Archive 2003

Week of December 15, 2003 NIU Holiday Closure

The College of Business offices will be closed December 20, 2003 through January 4, 2004. For students, classes begin the week of January 12, 2004. For more information and helpful links for faculty, staff, and students, go to the COB Closing Information page.

Week of December 8, 2003 Illinois CPA Society EXCEL Award Recipient

One NIU CPA Review candidate who successfully passed the May 2003 exam was honored on Monday, November 17 at the Illinois CPA Society Awards Banquet held at the Chicago Hilton. To be eligible to receive the EXCEL Award, Illinois candidates must have finished within the top 120 nationally and achieved a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam. In addition to achieving a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam, EXCEL Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are granted to the top scoring Illinois candidates who finish within the top 120 nationally. To learn more about the NIU CPA EXCEL Award Winner, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/excelwinners/niucpaexcel_nov03.asp. View this slide show of the November 2003 ICPAS banquet.

Week of December 1, 2003 Fall 2003 Finals and Graduation

December 8-13, 2003 is finals week at Northern Illinois University and the College of Business. For information on final exams, you may check the Fall 2003 Semester Information and Schedule Book on line at http://www.reg.niu.edu/regrec/schedbkinstr/fall/fall_2003.pdf. Just click on the Exam Schedule Fall 2003 bookmark within the pdf file. You may also contact the instructor for the course to verify the exam schedule when in doubt. Congratulations to all our December graduates! As you graduate and look to the future and a new year, please feel free to keep in touch by visiting us in Barsema Hall and on the Web. The College of Business Fall Commencement will be held Sunday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The ceremony will be held jointly with the College of Engineering and College of Education and will combine candidates from doctoral, masters, and baccalaureate degree programs. For additional commencement information, contact the Office of Registration and Records at 815-753-1197 or 815-753-0681. For directions to the Convocation Center, go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/resources/directions/index.html. Parking is free on graduation day in lots off the Lincoln Highway (Route 38) entrance.

Week of October 13, 2003 Tailgate with the College of Business at Homecoming

Ready for some Huskie football? Join us at the College of Business tailgating tent before NIU's Homecoming game against Western Michigan for food, drink, and a chance to connect/reconnect with faculty, staff, students, and fellow alumni. Tailgating activities are from 12:30 p.m until 2:30 p.m The game kicks off at 3:05 p.m.

Week of October 6, 2003 New Virtual Tour of Barsema Hall

A new virtual tour of Barsema Hall has been created. To view it, go to http://www.cob.niu.edu/barsema/VirtualBarsemaTour/pages. Please share this link with anyone you know who hasn't been able to visit the building in person.

Week of September 29, 2003 Meet the New Faces in Barsema Hall

Every school year ushers in new beginnings. This is particularly true for new faculty and staff. Their presence adds to the energy and professionalism that is the hallmark of the College of Business community. To meet the new faces of Barsema Hall, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/newpeople_fa03.asp.

Week of September 22, 2003 College of Business Alumni Tailgating Party

NIU College of Business Alumni, together with the NIU Executive Club and the Rockford Area Business Alumni Club, will co-host a tailgating party on Saturday, September 27, 2003 at the NIU Huskies vs. Iowa State football game. The tailgating party is from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.; game time is 3:05 p.m. Join us for an exciting day of football!

Week of September 8, 2003 Dean's Conference Room Celebration

On Friday, September 12, 2003, faculty and staff along with invited guests will join in celebrating David and Diane Graf's generous gift of the Dean's Conference Room in Barsema Hall. The celebration will take place in Suite 139 from 2:00 until 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. We thank the Grafs for their generosity and their dedication to the College of Business and Barsema Hall.

Week of September 1, 2003 Spotlight on College of Business Highlights Page

The College of Business Highlights page for Academic Year 2002-2003 provides an overview of the many achievements in the college, including the college's national distinctions as well as newsworthy items such as the Jan/Feb 2002 BizEd magazine feature about Barsema Hall. At this site, you'll also find an overview of the college's academic offerings (from undergraduate through professional continuing education), a listing of student scholarships, a description of student career resources that are designed to help our undergraduates launch their professional careers, and an outline of noteworthy achievements made by students and faculty over the past academic year. To check out these and other interesting college fast facts, visit the College of Business Highlights page at www.cob.niu.edu/highlights/.

Week of August 25, 2003 Welcome to Another Year at Barsema Hall!

Welcome to a new semester and new beginnings. One year ago the College of Business moved into Barsema Hall to begin a new chapter in the College's history, with exciting opportunities for taking classroom learning to another level. Whether you are a new or returning student or faculty member, there is much to discover about Barsema Hall. Looking for a person, place, or department? Visit one of the directory kiosks (or check the directory online at www.cob.niu.edu/kiosk). Want to learn more about the College of Business and campus activities? View the monitors throughout the building for announcements. Need a place to refuel? Stop by the Three Sons Cafe in the lower level of Barsema Hall for lunch or a snack. It is a great place for study groups and gathering with friends.

Week of August 25, 2003 MicroSoft Patch Available at Technology Resources

Don't turn on your wireless laptop unless you have the MicroSoft patch installed. Get it at Barsema 228. We will be glad to help you have a productive day.

Week of August 18, 2003 New Student Welcome Reception

On Friday, August 22, 2003, the College of Business will host a welcome reception in the Three Sons Cafe area from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. for new students. Refreshments will be served. Faculty and staff are invited to join in welcoming our newest business majors to NIU and the College of Business.

Week of July 21, 2003 Business & Technology Solutions Show

The 2003 Business & Technology Solutions Show will be held August 26-27. This event will include a free Northern Illinois University Alumni Luncheon on August 26, 2003 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The event is open to all NIU graduates and faculty. To register or for more information about the Show, visit http://www.btshow.org/show/show.html or call 312-993-0393. For a flyer on this event, visit the Home Page of Northern Illinois University CPA Review at www.cob.niu.edu/cparev/.

Week of June 23, 2003 Beta Alpha Psi Website Redesigned

The Beta Alpha Psi website has been redesigned this summer by senior Accountancy major Douglas Reese. This new website will provide its members with a tool to research firms, view service activities, read fun accounting jokes, and view recent pictures. In addition, the website will be entered into a national BAP contest recognizing the chapter with the best redesigned website. To view the redesigned BAP website, go to http://www.cob.niu.edu/accy/bap/index.htm.

Week of June 9, 2003 NIU Accountancy Faculty Members Recognized for Research Productivity

NIU Accountancy faculty members have been recognized by two recent articles that rank research productivity by Accountancy faculty. A recent article compiled the most prolific Accountancy researchers during the 35-year period 1967-2001. The top 10 researchers based on number of publications in the top accounting journals were identified by year of doctoral graduation. David Sinason and Jim Young are both listed in the top 10 researchers for the year of their doctoral graduation. Congratulations! The Journal of the American Taxation Association is considered to be one of the best outlets for academic research related to taxation. An article ranking the schools whose faculty members published the most articles in the Journal of the American Taxation Association during the 1979-2000 time period ranked NIU as 18th in the country.

Week of May 19, 2003 College of Business Spring Fling Hot Dog Cookout Well Attended

On Wednesday, April 29, the College of Business Staff Council sponsored the annual Spring Fling hotdog cookout as a show of gratitude to all the students. 700 hotdogs were served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m with the help of faculty, staff, and student workers. Due to rain, the serving line was moved indoors . . . which did not stop the large turnout of students. View the slide show to see photos of the event.

Week of May 5, 2003 Illinois CPA Society EXCEL Award Recipients

Three NIU CPA Review candidates who successfully passed the November 2002 exam were honored on Thursday, April 24 at the Illinois CPA Society Awards Banquet held at the Chicago Hilton. To be eligible to receive the EXCEL Award, Illinois candidates must have finished within the top 120 nationally and achieved a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam. In addition to achieving a score of 80 or above on all sections of the exam, EXCEL Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards are granted to the top scoring Illinois candidates who finish within the top 120 nationally. To learn more about the NIU CPA EXCEL Award Winners, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/news/excelwinners/niucpaexcel_apr03.asp. View this slide show of the April 2003 ICPAS banquet.

Week of April 28, 2003 Spring 2003 Finals and Graduation

May 3 and May 5-9, 2003 is finals week at Northern Illinois University and the College of Business. For information on final exams, you may check the Spring 2003 Semester Information and Schedule Book on line at http://www.reg.niu.edu/regrec/schedbkinstr/spring/spring_2003.pdf. Just click on the Exam Schedule Spring 2003 bookmark within the pdf file. You may also contact the instructor for the course to verify the exam schedule when in doubt. Congratulations to all our May graduates! As you graduate and take the next fork in the road of life, please feel free to journey back and visit us in Barsema Hall and on the Web. The College of Business Spring Commencement will be held Saturday, May 10 at 1:00 p.m. in the Convocation Center. The ceremony will be held jointly with the College of Engineering and will combine candidates from doctoral, masters, and baccalaureate degree programs. For additional commencement information, contact the Office of Registration and Records at 815-753-1197 or 815-753-0681. For directions to the Convocation Center, go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/directions/index.html. Parking is free on graduation day in lots off the Lincoln Highway (Route 38) entrance.

Week of April 28, 2003 Beta Alpha Psi Bunny Competition Fundraising Results

Of the 15 student and faculty members who volunteered to be candidates for the Beta Alpha Psi fundraiser to raise money for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund, Mike Orchowski, Student Accountancy Society president, and Dr. David Sinason, Accountancy professor, were chosen to hop about Barsema Hall in a bunny suit on Tuesday, April 29 and Thursday, May 1, respectively. The Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund was established by Beta Alpha Psi, the Accountancy Department's Honorary Society student organization, in memory of Brian Deets, an Accountancy major who was killed in a car accident on his way to class in February 2001. Each year since 2001, the members of Beta Alpha Psi conduct a fundraiser for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund in order to provide scholarship monies to future outstanding students. This year's fundraising theme was a bunny suit competition, raising a record $2,102.12 from individual contributors. In the last three years, this fine student organization has raised over $14,100 for the Brian Deets Endowed Scholarship Fund. Kudos to Beta Alpha Psi, to Sally Webber (Accountancy Professor and Beta Alpha Psi Advisor), to all the outstanding faculty and student participants in this competition, to the "winners"--David Sinason and Mike Orchowski--and to the very fine friends, students, staff, and faculty in Barsema Hall who contributed to the success of this incredibly worthwhile effort.

Week of April 21, 2003 College of Business Alumni Receive Prestigious 2003 Alumni Association Awards

Three College of Business alumni were among the ten recipients at the Alumni Associaion annual awards program for 2003. The recipients were honored at a dinner on April 9, 2003 at the Kishwaukee Country Club in DeKalb. Learn more about this year's College of Business award winners by reading these brief biographies.

Week of April 14, 2003 NIU Rockford Alumni Club Hosts Successful Scholarship Fundraisers

The NIU College of Business Rockford Area Alumni Club was honored to host Dennis and Stacey Barsema in Rockford on March 24, 2003. Over 60 alumni and friends attended an Endowed Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon at NIU-Rockford. The luncheon proceeds were used to benefit the College of Business Rockford Area Alumni Endowed Scholarship. The 2nd Annual Huskie Network Night was held the same evening at Giovanni's Restaurant in Rockford. This was a more informal networking event open to alumni, friends, and MBA students. Larry Jackson was presented with the 2003 Rockford Area Scholarship Award. Larry is a Finance major from Winnebago, Illinois. Both events offered an opportunity for alumni to meet Dennis and Stacey Barsema on a personal level and contribute to the scholarship fund as well. The proceeds from these events provided the funding necessary to create an endowment to provide scholarships for business students from the Rockford area.

Week of April 7, 2003 NIU Executive Club Spring Face-to-Face

On March 18, 2003, the NIU Executive Club held its Spring Face-to-Face meeting. A panel discussion on "Changing Course in a Down Economy: Investing In and Starting Your Own Business" provided perspectives from differing investment avenues. Panelists included Bart Carlson, Kathy Halloran, J. B. Pritzker, Gordon Reichard, and Dick Reck. The panel discussion was moderated by Eric Wasowicz of Greenbrier & Russel ('80, Computer Science) and Bill Boston of Kinetic Systems Company ('70 Marketing; '71 M.B.A.). Over sixty alumni and guests enjoyed the discussion and an evening of networking.

Week of March 31, 2003 Professor David Sinason Receives Undergraduate Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. David Sinason, Accountancy Professor, is the recipient of the 2003 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award. The award will be presented on April 13 at 5:00 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center's Duke Ellington Ballroom. Congratulations Professor Sinason! The College of Business is fortunate to have you among our talented faculty. For further reading, see the Northern Today article entitled "Parker, Scudder and Sinason Win 2003 Undergraduate Teaching Awards" at http://www.niu.edu/northerntoday/2003/mar31/uta.shtml.

Week of March 24, 2003 Business Network, Spring 2003 Edition, Is Now Accessible on the Web

The College of Business' Spring 2003 edition of Business Network has recently been made available. This edition features the grand opening of Barsema Hall and its technology, recognition of the accomplishments of faculty and college programs, as well as news and updates on various alumni acitivities and achievements. View it online at http://www.cob.niu.edu/alumni/busnetSpring2003.pdf.

Week of March 3, 2003 Message from the Dean: BizEd Article Puts Barsema Hall on the Map

I am very pleased to share with you the publicity our building received in the January/February 2003 issue of BizEd, the official industry publication for academia. BizEd's readership includes the deans and professors at the nation's top universities that are listed annually in U.S. News & World Report. The article, "Smarter, Faster, Better," puts Barsema Hall in outstanding company. The story profiles our state-of-the-art facility alongside nationally recognized and prestigious universities such as Wharton, Case Western, and the University of Arizona. The story is also a strong reminder that the Barsema Hall facility went from schematics to reality in record time because of the shared vision and input offered for many years by our students, business friends, alumni, faculty, and staff. I am proud of your commitment to your educational experience and to your efforts on behalf of the college. I hope you feel as proud and as fortunate as I do to continue to work together to put the College of Business at Barsema Hall on the map. Sincerely, David Graf Dean, College of Business at Barsema Hall The School of Choice The BizEd pdf file of the story "Smarter, Faster, Better" can be found at www.cob.niu.edu/whatsnew/bized.pdf.

Week of February 24, 2003 Scott Leslie Becomes the First Finance Major to Receive USOAR Grant

Finance major, Scott Leslie, has become the first student from that major to receive a USOAR--Undergraduate Special Opportunities in Artistry and Research--grant. For his project, "Economic Forecasting's Effect on Asset Allocation," Mr. Leslie will investigate whether the use of economic forecasts can improve investment performance. He is working with Professor Richard Dowen, Chair of the Department of Finance. Funded by money derived from NIU's exclusive contract with Pepsi, USOAR is a program that encourages students to pursue independent projects in artistry or research. Want to learn more about the program or how to submit proposals? Go to the USOAR website.

Week of February 17, 2003 Marketing Major Wins NIU Co-op Student of the Year Silver Award

NIU's Cooperative Education/Internship Program recently announced that senior marketing major, Julie Conran, won the NIU Co-op Student of the Year Silver Award for 2002! Julie completed a sales internship last summer with Abbott Laboratories--Hospital Products Division in Bannockburn, IL. As a Silver Award winner, Julie will receive a scholarship and will be honored at the annual Co-op awards luncheon. Congratulations Julie! NIU's College of Business is proud of you.

Week of February 3, 2003 Rick Ridnour Elected to Northern Star Hall of Fame

Dr. Rick Ridnour has been elected to the Northern Star's Hall of Fame, in the "Friend of the Star" category. Most past inductees have been newspaper people who have served on the Star's Board over the years. In Professor Ridnour's case, he has been a mentor to many advertising and business-office students at the Star. New inductees will be honored on Saturday, February 22, 2003 at the Annual Hall of Fame Dinner at the Holmes Student Center.

Week of January 27, 2003 Barsema Hall Featured in Chicagoland Newspaper

Barsema Hall has been featured in a variety of publications, most recently in the Chicago area Daily Herald. Headlined as "Barsema Hall Gives NIU Business School a Big Lift" in the business section of the paper, the article highlights the smart classroom technology that is used to simulate business situations students will encounter in the corporate world. The building, made possible through the $20,000,000 donation by alumnus, Dennis Barsema, represents Barsema's long held belief "that Chicago is uniquely positioned to be a third technology center [along with Silicon Valley and Boston] in the United States." This could be made possible with NIU's high-tech business facility, Barsema Hall. The article appeared in the Daily Herald's Wednesday, January 29, 2003 issue.

Week of January 13, 2003 Information Technology Services (ITS) Appreciation Day

The College of Business is hosting an Information Technology Services (ITS) Appreciation Day on Wednesday, January 8. Many staff members from ITS, the campus organization that handles phones, networks, computer labs, and a variety of other services, helped implement the infrastructure that made the opening and success of Barsema Hall possible. The morning program includes private tours of the building by the Technology Services staff for ITS guests. Refreshments will be served at the end of the tours in the atrium cafe area, where COB faculty and staff will join to express their appreciation to ITS. The College of Business community--faculty, staff, and students--says, "Thank you, ITS, for making life in Barsema possible!"