Constant News February, 2006




	Faculty/Staff News Program News Upcoming Events Student News Alumni, Advisors, & Friends		Constant Hall News February, 2006 Message From the Dean Dr. Nancy Bagranoff Greetings! The Spring semester is well underway, even if the groundhog tells us that the season will be a little later. It is difficult to tell from the weather we've had so far this winter! In this Dean's letter, I'd like to focus on some of the activities and relationships that occur between the College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) and the Hampton Roads business and governmental communities. While our primary missions are education and research, the CBPA also performs services and interacts with businesses, non-profit organizations, and governmental entities in a large number of ways. Some specific examples are the Economics Club of Hampton Roads; our Executive Development Center; the Landmark Executive in Residence program; our centers and institutes, which include the Port and Maritime Institute, the EV Williams Center for Real Estate and Economic Development, the Economics Education Center, our Economic Forecasting Center and our Insurance and Financial Planning Center; and the Constant Hall Partners Program. We also have many outreach arms via our various advisory councils. Through the Executive Advisory Council of the CBPA, our Accounting Advisory Board, the Board for the EV Williams Center for Real Estate and Economic Development, the Port and Maritime Advisory Board, the fairly new Advisory Council to the Department of Urban Studies and Public Administration, the Economics Club Board, and the Insurance and Financial Planning Centers' Board, we have more than two hundred individuals working with us to help us shape our educational programs and research. We rely on these advisors in a number of ways to help us in all that we do. As an example, Executive Advisory Council members assist each year by participating in focus groups with sets of students to provide feedback to us about what we are doing right – and wrong. These groups are key to our continuous improvement. Included in this newsletter is a short piece about the Constant Hall Partners Program. If you would like to know more about this program or any of our outreach programs or advisory groups, simply send us an email at constantnews@odu.edu. As always, we hope you enjoy our newsletter!

Faculty/Staff News *Dr. Ling Li Member of Research Team Sharing Multidisciplinary “Seed Grants”* Dr. Ling Li , Associate Professor of Decision Sciences, is a member of one of five research teams that will share nearly $400,000 in One-Time Multidisciplinary Seed Funding grants for 2006 from the ODU Office of Research. A total of 27 funding proposals involving 113 ODU faculty investigators were received in response to the Office of Research's solicitation. A team comprised of Dr. Li ; H. Anna Jeng, ODU assistant professor of community and environmental health; Tom Allen, ODU associate professor of political science and geography; and Dayanand Naik, ODU professor of mathematics and statistics; and Maria Frontini (EVMS); received $80,000 for their proposal “Establishment of Environmental Public Health Tracking System in Virginia.” The seed funding initiative reflects a major investment to cultivate research programs at ODU. The goal is to support projects that are relevant to instructional research priorities, are multidisciplinary and can produce immediate impact, and can build thematic teams with prospects to attract additional and new research dollars. The primary goal is for the teams to collect seed data and aggressively seek Federal grant dollars to bring in additional research support. *Dr. Shaomin Li, Dr. Yuping Liu Receive Collaborative Research Awards* Two CBPA faculty members are among eight researchers awarded funding as part of the university's 2006 Summer Experience Enhancing Collaborative Research (SEECR) program. The program, coordinated by the Office of Research and the Research Foundation, provides funds to interdisciplinary pilot projects with the ultimate goal of supporting the start-up of collaborative projects that can qualify later for funding from outside the university. Two of the four teams receiving funding included a CBPA faculty member: Dr. Shaomin Li , Professor of Management, with Jie Chen, Professor of Political Science and geography, for “The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in the Democratization Process: A Cross-Country Study.” Dr. Yuping Liu, Assistant Professor of Marketing, with Yvette Pearson, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, College of Arts and Letters, for “Direct to Consumer Marketing of Genetic Tests and Services: Moral Perils and Practical Solutions.” Each SEECR researcher receives a $6,000 stipend and each team is eligible for an additional $5,000 for supplies, equipment or part-time assistance during eight weeks next summer. Upon completing the research, the collaborators are expected to seek external funding to further their multidisciplinary research efforts. The faculty are required to present their research findings at the university research exposition. *Dr. Soo-Hoon Lee Awarded Summer Research Fellowship* Dr. Soo-Hoon Lee , Assistant Professor of Management, is one of 12 ODU faculty members awarded a Summer Research Fellowship by the University's Research Foundation. Dr. Lee's proposal is titled “Antecedents, Processes, and Outcomes in Family Business Successions.” The Fellowships provide funds and a small expense account to support research or scholarly activities during the summer. The goal of the Summer Research Fellowship program is to promote scholarly endeavors and creative activities that could ultimately attract outside funding. Each recipient is expected to devote fulltime to his or her research for a continuous eight-week period during the summer. *Dr. Shaomin Li is Guest on Television Talk Show* Dr. Shaomin Li , Professor of Management, has made two guest appearances on the television talk show “Current Affairs” on Voice of America in Washington, D.C. On February 20, Dr. Li discussed the positive and negative effects of foreign investment on China; on January 16 he spoke about corruption in China. *Dr. Soo-Hoon Lee Named to Editorial Board of Journal of Business Venturing* Dr. Soo-Hoon Lee, Assistant Professor of Management, has been appointed to the Editorial Board for the Journal of Business Venturing (SSCI Impact Factor: 1.231), an A journal in the area of entrepreneurship. *Faculty Works Accepted for Publication* The following faculty members have works accepted for publication: Dr. Mike Glassman, Professor of Marketing, and Dr. Bruce McAfee , Professor of Management, “Pay Inversion at Universities: Is It Ethical?” in vol. 56 of the Journal of Business Ethics . Dr. Shaomin Li , Professor of Management, “Determinants of locations of foreign direct investment in China.” Management and Organization Review. (with Seung Ho Park) Dr. Anusorn Singhapakdi , Professor of Marketing, “Comparing Thai and U.S. Businesspeople: Perceived Intensity of Unethical Marketing Practices, Corporate Ethical Values, and Perceived Importance of Ethics” in vol. 22, no. 5 of International Marketing Review . Co-author is Janet K.M. Marta, who received her PhD from ODU in 1999, currently a professor at Northwest Missouri State University. Dr. Shaomin Li and Dr. Larry Filer, Associate Professor of Economics, “The effects of the governance environment on the choice of investment mode and the strategic implications.” Journal of World Business . Dr. Steven Maurer , Professor of Management and Dr. Shaomin Li , “The effects of governance environment on work relationships in relation-based economies.” Human Resource Management Review . Dr. John Lombard , Assistant Professor of Urban Studies & Public Administration and David Chapman , PhD student, “The Determinants of Residential Satisfaction in Fee-based Gated and Nongated Communities.” Urban Affairs Review. Dr. Shaomin Li , “Governance environment and international business: Frictions between rule-based and relation-based societies and the strategic and Policy Implications.” Journal of National Development Studies. *Tambre Anderson Joins Advising Staff* Tambre Anderson is the new Program Advisor in the CBPA Undergraduate Advising Office. Tambre is an alumna of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication/ Advertising, with a minor in African-American Studies. While attending UNC, Tambre worked as an Orientation Counselor and Resident Assistant and was a Carolina cheerleader. After receiving her BA, Tambre worked for several years in the Student Affairs Office at Ferrum College in Ferrum, VA. Tambre is currently enrolled in the Master's in Higher Education program at Old Dominion University. She has worked for the ODU Office of Residence Life and completed an advising internship at Tidewater Community College. [Back to Faculty/Staff][Back to Top] Program/Center News *PhD Business Program Revises Comprehensive Exam Process, Sets Marketing Plan* In January, graduate faculty involved with the PhD in Business - Finance, Marketing, and Management - met to discuss standardizing the comprehensive exam process. According to PhD Program Director Dr. Sylvia Hudgins, the following schedule will begin Fall 2006: International Business Comprehensive Exams will be given once a year in the third week of May. The Field of Specialization Comprehensive Exams will be given once a year during the week prior to the start of fall semester. All disciplines will administer oral comprehensives in their field of study following the written exams. A committee comprised of Dr. Hudgins, Dr. John Ford, Dr. Kiran Kirande, and Dr. Anusorn Singhapakdi is developing a marketing plan that includes new promotional materials and a directed effort toward colleagues at other universities. The plan includes development of discipline-based print materials to be ready for distribution in mid- to late-summer 2006. The Marketing brochure will be designed first utilizing the knowledge and resources of the discipline, followed by brochures for Management and Finance. The deadline for applicants for Fall 2006 is April 1. Beginning this month, applications will be forwarded via e-mail to graduate faculty in each discipline to be reviewed for admission decision. According to Dr. Hudgins, the program has some strong applicants that she hopes will ultimately choose to attend Old Dominion University. *MBA Information Sessions Promote “Faculty, Flexibility & Facilities”* The MBA Program has hosted four highly successful Information Sessions during the Spring semester, two on the Norfolk campus, one at the Peninsula Center , and one specially designed for potential 5-year BS/BA & MBA undergraduate students in the College of Arts & Letters. According to Program Manager Rhyanne Henley, the program office receives hundreds of call, emails, and web forms every month from prospective students seeking more information about the MBA program. She noted, “Information Sessions provide a very effective way to get these prospective students excited about the benefits of ODU's MBA - Faculty, Flexibility, & Facilities. The four sessions held this spring have attracted over 110 attendees. Sessions are promoted through as many free or low-cost resources as possible. The MBA website ( www.odu-mba.org ) is the main method of reaching prospects and the sessions are also advertised through posters in Webb Center, University/Student Announcements, campus flyers, and in the Mace & Crown . Our partners at the Peninsula Center and the Virginia Beach Center are very generous in providing funding for advertising in local newspapers such as the Daily Press and Virginian-Pilot. The College has also supported the Information Sessions through advertisements in Inside Business, on radio station WHRO, and in other media. Additional information about the MBA Program and the Information Sessions is available by telephoning 683-3585, emailing mbainfo@odu.edu, or online at www.odu-mba.org . Upcoming Information Sessions Wednesday, March 22, 6 p.m., Constant Hall 1005 Tuesday, March 28, 12:30, Constant Hall 1002 (specifically for students interested in the 5-year BS/BA & MBA) Thursday, March 29, 6 p.m., Virginia Beach Higher Education Center Room 226 *New Staff in Executive Development Center* The Executive Development Center has announced the hiring of two new staff members. Sarah Daniel-Ash joined the Center in December as Office Manager. She has several years experience in office management and customer service. Scott Derosier was recently hired as Program Assistant. Scott previously worked with a local training consulting firm performing similar duties. *Center for Economic Education Conducts “Financial Fitness Week”* The CBPA Center for Economic Education is joining with the Virginia Beach Schools Federal Credit Union to host a “Financial Fitness Week,” March 20-24 at Green Run Elementary School in Virginia Beach. By the end of this week, every student in the school will have learned about financial literacy using children's literature. On Tuesday, March 21, Martha Hofler, Center Director, will speak to the Green Run PTA, sharing ideas with parents on how to encourage financial literacy at home. On March 22, Program Coordinator Ruth Cookson will conduct a workshop for teachers on ways to incorporate financial literacy into their lessons all year long. [Back to Program/Center News][Back to Top] Upcoming Events *Executive-in-Residence Series Welcomes Luke Hillier March 14, 2006* The final speaker for the 2005/2006 Executive-in-Residence speaker series is ODU alumnus Luke Hillier (1994) founder and CEO of Mythics Inc., the largest Oracle software reseller in the United States. Founded in 1999 with local headquarters in Virginia Beach, Mythics has grown from a garage start-up to a dominant Oracle solutions provider with more than 60 employees and annual sales over $120 million. In 2004, Mythics received Oracle's “Partner of the Year” Award. Mr. Hillier also serves as CEO of ADS Inc., one of the nation's leading special and tactical operations equipment providers with annual sales over $200 million. The company has a 90-person workforce with operations on the East Coast and West Coast. A resident of Virginia Beach, Mr. Hillier is a member of the Old Dominion University Alumni Association, Young Entrepreneurs Organization of Hampton Roads, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, and National Government Contractors' Association. *E.V. Williams CREED Market Review and Forecast is February 22* The Old Dominion University E.V. Williams Center for Real Estate and Economic Development (CREED) will host the 11th annual Hampton Roads Real Estate Market Review and Forecast on Wednesday, February 22, 2006. The event attracts over 600 members of the real estate and development communities throughout Virginia, with presentations highlighting market activities in the residential, multi-family, retail, office and industrial real estate from the previous year and forecast for the year ahead. This market information is compiled into a Market Review Survey book that is distributed to event attendees. The Annual Market Review is the premier event for networking in this dynamic and important sector of Hampton Road's economy. Additional information and online registration are available at the CREED web site at http://www.odu.edu/CREED or e-mail jlombard@odu.edu for information. *CBPA Dean's Research Seminar Series* The College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) Deans' Seminar series is designed to increase the level of research related discourse within the college and foster a culture of scholarship. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present their work to faculty and students; presenters include College faculty, as well as invited presentations of internationally distinguished speakers. Constructive criticism and informal discussion have been the hallmark of this presentation series. The presentations serve as a forum for exchange of ideas, feedback and foster collaborative research. Seminars are scheduled on alternate Fridays from 12-1:30 p.m. in Constant Hall Room 2003. Refreshments are served, courtesy of the Dean. Upcoming seminars March 3, Dr. Russell Haines, Topic: TBA March 17, Theresa Kirchner, Dr. Kiran Karande, and Dr. Ed Markowski, Topic: “Perceived Organizational Business Continuity Readinesss - Scale Development” March 31, Dr. Vinod Agarwal, Topic: TBA April 14, Dr. Brian McNatt, Topic: “Building Self-Confidence: A Meta Analysis of the Effectiveness of Self-Efficacy Intervention in Work Related Contexts.” The Dean's Research Seminar series is coordinated by Dr. Mahesh Gopinath, Associate Professor of Marketing. Additional information on the series, including future seminar topics and links to materials from past presentations, is available online at http://bpa.odu.edu/bpa/news_events/deans_seminar/. *Economics Club of Hampton Roads Speaker Schedule for 2005/2006* The Economics Club of Hampton Roads has announced the speaker schedule for 2005/2006. All programs are held at the Norfolk Marriott Waterside at 235 East Main Street, Norfolk. All programs are from 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. unless noted. Upcoming programs are: March 22, 2006: Jeffrey Bader , Director of the China Initiative and Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institute. Prior to joining Brookings, Mr. Bader had a 27-year career in the Department of State, National Security Council, and office of the United States Trade Representative. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs; Director of Asian Affairs at the NSC; and Assistant US Trade Representative for PRC, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mongolia. (Co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Hampton Roads.) April 26, 2006: William Starbuck , ITT Professor of Creative Management, Stern School of Business, New York University. Topic: “How a butterfly upset an industry . . . and changed American society.” Subtitle: “The origins and development of America's most successful corporate law firm.” May 10, 2006 (Co-sponsored by the Hampton Roads Council Navy League): Rear Admiral Carol M. Pottenger , Rear Admiral, Commander Military Sealift Fleet Support Command. A graduate of Purdue University, Rear Adm. Pottenger was commissioned as an Ensign through NROTC. One of the first women selected for sea duty, she has completed a lengthy series of active duty and reserve duty commands. She was appointed to her current commission in November 2005. Rear Adm. Pottenger has been awarded both the Battle “E” and the 2002 Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy. *Bisk* *Live CPA Review Course* The College of Business & Public Administration, the Department of Accounting, and BISK Education are offering a Bisk Live CPA Review course. The course, designed to help CPA candidates pass the new CPA exam, is offered Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-9:30 p.m. at the Norfolk Campus. Because the format of the program allows individuals to prepare for the entire exam or for individual sections, registration is on-going. Developed by Nathan M. Bisk, JD, CPA, the Review program includes a complete system of state-of-the-art study materials, including multi-media formats, interactive CD-Rom software for Windows, videotapes, text books, an Internet component, and a Live CPA Review. Watch future issues of this newsletter for information on summer sessions, which will be held at both the Norfolk campus and the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center. For detailed information, please contact Tim McKee, Department of Accounting, at (757) 683-3577. [Back to Upcoming Events][Back to Top] Student News *Fall 2005 CBPA Internship/Co-op Program* The Fall 2005 semester was a successful one for the CBPA Internship/Co-op Program. Employers were very pleased with the performance of interns and students were satisfied with the experience as well. Employers were asked to evaluate students on a total of 14 criteria. Over 95% of the students received an overall ranking of Above Average or Excellent, and 100% of students were ranked as Above Average or Excellent for Attitude. Students were asked to evaluate their internship/co-op experience on six criteria. Over 98% of students noted in their evaluation that they would recommend an internship to other students. *MBA Students Qualify for NASA National Competition* By Susan Beck, Reprinted, with permission, from the COURIER Two students from Old Dominion's MBA Program, Jason McKernan and Erik Metzroth, were recently named finalists in the 2006 “NASA Means Business” annual competition. They won a cash award and trips to Johnson Space Center in Houston February 21-22 and Kennedy Space Center in Florida, May 22-24. The NASA Means Business competition calls for business students across the country to research, design, and develop a communication and education plan for the organization. Competitors are tasked with developing an outreach plan in the form of a 30-second public service announcement and an Internet campaign. The winning team will be chosen based on its success in communicating NASA's vision by highlighting the agency's goals and incorporating its scientific research. “When we heard about the competition, we thought this was an amazing opportunity and knew we had to enter,” said McKernan. McKernan, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Metzroth, of Tiburon, Calif., began the project by conducting an informal survey of about 70 people in the local area. “We wanted to know what the average person knew about NASA,” McKernan explained. “We found the answer is ‘not much at all.'” The pair chose to focus on NASA's applications in everyday life, which include everything from safety equipment to ski helmets and goggles to wireless technology. McKernan and Metzroth, along with three other finalist teams, will travel to Houston to tour the NASA facility and gain access to the center's extensive photography and video archives. Material they collect on site will be used in their final presentations. In May, the teams will visit Kennedy Space Center to review their strategic plans with NASA during four days of presentations and proposal work. The winning team will be announced May 24. Students from the winning team will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., where they will present their plan to top NASA and government officials. NASA developed the competition in the late 1990s after it determined that, while it had been successful in communicating the reasons for space exploration, the agency had not been as effective in relating its expectations and accomplishments to the public. NASA decided to turn to students across the country to help in this process. “The average person witnesses a space launch once a year, but has no idea what NASA does the remaining 364 days. With our proposal, we hope to bridge that gap,” said McKernan. [Back to Student News][Back to Top] Alumni, Advisors, and Friends *Constant Hall Partners Program – “Building a Better Business School”* The Constant Hall Partners Program was established in 2003; born of a need for some annual operating funds, accompanied by an interest in developing relationships with business, nonprofit, and governmental organizations in Hampton Roads. The program continues to grow and we are adding organizations and features to the program on an ongoing basis. Companies involved in our Constant Hall Partners Program help us out financially, as each organization is asked to make an annual monetary contribution to the college. This funding is used to support faculty and students. Some examples include: • Faculty travel for professional development – In July, the College will send two or three faculty members to an AACSB-sponsored Conference on Ethics and Governance. In summer 2005, two faculty members attended a similar conference. Such professional development is critical to the overall improvement of the College. • Support for students – As you read earlier in this newsletter, two of our MBA students were selected as finalists in a national competition. Although they are receiving some funding from NASA, they will also be supported through our Constant Hall Partners fund. • Summer research support – Each year, several of our faculty members receive financial support for their summer research efforts. We also offer this support to prospective faculty, as a feature to attract high quality scholars. Our Partners also help to convey the message to our students, faculty, staff, and advisors that we are engaged with businesses in Hampton Roads. Plaques, representing each entity in the Program by their name and logo, are on a wall in the lobby of Constant Hall. Partners are also recognized at our College web site. Additionally, we host a special reception each spring for representatives from these organizations to interact with some of our top students. The CBPA's Executive Advisory Council is also a Constant Hall Partner and members of that group give us financial support, along with their advice and other help. Organizations currently participating as Constant Hall Partners are: Atlantic Group American Funds AMSEC BB&T Griffin Investment Group of Wachovia Securities Hampton Roads Association for Financial Professionals INTECS International Norfolk Southern Northrop Grumman SouthernTrust RBC Centura Sysco Food Services of Hampton Roads Tidewater Hotels and Resorts Trader Publishing Wachovia William E Wood We are grateful to these organizations for their participation in the Constant Hall Partners Program. If your company or organization is interested in becoming a Constant Hall Partner or learning more about the Program, please contact Connie Merriman at 757-683-6548. *Accounting Alumni Held Basketball Social* The Accounting Alumni held a Basketball Social during the men's game against James Madison on Saturday, February 4. Over 50 alumni attended the event. [Back to Alumni, Advisors, and Friends][Back to Top]