(Assignments and projects are grouped by department.)
Accounting, Finance & Economics
Toni Berbrick- Associate Professor of Accounting
"Case Studies in Internal Audit" (ACCT 525)- Conduct research to analyze why events such as a pandemic are a ripe opportunity for fraud. Apply the concepts they have learned over the past two semesters to identify specific risks for both companies and individuals. Explain methods to reduce vulnerability to fraud and best ways to protect themselves from becoming a victim.
Dr. Jayne Maas- Assistant Professor of Accounting
"Intermediate Accounting I" (ACCT 305)- Financial Impact of COVID-19 Project: Research and write a financial report on (1) 1st quarter 2020 earnings releases and data for a public company, (2) Identify and discuss the amounts and disclosures of items that have been recognized in 1Q earnings and (3) Discuss how these items impact reported earnings. Consider (for example)...Is the amount of expected additional loan loss provisions that financial institutions had to recognize because of expected loan defaults or unexpected drop in sales?
Dr. Nick Moellman- Assistant Professor of Economics
"Public Finance" (ECON 331)- Consider with the recent COVID-19 outbreak, many people are losing income from lost hours, lost jobs, and resources spent on prevention, health, and other disease related issues. Report why you think this outbreak is something that would be a good candidate for self-insurance.
Dr. Shirley Yi Shen- Assistant Professor of Finance
"Personal Finance" (FINC 311)- Virtual discussion on student's observations about the recent stock market environment and connect what they are learning about risk and return.
"Financial Policy Management" (FINC 680)- Virtual discussion with our students from Liuzhou, China about how Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges have performed versus what we have been seeing in the U.S. since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Computer Science & Quantitative Methods
Dr. Andrew Besmer- Assistant Professor of Computer Science
"Information Security" (CSCI 365)- Students assume the role of a hacker who wants to get access to some asset within an organization and plan their methods of attack against the organization. Then they take the role of a Cyber Security Officer within the organization and plan out the defenses that should be put in place to mitigate the attack. Students will harness the hacker side of the uniqueness of the COVID-19 crisis i.e. workers working remotely, using their own devices for work, etc.
Dr. Edie Dille- Assistant Professor of Quantitative Methods, Data Management Coordinator
"Quantitative Methods in Business" (QMTH 205)- Excel Project: (1) Visit the DHEC site for your county/state or country and track daily the number of confirmed cases and the number of deaths related to COVID-19 until April 22. Make an appropriate graph to visually display the data. Calculate the mean and standard deviation of confirmed cases and deaths for the time period covered. (2) Consider the changes you've had to make since the university's campus closed. Make a list of changes/adjustments you have had to make as a student/citizen. What have you learned from those changes? How might the changes help you be a better student? Will the changes/adaptations help you be better prepared the next time a crisis occurs either for the country or in your life?
Management & Marketing
Dr. Barbara Burgess-Wilkerson- Professor of Management, Director of Student Professional Development
"Business Communication and Professional Development" (MGMT 365)- Review the Emotional Intelligence tutorials posted online and engage in weekly discussions about how emotional intelligence strategies can assist in getting through the COVID-19 crisis.
Terri Guidry- Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems
"Business Information Systems" (MGMT 220)- Students will develop recommended procedures for a company of 70 employees who will now be allowing telecommuting to its employees for the first time. Concepts covered: Confidentiality of data, pros and cons of asynchronous vs synchronous virtual meetings, best practices for transmitting documents/data. Lastly, discuss issues related to accounting for time/attention to the task.
"Business Communication and Professional Development" (MGMT 365)- Communicating Bad News: Pay attention to the news and notice examples of bad news communicated very well or communicated poorly. Note: More than half of the students in the class found examples of poorly communicated news related to COVID-19.
Dr. Joanna Jackson- Assistant Professor of Health Care Management
"Introduction to Health Care Management" (HCMT 200)- Current Events: Students are picking a health management related article on COVID-19, share it and discuss it through their online discussion board.
"Health Care Economics and Finance" (HCMT 400)- Students are participating in discussion posts analyzing government intervention in health care markets in regards to current shortage of PPE and ventilators.
Dr. Michael Matthews- Associate Professor of Management (Health Care)
"The Health Care Manager" (HCMT 300)- Hosted an expert panel discussion on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak. The panelist discussed their biggest concerns and how they are addressing, planning and preparing for them. All 4 panelists were #WinthropCBA alums!
"Strategic & International Issues in Business" (MGMT 684-coming Summer 2020)- Develop a strategic plan for addressing a pandemic. Instead of the typical threat from other companies, focus on threats from viruses and what infrastructure is needed to deal with it.
Dr. Keith Robbins- Professor of Management, Chair-Management & Marketing Department
"Business Policy" (MGMT 480-Capstone)- Addition to current Strategic Analysis Project: When practicing special alert control, strategists attempt to anticipate cataclysmic events that- while not expected- if they were to occur could provide widespread disruptions that would present major threats or opportunities to businesses. Strategists attempt to anticipate disruptions and develop contingency strategies were the unexpected to become reality. Analyze the effects of COVID-19 on your company and its primary industry. (1) Did your company "see this coming" or had previously development strategies for dealing with this type of disruption? (2) Threat or Opportunity for your company? What is the immediate and likely, long-term effect on demand for your industry's product or service? (3) Which forces may become more or less powerful in terms of profitability for participants in your industry? i.e. Buyers, Suppliers, Substitutes, Potential Entrants, Rivalry among existing firms (4) Which industry participants - including your own firm - have resources that have become more significant in this environment? (5) Going forward, what are the long-term effects of the pandemic on your company? Strategically? Operationally? Tactically?
To learn more about our faculty, please visit www.winthrop.edu/cba/faculty.
