College News
UA Symposium: Using Analytics in Preventing Biological Terrorist Attacks
It’s almost too horrible to think about – a terrorist attack using infectious diseases.
But, according to those who study such things, many consider a terrorist attack of a biological nature inevitable. Thus, the level of preparedness that will influence the ultimate outcome of a deliberate act of biological terrorism must be considered.
The use of analytics to circumvent the intended outcome of such an event by alerting health officials in its earliest possible stages was one of many topics presented at the second major analytics symposium The University of Alabama campus.
Sam Edgemon of SAS Corp. will address the issue in a presentation titled, “Why we need Real-time Analytics in Bio-Surveillance.”
Edgemon is a consultant in the SAS US Business Analytics Consulting Practice. He has recently been involved as the technical project lead for an initiative originated by the Department of Homeland Security to develop new and superior “early alert” systems for naturally and
unnaturally occurring biological events. Edgemon holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and a Bachelor of Science in statistics from the University of Tennessee.
He spoke with Leigh Garner of Birmingham’s Channel 42 News about the issue.
CIMG hosts Inaugural Capstone Student Investment Conference
On October 3rd, CIMG hosted the inaugural Capstone Student Investment Conference. CIMG was joined by members of the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Green and Gold Fund and Samford University’s Bulldog Fund. Overall, the goal was to encourage the dissemination of knowledge and experiences, both good and bad, between the groups. This goal was realized as each group was given the opportunity to speak about their own fund’s processes and philosophies at the start of the evening. The conference concluded with two very impressive speakers.
Dr. Samuel Addy (pictured left) is a native of Ghana and the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at The University of Alabama. He spoke about the turbulent economy, particularly the insights that he was able to derive as an immigrant from a third world country. Overall, Addy explained that while economic downturns will occur, America’s economy is one of the world’s best.
Mr. Joel Conn (pictured right) is the founder and sole manager of Lakeshore Capital, LLC. Lakeshore Capital is a $125 million investment fund which Conn operates under his value-based philosophy. He explained how his own life experiences have led him to his current philosophies. It was particularly interesting for CIMG’s members to hear from yet another professional value investor.
CIMG found the sharing of knowledge from its peers and the speakers to be beneficial. It is our intention to both continue to hold the conference annually and to expand the conference’s participants and offerings in upcoming years. We would like to thank Lindsey Blumenthal and the Commerce Executives Society for making the event financially possible.
Undergrad Accounting Program Ranked #20 by Public Accounting Report
The undergraduate program at the Culverhouse School of Accountancy at The University of Alabama is No. 20 in Public Accounting Report’s latest annual professors’ survey. The UA graduate program in accounting was ranked 24.
The undergraduate program was No. 23 last year and in 2009.
The PAR ranking, now in its 30th year, is based on the votes of professors of accounting at U.S. colleges and universities.
“Being consistently highly ranked in the PAR survey affirms the quality of our faculty,” said Dr. Mary Stone, head of the Culverhouse School of Accountancy. “The generosity of our alumni has been instrumental in allowing us to support some of the finest educators in accounting education.”
More than 1,000 schools in the United States offer accounting programs and around 500 of those, including Culverhouse, are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, or AACSB International.
“Being in the top 25 consistently is a major accomplishment,” said Dr. J. Michael Hardin, dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce. “In addition to being excellent teachers, our accounting faculty is known for its research and for its many contributions to accounting education.”
Bashinsky Computer Center & Bruno Library Change in Operating Hours
The Bashinsky Computer Center and Bruno Library will have the following change in hours:
Sunday, January 15th - close at 10pm
Monday, January 16th - CLOSED
Regular hours will resume Tuesday, January 17th.
Bashinsky Computer Center and Bruno Library Change in Operating Hours
The Bashinsky Computer Center and Bruno Library will have the following change in operating hours:
Sunday, January 15th - close at 10pm
Monday, January 16th - CLOSED
Regular hours will resume Tuesday, January 17th.
Winter 2011 edition of 'The Executive' now available online
The new winter 2011 edition of The Executive is now available online and on your iOS devices.
This edition features a look back at the tenure of former Dean J. Barry Mason, and a look forward to what new Dean J. Michael Hardin has in store for C&BA.
Other featured stories:
- Sustainability: A driving force in business, and on campus.
- MBA Analytics Course Goes Global
- Alabama Business Hall of Fame Inductees 2011
Include C&BA in your holiday giving plans!
Now is the perfect time to make gifts to the business school
The end of the year is a perfect time to join the Culverhouse College of Commerce annual fund, the Commerce Executives Society (CES). CES funds are used at the discretion of Dean J. Michael Hardin to support scholarships, technology, faculty, student programs, and other areas of need within the college.
The college faculty and staff is dedicated to enriching the learning environment for our students. Alumni and friends of the College can make a significant difference by contributing time and financial resources to maximize the impact we have on our students and add value to a Culverhouse degree.
A lot of exciting things are going on at the College and you will want to be a part of the excitement. Learn more about CES at our website: http://cba.ua.edu/ces.
Gifts made by Dec. 31 are eligible for tax deductions this year. You can easily give on-line by clicking this link: https://www.ua.edu/advancement/giving/donate/?division=5&account=14.
For more information, please contact Lindsey Blumenthal, Coordinator for CES at lblument@cba.ua.edu or 205-348-4899.
In addition, since 2006, $3.1 million has been given to The University of Alabama as a result of the ability to make tax-free distributions from Traditional or Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets to qualified charitable organizations.
Unless additional action is taken by the U.S. Congress, this giving option will expire on Dec. 31, 2011. A special package has been prepared and mailed to approximately 5,000 selected donors to notify them of this giving option and remind them to take action before the deadline.
Included in the large tax package passed last year by Congress is the provision that renewed the ability to make tax-free distributions from Traditional or Roth Individual Retirement Account (IRA) assets to certain qualified charitable organizations, such as (college/unit) at The University of Alabama. Those interested may request direct transfers from their IRA in any amount up to $100,000 to a charity during 2011 without reporting it as taxable income. This provision applies to people age 70 ½ or older who complete gifts by Dec. 31, 2011.
It is simple to make a transfer. Contact your account administrator to request a check be delivered to:
The University of Alabama
Tax Identification # 63-6001138
Attn: Gift Planning Office
Box 870122
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487
The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business MBA Program and the Department of Theatre and Dance MFA Program Unveil New Dual Degree
Effective fall 2012, The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate
School of Business MBA Program and the College of Arts & Sciences Department of Theatre and Dance MFA Program in Theatre Management will offer a new MBA/MFA dual degree.
The Manderson Graduate School of Business MBA program strives
to build a framework for continuous improvement and lifelong learning.
The nationally ranked program provides hands-on experience and practical learning necessary to succeed in the business world. Through a solid academic foundation, team building skills, community activities, real experiences, relationships and networks, and a balance between personal and professional activities, Manderson MBA students are positioned to be leaders in the industry.
The Master of Fine Arts Program in Theatre Management was founded
in 1984 at The University of Alabama. During their tenure on campus, students gain invaluable academic and objective experience from two environments -- on-campus academic courses and hands-on practical experience, allowing for a very high degree of personal contact and involvement in the operation of the University theatres. In addition to courses with the faculty of the university’s Department of Theatre and Dance, the MFA curriculum encompasses business, advertising and public relation courses taught by faculty of the Manderson Graduate School of Business and the College of Communications and Information Sciences, poised to become one of the leading training grounds for theatre and arts management candidates in the region.
Students in this dual degree program will take core MBA courses
and MBA electives, with some additional contact hours in MFA in Theatre
Management courses to fulfill the MBA program requirements. Students would also take core MFA courses, inclusive of summer internships, with additional contact hours of MBA courses already attained, to fulfill the MFA in Theatre Management requirements. The prescribed timeframe for completion of this dual degree, to be conferred in the same commencement, is three years. A university criterion for admission maintains that it is mandatory for each student to be admitted to both programs separately before being allowed to begin work in the dual degree program.
For additional information or questions about The University of Alabama’s Manderson Graduate School of Business MBA Program, please contact (205) 348-6517 or visit the MBA Program website at http://www.MandersonMBA.com. For more information on the Department of Theatre and Dance MFA in Theatre Management Program, please contact (205) 348-3844or visit their UATD website http://theatre.ua.edu/.
Norville, Mason recognized for contributions to real estate industry
Peyton Norville, longtime Birmingham real estate executive, and J. Barry Mason, former dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration at the University of Alabama, were recently recognized for their contributions to the Alabama real estate industry.
More than 200 people attended the Tuscaloosa Networking and Business Development reception during which Norville and Mason were recognized.
Norville has more than 40 years of experience in real estate and management. He is vice chairman of Jefferson Title Corp. and has served as a director for the National Association of Realtors for a decade. He recently formed Peyton Norville Consulting, a private management and real estate advisory firm.
Mason served as dean of the business school for 22 years before stepping down this past summer. He is serving as the interim director of the Alabama Productivity Center. Under his leadership, the Culverhouse College of Commerce achieved status as a nationally recognized public business school. Along with Paul Corwin, president of the Alabama Association of Realtors, established the Chair of Real Estate currently held by Dr. Leonard Zumpano. He also was instrumental in creating the Alabama Center for Real Estate in 1996.
“We wanted to express the real estate community’s appreciation to both of these gentlemen, whose support and have hard work have meant so much over the years,” said Grayson Glaze, executive director of ACRE.
“We also want to thank our event partners for their participation,” Glaze said. The event was hosted by Westervelt Communities, along with Riverwalk Condominiums & Retail Center, Robertson Bank, The Tuscaloosa News, Tuscaloosa Association of Realtors, Home Builders
Association of Tuscaloosa, Alabama Association of Realtors and Alabama Re Commission.
In Memory of Dr. James Cashman
Dr. James F. Cashman, age 66, the John R. Miller Professor of Management at the University of Alabama, lost a long battle with gastric cancer Dec. 2, 2011, at DCH Regional Medical Center. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Father Jerry Deasy officiating. Burial will follow in Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.Dr. Cashman was preceded in death by his mother, Agnes Deisenroth Cashman; father, William Patrick Cashman; and brother, John Cashman.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Linda Cashman; and much-loved daughter, Jennifer Cashman; sister, Sr. Mary Agnes Cashman, CDP; brothers, Matthew Joseph Cashman, Thomas Edward Cashman, and William Patrick Cashman, Jr.; sister-in-law, Michelle Cole; and nieces, Lauren and Amelia Cole. He also leaves behind a cadre of students whose lives were positively influenced by having the opportunity to study under and become acquainted with Jim Cashman. He touched the lives of multitudes of students, and he kept in touch with many over the years as their careers blossomed, always available for advice and counsel. Many credit Jim with assisting them in landing their very first professional position.
During the Vietnam War Jim served his country as an expert in the German language with the National Security Agency stationed in Berlin. During this time he made several lifelong friends.
Dr. Cashman was an accomplished scholar and an award-winning teacher, including being the recipient of the National Alumni Associations Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award and the Morris Mayer Award, and a dedicated servant to the University of Alabama. Most importantly, Jim was a friend and supporter of every student at the University.
Jim was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, having grown up in Chicago and spending much of his youth at Wrigley Field. He loved playing golf, although since his illness, he had not been able to play for a long time. He was very musical, and loved playing his baby grand piano and the violin. He had a soft heart for animals and loved many pet dogs through the years, who always seemed to want to be on his lap when he was reading the newspaper and trying to do his crossword puzzles.
Jim was a kind, loving person who lived his life by high standards of integrity and always doing the right thing. He supported Linda and Jennifer in any endeavor they chose to pursue and was always so proud of them, as he told them on many occasions.
Dr. Cashman joined the University of Alabama in July 1975 after completing his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior at The University of Illinois. In addition to his doctoral degree, he also held an M.A. in Labor & Indus-trial Relations and a B.S. in Social Psychology from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At Alabama he held the rank of Assistant Professor from 1975-80, Associate Professor from 1980-85, and Full Professor from 1985 forward. Jim served as Coordinator of the Management area from 1987 forward. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Northumbria, England and worked extensively with the Business School of Durham University in England. His scholarship focused on a wide variety of fields, but he was most noted for his cutting edge research in the area of Leader-Member Exchange Theory.
Dr. Cashman served on the board of Gulf States Paper for many years, as well as on the board of Alabama Heritage Magazine. He helped the University and the community through his participation in the Harrison Radiator/Rochester Products Project, an action that saved jobs in Tuscaloosa at a time when the community was severely challenged on this front. His efforts at Harrison/Rochester led to additional consulting and leadership op-portunities with General Motors and its various subsidiaries. Most importantly, Jim served as the lead consultant in the development of Saturn Corporation's organizational development and design program. He was part of the six person team that helped to develop Saturn from a concept to a reality. His contributions to this program received worldwide acclaim for their innovative approach to management and labor relations.
He was a well-known management expert for many different auto manufacturers, with his opinion sought out worldwide from newspapers and magazines. His appeared frequently for interviews on National Public Radio's (NPR) Marketplace; additionally, he was interviewed often on regional and worldwide television, including occasional interviews with Al Jazeera English.
He loved his work with the foresters at Gulf States Paper and made many friendships during the time he was working with them.
But the accomplishments of which Jim was most proud al-ways occurred within the con-fines of the University of Alabama. Here he taught tens of thousands of undergraduate students, thousands of graduate students, and directed numerous master's theses and doctoral dissertations. He was an advisor to the Alabama Racquetball Club, AKPsi Business Fraternity, and was a co-founder of the Women's Crew Team. For the past ten years Dr. Cashman threw himself headfirst into helping to co-found and build the Business Honors Program within the College of Commerce and Business Administration. These efforts have led to the development of much lauded program for the college's under-graduate honors program.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the University of Alabama and specified either to the Jim Cashman Business Honors Award Fund or the University of Alabama Women's Crew Team. Donations can be made online at the UA website or by check mailed to: Charlie Adair, Director of Development, Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, Box 87223, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Please specify whether to direct the donation to the Honors Award or the Women's Crew Team.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Ronald Dulek, Dr. Benton Gup, Dr. Chad Hilton, Dr. Owen Sweatt, Dr. Richard Crow, and Mr. John Foster.
Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Bradley Bilton, Dr. Charles Gross, Dr. Lee Thomas, Mr. Jack Warner, Mrs. Mary Burnett, Dr. Cathy Randall, Dr. David Heggem, Mr. Dennis Shuler, Dr. Brian Johnson, Dr. Diane Johnson, Mrs. Jean Spruill, Mrs. Judy Mayer, Mrs. Connie Chambers, Mrs. Susan West, Mr. Tom West, Dr. Charles Odewahn, Dr. Lou Marino, Dr. Arthur (Buster) Allaway, Ms. Kathryn Hornsby, Dr. Ed Mansfield, Dr. Barry Mason, Dr. David Mothersbaugh, Mrs. Joyce Meyer, Dr. Lonnie Strickland, Mrs. Susan Cowles, Dr. Guillermo Godoy, Mr. Guillermo (Billy) Godoy, Dr. Ahmed Salah el-Mehrezi, Mr. Jimmy Warren, Dr. Clyde Scott, Dr. Mickey Petty, Dr. William Motes, Dr. Michael Hardin, Dr. Billy Helms, Mr. Bob Jamison, Mrs. Sue Jami-son, Dr. Jim Bankston, Mrs. Pam Penick, Dr. Deborah Crown, Mrs. Jan Jones, Mrs. Gina Johnson, Mrs. Carol Robertson, Mr. Fred Kirby, Mrs. Louise Hollingsworth, Mrs. Leunne Johnson and the students of the C&BA Business Honors.
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