Press Releases, News & Announcements
Movie Night - Tuesday, November 8, COB Auditorium, 7:30 pm. SIFE is sponsoring a movie night showing "Wall Street Money Never Sleeps". Suggested Admission: A canned food item. Free Pizza will be provided!! All canned food items will be donated to the Salvation Army
The Business & Information Technology (BIT) Club is having its second meeting of the semester on Thursday, October 27th. The event, which will be held in the College of Business Auditorium (Rooms 107/208) during X-period (1:40 - 2:30 p.m.), is open to all majors on campus. Mr. Paul Montrose, Senior IT Security Professional at Acxiom, will be the featured speaker. Mr. Montrose gave a very enlightening presentation to us a few years ago and we are delighted to welcome him back to campus. Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be awarded. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend.
Dr. Jennifer M. Wang, a research associate in the Department of Biology, and Dr. David Mitchell, an assistant professor in economics, have received a grant in the amount of $34,996 from the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium to investigate the effects of nonprofit assistance on home rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Dr. Wang and Dr. Mitchell are partnering with a nonprofit organization, the Phoenix of New Orleans, to apply spatial and econometric analysis to a five-year dataset of rebuilding and recovery in the Mid-City district of New Orleans. In addition to providing substantive research on spatial spillover effects and the optimal spatial allocation of resources, the researchers will produce a guidance document for nonprofit, public, and private organizations participating in redevelopment and recovery projects.
Dr. Joe McGarrity’s research was mentioned in a recent article inThe New Yorker. The article, “Jobs and the G.O.P.” by James Surowiecki, refers to a study of elections from 1916 to 1994 by political scientists Kevin Grier and Dr. McGarrity which shows that the “state of the economy has a major impact on the outcome of congressional elections.” Dr. McGarrity is a professor of economics.
Dr. Roy Whitehead’s article, “Can Corporate Directors be Liable For Taxes When They Are Duped by a Dishonest Accountant?”, has been accepted for publication by The CPA Journal. Dr. Whitehead is an associate professor in the Accounting Department.
Beta Alpha Psi Place in the 2011 National Beta Alpha Psi Conference The University of Central Arkansas chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the honors organization for accounting majors, placed in the 2011 National Beta Alpha Psi Conference.Will Baker, Nicole Braddock, Adam Conley, and Ben Cox gave a presentation entitled “Accounting: An Education and a Career.” They won third place and $1,000 in the Deloitte Best Practices category “Helping Other Understand the Financial Information Professions.” Their project reached over 300 students in high schools and community colleges to introduce accounting as a great career and produced 10 accounting in the news videos demonstrating the current events that involve accounting (www.youtube.com/user/accountingUCA).
Jonathan Wallace participated in Project Run With It. His team, which consisted of three other accounting majors from other universities, had to solve an accounting problem that a non-profit was experincing. The group had to create a solution and presentation to the nonprofit. The teams presented their solutions to the Denver Shared Space Project suggesting ways to match non-profits who could share space, technology, and human capital, and suggesting ways to account for those shared resources.Stephanie Watson was honored as an outstanding Beta Alpha Psi advisor. The award of $5,000 was sponsored by McGladrey. She was nominated by the students in the chapter, her co-advisor Patricia Mounce, and others. The trip to the conference was made possible through the generosity of BKD, LLP and its partners.
UCA IT Careers Camp Offers More Than Meets the Eye
UCA and Acxiom hosted 40 students representing 15 high schools during the annual Information Technology Careers Camp held this summer on the UCA campus. Although this year marked the camp’s fifth-year anniversary, and brought some seasoned players to the event, such as Summer Bartczak and Jim Downey, UCA MIS department faculty, and Allison Nicholas, Acxiom Recruiting, it also saw its share of changes.
“We had a larger number of students participating this year,” Bartczak said, “and they gained combined exposure to both our MIS and our Computer Science departments for the first time.”
That exposure also included time with Michael Nooner, a CS faculty member. Downey describes Nooner as a “hard-core techie,” finding that a number of the students tend to gravitate to him because of their love for technology. Read more...
The Business & Information Technology (BIT) Club is having its Fall Welcome Meeting and Kick-Off on Thursday, September 22nd. The event, which will be held in the College of Business Auditorium (Rooms 107/208) during X-period (1:40 - 2:30 p.m.), is open to all majors on campus.Mr. Caleb Duvall, corporate recruiting manager for J. B. Hunt Transport, Inc, will be the featured speaker. Caleb is a recent graduate of our College of Business and we are delighted to welcome him back to campus. Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be awarded. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend.
Executives to Share Tips on Business Opportunities in China
Posted in: Campus News, Press Room, University Relations on July 5, 2011
Top executives from several national corporations will share their insight on international trade and business opportunities in China during the inaugural Arkansas & China Business and Economic Summit scheduled for July 21 at the University of Central Arkansas College of Business.
The summit will provide executives and entrepreneurs a forum to network, share business experiences related to China and opportunities to establish new business relationships. The event is underwritten by Acxiom Corporation and Walmart.
Gov. Mike Beebe; Shane Broadway, interim director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education; and Erin Ennis, vice president of US-China Business Council are among the distinguished speakers.
Representatives from Walmart, Acxiom, Tyson Foods, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, UCA Confucius Institute and UCA College of Business will take part in several panel discussions. Topics include the Chinese legal and political system and its impact on business ventures; practical guidance on importing; and exporting and networking resources to help Arkansas business expand their markets.
“The panelists and speakers we have lined up for this event could easily be included on any similar panel hosted by an Ivy League institution or the World Bank,” said Dr. Mike Casey, associate dean of the College of Business. “They have all traveled the world extensively and understand first-hand the issues associated with business startups involving different cultures. We have experts from industry, government, and education that have the knowledge to share about some of the pitfalls and possibilities associated with doing business in China.”
Arkansas currently ranks 36th in terms of exporting. China is Arkansas’ third largest export market behind Canada and Mexico but has the population base to move into the number one spot, Casey said. China currently accounts for 6.4% of Arkansas’s export value.
UCA officials hope the summit encourages business ventures and partnerships involving Arkansans and Chinese counterparts that will ultimately result in job creation for Arkansans.
“Twenty years from now we hope to look back and see that thousands of new jobs for Arkansans can be traced to the establishment of this summit,” Casey said.
For more information or to register for the event, visit uca.edu/chinasummit. Registration fee is $90 or $50 before July 8.
Business Students Present Case Study to Target
Posted in: Campus News on May 9, 2011
Students at University of Central Arkansas had the unique opportunity to present their own ideas for how Target can choose the right site for a distribution center.
Four teams presented their recommendations to Target executives and UCA Business faculty during theTarget Case Study Competition held April 28 at the UCA College of Business. The competition was part of the Financial Management Class. Seniors Dawn Bramlett, Derek Wyatt, Chris Jones, and Ryan Hicks received $4,000 prize, $1,000 each in scholarships, for their winning presentation.
Learn more about the presentations at UCA's YouTube page.
The winning group’s proposal describes the optimal location for a distribution center to service the growing number of Targets stores in the Northeast region of the country.
Dawn Bramlett said the case study and the experience have prepared her to see the vital importance of choosing the right site for a distribution center.
"As a team, we truly enjoyed working on this project throughout the semester," she said. "We were extremely committed and proud of our ideas for Target."
Target executives said they were impressed by the creativity exhibited by each of the groups. Shaun Edwards, a Target executive, said the work of the students had a direct relation to Target’s business strategy to be innovative.
Target supports programs and activities that educate students through experience in their fields of study. The Case Study Competition helps students apply classroom learning to real life business challenges and explore retail as a career option. The Target Campus Grant program provides financial support to schools for programs that develop and influence future business and community leaders. Target has a regular presence at University of Alabama, recruiting promising students for internships as well as full-time career opportunities. With its strong values, dynamic culture and commitment to team member development, Target continues to seek, attract, and retain the best talent.
Rogers, T., Campbell, N., & Fayman, A. (2011). "Improving Recession Forecasts with Business Loan Data from Commercial Banks," accepted aat Journal of Applied Economics and Policy.
Rogers, T. M. (2011). "Bank Market Structure and Entrepreneurship," accepted at Small Business Economics.
Roy Whitehead, professor of business law, had his article,"Should the NCAA Have Tax-Exempt Status ?," published in the February Tax Stringer, a publication of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. His article, "The Discharge of Retiree Health Insurance Benefits in Bankruptcy," has been accepted for publication inThe CPA Journal.
Dr. Joe Cangelosi, professor of marketing and chair of the Department of Marketing & Management; Dr. David Kim, associate professor of marketing; and Dr. Ed Ranelli, dean of the College of Business at the University of West Florida, had their article "The Distribution of Preventive Health Care Information: A Demographic Analysis," published in theInternational Journal of Business Disciplines, vol. 21, no. 2, Winter 2010, pp. 69-78.
Dr. Rebecca Gatlin-Watts, professor of management; Lauren Maxwell, instructor of economics; Marsha Carson, instructor of management andEmmanuel Lopez Luna from the Universidad de Colima in Mexico had an article published in Vol. 21, Number 2, the winter 2010 edition of The International Journal of Business Disciplines. The title of the article is "Perceptions of Ethical Behavior Among NAFTA University Students. "
College of Business Among "The Best 300 Business Schools"
UCA's College of Business is an outstanding business school, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features the school in the new 2011 edition of its book, "The Best 300 Business Schools."
This is the third year the College of Business has been featured in The Princeton Review.
According to Robert Franek, Princeton Review Senior VP-Publishing, "We are pleased to recommend the University of Central Arkansas to readers of our book and users of our site, www.PrincetonReview.com, as one of the best institutions they could attend to earn an MBA. We chose the 300 business schools in this book based on our high opinion of their academic programs and offerings, as well as our review of institutional data we collect from the schools. We also strongly consider the candid opinions of students attending the schools who rate and report on their campus experiences at their schools on our survey for the book."
UCA’s MBA Director, Michael Rubach stated “It is an honor to be chosen as one of the 300 best Business Schools out of over 4000 business schools world-wide and over 600 MBA programs in the United States alone. I'm proud of the efforts of the faculty, administrators, and staff of the College of Business that have made us one of the best.”
"The Best 300 Business Schools: 2011 Edition" has two-page profiles of the schools with write-ups on their academics, student life, and admissions, plus ratings for their academics, selectivity, and career placement services.
In the profile on UCA, the Princeton Review editors describe the school as: "One testament to the quality of the education is that many undergraduate students choose to return to the University for a graduate degree, directly out of college or many years later."
The Princeton Review does not rank the business schools in the book on a single hierarchical list from 1 to 300, or name one business school best overall. Instead, the book has 11 ranking lists of the top 10 business schools in various categories. Ten lists are based on The Princeton Review's surveys of 19,000 students attending the 300 business schools profiled in the book. (Only schools that permitted The Princeton Review to survey their students were eligible for consideration for these lists.) Conducted during the 2009-10, 2008-09, and 2007-08 academic years, the student surveys were primarily completed online. One list, "Toughest to Get Into," is based solely on institutional data. (All schools in the book were eligible for consideration for this list.) The lists are posted at www.PrincetonReview.com
UCA’s College of Business is one of 66 schools in the book (22% of the 300) that appear on one or more of the book's ranking lists. It is ranked 63rd overall in academic experience category, 64th in interesting professors, and 61st in accessible professors.
The Theta Lambda Chapter has been recognized internationally as a Superior Chapter by Beta Alpha Psi, an honors organization for financial information professionals. Under the leadership of professors Stephanie Watson and Trish Mounce, who serve as faculty advisors, the Theta Lambda Chapter excelled in the areas of academics, professionalism, and leadership.
Dr. John Watt, an associate professor in the Department of Marketing and Management, recently had a paper,"The Interdisciplinary Nature of the Field of Crisis Management: A Call for Research Collaboration", published in the Organization Development Journal (ODJ). ODJ seeks to enhance the capacity for practitioner-scholar dialogue, and promotes principles and practices of organizational development and change. The paper was coauthored with Drs. Chris Piotrowski and Terry Armstrong. Dr. Watt is currently serving as Executive Editor of The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied.
Dr. Joseph D. Cangelosi, Jr., professor of marketing and department chair, and Dr. David Kim, associate professor of marketing have recently had their article titled "Assessment of Face-to-Face Preventive Health Care (PHC) Information Sources: A Demographic Analysis" published in theInternational Journal of Social Health Information Management, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 31-43. The paper was co-authored with Dr. Edward Ranelli at the University of West Florida.
Dr. Tim Bisping, associate professor of Economics, recently had his paper titled "Age, Gender, and Unemployment in Australia: A Labor Queue Analysis" accepted for publication in the Southwestern Economic Review. This paper looks at the role of employer preferences on age and gender in determining unemployment rates in Australia. The paper was coauthored with Dr. Hilde Patron of the University of West Georgia.
UCA management professor, John Watt recently had a paper, "The Interdisciplinary Nature of the Field of Crisis Management: A Call for Research Collaboration", published in theOrganization Development Journal (ODJ). ODJ seeks to enhance the capacity for practitioner-scholar dialogue, and promotes principles and practices of organizational development and change. The paper was coauthored with Drs. Chris Piotrowski and Terry Armstrong. Dr. Watt is currently serving as Executive Editor of The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied.
Roy Whitehead, professor of business law, and Tom Oxner, professor of accounting, published an article,"First Circuit Gives IRS Access to Textron's Tax Accrual Workpapers," in the October edition of The CPA Journal.
Roy Whitehead and Tom Oxner presented a paper, "Are Early Retirement Payments Made to Tenured Faculty Members Taxable as Wages Under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act?," to the 60th Annual Meeting of Arkansas College Teachers of Economics and Business at Arkansas Tech University.
Roy Whitehead, professor of business law, and Pam Spikes, professor of accounting, published an article, "Nurse Wins Favorable Ruling on Deducting MBA Educational Expenses," in the June edition of The CPA Journal.
Roy Whitehead, professor of business law, and Kris Jones, instructor of accounting, Southeastern Louisiana University, published an article, "Drinking and Driving: Taxpayer Allowed to Take Casualty Deduction for Car He Wrecked," in the July edition of The CPA Journal.
Dr. Alex Fayman, Assistant Professor of Finance, had his paper "An Empirical Examination of the Stated Purposes of Issuer Tender Offers to Purchase Common Stock” recently accepted by Financial Management, which is considered an elite journal in the field of Finance. This paper documents the purposes of issuer tender offers to repurchase stock, as stated in SEC disclosures, over the period 1994-2006. The paper was co-authored by Jessica Kay Dunn and Jamie John McNutt, both of SIU Carbondale.
Dr. Doug Voss, Assistant Professor and Director of the UCA College of Business Center for Cooperative Logistics Education, Advancement, and Research (CLEAR), has been named to the editorial review board of the International Journal of Logistics Management beginning Fall 2010 and the editorial review board for Journal of Business Logistics. The Journal is regarded as the premier logistics journal in the supply chain management discipline.
Dr. Michael Hargis, Assistant Professor of Management, was a part of a research team that presented a manuscript entitled "Internal Motivation, Ethical Leadership, and Ethical Mindfulness in Organizations" at the August meeting of the Academy of Management. This paper examines the person-based and context-based factors that influence an employee’s ethical judgments of discretionary deviant behavior (e.g., being abusive; employee theft, not following instructions) and prosocial behaviors (helping colleagues who have been absent; adhering to informal rules and norms) within the workplace. Co-authors on the paper were Christian Resick, Tyra Shoa, and Scott Dust, all from Drexel University.
Dr. Don B. Bradley, III, Professor of Marketing at the University of Central Arkansas, was recently elected president of the International Council for Small Business at its annual ICSB World Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. With this honor, Bradley will be president-elect at the International Conference in Stockholm, Sweden in June 2011 and will serve as international president at the ICSB conference in New Zealand in June 2012. Bradley has previously served as a senior vice-president and a director at large for the ICSB Board. He has also served as the national president of three United States Associations for Small Business and Marketing. He is the executive director of the Small Business Advancement National Center. Bradley was a featured speaker at a special VIP Event hosted by Cisco and the Cincinnati Bell Technology Group during the recent ICSB World Conference. He spoke on how small businesses utilize social networking in their marketing plan. He was joined at the podium by Dr. Thomas Conney of the Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland and Dr. Rob van der Horst, Director of the Brussels Office EIM at the Hague, Netherlands. Bradley also presented a paper co-authored by Michael J. Rubach, Ph.D., professor of management at the University of Central Arkansas, and Justin E. Brown, Hewlett-Packard – Conway that was entitled, “The Challenges Facing Iraqi Entrepreneurs and the Response of the U.S. Government.”
Reform and Re-Reform: A Public lecture by Dr. Ling He, Carmichael Professor of Finance
The thirty-year economic reform, the ultimate driving force of the super economic growth in China, fundamentally changed the command economy copied from the Soviet Union, opened the door to western investments, and introduced the market mechanism into Chinese Economy.
Thursday, October 7, 1:40-2:30 pm, COB 107
Noel Campbell, associate professor of economics; Alex Fayman, assistant professor of finance; and Tammy Rogers, assistant professor of finance, contributed to the peer-viewed study, Economic Freedom of North America. The study, released Aug. 24, was produced by the Fraser Institute in Vancouver. It looks at the levels of economic freedom across the U.S. Economic freedom is the ability of individuals and families to make their own economic decisions. Research shows that people living in states with high levels of economic freedom enjoy higher standards of living, greater individual freedoms, and longer life spans. The report is available at www.fraseramerica.org.
Dr. Patricia Mounce, associate professor of accounting, gave a two-hour presentation titled "Ethics: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" at the Thirtieth Annual Accounting and Auditing Conference. The two-day conference sponsored by the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants was held in Branson, MO in May.
Dr. Stephanie Watson, associate professor of accounting, and Dr. Patricia Mounce, professor of accounting, recently gave a presentation titled "Cheating in the Accounting Major: Perceptions of the Crime and Punishment" at the Seventh Annual Accounting Educators' Conference. The conference sponsored by the Arkansas Society of Certified Public Accountants was held in Little Rock in May.