Transcript Dean`s Report - Baylor University

Global/Communications
/Business Initiatives Update
Bob Doty
Cindy Fry
Randall Jean
Greg Leman
Rishi Sriram
Advocate Board Update
April 28, 2006
Global/Communications
/Business Initiatives
Cindy Fry- Senior Lecturer of Computer Science

Update from last BOA meeting:
a two-course sequence
“Global
Business
and
Communication”
Focus on Instruction
“Technology
Entrepreneurship”
Focus on Implementation
Work To Be Done:

Approval of the course alternatives
–
–

Global Business & Communications (taught in
ECS)
Technology Entrepreneurship (taught in HSB)
Implementation/Staffing details for new
course (Global Bus & Comm)
Major Economic Topics
Dr. Bob Doty, Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Cash Flow and Equivalence
(Present Worth, Future Worth, Uniform Series)

Equipment Retirement & Replacement
(Depreciation, Book Value, Economic Life, Capitalized Cost)

Comparison of Alternatives
(Minimum Attractive Rate of Return, Payback Period, BenefitCost Ratio, Break-Even Analysis)
Economic Feasibility Study

Introduction

Background Information

Market Study

Project Engineering

Cost Estimation

Estimation of Revenues

Financing
Technical Communication
Mr. Rishi Sriram, Student Success Specialist

Technical communication problems

Goals for technical writing and speaking

Course effectiveness evaluation

Highlight the second course

Your questions, feedback, and response
to the course
Some Quotes
Interviews with ECS faculty

“It isn’t working.”

“Engineering without communication is
worthless”

“I feel like I have to take a lot of time out
of my class to teach students to write”
Communication Problems

Students write like they talk

Frequent mistakes in grammar, style, etc.

Inability to write clearly and concisely

Lack of know-how with writing technical
reports

Presentations are boring, unclear, and
sometimes unprofessional
Course Goals

Understand the purpose for technical
writing

Master specific elements of writing

Practice creating technical documentation

Understand the subtleties between a poor
presentation and a great one
Assessment Project

Assess the value of course compared to:
–
–
–

Economics 3308 (engineering economics)
CSS 3308 (technical speaking)
English 3300 (technical writing)
Conduct evaluation and data analysis
Second Course in Sequence

Technology Entrepreneurship

Taught by Dr. Greg Leman
–
–
–

Clinical professor (Ph.D. Chemical Engineering)
Director of University Entrepreneurial Initiative
Hankamer School of Business
Builds on the first course
–
–
Understanding of business models in global society
More implementation of technical writing and speaking
Conclusion

Room for improvement in current courses

Addressing issues identified by faculty
and constituents

Practical and helpful course

Assess the effectiveness of course

Offer second course to build on the first
Questions, Feedback, Response
 Our
purpose here today is to
hear from you!