BIT320 Remix — UofM

December 15, 2005

I sympathize with Shady & Pink Footsie

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The recent post by Shady and Pink Footsie about grades and the competition behind them sparked a few thoughts of my own.  Pink Footsie made a comment saying,

What I’d really love, and this is definitely idealistic, is to be able to go to college and go to class without feeling the pressure to turn in an assignment, or to participate more than person X or regurgitate information at an exam (without being ranked, graded, evaluated).

While yes this is very idealistic, I think people tend to work better thar way. (or at least for me that is) It’s something about having the option to do something that takes a load off of me, and typically brings out a greater effort or the given assignment.

Besides that, when we are in competition with others concerning grades a lack of effort can derive from that at times. For instance, if you notice that you not at the top of the grading scale you made put forth just enough effort to get by knowing that you no longer qualify for the A, A+ in the course. None of us like to see our work overshadowed, but at times that may be the case b/c of the way the grading system is set up.

In The Blogstar, 12/15/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

December 10, 2005

Plugged In Here, Plugged Out There

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Shady and SuperMatt have been talking about firefox plug-ins or the lack-there-of on the B-School computers. Yeah, I agree. This is really annoying, especially because I can’t stand using IE anymore.

However, I do understand the reason for the lack of plug-ins. Shady mentioned that:

“Bud talked about how the business school freezes programs on their computers because the more you mess with them makes all sorts of complications”

The type of missing plug-ins I run into the most while on the b-school computers are things like flash and active-x content While flash is relatively secure, I do know that active-x controls have the possibility to include nasty little viruses and what not. So I can understand b-school IT not wanting to deal with things like this.

wonder why this isn’t a standard practice around U of M. I know for a fact that the computers in the fishbowl (specifically the Macs) are slated for “full use”. Meaning any plug-ins can be installed. They even are open enough to the point where you can install programs. These computers are administered by ITCS. So it seems like ITCS has made the choice of having more open and easy-to-use yet more difficult to maintain. I personally like the ITCS approach better. Maybe with the advent of new OSes and programs we can increase security without sacrificing useability.

In Matt's Musings, 12/10/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

December 7, 2005

BIT 311

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While I haven’t actually taking the course and did voluntarily sit in for a few weeks to get a grasp of what was going on. While I thought of myself as a proficient Excel user and realized in just 2 weeks of the class that I would probably be considered a rookie. In response to Jb’s post, I can comfortably use Excel but this class will take you to another level. It has always been recommended by students as well as instructors whenever I inquire about Excel.  If you plan on using Excel in you future work life this class will certainly be of great benefit.

In The Blogstar, 12/07/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

BIT 311?

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Supriya and Kevin and a few others in class have been talking about EECS 183 and why it’s a great class to take. I’ll be honest: I’m sticking to bschool classes my last semester so I won’t get to try it out. However, I’m on the waitlist for BIT 311 and can’t decide if it’s worth it to try to get in. Has anyone ever taken this course? If so, was it valuable? I trust your opinion because I feel like most of us are on the same computer user level. I’m a pretty avid Excel user, but there’s always a few things I have to look up in the “help” menu, or someone will show me how to do something that I never knew I could do with Excel. This happened a lot during my internship this summer. I’m just curious as to whether BIT 311 might make me an Excel expert… or if I probably already know most of what I’ll learn in the course.

In jb's blog, 12/07/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

November 10, 2005

Why keep up with the Jones’s

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jb and Matt brought up the idea of creating extravagant buildings on college campuses to bring people to the school. What attracted me to U of M? Well, to be honest, it was that I have always been a fan and its in the family. I never really spent time on campus and I didn’t know much about the academics. I knew before I applied that I wanted to go to a business school, but it wasn’t until after I accepted that I heard about the excellence of the U of M B-school. So, for me, I was attracted mainly because it was in my blood, so to speak. Also, on a somewhat different note, I have heard from my roommate that there are some non-business students who can’t understand why we need a new building. Even I don’t understand why it is necessary either since they are some of the better buildings on campus. But I think the b-school image, like the image of people, has a little to do with the way it looks in addition to its academics. And like Matt said:

But if it came down to comparing schools that were on par with each other and only differed in their amenitites, I may very well be swayed by the “new” and “wow” factor of a school.

If a person got into a comparable B-school to UMBS, how will UMBS get the talent if it fails to compare to the look and amentities of the other? 

In Tigerlily's Blog, 11/10/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

November 8, 2005

The Jones’s? I prefer the tradition.

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Matt had a great post about the recent trend for Universities to build big, new and highly modern buildings for students. These come in the form of Rec Centers, Student Unions, etc. Matt asks:

Generally, it seems that U of M isn’t one to have “flashy” buildings…however, the new Ross School buildings seem to fit the “flashy” motif. So what do you think U of M does to attract people to this campus? Is it’s academic reputation enough? And are we seeing a new trend of keeping up with the Jones’s with Universities?
Yes, I think that we’re definitely seeing a trend here. Universities are updating their buildings like crazy. Especially in the area of Rec Centers, since the trend in this country is to work out and be fit. Kids love modern Rec Centers. However, I don’t think UofM competes on the same level as schools who put all this money into these types of buildings. Much like most Ivy League schools probably don’t, either. Not only can UofM rely on its academic reputation, but it can also rely on tradition. For example, the IM Building is the oldest campus rec center in the country. Who wants to mess with that?? Look at Angell Hall, the Union, the grad library, the Law Quad. UofM is all about tradition. And I don’t know how I feel about the flashiness of the new Ross. Yes, I agree that we need to keep up with the technology of other business schools. But I don’t know how the flashiness will fit in on our campus. Does it have to look like an office complex??

In jb's blog, 11/08/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

Keeping up with the Jones’s

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While thinking about the campus wide wireless at MIT (check out Supriya’s post), I was reminded of an article I read a ways back about ways colleges are attracting students. This particular article talked about how colleges are building new and expensive student unions and rec centers with almost resort-like amenities to attract students. I can’t remember where I read this particular article, but here’s a similar one from the Detroit Free Press.

So I started thinking about what attracted me to UofM and if I would be attracted to these new super unions/rec centers. I guess the answer to that is yes and no. On one hand, if it was a toss-up between a school with amazing amenities but lackluster educational performance, to a good school with ok amenities, I would definitely go with the better school. But if it came down to comparing schools that were on par with each other and only differed in their amenitites, I may very well be swayed by the “new” and “wow” factor of a school. Generally, it seems that U of M isn’t one to have “flashy” buildings…however, the new Ross School buildings seem to fit the “flashy” motif. So what do you think U of M does to attract people to this campus? Is it’s academic reputation enough? And are we seeing a new trend of keeping up with the Jones’s with Universities?

In Matt's Musings, 11/08/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

November 7, 2005

The Editor’s Page

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The Michigan Daily Editor's weblog

In del.icio.us/mridge, 11/07/2005 | Original | Archive

The Game

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Michigan Daily Sports weblog

In del.icio.us/mridge, 11/07/2005 | Original | Archive

October 16, 2005

Article about Bharat Desai: Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year

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Bharat Desai won the Entrepreneur of the Year award at the U of M B-School this year

In del.icio.us/williamhmacy3, 10/16/2005 | Original | Archive

October 12, 2005

Bill Gates urges students to take up computer science

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Computer science graduates will be in greater demand than ever over the next 15 years

In del.icio.us/rasheff, 10/12/2005 | Original | Archive

October 7, 2005

A League Underground, full of Games

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So I happen to be in the Michigan League currently. More specifically, the cyber lab. I’ve been here before, but no often. I like it because it is quiet, the computers are much better than any sort of computers you will find in the other michigan labs. And the main reason they are better is because the computers in the League are fully equipped with games. These include…as I look on my desktop: C&C Generals online, Halo, Max Payne 2, GTA Vice City, UT2003, Wolfenstein GOTY: single or multiplayer. There are actually about 3 - 4 people playing games right now. They have both macs and pcs. I just find it really interesting that something like this is set up in the League.

Why would the University set something like this up? Who came up with the idea and really, what kind of purpose does it serve for the university? And why do they only put games in the League, not all computers? its like a little dark underground cave of people and computers….and other poor people who can’t get a computer: there really aren’t enough computers around here.

In Shady Waters, 10/07/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

October 2, 2005

Business Schools Job Database

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Job Database and other services provided by the business school for job search activities

In del.icio.us/williamhmacy3, 10/02/2005 | Original | Archive

September 26, 2005

When Hate and News don't Mix

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Suspects dispute hate crime. The other side of the story of a student urinating on a couple.

In del.icio.us/rasheff, 09/26/2005 | Original | Archive

September 23, 2005

When Hate and News don’t Mix

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Building off my entry two posts ago about the growing lethargy of The Media and the internets response to the demand for accurate and truthful infomration in a timely matter, I have come across a very good example that hits close to home on the University of Michigan.

Last Thursday on the 15th of September. An asian couple was walking down S. Forrest when they were urinated on and then acosted with racial slurs. The article was printed in the Michigan Daily almost a week later on Wednesday the 21st.

The Ann Arbor News Police Beat, Clickondetroit.com, Yahoo!News all had this news article on their presses and displayed BEFORE monday the 19th. The fact that many students, faculty, and administration had to find out this news from an outside source is amazing and appalling. What real purpose do newspapers serve if they do not provide the news quickly and accuratly. Does that mean that they will dissapear as news on the web becomes more prevelant.

On top of the sad lack of speed from the michigan daily newspaper. There is now the issue of coordinating the efforts of all the students: graduate and undergraduates, administration and APIA faculty. How to keep everyone informed and on top of the story, and what everyone else is doing. Past just sitting down and talking which is in the works for monday the 26th is also this blog put together by one of the students invovled. It contains all the information that has been sent via email, the open letters that have been sent from faculty to administration, the petition that is being signed by students, meetings that are upcoming and responses from numerous areas of the campus.

Stop the Hate.

In Shady Waters, 09/23/2005 | Original | Archive | Post to del.icio.us | Technorati

September 20, 2005

The effects of Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, an anti-affirmative action initiative, on education

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A site by the University of Michigan on the effects on MCRI on the educational experience

In del.icio.us/hiccups, 09/20/2005 | Original | Archive

September 15, 2005

Framing the Affirmative Action Debate: an Analogy to Disaster Relief

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Frank Wu, Dean of Wayne State University Law School, wrote an article for the Detroit Free Press and puts it in real terms

In del.icio.us/hiccups, 09/15/2005 | Original | Archive

September 13, 2005

Michigamua, UM's Secrect Society

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Contains information on one of UM's most prominent secret society, its ongoings, memebers, articles, and why it shouldn't be acceptable

In del.icio.us/hiccups, 09/13/2005 | Original | Archive