Constant News October, 2004




	Faculty News Faculty Transitions Staff Transitions Upcoming Events Student News Alumni, Advisors, & Friends Executive Advisory Council News Other News ODU Goes the Distance for Army Alum Teaching Tip Development		Constant Hall News October, 2004 Message From the Dean Dr. Nancy Bagranoff We've been back to school now for almost two months and it seems as though the first day was just yesterday. Much is happening and there is a lot to include in this edition of the Constant Hall News. To kick off the school year, I gave my first State of the College address. In it I talked about the highlights of this past year, plans for the coming year, and metrics we can use to judge our successes. (The full text, along with the College of Business and Public Administration “Scorecard,” is available at our website, www.odu-cbpa.org.) This issue of the Constant Hall News describes several recent faculty and staff awards. Professor Bill Crouch was named a University Professor, Dr. Vinod Agarwal has been appointed by the governor to the Virginia College Building Authority, Professor Vijay Kalburgi won an award from Student Services, and Ruth Cookson was recognized for her work with the Center for Economic Education. We also feature news items about recent and upcoming events and changes to faculty and advisory council members. A new feature in this issue is a Teaching Tip. We hope that the faculty will find this of value and that our other readers will be interested to learn of some of the creative ways our faculty help our students learn. As always, we hope you enjoy the Newsletter!

Faculty and Staff News Faculty Transitions New faculty joining us for Academic Year 2004/05 are: Ateba Crocker, Instructor of Marketing. Professor Crocker received her Master of Arts degree in International Management from Portland State University. Mahesh Gopinath, Associate Professor of Marketing. Dr. Gopinath is coming from Tulane University. He received his doctorate from the University of Michigan. Russell Haines, Assistant Professor of Information Technology. Dr. Haines joins us from the University of Tulsa. He received his doctorate from the University of Houston. Soo Hoon Lee, Assistant Professor of Management. She was last teaching at Morgan State University and received her PhD from the University of Washington. Andre Liebenberg, Instructor of Finance. Professor Liebenberg is completing his doctorate at the University of Georgia and will defend his dissertation this fall. Visiting faculty for Academic Year 2004/05 are: Shane Carbonneau, Visiting Instructor of Economics. Professor Carbonneau is completing his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin and will defend his dissertation this Fall. Varun Kshirsagar, Visiting Instructor of Economics. Professor Kshirsagar is completing his doctorate at North Carolina State University and will defend his dissertation this Fall Faculty News Dr. Wiliam H. Crouch Named University Professor Old Dominion University's William H. Crouch, chair of the Department of Information was recently named a University Professor by President Roseann Runte. The designation, which recognizes his outstanding teaching at ODU, carries a four-year, $2,500-per-year teaching and professional development stipend. Dr. Crouch will retain the title throughout his tenure with the university. "Bill Crouch is a teacher par excellence," said Thomas Isenhour, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "His preparation and enthusiasm for teaching is an inspiration to us all. Professor Crouch received both his doctorate and master's degree in research and statistical methodology from the University of Northern Colorado. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Colorado. He became department chair in 1998 and, under his leadership, information systems became the largest major in ODU's College of Business and Public Administration. This semester, Dr. Crouch is teaching courses on Object-Oriented Programming with Java and Implementing Internet Applications. He was written numerous journal articles and delivered several presentations nationwide. CBPA Professor Wins September Faculty of the Month Award Vijay Kalburgi – September Faculty of the Month Award from Student Activities and Leadership – nominated by a student, Meredith Green. Given to faculty who make significant effort on behalf of their student at ODU. Will be featured in Mace and Crown and at www.studentservices.odu.edu/stuactivities. Economics Professor Appointed To Virginia College Building Authority Gov. Mark Warner recently appointed Vinod Agarwal, professor and chair of the economics department at Old Dominion University, to the Virginia College Building Authority (VCBA) for a term of four years. The purpose of VCBA is to facilitate or provide financing for certain capital projects and educational equipment for state-owned institutions of higher education and to provide a conduit financing mechanism for private, nonprofit institutions in Virginia. Dr. Agarwal earned his doctorate from the University of California at Santa Barbara and bachelor's degree from Delhi University. He joined Old Dominion in 1981 and currently serves as the graduate program director of the master's program in economics. Professor Agarwal's articles on applied economics have been published in several professional journals, including Economic Development and Cultural Change, Social Science Quarterly, Economics of Education Review and Journal of Higher Education. He is author or co-author of more than 60 professional journal publications and research monographs. In addition to citations in professional publications, Dr. Agarwal's work has been cited in more than 130 newspaper, magazine and wire reports throughout the United States, including the Dow Jones Newswire, Associated Press and USA Today. [Back to Faculty and Staff ][Back to Top] Staff Transitions Michael J. Walker has joined the Office of Development as a Major Gifts Officer. His office is in Constant Hall and he will be working on helping the College of Business and Public Administration to reach its goal in the Capital Campaign. Michael is a 1988 graduate of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication. He spent 16 years with Wachovia bank, starting as a management intern and ending as Vice President and Financial Center Manager. He is a Norfolk native and currently lives in Chesapeake Center for Economic Education Manager Honored Ruth Cookson, program manager for the Center for Economic Education at Old Dominion University received the National Association of Economic Educators 2004 “Rookie of the Year” award at the annual meeting held in Little Rock, Arkansas in October. “It was a great honor to receive this extremely competitive national award. I'm hoping that my recognition will lead to a greater awareness among area teachers that the center is here to help with economic education—offering free workshops, lessons and support to help them not only raise the SOL scores for their schools, but also make economics fun and exciting for their students,” said Cookson. The award recognizes an individual who has been a member of the National Council on Economic Education for less than two years and who has "hit the ground running" taking up the challenge of providing economic education programs or services as appropriate to their position. Cookson joined ODU in 2002 and has contributed to the significant growth in the outreach of the Center over the past two years. Her major contribution to economics education has been in the number of workshops and in-service presentations she has conducted for K-12 teachers in the Hampton Roads school systems. Her knowledge of the Virginia Standards of Learning has been an asset and source of support for teachers as they prepare their students for the economics strand of the Social Studies standards. In addition, Cookson has presented at several conferences on both the national and state levels, co-authored the lesson “From Boxes to Sheep,” published in Resources A to Z, and served as a reviewer for the National Council on Economic Education's Publication, The Wide World of Trade. For more information on the Center, e-mail rcookson@odu.edu . [Back to Faculty and Staff ][Back to Top] Upcoming Events We held the annual College of Business and Public Administration picnic at the picnic site on the Elizabeth River on September 12. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and ODU's sailing team out on the river. Supply Chain Security Research Symposium On December 3, 2004, the College of Business and Public Administration will hold a Supply Chain Security Research Symposium in the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The symposium is supported by a gift from Norfolk Southern Corporation and organized by the Maritime Institute. Presentations and speakers include: “Supply Chain Resilience Preparedness - Gaining Operating Performance Plus Security through Collaborative Programs,” Dr. Omar Keith Helferich, Professor of Supply Chain Management, Central Michigan University; “Government Security Programs - A Floor or Ceiling on Securing Your Supply Chain,” Mr. Irvin Varkonyi, Director of Education, Trade Security Institute, Fairfax, Virginia; and “Maritime and Intermodal Security: Importance of the Human Factor,” Dr. Capt. Jon S. Helmick, Director, Logistics and Intermodal Transportation Program, United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York. Also, a “Supply Chain Security Hall Meeting: Panel and Audience” will be held, with the panel including the above three speakers and the college's Dr. David Cook and Dr. Ling Li. There will a continental breakfast from 8:30 - 9:00 a.m., the program from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and will end following lunch. The symposium is open to all members of Old Dominion University and the public. Please contact Tarsha Turner (683-3444 or tturner@odu.edu for a reservation. Economics Club of Hampton Roads Guest Speakers This year the Economics Club co-sponsored an event with the Norfolk Foundation. The speaker for that luncheon meeting was be Rob Grunewald, Regional Economic Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and co-author of Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return. For information about how to attend any of these luncheons, contact Katrina Davenport at 757-683-4058. Upcoming Economics Club speakers and dates are: November 19, 2004 Dr Amit Mitra, Secretary General, The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). PhD, Economics from Duke and recipient of Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, 1990. Dr. Mitra serves on several Boards: Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) - largest steel manufacturer in India; Gas Authority of India (GAIL); Principal Mutual Fund. Member of the Advisory Boards of: The India Fund of The Unit Trust of India (UTI); Central Electricity Regulatory Commission; the Central Listing Authority. Member of: the "India-China Eminent Persons Group" and the Advisory Committee to Union Commerce Minister of India on International Trade (WTO); and the “Indo-EU Roundtable” from the Indian side (initiated by Government of India and the EU). December 1, 2004 Carmen Suro-Bredie, Assistant United States Trade Representative, Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Ms. Suro-Bredie's expertise is Latin and South America. Presented with the World Affairs Council. Executive-in-Residence Our first Executive-in-Residence speaker this fall was Jeffrey Littman, local entrepreneur and President of Cavalier Marine Supply. The next Executive-in-Residence event will be: *November 16, 2004 Eric Schvimmer, an ODU alum and VP of Technology, Washington Post* and Newsweek Interactive. Constant Hall, Room 1005. Public welcome to attend. Dean's Research Seminar Each Friday, the Dean's Research Seminar is held in Constant 2099, from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. We have had several faculty member present their papers this semester, including Dr. Steve Gara, Dr. Ling Li, and Professor Mahesh Gopinath. The Research Seminar is coordinated by Dr. David Selover. Please let Professor Selover (683-3541) know if you would be interested in presenting your research. CPA Review Faculty Members Timothy Mckee, Walter Berry and Randall Spurrier are currently teaching the Bisk CPA Review Course on Monday and Thursday nights through January 2005. Please contact Timothy Mckee at tmckee@odu.edu for further details. It is not too late to sign up. [Back to Upcoming Events][Back to Top] Student News The Dean formed a Student Advisory Council, comprised of officers of student clubs and representatives of academic programs that do not currently have clubs or associations. The Student Advisory Council will provide a linkage between the college administration and the student body. The group will meet two or three times each semester and the Dean will call on the council members when student issues arise or when student representation is needed. In October, the members of the Student Advisory Council met with the College's Executive Advisory Council. Each student leader briefed the executives on their club or program for three or four minutes and then the student panel took questions. The students did a magnificent job and the Executive Advisory Council members were quite impressed with their poise, presence, and knowledge. Members of the Student Advisory Council for Academic Year 2004/05 are: President, Finance Club – Y'Hoshu Yisrael President, Managerial Audit and Accounting Club – Laurence Houlbert PhD Program - Urban Studies Representative – David Chapman President, Beta Alpha Psi - James Whitemore President, MBA Association - Erik Metzroth PhD Program – Business Administration Representative – Darryl Samsell (Terry Kubichan) President, Alpha Kappa Psi – Ebony Turner President, Association of Information Technology Professionals – Gelila Sebhatu President, CBPA Honors Society – Allison Hawley Masters of Public Administration Representative – Lindsay Kennedy [Back to Upcoming Events][Back to Top] Alumni, Advisors, and Friends Executive Advisory Council News The Executive Advisory Council had its first meeting of the academic year on October 14. As noted earlier in the newsletter, the Student Advisory Council members made presentations to the group. Dr. Bruce Rubin presented a response to the MBA Focus Group report, explaining how the program would act upon points raised in the sessions last spring. Dean Bagranoff presented a summary of the State of the College report. In addition, Chair Bruce Bradley solicited members of the Advisory Council for the Constant Hall Partnership Program. Initiatives this year for the Council will be developing a Speakers database, holding focus groups for the undergraduate program, providing input to the MBA curriculum review, and continued help with the strategic planning process. New members of the College of Business and Public Administration Executive Advisory Council are: Robert M. (Bob) Boyd, Regional President, BB&T Nicholas B. Clark, Sr., Project Manager, George G. Sharp, Inc. Frederick C. (Eric) Coble, Corporate Secretary, Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. Ed Ladd, General Manager, MacArthur Center Michael S. LaRock, Vice President of Finance and CFO, SYSCO Food Services of Hampton Roads Dennis McLaughlin, President, The Atlantic Group Peter Mueller, Executive Vice President, Stihl, Inc. Nancy Harrison Parker, Director of Marketing, Vandeventer Black, LLP Susan R. Ralston, President/CFO, Bank Atlantic [Back to Alumni, Advisors, and Friends][Back to Top] Other News ODU Goes The Distance for Army Alum in Kuwait Old Dominion University recently put its extensive distance learning technologies to very special use in supporting one of its own serving on the front lines. Following an alert from MBA Program Director Bruce Rubin, ODU's Military Activities and Distance Learning teams coordinated a live broadcast on September 18th between the University and Camp Arifjan in Kuwait to celebrate the promotion of Army Major Charles Stribling, UNC '79 and ODU '85. During the broadcast, Stribling, a reservist who has been deployed overseas for nine months with an Army Finance Group, was able to link with wife Alissa in the Gornto studio where she and family friends observed the colorful promotion ceremony. Mrs. Stribling was able to converse extensively during the one-hour broadcast, prior to heading off to her own MBA class on campus. President Runte was on hand for the telecast to extend hearty congratulations on behalf on the entire University. Cost to ODU for TV connection to Kuwait: charge for a local telephone call. Value to family and University: Priceless.... [Back to Other News][Back to Top] TEACHING TIP Classroom Debates in the College of Business and Public Administration Dr. Mahesh Gopinath, Associate Professor of Marketing, is experimenting with a new classroom exercise – Debates. The structure of the debate was as follows: Half of the 40 students were required to take part in each debate with ten on each side of an issue that they were excited about. The other half were observers who asked questions during the allotted time and also graded the debate. A number of issues were brought up in class to identify an issue that had close to ten participants on each side. It was interesting to note that ‘outsourcing of jobs' was an issue that was hotly debated with an equal number on both sides for the daytime students while the same issue found no one against it for the evening class. (You could hypothesize that the evening students have more experience in the workplace and so might be more accepting.) The topic was chosen weeks ahead of debate date to give adequate time for preparation. The format for the one-hour debate was as follows. The team winning the coin toss decided who went first. 4 minutes – point introduction by first team 4 minutes – counterpoint introduction by second team 27 minutes – open debate between the two teams moderated by Professor 15 minutes – structured questioning from the rest of the class, alternating between the teams 4 minutes – counterpoint conclusion by second team 5 minutes – point conclusion by first team 1 minute – counterpoint rebuttal by second team Dr. Gopinath's RA, Jeff Hansen, helped with time-keeping and evaluations. Observers evaluated each team on their preparation, organization, analysis, persuasiveness, interest generated and responses to questions. The evaluations of these students carried 40% of the grading for the debate. The students took their grading job seriously and did a good job. It took some effort to control the discussion during the open debate session. Professor Gopinath allowed only one team to talk at a time and alternated between the teams, giving equal time to both teams. To encourage equal participation of debate students in preparing for the debate, each member of the debate teams did peer evaluations of rest of the team. They were asked to divide 100 points amongst all team members except themselves. It appears that the peer evaluations were done seriously and in a fair manner. Feedback on the debates has been very positive. Professor Gopinath could see that students took the process very seriously and put a significant level of effort into this component to the extent of being “exhausted” at the end of the debate. Dr. Gopinath thinks debate as a form of evaluation could be appropriate for a number of business classes to stimulate interest in a topic, encourage independent research, and encourage students to open up discussions in class. If any one is interested, he is willing work with you and to share his guidelines and format for the debate as well as any other evaluations forms that you may like to use. Response from students has been very encouraging. For most of them, this was their first experience in participating in a debate. [Back to Other News][Back to Top] Development As ever, we thank the many individuals and companies that have helped to support the college financially. Old Dominion University announced its $100 million Capital Campaign on October 15. The College of Business and Public Administration is charged with raising $10,000,000 of that amount. At this time, we have raised approximately $3.8 million. Below are some of the recent gifts made to the College. Constant Hall Partners The list of Constant Hall Partners continues to grow. New pledges have been received from: INTECS International, Inc. and Bank of America. We now have commitments from fourteen companies in the Hampton Roads region. For more information about the partnership program, please contact Michael Walker, 683-3319 or Mary Beth Dale, 683-6186. Major Gifts Clayton Cheek Scholarship: Clayton Cheek, Director of Client Development for Ivy Asset Management Corporation has pledged to fund a scholarship of $25,000. He graduated from ODU in 1989 with a degree in Finance and Economics. Richard Conrad scholarship: Richard Conrad, President Verizon Wireless Northeast, has agreed to donate $100,000 toward a College of Business and Public Administration scholarship. The scholarship includes an Education Choice match from the Verizon Foundation. Mr. Conrad graduated from ODU in 1970 with a degree in History. He is a Distinguished Alumni award winner. Harvey Lindsay gift: Harvey Lindsay, Jr., Chairman of NAI Harvey Lindsay, has donated $25,000 toward the Robert M. Stanton Chair in Real Estate and Economic Development. He is also making a planned gift of $50,000. Jeff Ainslie gift: Jeff Ainslie, an alumni and local real estate developer with Ainslie-Widener, has pledged to donate $100,000 toward the Center for Real Estate and Economic Development. Mr. Ainslie graduated in 1983 with a degree in Marketing. Jim Hixon gift: Jim Hixon, Old Dominion University's new Rector, and Senior Vice President Legal and Governmental Affairs, Norfolk Southern, Inc., has made a gift of $50,000 to fund a scholarship. Richard Thurmond gift:** Dick Thurmond, an alumni and President of William E Woods, has donated $150,000 toward faculty development. The gift will name the Dean's Suite in Constant Hall and the money will be added to the faculty development endowment, which will be used to fund faculty research, teaching, and travel. Mr. Thurmond graduated from ODU in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing. [Back to Other News][Back to Top]