• About the Carlson School and University of Minnesota
  
• Core Values of the Carlson Community
  
• Program Information and Requirements
  
• Policies and Information on Grading
  
• Honor Code
  
• Code of Classroom Etiquette
  

About the Carlson School and the University of Minnesota

Carlson School Mission Statement
The mission of the Carlson School of Management is to provide the highest quality education for present and future business and academic leaders, and advance the understanding and practice of management through research and outreach.

University of Minnesota Mission Statement
The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that understanding enriches all people, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

Background on the Carlson School and Curtis L. Carlson
The Business School at the University of Minnesota was founded in 1919 and renamed the Curtis L. Carlson School of Management in 1986, to honor the successful entrepreneur, alum, and committed friend of the School.

Curtis L. Carlson was born and raised in Minneapolis, and he graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1937. One year later, Carlson used a $55 loan from his landlord to establish the Gold Bond Stamp Company. From that point, he never looked back, working hard to ensure the company’s growth and success. The business, which grew to a multi-billion dollar enterprise including the hospitality, travel, and restaurant industries, was renamed Carlson Companies in 1973.

For all his success and international prominence, Carlson maintained a heartfelt fondness for his alma mater, apparent in his ongoing advocacy and generosity. He is the University’s single greatest benefactor, giving more than $36 million during his lifetime, and led the successful $356 million Minnesota Campaign a decade ago.

In fact, much of Carlson’s attention and gift giving focused on the Carlson School. He recognized the importance of a world-class business school to both the local and global economies in a growing international marketplace. It became his mission to ensure that the Carlson School was among the best in the country. Carlson’s $10 million gift to the school, combined with another $10 million in private funds he helped solicit, were instrumental in the construction of the new Carlson School Building.

I. Core Values of the Carlson Community

i) Student Responsibility
The relationship between MBA students, faculty, and staff of the Carlson School and the University of Minnesota is a cooperative one, entailing shared responsibilities based on mutual respect. In that spirit, as it is the School’s responsibility to communicate expectations, policies, and procedures, so is it the student’s responsibility to become familiar with the information contained within this brochure and other handbooks prepared to guide you during your studies.

Students are responsible for checking their Carlson School e-mail account, which will be used for official communication involving registration, student services, and advising. It is the students’ responsibility to check this account on a frequent basis for updates and notices from faculty or staff. For information on forwarding a personal account to your Carlson School account, contact the Office of Information Technology of the Carlson School at 612-625-5550 or e-mail help@csom.umn.edu.

ii) Student Rights
The Carlson School of Management and the University of Minnesota are committed to creating an educational climate that fosters respect for all individuals, including all students, faculty, alumni, and staff, free from bias, discrimination, harassment, or threats to personal safety. We seek to provide an environment where students can be assured that their rights to privacy, in regard to personal records or confidential data, will be honored.

iii) Standards of Academic Integrity
While competition for grades is a reality, gaining advantage over classmates through dishonest or unethical means is not tolerated in our community. Toward the goal of promoting an ethical and fair academic environment, student leaders in the MBA Association and administrators have created the Carlson MBA Honor Code, which provides guidelines for academic honesty and integrity. You will be expected to be familiar with the contents of the Student Honor Code and agree to abide by it.

iv) Classroom Environment
The academic rigor of the Carlson MBA Program demands that the environment of the classroom be conducive to learning. Because there is considerable variability in norms and definitions of an appropriate learning environment, student leaders of the MBA Association have defined specific guidelines for student behavior in Guidelines for Classroom Etiquette (see page 14). You will be expected to follow these guidelines in all of your classes. Individual faculty may have additional requirements or conditions within their individual classes.

You are expected to attend all class sessions unless you have legitimate reasons for missing, e.g., illness or sudden death in the family. If you need to be absent for a class session, you will need to make arrangements with each instructor in advance.

All students will be expected to be respectful of the Carlson School building, leaving rooms in clean and orderly condition, erasing marker boards after use, and picking up paper or trash from the class or workshop.

v) Diversity
The University of Minnesota is committed to achieving excellence through diversity, consistent with its academic mission and standards. Board of Regents Policy states: “As a community of faculty, staff, and students engaged in research, scholarship, artistic activity, teaching and learning, or activities which support them, the University fosters an environment that is diverse, humane, and hospitable. As an institution, the University is a global enterprise which serves the state, the nation, and the world through its outreach and public service, and in partnership with community groups.”

The Carlson School is also committed to creating an environment where all students can achieve their professional and personal goals within a supportive learning community.

All student organizations, publications, events, and communication should reflect the School’s value of diversity and respect for all persons. Inappropriate, intolerant, or offensive language or behavior constitute a violation of the University of Minnesota Student Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary actions; the code is available through the U of M at www.umn.edu/regents/policies.html. You, as student are responsible for information contained in “ A Statement of Standards of the Student Conduct Enforceable by University Agencies.” The code is available through the Student Judicial Affairs website at: http://www.sja.umn.edu/

Students are strongly encouraged to report concerns related to the climate for diversity in the Carlson MBA Program to school officials, with assurance of strict confidentiality. MBA students should contact:

Lynn Snyder, Director of Student Affairs
Full-Time and Part-Time MBA Programs
snyde251@umn.edu
1-110 CSOM
Phone: 612-626-7147
Or
The Office of Equal Opportunity
419 Morrill Hall
Phone: 612-624-9547

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities and employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

II. Program Information and Requirements

i) About the Integrated Core
The Full-Time Carlson MBA curriculum provides you with a solid foundation of the functional areas of business and allows you to build your Career Portfolio, Professional Portfolios are an alternative set of suggestions for course selection, based on career goal.

You are free to combine portfolio suggestions, or experiential activities that will help you achieve your career goals. Your first year is focused on the Integrated Core Curriculum, in which the core functions of business are taught by a team of faculty who have designed their courses not only to give you mastery of key concepts and tools, but to give you the ability to understand the interconnections and relationships between the core functions of business. To learn more about building your career portfolio go to http://www.csom.umn.edu/Page2174.aspx.

The Integrated Core also provides experiential learning activities that allow you to apply the knowledge and business tools you are learning in the classroom to case studies in business setting. Information regarding case studies will be available during the core.

ii) Team Learning in the Integrated Core
The Integrated Core features several collaborative assignments in your core MBA courses. Because in business managers are frequently assigned to team projects, teams are assigned randomly in the Integrated Core. Understanding the challenges and the rewards of collaboration and team process is an important part of MBA education. To help enhance your skills in these areas, the Integrated Core includes Strategic Management, a skill-building set of experiential workshops developed by faculty in the Strategic Management and Organization department that lay the groundwork for you to work creatively and collaboratively in teams. You will learn about how groups form, how to deal with conflict, leadership and teams, and using creative process to enhance team effectiveness.

You will be assigned to one of the sections and also assigned to a learning group within that cohort. These assignments will be announced during orientation. Typically, there are five or six students in each group.

Assignments to groups are made with the goal of maximizing diversity within each group, particularly with respect to academic background and country or state of origin.

Once you complete the Integrated Core, assignments to study groups will be managed by individual faculty members.

Requests to be assigned to a specific cohort or study group, or to switch groups once assignments have been made, will not be accommodated.

Questions about team learning should be directed to Lynn Snyder, Director of Student Affairs, by phone at (612) 626-7147 or by e-mail at snyde251@umn.edu.

iii) About Electives
In order to maximize the number and variety of elective offerings available to you, elective courses are offered in three formats:

• Full-Time MBA program electives offered between 8:00 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.
  
• Concurrent Full-Time and Part-Time MBA electives (these are designated on the full-time schedule as section 60s) that meet from 5:45 to 9:05 p.m.
  
• Part-Time MBA Program core courses and electives (these are designated on the full-time schedule as section 90s) that meet from 5:45 to 9:05 p.m. These courses are only available to the full-time students through a petition process. See Stephanie Nichols, Full-Time MBA Registrar for more information.

On the Full-Time MBA web page you will find the current and future schedules listing for all courses. Courses listed on this spreadsheet are available for you to enroll in on OneStop available through the U of M home web page at http://onestop.umn.edu, with the exception of courses designated section 90 or above. Entry into Part-Time MBA Program courses (section 90 and above) will be on a space available basis. Petitions for these courses can be found either on the Full-Time web site or at the front counter in the MBA Office. Petitions need to be turned into the MBA Office in Suite 1-110, to Stephanie Nichols at snichols@csom.umn.edu, who will process additions to theses classes prior to the start of the semester. Students will be notified via e-mail of the status of their petitions for these courses.

For more information on the petition or waiting list processes or the registration, please contact Stephanie Nichols in the Full-Time MBA Office.

v) International Options
Many opportunities exist in the Carlson School for study abroad. The Carlson School sponsors semester exchange programs in 14 countries and short-term study abroad programs in six countries. For more information on international program options, contact Wendy Witherspoon, Global Enrichment Elective Coordinator, in the International Programs Office, by phone at (612) 626-4814or by e-mail at wwitherspoon@csom.umn.edu.

III. Policies and Information on Grading

i) Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements
After the completion of the first semester, students who do not have a 2.8 cumulative GPA will be placed on academic probation. You must finish the program with a 2.8 GPA to receive an MBA degree. Students who are having difficulty earning an acceptable GPA are urged to contact the Full-Time MBA Office

All coursework applied toward the MBA degree must be taken on a graded (A through F) basis. Grades of D, F, and N are not considered passing grades and do not count toward the total number of credits needed to graduate. Students must retake any class in which they have failed to earn a passing grade, or substitute another class approved by the MBA Office. A course in which a C is earned cannot be repeated.

Faculty use the following grades in evaluating the performance of students in their courses (they may have the option of using the letter grades without the plus or minus):

ii) Grading Distribution
Grades are an integral component of the educational process. They represent one form of feedback concerning a student’s performance. The Carlson School of Management is committed to the practice of having differences in course achievements reflected in differences in course grades. Because of this, the Carlson faculty has adopted a guideline of approximately 15% C’s in all MBA core courses.

iii) Incompletes
Only in certain cases in the Carlson MBA Program is the grade of I (incomplete) given, such as in the case of a serious illness or emergency. When the I is given, however, it is expected to be completed within one semester. The intent of this policy is to underscore the desire of the faculty to assure the continuous progress of students toward their degrees and to restrict the carrying of incompletes.

iv) The Carlson School’s Procedure for low scholarship

• Step 1: Probation – Low scholarship
  Students who fail to maintain a 2.8 GPA after they have completed at least one semester in the program will be placed on academic probation. At that time they will be required to submit a plan to the Director of the MBA Program for bringing their GPA up to a satisfactory level.
  
• Step 2: Final Probation – Low scholarship
  Students who are placed on probation and still fail to maintain 2.8 GPA by their second semester will be placed on final probation. Students on final probation must submit a written contract to the Associate Dean of the MBA program that outlines specific courses that they will take and specify a performance level they will attain each semester.
  
• Step 3: Dismissal
  Students who fail to meet the requirements of a final academic probation contract will be subject to dismissal from the program due to low scholarship.

v) Dismissal from the Program
Your candidacy for the degree of Master of Business Administration may be withdrawn if one or more of the following occurs:

• Receive a failing grade in a course
  
• Fall below the 2.8 GPA required to graduate
  
• Accumulate 3 incompletes at one point in time
  
• Fail to comply with the University Student Conduct Code.

IV. HONOR CODE

i) The Honor Code Statement
The students, faculty, staff and administration of the Carlson School and the Full-Time MBA Program promote an environment that fosters the professional growth and development of students, and maintains a high academic standard. All members of the Carlson MBA Program are encouraged to participate in any manner that ensures continued development and improvement of the overall academic experience. Honesty and integrity are essential qualities in this environment, and it is absolutely necessary for all members of the Carlson community to adhere to the Honor Code so that all members of the community can fully engage in the pursuit of their academic goals.

ii) The Purpose of the Honor Code
The purpose of the Honor Code is to outline the definitions of academic misconduct, and the recommended course of action to be followed in cases where violation of this policy occurs. The Honor Code does not supersede any institutional policies of the University of Minnesota or laws of the State of Minnesota. All information regarding cases of misconduct will be handled in accordance with the University of Minnesota Regent’s policies on academic information and privacy.

All students agree to the terms of the Honor Code by accepting admission to the Carlson MBA Program. The following addresses only academic misconduct by Carlson MBA students in Carlson MBA Classes. The Honor Code does not cover cases of academic misconduct by non-MBA students in Carlson MBA classes, or cases of academic misconduct of Carlson MBA students in other non-MBA University of Minnesota classes. These types of violation allegations need to be forwarded to the Conduct Code Coordinator in the office of Student Judicial Affairs http://www.sja.umn.edu/

iii) Definitions of Academic Misconduct
The Student Conduct Code of the University of Minnesota outlines matters of scholastic dishonesty as follows:

a) Submission of false records of academic achievement
b) Cheating on assignments or examinations
c) Plagiarizing – submitting another’s work or ideas as one’s own
d) Altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record
e) Acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain falsified grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement.
f) Taking, acquiring, or using test materials without Faculty permission, (In General, the Carlson MBA program allows students to utilize past exams as study aids unless the professor explicitly prohibits their use)

If students are unsure whether certain actions would constitute a violation of the Honor Code, it is their responsibility to consult with another member of the Carlson Community.

iv) Student Responsibility
Students are responsible for their own actions and the consequences of their actions. The intention of the Honor Code is to create an optimal learning environment in which members of the Carlson Community feel comfortable to pursue their academic goals. When academic misconduct occurs, the whole community is impeded from an ideal learning experience. Students within the Carlson Community have responsibilities to one another and to the community at large.

A. Personal Responsibility
The cornerstone of the Honor Code is personal responsibility. In that light, students who engage in academic misconduct (as defined in section 3) will bear full responsibility for their actions and are subject to the procedures defined in the Honor Code.

 

B. Reporting Academic Misconduct
As a community, academic misconduct affects the entire Carlson MBA Program. It is to the entire community’s benefit to be self-monitoring. In most instances, students are encouraged to uphold the spirit of the Honor Code by resolving misconduct issues through communication with one another. However, if a case presents unique circumstances, this may warrant full process review with any of the following parties:

• Carlson Full-Time MBA Program Director
  
• Instructor for the course
  
• Director, Student Affairs, Full-Time MBA Program
  
• Academic Review Committee (ARC) Member
  
• Associate Dean of MBA Programs

 

v) Faculty Responsibility
To encourage the professional and academic growth of all Carlson MBA community members, Carlson School faculty will be responsible for adhering to the following guidelines:

• At the beginning of each course, the instructor is responsible for specifying any demarcations between group and individual work. The specifications should be listed in the course syllabus or appropriate attachment.
  
• For non-group, individual examinations, the instructor will provide an examination environment that is conducive to individual work.
  
• Each instructor must include in the course syllabus or appropriate attachment any prohibition the instructor wishes to enforce with respect to students utilizing past exams. The absence of such a prohibition implicitly permits students to use such exams.
  
• Instructors should state clearly their test administration rules (time limitations and take home rules in respect to working collaboratively) within the text of their course syllabus.
  
• Upon notification of academic misconduct, the instructor will notify the accused student and the Carlson Full-Time MBA Program Director. Instructor must undertake one of the following actions:
  
  1. Decide upon appropriate sanction for accused student and report resolution to Full-Time MBA Program Director and Associate Dean of MBA Programs to be tracked in the Academic Misconduct Database.
     
  2. Request that the matter be turned over to the Academic Review Committee who will then decide on the appropriate sanctions against the student.

vi) Associate Dean of MBA Programs Responsibility
Instructors should report incidents of academic misconduct to the Full-Time MBA Office, for the purpose of revealing repeated offenses by individual students that may require counseling or disciplinary action at the program level.

All academic misconduct incidents and resolutions are to be reported to the Associate Dean of MBA Programs and recorded in an Academic Misconduct Database, maintained and updated by the Office of the Dean. Names of students and instructors involved in academic misconduct proceedings will be omitted from the Academic Misconduct Database.

When making decisions concerning sanctions against students accused of academic misconduct, instructors may utilize the Academic Misconduct Database as a resource. The Associate Dean of MBA Programs will appoint three faculty members to serve on the ARC. The Associate Dean of MBA Programs will serve as a consultant to faculty with questions regarding academic dishonesty.

vii) Academic Review Committee (ARC) Responsibility/ Composition
ARC will be comprised of four Full-Time MBA students and three faculty members. Two second-year MBA students and two first-year MBA students will be elected as ARC representatives each fall during the MBA Association elections. In the case that an ARC is convened for hearing, the Associate Dean of MBA Programs will appoint three faculty members at that time, identifying one as chair of the ARC committee. At the conclusion of the hearing, the ARC must report the result of the hearing (i.e. sanction imposed or dismissal of charges) to the Associate Dean of MBA Programs to be recorded in the Academic Misconduct Database. Additionally, ARC must report the result of the hearing to the Carlson MBA Program Director. The hearing will be conducted according to the University of Minnesota Student Discipline System that details policies for disciplinary procedures and the appeals process.

viii) Formal Academic Misconduct Complaint and Hearing Process
If the ARC is called to convene for a hearing, the following will apply:

• The Hearing
  The Associate Dean of MBA Programs shall convene an ARC to analyze the reported case of academic misconduct and to discipline the student as it deems appropriate, or to hear the student’s appeal against an instructor’s decision. In the hearing, the ARC will hear testimony from the accuser and the accused, as well as any other pertinent parties. The charges against the accused will be dismissed if the accuser wishes to remain anonymous.
  
• Disciplinary Action
  If the accused student is found guilty of academic misconduct the ARC will prescribe disciplinary action commensurate with the severity of the offenses. The sanctions may include the student retaking the test or resubmitting the assignment, assigning 0 credit for the test or assignment, assigning a failing grade for the entire course, oral or written warning, probation, suspension or dismissal from the Full-Time MBA Program. Details on possible disciplinary actions are found in section V of the “Standards of Student Conduct Enforceable by University Agencies”.

ix) Review and Appeal Process
In the case of Instructor-imposed sanctions, the student may appeal to the ARC in which case a hearing will be conducted. In the case of ARC-imposed sanctions, the student may appeal to the Dean of the Carlson School of Management.

Students may appeal ARC decisions with the University level appeal board, in accordance with policies of the Regents of the University of Minnesota. Information on filing an appeal is provided in sections III of “The Student Discipline System,” published by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. However, the ARC is also required to give the students complete information on procedure for filing an appeal against the ARC.

Though it is standard within the University of Minnesota for appeals of the collegiate level hearing body to go to the President’s Student Body Review Panel, a student can appeal an ARC decision with the Dean of the Carlson School of Management if they wish to do so.

x) Teams and Group Projects

Introduction
The Carlson School of Management (CSOM) understands the importance of teams and group projects in both academic and professional careers. To accommodate this important method of learning, teams have been set up for your “Core” classes. A majority of your grade in “Core” classes, as well as in subsequent classes, reflect group assignments. As such, the spirit of “honor” must be upheld in group assignments as well as in individual work. Upholding the spirit of “honor” in learning and project outputs will maintain CSOM’s reputation of the highest integrity, honesty, and excellence in the quality of work in its students.

The following details characteristics of the spirit of the “honor code” for team projects and assignments throughout your education at CSOM. In addition, the third section will detail procedures to follow in situations where mediation is necessary.

Honor Code for Team Assignments/Projects
Listed below are characteristics of the Honor Code to uphold for team projects:

• Each member must respect and treat all others in a professional manner.
  
• All individuals must be allowed to voice their opinions, thoughts, and concerns.
  
• All individuals must also take personal responsibility to voice their thoughts to benefit the team’s learning. Contribution to the learning of the team includes functions of time and quality of work produced.
  
• Teams must feel all members are responsible, engaged, and committed to a high quality of group work.
  
• All members of each team must participate in group projects at a level agreed upon by the entire team. Failure to fulfill this level will not be tolerated and any “free-riding” will be determined a code of ethics breach. “Free-riding” is defined by:
  1. An individual not devoting as much time in the group as the remaining members; and
  2. An individual’s quality of work is not at a consistent MBA caliber or level desired by the team. (The idea is to give your “best” in group work.)
     
• The over-arching objective is to maintain a cohesive and productive group dynamic that will enhance your learning experience. It is also an on-going principle of CSOM to provide a supportive environment to maintain this objective.

Procedures
Should problems arise that cannot be resolved within the group; actions should be taken to rectify the situation. The following lists the procedure for gaining assistance in correcting group breakdown and possible consequences that may result.

• All members of each group must make every attempt to rectify any disputes or disagreements encountered. If a resolution can not be reached, the entire team must seek assistance from the MBA office. The MBA office will listen to the team and offer suggestions on ways to improve the group process.
  
• All members of the group must actively work on suggestions proposed by the MBA office.
  
• Steps one and two must be repeated until a satisfactory level of group dynamics is achieved.
  
• Only under the most extreme and rare circumstances will the MBA office consider alternative methods of group resolution and equitable consequences.

V. Code of Classroom Etiquette

i) Statement on the Classroom Environment
The academic rigor of the Carlson MBA Program demands that the environment of the classroom be conducive to learning. Because norms vary from one institution to another, and individuals vary in their perception of what constitutes an appropriate learning environment, student leaders of the MBA Association have partnered with administration in defining what specific guidelines for student behavior should exist in the Carlson MBA Program. These guidelines are provided in the following "Code of Classroom Etiquette." You will be expected to respect these guidelines in all of your classes. Individual faculty may have additional requirements or conditions within their individual classes.

ii) The Carlson MBA Code of Classroom Etiquette
The Carlson MBA Code of Classroom Etiquette was developed to help promote a classroom culture that is based on respect for the physical and the social environment. Its ultimate goal is to help promote an environment in the classroom that is conducive to learning and maximizes the learning potential of all students.

The Carlson MBA Code of Classroom Etiquette was initiated by MBA students for MBA students with the partnership and participation of faculty and administration of the Carlson MBA Program. It acknowledges that many members of the Carlson MBA student body do not need a Code of Classroom Etiquette, per se, with the majority of students already possessing excellent interpersonal skills and understanding of business etiquette and protocol. However, the Carlson Community also acknowledges that there are different styles or expectations of classroom protocol, from institution to institution, and from professor to professor, as well as from within the business sector. In response to this variation, the Carlson MBA Code of Classroom Etiquette attempts to define the standards of etiquette for our community, towards helping new MBA students quickly understand our culture and the expectations for their own behavior. In that spirit, the Carlson MBA Classroom Etiquette Code was developed.

Carlson MBA Students will be expected to understand and adhere to the following guidelines for their participation and behavior in respect to the classroom environment.

iii) Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend the first class session and all classes throughout the semester, unless professors set different expectations in the class syllabus. Failure to attend the first class session can result in losing one's seat in the course.

If circumstances arise that a student cannot attend class, the student should notify the professor in advance. If a student misses a class session, it is the student's responsibility to obtain materials and notes covered in class that day and they should not expect professors to go over the material with them individually.

iv) Punctuality
Students are expected to arrive for class on time so that the professor can start and end the class according to schedule. It is the professor's prerogative to establish guidelines and protocol for those arriving more than five minutes late. If faculty members provide a break during the class, students should abide by the time allotted by the faculty member.

Acknowledging that there are sometimes factors beyond one's control that will result in arriving late to class, students arriving late should wait until the end of class to get any handouts or course materials passed out before or during class. Similarly, students should wait until the end of class to hand in required assignments.

v) Exiting and Entering
Students are expected to remain in the classroom for the duration of the class. If a student must depart early due to unavoidable circumstances, the student should inform the instructor before class. Only in unusual circumstances, such as illness or emergency, will leaving and re-entering the classroom be considered appropriate behavior.

vi) Classroom Decorum
Students should demonstrate respect for the professor and for fellow students during the class period. As in a professional conference or formal business meeting, students will be expected to refrain from potentially distracting behavior such as eating during class, using laptops to surf the Web, play games or check email, or holding side conversations. Students are asked to turn cell phones off during all classes and special events. It is the prerogative of each faculty member to set the tone for his or her class, and faculty may set different standards, if they so choose.

Faculty members will dismiss the class at the conclusion of each session. Students should avoid packing-up materials while a faculty member is speaking, regardless of the time.

Preparation for class should be done outside of class time. Students should refrain from reading assigned materials and materials for other classes, magazine articles, and other materials during lectures.

Guest speakers are an integral part of the Carlson School’s tradition of experiential learning. Often, students are involved with making arrangements and greeting the speakers. Therefore, students are encouraged to view themselves as ambassadors and representatives of the Carlson School and adhere to classroom decorum during interactions with guest lecturers.

vii) Laptop Computer Policy
A Carlson MBA student’s laptop computer will be an integral part of their studies. Students will use it in class and out of class to take notes, conduct research and write papers. Students will also use it to access Class Net, Carlson’s course management system, where professors may post documents and set up electronic discussion areas. Students will use email to communicate with team members and instructors, as well as to exchange materials. The building is well outfitted with access points so that students will be able to do these activities from a variety of convenient locations.

a) Classroom Use

When class is in session, students must use their laptop only as directed by their professor. Students shall avoid any activities such as checking email or playing games that diminish their – or their classmates’ – engagement with the instructional activity. In general, students should keep in mind that the use of laptops should add to the classroom environment, not detract from it. If students are unsure whether a given activity is appropriate, they are encouraged to ask their instructor.

b) Exams

Laptops open up new possibilities for cheating during exams, but students should remember that this is still cheating. Accessing web sites and other materials or electronic messaging are prohibited unless the instructor gives the students express permission. Students with laptops are under the same code of conduct as students without laptops and any infraction of that code will be dealt with just as severely. During exams, laptops should only be used as directed by the instructor.

c) Events External to the Classroom

In the spirit of creating a professional environment at the Carlson School, students will also be responsible for any inappropriate laptop usage during speaker engagements, specialized workshops, and events. Providing a positive, engaging experience for corporate and alumni partners who volunteer their time and energy to address the student body is essential to building the reputation of the MBA program. Therefore, during these events, students should avoid any activities such as checking email or surfing the web that diminish their engagement with these speakers.

d) Consequences of Misuse

Misuse of laptops will at the very least affect a student’s participation grade. Grievous misuse or continued abuse that creates a distraction within the intended learning environment will lead to further disciplinary action.

viii) Guidelines for Class Participation
In addition, students should respect the rights of other students to contribute to class discussion and should avoid monopolizing class discussions. Students should be mindful of different levels of skills or abilities of their peers in speaking fluently and confidently during classroom discussions and make efforts to promote a tolerant and fair environment for all class members. Therefore, it is suggested that individuals raise their hands, rather than volunteer answers, to allow everyone in the class an equal opportunity to participate in the discussion. Again, it is the prerogative of the faculty member to define the tone and process for classroom participation.

ix) Respect for the Physical Environment

During events, training workshops, and classes: Unlike a hotel or conference facility, the Carlson School is part of a large, public institution with limited resources for cleaning and maintenance. Therefore, students are expected to show respect and care for our building by bussing their own dishes, soda cans, plates, utensils, and trash.

 

In the classroom and in breakout rooms: After group meetings, students should discard all trash, push in chairs, and wipe any eraser marks, crumbs or other remnants from the room.

 

For MBA Association or school-sponsored events or social gatherings: Students will again be expected to show respect and care for our building by bussing their own dishes, soda cans, plates, utensils, and trash. Furthermore, it is suggested that students planning an event should contact Facilities Management to request additional waste bins and to notify them of additional trash. Facilities Management can be contacted by phone at 612-625-2001.

Facilities Management should also be notified of maintenance problems in all rooms or of major spills or breakage that require clean up.

VI. The MBA Association
i) Statement of Purpose
The Carlson MBA Association (MBAA) exists to improve the Carlson experience. The MBAA adds value to the education of Carlson School MBA students through extracurricular community, corporate, organizational, and student activities. It serves as a liaison between MBA students and administration as well as a forum for students to voice concerns about the MBA program.

The MBAA’s objectives are as follows:

• To be the voice of the MBA student body
  
• To be the active link between MBA student, administration, faculty, and global community
  
• To facilitate learning, involvement, and interaction both inside and outside of class that fosters an active, open, and fun culture
  
• To unite students, school, and community optimizing their interaction to provide a top business education and memorable experiences
  

Membership is automatic to all Carlson MBA students without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or sexual orientation. Members are encouraged to participate in MBA Association activities or events, as well as to develop leadership skills by assisting with the planning and promotion of these activities/events.

Elections are held each spring semester. Elected officers consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. First- and second-year students represent elected committee chairs. For more information of the MBAA and the election process visit http://www.csom.umn.edu/Page931.aspx.

They invite you to contact them about questions and concerns about the student environment. They can be reached through email at MBAA@csom.umn.edu.

MBA Programs Office - Support to Clubs & Student Groups
The Full-Time MBA Office provides information, support, and resources to MBA students chairing committees or leading clubs or other official student groups. Contact Jon Ruzek, Associate Director of Student Affairs, at (612) 626-6249 or via email at ruzek010@umn.edu for more information.