Professor Elam

Cengage Update

Thursday January 31 2013

 Your sales and support team forwarded your inquiry to technical support. I wanted to let you know that the display view for all students in the following courses has been corrected:

* Intermed Acct I (T&R) - Course Key: E-TWQN3AFX4Q8AE *

Intermediate Acct I (M&W) - Course Key: E-TWQNPDHRH26E9 *

 Intermediate Acct. II (T&R) - Course Key: E-TWQN4Q2AZAX43

What this means is that your students have a single course listing with an open button (instead of more than one open button leading to CengageNOW). Additionally, any prompt to pay has been removed. You still have a small number of students who have not yet registered--once they register the codes we have provided them, they too will have this corrected view of the courses they are part of. These students still need to register with CengageNOW: E

-TWQNPDHRH26E9 ACCT 3311 MW 800 2451

 Beard,

 Shelia Garza,

 Charles Hill,

 Jeremy Olinick,

 Jenna Salazar,

Stephanie

Accounting Student of the Year

Thursday January 31 2013

 It's that time of the year again, we need nominations for the Accounting Student of the Year. OUr past winners include Arturo Villareal, Ericka Martinez, and Remi DeLouche.

We are looking for students who not only display academic ability but have been active on campus. The winner will have his or her name inscribed on the plaque and accompany me to the Awards Ceremony at the Oak Hill CC later this semester. Students need to be taking a 4000 level class at this time to be considered.

YOu can obtain a form from your professor or right here at my Office 181 directly behind Cynthia and Renee.

IBM Paterners to Create Water Derivative

Wednesday January 30 2013

IBM partners with Waterfund to create a new global water index. This wil reflect the actual cost of producing water. Now wter is priced under its cost.

We are studying derivatives in class. Here is another creative used of a derivative. No doubt this will lead to a water futures contract as well as a water ETF. And if IBM is involved you know this is a serious matter.

This is the perfect examplle of why we are studying derivatives, expect more creative uses of these instruments in the future.

Tour the Orbital Lab

Monday January 28 2013

Space station Commander JUanita Williams gives a tour of the Orbital Laboratory. 

She is ine a weightless environment, floating around, and interestingly wearing shorts and socks. 

She has a nice head of hair, I wonder how you cut and capture long hair in outer space?

It looks like the world's most expensive camp out. 

E Book Printing for Intermediate Acct Now Available

Monday January 28 2013

Hi Dr. Elam I wanted to confirm that the e-books for both Acct 3311 ( has been on the site since 1/14) and Acct 3312 are now live on the Office Depot site. If any students need assistance in placing their orders or logging in with the access please refer them to me. I do apologize for any delays this may have caused students. Again I am here to help the students in way I can. I have late hours on Tuesdays from 10-7.  

 

Best Regards,

 

Michelle Martin

E-Book Program Coordinator

Texas A&M University-San Antonio

(210)784-2307

mmartin@tamusa.tamus.edu

www.tamusa.tamus.edu

 

IMA Scholarship

Monday January 28 2013

I have emphasized the numerous and diverse accounting certifications available. To that end I have delivered Continuing  Professional Education to both the San Antonio Institute of Management Accountants as well as their Texas Council and a national committee. A member of IMA has reminded me fo this scholarship opportunity. Note you must join the IMA. 

____________

The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA®), the world’s leading organization dedicated to supporting accountants and financial professionals in business, is accepting applications for its scholarship programs: The Memorial Education Fund (MEF) and the Stuart Cameron and Margaret McLeod Memorial Scholarships, now through February 15, 2013.  Interested students can download an application form at IMA’s website athttp://www.imanet.org/PDFs/Public/Scholarships_Rewards/2013Schl%20MEF_SCMS_Flyer.pdf. 

Any IMA student member who has not previously received an IMA scholarship is encouraged to apply. MEF Scholarships are given at both the undergraduate and graduate student levels, and are based on academic merit and strength of outside recommendations, among other criteria. The scholarships carry awards ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.

In addition, any student who applies for an MEF Scholarship is automatically considered for the prestigious Stuart Cameron and Margaret McLeod Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship, which carries a $5,000 award, is given to one individual among the entire scholarship application pool who exemplifies excellence in all eligibility criteria. The award also includes lodging, transportation, and registration to IMA’s Annual Conference & Exposition in June and the IMA Student Leadership Conference in November.  

The Stuart Cameron and Margaret McLeod Memorial Scholarship is bestowed annually by the Stuart Cameron McLeod Society (SCMS).  Founded in 1934, SCMS is a special membership community within IMA whose members share a long history of service to IMA.

The deadline to submit scholarship applications is February 15, 2013; winners are announced on or before April 30, 2013.   For complete information and application forms, please visit athttp://www.imanet.org/PDFs/Public/Scholarships_Rewards/2013Schl%20MEF_SCMS_Flyer.pdf.

 

Please note that to be eligible to participate in any of these awards, students must be IMA members.  Also, note that IMA is currently offering a limited time $25 (normally $39) new student membership opportunity available through February 28th.  Go tohttp://www.imanet.org/ima_student_programs/student_membership.aspx?hq_e=el&hq_m=1175258&hq_l=4&hq_v=7f92483fb1.  The discount code is  STUMEM2513.  For more information about IMA, please visit www.imanet.org.

 

Getting Off to a Fast Start on Monday, and Your Accounting Career

Monday January 28 2013

It is 8:33 AM and I have just concluded reading scanning underlining the Monday WSJ. How many TAMUSA business students did that I wonder?  here are a few things I learned or  caught up on. 

• The US lead from behind strategy continues to embolden terrorists, they studied and had knowledge of the plant from unskilled workers, a bit better intel and they could have blown up the plant. 
• A few years back San Antonio was named one of the fattest cities in America. This makes SA ground zero for diabetes research. More American kids face the risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Observation, where are the plans to use our gym at Brooks to encourage physical fitness/
• Another Armstrong Charity cuts ties to Lance, too bad, Athletes for Hope was organized to convince athletes to work with existing charities rather than start their own. 
• Attitudes harden in Washington with Obama's picks for his Cabinet and posts. The WSJ notes that Treasury Designate Lew came from Citicorp, one of the worst performing banks that Obama says was the problem. 
• L Gordon Crovitz notes that Milton Freidman warned Silicon Valley of getting involved with the government, now the government complains of excessive Silicon Valley lobbying. 
• Will South America ever deliver the living standards of their commodity rich continent to its citizens? Mary O Grady writes an excellent column on South and Central America every monday Today she presents the idea of Direct Distribution Mechanism which would move oil revenue to citizens rather than through the government. This past year to win re election Chavez boosted government spending to 50% of GDP, ouch. 
• Engineers of Victory a book review describes how lesser known figures conquered the logistics of WW II. 
• Taxes matter as the article Mickelson and the Sports Start Tax Migration shows. A significant number of sports starts now reside outside California, I mentioned this last week. 
• France lacks the air and navy support to get its troops to Mali. Observation, the opposition in Mali probably reads the WSJ. 
• Heard on the Street on page C 8 is particularly interesting. It describes how various grades of oil are priced depending on where produced and the logistic difficulty of getting it to market. We are discussing futures and options and their pricing in class, anyone interested?

Every day a student tells me he or she wants to be a CPA. I have designed an intermediate accounting program to get you there, but you have to embrace it, dive into it, and make it your own. 

SA Express news Endorses Mayor's Suggestion of Ethics Czar (Auditor)

Weekend January 27 2013

The SA Express News has abandoned all semblance of journalistic fourth rail integrity regarding our Mayor. Indeed the paper reads more like the Mayor Castro Fan Club. Governonr Perry is continually under fire for his security expenses. I have yet to see a word on the Security Expenses for our globe trotting Mayor. But I digress. 

Today the SA Express News  endorses the idea of an Ethics Auditor, an idea Castro proposesd last week. I visited the idea in an earlier post.  In their own words, an ethics auditor will make sure such officials do know when such conflicts occur. 

Now what is wrong with this picture?  Here is where critical thinking comes in. 

1. Ethics should not arise externally to city officials, they should know first hand how to behave. This would result from explicit on line training as well as discussion groups using real world cases involving ethics. The rules need to be laid down prior to potentail violations not after. 

2. This is classic big governent lock the gate after the cows are out thinking. Handily the paper excuses Mayor Castro from any oversight responsbilibity. He was there on throughout this entire DiGiovanni Affair, and he is a lawyer. Where is the Mayor's responsibility to set the tone at the top? And what about our $355,000 City Manager, does that kind of money not buy some oversight?

3. Just wondering, does the Express News have an Ethics Auditor?  I bet not. But since we are spending other people's money it's a great idea for the City. By the way the City already has both an Ethics review Board and an comprehensive Internal Audit Department. Why not use existing resources?

4. The revolving door of City Council Members doing business with various City entities should already be verbotten. Again, where was the Mayor on this one, no doubt in London or making promoting pre Kindergarten education for 4 year olds. 

The media should fill a vital role of questioning all hte actions of elected officials and holding them accountable. In this instance the Paper has given the Mayor a free pass. And of course the Paper never really took a osition on whether the  DiGiovanni admonishment was appropriate. 

Persistence

Friday Jan 25 2013

Robin Wong suggests the key to success is persistence.

 

The honest truth is, there is no shortcut. You cannot bypass the steps of going through all the failures, or shooting all the ordinary photographs, until you finally be able to achieve something beyond the normal photographs. I still find most of my photographs looking rather similar to what anyone else can find on the web when you just google street photography. I think it is the ultimate desire for any photographer to be known for his distinctive style in whatever he shoots, and it surely takes a lot of time for that to develop. No matter how many workshops you attend, no matter how much books you have read, you will not go much further, unless you put in more time shooting and actually making photographs happen. I know, because I have shot so much crap, and you can still find my digital junk photos all published here (proudly) over the course of many years in my archives. Some photographers would cringe when they think of their earlier work, but I do not care. I admitted I was not that great as a photographer, there still is a lot to learn and explore, and my progress throughout the years was well documented. Only through all those crap shots, failures after failures I began to evolve and grow. Into what? Well I am not too sure myself, lets hope we all have the chance to find out.

One of my Dad's favorite movies was Spencer Tracy portraying Thomas Edison.

After trying 500 different things for an element to a light bulb, his assistant said

We have tried 500 things and we know no more than when we started

Edison replies

No we know 500 things that will not work.....

Bruce Howard on Non Verbal Communication

Friday January 25 2013

TAMUSA Student Alesha Heineman Provided us with a great summary of Bruce Howard's presentation yesterday.

Nonverbal Communication Notes from Mr. Howard’s lecture ·

55% of communication is indicated through body language! · Make a positive first impression. Dress for success! ·

5 Different types of nonverbal communication

1. Repetition- Example) Nodding your head up and down instead of saying yes.

2. Contradiction- Example) Frowning while greeting someone.

3. Substitution- Example) Smiling that you are excited instead of saying it.

4. Complimenting- Example) Patting someone on the back instead of saying, “Great job!”

5. Accenting- Example) Telling someone “No!” and pounding on the table at the same time. ·

Posture is important! Whether you are standing, sitting, walking, etc. ·

Be aware of gestures that you use while talking to someone. ·

Make eye contact but don’t stare down the person. Focus on their head. · Watch out for spacing.

Don’t get too close. · A handshake should consist of three shakes. ·

Your voice is a nonverbal communication. It is about the timing, pace, tone and direction. ·

Don’t use “ummmm”, “aaahhh” or “like” while speaking. ·

Prepare before an interview in order to be confident. · You should treat an interview like a test, study beforehand!