MANAGEMENT AND THE LIBERAL ARTS
MED PDW, Atlanta 2006
Sunday, August 13, 10:00am-Noon
Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Techwood
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on the importance of a liberal arts education for future chief executives, but in the same article indicated the need "to have something you can do for a company now", implying the expectation of studies in business functions like accounting, finance, and marketing, something uncommon at liberal arts institutions (White, 2005) In a Chronicle of Higher Education article, William Durden, president of Dickinson College, refers to liberal arts as a bulwark of business education, but goes on to remind us that "colleges that offer a liberal-arts education today*pursue protective 'purity' for the liberal arts and ignore, or even belittle, the world of business as too crass for association" (Durden, 2003). In environments that are supposed to foster intellectual openness, those of us who teach Management at liberal arts institutions are often viewed as "unpure" on our own campuses. At the same time, in this increasingly complex and fast-paced world, it would seem that future managers would benefit greatly from a liberal arts education, one that encourages a student to:
* engage in critical thinking by analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information and ideas,
* learn how to learn,
* master clear and effective communication, and
* apply knowledge to the search for solutions to important human problems.
http://www.lclark.edu/dept/advising/liberal_arts.html
In a few places, Management and the liberal arts co-exist. How are we doing it? How should we be? The purpose of this PDW is to bring together those who teach Management in liberal arts institutions, and also others who have an interest in if and how it is done. We envision a forum in which we can share what we are doing, what we wish we were doing, and how we have overcome barriers in our own institutions.
We hope that attendees will leave with new ideas about teaching Management in a liberal arts institution, ways to better integrate liberal and professional education.
The session will open with a discussion of what the organizers and participants mean by a "liberal arts education". Next, the organizers will share what they are doing at their institutions currently and what they hope to achieve in the near future. Finally (and throughout), others will have the chance to share the same and/or to ask questions of the organizers and others. We envision a very open exchange of ideas and information.
Topics the organizers will address include:
Entrepreneurship and the Liberal Arts - John Bunch, Benedictine College (KS)
Teaching Management at a Christian Liberal Arts College - Sandi Dinger and Melisande McCrae, Eastern University (PA)
An Interdisciplinary Management Program - Mike Frandsen, Albion College (MI)
Overcoming the "Trade School" Label - Bob Ledman, Georgia Southwestern State University
Why do Liberal Arts Students Need Business Education? - Roger Putzel, Saint Michael's College (VT)
Jennifer Leigh, Gettysburg College (PA) and Thomas Kopp, Siena College (NY) will also share their experiences.
There is no need to pre-register, but we would appreciate having an idea of how many to expect. Please reply to
mfrandsen@albion.edu.
Mike Frandsen, Ph.D.
Director, Gerstacker Institute for Professional Management
Department of Economics & Management
Albion College
mfrandsen@albion.edu
517-629-0315