Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management
WINTER 2003

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CSS News is now online!
Beginning with this issue, CSS News will be
published only online.

Message from Dean Comeau

Dean Raymond Comeau

I am pleased to report that the CSS Program is thriving, with nearly 100 courses offered in the 2002-03 academic year. CSS E-300 Financial Accounting Principles, taught by Dr. Leonard Kopelman and Professor Michael Haselkorn, maintains its prominent position in enrollments, accounting for 224 enrollments in the fall semester alone. The major discernable trend in the program--in keeping with the national trend--has been an increase in enrollments in our nonprofit management courses, such as CSS E-121 Managing the Nonprofit Organization and CSS E-142 Principles and Practices of Fundraising.

The belief that it "never rains on a Harvard Commencement" was disproven this year. CSS graduates spent the better part of the day dodging raindrops. The rain did little, however, to dampen the spirits of the 242 graduates of the Class of 2002, their relatives, and friends.

The Class of 2002 included 163 international graduates representing 49 countries. The six leading countries were Brazil (28 graduates); Argentina (11); Mexico (11); Turkey (10); Colombia (8); and India (8).

The Commencement ceremonies, held in Lowell Hall, featured an inspirational address, "Cleared for Takeoff," by Dr. Francis Aguilar, professor of business administration, emeritus, Harvard Business School, and the instructor in CSS E-101 General Managers in Action. A naval aviator during the Korean War, Professor Aguilar compared the journey of a pilot to the journey through life. "Flying can serve as a metaphor for living," stated Aguilar at the beginning of his address. "In youth, we take off. Then we climb and cruise through life. And our journey ends with a final landing."

The ceremony featured four CSS awards. Dr. Harold Langlois, instructor of CSS E-208 Dealing with Change in Organizations and CSS E-215 The Challenges of Team Management, since 1994, was the recipient of the JoAnne Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award. Stephen Gendron, a civic activist in his hometown of Lowell, Massachusetts, was awarded the Derek Bok Prize for "creative initiatives in community service or long-standing records of civic achievement." The Katie Y. F. Yang Prize for "the initiative, character, and outstanding academic achievement of an international student," was awarded to both Christina Hoefler from Germany and Tuba Yesilkaya from Turkey. Both compiled identical academic records of seven As and one A-. Finally, Heather Wynne, associate director of the Radcliffe Institute's annual fund, was the recipient of our most recent CSS award, the Phyllis Strimling Award. The Strimling Award recognizes "the character and achievement of a CSS graduate who has used or is preparing to use the CSS experience for the advancement of women in society, and who has grown personally and professionally as a result."

The Program is continuing its tradition of offering receptions for candidates in the fall and spring. Last year's JoAnne Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award recipient, Dr. Harold Langlois, served as speaker at the CSS fall reception held in the Harvard Faculty Club on October 18, 2002. His talk, "Leadership Challenges of Managing Organizational Change," elicited a lively question-and-answer session among the 55 candidates and faculty present. The attendees also found plenty of time to socialize before and after the talk. The CSS spring reception is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2003. It will feature a talk, "Crisis Management Preparedness in Advance of the Moment," by CSS instructor Dr. Arnold Howitt, executive director, A. Alfred Taubman Center for State and Local Government, and adjunct lecturer in public policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government.

For the first time in its history, the CSS Program held special seminars dealing with academic performance issues for students and faculty. On November 1, 2002, CSS candidates were invited to a seminar on classroom participation and contribution, and on November 15 CSS faculty attended a seminar dealing with the management of classroom participation. The seminar leaders for both sessions were Dr. Louis B. Barnes, John D. Black Professor of Organizational Behavior, Emeritus, Harvard Business School, and Dr. James P. Honan, lecturer on education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, also a CSS instructor.

The CSS students who attended the November 1 seminar gave it high marks. "The seminar helped me improve my class participation skills and build my self-confidence," commented Gil Prayon, a CSS candidate. "It was a very engaging and informative session," added Masumi Matsushima. The CSS faculty members who attended the November 15 seminar were equally grateful to have the opportunity to share ideas on classroom participation with their peers.

Donna Clark

We are pleased to announce that the CSS office has a new office assistant, Donna Clark. A graduate of Clark University, she joined the CSS office in March 2002 after being employed for 15 years at Harvard University Press. Clark filled the position formerly held by Jesselynn Opie, who transferred to another position within the Division of Continuing Education.

In closing, I want to remind you that this issue of CSS News will be the last printed issue of the publication. From now on it will appear only online. Please send us your e-mail address to css@hudce7.harvard.edu as soon as possible so we can inform you of its publication date next year. I also invite you to send us your current professional news that we can include in the "CSS Alumni News" section of CSS News. I join the CSS Office staff--Delia Gerraughty and Donna Clark--in wishing you a happy, prosperous, and healthy 2003!

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