Mozrall shares vision for Saunders College

‌

A. Sue Weisler

As the new dean of Saunders College of Business, Jacqueline Mozrall wants to position the business school as a central hub within a leading institute of technology.

How does being a part of RIT make Saunders different from other business schools?

Mozrall: Saunders is uniquely positioned to deliver degree programs that reside at the intersections of business and technology—fields such as management information systems, technology management, digital business, supply chain management and computational finance.

What will the new MS degree in computational finance offer to incoming students?

Mozrall: RIT’s Master of Science in computational finance leverages the combined strengths of Saunders College of Business, including a Top 50 finance program, and the expertise of our School of Mathematical Sciences. Also referred to as “Quants,” or financial engineers, individuals in these positions use their strengths in business, modeling and data analysis to understand, develop and use complex financial models. This is necessary in a wide array of industries well beyond just the financial industry.

Where do you view the business school’s role with STEM disciplines?

Mozrall: While preparing our business students to lead in this technical world, we are also preparing individuals with technical backgrounds to develop knowledge of business processes so that they can also be effective decision makers in their respective fields.

What have been your first steps as dean of Saunders College?

Mozrall: Engaging with business and industry to ensure our programs are meeting their needs, and enhancing our facilities to ensure our students are supported by the latest technologies in support of pedagogy and curricular delivery.

Let’s talk about the Daniel T. Tessoni Endowed Chair in Accounting.

Mozrall: This endowed chair is a testament to Dan’s significant contributions and the impact he has made on so many students. The chair will be a reflection of Dan, and this endowment, through the generosity of Saunders College supporters and alumni, will ensure we always have a person like Dan in the classroom—a dynamic professor who delivers contemporary and applied accounting curricula supported by meaningful experiences with business and industry.

What are your visions for building corporate partnerships?

Mozrall: I have a long history of working in cooperation with our Career Services Division and establishing strong relationships with employers and corporations, both big and small, across a wide array of industries—understanding their needs and then ensuring our students are prepared to meet their needs.

Is there anything new with curricula?

Mozrall: Based on employer demand, an interdisciplinary undergraduate minor with the Kate Gleason College of Engineering in supply chain management (SCM) has been developed that focuses on providing students with the knowledge to assist in developing and implementing efficient supplier systems in order to maximize customer value. Supply chain management is focused on the coordination of the associated processes required both within a business, as well as across businesses/suppliers, to deliver products and services—from raw materials to customer delivery. The objective of this minor is to provide students with a background in areas commonly needed to support SCM roles, including business strategy, information systems, lean/quality management, customer service, purchasing, negotiations, contracts, forecasting, inventory management, logistics and project management. Completion of this minor provides students with Lean Six-Sigma Yellow Belt body of knowledge.

We have also strengthened our MBA program to include core knowledge in data analytics, as well as refined our concentrations to better serve industry needs, including additional content in the areas of supply chain management, business analytics and engineering management. Enhancements to our MS degree in management include revisions to our management program tracks in leadership, global and supply chain management and products and service development.

Is there an initiative to bring a trading floor to Saunders?

Mozrall: With the launch of the MS degree in computational finance, we have secured Bloomberg terminals that provide the capability to access real-time financial market data and place trades through internet-based software. We are in the planning and design phase of a new state-of-the-art lab to serve as a new home for these capabilities. Watch for a new life-size LED stock ticker displaying real-time financial data in Lowenthal Hall!