Still trapped in ice

Yes, I am still without electricity. This means that at my house I have no lights, heat, hot water, internet connection, etc. We have taken a trip back in time and now I have a much better understanding of how my ancestors lived a couple hundred years ago. We even heated up water on the gas stove top for baths. Not very much fun.



I wanted to share more pictures with you of the damage and devestation. They are saying this is the worst ice storm we have ever had. This is a road right by Walker Hall on campus. I drove through here on my way to the office yesterday.


This is a picture of a crew working to clear the road.



This picture was taken not far from campus. Unfortunately, this was a fairly common site.


Another look at a neighborhood in Fayetteville.

Poor trees.









Even in the midst of destruction, there is beauty. The ice covered trees are beautiful.

Ice, Ice Everywhere

Yes, the University of Arkansas has been closed for several days now and we will continue to be closed tomorrow, Friday, January 30. On Monday it started with a light precipitation. This continued into a full blown ice storm. I have not seen anything like this since I have lived here - 14 years now. I have never seen the University close like this either.

Most of Fayetteville has no electricity. At my house, I have no power. Thankfully we do have a wood burning fireplace and a gas stove top. However, with a four-year old little boy in the house, not have power gets tough very quickly. Today we came into the office to enjoy lights, heat, and to let him watch a DVD on the computer. This also allows me a chance to let you all know what is going on.

The roads are no longer slick. That is not the problem. The problem is that there are trees down everywhere. Roads are blocked, cars and homes were damaged by falling trees.

Yesterday, we loaded the kids into the car and went driving around. We have been without power since Tuesday at 1:00. It is now Thursday. Most of town is closed. At the few gas stations that had power, there were long lines of cars trying to fill up. We had a very difficult time finding a store that was open. It is truly something I have never seen.

I have attached some pictures of the ice storm. These were taken right outside our bulding. I will take more on my way home and will share those next time. Check out Dave's blog. He posted pictures, too.

Obviously we will have to extend some application deadlines since we have been out of the office since Monday. Be patient with us while we work our way out of this storm. If you have any questions, email rcsmith@walton.uark.edu. I can monitor this email account better from home. Thank goodness for technology.

And the Admissions Cycle Rolls On

I want to post an update on the PhD admissions process. We are no longer accepting new applications for the PhD in Management and the PhD in Marketing. After Friday, January 30, we will no longer be accepting new applications for PhD Economics. For the other three PhD programs: Accounting, Finance, and Information Systems, we will continue to accept late applications until the program coordinators notify us to stop.

All DDF (Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship) nominations are due next Monday, February 2. The DDF is worth $37,000 annually. To be nominated for the DDF, you must have submitted your completed PhD application by January 15. Criteria for the DDF are 650 GMAT, 1300 GRE, 3.75 master's GPA, and a writing score of 5.

The DAF (Doctoral Academy Fellowship) has no deadline. Nominations are accepted until the money is gone. This award is worth $27,000 annually and criteria are 600 GMAT, 1200 GRE, 3.5 master's GPA, and a writing score of 5.

Master of Information Systems and Master of Arts in Economics applications are due next Monday, February 2.

Email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions.

On another note, Dave Alderson is working on our new website. I owe him some text so I guess I had better get on it. Keep a lookout for the website.

Upcoming Deadlines - MIS and MAEcon

PhD application deadline was January 15. The academic departments have been picking up their completed files and are preparing to make admissions decisions. I have my first round of visiting PhD candidates coming tomorrow. Another round is scheduled for next Friday, January 30. We may be sending our first set of admissions offers in a couple of weeks.

The next deadline is February 2 (the 1st is on a Sunday). Master of Information Systems and Master of Arts in Economics applications are due in just a few days. Please have all application materials submitted by February 2. The Information Systems department recently changed their application deadline from March 15 to February 1. They will accept applications through March 15 since this change is new.

The Master of Arts in Economics will have a new application deadline next year (fall 2010). Those applications will be due January 15, 2010. For application requirements and to apply online, go to: http://gsb.uark.edu/admission.asp. Don't forget that the MAEcon program requires the GRE and that MIS will accept either.

Questions should be sent to gsb@walton.uark.edu.

It's a beautiful day in Fayetteville

It's almost 50 degrees and let me tell you, after so many days of freezing temperatures, it is much appreciated.



Okay, so Dave and Helen just stopped by my office. I was supposed to bring my camera to work today so we could take new photos for the web. Let me just confess now. I forgot the camera. I did, at one time this morning, have the camera in my hand. I then sat it beside my purse. You would think that this would ensure that I would have ended up leaving the house with it, right? Wrong. I then grabbed my purse and left the camera right where I had put it.

I should explain my morning routine. My daughter, Zoey, had to dress like a "geek" today. Yesterday was pajama day and today was geek day. I fixed her hair like the girl from Napoleon Dynamite. She put on pants that were too small and hiked them way up her waist. This is what I should have taken pictures of today. So, she was ready to go. Her daddy takes her to school and I get the pleasure of taking our 4-year old son. My morning typically consists of, "Jack - COME ON!" Trying to get this little boy out of the house in the morning is like herding cats.

Dave has already warned me that he was going to throw me under the bus again on his blog for forgetting the camera. This is like telling your mom first what you did, before she finds out on her own. I have already confessed my sin and I am sure you understand.

Back to what I was saying. It is a beautiful day in Fayetteville, AR today. Class just let out for our new MBA students. It is so exciting for me to see them milling around, chatting. We work so long to get them here and when they are finally here, it is very satisfying.

I'd love to see you here next year.

We have a new MBA blogger!

I want to introduce you to Wenqi Deng Clark. Wenqi is one of our new MBA students; she is now in her second week of classes here at the Walton College. Wenqi has a degree in English and she taught English in China. She has just begun her blog. See the link to the right. Find out what it is like to be a new Walton MBA student. Wenqi also provides the unique perspective of being an International student in the process of seeking permanent residency. Her blog should be very informative and helpful to other international students.

Don't forget to keep track of the other student blogs, too. They will be graduating in May and you will be able to follow their last semester. I am hoping to be able to convince one or two to continue to blog as a Walton MBA alumna/alumnus.

Introducing the GSB Staff

I think it's about time to introduce the Graduate School of Business staff. Our staff is amazing and we do all enjoy our work. The Graduate School of Business population is a little over 300. We are a smaller school and we do have a small staff so we are all family. As students, you will get to know us and we will also know you.

Let's start with Marion Dunagan. Marion is our Assistant Dean, our administrator. I can't begin to tell you everything that she does. She is responsible for our entire operation. In regards to MBA, one of her tasks is to assist with the placement of our graduate assistants (GAs). Within our office, Marion is "where the buck stops." She handles the budget and also the disciplinary actions. Her door is always open to students.


Dr. Alan Ellstrand is the MBA Director. Alan is a faculty member in the Management Department. As with Marion, I couldn't begin to tell you everything that Alan does. He heads the admissions committees for MBA and MMBA. Alan is available to meet with prospective MBA students. All components of MBA planning (curriculum, faculty, etc.), fall within his realm.

Deb Williams is our other Assistant Director. Deb takes care of the student affairs side of the GSB. She works very closely with our students regarding their courses, and also is available to assist in other areas. Deb makes sure the programs are running smoothly. If a student has a problem with a class or a faculty member (or anything else), they start with Deb. Deb's background is in counseling and she has many years of experience working on a college campus. Her door is always open.

If you are a Walton College Graduate School of Business student, Nancy Fondren is your best friend. Nancy makes sure all of your paperwork is complete, that you are registered for your classes, and she checks graduation requirements. Most importantly, if you are on scholarship or have an assistantship, Nancy makes sure you get paid. Everybody loves Nancy; she is a very nice lady.

Anna Marie Grippe is our anchor. She mans (or womans) the front office. She is the first point of contact for students. Anna Marie is pretty important to me because she processes the travel. In other words, she makes sure I get paid when I am on the road. Also, she pays the bills. Many of them are mine - recruiting expenses and advertising. Anna Marie is the person you'll talk to first when you call our office. You should call (479-575-2851) her and say, "Hi." Ask her to send you an information packet while you are at it.

Last, but certainly not least, is my right hand, Regena Jedlicka. Regena processes all of the application materials. All applications (7 master's degree programs and 6 PhD degree programs), are logged into the computer by her and she makes a folder. She begins a line of communication with all applicants - helping them to complete their application packet. After the application deadline, she prepares the folders for the admissions committees. Regena also processes the admissions decisions. Since yesterday was our PhD application deadline, she is sitting behind a mile high pile of files right now.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Liliya Kunets. She works for us part-time and I depend on her a great deal. All new prospective student info is processed by her. She enters new student data into our database. Liliya also helps us complete surveys. Annamarie Lyst is our graduate assistant. Anna is a master's student in Higher Education. She helps us in many different areas. Also, Dave Alderson is now helping us with the design of our new website. I can't tell you how much I value him right now. I proved to be a complete failure in web design. Dave is a current MBA student and he'll graduate in May. He also has a student blog - check it out.

And you already know me. I am the other Assistant Director and my responsibilities are recruiting and marketing. I meet with students interested in graduate school. I also make corporate visits and go to Career Fairs at other Universities. I am always on the lookout for hot (highly qualified), new graduate students. I am looking for you!

IT'S SNOWING!

It really is not as if we don't get snow here in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We do get snow - just not very much of it. It is bitterly cold today and is supposed to be even colder tomorrow. My philosophy is that if it is going to be this cold, it should at least snow. Well, it is snowing and it is a beautiful snow. It looks like I am in a snow globe. Fayetteville is really a pretty town and dressed in snow, it is quite charming.

A typical winter here consists of temperatures usually in the 20s and 30s. It does get colder than this, as evidenced by the temperature right now of 13 degrees (windchill of 2 degrees), but it also gets much warmer. These cold days do not last long. We may get a few days of cold weather, followed by very nice weather. This is a typical cycle. Northwest Arkansas is not like some areas where it stays cold the entire winter.

And we really don't get much snow. It is more common for us to get ice here. It will rain, the temperatures will drop to below freezing, and then everything ices over. Thankfully, this only happens a hand full of times each year. My kids love it when it snows enough to go sledding. So far, this hasn't happened yet this year. I think we went twice last year. You have to go fast because usually by the afternoon, it has melted.

So, for now, Fayetteville looks like a beautiful winter wonderland. I'll try not to sit and gaze out my window too much today. Today is the last day to submit PhD applications so I have plenty to keep me busy.

PhD Deadline is TOMORROW!!!!!!

Today is Wednesday, January 14. This means that tomorrow is Thursday, January 15. Why am I pointing out the obvious? Walton College PhD application deadline is JANUARY 15. We have PhD programs in six areas: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing (go to gsb.uark.edu for more info on these programs). Each of these areas has a program coordinator. As you can imagine, they want their applications on Friday, January 16. This is why I have been begging and pleading for applications to be turned in by the deadline. Since Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship (DDF, the big money) nominations are due by February 2, it is incredibly important that applications are submitted by the deadline so that the Departments can review and make nominations in a timely manner.

Let me explain the process. All application materials are submitted to our office. Regena Jedlicka enters the info into our computer system and makes a file. She also opens up a line of communication with the students, letting them know what is missing from their file, if it is complete, etc. After the deadline, the program coordinator will pick up their application files from Regena. An admissions committee (made up of departmental faculty members) meeting will be held. The Department selects their short list. These are students they would like to invite to campus for a formal interview. At the same time, the Department is making nominations for DDF. Students are brought to campus usually in groups. They meet with faculty members, current students, our office, and get to tour campus. Following this interview, the admissions committee then chooses the students they want to admit. A letter is sent to the students offering admission. We request that the student respond letting us know if the offer is accepted or declined. If a student declines our offer, the Departments may then decide to make another offer.

This process can take a few weeks. At the time the offer letter is sent, the student is also notified of the funding package. As I have stated previously, the funding for our PhD students is very generous. Amounts are $37,000; $27,000; or $17,000.

Please email gsb@walton.uark.edu with questions.

University of Arkansas RFID Research Center Receives National Recognition

The RFID (radio frequency identification) Research Center at the University of Arkansas has been listed by Network World in the top “10 really cool university networking labs.” The article appeared on Dec. 15, 2008.

In addition, RFID Journal’s Watch List, “People to Watch,” includes — among the eight on its list — Bill Hardgrave, director of the RFID Research Center. The list appeared in the November/December 2008 issue.

Network World said that the RFID Research Center is cool because it is not only used by engineering students and faculty, but is also staffed by students from every college on campus. “That speaks to the many applications RFID has and will have, including loss prevention, inventory accuracy. The Center consists of a 10,000-square-foot lab and a 4,500-square-foot cold storage lab. The labs feature conveyors, forklifts and other things you’d find in stores and warehouses that use RFID for their supply chains, asset tracking and such. Big name companies such as J.B. Hunt, Dillard’s and Wal-Mart are among more than 50 supporting work at the lab. The center is a founding member of the Global RF Lab Alliance.”


The laboratory primarily conducts research into the most efficient use of radio frequency identification and other wireless and sensor technologies throughout the supply chain. It is the first and only academic research laboratory accredited by EPCglobal Inc., a global not-for-profit standards organization commercializing the trademarked Electronic Product Code and RFID worldwide.

First Day of Class for newest Walton MBA students

Our Walton MBA class of 2010 has officially begun. Today is the first day of class for the spring semester. This group kicked things off in grand style during Orientation last week. This is the third class in the "newly redesigned" program and I have been fortunate to have been a part of all three Orientations. We definitely get better each year. It is very important to us to improve this process each year and we listen to your feedback. Deb Williams and Marion Dunagan work hard implementing this program. Deb is the other Assistant Director for the Graduate School of Business. I work with students through the admissions process and then, once admitted, Deb takes over. Deb handles Student Services. As I have mentioned before, Marion is our Assistant Dean. Since we are a small office, we all help each other and jump in when needed.

On my last post, I reviewed MBA Orientation through Thursday, Day 4. I'll wrap it up now. Friday, Day 5 was Retail Immersion Day. We loaded up on a bus, a very nice one I should add, and took a field trip. Everyone loves field trips.

Of course we began the morning with breakfast and a brief discussion of what we would be doing during the day. We had some help with this day from our Marketing Department and some of our corporate partners.

Our first stop of the day was Fayetteville's new Sam's Club. We took a quick store tour and then students were divided up into teams and each team was given a department to "study." When we finished at Sam's, we headed to Rogers to the new Pinnacle Hills Promenade. The same teams were given store assignments and off they went. I have to confess that I did use this time to do some "retail immersion" of my own.

Our next stop was lunch. We were hosted during this time by Kimberly-Clark. During lunch we heard words of advise and wisdom from New Creature executive, Patrick Sbarra and from Kimberly-Clark's, Mark Lauderdale. After lunch, we boarded the bus again and went to a Walmart Distribution Center.

This is a very busy day but it is also a lot of fun. We were finished and back on campus by 4:00. I think our new MBA students had a great time during the week and also learned a lot. Having fun while learning is a win-win for everyone.

So, the semester is now underway and I need to get to work filling the MBA class of 2011. Early application deadline is April 1. Be sure to email with questions: gsb@walton.uark.edu.

I look forward to receiving your application!

End of Day 4 - MBA Orientation

Alright, I am going to try to post pictures again today. Hopefully I will have better luck. AND, Dave keeps throwing me under the bus by telling everyone on his blog to keep an eye on mine because I am supposed to be posting pictures.

This is a picture of our wonderful MBA Mentors. This group of Walton MBA students will be beginning their last semester next Monday. They will graduate in May. This week they have been instrumental in assisting the GSB and the new MBA students during Orientation. This is one way that MBA students are able to become involved and active in activities outside of the classroom. They will serve as mentors this spring semester to our new MBA students. From left, we have Josh Richardson, Dave Alderson, Nhan Nguyen, Jesse Chester (seated), Helen Gunsaulis, and Patricia Im.

As I mentioned Monday evening is spent at Mount Sequoyah where the new MBA students are on an overnight retreat. Here is a group playing a board game waiting for the pizza to arrive.


On the second day, the students participate in team building exercises. This is team six and they were the winners of the day's events. As you can see, this is a very fun day.


Day three is the prep day for the case competition that is held on day four. This photo shows a group hard at work on their presentation. The class is divided into 6 groups and they are all working in rooms similar to this one.



Day four is the case competition. All teams present their findings to a panel of faculty and corporate judges. This is a good chance to shine in front of future instructors and to impress our local corporate partners. You never know, this opportunity could lead to a future interview. This is a photo of the team case competition winners. From left, Michael Buchanan, Stacy Carty, Wenqi Clark, Xia (Sherry) Li, and Brian Gunnels.

Tomorrow is retail immersion day. I will post more pictures and talk about it on Monday.

Day 3 of MBA Orientation

Day 3 of Orientation is winding down. Let me recap these first 3 days. Day 1 began bright and early with breakfast and an icebreaker. Everyone is very excited and maybe even a little bit nervous, too. The rest of the day is spent getting lap tops up to speed, filling out paperwork, and learning about the Walton MBA and the University of Arkansas. That evening we all went to Mount Sequoyah for an overnight retreat. I have great pictures to share but for some reason, they are not uploading right now. I'll try again on my next post.

The overnight retreat is a lot of fun. After dinner, new students are able to "grill" or question current MBA students and alumni. This is their opportunity to get the "dirt" - to find out how it REALLY is as a student and alumni from the Walton MBA. After this panel discussion, students watched the Texas-Ohio State football game.

Day 2 began with breakfast on Mount Sequoyah. We then did some team building inside before we moved out to the outside exercises. Yes, it was cold but we were all moving around so the temperature was not an issue. The next activity on the agenda was lunch. No, there is no chance of you starving during this Orientation. After lunch the winner of the morning team competition was announced and we had a brief debrief of the team building exercises. This day ended a little early since everyone is tired by this time.

Day 3 began with, yes, you guessed it, breakfast. Dr. Ellstrand, the MBA Director, just got back from India yesterday. He greeted the class and then did a case competition overview. The class was then divided into teams and they have spent the rest of the day preparing for their case competition tomorrow. All presentations are due at 5:00. They should be wrapping things up soon.

I will talk again about the rest of the week and I'll try again to post some pictures. Be sure to check out Dave and Helen's blogs. They are both mentors and are helping us with Orientation all week.

Walton MBA Orientation

Our new MBA students are here and we have kicked off Orientation. This is a very exciting time for me. It is a culmination of over a year's worth of work. I began working on this class about this time last year. When they get here and Orientation starts, it's such a relief. It is also my chance to meet those students with whom I have been in email contact. I love putting the faces to all of those names. Many students I was fortunate enough to meet beforehand but a few, international, students I got to meet today. And yes, I have started working on next year's class.

I wanted to talk more about this Orientation. It is a one week long event that occurs just prior to the beginning of the semester. It allows the class to get to know each other quickly and we go over all of the paperwork, class registration, etc. We also have a lot of fun. This is the agenda for this year's Orientation.

Monday
registration, breakfast
icebreaker
overview of program
small group activity with mentors
lunch
technology-we want to make sure that your laptop is ready to go
overview of Career Services
Overnight retreat at Mount Sequoyah - dinner, alumni panel, watch party - Fiesta Bowl

Tuesday
Breakfast, morning announcements
team activity - this is fun
lunch and group discussion
wrap-up and dismissed
International students go check in at International Student Services

Wednesday
presentation work day

Thursday
presentations

Friday
Retail Immersion Day - we load up into buses and visit retail stores (this year it is Sam's and the Pinnacle Hills Promenade Mall) in the area and a Walmart Distribution Center.

It is a very busy week but we want to be sure to set the tone for the program. The week is intensive and so is the Walton MBA. By the end of the week, the classmates know each other and they are comfortable with us, the College, and the program.

Application Deadlines

I know I am sounding like a broken record (I may be showing my age with this statement. I wonder how many of you reading this blog have never even played a record. I'll try not to think about that). I cannot stress enough how important our application deadlines are. The Departments are very anxious to review their files and make their admissions decisions. I have said this before and I am saying it again - PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS. Your application is not complete until we receive:

application
application fee
resume
official transcripts
letters of recommendation
essays (2) or a personal statement for PhD applicants
GMAT or GRE score

International students must also submit
TOEFL
Educational form
Financial form

All forms can be downloaded from our website - gsb.uark.edu.

You can fax or email your resume and essays/personal statement to 479-575-8721 or gsb@walton.uark.edu.

Upcoming application deadlines are:

PhD - January 15
MAEcon - February 1
MIS - February 1

If you have questions regarding the application process, email gsb@walton.uark.edu.

Hapy New Year's

I know I am a little late in wishing everyone a Happy New Year's. Oh well, better late than never. I want you all to know how beautiful it is in Fayetteville today. The weather man (or lady) has predicted that it will be in the 60's today. There is a bit of a breeze but the sun is shining and it should be a wonderful day. We have to enjoy these days when we get them at this time of year. On Monday it is expected to be much colder and it may even snow. Yes, 60 degrees today, two days later, snow. This is what happens in Northwest Arkansas. There is an old saying, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes, it will change." The good news is that the cold weather does not last long. It does not stay cold for all of winter. We will have a few cold, snowy days and then it will warm up and be nice for awhile. We generally do not get very much snow in Arkansas. Usually it will snow only a few days each winter. It always melts away within a day or two. It is very rare that we get enough snow to sled - maybe only one day each winter. When this happens, all of the kids bundle up, grab their sled, and head off to the nearest hill. There happens to be a very good sledding hill right on campus. This is where I take my kids - it is very popular.

Needless to say, no sledding today. In fact, I don't even need a jacket. I am about to head to my daughter's basketball game. This is what I do on Saturdays - at least through February. My daughter plays on the the 6th grade team for Greenland, Arkansas. Today we play Farmington and our Assistant Dean, Marion Dunagan's, daughter plays on the 5th grade team for Farmington. It'll be a good day for basketball.

Speaking of basketball, can I just brag on the Arkansas Razorbacks for just a minute. Last Tuesday, they beat 4th ranked, Oklahoma. They are so much fun to watch. For a very young team, they play amazing ball. It's shaping up to be a fantastic season. They play Texas on Tuesday and I am hoping for another spectacular win. Razorback sports are an important part of the University of Arkansas and the local culture. We have 42 national championships in track and field, not to mention football, basketball, baseball, softball, women's soccer, and women's gymnastics just to name a few. If you are a sports enthusiast, you can find exciting opportunities here and the University of Arkansas and the Walton MBA may be the perfect home for you.

The HPER (Health, Physical Education, and Recreation) building has great work out equipment, a pool, racketball courts, a climbing wall, and many classes (aerobics, yoga, etc.). They also have an outdoor recreation center where students can rent camping equipment and even canoes. Northwest Arkansas has exceptional camping and floating options.

MBA Orientation begins on Monday. I will talk more about this on my next post.