Smith To Host National Undergraduate Business Symposium NUBS 2005: Technology in Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is pleased to welcome thought leaders from top undergraduate business schools from across the United States on Friday, March 18, 2005 and Saturday, March 19, 2005.

Some 60 participants, primarily undergraduate program directors and faculty leaders, will attend this years National Undergraduate Business Symposium (NUBS), which aims to continually improve member schools undergraduate business program through discussion of common issues and sharing of ideas in today's rapidly-changing global arena.

This conference, which brings together faculty and administration from the top undergraduate business programs, is a collegial gathering of friends, at which we share best practices and learn from each other. Each of the member schools contributes a unique perspective, while at the same time all share common issues regarding undergraduate management education, says Pat Cleveland, assistant dean for undergraduate studies at Smith.

This year's conference theme, "Technology in Business, will give the participants an excellent opportunity to glean valuable information and tips on developing and managing the IT infrastructure, which makes possible the high-end programs and services students and faculty have come to expect.

Howard Frank, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, will be giving the keynote address at the Friday evening dinner and reception. Information technology, as we know, is driving transformation in every business in every market, every industry and every nation. Embracing technology is no longer an option in business or in business education. It is essential. NUBS 2005 is a great opportunity to exchange information and ideas about how technology can enhance undergraduate business programs of any size, says Frank. Frank's address is titled, "Technology as a Business School Driver."

Of great significance is the fact that this is the first time that the conference is being held at Smith. This year, Smith will host 29 schools, including Emory University (Goizueta), Indiana University Bloomington (Kelley), University of Arizona (Eller), University of California-Berkeley (Haas), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler), University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), University of Southern California (Marshall), and University of Texas at Austin (McCombs).

During the annual two-day conference, among the scheduled panel discussions are:

Using Technology to Build Community
This presentation highlights the importance of building community among students, faculty, alumni, corporate partners, and local/area community leaders, and addresses the challenges faced in communicating and coordinating multiple constituencies. Presenters from the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business and the University of Iowa's Tippie School of Business will feature the role that information technology plays in helping to solve communication and logistical challenges in organizing, coordinating and promoting multiple events and activities, managing selection processes, and collaborating among offices working together. Discussion will also focus on the collaborative processes through which their systems have been developed, highlighting the opportunities and pitfalls encountered in the development process. Demonstrations of various features of the respective Smith School and Tippie School systems will be followed by a panel discussion in which the presenters will lead an open discussion on the development issues involved in building information systems to support the various communities within their respective schools, including student organizations, honors, scholarships, and special events.

Teaching and Learning Excellence: Technology in the Business School
Panelists will discuss how learning technologies and their specific applications to the business college have led to teaching and learning excellence in undergraduate business curriculum.

Eller Student Management System - Bringing Efficiency and Customer Service to a Large Undergraduate Program
This presentation will involve a live demonstration of the Eller Student Management System, which is a homegrown, Web-delivered, comprehensive database program initiated by the schools undergraduate program and developed by Eller IT.

The Evolution of Wharton's SPIKE 
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, will share their experience in developing its student intranet SPIKE, a homegrown portal that provides students access to academic and advising resources as well as physical resources.

Other panel topics range from Unleashing the Power of Online Recruiting Systems to Integrating Academic & Career Advising through Online Advising.

To learn more about the NUSB 2005, contact either Pat Cleveland or Brian Horick at nubs@rhsmith.umd.edu or 301-405-2286.

▓ Kenneth Ng, MBA Candidate 2006, Smith Media Group