of accounting and business law. “It is also a great experience for our accounting students.”

Long said the students ordinarily prepare 100 to 150 tax returns each year.

Individuals are required to bring tax information, photo identification cards, Social Security cards for themselves and their dependents, and copies of 2006 tax returns if they are available. The IRS encourages electronic filing and returns will be filed electronically for those who are eligible. Paper returns will be prepared for those taxpayers who do not qualify for electronic filing.

To make an appointment, call the College of Business at 812/464-1718.


Toyota gives $100,000 to Business and Engineering Center

Shaun Koyama, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc., (TMMI) presented a gift of $100,000 to the University of Southern Indiana on January 23, 2008 in support of the instructional facilities for the soon-to-be constructed Business and Engineering Center. He made the presentation before an economics class which had been studying concepts used in the company.

"I'm proud to present this gift to the University of Southern Indiana so students benefit from the contribution," Koyama said.

USI President H. Ray Hoops accepted the generous gift saying, "USI's College of Business and Department of Engineering are partners in providing economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship for the region. Of the 8,000 College of Business graduates, more than 5,000 reside within a 50-mile radius of Evansville. These USI alumni comprise a significant portion of the tri-state's managerial talent, and they enhance the southern Indiana communities where they live and work. We expect a similar impact from the engineering program, which graduated its second class in May 2007.

"Toyota's investment in the USI Business and Engineering Center will assist the University as it continues to produce qualified graduates with skills required in the contemporary workplace.

"The University is grateful to Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana for our close association since TMMI came to southern Indiana. Thank you for visiting our campus today and thank you for this generous gift."

What the gift will fund will be determined at a future time.

Other Toyota representatives at the presentation included R. J. Reynolds, Toyota vice president of Administration at the Princeton, Indiana plant; Laura Heck, Public Affairs specialist, and Connie Wellmeyer, assistant general manager, Corporate Services.

The Business and Engineering Center will serve both business and engineering programs interdependently, providing both dedicated and shared classroom and laboratory space. The majority of the funding of the $31.9 million building was approved by the 2007 General Assembly with $2 million supplemental support raised by business and private contributions.

 

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