COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Principles for Responsible Management Education SHARING INFORMATION ON PROGRESS REPORT April 2009 to May 2011 CONTENTS I. Letter of Renewed Commitment II. UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics III. 3 Overview of the College 4 Vision / Mission 5 Strategic Objectives 6 The Principles for Responsible Management Education Purpose / Values / Methods o New / Revised Courses 8 9 o Integration of Core Courses 11 o New Emphasis and Minors 11 o Codes of Conduct 12 o Learning Communities 13 o Student Organizations 13 o 2009-2010 College Goals 15 o 2010 -2011 College Goals 16 o Timothy J. Hyland Hall 17 Research 19 Partnerships 22 o Kachel Center 22 o Whitewater University Technology Park 23 IV. Future Perspectives / Key Objectives 24 V. Support Sought 27 2|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics I. LETTER OF RENEWED COMMITMENT On behalf of the College of Business and Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, I am pleased to present a report on our progress toward the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) from our sign up date in April 2008 to the present. This progress report constitutes our renewed commitment to the principles. As evidenced by the College’s mission and strategic objectives and goals, we embrace responsible leadership in a global business environment, and take seriously our commitment to instill high standards of professional conduct, and promote a curriculum and co-curricular activities to support the PRME agenda. We are pleased to have the opportunity engage with the principles of PRME as a means of enhancing the decision making and leadership abilities of our students. Christine Clements, Dean, College of Business and Economics 3|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics II. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Overview The University of Wisconsin- Whitewater's College of Business & Economics is Wisconsin's Premier Business School on the Right-Sized Campus. We serve approximately 3200 undergraduate and 800 graduate students on-campus and online, awarding the Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA), the Master of Business Administration degree (MBA), and the Master of Public Accountancy degree (MPA). All programs are accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB International accreditation is the highest assurance of learning standards that a college of business can earn, with less than 5% of business schools worldwide holding this distinction. Using the AACSB definition, the College of Business has a team of 87 full-time faculty and academic staff, and a total non-academic staff of 36. The faculty and academic staff are a combination of academically and professionally qualified professionals who are committed to quality classroom teaching and current research in their fields. Our curriculum provides students with academic rigor, relevant learning lab and field experiences, and the opportunity to pursue their degrees in several traditional areas of business as well as the specialized area of entrepreneurship. With 13 different undergraduate majors, students can choose many different career directions. Similarly, the MBA degree offers several areas of emphasis. Our newly-launched General Business completion program provides junior-level students the opportunity to finish their BBA degrees entirely online or in a mix of online and face-to-face classes. UW-W's Online MBA program has earned recognition and awards regionally, nationally, and internationally from sources such as the European CEO, the Princeton Review, GetEducated.com, Corporate Report Wisconsin, and GI Jobs. 4|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Vision / Mission / Strategic Objectives Vision Statement Partnering with Wisconsin and the World We envision being the center of an evolving learning community, reaching out to provide opportunities for critical learning experiences on campus and throughout the world. We foresee increasing participation of students and faculty in committed partnerships with increasingly diverse stakeholders. We will foster relationships among these stakeholders, encouraging pride and involvement and leading to consistent strength in education and research in the business professions. Mission Statement The UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics is an inclusive and collaborative learning community dedicated to sharing values, knowledge and skills to prepare current and future business professionals to compete successfully and responsibly in a global business environment. Our efforts to engage in high-quality instruction, research and professional activities add value by: providing an engaging environment for educating undergraduate and graduate students that advances critical thinking, entrepreneurial leadership, ethical behavior and an appreciation of diversity developing and sustaining partnerships with key stakeholders that lead to mutually beneficial opportunities for students, alumni, faculty, businesses and the regional community developing and retaining a high-quality faculty whose members strive for excellence, are current in their fields and make scholarly contributions through discipline-based, applied and pedagogical research. 5|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics College Strategic Objectives Commitment to mission is evidenced in the work of the College. We utilize annual strategic planning to align our goals and objectives with those of our mission and that of the university. We also evaluate additional initiatives and day-to-day activities against the strategic priorities of the College as defined by our mission. Strategic management is part of the fabric of our College. Programs and Learning The College is committed to offering relevant and rigorous academic programs integrated with applied learning experiences. We will offer our curriculum under the guidance of academically and professionally qualified faculty, and make available to our students an array of applied opportunities, including internships, and outreach and consulting projects. We will maintain AACSB accreditation, the premier accrediting agency for the highest quality business and management education world-wide, which requires satisfaction of standards related to assurance of student learning, faculty qualifications and continuous improvement. Research and Professional Development The College is dedicated to the support of sustained scholarship and ongoing professional development. We believe an engaged and research active faculty is essential to quality professional business education. Relevant to the mission of the college and commitments to programs and learning objectives, we support a balanced portfolio of scholarship across the categories of pedagogical, discipline-based and contributions to practice. Global Perspectives with Sensitivity to Multicultural and Diversity Issues The College values diverse intellectual and cultural perspectives and strives to attract, respect and retain a diverse student and faculty population. We will foster and sustain a curriculum that is both global and intercultural in character, and promote programs that enhance diversity in educational experiences and a supportive culture for diverse perspectives and members. 6|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Strategic Objectives (continued) Regional Resource for Businesses, Not-for-Profits and Communities The College embraces the Wisconsin Idea which states that the boundaries of the university are the boundaries of the state, and further extends those boundaries to the greater regional community beyond state borders. The business and economic development needs of the region and the state and the professional development of our faculty and students are closely integrated. We will serve as a valued educational and economic resource to the regional community through strong outreach activities and partnerships between the College and the business community. Professional and Personal Integrity for Faculty, Staff and Students The College is committed to the belief that business is a noble profession with a tremendous capacity to "do good" in the world. We embrace the Principles for Responsible Management Education as set forward by the United Nations Global Compact. We will cultivate high standards of ethical and professional conduct among our students, faculty and staff. We support an agenda which includes activities and curriculum related to professional integrity, sustainable business, social responsibility, globalization and social entrepreneurship. 7|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics III. THE PRINCIPLES IN ACTION Purpose / Values / Method Principle 1 Purpose: We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy. Principle 2 Values: We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact. Principle 3 Method: We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership. Curriculum The College of Business has a history of teaching responsible management and ethics, largely through integration of such issues throughout the curriculum. One example is our spring 2011 semester’s Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) course: The Entrepreneurial Marketing course had a special focus on green marketing. Students were divided into groups and charged with the task of creating a non-profit entrepreneurial organization. One group created a marketing plan for The Nature Conservancy. Another group started a tradition on campus of working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to clean up hiking trails. Another group created, marketed and sold a snack product where all of the profits of this group were donated to no-kill animal shelters. 8|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Out of this class, a new campus organization was formed, The UW-Whitewater Outdoor Club. The course instructor, Dennis Kopf, is the founding advisor for this group. The group’s mission is to seek out and enjoy a variety of outdoor experiences and to develop a greater appreciation of nature among the student body. New / Revised Courses The College has, over the past few years, revised and added a number of courses that specifically address issues of sustainable business and global social responsibility. Examples of these include: MARKETING 490 GREEN & BLUE MARKETING – Blue and Green Marketing provides students the opportunity to learn about the effective marketing of water and other sustainability products/services. Students will learn about sustainability in the business world, strategies and tactics for marketing blue and green product/services, and will develop a marketing plan for a company launching these types of products and services. ACCOUNTING 496/696 SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING - This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive exploration of environmental issues at multiple levels and the effects of these issues on business, communities, and consumers. In addition, this course will provide students with an introduction and practical understanding of the broad paradigm of sustainability and opportunity to explore how the ideas associated with sustainability, specifically the connection between sustainable development and corporate and business strategy. The course will provide an in-depth analysis of accounting for the natural environment; e.g., water and other natural resources. Finally, readings, discussion and case analyses cover current issues, such as financial reporting and disclosure, management decision making and evaluation techniques, taxation, and the accounting profession’s role in environmental, social, and sustainability issues. 9|Page University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics ECON 471 NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS – This course covers topics such as: markets and the efficient allocation of resources over time; market failure- property rights, externalities, public goods; valuation of environmental benefits and costs; economics of renewable and non-renewable natural resources land, water, fisheries, forests, energy, minerals; pollution abatement and environmental protection; and global issues - population, climate change, tropical deforestation, the oceans and atmosphere as global “commons”. FNBSLW 455 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW - This course examines how modern corporations are governed and to whom they are responsible. The course explores business, financial, political, ethical, and legal issues affecting systems by which corporations are directed and controlled. Students will examine the nature of the corporation, the basic theory of the firm, the internal and external architecture of corporate governance, the role of regulatory authorities, models of corporate governance, principal-agent theory within the corporate context, as well as corporate culture, corruption, management and board compensation, sustainability, and conceptions of social responsibility. Although the central focus of the course is U.S. corporate governance, systems used in other countries, and the trend toward international convergence in corporate governance is also examined. MANGEMNT 366 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - This course will provide students with an understanding of the relationship of organizations with their stakeholders (e.g., customers, employees, society, etc.) and provide both an exposure to and an understanding of both ethical and unethical behavior. By investigating organizations and their linkages with various environmental entities, students will have a better appreciation of what produces socially responsible behavior so as to expedite socially responsible actions and prevent irresponsible ones. FNBSLW 440 WATER LAW - This course covers legal and policy issues related to the allocation and protection of freshwater. Topics include the right to surface and ground waters in eastern riparian & western prior appropriation systems, public rights in water, federal and Indian water rights, resolving trans-boundary water conflicts, and environmental law impacts on water rights. Particular attention is paid to Wisconsin and Great Lakes region water law issues. 10 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Integration of Core Courses Integration of core courses has historically been encouraged in the College. In 2009, the College discussed the integration by the inclusion of carbon emission topics. Subsequent department reports revealed a wide variety of approaches for doing so, including the preparation of a case addressing Kohl’s retail stores’ reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for use in the Operations Management and Administrative Policy courses; the Organizational Behavior course’s use of a videotaped interview of experiences/ practices of Crave Brothers Dairy Farm; and the Marketing Principles course’s focus on corporate image as a result of efforts to curb greenhouse gases. Although formal integration of the core courses has been discontinued, the College encourages faculty to incorporate issues related to water governance and water security into their curriculum in light of the College’s new focus on water business. New Emphasis and Minors In fall 2009, a new Water Emphasis was added to the existing Integrated Science/ Business (ISB) Major. UW-Whitewater offers a unique major and emphasis that combines students’ excitement about science with business management expertise, giving them the skills and experience necessary to contribute to Wisconsin’s leadership in the business of science and water. Students can complete the ISB major through either the College of Business and Economics (BBA degree) or the College of Letters and Sciences (BS degree). In fall 2011, students admitted to the College of Business will have the opportunity to pursue two new minors that were added to the curriculum due, in part, to our PRME implementation plans. The two new minors are Water Business and International Business. Students may pursue one or more of the College’s 13 different undergraduate majors and also minor in one or both of these increasingly crucial business foci. 11 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Codes of Conduct Recognizing the following Core Values, the College expects students to subscribe to the College’s Student Honor Code. 1. Commitment to the Pursuit of Knowledge and Understanding 2. Development of the Individual 3. Personal and Professional Integrity 4. Commitment to Serve 5. Commitment to Develop a Sense of Community, Respect for Diversity, and Global Perspective Student Honor Code As members of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater College of Business & Economics community, we commit ourselves to act honestly, responsibly, and above all, with honor and integrity in all areas of campus life. We are accountable for all that we say and write. We are responsible for the academic integrity of our work. We pledge that we will not misrepresent our work nor give or receive unauthorized aid. We commit ourselves to behave in a manner that demonstrates concern for the personal dignity, rights and freedoms of all members of the community. We are respectful of college property and the property of others. We will not tolerate a lack of respect for these values. Faculty Honor Code The UW-Whitewater College of Business and Economics recently adopted and subscribes to the Statement on Professional Ethics developed by the American Association of University Professors. 12 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Learning Communities The college offers two freshmen learning communities founded on social and environmental responsibility, Conscious Capitalists (CCs) and Green Business is Good Business (GB2). These communities provide classes tailored to incorporate environmental and ethical concerns. The goal of the CCs is to encourage future business leaders to become more aware of and informed about the connections between business and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. The students in the group explore the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles and globally responsible business practices in general. In GB2 the focus is on environmental issues; students learn from bottom up how to reduce a carbon footprint, and why ‘going green' is both profitable for businesses and less painful than they think. Student Organizations More than 20 College student organizations help students round out their classroom experiences and most include ethics and sustainability programming opportunities throughout the year. The following two student organizations place a specific emphasis on responsible management issues. Business Ethics Student Association – The Business Ethics Student Association (BESA) was created in the Fall of 2006 to promote ethics causes on campus. Over the years, BESA has been involved in many business ethics related activities such as work to support charitable causes, helping companies prepare the Better Business Bureau Torch Award portfolio and holding the annual Business Ethics week event. 13 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Whitewater Water Council – The Student Water Council is an organization that has been charged with spreading awareness of water issues at local, regional, national and international levels, along with being a group that cultivates the talent of its students and promotes an atmosphere where ideas and solutions to water problems can flourish. The group’s goal is to increase understanding of water quantity, quality and accessibility concerns and how these concerns affect society and business. 14 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics 2009-2010 College Goals One of College’s 2009-2010 goals was to “sponsor a student/faculty/staff speaker event with a focus on ethics/corporate governance.” The Business Ethics Student Association held its annual Business Ethics week to coincide with Earth Week (April 19th-23rd, 2010). The Department of Management sponsored the event. The College also sponsored the 2010 Whitewater Environmental Achievement Awards. The awards were presented on Earth Day – April 22nd, 2010. The award ceremony continued with an industry panel on sustainability and ethics. Another of the College’s stated goals for the 2009-2010 school year was to “identify and implement two PRME initiatives.” The following is a list of accomplishments abstracted from the College’s 2009-2010 Annual Report, relevant to that goal. Principle - Values: Conscious Capitalist Learning Community – used the UNGC as the basis for the fall semester meetings and coursework. Principle - Method: Core Integration – incorporating environmental/business issue (carbon emissions) in core classes. Principle - Research: Student undergraduate research, including ISBM-Water Emphasis Senior Project on biofuels, and faculty research. Principle - Partnership: Collaborative efforts with the Milwaukee Water Council and the Regional Workforce Alliance of Southeastern Wisconsin through the Freshmen for Freshwater initiative and Water Law class. Principle – Dialogue: Savannah Project – interdisciplinary training project to assist faculty and staff in including sustainability topics in their course curricula. 15 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics 2010-2011 College Goals Eleven the College’s 2010-2011 goals are specifically relevant to implementation of the PRME and listed below (as originally numbered). Objectives Goals PRME Principle Programs and Learning 2. Continue work on Water and Sustainability programs, focusing on increasing cross-departmental capacity and curriculum 1, 2, 3 The Educator-Scholar Community 3. Continue College brown-bag lunch series with expanded focus to include programs in and outside the college and college programmatic initiatives (e.g., water business, sustainability, CFA) 1, 2, 3, 6 4. Offer summer grants to support research in the areas of water business and sustainable management 4 7. Engage the Deans Advisory Council in a multicultural/international student initiative 1, 2, 3 8. Develop programming to increase faculty/staff capacity in Inclusive Excellence 1, 2, 3 9. Develop ongoing program wherein multicultural and international students share videos/PowerPoints/stories about themselves with CoBE faculty, staff, students 1, 2, 3 10. Continue offering competitive research grants aimed at projects with regional businesses 4, 5, 6 11. Plan and implement a second idea generation/fishbowl event involving campus and industry constituencies 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 12. Develop program for and offer at least one Accelerate Whitewater event 5, 6 14. Identify and present two student projects that tie into the EFMD Global Initiatives project 1, 2, 3, 6 15. Continue to offer speaker events focused on ethics and/or corporate governance 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 Diversity and Global Perspectives Regional Resource for Businesses, Not-forProfits and Communities Professional and Personal Integrity for Faculty, Staff and Students 16 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Timothy J. Hyland Hall The new College of Business and Economics building, Timothy J. Hyland Hall, is designed to have a corporate look and feel. It features an innovation and business development outreach center, an applied investment center that allows real and simulated stock trading, a 400-seat auditorium and an executive boardroom. Classrooms are equipped with the latest technology, demonstrating the college's continued commitment to creating a "no-limits" learning environment for students. The building project was completed in April 2010, and has been recognized as a state model for building recycling efforts. The project was the winner of WasteCap’s 2007 17 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Big Diverter Award in the demolition category for the highest recycling rate (98 percent) of demolition waste. Solar panels were added in spring 2011 and have begun producing clean and sustainable energy from sunlight atop the building. The renewable energy installation is expected to generate about 39,755 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, roughly enough power to fuel the building’s trading room, with its computers and electric ticker and lights, plus another computer lab in the building, the home of the College of Business and Economics. The solar power project reflects the College’s commitment to promoting a sustainable culture on campus, and also reflects its goal of using sustainable technology to provide research and learning opportunities for students. 18 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Research Principle 4 Research: We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value. Each spring the College issues RFPs for applied research grants and one other annual college priority. This year cross-college collaborative research grants were sought in addition to the applied grants. Recommended and funded proposals for summer 2010 include: 19 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Development and Assessment of a Green Map for Sustainable Business Growth in the Whitewater Region, by faculty from Finance & Business Law and Geography & Geology Global Supply Chain Networks of the East India, by faculty from Management and History A Regional Examination of Evictions in Wisconsin, by faculty from Economics, Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice The College is also strong supporter of faculty and student collaborative research. Two recent examples of this include the following: Elasticity of Water Demand - This research examines the elasticity of the demand for water as well as the household characteristics that influence consumer’s water usage. The main findings are twofold, first consumer elasticity demanded for water is relatively inelastic, particularly for users who consume larger amounts of water. Second, the characteristics of the house are an important determinant of water consumption. Flow of Materials - Students in the College’s Supply Chain Systems course completed a project to study and document the flow of materials on campus integrating the environmental sustainability metrics. The University will benefit from the example of applying sustainability measurements and purchasing data with supply chain management to baseline and then improve campus sustainability in the materials arena. The hope is to better quantify sustainability measures in a way that can then be applied to the other arenas that affect the campus’ total CO2 footprint. Recent research by faculty member Dennis Kopf is indicative of the College faculty’s interest and expertise in topics related to responsible management: 20 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Kopf, Boje, Torres (DOI 10.1007/s10551-011-0757-5), “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Dialogical Ethics and Market Information,” Journal of Business Ethics. This article creates a new ethical framework and uses this framework to analyze two of the greatest societal problems of this century, environmental degradation and sweatshop labor. Albinsson, Wolf, Kopf (2010), “Anti-consumption in East Germany: Consumer Resistance to Hyperconsumption,” Journal of Consumer Behaviour. This article appeared in a special issue of the Journal of Consumer Behaviour on Sustainability and Anti-consumption. The editor of the special issue gave this article the distinction of lead article in the special issue. The authors tracked the material aspirations of East Germans before and after the collapse of the Iron Curtain and found that material possessions had not necessarily improved the quality of life for East Germans. In fact, many East Germans had feeling of nostalgia for many of the old East German products and experienced a loss of community after transitioning to a capitalist market structure. Another member of the faculty, Sameer Prasad, has been focusing on applying operational and informational models in creating a more just and environmentally sustainable society. Over the last few years he has conducted field research and created a body of knowledge to help micro-enterprise owners in third world countries become more efficient producers/distributors in order to raise their standard of living. Sameer has also been working closely with IIT-Delhi’s Center for Rural Development in creating economic models that capture both the market value of wood and carbon credits created through plantations used in the treatment of sewage and sullage water. More recently, working with a group of undergraduate students he has developed a similar model for bamboo fencing. Finally, he has been working with another set of students in creating methodologies to ensure successful developmental project implementation by NGOs in third world settings. 21 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Recent examples of his publications and include the following: 2011 Mishra, S., Vasudevan, P, Prasad, S. Developing Economically and Environmentally Sustainable Boundary Walls, Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research. 2010 Prasad, S., Tata, J. Micro-Enterprise Supply Chain Management in Developing Countries, Journal of Advances in Management Research, 7(1), 8– 31. 2009 Prasad, S., Tata, J. Micro-enterprise Quality, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 26(3), 234-246. 22 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Partnerships Principle 5 Partnership: We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges. Principle 6 Dialogue: We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability. The Kachel Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Development In addition to the applied research activities outlined in the Research section of this report, the College of Business & Economics emphasizes interactive business activities for faculty and students. Many of these activities are accomplished through our outreach programs which are housed in the Kachel Center of Entrepreneurship and Business Development: The Fiscal and Economic Research Center The Global Business Resource Center The Small Business Development Center Wisconsin Innovation Service Center Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Center 23 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Whitewater University Technology Park The mission of the Whitewater University Technology Park is to create and foster durable businesses and jobs through a close alignment of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s research and educational competencies and the resources of the City of Whitewater. The Park serves as a foundation for a diversified and robust regional economy through the attraction of new residents, utilization of UWWhitewater faculty, staff and student expertise and the retention of alumni talent. The grand opening of the Innovation Center, the first major building at the park, takes place May 5, 2011. The Center will serve as a business incubator and accelerator. 24 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics IV. FUTURE OBJECTIVES / KEY PERSPECTIVES 2011-2012 College Goals The College recently agreed on goals for the 2011-2012 academic year. Six are directly relevant to implementation of the PRME and listed below (as originally numbered). Goals Objectives The EducatorScholar Community Diversity and Global Perspectives 4. Increase faculty and student participation in undergraduate research initiatives on and off campus. PRME Principle 4 5. Examine major/program curricula and co-curricular experiences for inclusion of multicultural and diversity issues. 1, 2, 3 6. Enhance college efforts to recruit, matriculate and retain multicultural students 1, 2, 3 Regional Resource for Businesses, Not-for-Profits and Communities 7. Develop effective methods to communicate accomplishments and activities in college outreach to college constituents and stakeholders. 5, 6 8. Examine current approach to service learning (i.e., community service hours requirement) for effectiveness and consider the possibility of revision. 1, 2, 3, 5 Professional and Personal Integrity for Faculty, Staff and Students 9. Evaluate and determine the effectiveness of major/program curricula and co-curricular experiences addressing professional integrity, global citizenship and social responsibility 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 25 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics The Business of Water Another focus of the College is the Business of Water. The University of WisconsinWhitewater and the Milwaukee 7 Water Council joined forces in 2009 to train students to work in water-related industries. Starting in fall of that year, students in the university's existing Integrated Science-Business Major (ISBM) were able to specialize in water management -- a sequence that aims to give students a basic background in the science and business of water. In the ISBM program, students take a core of business courses and at least 32 credits of science. They graduate with either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Business Administration. The major was developed to train students to work on the business side of science and technology companies. The water resources concentration is the first formally structured track that students in the ISBM major can take. As part of the new program, students will take a delineated set of classes that includes business courses focused on environmental economics and water law, as well as science courses such as aquatic biology and water resources. 26 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics Water Business Minor The Water Business Minor has been designed to provide business students with the tools to gather and synthesize information from several disciplines, to formulate socially, ecologically and economically rational alternatives to water quality, quantity and availability issues, and to implement effectively a wide variety of water-based programs and initiatives. The curriculum of this program is designed to meet the needs of students who intend to pursue careers in water technology businesses, public and private organizations that manage water and land resources, private consulting companies that offer water management services, agencies that form or implement water-related policies, new ventures providing products and services pertaining to water and non-profit institutions that are interested in water resources. As the largest (and best) business school in the State of Wisconsin, located less than an hour from (1) the source of 20% of the world’s accessible surface freshwater, (2) one of the world’s greatest freshwater technology hubs, and (3) a globally recognized cooperative community of industrial, academic, not-for-profit and governmental partners, we are in a strategically advantageous position to provide the highest quality undergraduate water business education on the planet. While an important and innovative program, the ISBM Water Emphasis does not allow students to gain the business discipline specific education and expertise available in the accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing majors. The Water Business minor will allow such majors to specialize both in their chosen disciplines and gain significant exposure to and experience with water issues. 27 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics V. Support Sought The following are suggestions for ways College PRME initiatives might be supported: Make available best practices from other partners, perhaps by creating a clearing house of opportunities and ideas accessible on the website Make available grant opportunities to support faculty research and other capacity building professional development Make available scholarship opportunities for students to participate in activities that advance the principles of PRME, including undergraduate research, internships, international study, etc. 28 | P a g e University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business & Economics