Hopefully you’re getting comfortable and enjoying your coursework.
Be sure to contact your Program Advisor if you need assistance with anything. She can either help you or direct you to the best resource. The main number for Office of Student Life (TMH 100) is (651) 962-4200.
Study hard and have a rewarding term!
Mark your calendar: Registration for J-term and spring 2010 will be November 4-6, 2009. You will be emailed later this month with your exact date and time. You can also see your time ticket in Murphy Online.
You can review the tentative course offering and schedule at www.stthomas.edu/classes.
If you are planning on finishing your degree this fall, you must submit a graduation application. Click on this link to get to the application: https://www.stthomas.edu/business/degrees/graduationapplication/
Why do I need to submit a graduation application?
Your Commencement Coordinator collects multiple types of useful information and data from your application, including the following:
1) How do you want your name spelled on your diploma and in the commencement program? (Note: Even if you do not participate in the commencement ceremony, your name will still be printed in the program.)
2) Are you participating in the commencement ceremony?
- What size cap/gown do you need?
- How do you want your name pronounced when you are introduced?
3) Do you want a letter sent to your mentor or supervisor from Dean Puto, acknowledging your accomplishment in completing your MBA?
What if I need to make a change after I have submitted my graduation application?
We do our best to accommodate our students. BUT, this graduation process involves a lot of details and planning. So, please try to avoid changes or exceptions, especially at the last minute. However, if you do need to make a change, email Ms. Phairas at pfphairas@stthomas.edu.
Commencement Information
Due to the construction of the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex on the St. Paul campus, the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 Commencement ceremonies will be held off campus.
Fall 2009 Graduate Commencement Ceremony:
Friday, December 18, 7 p.m. (ceremony usually lasts about an hour)
Saint Paul RiverCentre Grand Ballroom (www.rivercentre.org)
Reception immediately following in the St. Paul RiverCentre Ballroom Concourse/Rotunda Overlook
Dean’s Reception:
Members of the Graduate Business Fall Class of 2009 and their managers, mentors or guests are invited to attend.
Thursday, December 17, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Schulze Hall Atrium
Minneapolis Campus
For more information about Commencement: http://www.stthomas.edu/business/events/commencement/.
Master's Business seminars offer UST graduate business students additional insight to enhance their program experience and best leverage their professional opportunities.
The fall term’s seminar features LaBarre Spence and Tom Colosimo from Graduate Business Career Services. They will speak about “First and Lasting Impressions – Strategies for Job/Career Fairs”.
Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m. – Noon
Mpls campus, TMH252
RSVP to cobptgradbiz@stthomas.edu
Networking is one of the most important keys to success for Opus College of Business students. Join the Student Life team and Robert Half International Management Group for Happy Half Hour, held on the Minneapolis campus, from 7:00 to 8:00 pm the week of October 12 - 15 to mix, mingle, and have a snack and a beverage during your usual class break time. Be sure to ask your professor to let your class attend. Bring your business cards for a prize drawing!
We will have handouts about electives available during Happy (1/2) Hour. Advisors will be on hand to answer questions. The materials will also be posted on our Student Life community site in Blackboard.
While you are meeting your peers and picking up information about electives, learn more about how Robert Half can be of service to you. Consistently ranked #1 in their industry in Fortune magazine’s list of “America’s Most Admired Companies,” Robert Half International helps businesses grow by providing the talented and skilled people they need to succeed. Their goal in partnering with St. Thomas is to provide students with world-class resources whether your company is adding staff, or you are exploring your next role yourself. Robert Half specializes in permanent, temporary, and project placement in the areas of accounting, finance, IT, administrative, legal, marketing and human resources.
Dear Dr. Helpful,
I hear registration is coming up for the next terms. What should I do to have the best chance at getting the courses and schedule I prefer?
Thanks,
Wade
Dear Wade,
Simple…plan ahead, and know when you register!
Registration for the J-term and spring semester opens Wednesday, November 4, 2009. All students are assigned a time by seniority, based on the number of credits they have remaining for their degree. We will email your registration time to your UST email account, or you can check your time-ticket at Murphy Online, under Student Services > Registration > Registration Status.
You should do your research in advance (check prerequisites!), select your preferred and alternate classes, and the have the CRN numbers for each course ready when you log-in at your assigned time.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Dr. Helpful
Dear Dr. Helpful,
I will complete my fifth core course this semester and I understand I can start taking electives. Where can I find out about electives?
Thanks a lot,
Beth
Dear Beth,
You can research elective courses in Blackboard, under Student Life > Courses/Curriculum. This area offers information about elective tracks, highlighted courses, two-year elective course schedule and a course catalog.
Another option is to attend the Happy Half Hour networking events in the Terrence Murphy Hall atrium, during your class break time on October 12 – 15 (Monday through Thursday). Program advisors will be on hand to answer questions, with printed elective information and fresh baked cookies!
Sincerely,
Dr. Helpful
The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business is pleased to announce the first annual Fowler Business Concept Challenge, with a top prize of a $10,000 scholarship.
Focused on energizing the entrepreneurial spirit of UST students across campuses and colleges, the competition will challenge students to develop a business concept that has the potential to become a viable, high-growth business. The teams that submit the winning business competition in each of two divisions (undergraduate and graduate) will receive $10,000 scholarships from the University of St. Thomas.
The Fowler Business Concept Competition will be held during the month of October 2009. It is open to all UST students registered for the fall 2009 semester, including undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
Students will compete in teams of at least two but no more than five persons. Teams will register in either the Undergraduate or Graduate Division. Undergraduate division teams must comprise all undergraduate students. Teams registering in the Graduate Division must have at least one currently registered UST graduate student (master’s or doctoral level) on the team. Other team members may be currently registered UST undergraduate students.
Students interested in competing should plan to attend an information session during the month of September 2009. Learn more about the rules and procedures and see a complete list of dates, times and locations at www.stthomas.edu/business/schulzeschool/fowlerchallenge
"Health Care Reform, Past and Present"
The 2009 William E. Petersen Symposium on Physician Leadership will feature Dr. James Mongan, president and chief executive officer of Partners HealthCare, Boston, MA, an integrated health system founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
A professor of health policy and a professor of social medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Mongan also serves on the board of the Commonwealth Fund and chairs its Commission on a High Performance Health System. Dr. Mongan is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. He has served on the boards of the American Hospital Association and the Kaiser Family Foundation, and was a member of both the Medicare Prospective Payment Assessment Commission established by Congress and the Institute of Medicine’s Commission on the Consequences of Uninsurance. He has received numerous awards and was most recently recognized by Modern Healthcare as the Most Powerful Physician Executive in the U.S. in 2008.
The presentation will begin at 6 p.m. in the Schulze Hall Auditorium, with a reception to follow in the Atrium.
Dr. William E. Petersen was chief medical officer for Allina Health System. Prior to that, he served as vice president of medical affairs at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. He was in private practice, specializing in internal medicine, for 32 years. He served as director of the Center for Health and Medical Affairs from 1995 until he retired in 1999. Throughout his career, Dr. Petersen has modeled the most positive aspects of the physician executive and leader.
RSVP by Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at http://cob.stthomas.edu/Petersen or call (651) 962-4600 for more information.
Event Details:
Wednesday, October 7, 6:00 PM
Schulze Auditorium, Mpls campus
Presented/Sponsored by Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation and the University of St. Thomas Center for Health & Medical Affairs in cooperation with the National Institute of Health Policy.
Graduate Business Career Services (GBCS) has professional staff dedicated specifically to the career development needs of students in the Evening UST MBA. This staff helps students effectively match their talents with opportunities in the communities of their choice. GBCS is not a placement service, but it will provide you with the tools you need to compete successfully for jobs that match your interests, goals and dreams.
Graduate Business Career Services is located in Suite 251, Terrence Murphy Hall, on the Minneapolis campus. The suite includes staff offices and career resources. The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. You may reach the GBCS office at (651) 962-8807 or gradcareers@stthomas.edu.
Are you interested in better using social media to enhance your networking? If you are, the next Masters Connection is for you!
Join us on October 14 as Lisa Foote, president and founder of Kwingo, discusses the ways in which social media and mobile technologies can help you enhance your career and expand your network.
Lisa Foote’s passion is demystifying the quickly-changing world of mobiles. She’s brought her message to many local corporations and the University of St. Thomas in the past, and has contributed to local philanthropy and education efforts, including the Greater Twin Cities United Way and the University of St. Thomas, where she was a founding member of the Graduate Business Alumni Board.
Her firm, Kwingo, is a mobile marketing firm allowing media and consumer companies to create a fast, affordable and engaging presence on any Web-enabled mobile device, including all smartphones. Before starting Kwingo, Lisa Foote developed significant leadership experience in I.T. and operations at firms including Target, GE, CapitalOne and Prudential.
If you’re not already involved in social media – either as a consumer or a marketer – join us to learn how to leverage this exciting technology.
Event Details:
Wednesday, October 14, 7:30 AM
To register: http://www.stthomas.edu/business/degrees/careerservices/events/200910141/
The UST Opus College of Business is a proud supporting sponsor of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs 2009 Conference and Career Expo. The national conference, hosted for the first time in Minneapolis, takes place October 8-10 and will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The event is expected to draw 8,000 attendees, along with representatives from more than 300 sponsoring companies.
NSHMBA consists of 32 professional chapters, with 8,000 members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The organization works to create leaders through graduate management education and professional development, to increase Hispanic representation in MBA programs as well as C suites and executive boards, and to provide cultural awareness that is vital in an increasingly diverse workforce.
UST Opus College of Business is excited to support NSHMBA and to represent the University of St. Thomas at this high-profile event. “Our nation’s growing Hispanic population comprises a significant and important sector that is extremely underrepresented among the key business decision makers,” says Dean Chris Puto. “Preparing future leaders who can fill this enlarging gap is one of our highest priorities as a premier business school, and we are excited to partner with NSHMBA to achieve this goal.”
Throughout the conference, Opus College of Business staff and business students will network with representatives of Fortune 500 companies from across the country, reinforcing the college’s regional and national reputation as a premier business school.
The Opus College of Business will sponsor a booth at the NSHMBA Career Expo as well as a luxury Sponsor’s Lounge. Representatives of sponsoring companies are invited to the lounge to relax and recharge, and to enjoy amenities such as complimentary WiFi internet access, snacks and massages. The lounge will be located in the Career Expo area, #1753.
Visit the UST Opus College of Business in booth #843 at the NSHMBA Career Expo to learn more about the university, the college and the depth of graduate business programs and courses offered. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to see live updates and photos from the conference.
The following are either new courses or they are courses the professors have asked us to promote.:
J-term 2010:
BETH 706 - Great Books
MKTG714 - Interactive Marketing; Theory, Tactics and Technology
Spring 2010:
REAL 714 - Commercial Real Estate Valuation
MGMT 714 – Enterprise Risk Management
Continue reading "Highlighted Courses for J-term and Spring Term 2010" »
Electronic statement billing (e-billing) & electronic payment (e-payment) are coming to the University of St. Thomas beginning in the fall of 2009.
All charges to student accounts including tuition, fees, housing, meal plans and miscellaneous charges will be available via Murphy Online by entering your UST ID and PIN. All students are automatically registered to receive an e-bill. Effective August 2009, billing statements will be produced in electronic format only.
Benefits and advantages of e-billing and e-payment include:
- Saves the university money and helps keep tuition increases lower
- Saves time for students and parents, and provides additional account information
- Easy and convenient
- Private and secure
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Available from any computer
- Unique login allows parent(s) or other authorized payers to pay on student account
- See current account activity since the last statement
- Quick access to view and print your most recent statements and billing history
- Make payments online using MasterCard, Discover and American Express with a non-refundable convenience fee of 2.75%. VISA is not accepted.
For further information, please contact
Business Office
651-962-6600
busoffice@stthomas.edu
www.stthomas.edu/businessoffice/
Any degree-seeking graduate student taking nine or more credits must provide health insurance information each semester. Students not covered by other policies have the option of purchasing the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan. The Aetna plan costs $429 per semester and coverage for fall semester is from 8/15/09 through 1/14/10. Students will receive a mailing in early August with more detailed information on the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan.
Students are to enter their existing health insurance information or purchase the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan using the following instructions:
1. Login to Murphy Online at http://banner.stthomas.edu with your student ID and PIN.
2. Select Student Services.
3. Select Student Health Menu.
4. Select Student Health Insurance option and follow the prompts to either:
a. Enter your existing health insurance information (the name, policy number and phone number of your current insurance provider) OR
b. Purchase the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan and print a temporary ID card.
Please note: Students taking nine or more credits must enter their existing health insurance information before September 23, 2009, or they will automatically be enrolled and billed for the Aetna Student Health Insurance Plan. This health insurance verification process will take place each semester the student is enrolled at UST, and Student Health Service will send messages to the student’s UST e-mail account with reminders.
Please contact the Student Health Insurance Office for additional questions or assistance at stuhealthins@stthomas.edu or (651) 962-6752.
The Opus College of Business and UST MBA programs are reaching out to the corporate community and conducting onsite presentations for various companies and employee resource groups within organizations. Bill Woodson, assistant dean for UST MBA programs, and Corey Eakins, director of the Evening UST MBA program, were at Best Buy on Wed., July 22. They spoke with eight Best Buy employee business networks about the impact graduate education can have on individuals and their careers, and how to select the best program for their personal and professional goals. The UST MBA was also recently at 3M for a similar program that was well-received by the audience.
Please contact Corey Eakins at cmeakins@stthomas.edu if you would like to discuss the possibility of a similar presentation for your organization.
Do you have an extra room (or two) in your house or apartment? Looking for a roommate or someone to lease the space from you? You might want to consider posting a notice on UST’s Commuter Center Website: www.stthomas.edu/commutercenter/offcampushousing. Frequently, students are looking for a place to live, especially places close to the St. Paul or Minneapolis campuses. This resource is a free, easy way to connect with interested students.
Joining a professional association is a great way to learn more about your industry and network or build relationships with other professionals. Keep reading for information about these associations, membership and upcoming events.
- National Association of Women MBAs
- National Society of Hispanic MBAs - Minneapolis/St. Paul
- National Black MBA - Twin Cities Chapter
- National Association of Black Accountants Twin Cities Student Chapter
- Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting
Learn from top Twin Cities’ business and community leaders as they share their leadership stories and advice to connect the dots between our economy, our community and you. Each event integrates themes of leadership and community engagement into unique learning opportunities. Expand your leadership abilities by developing ways to directly impact community issues of the Greater Twin Cities region.
Join us Tuesday, November 3 for an insider's look at Target's community involvement from Laysha Ward, president of community relations and Target Foundation at Target Corporation.
Graves 601 Hotel
6 – 7:30 p.m.
To RSVP: www.unitedwaytwincities.org/eventrsvps
YMCA Membership
The Downtown Minneapolis YMCA has extended their student discount to evening MBA students. They are offering the following perks:
• Pay no joiner’s fee (a $150 value)
• Discounted student membership price – pay $150 a quarter (approximately 20% off the normal price). You will need to show a student ID. There is also a personal pricing plan available, which is a membership based solely on income. With this plan, the YMCA covers up to 60% of the membership. You will need to share tax returns or an income statement.
• Free fitness consultation and assessment with a personal trainer (a $99 value)
• Full access to any of the YMCA’s 22 metro locations
Contact any membership services person at the Downtown Minneapolis branch, 30 S. 9th Street (right next door to UST in downtown Mpls). Phone: 612-371-8750
Restaurant discounts
Erbert and Gerbert's, Salad Creations and Dancing Ganesha all offer discounts for UST students! Erbert and Gerbert's is located on the skyway level of the LaSalle Plaza near the YMCA and offers a 10% discount with your student I.D. Dancing Ganesha is located at 11th and Harmon and offers a 20% discount on food. Salad Creations, located in the skyway next to Target, offers a 10% discount with your student I.D.
Financial Aid for 2009-2010
Students who are interested in receiving financial aid for the 2009-2010 academic year are encouraged to apply now by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For more details about the kind of aid available, the financial aid application process and general financial aid information, you should visit the St. Thomas Graduate Financial Aid Web site at www.stthomas.edu/financialservices/graduate.
The Web site has all kinds of helpful information, including contact names and numbers!
Refunds from excess financial aid will be directly deposited into student checking accounts (if a direct deposit form is on file with the Business Office) or mailed to the student's billing address. For more information about setting up direct deposit, go to www.stthomas.edu/businessoffice/students/forms/directDepositAuth.html.
Discounted Movie Tickets
The Life/Work Center has discounted movie tickets for the AMC, Carmike, Mann and Regal theaters. Please stop by the Life/Work Center in TMH 110 to purchase tickets.
LIFE/WORK CENTER
1000 LaSalle Avenue, TMH 110, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (651) 962-4763 Email: lifework@stthomas.edu
Fall term hours:
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am – 6:30pm
Friday 9am – 4:30pm
Policies and procedures are always being reviewed and introduced. Keep reading to find out about changes or updates to policies such as:
- Tuition Refund Policy
- Alumni Registration Policy
- Student Health Services News (i.e., Health Insurance and Immunization Information)