KU CONNECTION

School of Business News

New course offers students personal financial toolkit
Business students earn Chancellor's Awards
Faculty awards presented at graduation
Professor recommends successor to Buffett

New course offers students personal financial toolkit

Starting this fall, KU will tackle the topic of personal finance in a new business class. The course will teach students in non-business majors how to avoid major financial pitfalls, such as piling on high-interest credit card debt.

Designed to prepare KU students for financial affairs that will likely occur in their lives, the class will include financial planning, the uses of debt and how to save. In addition, banking, insurance and housing issues—both renting and buying—will be addressed, says Doug Houston, director of finance, economics and decision sciences at the school.

"This class is essentially a finance toolkit to keep students on the right track throughout their lives," Houston says. "It's very pragmatic."

Two sessions of Personal Finance will be offered next fall—each limited to 60 students to allow for strong personal interaction with the instructor. The three credit-hour course will be available to freshmen and sophomores.

Business students earn Chancellor's Awards

At the 135th Commencement, KU honored nine graduating seniors with Chancellor's Awards, including three business graduates.

Scott Ferguson, Nathan Ladd and Nick Sterner were recognized for their academic, volunteer and leadership accomplishments while attending KU. Ferguson received the Caryl K. Smith Student Leader Award. Ladd received the Agnes Wright Strickland Award, and Sterner received the Rusty Leffel Concerned Student Award.

Chancellor Robert Hemenway held a reception for the students May 19 at the Kansas Union, and the students sat with the chancellor on the platform during the University-wide Commencement May 20 in Memorial Stadium.

Faculty awards presented at graduation

The School of Business recognized outstanding faculty at its graduation ceremony May 18 at the Lied Center. Awards for the 2006-'07 school year were given to the following faculty:

Christopher Anderson – Guy O. and Rosa Lee Mabry Best Research Papers Award
Lisa Bergeron, b'95, g'99 – Undergraduate Business Council Outstanding Educator Award
Allen Ford – Gordon Fitch Faculty Service Award
Dan Galindau – Bubb Award
John Gergacz – Bubb Award
Mark Haug, j'98 – Guy O. and Rosa Lee Mabry Best Research Papers Award
Mark Hirschey – Guy O. and Rosa Lee Mabry Best Research Papers Award
Sanjay Mishra – Graduate Business Council MBA Outstanding Professor Award
Tim Shaftel – Beta Gamma Sigma Outstanding Educator Award

Professor recommends successor to Buffett

BusinessWeek magazine quoted Professor Mark Hirschey in a recent "Question of the Week" feature.

Hirschey speculated on whom would make a good chief investment officer for Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Hirschey recommended Bruce Berkowitz, founder of Fairholme Capital Management, citing Berkowitz's solid track record and familiarity with Berkshire's culture.

The quote appeared in the May 28 edition. Hirschey's quote accompanied those of Whitney Tilson, managing partner of T2 Partners, and Thomas Putnam, a mutual fund manager.

Hirschey, the Anderson W. Chandler Professor at the School of Business, coordinates a yearly student pilgrimage to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. He also organizes a private meeting with Buffett and KU business students each year, where students pitch their best investment ideas to Buffett.

Visit the School of Business Web site for more information.

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