School of Business

Business School unveils advertising campaign

 
"We're not business as usual."  A new School of Business advertising campaign touts the MBA program and encourages business recruiters to hire KU graduates. Ads will appear in the Midwest editions of magazines like Business Week, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., Money, Fast Company, Fortune Small Business and U.S. News and World Report. The Wall Street Journal will also carry a unique format of the campaign, which includes quotes from the school's faculty and deans.

The campaign that started in late March will run through April and directs potential students and business recruiters to the school's new Web site, www.kuadvantage.com. Created to complement the campaign, the Web site delivers key information to target audiences, is easy to navigate and will be an important marketing tool for the school.

Business school travels to the Statehouse

The KU School of Business once again participated in the KU in the Capitol event March 15 in the Statehouse in Topeka. KU business staff set up a booth and handed out information about the school to legislators and visitors. Jennifer Jordan, director of business career services, organized the business school booth.

"KU in the Capitol is a great opportunity to extend information about the degree programs, centers and support units within the School of Business," Jordan said. "Visitors to our booth enjoyed learning about our points of distinction and recent accomplishments as a school."

KU in the Capitol annually promotes the University, its schools and various programs. It is part of the KU's ongoing effort to inform legislators about the importance of continuing state support for higher education.

College savings plans research attracts national attention

A research article exploring the pitfalls of 529 college savings plans caught the attention of Securities and Exchange Commission officials, who requested a copy.

Taxpayers have invested more than $65 billion in 529 college savings plans, and according to Investment News that amount is expected to increase to $300 billion by 2010. With so much at stake and so many fund options, it's difficult for parents to choose the right ones. "State Sponsored 529 College Savings Plans: The Influence of Tax and Non-Tax Factors on Investors' Choice" sheds some light on the plans and their problems. Written by Raquel Alexander, assistant professor in accounting at the KU School of Business, and LeAnna Luna of the University of Tennessee, the article appeared in the January edition of the Journal of American Taxation Association.

529 plans allow investors to make after-tax contributions to plans. The principal and gains can be withdrawn tax-free, as long as the money is used for qualified college expenses. The two found that investment brokers were recommending high-fee funds that padded their pockets but may have been underperforming other funds. They also discovered that states providing the largest income tax deduction for contributions had the smallest numbers of accounts.
             
"Why would you choose a fund with the highest fee that doesn't offer a deduction?" said Alexander, who was surprised by the results.

Although the SEC did not give specific details, it did say the requested copy was for an ongoing investigation.

Students launch LINK

The Undergraduate Business Council (UBC) unveiled the inaugural edition of LINK, a twice-yearly, full-color magazine developed by and for business students.    A small group of UBC members has been working on the magazine since last fall.

Seniors Stefany Samp (pictured above) and Carrie Callen headed the project to revamp the four-page photocopied newsletter. They worked with Texas A&M business students, who also publish a student magazine, to understand the operational aspects of developing the publication.

Samp and Callen drew up a business plan including advertising rates, printing costs and labor requirements. They presented the plan to the UBC, which approved the magazine. LINK quickly became a full-time job. The pair spent 40 hours a week preparing the publication. After approval, Callen lined up advertisers, and Samp found writers and created the design.

Since LINK is ad-supported, students received free copies. The day of the magazine launch featured raffles for prizes and a social with free bowling for business students sponsored by UBC. Although the project took more time than expected, Samp said it was well worth it.

"As graduating seniors, Carrie and I both wanted to leave our mark in some way after we're gone," she said. "It's a way of giving back to the school since we have gained so much from it."