U N D E R G R A D U A T E   U P D A T E

March 2008

COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT PLACES FOURTH IN B-SCHOOL BEANPOT CASE COMPETITION!

Case competitions are a highlight in the business community and can be a pinnacle of success in the field of management education.  The most prestigious regional case competition is the B-School Beanpot Case Competition, held each spring at Boston University.  This year, the College of Management was invited, for the first time, to complete in the event.  Eighteen teams participated, two from each of the following schools: Babson College, Bentley College, Boston College, Boston University, Bryant University, Merrimack College, Northeastern University, Suffolk University and UMass Boston.  The College of Management had a team named to the “final four” that ultimately placed fourth in the competition.  This is a tremendous result for our first exposure to the event, of which our staff, faculty and deans are immensely proud!

Our students used their analytical and strategic planning skills, as well as superb writing talents to review a case related to the Fuji Corporation.  Their business memo was selected as one of the four best of the day and they advanced to the final round.  The team then presented their analysis and plan to a panel of esteemed judges, including the CEO of Fuji, Shigetaka Komori.

The event carried cash prizes, as well as bragging rights, a wonderful experience, and exposure to the local business community. The College of Management sent two teams to compete: Hassan Baami, Yelena Bryant, Jeffrey Masse, Jemin Patel, and Daria Tremoularis; and the finalist team, pictured here left to right in the front row are: Elena Asllani, Saida Abdalla, Sandy Kiriakidis, Linda Chu, and Glenn Natali. Professor Theodora Welch coached both of these teams to success.

The College of Management holds our own case competition each spring semester, among students in MGT 490.  This year, the event will be on April 17 – and all are welcome to attend and observe  presentations from our own students.  Details about this will soon be found on our website: www.management.umb.edu/calendar/current.php . Details about the B-School Beanpot Case Competition can be found here: www.management.umb.edu/ (coming soon!) and here http://bschoolbeanpot.com/ .

REGISTRATION IS MOVED EARLIER

Summer and fall registration usually starts late in April, however, it has been moved earlier in the semester this year.  The new upcoming registration dates are:

The University hopes that these earlier registration dates will allow time for more students to resolve any issues relating to financial aid, billing, transfer credits or degree audits concerns while still on campus, before final exams become all consuming.  A similar change is planned in the fall semester for spring 2009 registration.

This means that NOW is the time for advising!  College of Management students who have fewer than 60 credits, are in their first semester in the College, or have not yet declared a concentration are advised in the University Advising Center (UAC).  Since John Applebee’s retirement in February, Jim McCarthy and Shiho Shinke are the two advisors who work primarily with CM students, however during registration advising, you can see any advisor in the UAC.  College of Management students who have declared a concentration are advised in the CM Undergraduate Program Office (advising hours at the end of this newsletter).

To prepare for an advising session, you are strongly encouraged to visit this site, which contains valuable information and tips for concentrators and non-concentrators alike.  www.uac.umb.edu/ontrack/preparing.php

As always, there is a grace period where CM classes are open to CM students ONLY – and you are encouraged to register before non-CM students have access to these classes as well.  CM only registration is:

All registration is on a first come, first served basis, providing that all pre-requisites are met.  This applies to CM and non-CM students once the dates above pass.  Our classes fill up fast – so register early!

Registering for MGT 490?
You must complete a registration card in the CM Undergraduate Program Office (M-5-603) – you will not be able to self register.  If you are in the MAP program, you must have 75% of your required miles earned, and meet all of the course pre-requisites before taking this class.  Please note that MGT 490 in the summer will be open to August 2008 graduates first, and all other students will be waitlisted and enrolled on a space available basis on the first day of each summer session.  There is no way for us to predict if or how many seats will be available, so please watch your Wiser account for updates.

Registering for BC 230 or BC 290?
A writing assessment is once again required of all students interested in taking BC 230 or BC 290.  Please see more details below.

Hopefully these updates and tips will lead you through as successful registration process!

CHANGES IN BC 290 REGISTRATION AND PRE-REQUISITES

Effective immediately, all students who have not completed BC 290 must take an assessment test to determine proper placement into BC courses.  The assessment test will determine whether a student can register for BC 230 or BC 290. Both courses address the integration of managerial communication and critical analysis.  BC 230 is a more intensive preparation for the challenges of BC 290.

BC 290 PRE-REQUISITES
Effective immediately, in order to take BC 290, students must have taken:

• 30 credits
• ENGL 101 and 102
• College of Management Writing Assessment (CMWA) (formerly the BCA)
  This applies to CM and non-CM students alike.

COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT WRITING ASSESSMENT (CMWA)
Before registering for BC 290, all students must complete the CMWA, which will determine whether or not students must take BC 230 before taking BC 290.  The CMWA will take two hours.  Students may only take the CMWA once.  All personal belongings (coats, purses, school bags, cell phones, notes, dictionaries, etc.) must be left with the exam proctor during the exam.

It is the students’ responsibility to reserve a time, via email (not in person or over the phone), to take the CMWA.  To do this, send an email to Leona.thomas@umb.edu  with the subject line “CMWA” including the following information, in the order in which it’s listed here:

1. Name (first, last)
2. UMS ID number
3. UMB College (CM, CLA, CSM, CNHS, CPCS, non-degree)
   3a. CM students only: when was/is your first semester?
4. Assessment date / time first choice
5. Assessment date / time second choice
6. Assessment date / time third choice
7. Email address (for notification of when and where you will take the CMWA, a sample exam, and assessment results)

We can only reserve a space for you to take the exam if we have all this information, in this order.  Once we have this information we’ll let you know when / where you will take the CMWA.  Space is limited, and requests will be handled on a first come, first served basis.  Of course we will try to accommodate your first choice.

CMWA TEST DATES
The following remaining test dates are for CM students only:

Additional CMWA test dates will be available during the spring semester and summer for CM and non-CM students. The dates listed above will allow CM students to have test results in time to register for summer and fall BC courses.

For questions regarding reservations, contact:   
Leona Thomas, CM Faculty Support Center: Leona.thomas@umb.edu
For questions regarding the CMWA and placement process, contact:                 
Professor Kirsten Wever, CM Writing Program Director: Kirsten.wever@umb.edu

For more general information, including a sample assessment, visit this site: http://www.management.umb.edu/undergrad/undergrad_cmwa.php

MATH 134 POLICY REMINDER: Effective Fall 2008

Beginning in FALL 2008, all CM students will be required to have completed MATH 134 before taking any College of Management courses (AF, MGT, MKT, MSIS) at or above the 300 level.

The College of Management faculty have made this decision not as a means to present a barrier to the degree, but rather to help students get a strong grasp of quantitative skills necessary for success in upper level core and concentration courses.  MATH 134 is currently a degree requirement, however, it will now need to be completed before taking any 300 level CM courses.  MATH 134 will also continue to satisfy the University’s quantitative reasoning requirement for College of Management students. All CM students are encouraged to enroll in this course, or appropriate pre-requisite courses as determined by your Math Placement Exam results, as soon as possible. 

Please note that advanced calculus courses such as MATH 135 and MATH 140 also satisfy the MATH 134 requirement.

More information regarding this policy, including frequently asked questions can be found in the College of Management Undergraduate Program Office.

YOUR DEGREE AUDIT: Check it Early – Check it often!

If you think courses aren’t appearing where they once did, or it doesn’t look quite right – bring it to the One Stop, where they can fix programming errors.

If you need help interpreting the audit, see an advisor.

Your audit is the way the University tracks your progress, not through check sheets or other methods – so make sure there are no surprises on your audit.

GRADUATION AND COMMENCEMENT INFORMATION

Graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 30, 2008.  More information about time, location, and your responsibilities and preparation for the ceremony can be found here: http://www.umb.edu/commencement/index.html This site will be updated regularly - so check back often.

Walking the Walk
There are three ways that you can become eligible to take the memorable walk across the stage: complete your degree requirements by the end of the fall 2007 semester, complete your degree requirements by the end of the spring 2008 semester, or be registered for your final courses in the summer of 2008.  All three groups will be walking across the stage.  There will be no distinction among the three groups during the ceremony.

Please note: Participating in the Commencement Ceremony by walking across the stage does not equal graduating.  Graduating from the university happens only when all degree requirements are complete. 

Diploma Distribution
The Registrar’s Office is responsible for disbursing diplomas and they will all be mailed this year.  For information about mailing dates, contact the Registrar’s Office directly.

If you have questions about what courses remain for you, please consult your degree audit.  You can bring the audit into the College of Management Undergraduate Program Office or University Advising for further guidance as well.

THE MANAGEMENT ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

The Management Achievement Program schedule for Spring 2008 is now available:
http://www.management.umb.edu/undergrad/undergrad_map.php

As you can see, there are many exciting events, workshops and employer visits planned this semester.  If you have questions about the program, the number of miles you’ve earned or still need, or would like to discuss your progress in the program, please email mapcm@umb.edu or contact Andrea Goggin in the College of Management Undergraduate Program Office.

CAREER CORNER

Tom Patria, Career Services & Employment Relations Specialist for the College of Management is here to assist you with your future aspirations, whether it’s finding an internship or full time employment. He can help you with résumés, cover letters, mock interviews, how to dress professionally, networking, etc. Check the MAP Schedule for a list of career related events: http://www.management.umb.edu/undergrad/undergrad_map_schedule.php

Mark your Calendar!
Career Expo 2008 is on Wednesday, March 26 from 1-4 pm in the Ballroom
for details: http://www.careers.umb.edu/ce2008employers.html
CM will have a Finance Career Fair on Tuesday, April 15 from 4pm to 7pm: Campus Center, Ballroom B.

Tom is located in McCormack, 5th Floor, Room 427.

PUTNAM INVESTMENTS UMASS SCHOLARS PROGRAM:
Application Deadline: March 28, 2008

Putnam Investments is offering two scholarships to provide recognition of and financial assistance to outstanding students.  The scholarships will be awarded to sophomore, junior, or senior level students for the 2008-2009 academic year.

To be eligible for the Putnam Scholars Program, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be currently enrolled full time at one of the sponsoring UMASS campuses - Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell
• Be a matriculated undergraduate student in Fall 2008
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0

For an Application, please contact the UMass Merit Scholarship Office at:
CC-4-4100 / 617-287-6026 / merit.scholarships@umb.edu

CHARLES J. HOFF SCHOLARS PROGRAM:
Application Deadline: April 2, 2008

The Hoff Leadership Scholarship is valued at up to $4000.00 per year, and is partially merit, partially need based.  Need is defined by the results of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  The scholarship is awarded to high achieving students to provide recognition for demonstrated excellence at UMass Boston. To get an learn more and apply, visit this site: www.umb.edu/students/scholarship/apply.html

SPEND A WEEK AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL:
Application Deadline: May 9, 2008

Apply for Harvard Business School's Summer Venture in Management Program

The Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP) hosted by Harvard Business School [http://www.hbs.edu/mba/svmp/] is a week of HBS instruction (June 21-27, 2008) that exposes high-potential college students in the summer between their junior and senior year to the HBS MBA experience and the variety of opportunities a degree in management can afford. Participants spend a week on campus living the MBA student experience – attending classes, analyzing case studies, and debating management issues with peers and faculty. This unique educational experience, in combination with a summer internship at a sponsoring company or organization, gives participants a broader understanding of the challenges business leaders face, the innumerable opportunities that exist in management, and the impact they can have on their community and the world through leadership.
The SVMP Application is now available online. The deadline is May 9, 2008. To apply, and for more information about this program, please visit the SVMP website: http://www.hbs.edu/mba/svmp/.

SPRING 2008 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

HOW TO CONTACT THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM OFFICE IN THE COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT

Extended hours will be available during high peak registration periods.

It is always a good idea to call ahead to be sure the daily schedule has not changed.

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