Cooks life taken by cancer, still inspired many.

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BIS?e?Times
Fall 2005 Volume 4, Number 1
BUSINESS INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT
Former CMU Professor Shed Light to Prospective
Teachers
Cooks life taken by cancer, still inspired many.
Wells F. Cook was a teacher who inspired his
studentsto follow in his footsteps and become
teachers themselves. Cook taught at various high
schools across the state and then taught for 30
years in the Business Information Systems
Department at Central Michigan University until
he retired in 1997. Cook passed away at Karmanos
Cancer Institute in Detroit at the age of 77 on
Thursday, June 30, 2005. Nancy Csapo, one of Dr.
Cooks former students, is now a current
Professor of Business Informational Systems at
CMU. He was the kind of professor that seemed
to be everyones favorite, Csapo said.
Students wanted to learn from him. He modeled
what teaching was supposed to be about. Csapo
said, When Cook would go visit his student
teachers, he would have to stay the entire day
because he knew everyone there. He is a fixture
and always will be in business education. Richard
Featheringham, also a Business Informational
Systems Professor, said Cook taught many of the
business teachers in Michigan. He helped
students get jobs and would always check up on
them, Featheringham said. Featheringham said
Cook often attended teaching conferences and was
up-to-date on all the teaching methods. He
applied all those techniques he learned to what
he did. He was always on top of everything.
Featheringham said Cook will be missed by all.
He was an inspiring person, and we are going to
miss that, he said. His legacy at many Michigan
high schools and at CMU will remain.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From Where I Sit 2 Dow Chemical SAP Awards
2 Faculty Teach in China 3 BIS
Professor Retires 4 BIS Scholarship Winners 4 New
E-Learning Course 5 MIS Advisory Board 5 BIS/BTE
Alumni 6 Let Us Hear From
You 6
Professor Wells Cook
WHEN CMU CALLS DURING A FUND CAMPAIGN, DIRECT
YOUR DOLLARS TO HELP YOUR DEPARTMENT AITP,
Account 44007. Business Teacher Education,
Account 43055. BIS Discretionary Fund, Account
41911. Ima Chambers Scholarship, Account 64593.
MIS Advisory Board Discretionary Account
46215. MIS Advisory Board Endowment Fund, Account
66665. MIS Endowment Scholarship, Account
66591. Wells Cook Endowed Award, Account
49066. William Wolhgamuth Scholarship, Account
64564. Winsor Scholarship, Account 64133.
Remembering Dr. Wells Cook.
All of the credit goes to Wells Cook, my mentor
at CMU. He made a huge difference in my life,
and continues to impact it on a daily basis as I
teach at GVSU. Dennis Stovall, Instructor at
Grand Valley State University Dr. Cook lived for
his teaching and his students. Even after he
retired, he taught for us and visited schools for
accreditation purposes. Dr. Monica Holmes, BIS
Department Chair One of Wells many good
qualities was he was not afraid to poke fun at
himself. He told me that one day he was in his
office when a university staff member called and
said, Wells, a whole room full of people are
here waiting for you. You are supposed to be
teaching a Time Management seminar. Dr. Jim
Cappel, BIS Department Member I cant say enough
about the man except that he was a great role
model and human being. He taught things not in
textbooks. His demeanor and the way he spoke to
people made him very well liked. He made
everybody feel as though they were the most
important person he had to talk to all day.
Kevin Smith, Clarkston High School, Business
Teacher "Remember Dr. Cook for his energy, for
his knowledge, for his friendly smile, and for
his wit.  Many times Dr. Cook would entertain his
students with stories, weaving in his homespun
humor, yet always earning respect from all his
students."  Linda Ciaffone, Gratiot-Isabella RESD
Remembering Dr. Wells Cook continued on page 3
CONSIDER STARTING A BIS OR MIS ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION IN YOUR COMPANY, CITY, AREA E-mail
Dr. Monica Holmes at monica.c.holmes_at_cmich.edu or
call her at [phone].
http//bis.cba.cmich.edu
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From Where I Sit From Where I Sit continued
This past summer, we lost a very dedicated and
respected faculty member, Professor Wells Cook.
I sometimes expect to see him walking down the
hall towards me. He would be in the office very
early in the morning before anyone arrived, and
we would have quiet chats about CMU and the
department. I appreciate his willingness to give
me his insightful comments.
There is a growing need for more MIS students.
Companies have begun recruiting for their IT
positions. This need is being partly fueled by
the fact that they can no longer grow without
adding more IT personnel. Another factor is the
Sarbanes Oxley Act 2002 that is requiring more
accountability of public companies. While
outsourcing will continue to be a problem with
which higher education has to deal, it really is
the global economy that is the bigger issue. Our
students and faculty have to understand that the
global economy means that companies can operate
24/7 if they use resources around the world.
Imagine a project that is being worked on within
the context of the Internet. Imagine our
students taking classes and being taught by our
colleagues in other countries while we sleep.
Imagine our students taking a cultural class on
China with Chinese students. How much more they
can learn from that class than from taking a
class with me in the U.S. The future may be in
the delivery of a global college degree that
graduates a global citizen with faculty from both
CMU and our partners overseas. That is a dream
but maybe it is not that far away. The faculty
in the BIS department will be looking at
innovative ways to deliver courses, and to
graduate students who will be successful for the
future global economy.
Dr. Monica Holmes, BIS Department Chair
To keep his memory alive, the Wells Cook Endowed
Award has been established. Monies have been
contributed to this award by his colleagues,
former students, friends and his family. When
this endowed award reaches 10,000, after one
year a certain amount of the interest will be
used to fund scholarships for the Business
Teacher Education students. The remaining
interest will be left in the award to increase
the principal. If you are interested in giving
towards this award, please make your check to
Central Michigan University-BIS Department,
account no. 49066. The period since our last
newsletter has been very eventful. With the
growing need for international collaboration with
foreign universities, I am very happy to report
that we did our part. Drs. Scott and Xu went to
the University of Shanghai for Science and
Technology (USST) in summer I 2005. Then Dr.
Elizabeth Kemm retired from active teaching on
campus. However, she taught at the University of
Shanghai for Science and Technology for six weeks
in September and October 2005. She loved it so
much that she is willing to go again. We also
have two Chinese students from USST joining the
Masters of Science in Information Systems this
fall. They certainly add to the diversity of our
student body, and often remind us of the
excitement associated with being in a new
country. The department continues to see a growth
in the number of business teacher education
students. Dr. Karl Smart brings different
perspectives into the program, especially in the
graphics discipline. His strong research agenda
should surely influence students to consider the
teaching/training concentration of the MSIS
degree program.
Dow Chemical Honors CMU Students
CMU was one of the first five universities in the
country to begin teaching SAP (Systems,
Applications and Products Program) software to
its students. SAP offers enterprise software for
companies, which allows an entire organization,
from shipping to accounting to a company
president, to be linked together in one system.
Companies such as General Motors, Delphi, and
Whirlpool use SAP. The three are being
recognized by the Dow Chemical Company for both
their course work performance and their
outstanding performance in successfully passing
the SAP certification exam, said Frank Andera,
director of CMUs SAP University Alliance Program
and Business Information Systems Professor.
Wheeler senior Rafe Ward, Mount Pleasant graduate
student Maritess Manalo, and India graduate
student Prasad Vangavolu all were awarded the Dow
Chemical SAP Award of Excellence, which included
a 500 award and plaque.
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Business Intelligence Best Practices
Three BIS Faculty Teach in China
Central Michigan University Research Corporation
is sending a benchmark survey to more than 22,000
national and international businesses to identify
the business intelligence best practices of their
companies. The initial phase of the study focuses
on the assessment of data mining and business
intelligence activities at their company. Many
organizations are genuinely struggling with how
best to position business intelligence within
their organization, said Timothy Pitcher,
director of Business Insight Services at Central
Michigan University Research Corp. This research
will help establish a baseline, so corporations
can monitor their progress along the business
intelligence continuum. This kind of a study
provides insight into the business intelligence
practices of other best-in-class companies, said
Tim Rey, counselor of statistics for the Data
Mining Capability Group at The Dow Chemical Co.
We use the information to design and improve our
own business intelligence and data mining
infrastructure. Dr. James Cappel and Dr. Mark
Hwang, CMU Business Information Systems faculty
members, helped create this survey. Although
companies have used business intelligence for a
number of years, there is much more to be
learned, said Cappel. Our study will shed more
light on this. CMU recognized the importance of
researching business intelligence, and the
ability to leverage this research through the
CMURC is highly valuable to both the university
and industry.
During this past summer and fall semesters, three
BIS faculty had the opportunity to teach in
Shanghai, China. Professors Jim Scott and
Hongjang Xu taught at the University of Shanghai
for Science and Technology (USST) this past
summer, while recently retired faculty member,
Elizabeth Kemm, finished teaching a course this
fall. Approximately four years ago, CMU and USST
signed an articulation agreement for a unique
exchange program. CMU BIS and Computer Science
Professors teach courses at USST each summer and
fall semesters. The program is a way to give
Chinese students a U.S. information systems
perspective it also gives CMU professors a
chance to get international experience. Uni
versity of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Campus Scott, Xu, and Kemm each enjoyed their
teaching experiences. Dr. Scott taught a
Telecommunications Networking class Dr. Xu, a
Systems Analysis and Design course and Dr. Kemm,
an Introduction to Information Systems course.
Professor Scott is struck at how well prepared
students are and how hard they work at school.
When a student is asked a question, the student
stands and remains standing until the instructor
gives permission to be seated. Scott says that
there would be nothing more humiliating for a
student than to not know an answer and have to
remain standing while an instructor asks someone
else to stand and answer the question. Students
take their classes very seriously, observes
Scott. Courses are all taught in English.
Students do well in communicating in a non-native
language, although Dr. Xu indicated that
occasionally a student would try to ask her
questions in Chinese (since Chinese is her native
language). When she asked one student to repeat
the question in English, he indicated that he
didnt have a question after all. The first
cohort of students from the joint program
graduated this year, with another cohort
scheduled to graduate next summer. This is Dr.
Scotts second time teaching at USST, and Dr.
Kemm, even though retired, hopes to go again.
Currently, two students from USST who were part
of the graduating cohort are pursuing an MSIS
degree at CMU. Hopefully, the program will
continue to allow CMU faculty a chance to gain
international experience while providing more
opportunities for Chinese students to come to CMU
for additional schooling.
Remembering Wells continued from page 1
He seemed to be able to remember so many of his
students and always left you feeling good about
what you were doing for students. Melissa
Gilbert, Career Tech Center, Traverse City I
feel very privileged to have had Dr. Cook as a
professor and advisor during my education at CMU.
One of my proudest moments involving Dr. Cook was
at the 2004 MBEA Fall Convention. As the Awards
Chair, I had the pleasure of introducing and
presenting him with the MBEA Recognition Award.
Michelle Roe, Beaverton HS I took a summer class
with Wells. He invited the entire class to
dinner at his house. We had a very enjoyable
evening, one that I will never forget. Jan
Rimer, St. Joseph ISD Because of him, I am a
teacher and try to model myself after him with my
students in my classroom everyday. He was a
great friend, mentor, teacher, and one of my
favorite people in the whole world. I will miss
him greatly. Janene Chisek, Freeland HS
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BIS Professor Retires BIS Professor Retires
Continued
Several years ago, at the end of one semester, a
woman student who was taking an introductory
computer literacy course approached me and stated
bluntly, I guess you know that you have
completely changed my life. When I asked her to
explain she said, My teenage children now ask me
questions about using a computer and my husband
treats me with great respect. I have a new status
in my family. Of course, she was responsible for
the changes, I just happened to be the one
fortunate enough to share her adventure. Another
student, enrolled in a job retraining program,
called me and told me that he was enrolled in my
computer literacy class but that he was seriously
considering dropping the course because he was
absolutely terrified of computers. I talked him
into coming to my office where I tried to calm
his fears. I asked him what work he had done
before entering the job retraining program and he
replied, I did high-rise construction work. I
worked on and walked all over the girders and
framework of the multi-story buildings as they
were being built. Inwardly, I cringed, and
hes terrified of computers? He became one of my
best students that semester. The last time I
heard from him he was majoring in environmental
biology, working on a graduate degree and using
computers every day. So, in response to that
nudge from the concept of retirement, retirement
has now become a reality for me. And what do I
plan to do with it? I plan to check off my lists
of people I want to see, things I want to do,
places I want to go, and experiences I want to
have. And while doing that I plan to cherish each
day and find something beautiful to experience in
it. If possible, Ill even help create some of
the beauty.
Retirement! This is a concept that really crept
up on me. Of course, it was always in the back of
my mind but one day it nudged me and reminded me
that life is very short and what was I going to
do about those long lists of people I want to
see, things I want to do, places I want to go,
and experiences I want to have.
Dr. Elizabeth Kemm
While I was pondering these things I began to
reminisce about how I had gotten to this stage in
my life. Retirement was the furthest thing from
my mind when, recently widowed, I was searching
for a career that would help me to support four
children and also be very satisfying to me. I had
investigated several options but couldnt find
just the right thing. Then one of my friends told
me that she and her husband had decided what I
should do go into computing. I thanked her
very much and told her that I didnt even know
what a computer looked liked this was before
microcomputers. The idea worked on me, though, so
I researched it and enrolled in a one semester
plunge to see how I liked it. I discovered I had
an aptitude and a genuine liking for it. When I
finished the undergraduate degree, I worked for
several years as a programmer and as a systems
analyst. Later I returned to education to get
the qualifications to become a teacher. My years
of working and teaching have created many
wonderful memories for me. Some of my fondest
memories involve interactions with students. Two
of my favorite memories involve non-traditional
students with whom I was privileged to work.
Website Development Course
2005 BIS Scholarship Winners
In Spring 2005, the BIS department was pleased to
award seven scholarships to undergraduate
students from several different areas of Business
Information Systems. Damon P. Lindley
Achievement AwardChristine Shull William
Wohlgamuth ScholarshipLesley Pionk Ima Chambers
ScholarshipTasha Marston, Gina Morell, Denis
Rose, Christine Shull MIS Endowment Student
AwardNicola Byrs, Nicholas DAmbrosio, Maritess
Manalo, Lesley Pionk, Olubukola Thorpe Lillian
Winsor ScholarshipCraig Cunningham, Dan
Hellerstedt, James Ellis, Melissa Hill, Rosemary
Omaiye, Rahul Urs, Andrea Zech
Central Michigan University partnered with three
other Michigan Universities in a partnership to
design township, village, and city websites
throughout the state of Michigan. According to
the 2004 Cyber-State.org survey, only 29 percent
of Michigan local units of government had a web
presence before. CMUs BIS 327 web development
course will allow students to hopefully help to
increase that number. According to Michael Gee,
CMU faculty member and instructor of BIS 327,
students will apply knowledge from previous
classes with new concepts such as web design,
usability, and working with standard web
technologies, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Almost 40 CMU students are enrolled in business
information systems website development course at
CMU each semester.
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BIS.e.Times Volume 4, Number 1. Fall 2005. Page
5
New Course in E-Learning Multimedia With the
recent approval of an emphasis in Teaching and
Training in the MSIS program, a new
courseDesigning E-Learning and Multimedia (BIS
597E)will be offered Spring 2006 semester. The
course will look at the theoretical foundations
of making informed design decisions in e-learning
and multimedia and then give students actual
experience in creating effective e-learning
modules and multimedia using a variety of
applications. As both companies and educational
institutions seek ways to leverage technology in
training and teaching, this course will help
students gain the background and skills in
facilitating learning in todays fast-past,
technology-driven era. The course will use an
innovative format, beginning with a face-to-face
session on Saturday, January 21, 2006, and then
continuing the work of the class in an e-learning
format, with projects, collaboration, and work
done virtually. Were hoping to provide an
effective model of e-learning with the course,
observes Professor Karl Smart, instructor for the
course and advisor for the new MSIS emphasis in
Teaching and Training. We particularly want to
provide opportunities for alumni, teachers, and
others who want to take additional classes at CMU
but have geographical constraints that keep them
from spending an entire semester on campus in Mt.
Pleasant, said Smart of the predominantly online
format. For additional questions about the
course or about the new Teaching/Training
emphasis in the MSIS program, please contact Dr.
Karl Smart at [phone] or
karl.smart_at_cmich.edu. If you intend to take the
class, please register as soon as possible to
make certain the class has enough students to be
taught.
MIS Advisory Board The BIS Department is
fortunate to have a strong MIS Advisory Board to
assist the department. The MIS Advisory Board is
a collaboration of corporate members with CMU
faculty, administration, alumni, and students
designed to provide mutual support between
companies and the MIS program at CMU.  Advisory
Board meetings are held three times a year on the
CMU campus to provide guidance and input for the
future direction of the MIS program. In addition
to working as an entire group, the Advisory Board
is divided into three action teams (Strategic,
Curriculum, and Employer/Faculty/Student), with
an additional team titled Special Projects as
specific needs arise. These teams work on issues
facing the MIS program at Central Michigan
University to develop superior graduates who
excel within the marketplace.
Strategic Action Team Discussing Issues
The Board last met November 4, 2005. The next
MIS Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for
February 17, 2006. If you would like to attend
or have items you would like to have discussed,
please contact Dr. Monica Holmes at (989)
774-4364 or email her at holmes1mc_at_cmich.edu.
For more information about the MIS Advisory Board
and details about its activities, see the BIS
Department Website http//bis.cba.cmich.edu/advis
ory/.
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Let Us Hear From You We would like to know more
about you where you are living and working, what
exciting things have happened to you, and what
you have been doing since you left CMU. This
information would be helpful to our departmental
records and if you wish, we would like to share
some information about you with future newsletter
readers. Please fill out the information
requested below and return it to us as soon as
possible. When were you last a student at
CMU?________________
What was your major? _____________________________
What was your minor? ____________________________
_ Where are you currently employed?
__________________ What is your job title?
______________________________ Items to be shared
in future newsletters ___________________________
__________________________________________________
___________________ Your Name ____________________
__________________Your Email Address
_______________________________ Please Return
to
Business Information Systems
Department Grawn Hall
305, 150 East BellowsMount Pleasant, MI 48859

Email bis.cba_at_cmich.edu or monica.c.holmes_at_cmich.
edu
BIS/BTE Alumni Spotlight Colleen Sapienza
(BSBA/MIS emphasis, 03) A fairly recent graduate
of May 2003, Colleen Sapienza, is now currently
employed at Mason McBride, Inc. as a Commercial
Lines Processor. Colleen was recently married in
August 2004 and is currently living in her newly
built home in Chesterfield, MI. Virginia
Hammond (BTE emphasis, 00) Virginia Hammond
graduated from CMU in December of 2000 with a BTE
major and English minor. Currently, Virginia is
working on a Masters in Educational Technology
at the Detroit Metro Center. Previously, she has
taught business classes at Hamtramck High School
in January 2005, she began teaching Microsoft
Office and small business ownership classes at
Troy High School. Narcissus Shambare (BSBA/MSIS
emphasis, 01) Narcissus has just completed his
third year teaching at the College of Saint Mary.
Narcissuss accomplishments include being a
2004-2005 Outstanding Faculty Award Nominee,
reviewing of articles for publication for IBAM,
serving as Chair for the Assessment Council and
Director for Business Information Systems
programs, and is working as a member of an
Advisory Committee for the Applied Information
Management Institute.
Business Information Systems DepartmentCentral
Michigan University
Grawn Hall 305
150 East
Bellows
Mount Pleasant, MI
48859 http//bis.cba.cmich.edu