Tommie Business

By Christopher Puto, Dean of the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas

 The recent Wall Street Journal article on shortcoming in undergraduate business majors reflects that medium’s bias in favor of so-called “brand name” schools at the expense of the many outstanding colleges and universities that take the role of business leadership far more seriously.  While the Journal touts some schools for “taking the hint” to expand their undergraduate business curricula, it totally ignores schools such as the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business, whose undergraduate business majors have long been at the leading edge of this so-called new trend.

Rather than compartmentalize the business curriculum into a series of disciplinary “silos,” the University of St. Thomas takes a fully integrated approach to assure critical thinking, problem-solving, social awareness and principled decision-making skills are acquired along with the expected strong foundations in all the business disciplines.  Every undergraduate St. Thomas business major takes the full liberal arts core—just as do the Philosophy, History and Political Science majors—plus the full spectrum of business courses expected in any AACSB accredited business school program.  This includes English Literature, Social Science, Physical Science, Foreign Language, Philosophy (3 courses) and Theology (3 courses).  Moreover, these are not merely the lower division general education courses some schools require before students get to the “real stuff” of business, but rather these requirements include a full spectrum of upper division courses on the liberal arts right beside the liberal arts majors.  Indeed, the senior level Theology course is team taught by a theology professor and a business professor who together assure that students learn how to integrate both aspects into their professional and personal lives.

Additionally, St. Thomas business professors engage in a program called “writing across the curriculum” in which students learn the nuances of creating effective written communications with specific business disciplines.  Finally, the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business was the first—and may still be the only—business school with a mandatory, faculty-supervised service course in which students contribute 40 hours pro bono using their business knowledge and skills to help nonprofit organizations improve their operations, including reflective assignments on the impact of their work.

The result:  Highly principled global business leadership candidates who think critically, act wisely and work skillfully to advance the common good throughout their professional careers.  It should come as no surprise that employers know this and love our graduates, and no surprise that Dick Schulze, founder of Best Buy, recently noted that organizations looking for the best in business leadership should “hire a Tommie.”

Tuesday, April 17th

11:45am: Operations and Supply Chain Club, MCH 117

11:50am: Accounting Club, MCH 230

Thursday, April 19th

11:45am: Real Estate Society, MCH 116

12pm: American Marketing Association with General Mills, JRC 126

BUSN200 is a no-credit, no-cost course required for completion of your undergraduate business administration degree in all concentrations in the Opus College of Business. 

Spring, Summer and Fall Semester Registration:

Registration for BUSN200 is through Murphy, like other classes at UST (the exception being J-Term, which is explained below).

Review the BUSN200 sections carefully. Your BUSN200 classes will always meet at the same time on the same day of the week. However, note that your class only meets four times during the semester. 

Be certain you can attend all four classes. BUSN200 has a 100% attendance requirement.

If you do not attend all four class sessions, you will need to take BUSN200 again the following semester. This is the case even if you are in your graduation semester. 

J-Term Registration:

To register for BUSN200 for J-Term, you must first meet with Dr. Barbara Gorski to get permission. She will then register you.

To arrange a convenient time to meet with Dr. Gorski, call the McNeely front desk at (651) 962-5544.  When you make your appointment, ask for the entry in Dr. Gorski’s calendar to be flagged ”for J-Term Registration.”

Please bring the following typed information to that meeting:
1. The site at which you will be completing your service, and a text copy of their mission.

2. The name, position, e-mail and phone number of the person with whom you have made arrangements at the service site.

3. The exact schedule you will follow to ensure completion of your 40 hours of service by the last day of classes for J-Term.

To be registered for J-Term, you need to be certain that you can complete all 40 hours during J-Term; no hours can be rolled over to spring semester.  Thus, if you don’t finish all BUSN200 requirements by the last day of classes in J-Term, you will need to start BUSN200 – including all of your service hours – over again in spring semester.

Another option is to begin your hours during J-Term, but save registration and completion (of both hours and classes) for spring semester. If you select this option, you must complete assignments up to and including Journal #2 before starting your service.  Any hours served prior to submitting these assignments will not count towards your BUSN200 requirements.

The course is graded “S” for Satisfactory or “R” for Redo. If you do not finish all of the BUSN200 requirements by Study Day of the semester you started the course, you will receive an “R.” For those students whose service sites require them to continue past Study Day, an “I” will be given for Incomplete.

Undergraduate Business Council-UBC

•  Be a representative voice for business students
• Develop relationships, leadership skills, and networks
• Serve as a representative of the Opus College of Business
• Build a strong Opus College of Business community

The purpose of the Undergraduate Business Council is to create an avenue for students to express insight, ideas, and concerns to the administration of the Opus College of Business. The UBC is dedicated to the continued improvement of the Opus College of Business. Eligible members must be declared or officially intended business majors with a minimum UST GPA of 2.75.  Eligible members must be enrolled full-time and have at least two semesters of classes remaining.  First years, sophomores, and juniors are eligible.

Application Timeline

• Applications are available now in McNeely 128
• Completed applications due Friday, March 16th at 3pm, return to McNeely 128
• Interviews will take place the week of April 2nd
• All new members will be contacted no later than April 13th
• First meeting including new UBC members will take place Wednesday, April 25th

For more information contact Heather hlbasil@stthomas.edu.

Tuesday, February 28th

 11:35am: Society for Human Resource Management, MCH229

11:45am: Accounting Club with The Institute of Internal Auditors, MCH230

 11:45am: Entrepreneurship Society with CRAM, MCH114

Thursday, March 1st

 11:45am: SIFE, MCH228

11:45am: Financial Management Association, MCH114

11:45am: Real Estate Society, MCH116

12pm: American Marketing Association with Convey Compliance, JRC126