May 6, 2008
Dear Students, Alumni, Friends, and Colleagues:
The College of Business is an exciting place to be as together we celebrate our 60th anniversary as a College of Business (1948-2008). During these 60 years, the digital revolution has changed business and the world. A distinguishing feature of the college is our commitment to the use of wireless laptop technology by students and faculty. Our classrooms offer a professional learning environment with Smartboards, new ergonomic furniture, wireless ports, carpeted rooms, built-in electrical outlets at each table, and high speed printers in the hallway.
We value real-time access to information just as you would expect in the business world. Our Desire2Learn digital learning platform allows digital course management and ongoing interaction between students and faculty. Our commitment to a digital environment can be seen in our new online admission application and online scholarship application.
We are a national model for online access to current issues in business with our partnerships with both The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and The Financial Times. Students are encouraged to read, discuss, and understand current events in the rapidly changing global business environment. In addition, College of Business students and faculty now have access to state of the art high quality business research databases including Standard & Poors Compustat, CRSP files, Business Source Premier, ABI/INFORM Complete, LexisNexis Academic and Statistical Universe, Euromonitor, and Mergent Online. You can see why the college is recognized as a leader in information technology and why our graduates are highly prized in the work place.
While information technology is a strong background in our innovative learning environment, the real secret to fostering highly trained and highly skilled graduates is our faculty and staff. Our professors are excellent teachers with high expectations. Our staff members are committed to being helpful and supportive in our mission to serve students. As the Dean of the College of Business, I can truly say that working with such fine people is a great privilege. It is a pleasure to go to work each day.
Our undergraduate and MBA programs provide an exceptional foundation for rewarding careers. Recent placement statistics indicate that over 90% of our business students are employed within 6 months after graduation. Our MBA graduates rate at the top levels nationally on the Educational Testing Service field test. In addition, the Princeton Review selected the COB as one of the "Best Business Schools" in both 2007 and 2008.
The business world is fast-paced, exciting, relevant, and ever-changing. We challenge our students to be committed to excellence, to be involved with the university and the community, to be responsible, and to make a positive impact both as a student and as a future business professional.
Sincerely,
Scott D. Johnson, Ph.D.
Dean
College of Business
