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This week we entertained a contingent from Siyuan University in Xian, China. This university is relatively new, being founded in 1999, but already has 20,000 students and a record of distinction. Led by Anderson professor Xin (Robert) Luo, we visited Siyuan in November, and their return visit included their President Zhou and four other university officials.
Our mutual objective was to explore ways we can arrange student exchanges. However, proceeding from this simple objective to actual programs involves a great deal of planning and process. Some of these matters are examining the core curriculum completion from incoming students, the degree to which gaps might be filled with on-line courses, foreign students passing the English proficiency test, gaining authority for degree recognition, and arranging orientation and housing for incoming students. Also, the specific programmatic fits need to be identified.
For Anderson students headed to China, we must be sure the housing arrangements are appropriate, that transportation is set, and that safety is assured. A primary requirement is that instruction in English is available.
Thanks to the efforts of Professor Dante DiGregorio, Professor Luo, Associate Dean Ranjit Bose, and Associate Provost Natasha Kolchevska, we are proceeding down the long checklists and look forward to activation. These exchanges greatly enrich the student experience at Anderson.
I have just returned from serving on the evaluation team for the re-accreditation of the Bloch School of Management at the University of Missouri Kansas City. These visits afford an opportunity to see how other schools operate and to learn from their mistakes and their successes. Some of the observations:
While we should always look to glean best practices from others, my over-arching takeaway is how fortunate Anderson is to have its strengths, its dedicated faculty and staff and students, and its support in the community.
"We all have cracks in us - that's how the light gets in" - so read a crudely lettered sign I spotted while passing by a protest group. The meaning for me is that even when things are going well, we should continually search for "cracks", areas where we can improve. Even major corporations with dominant positions in their markets can be overtaken by events or technology. Have any of you bought an encyclopedia lately?
One key to staying aboard the wave of change is accepting that new products invariably will cannibalize one's existing product lines to some extent. One CEO expressed his company's commitments as, "Our job is to put our own products out of business before someone else does."
At Anderson it means that everything we do we must examine continually for how we can do it better - In teaching, in research, in our service, and in our services to students. We may never seal up all the cracks, but we will never stop trying.
The arrangements discussed concerned mostly student exchanges, primarily in the undergraduate programs, but they also would welcome faculty visits, including short term teaching stints. One school even arranged for Robert and me to address a class of young faculty members. We will be following up with the officials at each university, and we will be seeking opportunities to broaden the involvement to include other schools at UNM as well.
One of the drivers on the part of our Chinese friends is a strong admiration for things American. Everywhere one goes in China, there are signs of emulating American culture, from the dress to the music to cultural practices. At one school, while touring through the student union, we saw some students practicing break dancing. We didn't have the heart to tell them that that trend had passed.
A few general takeaways:
The scale of development in China is so
staggering. In Xian, they boast of having 109 universities.
Many are new within the last decade. Most have student
bodies of 20,000 or so. Funding appears to be no problem
for these university administrators.
Among the perhaps a thousand or so students we
saw in passing, I do not recall seeing an obese one. They
are serious, focused, no nonsense in their approach.
They wear black and they smoke. Lots of bikes, few
skateboards.
While we can all admire the pace of Chinese economic growth, I would be concerned about the possibility of significant reversals at some point. There is considerable hidden unemployment with lots of make-work employment apparent, such as workers sweeping with brooms at the edges of freeways. The waves of farm workers who have recently emigrated to urban areas are experiencing some assimilation challenges. The forest of new apartment buildings is overwhelming. Most appear 90% complete with no current activity and there are lots of completed empty buildings.
The air pollution is oppressive in all the cities. Although the auto count has increased to first-world levels, the fleet is so new that one would not expect that source to be the primary culprit. Clearly, the proliferation of manufacturing plants and coal-fired electrical generation are major contributors.
Robert and I visited five universities in Chengdu and Xian. The purpose was to explore strengthening relations with these schools and to promote more student and faculty exchange programs. As New Mexico is somewhat isolated from the global scene, it is important that we undertake programs that give our students enhanced exposure to people and practices from foreign lands. The emphasis on China reflects our desire to focus our efforts on two regions (Latin America is the other) that are likely to be the most important to our future.
Robert and I visited five universities in Chengdu and Xian. The purpose was to explore strengthening relations with these schools and to promote more student and faculty exchange programs. As New Mexico is somewhat isolated from the global scene, it is important that we undertake programs that give our students enhanced exposure to people and practices from foreign lands. The emphasis on China reflects our desire to focus our efforts on two regions (Latin America is the other) that are likely to be the most important to our future.
Robert and I visited five universities in Chengdu and Xian. The purpose was to explore strengthening relations with these schools and to promote more student and faculty exchange programs. As New Mexico is somewhat isolated from the global scene, it is important that we undertake programs that give our students enhanced exposure to people and practices from foreign lands. The emphasis on China reflects our desire to focus our efforts on two regions (Latin America is the other) that are likely to be the most important to our future.
Anderson has a strong commitment to academic and social responsibility, and our outreach to provide resources to other colleges to promote instruction in business ethics is gaining momentum. To ensure that our own behavior reflects these values, last year we convened a task force on academic honesty, chaired by Sarah Smith. This group sought to refine our standards, update the school's Academic Honesty Code, gain adoption of these standards, set appropriate penalties and consistent enforcement, and coordinate with UNM's Dean of Students office.
This year, the Policy and Planning Committee, chaired by Rob DelCampo, will oversee the further refinement of our academic honesty policies and take steps to ensure compliance. Among the resources to be employed is TurnItIn software, which can spot plagiarism. We do not plan to use this as a way to ambush unwary students, but rather intend it primarily as a tool for students: to encourage and support them in producing original work. After a pilot test this semester, we will institutionalize the program in spring 2012. If our house is in good order, we serve our needs better and can be more effective missionaries in the educational community.
All of us wince when we read in the papers about some unfortunate incident on the campus involving a UNM employee. Public concern about such incidents is heightened by the expectation that universities set and observe high standards. And we do.
What is overlooked in the assessment is that on a typical day during the school year, as many as 50,000 persons visit the university - as students, faculty, staff, patients, sports fans, visitors, etc. Furthermore, the large majority of this constituency is adults. One could think of the "adult footprint" on our campus as approximating that of a city of 100,000.
In any city of this size, "bad stuff happens" on a periodic basis, despite all the precautions and safeguards one might install. Not that we should simply accept incidents of misconduct or vandalism, but that they should be viewed in proper perspective.
What is notable about UNM is the amount of "good stuff" that goes on daily, from conscientious students, dedicated faculty, breakthrough research, and commitments to service. One could search in vain to fi nd a corporate organization where 20% of their evaluation is their service contribution. Our challenge is that these stories are not as inflammatory or exciting as the negative ones. While we can always hope for better treatment in the press, all of us can do our part to spread the word in our communities about the positive stories that emanated from our university.
Under Tom Daulton's leadership, the Anderson Alumni Council is gaining traction and has some exciting initiatives underway. This Council is the successor to the former National Advisory Board which has been transformed into a group that lends support to the newly-formed Anderson Alumni Association. We especially thank outgoing Chair Pam Sedmak and John Morrison for their steering us through the transition.
Following are examples of the support the Council members have given us: Tom and Don Clampitt last year hosted a well-attended reception in Dallas, and joined by Kim Karnett Dupree, participate in multiple college fairs surrounding the Dallas area. Other events were a lecture presentation at Sandia Labs, hosted by new Council member, Jim Novak, and a reception in Northern New Mexico hosted by new member Belinda Snyder. Another new member, Brad Preber, has met with us several times and was key in hosting a luncheon for alums in Pheonix. Maria Griego-Raby has agreed to host a cultivation event at her home in October ‘11. Others of you (too long to list here) have been extremely generous in your contributions and others have attended numerous on-campus events including our Business-to-Business talk with Joel Peterson and A Taste of Anderson surrounding the new naming of the Rick and Debbie Johnson Marketing Center.
All the new names stem from a reaching out to a cohort of more recent grads to supplement the excellent contributions made by long-time members, such as Don Douglass, Pam Sedmak, Bob Wertheim, Judy Zanotti, Cass Anaya, Tom Daulton, Maria Griego- Raby, John Morrison and others. The Council helps in many other ways, as well, such as bringing to our attention best practices at schools elsewhere. A unique contribution was made lately by new member, Leslie Hoffman, who counseled a group of students on microlending practices to prepare them for their experience volunteering at such an enterprise in Kenya. These students, under the guidance of Dr. Manuel Montoya, upon their return gave an inspiring presentation to the Council at the meeting this week. In addition, new members Damon Martinez, Belinda Snyder and Leslie Hoffman participated on the alumni speakers panel during the September Anderson Experience Day.
We are looking forward to many more such events, and especially to the class reunions scheduled for next March. This support is heartening to all of us at Anderson, and we are deeply grateful.
I want to share with you all how pleased I am with our recent Faculty Retreat, including key staff members. The main topic was the outcome from our year-long Curriculum Review effort, some consequential actions, and the guidance it will provide to the development of Anderson's Strategy over this year. A great deal of work and preparation went into these efforts, led by Catherine Roster, Leslie Oakes, Steve Burd, Dante DiGregorio - and their committee members.
An important outcome was a consensus to provide more differentiation between the BBA and MBA Programs; including dividing the Curriculum and Program Committee into two committees to provide more focused attention on each segment. Other outcomes were a strong commitment to continuous improvement, exploratory efforts to increase enrollment of the out-of-state and foreign students, ideas on how to increase student engagement, discussion of the optimal number of concentrations, the feasibility of adding a PhD program, and thoughts about our research strategy.
The day wound up with remarks by Interim Provost Chaouki Abdallah and an extensive question and response session. Thanks to all for your participation.
Green Bay, Wisconsin regards itself as "Titletown" due to the many titles amassed by their beloved Packers. We at Anderson feel we have an equal claim to "Titletown", given the recent news of our Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Chapter being awarded the top spot nationally for Best Accounting Practice presentation. This news follows on the heels of John Benavidez's Marketing team's third national prize within the year and Dr. Joni Young's being designated as the top researcher in her field by the American Accounting Association. Then this week we learned that Raj Mahto's Small Business Institute consulting practice has grown to become the second largest nationally among business schools. And just last month, we learned that U.S. News rated Anderson as #7 in the nation in the percentage of MBA students finding employment within 90 days after graduation. In the meantime, the school maintains its high national rankings in social responsibility, Hispanic involvement, and management of technology. As more titles accumulate, we may have to devise an equivalent to Green Bay's "Lambeau Leap"!
Thank all of you for a great year at Anderson, starting with a full five-year re-accreditation. Not only did you exceed all our goals for enrollment, diversity, graduation rate, fundraising, and research production, but you accomplished so much more. Just look at this month of April for some signal achievements:
2011-12 looks to be more of the same, as we eagerly await the completion of our comprehensive curriculum review and how it will help inform a revision of Anderson's Strategic Plan. I look forward to a great year together.
Service. In addition to the primary functions of teaching and research, being of service rounds out the portfolio of an effective faculty member. Service to the community as a volunteer is only one dimension. Faculty frequently serve on a wide variety of committees within Anderson and at the University level, including such activities as search committees, policy committees, scholarship selection panels, and the Faculty Senate.
Another service area is within one's field or profession. Among roles played are acting as a peer reviewer or editor of academic journals, conference organizer, board member, and officer of a professional association. These roles, plus speaking engagements and the presentation of papers and the like enhance Anderson's reputation in those fields both nationwide and abroad.
Sarah and I were fortunate to be able to join a contingent of 41 EMBA students on a whirlwind trip to China. During ten days in Beijing and Shanghai, we were able to visit the country's largest steel mill, Baidu (their Google clone), Microsoft, Honeywell, and 3 other companies. It is hard to imagine the economic vitality of the place until one sees it firsthand. New structures are sprouting like dandelions; more new cars were sold in China last year than in the U.S.; and there are now over 200 Chinese cities with populations in excess of two million. To me, the most impressive manifestation of their explosive growth was the development of Pudong. It is a newly developed section of Shanghai across the river from the traditional city. Twenty years ago it was just rice paddies. Today, there is a forest of high rise buildings, some reaching 80 stories. Several million people now live there. The biggest shocker was to learn that twenty years ago there were no river crossings - just occasional barges and ferries. Now there are eight bridges and seven tunnels with two more tunnels under construction. And it is a "real" river about 1/3 mile across plied by ocean-going freighters.
As admirable as all this progress may be, I don't think many of us would want to switch places with them. Our wonderful young guide spoke of her family's living in an historic downtown neighborhood. Then, one day a year ago, a government official knocked on their door to announce that everyone in the area had only a few weeks to relocate to a new high rise an hour away. The bulldozers were on the way - any questions?
Honesty Task Force
With Anderson's strong and growing commitment to the teaching and practice of ethics in business, it is important that our own house is in good order. Do we have a special problem? NO.
But can we do better? YES.
Promoting a culture of high integrity is more complex than just "doing the right thing." What is the right thing? Does everyone have a clear understanding of it? What are the penalties for various kinds of transgressions? Who decides? How do we ensure consistent enforcement? What can instructors do to "harden the target" and reduce temptation?
Values don't change but standards do. When calculators were first introduced, it was regarded as cheating to bring one into a math exam. Now, graphing calculators are required in advanced math exams. Might information retrieval chart the same course - why memorize facts when one can retrieve them in seconds from Google? My hope is that we hold the line on information retrieval. If all our information is between our hands instead of between our ears, we will limit our creativity and critical thinking ability. Hard at work on these issues is the Honesty Task Force, led by Sarah Smith Esq. and comprised of members Dr. Dimitri Kapelianis, Dr. Laurie Schatzberg, Lecturer Amie Nelson Esq., Dr. Steve Burd, Associate Dean Dr. Ranjit Bose, and students Gabriel Kraus and Jason Wagg. We thank them for their leadership and look forward to their recommendations.
In our focus on doing our best to provide a learning environment at Anderson, there can be a tendency to overlook that we are part of a great university, one that has a reach into all corners of our society. We stand to benefit greatly by drawing upon these resources through joint programs. My stint serving as Search Chair for the new Engineering Dean has afforded me a fascinating glimpse into the marvelous things going on at the far corner of campus. One hundred distinguished faculty there are delivering the training and research that will build New Mexico's future. The opportunities for productive collaboration between our two schools are exciting. Just this year, we launched a joint Master's of Science program, fusing study in materials science with management education. It is inspiring that the current Engineering Dean and his predecessor have both enrolled in our MBA programs. (No, I don't have the courage to try my hand at engineering). We are also collaborating in Anderson's Technology Business Plan Competition and in joint board membership on UNM's STC Corp, which provides licensing and development support for faculty innovations. It is my hope that these efforts are just the beginning of an array of multi-disciplinary efforts that will bring benefits to our students, to the university, and to the community.
March 8th marks Anderson's annual recognition of its latest honorees to the Hall of Fame. There can be no greater honor than to be recognized by one's peers. They know best the true measure of one's achievements. And they know whether those achievements were made with integrity.
This year we will celebrate the occasion with a theme: Anderson, New Mexico's Economic Engine. This theme is both a statement and an aspiration. Communities with vigorous economic growth always have a research university involved as a key driver. UNM's scientific, engineering, and management resources play a vital role in the development of our region. In the case of Anderson, our activities include the Technology Business Plan Competition, the brand new Entrepreneurial Challenge, the Small Business Institute, and our curriculum in Entrepreneurism. Indirectly, our involvement in ACCION, WESST, and the University's Science and Technology Corporation also play a role.
In summary, our economic engine is on track, and with your help, we will continue to gather steam. Please join us on March 8th! For event details go to: www.mgt.unm.edu/hof.
Most occupations have some seasonality, but few mark their passages as distinctly as education. Forever, a graduate will relate to being a member of the class of 2010.
In a larger sense, it reflects the web of traditions that are stronger in academia than elsewhere in our society. Perhaps nowhere outside the religious orders are traditions as enduring. Collegiate events, sports, regalia, the familiar landmarks - all create an oasis of stability in our ever-changing society. The "outside world" of hotel chains, movie chains, and commerce of all types are constantly in flux. It is no surprise that persons who have endured life-changing incidents so often seek sanctuary by returning to academia.
This month we have the joy of celebrating the ritual fall graduation. It is such a high moment for all faculty and staff to gain acknowledgement that we have contributed to our students reaching this key stage of life journeys. We share with family and friends a surge of pride that we have helped launch upon the world a group destined to make it a better place.
One of my favorite journalists, San Francisco legend Herb Caen, was being chided that writing a daily column was a very cushy job. He responded, "Yes, all I do is pour myself a cup of coffee, sit down at the keyboard, then open my veins and bleed."
The pressure for academic publication is equally relentless. It starts with creating an original intellectual contribution in one's field, usually in collaboration with other professors. The piece has to be researched and documented extensively and can take years to develop. Then one must submit to academic journals for their review. Does one aim for a top-rated journal and run a greater risk of rejection or aim a little lower? Academic journals are "peer reviewed", meaning that one's peers in the field review and critique the submission. Usually, one or more revisions and re-submissions are required. The review process can result in a year or more of rework of the manuscript from start to final acceptance. The requirements for tenure include achievement of a minimum of six high quality peer reviewed journal articles in six years with quality a determination of internal and external academic peers.
Hopefully, our professors can avoid the bleeding, but lots of aspirin can come in handy.
Here They Come...
The accreditors! It is always a tense moment when someone shows up to give you a thorough evaluation. One naturally hopes that all is in good order. I don't. While I believe we (you) are in good shape, and I believe the accreditation team will generally agree, it will be a disappointment if they do not have some helpful suggestions. We are most fortunate to have a highly qualified team of accreditors, including Deans from Oregon State and University of Oklahoma. A separate but simultaneous accreditation review will be performed on our Accounting Department.
Accreditation is a vital discipline. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, (AACSB), certifies only 20% of the nation's business schools and a far lesser percentage of foreign ones. In New Mexico, only Anderson and NMSU pass muster. The practice of accreditation has drawn some extra attention lately, not all of it favorable. In their zeal to expand their reach, some mainstream accrediting bodies have allowed accreditation to some forprofit universities with poor records of academic quality and shamefully high student dropout and loan default rates. One ruse used was for a forprofit school to acquire a tiny non-profit college that was already accredited but was in desperate financial straits. The accrediting agencies then looked the other way when those acquiring schools claimed that their whole nationwide network of campuses was thereby fully accredited. Fortunately, Congress, which has to pick up the tab for most of the student loan defaults, is holding hearings on such practices, and it is likely that sounder practices will emerge. It seems that even the watchdogs need watchdogs.
Magical connections. When we engage our alumni, magic can happen. A heartening recent example came from our alumni reception in Dallas, TX last winter.
Alumnus Tom Daulton asked why UNM was not represented at the major college recruitment fair held annually for Dallas-area independent secondary schools. He indicated that it was usually attended by 50 or more universities, including most in the Southwest region. Many Texas high school students relish an out-of-state college experience, and UNM offers such favorable weather, a fine educational experience, relative affordability, and adjacent state location.
Not only did Tom contribute this fine idea, he recruited several others to join him to make a table at the fair. Anderson's Megan Conner and UNM's Vice President Carmen Alvarez-Brown provided materials and support. Despite a fairly bare bones presentation, the effort did stimulate a good deal of response with hundreds of brochures being distributed. With more advance timing, next year we plan a fully decorated table manned by UNM enrollment staff. Only some of the benefit will flow through to Anderson, but all of us benefit when talented out-of-state students enroll at UNM.
Other examples of "magic" abound. When we decided to hold our inaugural 10th and 25th Anderson class reunions, we discovered that the Class of '85 was headed by none other than Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry. And a reunion highlight, a preview tour of The Pit, was conducted by Senior Associate Director of Athletics Tim Cass, also an '85er.
I trust that I am not the only one getting weary of budget cutbacks and pauses-and-holds and rescissions and "harvesting" leftover balances, etc. And this scene is being played out against the backdrop of Good Old Days when there was seldom enough funding as it was. Somehow, it reminds me of my favorite definition of inflation: It's when your money isn't worth as much as it used to be, back when you didn't have any.
But there is a bright silver lining to this gloom. Finally, higher education is being compelled to confront a world of limited resources. Up to now, universities just dialed in ever-higher tuition and ever-higher state appropriations to cover costs. In some sectors of academia, there arose an "arms race" of ever more luxurious dorms and student unions with climbing walls. As tuition costs rose faster than disposable family income, the burden became borne by increasing levels of family and student debt. A young woman recently lamented to me that, "This student debt of mine is like a negative dowry; nobody is going to want to marry me".
This Great Recession brings a dose of reality to this unsustainable trend. At long last, universities are talking about productivity and about performance-based budget allocations. The efficacy of whole programs is coming under review. If we can maintain our commitment to research and service, American higher education will emerge stronger than ever and will achieve a sustainable future, one where new programs will flourish and where compensation will once again keep pace with the marketplace.
I think all of us who were at Anderson through the summer shared a little of the impression expressed by Natalie Mead, "Where did all these young people come from?" Despite over 10,000 students attending summer classes all over UNM, the opening of fall semester brings a surge of students, activity, and energy. The students' enthusiasm is infectious and is one of the joys of being involved in education. The year is already shaping up well.
In meantime, all this is being done in the face of continuing budget cuts. So far, we have been able to shrink a little without affecting core academic programs. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to Deborah Bower who has kept our ship afloat despite a noticeable deficiency of financial fuel.
Anderson Connects!
In just one ten-day period this month, Anderson faculty,
staff & students engaged in the following activities:
As usual, playing a silent role in this blizzard of activity were the Anderson staff members behind all the room arrangements, refreshments, invitations, publicity, and parking. Bravo to Jennifer Bayley, Aline Gonzales, Laura Kelley, Tina Armijo, Mary Cromer, Leslie Venzuela, and the cadre of Administrative Assistants.
One Shining Moment
In basketball it's that glorious moment when the
winning team cuts down the net after the game amid
a shower of confetti.
Anderson's shining moment came this week in front of a crowd of 700 at the Samaritan Counseling Center's annual Ethics in Business Awards ceremony. The four winning businesses and individuals all spoke movingly about how much they had enjoyed relating to Anderson's teams of students who had done the evaluations of the nominees.
Cheering them on were the initiator of our involvement with Samaritan, Professor Jeanne Logsdon and retired Professor John Ackerman, Department Chairs Jackie Hood and Steven Yourstone, and current dynamic program chair, Professor Sarah Smith. Professors O.C. and Linda Ferrell, perhaps America's foremost proponents of ethical practices in business, were there to shepherd the announcement of a new award being created by Samaritan, the Bill Daniels Award - to be given annually to an entrepreneur who best exemplifies principle-based ethics. Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish, who is a trustee of the Daniels Fund, joined us at our table to celebrate the announcement.
It was also the occasion for a parting address to the group from Samaritan Counseling Center's retiring CEO, Paul Hopkins. His stirring message centered on how the restoration of civility in civil discourse is essential to the proper working of a democracy.
In all, a shining moment for Anderson and for all of our community. Best of all, there was no losing team despondently leaving the arena.
Networking. It is touted to be vital to success in business, and it is. In my personal experience, good opportunities have usually come from personal relationships. That's relationships; it's seldom just acquaintances. With social networks going viral, there is a temptation to link in electronically with the widest possible array of acquaintances. Increasingly, we read of scam artists or predators who take advantage of these forays.
So how to establish a network of relationships? The main point is that it has to be real. Persons in positions of authority usually have a keen sensitivity to detect others who are trying to build upon tenuous contacts. Employment referrals carry much more weight if they show deep personal knowledge of the candidate rather than being a superficial referral from someone with a big title on their letterhead.
"Being real" involves showing sincere interest in the person whose relationship you are trying to cultivate - sending them a news item that might be of interest, for example. Making a referral of someone puts one's own reputation a little at risk. The better the foundation of trust you have established, the more likely they are to think of you and to favor you with an opportunity.
The payoff from establishing a network of meaningful relationships is
often a random quality. Sometimes opportunities will come your way from
the least likely of sources. What works best is always to be respectful
of others and attentive to their needs. In the spirit of "what goes around,
comes around", the more you do for others, the more will come your way.
Happy networking!
What do those Associate Deans do?
In addition to a half-time academic load of teaching and research,
both Michelle Arthur and Doug Thomas have designated areas of
administrative responsibility. Shelly manages the enrollment,
advisement, and career services areas. She is also the arbiter of
student appeals on grades, inclusion in classes, and other concerns.
Doug's major responsibility is maintaining the academic standards
necessary for renewal of our AACSB accreditation (and a nod here to
Accounting Chair Craig White who manages the separate Accounting
accreditation). The two Associate Deans also rotate standing in
for me when I am away from the office.
Perhaps a "third half" of their time is spent on special projects. Both Shelly and Doug are constantly responding to report and data requests. Shelly is overseeing the Honesty Task Force project and the building of our Internship program. Doug is working with faculty committees on metrics to assess research output and is taking the lead in managing Anderson's usage of online instruction. He is also spearheading our Centro Fox alliance. Both serve on multiple university task forces and committees, and both work on ad hoc projects dreamed up by their restless Dean (woe befalls the Associate Dean who makes eye contact with me). Our email traffic often goes past 10pm and revs up again before 6am.
I greatly appreciate the contributions of these two talented leaders. Their efforts are pivotal in all the exciting new initiatives at Anderson.
Keeping You Safe
Any steward of a public facility should remember that one's first
responsibility is to provide a safe environment. At Anderson, we
are taking a number of steps to improve safety.
As a start point, UNM already is a pretty safe place. Some families harbor concerns about their students coming to a menacing urban environment. However, crime statistics show the campus to be one of the safest neighborhoods in the city. What other neighborhoods have their own 50-person police staff to supplement the city's complement? Where else can you find 120 emergency call boxes to report dangerous conditions? Campus lighting, de-icing and other safeguards are maintained constantly.
At Anderson, we have decided to do more, led by Office Manager, Mary Cromer. Hall doors are being locked earlier. Brighter night lighting has been installed. An AED cardiac response device is being installed in the second floor reception area, and eight of our staff have been trained on its usage. Better building Exit lighting has been ordered.
We realize that parking limitations are requiring students and others to endure longer walks to their cars, which can be worrisome especially during these dark winter nights. But help is on the way. That construction project across Las Lomas that took away about 200 parking spots will soon sprout a new 780-space garage with an elevated walkway right to our doorstep - expected completion in August. For the future, we are looking into electronic access control and to installing more video cameras.
So, what can you do to help? "Buddy systems" wherein two or more of you leave together is a very effective deterrent. If you have to walk alone in a threatening environment, do not hesitate to call for a police escort. The number to call is on the back of your Lobo Card, 277-2241.
Please alert us as to other ways we can further improve safety for the "Anderson family."
Why Anderson's Big Commitment to Ethics?
Because nothing works without it. Business doesn't and neither does
government. The primary obstacle to improvement in the world's lagging
economics is that their citizens do not trust their laws and institutions.
Talented people leave, and capital never comes. Thomas Friedman coined a
very apt term for such societies, "Kleptocracies."
One of our nation's great strengths has been our moral leadership. Given our power and influence, the United States has not always been liked - but we've been respected. We haven't always been perfect. However, few other powers in world history would have resisted the temptation to take over Canada, given its rich trove of resources. Perhaps world reaction could be summed up in a sign that greeted then-President Clinton on a trip to India. It read, "America Go Home! (and take me with you)."
Clearly, our moral leadership has been seriously eroded by revelations of abuses at Abu Ghraib and our use of "advanced interrogation techniques." Of even greater significance, the ethical lapses on Wall Street have been a prime cause of the greatest economic setback of our lifetimes.
It is up to us to restore trust. Adherence to principles of transparency, disclosure, oversight and accountability must be unrelenting. With the help of a generous grant from the Daniels Fund, Anderson School is joining other leading regional universities to spread the teaching of principle-based ethics throughout UNM and to other educational institutions through New Mexico. This effort is led by Drs. O.C. and Linda Ferrell who are acclaimed internationally in this field. Their textbook on ethics is in its 8th printing and is used by 550 colleges and universities worldwide.
Here at home, a highly respected ethics curriculum and social responsibility has been developed by Professor Jeanne Logsdon and carried out by Professors Shawn Berman, Harry Van Buren, and Sarah Smith. We are proud that their efforts have led to Anderson being ranked by the Aspen Institute as one of the top twenty business schools in the country for our Social Responsibility. We look forward to fulfilling the confidence that the Daniel's Fund has bestowed upon Anderson and to doing our part to restore the moral leadership of America Business.
2010. Every new year takes some time to adjust - usually, it's around May when I finally get the date right on checks. Somehow, "2010" sounds especially futuristic, as if we all should be careening around with jet-propelled backpacks by now.
The reality, of course, is that things seem pretty much the same on this side of the annual divide. That semblance could be wrong for a very encouraging reason. The continuing surge in enrollment will trigger a continuing surge of benefits to Anderson. It will allow us to fill some under-enrolled classes. It will enable us to utilize more on-line resources. The extra tuition and formula money generated will add to our revenues, either directly or indirectly. If this trend continues, by next fall we should be in a position to begin boosting our admission standards. In turn, becoming more selective will make us more attractive, which should bring us yet more qualified applicants. All these developments should serve to justify increasing gradually the tuition differential. As success breeds success, these developments should translate into greater community support for our students.
Who needs a jet-propelled backpack when we are generating this much thrust without one?
Recently Anderson student Derek Skinner wrote me requesting that I write a message to Anderson students promoting honesty. My strong personal commitment to integrity, and Anderson's equal commitment to ethical practices and social responsibility would certainly support such a communication. However, I prefer a more comprehensive approach for the reasons outlined below.
It would be difficult to keep such a letter from being "preachy", and it would likely provoke some resentment among the many students who already demonstrate high standards of integrity.
Yet studies of student behavior at both the secondary and collegiate level show that cheating is common and may be increasing. Competitive pressures have never been greater, and electronic access to information has opened a new portal for misconduct. The ease of information access also leads to greater rationalization of cheating. After all, why should one bother memorizing data when it is only a few clicks away?
There are a number of answers beyond, "Because it's wrong". Cheating is demoralizing to those who do follow the rules. Left unchecked, cheating creates unfair competitive advantages. There can even be tipping points such as in major league baseball where all of the leading home run leaders gave in to using performance enhancing drugs - a circumstance that has seriously eroded public enthusiasm for the sport.
Taking informational shortcuts also denies learners the opportunity to stock their databases of personal knowledge. So much of career success and life success depends on one's ability to marshal information and apply critical thinking.
A comprehensive approach to discouraging cheating must also involve lowering temptation through effective testing and proctoring. Penalties for cheating have to be consistently enforced. There should be widespread agreement on what constitutes acceptable behavior and what does not. When hand-held calculators first arrived on the scene, their use in the classroom was initially regarded as cheating.
To address these issues and make recommendations, I have asked that a task force be formed. This group will involve both students and faculty. Some of the issues the task force may wish to address include the influence of electronic media, group study, and take-home tests. We also need to examine the obligation of students to report on suspected misconduct by their peers.
Today's spotlight shines on Anderson lecturers. We are blessed with an exceptionally talented and dedicated group who contribute way more than their share to our school. One may think of lecturers as hired hands who swoop in to teach a few courses and then leave. Not our gang. They keep office hours, help in research projects, and actively participate in community service. That light coming from an office late at night is probably Bob Tepper's. John Benavidez lights up the student body with his exciting marketing initiatives - which have led to a shelf-full of academic prizes.
Howard Kraye and Paul Sandoval's imaginative class projects are often cited by students as their favorite Anderson experience. In addition to heading up Anderson's Scholarship Committee, Ann Brooks has taken on the responsibility for our online and distance learning programs. And Sarah Smith blazes a trail in the non-profit community that reflects well on all of UNM so put the Anderson lecturers high on the list of those who we should remember during this season of Thanksgiving.
