Alverno College School of Business MBA Student Handbook 2010 … · 2019-06-07 · Alverno College School of Business MBA Student Handbook Section II – The Alverno College School

Alverno College

School of Business

MBA Student Handbook

2010-2011 Updated: August 20, 2010

Table of Contents

Section I – Introduction to the Handbook ………………………………………... I-1

Section II – The Alverno College School of Business

Our Mission/Vision/Philosophy ………………………………………….. II-1

Contacting Us …………………………………………………………….. II-3

Faculty Profiles …………………………………………………………... II-4

Section III – The Curriculum

MBA Overview …………………………………………………………... III-1

MBA Outcomes ………………………………………………………….. III-1

MBA Course Sequence …………………………………………………... III-2

MBA Elective Rotation Schedule ………………………………………... III-3

MBA Course Descriptions ……………………………………………….. III-4

Section IV – Policies and Procedures

Absences from Courses …………………………………………………... IV-1

Academic Honesty ……………………………………………………….. IV-1

Advising ………………………………………………………………….. IV-4

Business Writing …………………………………………………………. IV-4

Credit for Transfer Courses ………………………………………………. IV-5

Extension of Program Completion ……………………………………….. IV-5

Graduate Student Professionalism Rubric ……………………………….. IV-5

MBA Student Status Committee ………………………………………… IV-6

Independent Study, Internships, Projects for Academic Credit ………….. IV-6

Participation in Commencement …………………………………………. IV-8

Section V – Appendices

Criteria for Academic Performance: Speaking/Media, Writing, and Social

Interaction ………………………………………………………………...

V-1

Alverno College School of Business


Section I - Introduction Page 1

Introduction

This handbook is a supplement to the Alverno College Student Handbook, Building a

Community of Learners: A Community Guide and Student Handbook. The college handbook

includes the policies that apply to all undergraduate and graduate students. The MBA Student

Handbook provides additional information, policies, and procedures specific to the MBA

program. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the Alverno business faculty invite you to

contact the MBA Program Director with your suggestions for changes to the handbook. All

student handbooks are available online at

http://www.alverno.edu/current_students/stu_handbooks.html

http://www.alverno.edu/current_students/stu_handbooks.html



Section II – The Alverno College School of Business Page 1

Our Mission

Our mission is to deliver relevant, quality, professional programs in the best of the liberal

arts tradition through innovative undergraduate and graduate curriculum responsive to the

current and future needs of students, employers, and other stakeholders.

We do this by:

Creating a learning community among students, staff, and faculty

Creating a mutually-owned outcome-focused ability-based curriculum

Creating ties to the business community, and

Creating relationships with higher education

What we do and how we function is driven by three principles: a focus on our

stakeholders, a commitment to continuous improvement and learning, and participation

and teamwork.

Our Vision

Our vision is simple: to make a direct and meaningful difference in the personal,

professional, organizational, and community lives of our students and through them to

improve the communities in which they live.

Our Graduate Business Education Philosophy

What distinguishes a graduate business program from an undergraduate business

program? We frame our response to this question based on, and as an extension of, our

undergraduate experience:

The graduate program is focused on professional practice and therefore requires a

level of application, practice, and sharing that is well beyond the requirements or

expectations of our undergraduate degree.

Discipline content has a basis in scholarly literature and research, reflects current

research and practice, and is presented in an integrated (rather than functional)

way to address complex, realistic business issues. Practitioner based inquiry is

central to the learning experience at the graduate level.

Management-leadership is central to our graduate program and addressed in an

integrated way. We draw extensively from our experience and expertise in

teaching leadership at the undergraduate level. We have, for many years, offered

an undergraduate elective entitled Women and Leadership, and have three

fulltime faculty who have been active in the design of learning and assessment

experiences related to leadership development. One distinguishing characteristic

of leadership development at the graduate level is its central role in developing

personal and organizational agility.

Creating, building, and managing relationships at multiple levels is another

central theme throughout the graduate program. This builds on and extends the




stakeholder focus that is a central framework used across our undergraduate

courses. Distinguishing characteristics of relationship building at the graduate

level include managing conflict and complexity.

Ethics and values are critical elements of every manager‘s life. Addressing

ethical issues as business issues is another theme that runs through our core

graduate courses. We will draw upon our extensive experience teaching and

assessing for valuing as one of the eight abilities that define our undergraduate

ability-based graduation requirements. We teach our undergraduates that their

own and others‘ values are an important part of every business decision.

Complex, multidimensional, sometimes global cases and situations will

characterize the learning experiences at the graduate level.

The outcomes of our graduate program are decidedly different from the outcomes

of our undergraduate program. Graduate outcomes have a unique performance

dimension focusing on reflection, delivery and execution, organizational

achievement and results, management-leadership, and personal and organizational

agility. Undergraduate outcomes, on the other hand, reflect more integrated

business-focused statements of Alverno‘s eight abilities in action.

While always sensitive to different learning styles at the undergraduate level, the

graduate program specifically addresses emotional intelligence and incorporates

active, reflective, cognitive, and experiential approaches in the design of the

learning and assessment experiences.

Experiential learning is a key element of our undergraduate program. We have

extensive experience mentoring students in internships and off-campus consulting

projects, guiding them through simulations and performance assessments, and

designing in-class experiences that engage them in active learning. This provides

a sound foundation for experiential learning at the graduate level. The

distinguishing characteristic here will be the level of complexity, interdisciplinary

nature, and workplace relevance inherent in these graduate learning experiences.

And finally, our graduate program takes faculty development, scholarly work, and

our own shared learning community to new levels. As an undergraduate teaching

faculty, we often find ourselves in the role of simplifying, explaining, and making

complex concepts relevant to a broad cross-section of students. Our challenge as

educators often focuses on preparing students for entry into the workforce or

providing them with the knowledge and abilities required to move to a new level

of responsibility in their workplace. As a graduate teaching faculty, we will of

necessity have to pursue new study ourselves, expand our role as facilitators and

coaches, and become part of a learning community with our graduate students.




Contacting Us

Dean of the School of Business: Dena Lieberman

Office: CO426; Telephone: 382-6253; E-mail: [email protected]

MBA Program Director: Patricia J Jensen

Office: CO406; Telephone: 382-632; E-mail: [email protected]

School of Business Academic Administrative Assistant

Denise Poberezny

Office: C0404; Telephone: 382-6246; E-mail: [email protected]

School of Business Faculty: See individual faculty profiles.

mailto:[email protected]






Faculty Profiles

Maurizio Azzarello, Assistant Professor of

Business and Management

Office: CO408

Telephone: 382-6292

Email: [email protected]

Education: Master of Science in Applied Economics,

Marquette University (Business Economics Specialization)

B.A. Business Management and Communication,

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Teaching Interests: economics. product and market

development with emphasis in international business

Robert Birney, Professor of Business and Management Office: CO401

Telephone: 382-6238


Education: Currently pursuing Ph.D. Poznan University

(Economics), M.B.A., Old Dominion University

(Marketing Management), B.S.B.A. Old Dominion

University (Business Administration)

Teaching Interests: Marketing, business research and

planning, business strategy, global business strategies.

Personal Interests: Racing sailboats, league tennis, bicycle

touring


http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=keepFacets&keywords=%22%28Business+Economics+Specialization%29%22

http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=keepFacets&keywords=%22Business+Management+and+Communication%22

http://www.linkedin.com/search?search=&sortCriteria=R&keepFacets=keepFacets&school=Concordia+University-Wisconsin





Richard Butler, Professor of Business and Management

Office: CO428

Telephone: 382-6251


Education: M.B.A., Michigan State University

(Management), M.L.I.R., Michigan State University

(Industrial Relations)

B.A., Michigan State University (Political Science)

Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, small business

management

Personal Interests: All sports, politics

Zohreh Emami, Professor of Business and Management

Office: CO425

Telephone: 382-6241


Education: Ph.D., Michigan State University (Economics),

B.A., University of Illinois (Economics)

Teaching Interests: Economics and leadership

Personal Interests: Syda yoga

Regina Grantz, Associate Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO427

Telephone: 382-6393


Education: M.B.A., University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

(Business Administration), B.S., University of Wisconsin

Madison (Sociology), Certified Management Accountant

Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, experiential

learning

Personal Interests: Travel, gardening, reading







Jim Henderson, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO423

Telephone: 382-6394


Education: M.B.A. Queen‘s University (Organizational

Behavior), B.A. Queen's University (History)

Teaching Interests: Organizational behavior, human

resource management, business strategy, leadership

Personal Interests: Travel, cycling and spinning, music and

dancing, women and leadership, politics, social issues, and

his dog Max

Patricia Jensen, Professor of Business and Management

Office: CO406

Telephone: 382-6321


Education: Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University

(Organizational Behavior), M.B.A., Tulane University

(Business Administration), B.A., Alverno College

(Sociology)

Teaching Interests: Management and adult education

Personal Interests: Reading, folk music, Nebraska football

Dena Lieberman, Professor of Business and Management

Office: CO426

Telephone: 382-6253


Education: Ph.D., University of Wisconsin Madison

(Anthropology), M.B.A., Marquette University, B.A.,

Syracuse University (Anthropology)

Teaching Interests: Management, marketing, small

business management, business strategy

Personal Interests: Piano and music, travel







Joanne Mack, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO418

Telephone: 382-6429


Education: J.D., Marquette University (Law), B.A.,

University of Notre Dame (English, and Arts & Letters

Program for Administrators)

Teaching Interests: Business, law

Personal Interests: Sports, travel, spending time with

family and friends

Daniel Matre, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO418

Telephone: 382-6403


Education: M.B.A., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,

B.S., University of Cincinnati (Industrial Design)

Teaching Interests: Business operations and management;

innovation in products, services and processes; global

mindset in NPD and marketing; exploration of 4-

dimensional business and operations models;

multidisciplinary collaboration

Personal Interests: golf, flying, road course auto racing,

biking, home restoration/remodeling, and collecting

Lincoln Wheat Penny coins






Bill McEachern, Professor Emeritus of Business and

Management

Office: CO405

Telephone: 382-6238


Education: M.A., University of Toronto (Philosophy),

B.A., Lakehead University (Philosophy), Certified Public

Accountant

Teaching Interests: Accounting, finance, high performance

management, small business management

Personal Interests: Dog obedience competition, bicycling,

jazz

Craig Miller, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO403

Telephone: 382-6194


Education: M.B.A. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

(Finance and Quantitative Methods), B.A. University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Finance and Quantitative

Analysis)

Teaching Interests: Marketing, quantitative methods

Personal Interests: Baseball, golf, working-out, European

travel

Kathleen O’Brien, Professor of Business and Management

Office: LA219

Telephone: 382-6084


Education: Ph.D. University of Wisconsin - Madison

(Management) M.B.A. Vanderbilt University, B.A.

Alverno College (History and Mathematics)

Teaching Interests: Management, leadership

Personal Interests: Reading







Carol Pope, Associate Professor of Business and Management

Office: CO424

Telephone: 382-6320


Education: Currently pursuing Ph.D. California Coast

University (Management), M.B.A. University of

Wisconsin - Milwaukee, B.A. University of Wisconsin -

Milwaukee (Mass Communication)

Teaching Interests: Marketing, international business

Personal Interests: International travel, promoting the

culture and heritage of Paraguay, swimming

Rebecca Porter, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO421

Telephone: 382-6308


Education: M.B.A., University of Chicago,

Certified Public Accountant

Teaching Interests: Accounting

Personal Interests: Family, playing outside with the kids,

bike riding, running, camping, outdoors

Rebecca Toledo, Assistant Professor of Business and

Management

Office: CO422

Telephone: 382-6307


Education: M.B.A., San Francisco State University, B.S.,

University of the Philippines (Business Administration and

Accountancy)

Teaching Interests: Business Administration, tax related

topics

Personal Interests: Ballroom dancing, playing piano






Section III – The Curriculum Page 1

Overview of the MBA Curriculum

The 36 semester-hour MBA program consists of five cross-functional required courses

(30 credits) and two electives (6 credits) and can be completed in five semesters if

students follow the Graduate Bulletin course sequence.

Each cross-functional required course integrates core knowledge areas with skills, values,

and attitudes to enable graduates to build relationships that enhance organizational

capability, results, and agility.

The electives offer students the opportunity to focus in greater depth on selected business

practices, topics, and issues.

Core knowledge areas representing the disciplinary content traditionally found in separate

courses in an MBA program are integrated developmentally across the required courses

and include:

Accounting/finance

Marketing, production, and microeconomics

Organizational behavior, human resources, and managing organizational change

Macro environment: macroeconomics, regulation and public policy, and global

economics

Technology and quantitative methods

MBA Program Outcomes

By emphasizing experiential learning in an integrated business curriculum, faculty assist

students to develop their managerial competence and proficiency in:

Strategic Analysis The Alverno MBA graduate uses knowledge of proven and emerging business

principles and strategies to navigate complexity; recognizes the defining areas of

distinctiveness of different enterprises and how to leverage them to advantage in the

marketplace.

Execution

The Alverno MBA knows how to get the right work done in the right way to get

results; takes a disciplined, reality-based and focused approach to translating strategy

into action, using the resources of the organization and the team wisely to produce

results.

Global and Cultural Competence The Alverno MBA graduate uses interdisciplinary knowledge and enhanced cultural

competence to interact with, manage, and lead individuals, teams, and business units

within a variety of cultural and global contexts to develop relationships, resources,

and markets.




Innovation

The Alverno MBA graduate integrates and applies cross-disciplinary business

knowledge to create and deliver inventive business solutions to customers and other

stakeholders in ways that create or add value to business processes, products, and

services.

Ethical Managing and Leading The Alverno MBA graduate identifies competing values in business decisions and

can act with a commitment to integrity in interactions that lead to the development of

trustworthy relationships with stakeholders - customers, colleagues, suppliers, and

other key business partners.

Master of Business Administration Course Sequence

The MBA required courses (MGT 600, 610, 620, 630, and 640) are offered every

semester. Electives will be offered based on the rotation plan set forth below. Formal and

informal surveys of MBA students will be conducted to identify course needs and the

rotation plan will be adjusted accordingly. The 44 Semester Hour track includes 4

foundation courses.

36 Semester Hour Track

Semester/Course

Course Title

Semester

Hours

Semester 1

MGT 600

Integrated Management

6

Semester 2

MGT 610

Summer Session 1

MGT 6XX

Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment

Elective

6

3

Semester 3

MGT 620

Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources

6

Semester 4

MGT 630

Summer Session 2

MGT 6XX

Acting with Innovation, Creativity, and Imagination

Elective

6

3

Semester 5

MGT 640

Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments

6




44 Semester Hour Track

Semester/Course

Course Title

Semester

Hours

Semester 1

MGT 605

MGT 606

Introduction to Accounting

Business Models and Quantitative Methods

2

2

Semester 2 MGT 607

MGT 608

Marketing Principles and Management

Finance

2

2

Semester 3

MGT 600

Integrated Management

6

Semester 4

MGT 610

Summer Session 1

MGT 6XX

Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment

Elective

6

3

Semester 5

MGT 620

Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources

6

Semester 6

MGT 630

Summer Session 2

MGT 6XX

Acting with Innovation, Creativity, and Imagination

Elective

6

3

Semester 7

MGT 640

Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments

6

MBA Elective Rotation Plan

Semester

Course FA SP SS

MGT 647 – Adult Learning and Workplace Competency x

MGT 650 – Graduate Seminar* x

MGT 657 – Facilitating Organizational Change x

MGT 667 – Managing the Consulting Process x

MGT 677 – Group and Team Facilitation x

MGT 687 – Tools and Processes for Organizational Intervention x

MGT 697 – Independent Study**

* Graduate seminars are offered every summer in a variety of time frames. Topics

change based on student and faculty interests.

** Subject to faculty availability and approval.

MBA Course Descriptions




(The number in parentheses after course title is the number of graduate semester hours)

MGT 600 Integrated Management (6)

Prereq. Admission to MBA program

This course is interdisciplinary and organized around the core knowledge areas

emphasized in the MBA program. Students are introduced to the Alverno Professional

Competence Model and use discipline knowledge from the core knowledge areas to

integrate their prior learning and business experience. Through a team business planning

exercise, development of a professional portfolio, case studies, and a financial analysis

project, students connect knowing and doing, develop their financial acumen, and

improve their organizational decision making..

MGT 605 Introduction to Accounting (2)

Prereq. Admission to MBA program (Foundation course)

The student is introduced to the nature of accounting within a business context. The

student learns the different functions of business, and the types of information,

management reports, and financial statements that are provided by a company's

accounting system. The course emphasizes the integrated nature of management and

financial accounting issues. It provides the student with an overview of the judgments

and estimates the accountant must make and how financial information is used as part of

an organization's information system to make decisions.

MGT 606 Business Models and Quantitative Methods (2) Prereq. MGT 605 or concurrent registration (Foundation course)

The student develops the ability to use a variety of quantitative and statistical techniques

to make and support sound business decisions in areas as diverse as marketing, human

resources, and financial management. The student uses descriptive and inferential

statistics, correlation and regression analysis, and other quantitative methods to develop

the analytic and problem-solving abilities needed in today's business world. The student

also uses contemporary business software applications to analyze and communicate

statistical and quantitative information.

MGT 607 Marketing Principles and Management (2) Prereq. MGT 605 (Foundation course)

This course introduces the student to how organizations develop products and services to

meet the needs and wants of customers. The student works in a simulated new product

development team for a major company. The student and teammates invent a new

product and present a comprehensive marketing plan via a written report and an oral

presentation to the organization's simulated board of directors at the end of the semester.

The team identifies and addresses problems ranging from production design to pricing to

distribution to marketing communications and considers the product's impact in both

domestic and global markets.

MGT 608 Finance (2)

Prereq. MGT 605 (Foundation course)




The student is introduced to the basic concepts and skills required to manage an

organization's assets for growth and survival. The student learns problem-solving

techniques used in the acquisition, control, and use of funds to finance current and future

operations. The student also learns to analyze a firm's financial strengths and weaknesses

in order to more effectively manage the firm's operations.

MGT 610 Assessing Self, Organizations, and the Operating Environment (6)

Prereq. MGT 600

This course builds upon and expands the frameworks and core knowledge areas

introduced in MGT 600, Integrated Management. It also lays the foundation for the

student as a reflective practitioner - someone who uses her/his performance on the job for

reflective learning that improves future performance. Students assess their professional

competence, emotional intelligence, and risk intelligence through a variety of learning

experiences. They also use a variety of strategic management frameworks and balanced

scorecards to evaluate organizational effectiveness as a foundation for improved

organizational performance. Students participate in a semester-long competitive business

simulation to test out and evaluate their strategic management, decision-making, and

management skills.

MGT 620 Building Processes, Relationships, and Resources (6)

Prereq. MGT 610

Students focus on their ability to effectively manage processes, relationships, and

organizational resources to enhance organizational capability, results, and agility. They

use a variety of analytic frameworks, best practices, and discipline content from core

knowledge areas to study and analyze value and supply chains and to develop their

understanding of the complex issues managers face. They also further develop their

financial acumen using financial and quantitative information for decision making.

MGT 630 Acting with Innovation, Creativity and Imagination (6)

Prereq. MGT 620

Students expand their discipline knowledge in the Core Knowledge Areas to create

business models that are responsive to the diversity and global nature of today‘s business.

They participate in global, worldly, multicultural, and interdisciplinary experiences that

foster the development of the new attitudes, mindsets, and values required of today‘s

manager-leaders. Students view their work and workplaces through the lens of other

cultures and peoples. The course provides a unique foundation for managing and

developing people as well as understanding the more macro forces that shape the context

of business in the 21st century.




MGT 640 Creating Agility in Dynamic Environments (6)

Prereq. MGT 630

Students continue to grow as worldly managers by developing the abilities, thinking, and

discipline knowledge from the Core Knowledge Areas needed to build enduring, agile

organizations. This course focuses on change management, management-leadership,

teamwork, and collaboration to develop each student's ability to anticipate and respond to

changing markets, global operating environments, and unforeseen events. Students also

study legal, regulatory, and ethical issues confronting today's business leaders, and use

ethics-based decision-making frameworks to develop their ability to successfully

navigate an ever-changing operating environment.

MGT 647 Adult Learning and Workplace Competency (3)

Prereq. MGT 600 or concurrent registration and permission of department

In this course, students consider varied adult learner needs and abilities as they explore

the connections between theories of adult learning, workplace competencies, and

resources for supporting adult learning in workplace settings. Learners in this course

participate in an overview of adult learning theory and its roots in education, psychology,

and organizational behavior and explore the theoretical roots of adult learning practices in

the workplace.

MGT 650 Graduate Seminar (3)

Prereq. MGT 600

This course provides students with the opportunity to explore new business topics, issues,

or practices as they emerge in an ever changing business environment or focus on

advanced topics in any of the core knowledge areas. Seminar topics rotate on a regular

basis with multiple sections providing students with a variety of choices to meet their

academic and professional needs.

MGT 667 Managing the Consulting Process (3)


This course enables students to function responsibly as beginning consultants or midlevel

practitioners, depending on each student‘s experience, as they learn to apply consulting

skills and strategies to their own professional context. Course content focuses on current

consulting theory and practice to develop a problem-centered approach to intervening in

organizations that emphasizes collaborative innovation and learning between client and

consultant. Students learn strategies for building effective client-consultant relationships

and for diagnosing, designing, implementing, and evaluating appropriate organizational

interventions.




MGT 677 Group and Team Facilitation (3)


Collaborative management of the work team culture is a fundamental aspect of

developing organizations. In this course, students learn strategies to effectively build and

lead high-performance work groups and teams. They examine the use of diagnostic and

intervention techniques to focus on inter-team and group relations. They learn how to

design strategies to assess and diagnose individual and team effectiveness, build trust

within teams, and guide team interventions. They also learn techniques for coaching and

mentoring teams and team members.

MGT 687 Tools and Processes for Organizational Intervention (3)


Organizational development (OD) interventions are sets of structured activities designed

to move the organization from its current state to a desired state. This course focuses on

applying conceptual knowledge to equip students to plan and implement OD

interventions. Students learn how to diagnose organizational issues and design

appropriate interventions that target specific workplace or competitive environment

needs. They also learn the underlying causal mechanisms of intervention to ensure the

change initiative fits the desired outcome. Students learn a range of strategies to support

organizational development, such as process consultation, planning and goal setting,

cultural analysis, work redesign, and organizational restructuring.

MGT 697 Independent Study Prereq. MGT 600 and permission of department

Independent study is available to graduate students who seek unique and specialized

professional development learning opportunities which are not available through existing

MBA elective courses. It requires students to independently design, implement, and

manage their learning with the guidance of a School of Business faculty member.

Approval is subject to faculty availability.



Section IV – Policies and Procedures Page 1

Absences from Courses

Students are expected to attend all classes and participate in all learning activities. If, due

to illness or unavoidable personal/professional commitments, you must miss a class, you

should consult with the faculty member involved and/or the MBA program director, as

soon as possible in advance of the class, to develop an alternative plan to meet the

objectives of the missed class. Absence from more than one session of a 6 semester hour

required course will generally require the student to repeat the course. Consistent lateness

may be considered an absence.

Depending on the situation, your professor or the MBA program director may advise you

to drop a course or may decide that you are ineligible to continue attending a course if

attendance has not been regular or you have missed the first class meeting. In all

instances, if you choose to drop a course, it is your responsibility to officially drop the

course by contacting the Registrar's Office. You are always encouraged to communicate

with your advisor if you are considering dropping a course.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism and Misrepresentation of Authorship (Reprinted from Building a Community of Learners: A Community Guide and Student

Handboook)

Throughout your studies at Alverno College, you are exposed to a variety of learning

styles. In some classes faculty require students to complete assignments in small group

work sessions, while in other cases they may require you to complete work on an

independent and individual basis. Both experiences can be stimulating and rewarding.

However, when submitting work for your courses, you need to remember that you have a

personal responsibility to complete work in accordance with the instruction of your

teacher and sound academic principles. This means standing behind your work as a

contributing member of a team when collaborative work is required. It also means

standing behind your work as the individual who thought it through and carried it out

when independent work is required.

When you are required to consult with professionals outside the College or undertake

research in the library in order to gather information necessary for the completion of an

assignment, you need to make reference to the resources used. Whenever you refer to

secondary sources, whether for direct quotation or paraphrasing, you must supply clear

documentation within generally accepted academic standards. In other words, when you

use another‘s thoughts in the exact words or with some words changed around, the source

must be indicated.

Work required to be completed independently does not meet the above requirements if it

is more the work of someone else than that of the person who claims it. To claim work

that is essentially someone else‘s constitutes misrepresentation. Failure to document




sources of information constitutes plagiarism. When such cases come to the attention of

faculty, a department or division faculty committee will review the situation and make a

recommendation to the department or division regarding the necessity of disciplinary

action. After the committee reviews the situation, they may recommend that the student

receive an unsatisfactory in the course for which the work was required, an assignment of

a new equivalent assignment, dismissal from the College or other disciplinary action.

Here are some additional guidelines adapted from The Masters in Education Student

Handbook:

―GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE‖—AVOID PLAGIARISM.

Learning the appropriate academic procedures for citing sources will not only help you in

writing your papers within the academic setting, it will also help you to be accurate about

the sources of ideas in writing and speaking within your work setting. Giving others

credit for their ideas is a basic writing guideline. Such practice keeps you honest, by

allowing you to reflect on the ideas of another and to add or integrate your own thoughts

with the deliberate support of other authors. Citing sources correctly also helps your

reader to follow your own thinking and to understand the evidence that supports your

thoughts. You too may find that being able to find a reference based on how someone

else talked about them in an article or paper is a very helpful process.

The same guidelines apply to giving a speech, poster-project, or other form of

presentation. PowerPoint, slides, posters and other visual materials need to be properly

referenced, and your thinking needs to be distinguished from the thoughts and ideas of

others.

Plagiarism is, in essence, the taking of someone else‘s thoughts and words and

representing them as your own. It is seen as an offense to both the original author of those

thoughts and words as well as an offense to your reader, who potentially could confuse

the thoughts of the original author with those of someone representing those thoughts as

their own.

Therefore, we will be very picky about plagiarism. If you use someone else‘s words, you

must use the proper quotation format. For short quotations, that means quotation marks

and a reference with page number. For longer quotations, that means a hanging indent,

and a reference with page number. Don‘t do this incorrectly even on a draft – it‘s

plagiarism if you do. We‘ll stop reading drafts when we find plagiarism – there‘s no point

in our assessing the writing of an already published work. Your best bet is to avoid using

quotes as much as possible. Consult your APA Manual, Fifth Edition for ways to

paraphrase an author‘s ideas and how to properly give credit for that idea, even when you

are paraphrasing it. (Remember when you paraphrase, you give the author‘s name and

date of the publication. When you quote, you must also include the quotation marks and

the page number where you found the quote.)




If you have a question about the format of a specific citation, first consult your APA

Manual, Fifth Edition. If after considerable effort in trying to resolve your question you

are still in need of assistance, bring your question to your instructor or advisor, along

with your specific work with the APA Manual and show them exactly where your

confusion lies. They will help you address your specific concern. In the end however, you

will be held responsible for representing yourself and others in an appropriate manner.

―TELL IT LIKE IT IS‖—AVOID MISREPRESENTATION

When you are working with another author‘s ideas, it is imperative that you represent

those ideas accurately and that you give credit to the author for those ideas. If, for

example, an author is presenting several alternatives to a particular dilemma, it is

important that you indicate the range of alternatives that the author offers, rather than

simply picking the one that you like the best and presenting it as if it were the author‘s

only idea. To single out a sentence or paragraph that suits your own purposes but does

not represent the author‘s train of thought is considered misrepresentation.

―TALK YOUR OWN TALK‖—AVOID PLAGIARIZING ANOTHER STUDENT‘S

WORK.

A student may be dismissed from the program if he/she uses the work of another student

as her/his own. This includes using papers that have been published on the internet,

written by a student in this or another college or university, or written by a former

student.

―BE DISCREET ABOUT REPEAT‖—AVOID SELF-PLAGIARISM

Self-plagiarism is the practice of using a paper that is written in one class to complete the

requirements for a different class or project. If you are planning to use a part of a paper

that you have already written in another class, first consult your instructor to see if the

part of the paper is suitable material for the class you are presently taking. If you do not

obtain appropriate permission for building on work from another class, or if you hand in a

duplicate paper from another class to meet an assessment requirement, you may fail the

project, the assessment and jeopardize your standing in the program.

―WALK THE WALK IN ORDER TO TALK THE TALK‖—MAINTAIN

RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR WORK WITHIN GROUPS

Students are expected to be appropriately responsible for their work within a group

project setting. This includes attending mutually agreed-upon group meetings,

completing mutually-agreed upon assignments and carrying your weight in the writing of

a group paper or the implementation of a group presentation. If you fail to maintain your

responsibilities as a group member, you may fail the group project assignment and you

may be dismissed from the class.




Resources Consulted:

Smith, P. (2001). Policy on plagiarism for all psychology & MA courses. Alverno

College Master of Arts in Education policy on academic honesty. Unpublished

document. Milwaukee, WI: Alverno College.

University of Massachusetts: Policies: Academic Honesty. Retrieved August 2002 from

http://www.umass.edu/umhome/policies/honesty.html

University of Oregon: Avoiding Plagiarism. Retrieved August 2002 from

http://www.cs.orst.edu/~watsog/cs151/honesty.htm

University of Vermont Policies on Academic Honesty. Retrieved August 2002 from

http://www.uvm.edu/~judicial/ah.html?Page=faculty.html&SM=ahmenu.html

Advising

When you are admitted to the MBA program you are assigned the MBA program director

as your academic advisor. The program director serves as a resource to each student

during their first semester with regard to academic matters, policies and procedures, and

registration. In the second semester, you are assigned a faculty advisor/mentor who

serves in this role until you graduate.

Business Writing

As an MBA student you will engage in a variety of writing exercises in your courses as

well as in your workplace. Business writing takes a variety of forms: memoranda, reports,

proposals, plans, and presentations. Business writers also write for a variety of audiences

and often what they write must serve the needs of multiple audiences at the same time.

These audiences include internal audiences (management and employees) and external

audiences (customers, vendors, regulatory agencies, and professionals providing support

services, to name a few). Audiences may also be international. Business writing often

involves your personal observations and conclusions and uses what is considered

―common knowledge‖. At other times, your writing includes research and the ideas of

others and may be of a more ―academic‖ nature. In these cases it is important that you

reference and give credit to your sources.

All MBA students should be familiar with the business communication format. A variety

of business communication books/texts and online resources are available if needed. All

MBA students should use the APA Style Manual to cite their references when

appropriate and be familiar with the college policies regarding plagiarism and use. See

the Academic Misconduct: Plagiarism and Misrepresentation of Authorship Alverno All College Policy section this handbook for further information.

http://www.umass.edu/umhome/policies/honesty.html

http://www.cs.orst.edu/~watsog/cs151/honesty.htm

http://www.uvm.edu/~judicial/ah.html?Page=faculty.html&SM=ahmenu.html




Credit for Transfer Courses

Previous graduate course work is evaluated at the time of admission. In no case will

transfer credit be granted for the MBA required courses (MGT 600, 610, 620, 630, and

640). Elective credit will be considered if there is no significant overlap with these

required courses.

Extension of Program Completion

Course work is to be completed within seven years of entry into the MBA program. If

you are not able to complete the program within this timeframe, you must submit a letter

to the MBA program director requesting an extension. Your letter should explain why an

extension is required and describe your plan and timeline for program completion. The

program director will review the request and respond in writing. The deadline for

submitting a request to extend your program completion is the beginning of your sixth

year in the program.

Graduate Student Professionalism Rubric

All MBA students are held to high academic and professional standards. This rubric is

used by faculty to document professional behavior. Should concerns arise regarding

professional behavior, faculty will review concerns with the student involved and report

them to the MBA Program Director.

Student effectively demonstrates discipline and responsibility for attending all class

sessions and being present at the start of each class.

Student finishes and turns in on the dates requested assignments that are complete and

have been proofread.

Student takes the initiative to communicate with faculty if there are attendance or

assignment concerns.

Student consistently uses appropriate language, interacts in a professional manner,

and shows respect for others.

Student accepts equal responsibility for group assignments and supports others in

doing so.

Student honors professional ethics including appropriate use of quotations,

recognition/citation of sources, respect for confidentiality and privacy, etc.




MBA Student Status Committee

Every semester, the MBA Student Status Committee reviews MBA student academic

performance and professionalism. Any student with an Unsatisfactory MBA course

progress code will be recommended to the college status committee for probation. Any

student with multiple Unsatisfactory MBA course progress codes (in the same or

different courses) will be recommended for probation with warning or dismissal. Any

student not meeting one or more professionalism standards (see Graduate Student

Professionalism Rubric) may also be recommended for probation.

Independent Study, Internships, Projects for Academic Credit

A student who wishes to engage in independent study, pursue an internship, or receive

academic credit for a special project, as part of their elective coursework must complete

the Independent Study/Internship/ Project Proposal Form. This form is available from the

School of Business secretary and must be submitted to the MBA program director at least

one semester prior to pursuing this as an alternative to an existing course.

Purpose – These alternatives are available to graduate students who seek unique and

specialized professional development learning opportunities which are not available

through existing MBA elective courses. It requires students to independently design,

implement, and manage their learning with the guidance of a School of Business faculty

member. The learning experience, if approved, must be completed within the regular

semester timeframe. For each semester hour of academic credit a minimum of 20 hours

of academic study is required.

Feasibility - The first step in exploring the feasibility of an independent study, internship,

or project is to formulate and describe your topic, objectives, and learning strategies in

writing and discuss this with the program director and/or your faculty advisor. It is also

important that you identify a faculty member who is willing and able to serve as your

mentor and evaluator for this experience. You should meet with them and explain:

How you would benefit from this experience

What your specific topic, objectives, and learning strategy would include

When you would begin and end your work

How many semester credit hours you are requesting

If your proposal appears feasible based on these exploratory conversations, you should

complete and submit the Independent Study/Internship/Project Proposal Form to begin

the formal approval process for registration.

Approval and Registration Process - Complete the Independent/Internship/Project

Proposal Form and submit it to the MBA program director for approval at least one

semester prior to registration.




The request must be approved by the faculty member who will serve as your mentor and

evaluator, the School of Business Dean, and the MBA program director. It will be

evaluated according to:

Your need for this experience as a part of your academic program

The quality of your objectives and plans for learning

The availability of alternative learning opportunities

The availability of faculty resources

If your request is approved by everyone, it will be forwarded to the Registrar's Office and

added to your official registration for the semester.

Plan for Independent Study/Internship/Project - Within the first week of the semester you

should initiate and arrange a meeting with your faculty mentor/evaluator. Within 25 days

after the start of the semester you must submit your formal plan for faculty approval. The

plan will include:

1. Title, purpose, and detailed description of the independent

study/internship/project

2. Learning objectives related to your topic, the MBA outcomes, and your academic

development

3. Detailed description of learning strategies, activities, and tasks

4. Timeline of activities and tasks for the semester. Timeline should include

meetings with your faculty mentor/evaluator

5. Description of resources and external individuals necessary to complete your

work

6. Description and due date (at least 6 weeks before last class) of interim progress

report

7. Description of final product, audience, and date of completion

8. Plan for faculty and self assessment of performance including criteria related to

learning objectives

Activity Log - You are required to keep an activity log for your academic work. The log

should include dates, beginning and ending times, and descriptions of activities. The log

should always be up to date and available for faculty review. You will turn this in with

your final product.

Course Completion - Your independent study, internship, or project must be completed

by the last class or an earlier date as required by faculty.




Participation in Commencement

Alverno College believes in the value of participation in the commencement ceremony

and the value of students sharing in the event with their colleagues. While the college

participation policy requires the satisfactory completion of all requirements, an exception

is made for MBA students in recognition of the cohort nature of the MBA program. MBA

students who have completed all requirements except their MBA electives may request

permission to participate in commencement by submitting a general permit to the

Registrar‘s Office.



Section V – Appendices Page 1

Criteria for Academic Performance

Graduate students at Alverno College are expected to develop and consistently

demonstrate strong communication and social interaction, along with critical thinking and

problem solving. Three developmental rubrics help guide the students in integrating these

skills into their performance in academic and clinical settings. Communication Department

I. CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE SPEAKING/MEDIA

(Adapted for Entering Graduate Students, 8/04)

In a given speech, the student should show the following abilities to the level indicated:

Preliminary: Follows directions: yes ___ no ___

1. Connects with audience through SPEAKING ON ONE’S FEET

L1 Speaks to an audience for at least a minute with little reliance on scripted or

memorized input

L2 Communicates to an audience, long enough to suggest the speaker has

internalized his/her message, with little reliance on scripted or memorized input

L3 Communicates with the audience, giving the impression of both thinking and

speaking spontaneously without reliance on scripted or memorized input

L4 Gives a consistent impression of communicating with the audience without

reliance on scripted or memorized input

Graduate Level: As a professional, gives a consistent impression of

communicating with the audience without reliance on scripted or memorized

input in a variety of job related contexts.

2. Connects with audience through ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING

CONTEXT (clarifying, in a manner appropriate to a specified audience, limits of

the situation and sources of thinking) L1 Gives audience some sense of focus and purpose (What am I telling whom and why?)

L2 Gives audience full sense of purpose and focus, distinguishing his/her own thoughts

from those of others

L3 Throughout a presentation, show how others‘ ideas relate to his/her own

thinking

L4 Throughout a presentation, clearly articulates relationships between ideas/concepts

out of an academic framework and those out of his/her own thinking

Graduate Level: As a professional, shows explicit awareness of his/her own

ideas as claims rather than truths in the context of disciplinary/professional

discourse.

3. Connects with audience through VERBAL EXPRESSION (word choice/ style/tone—reflecting

awareness of the audience’s degree of knowledge, values, need for clarity, right to n opinion,

and expectation of interest) L1 Uses language that shows some awareness of appropriate word

choice/style/tone

L2 Uses language that shows general awareness of appropriate word

choice/style/tone— avoiding vague, empty, and condescending expression




L3 Uses language that consistently shows awareness of appropriate word

choice/style/tone

L4 Uses language that reflects a refined awareness of the audience

Graduate Level: As a professional,

Effectively incorporates word choice/style/tone unique to a particular discipline or

profession

Shows explicit awareness of ambiguity, e.g., that words/concepts may have different

meanings for different audiences

Maintains the individuality of the speaker

Communicates a sense of ongoing dialogue, common ground, and openness to other

perspectives

4. Connects with audience through EFFECTIVE DELIVERY (speaking with credibility

demonstrated through adequate volume and voice projection, clear articulation, vocal

variety, use of gestures/body language, eye contact, and projection of interest in topic

and audience)

L1 Speaks with some elements of effective delivery

L2 Speaks with most elements of effective delivery

L3 Speaks consistently with elements of effective delivery

L4 Speaks with a refined repertory of effective delivery techniques Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the delivery requirements of a given discipline

or profession

5. Connects with audience through use of APPROPRIATE CONVENTIONS

(usage, pronunciation, and sentence structure)

L1 Generally follows appropriate conventions

L2 Consistently follows appropriate conventions

L3 Adapts appropriate conventions to the expression of complex relationships

L4 Shows a refined sense of appropriate conventions

Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the stylistic requirements of a given discipline or

profession

6. Connects with audience through PURPOSEFUL STRUCTURE (sense of

introduction/development/

conclusion; focusing by main point make; major/minor connections)

L1 Presents a message with recognizable introduction, development, and conclusion

L2 Establishes and maintains focus on a clear purpose, providing transitions to clarify

relationships between most points of development

L3 Without digression from the focus of the speech, consistently articulates relationships

between points of development

L4 Maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an academic framework

Graduate Level: As a professional, maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an

academic framework integrated into that of a profession

7. Connects with audience through SUPPORT FOR A POSITION/DEVELOPMENT OF

AN IDEA L1 Shows ability to use examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience

L2 Supports most generalizations with examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience

L3 Uses development appropriate to audience and purpose to clarify message




L4 Uses development of appropriate length and variety and of sufficient interest to convince

audience of worth of message

Graduate Level: As a professional, explicitly acknowledges contradictory or

conflicting evidence

8. Connects with audience through CREATION and USE OF MEDIA

L1 Incorporates a visual that is legible, understandable, and appropriate to topic and

audience

L2 Computer-generates eye-appealing visuals, using them purposefully to enhance

presentation

L3 Smoothly incorporates high-quality and diverse media whose messages reflect the core

concepts of a presentation

L4 Incorporates professional-quality media within a specific context to aid in clarifying

academic frameworks

Graduate Level: As a professional, meets expectations for media quality for a given

profession

9. Connects with audience through APPROPRIATE CONTENT (criteria may be further

contextualized by instructor in discipline)

L1 Articulates accurate representation of ideas

L2 Demonstrates appropriate application of designated or selected ideas

L3 Identifies key elements that indicate understanding of theories and/or frameworks

L4 Articulates original applications, syntheses, and/or evaluations of academic

frameworks/theories, validating them with substantial thinking and appropriately citing valid

sources


Effectively integrates academic frameworks/theories into the context of the profession

Thoughtfully challenges existing frameworks and/or approaches

10. SELF ASSESSMENT

L1 Shows awareness of a few strengths and weaknesses in a presentation, based on

specifically designated criteria

L2 Shows some understanding of development in speaking ability, based on the same

criteria

L3 Articulates, providing evidence, a realistic sense of performance in all criteria areas

L4 Shows a refined sense of strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas


Shows a refined sense of one‘s own strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas,

particularly in professional contexts

Identifies reasonable plans for improvement related to one‘s own areas of weakness

Shows explicit awareness of the development of one‘s own understanding of one‘s own

mental models




II. CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING


In a given piece of writing, the student should show the following abilities to the level

indicated: Preliminary: Follows directions: yes ___ no ___

1. Connects with audience through ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING

CONTEXT (clarifying, in a manner appropriate to a specified audience, limits of

the situation and sources of thinking)

L1 Gives audience some sense of focus and purpose (What I am telling whom and why?)

L2 Gives audience full sense of purpose and focus, distinguishing own thoughts from those

of others

L3 Throughout the writing, shows reasonably how others‘ ideas relate to his/her own

thinking

L4 Throughout the writing, convincingly articulates relationships between ideas/concepts

out of an academic framework and those out of her own thinking

Graduate Level: As a professional, shows explicit awareness of one‘s own ideas as claims

rather than truths in the context of disciplinary/professional discourse

2. Connects with audience through VERBAL EXPRESSION (word choice/style/tone—

reflecting awareness of the audience’s degree of knowledge, values, need for clarity, right to

an opinion, and expectation of interest)

L1 Uses language that shows some awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone

L2 Uses language that shows general awareness of appropriate work choice/style/tone—

avoiding vague, empty, and condescending expression

L3 Uses language that consistently shows awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone

L4 Uses language that reflects a refined awareness of the audience


1. Effectively incorporates word choice/style/tone unique to a particular discipline or

profession

2. Shows explicit awareness of ambiguity, e.g., that words/concepts may have different

meanings for different audiences

3. Maintains the individuality of the writer

4. Communicates a sense of ongoing dialogue, common ground, and openness to other

perspectives

3. Connects with audience through APPROPRIATE CONVENTIONS (usage, spelling,

punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, format conventions) L1 Generally follows appropriate conventions

L2 Consistently follows appropriate conventions

L3 Adapts appropriate conventions to the expression of complex relationships

L4 Shows a refined sense of appropriate conventions

Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the stylistic requirements of a given discipline or

profession

4. Connects with audience through PURPOSEFUL STRUCTURE (sense of

introduction/development/conclusion; focusing by main point made; major/minor

connections)




L1 Presents a message with recognizable introduction, development, and conclusion

L2 Establishes and maintains focus on a clear purpose, providing transitions to clarify

relationships between most points of development

L3 Without digression from the focus of the work, consistently articulates relationships

between points of development

L4 Maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an academic framework

Graduate Level: As a professional, maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an

academic framework integrated into that of a profession

5. Connects with audience through SUPPORT FOR A POSITION/DEVELOPMENT

OF AN IDEA L1 Shows ability to use examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience

L2 Supports most generalizations with examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience

L3 Uses development appropriate to audience and purpose to clarify message

L4 Uses development of appropriate length and variety and of sufficient interest to convince

audience of worth of message

Graduate Level: As a professional, explicitly acknowledges contradictory or conflicting

evidence 6. Connects with audience through APPROPRIATE CONTENT (criteria may be further

contextualized by instructor in discipline)

L1 Articulates ideas accurately

L2 Demonstrates appropriate application of designated or selected ideas

L3 Identifies key elements that indicate understanding of theories and/or frameworks

L4 Articulates original applications, syntheses, and/or evaluations of academic frameworks/

theories, validating them with substantiated thinking and appropriately citing valid sources


Effectively integrates academic frameworks/theories into the context of the profession

Thoughtfully challenges existing frameworks and/or approaches

7. SELF ASSESSMENT

L1 Shows awareness of a few strengths and weaknesses in one‘s own written work, based on

specifically designated criteria

L2 Shows some understanding of one‘s own development in writing ability, based on the

same criteria

L3 Articulates, providing evidence, a realistic sense of one‘s own writing performance in all

criteria areas

L4 Shows a refined sense of one‘s own strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas


Shows a refined sense of one‘s own strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas,

particularly in professional contexts

Identifies reasonable plans for improvement related to one‘s own areas of weakness

Shows explicit awareness of the development of one‘s own understanding of one‘s

own mental models




III. CRITERIA FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION


1. Shaping and Working with a Task

Clearly defines a problem identification process

Accurately verbalizes a representation of the problem

Clearly defines a decision making process

2. Using Task Oriented Behaviors Appropriate to the Task

Effectively exhibits task oriented group behaviors such as leading,

reinforcing, seeking information, etc.

Listens analytically and affectively, trying to understand a speaker‘s frame of

reference

Provides appropriate information before, during and following meetings

Thoughtfully includes multiple viewpoints in a discussion

Effectively demonstrates planning and implementation strategies for decisions

Effectively uses strategies to explore a wide range of possibilities, thus

avoiding ‗group think‘

Thoughtfully utilizes group techniques to promote effective decision making

Effectively demonstrates consensus building skills

Reflectively draws upon an understanding of power dynamics to effectively

lead and participate in groups

Effectively uses conflict management strategies to create win-win results

3. Using Interpersonal Behaviors Appropriate to a Situation

Effectively exhibits interpersonal behaviors such as using ‗I‘ statements,

verbalizing feelings, etc.

Uses effective repertoire of non-verbal body language to communicate

positively

Effectively creates a physical environment conducive to the groups needs

Consistently behaves proactively

Consistently creates patterns of dialogue that are healthy for group

participants

4. Using Reflection for Personal Growth in Task Oriented and Interpersonal

Behaviors

Thoughtfully uses feedback to others to improve group skills

Accurately self assesses own performance related to both task and

interpersonal behaviors

Consistently views feedback as a means of strengthening relationships and/or

accomplishing the task

Thoughtfully reflects on stages of group development to analyze impact of

own and others‘ behavior

Documents

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