Three business faculty achieve national recognitions

Janel Shoun | 




Boulware receives Wal-Mart Teaching Excellence Award from national association

George Boulware, the Purity Dairies Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Wal-Mart Teaching Excellence Award presented by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Boulware, a 25-year Lipscomb faculty member, was selected in a competition with other ACBSP member schools located in the eight-state geographic region. He will be honored at the 2007 ACBSP annual conference in Orlando on June 29 and will compete with winners from other regions to receive the international award.

ACBSP is responsible for accrediting business programs at associate degree and baccalaureate/graduate degree colleges and universities with a focus on teaching and learning in the classroom. The Lipscomb University College of Business is accredited by ACBSP.

Boulware is a former dean of the College of Business who works hard each semester to make his students’ classroom experience as valuable as possible. For example, he recently introduced his master’s degree students to an online simulation game focusing on ethics and he uses his global travels to enhance his teaching of marketing principles, he said.

“The regional recipient is selected for outstanding leadership and service in business education,” explains Mr. Douglas Viehland, Executive Director of ACBSP. “We are proud to honor Boulware for his commitment to teaching excellence”.

The Wal-Mart Teaching Excellence Award Committee looked at five criteria in evaluating professors for the award, including quality of classroom teaching and learning; institutional versatility; curriculum development; professional development and community commitment.

Boulware is a past recipient of Lipscomb’s Outstanding Teacher Award and serves as a national coordinator for the American Council on Education. He also works with the Distance Education Training Council, the Financial Planning Association and the American Marketing Association.

The award, which is funded through the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Foundation, supports teaching excellence. Last year, Wal-Mart donated more than $57 million to support educational initiatives, including local schools and universities, student scholarships, educational organizations and the company’s annual Teacher of the Year program.

ACBSP recognizes the significance of the classroom teacher to the mission of business degree granting institutions. Based on this, the Associate Degree Commission and the Baccalaureate/Graduate Degree Commission have established the Teaching Excellence Award to recognize individuals who exemplify excellence in teaching.

ACBSP is the leading specialized accreditation association for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence. ACBSP membership includes 542 member institutions and over 5,400 individuals at these institutions located in 17 countries. The number of accredited schools and programs is 392.

Mankin voted in as national chair of CPA exam subcommittee

Assistant Professor of Accounting Jeff Mankin has been appointed as the chair of a national subcommittee that prepares a portion of the questions for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) Simulations Subcommittee is made up of seven accounting experts -- professors and professionals -- who work together to create simulation questions and answers for the FAR section of the CPA exam.

Mankin has been a member of the subcommittee for five years, but this year the members voted him to become chair of the subcommittee, a new position just established.

As a long-time member of this committee, Mankin has gained an insider’s knowledge of the CPA exam, which gives him valuable perspective as he prepares future accountants at Lipscomb to perform at their best on the exam.

“It’s pretty fascinating,” said Mankin, who has been with Lipscomb for 17 years. “I’ve been on the subcommittee for a few years now, and it has really helped me to teach our students in a way that doesn’t just prepare them for the CPA exam, but also for the professional world after graduation. This subcommittee’s work, as a team, will be a major influence in the lives of not only the students at Lipscomb, but every student who takes the CPA exam.”

“We are delighted that Dr. Mankin is serving in this highly significant role,” said Charles Frasier, chair of Lipscomb’s Department of Accounting. “His insight and teaching experience provide a valuable framework for reviewing and revising potential CPA exam questions.”

Financial Accountsing and Reporting (FAR) is one of four sections on the Uniform CPA Examination . The FAR section covers five areas of financial accounting: concepts and standards for financial statements; typical items in financial statements; specific types of transactions and events; accounting and reporting for governmental entities; and, accounting and reporting for nongovernmental and not-for-profit organizations.

Most students who take the CPA exam find it difficult to pass all four sections the first go-around. Ben Bargagliotti, a May 2005 graduate, passed the CPA exam in his first sitting. He said the education from Lipscomb prepared him to succeed on the exam.

“The Lipscomb accounting program is a great program,” Bargagliotti said. “Lipscomb has a great core faculty who not only know their subject matter, but also care about their students.”

Beginning in August, students and professionals will be able to earn a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree at Lipscomb University. Lipscomb’s 30-hour master’s program will help prepare students to become a CPA, but more importantly it will provide the skills and knowledge much in demand in today’s changing business world, said Greg Carnes, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business.

-- BY REBECCA BILBO

Griffin appointed examiner for 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award

Elaine Griffin, assistant provost for institutional effectiveness, has been appointed to the 2007 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

The Baldridge Award is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a US organization can receive. The program is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a program of the U.S. Commerce Department's Technology Administration, in close cooperation with the private sector.

As an examiner,Griffin is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the award. The board is composed of approximately 500 leading experts selected from industry, professional and trade organizations, education and health care organizations and government.

Griffin, who has been at Lipscomb for eight years, will review applications for the education and health care categories. Griffin worked as an executive in health care before coming to Lipscomb to teach in the College of Business.

“Everything is about continuous improvement, meeting customers’ needs and competition,” said Griffin of the current business climate. “So companies are really challenged to look at their operations in a comprehensive manner, and that is what the Baldridge award is all about.”

The Baldridge Award is given out annually in six categories: manufacturing, service, small business, education, health care and non-profit. Awards have been presented to 69 organizations nationwide. Those selected meet the highest standards of qualification and peer recognition.