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Recognitions

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Feb. 2012	University of Memmphis MIS Curriculum Gains World-Wide Exposure
	In the Fall of 2010, the Fogelman College of Business and Economics’ MIS Department implemented a completely reengineered undergraduate curriculum based in part on the Association for Information System’s model MIS curriculum, and in the process became one of the first MIS Departments in the world to offer the leading-edge curriculum. One aspect that really sets the new curriculum apart from others is how it was developed: the MIS department’s faculty worked with local IT executives from their MIS Advisory Council to insure that graduates from the new curriculum possess the skills needed most by the business community. As a result of this collaboration, in addition to courses in IT infrastructure, IT architectures, information management, and systems development, the team went on to design a course in critical thinking and project management that is now required for all undergraduate business students. In 2011 and early 2012 the world took notice of the MIS Department’s new curriculum as a result of three articles that appeared in Computerworld, the IT industry’s leading trade journal. The articles describe the types of skills that IT employers need the most, and the U of M’s MIS Department’s undergraduate curriculum took center stage as an example of how universities can develop these skillsets in their graduates. Dr. Brian Janz, who spearheaded the curriculum overhaul, commented on the positive aspects of such exposure: “As a result of the Computerworld articles, thousands of IT professionals and academicians from around the world have read about our department and its curriculum, and I’ve received email from around the world congratulating us on what we’re doing.” Janz went on to say, “This is wonderful publicity for our MIS Department, the Fogelman College, the University of Memphis, and the Memphis business community in general.” The most recent Computerworld article can be found here
Nov. 2011	Dr. Kettinger reappointed as AE at ISR
	Bill Kettinger, the FedEx Chair of Excellence in MIS, has been reappointed to a second consecutive three term (2012-2014) as Associate Editor of Information Systems Research (ISR). Ritu Agarwal, Editor in Chief of ISR, announced on November 12, 2011 at the INFORMS Annual Conference in Charlotte NC that Dr. Kettinger has been invited to serve, and has accepted, a second three year term as Associate Editor. Information Systems Research is a journal of INFORMS, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. Information Systems Research is ranked as one of the top two journals in the information systems field, advancing theory, research, and intellectual development focused on information systems in organizations, the economy, and society. In addition to his associate editorship at ISR, Professor Kettinger currently services as Senior Editor (2010 - current) of Management Information Systems Quarterly Executive (MISQE), the top ranked applied research journal in MIS. He also currently sits on the editorial board of the Journal of the Association of Information Systems (JAIS) (fourth ranked journal in MIS) and from 2007-2009 he served as an Associate Editor of MIS Quarterly, the top ranked journal in MIS.
Nov. 2011	Dr. Poston named AE at EJIS
	Dr. Robin Poston, Associate Professor of MIS, has accepted an invitation from Richard Baskerville, the Editor-in-Chief, to serve as an Associate Editor for the highly ranked journal, the European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS), starting January 2012 for a three-year appointment. EJIS publishes research about the theory and practice of information systems for a global audience. The journal publishes research articles that provide a critical view on technology, development, implementation, strategy, management, and policy. In addition to being a new AE at EJIS, Dr. Poston continues to serve as AE for another highly ranked journal entitled Decision Sciences. An Associate Editor (AE) provides service to the academic community, and engages in governing over the process of reviewing some of the best reports of the latest research in the IS field. An AE is responsible for organizing and managing referee panels for submissions assigned by areas of interest.
Oct. 2011	Dr. Janz quoted in Computerworld article on lack of skills in IT grads
	An article titled “7 key skills new IT grads are lacking” published in Computerworld on October 12, 2011 quotes Dr. Brian Janz, MIS professor at the University of Memphis's Fogelman College of Business and Economics and associate director of the university's FedEx Center for Supply Chain Management on the role of colleges in addressing the problem of lack of skills in IT grads. The article identifies seven crucial areas in which the new IT grads require more coaching. These areas include among others an understanding of basic business functions, experience with enterprise systems integration and Knowledge of emerging enterprise technologies. The articles states “…The university [of Memphis] is in its second year of following the IS 2010 model curriculum designed by the Association for Information Systems (AIS) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), which calls for teaching tech students both IT skills and professional skills such as communication and leadership. The switch has brought more business studies into the MIS coursework…” The article mentions Dr. Janz’s quote "There are always going to be gaps that are going to be very specific to the hiring organization, but we can make sure the foundation is there…If we can give them the sound foundation, [businesses] can give them the stuff specific to their organization." Click here to read the full Computerworld article.
Sept. 2011	Dr. Brian Janz moderates the Society for Information Management (SIM) strategy series
	Dr. Brian Janz moderates the Society for Information Management (SIM) Strategy Series titled, “Unleashing the Power of IT for Innovation and Growth." The SIM Strategy Series is an annual day-long event for Information Technology executives and their colleagues (CFOs, CEOs, etc.).
June 2011	Dr. Stafford Edits MISQ Special Issue
	Dr. Stafford is Special Editor of a MIS Quarterly Research Commentary section entitled: Special Research Commentary Series on Advanced Methodological Thinking for Quantitative Research. MIS Quarterly, June 2011, Vol. 35 Issue 2, pXV-XVI, 2p. The issue involves a Special Research Commentary Series on Advanced Methodological Thinking for Quantitative Research that is intended to become a citation classic with its series of discussions on formative structural modeling and measurement validation.
Apr. 2011	Dr. Meservy secures MIS Advisory Council Outstanding Teacher Award
	The Advisory Council for the Department of Management Information Systems created an outstanding teacher award this year to recognize creative and innovative teaching in the department. The first awardee was Dr. Thomas Meservy, Assistant Professor. The selection committee consisted of two department chairs and one student. Dr. Meservy was recognized for his outstanding teaching as evidenced by student evaluations, leadership with the online instructional program in the department and college, and creative and innovative teaching style.
Apr. 2011	Dr. Kettinger's book recognized by Wall Street Journal
	A book published by Wiley Publising Company and written by MIS Professor and FedEx Chair of Excellence holder Dr. William Kettinger (with Don Marchand and John Rollins) "Making the Invisible Visible: How Companies Win with the Right Information, People and IT" was recognized in the Monday, April 25, 2011 Wall Street Journal in an article titled “Making Sense of It all: Getting Knowledge From Information”. The article recommends five books that executives need to read if they want to “… harness technology to make the most of information.” Concerning Kettinger’s book, Thomas Davenport states in the article that “…It describes the concept of “information orientation” and how it produces better organizational performance. Based on a substantial research study, it’s undeniably formulaic. However, I believe the formula they advocate is right on, and any CIO would benefit from trying it”.
Jan. 2011	AMIS recognised by AIS for its “Outstanding Professional Development” and “Outstanding Membership Activities”
	The Association of Management Information Systems (AMIS), the student organization of the MIS department, was recently recognized by the Association of Information Systems (AIS) for “Outstanding Professional Development” and “Outstanding Membership Activities.” The awards were presented at the International Conference of Information Systems (ICIS) in St. Louis in December 2010. The student organization at the University of Memphis was one of the founding student chapters of the AIS and has a vibrant program of professional and social activities each semester. AMIS’ mission is to introduce students to the MIS profession and provide them with opportunities that will enhance their educational and social development as an MIS professional. We invite you to join us for our activities this semester. You can find out more information about the organization by contacting Brandon Jones (AMIS President) at bcjones3@memphis.edu or by contacting Margaret Schultz or Thomas Meservy (Faculty Advisors).
Sep. 2010	Dr. Brian Janz moderates the Society for Information Management (SIM) Strategy Series entitled, “Surviving and Thriving in Any Economy."
	The SIM Strategy Series is an annual day-long event for Information Technology executives and their colleagues (CFOs, CEOs, etc.).
Sep. 2010	Dr. Simon has been awarded her third grant from the Department of Defense.
	This latest grant is entitled "Development of Online Graduate Courses in Business Information Assurance.” The online content will be directed toward the four graduate Management Information Systems courses that are part of the graduate Business Information Assurance certificate program. This certificate program is being implemented in the Fall 2010 semester.
Sep. 2010	Dr. Robin Poston was one of the leading FCBE faculty members who developed and delivered an intensive training program to over 90 Pinnacle Executives.
Aug. 2010	Dr. Robin S. Poston, wins the prestigious 2010-2011 Suzanne Downs Palmer Award in Research."
	The purpose of the Palmer Awards is to recognize outstanding individual faculty contributions to achieving the research mission of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics.
Aug. 2010	Dr. Brian Janz, wins 2009-2010 FCBE Best conceptual paper award. Drs. Poston, Kettinger and Simon secure the second place.
	Each year, the FCBE presents 'best paper' awards in empirical and conceptual categories. The awards are adjudicated by the College's Graduate Studies Doctoral Sub-Committee. In addition to plaques, award winners receive $500 for 1st place and $250 for 2nd place. In the Conceptual/Theoretical Category, this year we have 1st Place, BRIAN JANZ, MIS, and Pattarawan Prasarnphanich. "Freedom to Cooperate: Gaining Clarity Into Knowledge Integration in Information Systems Development Teams," IEEE's Transactions on Engineering Management, Vol. 56, Issue 4, 2009, 621-635. 2nd Place, ROBIN POSTON, MIS, WILLIAM J. KETTINGER, MIS, and JUDY SIMON, MIS "Managing The Vendor Set: Achieving Best Pricing and Quality Service in IT Outsourcing," MIS Quarterly Executive, 8(2), June 2009, 1-14.
Aug. 2010	Dr. Bill Kettinger served as a senior faculty camp counselor at the Americas Conference on Information Systems Conference “Junior Faculty Camp” in Lima Peru.
	This camp is offered to MIS junior faculty from universities throughout the world to help them to adjust to the research and teaching challenges of a faculty career.
June 2010	MIS Department Initiates Joint Education Program with Hubei University, China
May 2010	Drs. Robin Poston and David Allen selected to lead the EMBA 2011 International Residency to Hong Kong and China
Mar. 2010	Dr. Varun Grover visits to discuss The Current State and Future of the IS Field
Dec. 2009	Drs. Poston and Kettinger, and PhD Candidate Hu present a research paper on Harnessing the Power of Online Social Networking Services at the SIM Academic Workshop
	December 15, 2009. Corporate employees are using Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Orkut, Yahoo! 360°, LinkedIn, and other online social networking services (OSNS) in the workplace. Adding to the managerial challenge of how employees use OSNS is the fact that this technology was not borne in the corporate setting but rather in the social off-work context of informality, fun, and friendship. Based on research access provided by a local Fortune 500 companies, the paper looks at employee OSNS usage behaviors and what companies should be doing about it. Because these behaviors already exist, senior executives cannot start fresh but need to understand how OSNS behaviors are formed in order to develop the appropriate OSNS usage policies and procedures. This paper lends insights into harnessing employee OSNS behaviors in order to proactively maximize employees’ knowledge networks while protectively minimizing corporate security breaches and brand damage. We find corporate strategies comprise protective issues (information disclosure risks and wasted time) and proactive issues (social network maintenance and knowledge sharing). The paper concludes with a discussion of overarching principles recommended for harnessing OSNS behaviors.
Oct. 2009	U of M’s AMIS chapter takes field trip to International Paper’s Data Center
	On October 9th, sixteen students from a new student organization called “AMIS” (Association for Management Information Systems) and their faculty advisor, Dr. Margaret Schultz, went on a field trip to International Paper’s Data Center. James Dutkowsky and several others from the Information Technology Team spoke to them about IP’s organizational structure, IP’s many lines of business, and the supportive role that information technology plays in achieving their strategic objectives. Students learned about IP’s IT CORE program (a job-rotation program for new hires that are recent college graduates) and the wide variety of job positions and career paths that are available in their IT Division. Two recent grads from the U of M spoke about how they got their jobs at IP and what the transition was like from college student to IT professional. Afterwards, the students toured IP’s most impressive data center facilities where they saw a huge array of blade servers, the massive data storage area network, backup power generators, and IP’s own cell-phone signal relay station. Students also learned about the many safety mechanisms and procedures that are in place to protect the company’s equipment from damage or destruction due to fire, earth quake or power loss.
Oct. 2009	U of M’s AMIS chapter takes field trip to the U of M Data and Network Operations Center
	On October 29th, seventeen students from a new student organization called “AMIS” (Association for Management Information Systems) and their faculty advisor, Dr. Margaret Schultz, went on a field trip to the University’s Data and Network Operations Center. During the first part of the field trip, students talked with Dr. Doug Hurley, CIO and VP of Information Technology for the University and Ms. Ellen Watson, Associate VP of Information Technology and deputy CIO for the University. Dr. Hurley and Ms. Watson spoke to the students about IT governance, IT management, and specific ITD hiring practices and job positions. Afterwards, Mark Reavis, Director of the Network Services Department, took the students on a tour of the Data and Network Operation Center in Jones Hall. During the tour, students observed and learned about the hardware and other system components that provide the data, voice, and video communication services for the entire University. They learned about the costs associated with setting up and maintaining a high capacity data and networking facility, the safety precautions that must be in place to protect the data and equipment, and the procedures that would be followed if it were necessary to recover from an event that caused data loss or equipment damage.
Sep. 2009	MIS PhD student, Shane Banks, leads student-run PhD orientation
	Third-year PhD student, Shane Banks, led the first ever student-run PhD orientation for the department of Management Information Systems. Banks was assisted by fellow PhD students Colin Onita and Aaron Peevyhouse. Banks and his compatriots devised the student-run orientation in a continuing effort to improve communication and collaboration among PhD students in the MIS department. The orientation, which was held on Friday, 4 Sep 2009, offered students a detailed glimpse into the trials and successes that they will encounter in their next few years. The trio of senior PhD students built upon the college-wide PhD orientation by emphasizing the importance of collaboration with fellow PhD students of every discipline. Banks led the discussion by detailing the problems that can afflict PhD students while offering solutions via personal stories of his experience in the program. To round out the orientation, Peevyhouse and Onita discussed tips for organization and methods for finding articles to assist in research. They also demonstrated the student-created wiki, an indispensable tool that houses knowledge compiled and created by students in years past. While the focus of the orientation was to provide first year students with practical lessons for how to succeed in the PhD program, the trio of veteran students also provided an intimate platform for students to freely ask questions. With such an open platform, students asked many questions that went directly to the heart of what is expected of them as scholars.
Aug. 2009	Dr. Bill Kettinger serves as a Camp Counselor at the AMCIS Faculty Camp for junior faculty in San Francisco
	The AMCIS MIS Camp uses interactive sessions with junior and senior faculty to explore the stresses and joys of balancing one's teaching, research, and personal life to assist junior faculty as they begin their academic careers.
Aug. 2009	Dr. Bill Kettinger and MIS PhD Students Lakshman Mahadevan and Rahul Paul present a paper appearing in the 2009 AMCIS proceedings
Aug. 2009	Dr. Robin Poston receives the Fogelman College of Business and Economics 2008 Best Paper Award for second place in the empirical category
	Dr. Poston receives the award for a paper published a top academic research journal, Decision Sciences. The paper focuses on how people decide whether to obtain services through online, self-service technologies or traditional, non-technological alternatives. A model of behaviors is tested in the brokerage services context, using observations obtained via survey. Given the growing popularity of online investing combined with the challenging prospect of making optimal decisions in an inherently risky environment, the context offers insights of practical and theoretical importance.