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MBA Office Updates - January 26, 2006

Filed under SOM MBA Office
Posted by , January 26, 2006
View all posts for January 2006


Note from Mary D.
The Super Bowl is next weekend between two terrific teams. My analogy for the MBA Program is that these two teams are concentrating on two major things: staying focused when it is easy to get distracted by outside things, learn from your past experiences and mistakes as ways to improve, prepare, prepare, prepare, but remember to have some fun while you are in the thick of it as it some point you will look back on this experience with only wonderful memories!! To me, all of these points are direct corollaries to week 5 of the MBA program!!


Quote of the Week

“Those who truly have the spirit of champions are never wholly happy with an easy win. Half the satisfaction stems from knowing that it was the time and the effort you invested that led to your high achievement.” — Nicole Haislett


Schedule Updates for the Week of January 30-February 4
1. Wednesday, February 1, 11am, Day Track Meeting
2. Thursday, February 2, 5pm, Econ Review #2
3. Friday, February 3, all SOM staff at an offsite retreat
4. Saturday, February 4, International Student Seminar at Brandeis, 1-4pm
5. Saturday, February 4, QA Lab, 10-1pm


Registration Updates
New elective added:
1. Contemporary Issues in Marketing will be taught by Maria Kadison, Sr. VP for Marketing at Simmons College, day section, mostly Wednesday afternoons 1-4pm

Elective confirmations:
1. Investments, taught by Indra Guertler, night program, Thursday nights
2. Advanced Corporate Finance, taught by Richard Homonoff, day program, mostly Mondays


Operations Update from Mary D.
I was asked to take a tour of the library rooms, bathrooms, and study areas on Monday and I must admit, I was stunned by the amount of trash that students are leaving behind for others to pick up. There is no reason that students can’t throw out trash, wash down the sinks if you make a mess, and leave the area ready for someone else to use it. Please try and be more attentive.


Wall Street Day Trip Opportunity
The SOM Aumnae Board is trying to see if students might be interested in going to Wall Street on a Friday in May or June to see the trading floor, have lunch and maybe have a tour of the area. Cost would be $50 and we would rent a bus to take students back and forth. If you are interested, please email paula.donaldson@simmons.edu by Friday, February 3.


Special SOM Leadership Opportunity for Students
Last year, an SOM student wrote a letter talking about what the SOM meant to her and this letter was included in all Leadership Conference packets. We would like to invite any interested student to submit a letter for consideration this year. It will be reviewed by the Executive Director of the Leadership Conference, the Dean and Mary D. Only one letter will be selected, and we reserve the right to edit it, but it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your Simmons experience and have that read by 2000 people!! Below is Laney’s letter as a guide, and all letters should be submitted to Mary D. at mary.dutkiewicz@simmons.edu by Friday, February 3. The theme of this year’s conference is “Principles of Power.”

Dear Conference Attendees and Corporate Sponsors:

On behalf of the diverse women from throughout the world who currently make up our student body, I would like to offer a brief word of gratitude.

I chose to attend the Simmons School of Management (SOM) because of its unique and powerful mission of training women for power and leadership. Through your support of this conference and the Simmons SOM, I will graduate with my MBA in August.

I know that within my own personal and professional journey, I made an outstanding decision to attend the Simmons SOM. This is because I am learning more than the important mechanics of business management, but truly, “What Matters Most”.

One thing my MBA experience has taught me is that in a world of increasing interdependencies, leadership isn’t solely about the power you hold, but the power you bring to others. And so I, and all of the women in my class, thank you for the way you have empowered us through your commitment to the Simmons SOM’s tradition of educating women for power and leadership.

Sincerely,
Laney Whitcanack ‘05


The 3rd Annual Ad Club Symposium
March 8th and 9th

This year is guaranteed to be an early sell-out, with nationally recognized speakers including Charlie Thurston of Comcast Spotlight, Janet Robinson of The New York Times Company and Darcy Cameron of match.com. This two-day learning event is a must attend for any one who is looking to gain an edge on their marketing in 2006. To learn more about the speakers, their topics, and to register for the event that has been an overwhelming success for the past two years, click here.


MBA Business Ethics Competition

The Center for Ethics and Business at Loyola Marymount University is pleased to announce its 8th Annual National Student Team Business Ethics Competition to be held from April 6 to 8, 2006, in Los Angeles. This event includes student team presentation competitions (MBA and undergraduate), an optional combined academic/athletic competition, and an awards banquet.

Student Team Presentation Competition
Teams of 3 to 5 students choose a topic from any area of business ethics and make a presentation in which they describe the issue and propose a solution. Each team explains the legal, financial and ethical dimensions of the case. They then recommend a solution that must pass muster on all three counts. Even though all three areas must be dealt with, judges place special weight on the strength of the ethical analysis of the problem and the ethical acceptability of the solution. For this competition, the ethical character of teams’ analyses and recommendations will be evaluated from the perspective of “philosophical ethics.” That is, as appropriate to the case, judges will be looking for discussion of at least the amount and type of tangible good and harm involved, and the intrinsic character of the actions involved. The idea of the exercise is to help students see that it is possible for a business to run both profitably and ethically.

Presentations run from 20 to 30 minutes. Judges then question the team for another 30 minutes and give the team feedback. The top teams from each division will advance to a final face-off. There is no prescribed format for the presentation, but each member of the team is expected to speak at some point. Presentations are judged by a combination of business executives and university faculty. The winning teams and runners-up will receive cash prizes.

LMU 5K/10K Run for the Bay–“L.A.’s Weirdest Biathlon”
Believing that an educational program focusing on ethics should ultimately produce some tangible good, the Center for Ethics and Business also sponsors an annual 5K/10K walk/run – the “LMU Run for the Bay.” We do this in order to make a positive contribution to the local community (we donate the proceeds to Heal the Bay), to encourage students to form healthy habits early in life, to stimulate community participation in a university event, and to find a way for everybody to have some fun in connection with an academic program.

Student teams from the presentation competition are encouraged, but not required, to participate in the walk/run. However, those who do will be eligible for prizes in “L.A.’s Weirdest Biathlon.” As a way of encouraging students to take seriously the ancient maxim of “a sound mind in a sound body,” cash prizes are awarded in each division (5K and 10K) to the top two teams with the best combined score between the presentation competition and the run. At least three members from each team must participate in the run to be eligible for the biathlon prize.

Scoring for the race portion is determined by the best three scores from each team based on finishing place in gender. Because of NCAA rules, some team members who are college athletes may be ineligible to receive cash prizes. In such cases, the prize money will be donated to their schools.

Concluding Program
The weekend will conclude with a final program that includes final presentations by the top teams, the announcement of the winners, and an awards banquet.

For more information, contact:
Kirsten Nordblom
Associate Director, External Relations
knordblom@lmu.edu
310.338-2321

Thomas I. White, PhD
Hilton Chair in Business Ethics
Director, Center for Ethics and Business
twhite@lmu.edu
310.338.4523

Information is also available on the Center’s website at www.ethicsandbusiness.org.