Students in The Eli Broad College of Business took part in a forum in hopes of changing the university's curriculum.
The Eli Broad College of Business Student Senate hosted the event and listened to student's input on its future.
"We're promoting upward mobility through the curriculum," Senate President Jonathan Rosenthal said. "We want to bring it up to par and find out exactly how out of date it is."
The general management senior said students opinions would be taken into consideration, and the focus groups would solidify the comments the students made in the forum.
A survey was handed out to participants with items ranging from "this class prepared me for my upper level courses" to "the content of this course provided a good foundation for the courses in my major."
Other questions listed on the survey focused on class size and the implementation of teamwork in classes. The crowd gave suggestions as to what classes they would like to see added, retracted or combined in the college.
"What we're trying to do is get students to speak up and say what they want," Rosenthal said.
Before the forum began, students were encouraged to come up with suggestions.
"I encourage you all to be creative and helpful," Dean Robert Duncan said to the group. "We'll use that information to move to one common goal."
Students suggested the addition of classes on subjects such as ethics, business communication skills and risk management.
Suggested classes to combine were Computer Science Engineering 101 and Business 309 along with Statistics 315 and Marketing and Supply Chain Management 317. Students also suggested the option to apply for a double major and make obtaining internships and co-ops a required course.
The forum's special guest speakers said they were pleased with the suggestions students made and will consider those ideas when they meet with the undergraduate programs board.
Supply chain management junior Ryan Huhtala said something of this magnitude was long overdue.
"I think it's good to hear the voice of the students," he said.
And Huhtala said the forum was helpful in working toward his future.
"Basically why I'm here is to help my degree make more money in the real world," he said. "It's already gone a long way. I just want to see the business college keep getting better as well."
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs Michael Mazzeo said students served as consultants providing guidance to people in power to help improve curriculum.
"I'm more than pleased with the quality of the responses form the students," Mazzeo said. "I'm very optimistic about all of this. I think what was said here will have a huge affect on the future of this college."
Broad Director of Undergraduate Student Academic Services Eileen Wilson said input is more powerful when it comes from students and faculty, and she encourages forums where students are involved.
"I think we need input from all stakeholders," Wilson said. "Students are an important stakeholder group. We wanted them to realize they would be heard."
Rosenthal said the students would be heard because they were all part of the business college family.
"We'll all be Broad graduates. I'm looking at this as not just being something for the people in this room, but for future students of the college," he said.
