O.C. and Linda Ferrell, both business professors at the University of New Mexico and highly respected scholars in business education and ethics, will speak during the Daniels Fund Ethics Seminar hosted by NMSU’s College of Business. (Courtesy photo)

NMSU faculty and staff members interested in ethics instruction in higher education are invited to attend the inaugural Daniels Fund Ethics Seminar. The event will take place from 9-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 26, in Guthrie Hall Room 100.

The interactive seminar on applied ethics is designed to help faculty and staff members interested in incorporating ethics into their classrooms and other areas of campus. It will focus on teaching strategies and bringing a more applied perspective to ethics education.

The event will feature O.C. and Linda Ferrell, both business professors at the University of New Mexico and highly respected scholars in business education and ethics. They will share their knowledge and experience with broad-based programs in ethics education as well as best practices for bringing greater relevance to ethics in the lives of students, faculty, practitioners and community leaders.

“These are two of the country’s leading ethicists,” said Business Dean Garrey Carruthers. “Their insight will be valuable and this event fits perfectly with our goal of developing new and innovative ways to teach ethics.”

The seminar is part of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative, whose goal is to strengthen principle-based ethics education and to foster a high standard of ethics in young people. Earlier this year, the NMSU College of Business announced it would receive $1.25 million over the next five years from the Daniels Fund to develop a principle-based ethics program.

For more information about the seminar, contact Elise Sautter at esautter@nmsu.edu.

Michael Hyman, marketing professor at New Mexico State University, will serve as the Stan Fulton Chair in Marketing at NMSU’s College of Business. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

Michael Hyman, a marketing professor at New Mexico State University, has been named the Stan Fulton Chair in Business at NMSU’s College of Business.

“I’m honored to be the first person selected as the Stan Fulton Chair,” Hyman said. He currently teaches marketing research and sports marketing as well as doctoral level courses in marketing theory and applied research methods.

The Stan Fulton Chair was created by a $1 million gift from Stan Fulton, owner of Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino. Earnings from the endowment are used to support the salary of the faculty member holding the chair, as well as program development and other needs.

The Stan Fulton Chair is structured for a senior faculty member to mentor junior faculty members as well as doctoral students. A recommendation for the chair is made by the college’s faculty council and then sent to the dean for approval.

“Mike Hyman completely immerses himself in the scholarship of discovery,” said Elise “Pookie” Sautter, department head for marketing. “His insightful research and writing skills make him highly sought after as a reviewer, as a co-author and an invaluable asset to our marketing Ph.D. program.”

As part of his responsibilities, Hyman will work with Chris Erickson, an NMSU economics professor, to produce New Mexico Business Outlook, an online publication highlighting various aspects of business in the state. Hyman will focus particularly on ethics and public policy, and provide a preliminary venue for faculty members to publish their work.

Hyman earned his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1984. He taught at the University of Houston and the University of North Texas before joining the NMSU faculty in 1993. Author of more than 100 published scholarly papers and current member of nine journal editorial review boards, he previously held the Wells Fargo and NationsBank professorships in the College of Business. His research interests include consumers’ response to advertising, marketing ethics, survey research methods and knowledge acquisition in academia.

There are four, $1 million or more chairs in the College of Business. They include the Mountain States Insurance Group Endowed Chair, the Garrey E. and Katherine T. Carruthers Chair in Economic Development, the Robin T. Peterson Endowed Chair in Marketing and the Stan Fulton Chair.

Dr. Elise “Pookie” Sautter. (NMSU Photo by Darren Phillips)

New Mexico State University Professor Elise “Pookie” Sautter has been named as the new department head for marketing in the NMSU College of Business. She will officially assume her duties Jan. 10.

“She is a very popular person around campus and I suspect she’ll be widely recognized as the right person for the job,” said Business Dean Garrey Carruthers. “She is certainly an asset to our college and NMSU. Her concern for and rapport with students will cause her to be a standout department head.”

The Marketing Department has nine faculty members including Sautter. She has been a faculty member in the College of Business since 1989 and served as assistant dean in 1996 and 1997.

“I’m excited about working with the administrative team,” said Sautter. “It’s hard to make improvements over our last department head, Gerald Hampton. I’m just hoping I can bring some good ideas to benefit our faculty.”

Sautter said she thinks it will be a challenge to find a balance between her new responsibilities and the teaching aspect of her job.

“I get the most enjoyment out of teaching,” she said. “I know the other department heads feel the same way.”

Sautter has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and marketing and a doctorate in marketing from Florida State University.

The New Mexico State University Honors College will launch a new communitywide event, “Great Conversations,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum.

“‘Great Conversations’ is a new, unique event in Southern New Mexico featuring prominent community leaders and NMSU professors hosting conversations on diverse, exciting and stimulating topics,” said Bill Eamon, dean of the Honors College.

Arranged much like a dinner party, “Great Conversations” allows participants to select a topic they would like to discuss during a buffet dinner. The conversations will be hosted by Honors faculty and guest experts. Tables are set to seat 10, and a different conversation topic is assigned to each table in advance.

More than 40 topics are available on a variety of subjects, such as global warming, the Middle East crisis, stem cell research, as well as art, culture, the music industry in America, collecting antiques and many more.

Jason Ackleson, associate dean of the Honors College and assistant professor in the NMSU government department, will lead guests at his table in a conversation about border security in the age of terrorism.

“I selected this topic because of its relevance to this region and the country as a whole. The border, and what we do about it, is one of the central issues facing the U.S. right now,” Ackleson said.

Ackleson said he sees the event as an opportunity for the community and the university to engage in mutual dialogue on interesting topics.

“This is a unique opportunity for members of the community to engage in a fun and thought-provoking way with the faculty of NMSU,” he said.

Elise “Pookie” Sautter, a professor of marketing at NMSU, agreed.

“We are blessed to have many persons in our community that can bring diverse interests and perspectives to focus on topics of critical importance in today’s society,” she said. “The informal exchange gives university scholars an opportunity to dialogue and learn from others who have much to share from their own personal experiences.”

Sautter will lead a conversation about the psychology of marketing at her table.

“I think it is useful for all consumers to be aware of what marketers are trying to do so they can make informed choices,” she said.

Sautter indicated that the impact of technology will be a big focus of the conversation.

“This event increases public awareness about the important cultural and intellectual role that NMSU plays in the city of Las Cruces and the state of New Mexico,” Eamon said. “Everybody loves dinner time conversation; it should be informative and fun.”

Proceeds from the event will fund scholarships for NMSU Honors students and sponsorships are currently available to businesses and organizations ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 each.

“Sponsorship opportunities are a great way for the community to support scholarships for these outstanding students,” Eamon said. “The community rarely gets to interact with faculty and students in an informal setting. This is an opportunity to meet with the community and let them know about vital teaching and research at NMSU and raise money for scholarships at the same time.”

Tickets are $75 per person, $55 for recent NMSU graduates (2002-2007) or individuals can sponsor attendance of a current Honors student for $50.

To register for the event or for more information about sponsorships, call (575) 646-2005 or visit http://honors.nmsu.edu/gc/.

Elise Pookie Sautter, a professor of marketing at New Mexico State University, is the 2005 New Mexico Professor of the Year. (NMSU photo by Darren Phillips)

Elise “Pookie” Sautter, a professor of marketing at New Mexico State University, has been selected as the 2005 New Mexico Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

The award was announced today (Thursday, Nov. 17) in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country – those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring professors.

To win professor of the year was a surprise to Sautter, but finding out what her colleagues and former students thought about her and her work was “the bonus, the icing on the cake,” she said.

The award process requires letters of support from students and/or faculty.

“Unmistakably Pookie,” one former student wrote of Sautter’s classroom environment. “It encourages you to reach beyond the status quo, be creative, take a few gambles and walk away a better person for having learned from your success or lack thereof.”

“Dr. Sautter is dedicated to undergraduate teaching and the personal and professional development of our students, and her success serves as a constant source of praise, pride and acclaim,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of the College of Business. “She constantly seeks new ways to spark greater student enthusiasm for the learning process, and is never afraid to take personal risks when attempting to gain quality undergraduate student learning.”

Sautter often experiments with different learning technologies to help instructors and students find more efficient and effective ways in achieving desired learning outcomes.

“Innovation and learning technologies provide the fountain of youth for learning because innovation can rejuvenate and sustain enthusiasm in the learning environment,” Sautter said.

“It keeps things interesting not only for me but for the students as well,” she said. “They like to see the classroom environment change, they know the world is that way and so they think that should be happening in their classrooms as well.”

Sautter, a native of Tampa, Fla., received her Ph.D in business administration from Florida State University.

Her numerous awards include the Great Teacher in Marketing award by the Society for Marketing Advances; the Westhafer Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest recognition NMSU gives its faculty, and the Roush Award, given to one instructor from each NMSU college based on feedback provided in NMSU student exit interviews. Twice she received the College of Business Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award.

In addition, Sautter has served as a faculty adviser for several groups on campus, including 15 years with NMSU’s student chapter of the American Marketing Association. She has served on the national advisory board for the marketing association’s Collegiate Chapters Division, chairperson for the National Marketing CLEP Test Development Committee and on the editorial review boards of three marketing pedagogy journals. She is the editor of Marketing Education Review.

This is the fifth time an NMSU professor has received the New Mexico Professor of the Year Award. The late Ricardo Aguilar-Melantzon, a professor of Spanish, was honored in 2003; Sherry K. Mills, associate professor of accounting, was honored in 2002; G. Larry Mays, a professor of criminal justice, was honored in 1997; and Wenda Trevathan, professor of anthropology, was honored in 1994.

Thirty-nine New Mexico State University main campus and three Doña Ana Branch Community College faculty members were featured in the 8th edition of “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers,” published in October 2004.

Honored from the NMSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics are Martha J. Desmond and Gary W. Roemer of the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department; Gregory Francesco Blanch and Priscilla Cross Bloomquist, Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management; and Jerry M. Hawkes, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business.

Professors from the College of Arts and Sciences named to the directory are Cynthia Lynn Bejarano, G. Larry Mays and Latham Thomas Winfree Jr., Criminal Justice; Nancy V.A. Baker and William A. Taggart, Government; Cecilia R. Pino, Languages and Linguistics; Beth Pollack, head of the Languages and Linguistics Department; Deana C. Dunlavy, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Anne P. Hubbell, Communication Studies; Irene Neumann Brown, English; Caroline Perkins Sweezy, Mathematical Sciences; Christine Clark Sanders, Music; and Michael Edwin West, Physics.

Honored from the College of Business Administration and Economics are Kevin K. McNelis, Ed Scribner and Cindy Seipel, Accounting; Nina H. Compton, Finance; James Thomas Peach, Economics; and Elise “Pookie” Sautter, Marketing.

Professors from the College of Education named to the directory are Nancy E. Baptiste, Stanley Roland Lopez, Luis Vicente Reyes and Kyle David Shanton of Curriculum and Instruction; Susan Wightman Brown and Joyce A. Hill of the Education Research Center; Cheryl Ann Coker, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; and Kristine Renee Derer, Special Education and Communication Disorders.

Professors from the College of Engineering named to the directory are Clinton B. Woodward Jr., Civil Engineering; Edward Pines, Electrical Engineering; Kwong Tai Ng, Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Steven M. Frank, Surveying.

Honored from the College of Health and Social Services are Jeffrey Earl Brandon, dean of the college, and Mary M. Hoke, Nursing Department head.

Terry L. Cook of the Center for Learning Assistance also is listed.

From DABCC, honorees are Michelle Victoria Guzman-Armijo, English; Kate Rhodes, Health and Public Services Division; and Edgar R. Roman, Health Occupations Program.

“Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” honors educators nominated by students from “Who’s Who Among American High School Students,” “Who’s Who Among American High School Students-Sports Edition” and “The National Dean’s List.” It is the only recognition program in the education field where the ultimate consumers of education — the students — have the opportunity and responsibility to honor the teachers who have most significantly impacted their lives.

About 156,000 teachers are featured in the 8th edition of the “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” directory. The first edition was published in 1990 and, beginning in 2004, the directory will be published annually.

Elise "Pookie" Sautter, NMSU marketing professor, helps a student in one of her classes. (NMSU photo by Michael Kiernan)

It seems you cannot open a newspaper or turn on the television these days without seeing or hearing about the marvels of electronic commerce. But is it really all it’s cracked up to be? Elise “Pookie” Sautter of New Mexico State University’s College of Business says it can be a very strong medium for businesses who take advantage of its capabilities.

The Internet is an incredibly powerful tool, Sautter said. “It’s like a new industrial revolution. It really can change the way we do things.”

Electronic business, also known as e-business, goes beyond buying and selling over the Internet. It includes using the Internet for any business function, including communicating with employees, customers and suppliers, distributing product and company information and conducting market research.

Sautter, an associate professor of marketing, is team-teaching E-commerce and Marketing Relationships, one of three e-business classes offered this semester in NMSU’s business college. The other courses address business models of e-business and how e-business influences the traditional U.S. economic structure.

The courses were developed because business college faculty recognized the need to keep students up-to-date with the newest business methods. They used a grass-roots approach to develop an e-team composed of members from many of the college’s departments to explore incorporating e-commerce topics into the college’s curriculum.

To keep themselves current, faculty members spend time online, looking for samples of both practical and ineffective uses of e-business. Sautter often shares these cases with her class, and requires the students to find their own examples. “It’s important to know what’s out there,” she said. “They need to see what the possibilities are.”

She believes e-business will help New Mexico “go beyond where we are now.” Because the state is so reliant on small or family businesses, it is important for them to see the variety of opportunities e-business presents, she said. Before now, business “has traditionally seen the value of the Internet only at a global or national level,” Sautter said. “Now we are beginning to see how we can utilize it at the local level.”

For example, if a city’s Chamber of Commerce were to set up a Web site linking to local businesses, those small businesses would have a way of getting browsers to their sites, and could extend special offers to online customers. Businesspeople often think they need to advertise on television and by direct mail, which can be expensive, Sautter said. These examples would offer small businesses easily affordable promotional opportunities and expanded market access.

“True e-commerce, buying and selling, is a very small part of what the Internet is used for,” Sautter said. “Many don’t recognize the broader advantages offered by e-business.”

In addition to offering a cost-effective way to reach key audiences with information and promotions, another significant advantage is improved communication. The ability to network and communicate more efficiently with others in the supply chain, including suppliers, customers and business-to-business transactions, is valuable, Sautter said.

Although e-business can provide benefits for small businesses, there are some pitfalls they should watch out for. One of the most common mistakes in creating Web sites is putting too much glitz on the screen, thus making it load slowly, Sautter said. Users will leave the site.

Also, given that New Mexico is likely below the mark on Internet infrastructure, it is a good idea to always provide a text-only option to Web pages, which viewers can use if the full graphics mode is too slow, Sautter advised.

Certainly, e-mail expectations are another issue, she agreed. She recommended having a policy stated online, such as that someone will respond to e-mail within 48 hours. “Similarly, the task needs to be assigned to a particular person or persons in the business to be sure it is handled in a timely and systematic fashion,” she said.

Finally, Sautter recommends changing the Web page frequently to keep customers coming back to the site, rather than visiting it once and never having a reason to come back.