Intriguing Courses Open New Horizons for Students this Fall

Innovative courses taught for the first time this Fall promise to offer students an additional insight into business and anthropology at Texas A&M International University.

One such class is titled "Business in the Media" (BA 4399 162/BA 5399-162) and will be taught in both undergraduate and graduate levels.

This new business course investigates how perceptions of business are formed through presentations in motion pictures, television, radio and print media. It is team-taught by Dr. Stephen Lunce, Associate Professor of Information Systems and Dr. Stephanie Smith, Associate Professor of Finance. Investigations will cover issues such as profit motivations, recruiting, ethical behaviors, market makers and manipulators and historical figures.

Students in this class can expect to view popular movies like Pirates of Silicon Valley, The Hudsacker Proxy, Barbarians at the Gate, Disclosure, Wall Street and Rising Sun to learn how people in general view entrepreneurship, innovation, strategic planning, human resource management, ethics, finance, free markets, ethics and international issues.

Dr. Lunce said both instructors will use motion pictures, television, radio, music and current literature to investigate how business is viewed popularly.

"The course will allow students from all disciplines to explore what they think business is and where those thoughts originated," Lunce said.

The course is offered on Thursdays from 7-9:30 p.m. in Pellegrino Hall 101 for both undergraduate and graduate groups and is open to students from all disciplines.

Another course, "Culture Change, Crisis and Development" (ANTH 3306-161), will explore how fragile society is and how humans go about repairing a damaged society.

The course, led by Dr. Jaclyn Jeffrey, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, will study different types of disasters such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, famine, war, epidemics, and environmental disasters like toxic spills to understand the impact that catastrophes have on society. Students will also learn coping strategies people use and how they can best render aid.

Also, students will learn that many disasters are man-made and could be avoided, Dr. Jeffrey said.

Some of the learning activities will include taking a "toxic tour" of local areas of current low-level pollution disaster and potential emergencies, she said.

"We will also examine the impact of a major flood on Laredo and Nuevo Laredo and explore those areas most vulnerable to flood and how to mitigate damage there," she said.

The course will encourage students to learn the importance of culture in human catastrophe and how culture affects the coping and recovery strategies societies use, she said.

The course combines theory with real-life, hands-on application and is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30-6:45 p.m. in Bullock Hall 206.

A third course, "Design and Management of the Web" (CIS 4399/CIS 5399), will introduce students to the development and management of Web based applications in organizations.

Led by Dr. Dasaratha Rama, professor of information systems, the class will explore fundamentals of HTML, Javascript and web design. In addition, management issues such as policies, procedures and standards, use of systems development approaches, change management, work process design and end-user training and support will be emphasized.

Other topics include an introduction to web development, fundamentals of web design, security and privacy, and electronic commerce.

The course will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-9:50 a.m. in C Building 113.

For those interested in fine arts, several new courses will be offered in art history and music.

One of them, "Modern Art Since Impressionism" (ARTS 3302 102), taught by Dr. Richard Wright, assistant professor of art, will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:45 p.m. in C Building 223.

Also, a seminar on special topics in visual and performing arts focusing on "Greek and Roman Art" (ARTS 4321-162), will be taught by Dr. Wright on Tuesdays from 7-9:30 p.m. in Canseco Hall 203.

Music courses in "Applied Music: Violin" (MUAP1101-103), "Applied Music: Viola" (MUAP 1101-104) and "Applied Music: Cello" (MUAP 1101-105), will be taught by Jennifer Clark, visiting assistant professor of music.

In addition, "Voice" (MUAP 1101-102), "Guitar I" (MUSI 1192 161) and several mariachi courses will be taught this Fall. The instructor for these courses will be Dr. Rachel Cruz, assistant professor of music.

A number of language courses will also be offered this Fall.

One class, "Elementary Latin I" (LAT 1301-101) will be offered from 7-8:15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The course is designed to give students a basic background in Latin, with emphasis on a reading knowledge of the language and on vocabulary growth in both English and Spanish through a study of cognates and derivatives from Latin. The course will be offered by Reynaldo Montemayor, instructor of Latin.

An "Intensive Portuguese" (PORT 3301-161) class will also be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-8:15 p.m. The classroom location is to be announced. This intensive course is designed to give Spanish speakers a reading knowledge of the language and basic oral competency. Olga Verduzco, a native Brazilian whose first language is Portuguese, will teach the class.

Two classes in French "Elementary French I" (FREN 1301-101) and "Elementary French II" (FREN 1302-101) are also among the list of new language courses to be offered this Fall. The "Elementary French I" class meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10-10:50 a.m. in Bullock Hall 201. The "Elementary French II" class meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11-11:50 a.m. in Bullock Hall 210. Both courses will be taught by Valerie Jeanne Rasmussen, a native speaker of French.

For further information on new business courses, please contact the College of Business Administration at 326-2480 or visit offices located in Pellegrino Hall 301. Registration will be held at A&M International on Aug. 22.

For information on the rest of the courses, please contact the College of Arts and Humanities at 326-2460 or visit offices located in Killam Library 429. University office hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu