Department News

Articles about activities within the academic departments


Partnership, Collaboration, And Clarity

Mirage – As a child, Kumanga Andrahennadi would often walk through her village to the water’s edge and talk to the sea.

She grew up in Tangalle, a coastal town in southern Sri Lanka. There’s no land between Tangalle and the continent of Antarctica, Andrahennadi explains, only the sea.

Raised in a Buddhist family, Andrahennadi learned the practice of mindfulness from her parents, and in her youth, whenever she felt the heaviness of the situation surrounding her, she would lean into her own mindful connection with nature and go to talk with the sea.

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Ageism In The Workplace: How It May Be Affecting More Than Just Older Americans

AOL – Amidst all the talk about diversity and inclusion, ageism in the workplace is sometimes overlooked. There’s a reason for that.

Just in the last year, the American Psychological Association dubbed ageism “the last socially acceptable prejudice.” They define ageism as “discrimination against older people because of negative and inaccurate stereotypes.”

As we take a look at ageism as a dimension of diversity, I think it’s necessary to tweak that definition a bit.

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White House Taps Expertise of Professor Plesko and Two UConn Alumnae

UConn Today – Accounting Professor George Plesko along with two UConn Ph.D. graduates, now professors in their own right, traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to present the results of their highly regarded corporate tax research to the White House Council of Economic Advisors.

Plesko, who has served on IRS advisory panels for more than 30 years, has regularly participated in policy discussions with Congressional and Treasury experts.

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Ask the Experts – Car Insurance in CT

Wallethub – Q: Is it fair for car insurance companies to consider gender or age when setting premiums?

A: Car insurance, typically though not always, costs more for men than women. This is because insurance companies have concluded that male drivers, particularly young male drivers, are statistically a greater risk than female drivers. Insurance companies are looking for ways evaluate their risk as effectively as possible. That said, there are already a small number of states, such as California, Massachusetts, and Michigan, which prohibit using gender to set premiums. More states might adopt those provisions in the future. Regarding age, insurers may charge more for very young and very old drivers because of their greater risk. An open question is how car insurance premiums will change for transgender and nonbinary people.

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Capstone Students Design Themselves Into Coveted Tech Jobs

UConn Magazine – If you’ve compared cell-phone costs at a Spectrum/Charter kiosk, played around on a display screen at a BMW dealer designing your own dream car, or compared features on a series of premium hot tubs, you’ve likely experienced the work of Reality Interactive in Middletown, Connecticut. The high-tech firm creates customer-focused, digital display technology experiences for Fortune 500 and other multinational companies, including BMW, Nintendo, Titleist, Behr Paint Company, and P.C. Richard & Son. “What we accomplish here is breathtaking,” says Jack Nork ’91 (CLAS), the company’s implementation director. “When I see the finished product, it is actually cooler than I ever thought. We have smart, highly educated employees who love to learn new things and then apply them.’’

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UConn Business Partners with Prestigious Chinese University to Enroll Top Grad Students

UConn Today – The School of Business on Thursday signed a formal partnership with Shandong University in China, one of that nation’s top universities, enabling Shandong students to begin graduate coursework in China and complete their degrees at UConn.

The Shandong students, who will come to UConn starting in Fall 2025, can pursue degrees in financial technology, business analytics and project management, or financial and enterprise risk management.

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Prof. Jag Sheth wins 2024 Significant Contributions to Global Marketing Award

NRI Pulse – NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT

Atlanta, GA, June 21, 2024: The Global Marketing Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced that Professor Jagdish (Jag) N. Sheth, a distinguished professor at Emory University, has won the 2024 Significant Contributions to Global Marketing Award.

This prestigious award honors a scholar who has made substantial contributions to the field of global marketing. This year, a panel of esteemed judges, including past award winners and notable academics, selected Professor Sheth. The selection committee was led by Constantine S. Katsikeas from Leeds University Business School, with members Robin Coulter from the University of Connecticut and Carlos Sousa from Molde University College.

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Ask the Experts – Credit Card Rewards

Wallethub

Q: Why do you think 21% of people say that inflation makes them less interested in earning credit card rewards?

A: High inflation likely results in people avoiding spending (and thinking about spending). Thus, credit card rewards are likely less attractive during inflationary times.

Q: What advice would you give to consumers who are considering applying for a new credit card solely for the sign-up bonus?

A: Do not be myopic. Businesses that offer credit cards are rational, meaning they anticipate making money off the average consumer.

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Meeting the Team: Insurity Offers Unfettered Access to C-Suite

UConn Today – Long before Chris Lafond ’87 (CLAS) became the CEO of Insurity, a $350 million software company headquartered in Hartford, he was trying to figure out the best strategy to develop and showcase his business abilities.

He quickly discovered the importance of being inquisitive and developing knowledge beyond what is expected.

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