School of Business Administration opens for fall semester; John H. Wharton named director.
In the year 1919, the Americans stood on the threshold of unparalleled prosperity and promise.
School awards first B.S. degree to Ulderico Cornelio, of Milan, Italy.
Even during these early years, the School offered a broad range of four-year programs leading to a baccalaureate degree, as well as two-year certificate programs.
Automaker H.H. Franklin endows Franklin Chair in Transportation.
One of the earliest endowed transportation programs in the nation was made by noted entrepreneur and founder of the Franklin car H.H. Franklin.
School reorganized and renamed College of Business Administration, headed by Dean Wharton. AACSB accreditation granted.
By 1921 the School had become the second-largest degree conferring unit of the University. In the same year, it was reorganized and renamed the College of Business Administration. The faculty quickly grew from six instructors to 50. The curriculum was expanded, and more space was found in the building of the Joseph Slocum College of Agriculture.
Dean Wharton fatally shot April 2; Charles Lee Raper named dean.
The headline read “'Entire City and University Stunned by Sudden Tragedy!' Said Chancellor Day, "I am crushed with grief this is a tremendous blow to the University and to me personally. Dean Wharton was destined to immeasurably in the University’s steady and certain progress."
Six-year combination business and law program introduced.
The business school curriculum remained remarkably sensitive to the structural changes overtaking the American economy. Responding to the need for managers and lawyers to interpret and administer the complex structure of tariffs and quoted erected by the protectionists.
Specialization in Latin-American trade offered.
In cooperation with the Department of Romance Languages, the College introduced a four-year Latin-American trade sequence for “the purpose of training graduates for a career in Latin-American commerce."
War prompts University to introduce accelerated three-semester year, which remains in effect until 1949.
The University adopted an accelerated program that enabled students to complete their education in three calendar years or less. The newly created War Service College offered a program for students who expected to be called to active duty after their 18th birthday, and for those who wanted to train for essential employment in the industry.
M.S. degree program in accounting introduced.
In 1944 the M.S. degree in accounting is introduced largely in response to the desperate need for more and better systems of financial and cost control in response to the needs of the American defense economy. Thousands of Syracuse-trained managers played a vital role in the war effort. In industry, they contributed to the historic "production miracle" of World War II. In the armed forces, they achieved logistical triumphs never achieved before or since. While the courage of men and women in the armed forces was decisive. American efficiency gave the allies a critical edge.
A postwar influx of students requires expanded faculty and new courses in industrial and labor relations, aviation and international management.
In 1945, with the G.I. Bill as a spur, veterans flooded the campus, dramatically changing the character of the university.
Two-year sequences in air traffic management introduced.
In response to requests from the airlines, the transportation department introduced a two-year and four-year program in air traffic management.
MBA program introduced.
From the earliest years, students with B.S. degrees in business administration could undertake graduate study in master's and doctoral programs. With the creation of the MBA program in 1948, students coming from non-business backgrounds could also pursue a graduate degree in business.
Harry E. Salzberg Memorial Lecture established.
Established in 1949, the Harry E. Salzberg Program enriches the student learning experience by fostering a close community of students, faculty, staff and practitioners of supply chain who collaborate to advance the state of knowledge, engage the mind and stimulate the best effort of all.
First "foreign productivity" programs offered for Marshall Plan administrators.
Over the next 30 years, thousands of managers from more than 100 countries participate in programs for international managers.
Army Comptrollership Program established.
In 1952 the College and Marshall School of Citizenship and Public Affairs introduced the Army Comptrollership Program (ACP), a 14-month MBA program for officers and civilian personnel of the Army and Department of Defense. Hailing the event, the editor of the Wall Street Journal noted: "The Army is sending some of its officers to school at Syracuse University to learn how to spend money sensibly. It is, indeed, about time."
Executive Controls Program first offered-an innovation in executive education.
A logical, widely hailed outgrowth of the ACP was the Executive Controls Program, a four-week advanced trained program for business executives introduced in 1954. Offered at the summer campus on Blue Mountain Lake in Adirondacks, the program focused on "the use of budgetary, statistical, accounting, financial and other impersonal business controls so necessary in the management of today's complex organizations."
College embarks on two-year program of technical assistance to the Industrial Development Center of the Philippines.
College launches cooperative venture with Agency for International Development to assist Escuela de Administracion y Finanzas in Medellin, Colombia.
Throughout the sixties, the College pursued in its global mission energetically, stimulated by new and ambitious national priorities.
Doctoral Program Established.
In one way or another, the tumult of the sixties -- the cultural revolution, the war in Vietnam, and the peace movement -- touched every individual and institution in America. Business and business schools came under attack and their image reached a low point. In the College, as in business schools nationwide, there was a downward trend in undergraduate enrollments.
"With respect to the decline in undergraduate applications," Dean Robert G. Cox concluded, "we should substantially expand in our full-time resident MBA program." Besides carrying through on the recommendation, the faculty created the Ph.D. program in 1965. The number of graduate degrees, primarily MBAs, granted by the College from 74 in 1960, to 102 in 1965, to 241 in 1970.
College of Business Administration reorganized as School of Management.
By now the generic concept of management -- the view that management skills are not only to business but to all organizations -- was well established. The College and the faculty had embraced this notion in the late sixties. "Technically," said Dean Harry T. Allan, "we prepare students for professional management, not just in the business field." The new mindset became official in 1970 when the school was renamed the School of Management. The school moved to a new building a few years later.
Development of Independent Study Degree Program and "university without walls" concept.
The demand for innovative business programs was nowhere more apparent than in Central New York. Here, as elsewhere, many professionally experienced men and women wanted degrees but were unable to complete requirements in the traditional manner. The faculty responded by establishing the Independent Study Degree Program as the first and only accredited program of its kind in the country, marking the School as a leader in "distance learning."
Within a few years, an independent study MBA program would also be offered. In 1973, Dean Allan was invited to make a presentation on the "university without walls" concept at the annual meeting of the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
Corporate Advisory Council created.
With the proliferation of degree programs, the College was challenged to assure its quality and relevance. The master's board was created in 1973 to oversee the master’s programs and advise on needed changes. The Corporate Advisory Council was also created in 1973, charged with evaluating the substance and relevance of the curriculum from the perspective of the employer.
Crouse-Hinds Foundation gives $2.25 million naming gift for new building.
The decade closed on a note of great significance. In 1979 the Crouse-Hinds Foundation made a $2.25 million naming gift for a School of Management building. A long-deferred dream was given new life.
Groundbreaking ceremonies held for new building.
"The Crouse-Hinds gift was the spark," recalls former Dean L. Richard Oliker, who led the successful $6 million fundraising effort. "With that kind of impetus, it took only about 15 months to complete the campaign." Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in 1981, and the Crouse-Hinds School of Management Building was dedicated in 1983. At last, students and programs that had been scattered across campus in six locations were now co-located into one building.
Crouse-Hinds School of Management Building dedicated.
After over 5 decades of existence students and programs that had been scattered across campus in six locations had a place to call home!
Executive MBA Program enrolls first class.
The faculty drew on these innovations as they worked with members of the Corporate Advisory Council and senior executives in Central New York to develop the Executive MBA Program. Introduced in 1985, the program prepared mid-career managers to assume senior-level functional and general management positions. Responding to the needs of managers operating in a global context, it included an international colloquium held overseas. It offered the knowledge and skills needed to deal more effectively with change, innovations and technology.
Robert H. Brethen Operations Management Institute Management established.
The Robert H. Brethen Operations Management was endowed in 1988 by Robert H. Brethen ’49. The Institute supports collaborative efforts by academics and practicing executives to identify emerging issues in operations management and develop new knowledge about the management of operating systems.
Management Scholars Program instituted.
George E. Bennett Center for Tax Research and Olivia and Walter Kiebach Center for International Business Studies established.
The Olivia and Walter Kiebach Center for International Business Studies was created by Walter Kiebach ’36 and Olivia Kiebach.
Whitman Magazine first published.
The Whitman Magazine, initially called SU Management, the house organ of the Whitman School, offered a new way for the School to engage its alumni and wider community, while also providing an outlet for faculty to share scholarship and the leadership to share news and happenings within the School.
Revised MBA curriculum introduced.
In 1992, the faculty introduced an innovative new MBA curriculum integrating newly developed “theme” courses with the “core” courses for which the School had been noted.
Ballentine Center for the Study of Securities Markets is established.
The Ballentine Center for the Study of Securities Markets was created with a gift from Steven W. Ballentine ’83. The Center enriches the quality of learning in the study of securities markets by providing students with frequent exposure to practitioners in the field, opportunities for internships, and access to real-time market data and other information sources used in the securities industry.
The faculty adopts mission statement.
The faculty crafted a mission statement -- a key document that amounts to an inventory of strengths and a road map for the future.
Earl V. Snyder Innovation Management Center is endowed.
The Earl V. Snyder Innovation Management Center was endowed with a bequest from the estate of Josephine Snyder ’29 in honor of her husband. The Center is dedicated to the study and understanding of innovation in organizations and the process by which organizational creativity is invested in new products, operations and services.
Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises established.
The program of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises was established with a challenge gift from Michael Falcone ’57. It supported the development of courses emphasizing the unique management challenges of businesses in the startup phase, including small technology-based firms and family-owned businesses.
A Milestone in Shanghai-Syracuse Partnership
The Shanghai-Syracuse International Syracuse of Business, which was formed in 1995 to set a new standard of management education in the global business environment, graduated its first class of MBAs in May, 1996. Drawing on the resources and faculty of the East China University of Technology and Syracuse University, the school was committed to preparing managers for the challenges of the global marketplace. Other collaborative activities included summer study programs in Shanghai for Syracuse students, faculty exchanges and joint research projects.
Panasci Gift Launches Entrepreneurial Competition
A $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci funded a Syracuse University-wide entrepreneurial competition, which is open to Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students. Held every spring, students are invited to submit business plans for the change to advance to the finals for thousands of dollars in cash prizes. It is an opportunity for students to acquire seed funding for their businesses or entrepreneurial ideas, as well as network with competition judges, including high-level entrepreneurs and alumni.
First WISE Symposium held
Recognizing the impact of women-led businesses on economic growth as well as the untapped potential among women, the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship partnered with KeyBank to launch the annual symposium “Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship,” known as WISE was first held in April 2003 at Syracuse’s OnCenter.
2004
Inaugural Whitman Day and dedication of the new building at 721 University Avenue
The April dedication of the Whitman School’s new 160,000 square-foot home was the impetus for a weeklong series of special events celebrating the Whitman spirit – that special brand of entrepreneurial leadership that characterizes all Syracuse management graduates.
Mel Stith becomes dean
Vice Chancellor and Provost Deborah A. Freund appointed Melvin T. Stith G’73, ’78 Ph.D., to the Whitman deanship in January 2005.
Supply Chain Executive Education programs begin
The nation’s oldest supply chain management program was one of the first in the country to offer innovative supply chain executive offerings, including one-on-one training for individuals, customized programs for companies and a host of seminars and certificate courses. Geared to executives and managers, the myriad course options ranged from half-day seminars on topics such as inventory management, distribution practices and new-product introduction to 16-week programs in advanced project management and Six Sigma. Customized programs were also available, depending on a company’s specific needs and they were presented either on-site or in Whitman’s state-of-the-art executive training center.
Orange Value Fund established
As part of the Whitman Day celebration in 2006, the Whitman School announced the creation of the student-run Orange Value Fund (OVF). Through the OVF Whitman students, together with the fund’s Board of Directors, make investment decisions on real money. It’s open to a carefully selected group of Whitman students majoring in finance or accounting and is a rigorous two-year commitment including summer internships at investment firms, frequent seminars taught by investment professionals and training in all aspects of the money management business. It uses the value investing philosophy of the late Martin J. Whitman, the School’s namesake.
Retail program moves to Whitman
In spring 2006, the Whitman School began a multi-year phase-in to move Syracuse University’s well-respected program in retail management from the College of Visual and Performing Arts into the Whitman School’s Department of Marketing. The first cohort of retail management majors were accepted in fall 2006, and by 2010 all retain management students at Syracuse University earned their degrees at the Whitman School.
WISE Women’s Business Center launches
The WISE Women’s Business Center launched in 2006, evolving out of the WISE (Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) Symposium, an annual event, which grew to nearly 1,000 attendees. After realizing program attendees left inspired to start businesses but without resources or leads, the Whitman School secured a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) grant to establish the WISE Women’s Business Center. Service offerings expanded from free counseling to classes on specialized skills, such as writing a business plan and launch strategies, as well as opportunities for mentoring and networking.
The center outgrew its original space at the University’s South Side Innovation Center and now calls The Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse its home. The move proved positive: Client numbers continue to rise as women from outside Syracuse hear about the center and seek it's services.
Inaugural Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities
The Barnes Family Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) is a novel, one-of-a-kind initiative designed to leverage the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans and their families.
James D. Kuhn Real Estate Center named
The James D. Kuhn Real Estate Center was inaugurated by a generous donation from Whitman alumnus James D. Kuhn '70, '72 MBA, president of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, the fourth largest global real estate brokerage firm in the world. Kuhn also established the Leo and Sunnie Kuhn Scholarship for students interested in the study of real estate.
Walter Kiebach Center for International Business Studies secures Federal grant for Africa Business Program
The Kiebach Center for International Business Studies began administration of the Africa Business Program, a venture made possible by seed money from a two-year $177,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s International Business and Education program to promote doing business with sub-Saharan Africa.
South Side Innovation Center Expands
The South Side Innovation Center (SSIC), a community-based microenterprise incubator operated by the Whitman School, expanded its space to accommodate seven new small businesses, two anchor tenants and more virtual members.
Real estate major launched
As part of the finance department at the Whitman School, the real estate program offers access to accomplished faculty and comprehensive, timely coursework that equips students with the knowledge needed for expert analysis and strategic decision making.
Whitman Partners with Army Logistics University to Offer Logistics Training
The Whitman School was one of only nine schools in the United States to partner with the United States Army Logistics University as part of its National Logistics Curriculum (NLC), which provides career military officers and Department of Defense civilians with a comprehensive integrated knowledge of logistics to support the DoD’s logistical transformation strategy.
Goodman IMPRESS program launched
What do Harry Potter and a smartphone app have to do with training tomorrow’s business leaders? At Syracuse University, plenty. The Goodman IMPRESS program creates competition among students to gain critical career skills.
Leadership Scholars program begins
In the fall of 2014, 37 accomplished first-years from across the United States were welcomed as the inaugural class of Whitman Leadership Scholars. Selected for their high school academic success, rigor of courses, standardized test scores and level of community engagement, these students brought a diverse set of talents and high caliber of achievement to the Whitman School. The program was developed to attract exceptional students to Whitman and enrich the quality of the student body.
To challenge and engage them in the Whitman community, scholars are offered research opportunities with faculty, work-study positions within the School, and special opportunities to meet visiting executives and speakers. Additionally, the students are involved in leadership initiatives, including participation in tutoring and student committees.
MBA@Syracuse inaugural class begins
The Whitman School and 2U, Inc, a technology firm that delivers online degree programs for colleges and universities, announced their partnership to enhance Syracuse's online iMBA. The new version of the iMBA was renamed MBA@Syracuse and combined 2U's learning technology and the features of the iMBA program.
Business Analytics Master’s Degree and MBA Specialization Launched
By 2016, the online programs were booming. BusinessAnalytics@Syracuse, a master of science in business analytics degree, was launched. Designed to prepare students with the skills needed to become data-driven business leaders, it joined a new traditional, on-campus full-time program, the M.S. in business analytics.
Al Berg establishes a chair in entrepreneurship
The late Al Berg ’73 spent dinnertime at his childhood home on Long Island discussing the family’s textile business, which his grandfather and father owned and operated. He credits those conversations as an early influence in his life’s work as an entrepreneur.
Dual-degree offerings expand to include Arts & Science and 3+3 with College of Law
The Whitman School began offering a unique dual major program with the College of Arts and Sciences that will allow undergraduates to major in one of four sciences in combination with a business major from the Whitman School. The program equips students with the essential skills necessary to become an effective business leader and scientist, giving them an edge in a competitive job market.
Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society established
The Whitman School established the Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society (IES), supported by a $1.75 million grant from the Charles Koch Foundation. The institute produces high-quality research on the political economy of entrepreneurship, educate future thought leaders in the field and engage the academic community in explorations of the entrepreneurial society.
Eugene Anderson appointed dean of the Whitman School of Management
Eugene “Gene” Anderson was appointed dean of the Whitman School in 2017.
Martin J. Whitman dies
Martin J. Whitman ’49, H’08, an investment industry visionary and generous benefactor to Syracuse University and its management school that bears his name, passed away April 16, 2018. A dedicated mentor and teacher who regularly returned to Syracuse to share his wisdom with students in the classroom, Whitman was an Honorary Trustee at the time of his passing.
National Black MBA Association partnership established
The Whitman School announced a new partnership with the National Black MBA Association® as part of the first installment of the NBMBAA® Collegiate Partnership Program. The program aims to increase awareness and facilitate access to graduate and business education programs in professional fields across the country. Whitman is one of a dozen diamond-level partners nationally.