A BRAND NEW COURSE MEETING LUBIN STUDENT’S COMMUNICATION NEEDS

Purpose To identify two problems critical to Pace students To outline solutions, via curriculum, to solve these problems To demonstrate that faculty, even adjunct faculty can influence Pace curriculum.

Robert L. Unger Allegheny College – B.A. Columbia Business School – M.B.A. General Foods (Kraft) -- Product Manager Pfizer Inc (Consumer Health Care Group) Vice President – Marketing Pace – Adjunct Assistant Professor -- Marketing

Lubin Students Communication Skills (Writing and Speaking) are not up to par Are, in general unaware of what goes on in world around them Won’t live up to potential no matter how much Marketing (or Finance etc.) they know.

Pace Students vs. “Elite” Schools Working Class “Average” H.S. First generation Univ. Narrow background Smart enough Shy Not used to interacting Upper Middle Class Excellent H.S. Edu. Is family tradition Broad interests Smart More confident More use to interacting

PROBLEMS Pace core English and Speech courses not enough Need to overcome natural advantages of more “privileged” students Pace’s most important role?

BUSINESS 296 A BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS SOLVING IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS.

Increasing Awareness New York Times Why don’t students read? NOT because not smart enough “It was not in my home -- parents didn’t read it” “It is not for people like me”

Increasing Awareness NY Times every day All topics, written and oral, drawn from NY Times All topics of students choosing ‘Why the Red Sox beat the Yankees” “How the Patriot Act affects civil rights”.

Writing Skills Not going to make up for 12 years of inadequate education Most Pace students know what to do Why don’t they do it?

Writing Skills Business Writing is different from essay writing There really is one best way – easily taught (Example) Business 296A emphasizes DOING Professor as Coach Pace students COULD be BETTER than Columbia Students.

WRITING Four week unit Four papers Student as well as Professor critiques (and why this is so important) Course is now “Writing Enhanced”

Speaking Skills One on One Small Group Discussions Meetings Presentations

One on One Students used to speaking to peers -- not business associates or superiors Pressure situation example Job interview How to LEAD rather than react with one (or few) word answers One week

Small Group Discussion (Participant) Know what you are talking about Most Pace students do “know the answer” Few volunteer the answer Practice, practice, practice.

Small Group Discussion (Leader) Once per week Know what you are talking about Keep all on track And on time Beginning, middle and end Next Steps Four week unit.

Presentations Informal: Speaking from notes -- no reading Formal: PowerPoint No Notes Four Week Unit

Fall Students 3 verbally indicated “most valuable” course ever taken All enthusiastic (student evaluations)

Fall 2005 ?????

Next Steps Offer both semesters? Attract more students Revise core curriculum? Required course for Lubin Students?

Discussion Topics How to attract more students How to convince administration to move ahead How to improve course Can you help me?