New s lin e
News for alumni and friends of the College of Business Administration
Issue 9
Nowak Retires After Four Years as Business Dean Linda Nowak, Dean of the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration, retired in June following four years of academic success and community enrichment.
In this Edition: • Nowak retires • 2014 Business Forecast • CBA Awards • Beta Alpha Psi and Beta Gamma Sigma induct new members • HR student Christina Alger receives award • Economist Arthur Laffer visits CSU Stanislaus • Chan honored for online teaching efforts • Jenkins Scholarship continues high-quality accounting program • High marks on Time Magazine list • Business women inspire future leaders
Nowak has returned to Santa Rosa to be closer to her family and will return to teaching and her research in wine business marketing and strategy. Professor David Lindsay, chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance, is serving as interim dean until a permanent replacement is hired. “It has been an honor to work with the outstanding faculty and staff in the College of Business Administration,” Nowak said. “Our faculty members are dedicated to delivering one of the best business programs in the country. Their dedication to our students and their success is impressive.” Chief among the college’s accomplishments under Nowak’s leadership was the renewal in 2013 of a prestigious accreditation through AACSB (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International. The college first achieved AACSB accreditation — a distinction shared by less than 5 percent of the world’s business education programs — in 2003, and Nowak’s vision and guidance led to a renewal without the need for continuing review from the accrediting agency. “Our College of Business Administration is exceptionally well respected in this area and beyond, as evidenced by its very strong showing in the AACSB accreditation process,” CSU Stanislaus President Joseph F. Sheley said. “Every member of the college contributed to that effort, but we are especially grateful to Dean Nowak for the leadership that she has provided. She has made a significant difference.” Nowak also led the development of the university’s Online MBA program — the state’s first fully online MBA program to be accredited by AACSB — and made improvements to the Executive MBA program. She has also made significant inroads in the community, leading strong fundraising efforts both for student scholarships and for events like the Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Executive Speaker Series. And she’s overseen the continued development of the Women’s Leadership Forum, now in its fourth year. Earlier this year, Nowak was named Higher Educator of the Year at the Turlock Chamber of Commerce’s “Best of Turlock” awards event, and she was appointed to represent Supervisorial District 1 on the Stanislaus County Economic Development Action Committee (EDAC). Last year, she began writing a monthly business column in the Central Valley Business Journal. “Dean Nowak has provided excellent leadership for the College of Business Administration, working with faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members in continuing to build a superior business program,” CSU Stanislaus Provost James T. Strong said. “We are thankful for her outstanding service and wish her the very best in retirement.”
“Newsline” is published by the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration.
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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Business Economist: Valley Employment to Reach New Highs In Midyear Update of Business Forecast Report, Professor Gökçe Soydemir Projects San Joaquin Valley Economy to Soon Exceed Pre-Recession Levels The San Joaquin Valley economy continues to trend upward following the Great Recession that began in 2008 — with employment reaching an all-time high in the third quarter of 2013 and the economy expected to exceed pre-recession levels by 2016 — according to a report by Gökçe Soydemir, the Foster Farms Endowed Professor of Business Economics at California State University, Stanislaus. In May, Soydemir released a midyear update to his third annual Business Forecast Report, which was originally published in December. Among the highlights from Soydemir’s fi ndings in the update, available for free at, csustan.edu/sjvbfr are: •
Total employment in the Valley registered slightly above 1.6 million in 2013, with construction employment growing the fastest and retail trade employment showing the most remarkable growth. Soydemir said the total employment growing by 1.63 percent was typical long-term behavior, making steady increases likely over the next two years. Some employment areas, like the information, government and fi nancial activities sectors, are not expected to improve as quickly.
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Home values continue to climb sharply, increasing by more than 18 percent in 2013. While significant increases are expected to continue — with a projection of 20 percent annually through the fi rst half of 2016 — they are likely to settle into a steadier rate of growth in the years to follow. Housing permits also grew significantly in 2013, and foreclosures dropped to prerecession levels and are projected to remain low.
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While employment in the Valley has shown strong growth, the same cannot be said for wages. After posting increases of 2.02 and 1.55 percent in 2011 and 2012, respectively, average weekly wages in the Valley dropped by 0.04 percent in 2013. Projections for the next two years point to small increases of about 0.15 percent per year.
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Bank deposits continued to grow at a steady rate of 4.64 percent in 2013, similar to the growth rates of 2011 and 2012. While still below the 10-year benchmark rate of 7 percent, the 2013 growth was significant enough to extend loans and leases to fi nance continuing economic recovery in the Valley.
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Incoming numbers as of the fi rst quarter of 2014 have not reflected the impact of drought to a significant degree. However, the impact is already being felt in higher meat and dairy prices at the grocery store. With conditions already bad, another year of drought may derail farm-related business indicators.
The Business Forecast Report provides projections for the Valley’s labor market; regional housing conditions; prices and infl ation; banks and other depositary institutions; and capital markets. Soydemir looks for data that signal “turning points” and offer clues to future performance. He and his team use a unique forecasting model that produces lower and upper statistical confidence bands; actual results are expected to fall within this range. Soydemir joined CSU Stanislaus as the Foster Farms Endowed Professor of Business Economics in 2011. He brings strong expertise and experience in business analysis and forecasting and has published extensively on applied econometrics, regional economics, fi nancial forecasting, market analysis and international fi nance.
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY STANISLAUS
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CBA Awards: College Gives Out Honors On behalf of the faculty, staff and students, the College of Business Administration would like to thank you for your support during this very successful academic year. Our mission is to deliver a professional business education that offers the knowledge and skills to succeed. Our goal is to provide a supportive environment that will help students reach their full potential. Through the internships, scholarships and sponsorships you provide, we are able to offer our students a highly valuable professional business education that is accessible and affordable, and which empowers people of all ages and backgrounds to transform their lives and realize their potential. Our students are given a strong business foundation that prepares them for the challenges of the future. The excellence of our academic programs has earned the college full accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), International. AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business and management education. Only 5 percent of all business schools are accredited by AACSB, the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. This spring, the college honored 10 students for their outstanding academic performance in each of the following business disciplines: Accounting .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Christina Brichetto Computer Information Systems .….….….….….….….….….Kevin Byers Finance.….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Melaina Cano General Business .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Mary Shields Human Resources….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Michael Khoshaba International Business .….….….….….….….….….….….….….Kristin Shirley Marketing ….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Alyssa Thiele Operations Management .….….….….….….….….….….….….Eric Boklund Strategy/Entrepreneurship .….….….….….….….….….….….Amelia Blade Online Master of Business Administration ….….….….Rey Cardenas Executive Master of Business Administration .….….Meghan Castro The college maintains excellence through the hard work and dedication of its faculty and staff. It was a privilege to recognize the following faculty and staff for their outstanding contributions this year: Outstanding Faculty in Research Excellence ….….….Randall Harris Outstanding Faculty in Service Excellence ….….….….Randall Brown Outstanding Faculty in Teaching Excellence ….….….Annhenrie Campbell Outstanding Staff .….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….Claudia Manzo Without the outstanding commitment of our community members, our students would not have access to experts in business and leadership, career guidance, internships and job opportunities. We would like to thank the following community members for their commitment to enriching the education and careers of our students: Outstanding Business Advisory Chair ….….….….….….Sharon Silva Outstanding Business Alumnus ….….….….….….….….….Fred Bee
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Honor Societies Induct New Members Beta Alpha Psi
Beta Alpha Psi is an honor society in the College of Business Administration. This honor society recognizes academic excellence and complements members’ formal education by providing interaction among students, faculty and professionals and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct. The College of Business Administration inducted 10 students to the Lambda Rho Chapter 269 of Beta Alpha Psi. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems, providing opportunities for selfdevelopment, service and association among members and practicing professionals, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social and public responsibility. Congratulations to the new members of Lambda Rho Chapter 269 of Beta Alpha Psi: Sitka Boehmer Shelby Guthmiller Angela Hansen Robert McGhee John Olmos Joseph Ortiz Heng Ou Qing Pan Sergio Salcedo Seth Scales
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Beta Gamma Sigma With over 1,500 students in the College of Business Administration, this spring semester the College initiated 36 students into Beta Gamma Sigma, a national honorary business society. Beta Gamma Sigma is the international honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International. Students ranking in the top 10 percent of their baccalaureate class and top 20 percent of graduate programs, who also have a GPA (grade point average) of 3.5 and above are eligible for membership. The new members’ outstanding academic performance has brought them into this honorary society and worldwide network with outstanding professionals. Congratulations to the 36 new Beta Gamma Sigma members from the California State University, Stanislaus Chapter: Bryant Adamson Yazil Belmonte Amelia Blades Deborah Blevins Sitka Boehmer Steven Butner Dave Caddell Yvonne Carey Shanil Chandra Marticia Donald Jake Duffy Sherry Elms Jarred Fastenau Deep Gill Kenya Gonzalez Ashley Hernandez Marvin Hooker Barry Hull
Walter Juarez Ashley Kavarian Yuta Kakudate Kai Kekuewa Rebecca Keller Michael Khoshaba Karina Munoz Sothary Ngeth Magdalena Perez Tracy Raper Justin Relaford Sandra Schroeder Amanda Thatcher Jose Torres Lynna Tran Angela Walton Jeffery Woodbridge Cristian Zermeno
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Human Resources Student Named One Of Nation’s Best The Society for Human Resource Management at CSU Stanislaus is proud to announce that 2013-2014 student club president and recent human resources graduate, Christina Alger was named the top human resources student in the nation as the winner of the prestigious National Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation Student Award. As the winner, Alger was awarded a $2,500 prize. This is the second consecutive year that Alger has claimed this significant award. Each year the SHRM awards 10 prizes to outstanding human resources students in the nation. The award is based on scholarship, service and contribution to the field of human resources and is extremely competitive. CSU Stanislaus human resources students have won this top award five of the last seven years — making the program a breeding ground for top human resources students in the nation. Alger is the only two-time winner among the current crop of award recipients, making her the top human resources student in the United States. As a student, Alger maintained a 3.99 GPA, served on the board of the Western Business and Management Association and the editorial board of the Western Journal of Human Resource Management. She is also an active volunteer with local charitable and human resource organizations. Alger is no stranger to winning awards. She is a two-time winner of the Management Student of the Year at CSU Stanislaus. She also won the top award from her employer, New York & Company, for all metrics, including customer service and new accounts, out of more than 700 stores across the nation. She is currently the manager of the New York & Company store in Merced. Danielle Fletcher, another former SHRM club president, was also a two-time recipient of this award (2009 and 2010). In 2006, Crystal Jack won the top human resources student award “National Human Resources Student Leader of the Year” at a time when only one such scholarship was awarded. Jack was also a member of the CSU Stanislaus Human Resources Games team that won the National Human Resources Games Championships with a 26-2 record. Both Fletcher and Jack were also recipients of the J. Burton Vasche Award at their respective commencement ceremonies. The Vasche Award, named in honor of the university’s founding president, is awarded to the student who displays the highest standards of leadership, cooperation, participation, service and scholarship. Jack is currently the Human Resources Director at Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel. Fletcher is currently working for the U.S. government in San Francisco.
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Noted Economist Arthur Laffer Pays Visit to CSU Stanislaus Students, faculty, staff and community members were treated to an evening of economic wit and wisdom at CSU Stanislaus March 27, when acclaimed economist Arthur Laffer became the first subject of the Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Executive Speaker Series. The event, sponsored by Winton-Ireland in partnership with the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration, gave the campus and community a unique opportunity to hear from a globally recognized economist. “The college is very grateful for this generous gift,” said Linda Nowak, Dean of the College of Business Administration. “Our vision is to be the business education nucleus of the region. This speaker series brings students, faculty and the community together to hear international experts speak on topics that are critical to our nation.”
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Known to many as “the father of supplyside economics,” Laffer gained prominence during his time on President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Advisory Board. He has authored and co-authored many books and articles and is most famous for the Laffer curve, an illustration of the relationship between tax rates and government revenue. Laffer, recently named Distinguished University Professor of Economics by Mercer University in Georgia, is also a coauthor of California’s Proposition 13, a former Distinguished University Professor at Pepperdine University and a former U.S. Senate candidate. Michael Ireland said Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency employs about 140 people, and nearly 10 percent of them are CSU Stanislaus graduates or current students. The speaker series presents a chance to give back
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to the university while also enhancing the education of current students. “We have benefited from CSU Stanislaus, and we wanted to do something extra to give back to the university and the community,” Ireland said. “Budget cuts have made events like this impossible without outside funding. Our collective hope is that others will see the value of the speaker series and help fund it in the years to come.”
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Monique Early, a Master of Business Administration student, said Laffer was an entertaining, engaging speaker who presented his views with fact-driven research. “As a graduate student of CSU Stanislaus, it was an honor to share the presence of a man who has been and will continue to be influential in the policies that shape our country,” Early said. “From a student’s perspective, it doesn’t get much better than this.”
In addition to Laffer’s address and a VIP reception, the event also featured an opportunity for a group of students to meet and interact with Laffer. “Dr. Laffer helped us see how public finance and businesses coincide,” said Amy Howser, who is studying for her Master of Public Administration degree. “He gave many great examples of how the economy and public finance can play a large role when making decisions. Looking from many perspectives before implementing a new tax is important when predicting the effects it will have on the economy and on the people.”
Economist Arthur Laffer (third from right), poses with Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Chief Operating Officer Rick Adams (from left), CSU Stanislaus Provost James T. Strong, Winton-Ireland Chief Financial Officer Paul Porter, Winton-Ireland Chief Information Officer Michael Ireland, CSU Stanislaus President Joseph F. Sheley and Winton-Ireland Manager Jeff Quinn prior to Laffer’s talk at CSU Stanislaus.
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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
CSU Stanislaus Professor Honored for Online Teaching Efforts Marjorie Chan, professor of management in the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration, has been named one of eight recipients of the California State University’s Quality Online Learning and Teaching (QOLT) award for her upper-division Business Policy course. Online courses are fast becoming more common at colleges and universities, and the QOLT program represents the CSU system’s effort to evaluate and improve the quality of online teaching and learning. Chan is the first professor from CSU Stanislaus to be recognized by the 3-year-old program, and her selection reflects the university’s commitment to effective online teaching. “The use of online technologies to deliver courses has steadily increased over the past 20 years, and it will continue to grow and have a major impact on higher education,” CSU Stanislaus Provost James T. Strong said. “Online instruction is not inexpensive, but if done well, it can be very effective and reach students who otherwise may have been excluded due to time and place constraints.” Each year, QOLT identifies exemplary online and hybrid courses throughout the CSU system. Submissions are evaluated based on a 54-item rubric that includes self-evaluation, campus-level evaluation, and student ratings and comments. Chan earned high praise for Business Policy, a capstone course for graduating seniors in business. In the course, students work in teams to analyze an organization’s internal and external environment from a top-management perspective and develop strategies and implementation activities to identify and address issues. In particular, Chan was credited with consistently encouraging feedback from students on all aspects of the course, using a variety of innovative collaborative tools — such as Voki, Blackboard Collaborate, BlogTalkRadio and many others — to foster communication with and among student teams, and for her clarity in presenting and explaining the unique structure of the course. Chan uses digital teaching resources from McGraw-Hill Connect, along with screen-casting technology, podcasts, social media, a discussion board and other learning management system functions to help students process information, collaborate on projects and stay connected and up to date. Students are also encouraged to experiment with different tools for their group assignments, and many use Google Docs and Skype. The Business Policy course, Chan said, has worked particularly well in the online environment. “As this is a capstone course, students have to integrate knowledge from all business disciplines in order to help a company to make sound decisions,” Chan said. “A high-quality online course provides an environment for collaboration, interactivity, student engagement and knowledge construction.”
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CSU Stanislaus Ranks High on Time Magazine List
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University Places No. 28 in Rankings Based on Obama’s Upcoming College Rating System, Which Emphasizes Access, Affordability and Outcomes The Obama administration has pledged to create a new college rating system by 2015, with a particular focus on qualities such as access, affordability and educational outcomes. Time Magazine recently ranked 2,500 colleges and universities throughout the United States based on these criteria, and CSU Stanislaus landed high on the list. Time’s rankings were based on six-year graduation rate, average tuition, and the percentage of students receiving federal Pell Grants. With each area equally weighted, CSU Stanislaus places No. 28 in the nation and fourth among CSU campuses behind only Long Beach, Los Angeles and Fresno. “These rankings reinforce what we’ve long known about the CSU system and at CSU Stanislaus in particular,” President Joseph F. Sheley said. “In addition to the quality academic programs we offer and our emphasis on student success, we are committed to providing an affordable education that is accessible to all qualified students regardless of their financial situations.” The article on Time’s website also allows users to create their own rankings by adjusting sliders to apply more or less importance to each of the three criteria. In addition to the new Time rankings, CSU Stanislaus has consistently been recognized in “Best Colleges” publications from the Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. The university has also been recognized recently for affordability, environmental sustainability and friendliness toward members of the military and their families.
Dr. David O. Jenkins
Committed. Dedicated. Inspiring. These are all adjectives that former students have used to describe David O. Jenkins, retired professor of accounting in the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration. With the support of many of his former students, the David Jenkins Scholarship was created, providing financial support for accounting majors and honoring the high-quality standards he produced in his students. In 2013, Jenkins established an endowment fund to increase and perpetuate this support. Jenkins came to CSU Stanislaus as a professor in 1970, having previously earned a doctorate in business administration from the University of Southern California and a CPA certificate. He soon recognized that accounting graduates had to travel to Sacramento to attend a quality CPA review program. In response, he developed a proprietary CPA review course at CSU Stanislaus taken by many students with a high success rate. When the College of Business Administration was organized into departments, he became the first chair of the Department of Accounting. Jenkins’ focus was always on teaching excellence, and he was recognized with a Gallo grant for his outstanding teaching. Although he retired in 2002, Jenkins continues to engage with the university. If you wish to donate to the David Jenkins Scholarship Endowment and continue his legacy of excellence by supporting deserving accounting students, please visit www.csustan.edu/giving.
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Businesswomen Inspire Future Leaders
Four guest speakers — including three CSU Stanislaus alumnae — were featured at the fourth annual Women’s Leadership Forum in March, hosted by the College of Business Administration. The panel featured: Martha Connor, CEO of DirectLine Technologies; Beverly Finley, retired CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association; Sharon Silva, CEO of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce; and Lynn Dickerson, CEO of the Gallo Center for the Arts. Conner, Finley and Silva are CSU Stanislaus graduates. Linda Nowak, Dean of the College of Business Administration, said part of the inspiration for the event is the fact that 50 percent of CSU Stanislaus business majors are female, compared with only 25 percent of the faculty. The event is held in March to align with Women’s History Month. “I want our students to be able to see other successful women as role models,” Nowak said. “This luncheon has become a forum for women from the community, students, staff and faculty to come together to celebrate
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our contributions to our families and our communities — to encourage others to look at ways that we can all make a difference.” President Joseph F. Sheley welcomed attendees and noted that many of the business leaders in attendance were CSU Stanislaus alumni. “Our graduates hit the ground running and making a difference in the community,” he said. “Seeing so many alumni in this room in particular reinforces the strength of leadership in our region.” The panelists spoke about leadership, education and career development, and also had the opportunity to answer questions from attendees. “The experience that best prepared me for leadership was the opportunity to learn critical thinking skills,” Connor said. “I was a good problem solver, and that provided opportunities for professional development that I would not otherwise have had.” On the topic of women in business, Finley said, “As an economics major, I was one of just two women — but things are changing.
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Overcoming stereotypes can be done with confidence and perseverance.” Among the accomplishments for which the panelists were the most proud, education rose to the top. “I can’t tell you how proud I was to get my B.A. — how proud I was to accomplish that dream,” Silva said. “No one can take your education away from you. That education has provided
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me with a job where I can make a difference.” Dickerson noted that preparation pays off, especially for recent graduates. “You never know when something great will land in your lap,” she said. “While you are looking for a job, volunteer — you will gain experience, meet people and make connections that will help you along the way and could lead to a great job.”
Sharon Silva, CEO of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce; Beverly Finley, retired CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association; Martha Connor, CEO of DirectLine Technologies; and Lynn Dickerson, CEO of the Gallo Center for the Arts participated in the panel at the Women’s Leadership forum in March.
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California State University Stanislaus College of Business Administration Invest in Our Students. Invest in Our Region. Our MBA graduates become the proud leaders of our community.
MBA • Traditional face-to-face instruction • Convenient, evening class schedule • For recent business graduates and young professionals
Executive MBA • • • •
Grant Crum VP HR, Valley Pacificc Petroleum Services Stockton, CA Class of 2013
Accelerated program – fifinish nish in 15 months Saturday-only classes Designed for experienced professionals Cohort-based structure
Anna Eshoo Owner, I Am Yoga Wellness Studio Turlock, CA Class of 2008
Online MBA
• 100% online – study anytime, anywhere • For professionals of all levels • Sloan-C Online Teaching Certifi Certified ed faculty
Kathryn Snyder Marketing Manager, Golden Bear Ranches Lodi, CA Class of 2014 Thee College of Business Administration is accredited by the
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International.
Visit us at ww.csustan.edu/MBAprograms 12