Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management
WINTER 2004

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What's New in the CSS Program

A Message from Dean Comeau

Dean Raymond Comeau

It is always a pleasure for me to sit down and write this message to our CSS graduates, wishing them well and bringing them up to date on what is new in the CSS Program. I begin with the CSS curriculum. For the academic year 2003-04 the Program is featuring 70 courses spread over 95 sections. Courses new to the program this year are CSS E-105f Customer Relations Management, CSS E-112a Project Management for Information Technology, CSS E-207 Managing Workplace Performance, and CSS E-322 Personal Financial Planning. As usual, CSS E-300 Financial Accounting has maintained its prominent position, accounting for 225 enrollments in the fall semester alone. As far as trends are concerned, the only discernable one is the continuing strong performance of courses in nonprofit management. Both CSS E-121 Managing the Nonprofit Organization and CSS E-142 Principles and Practices of Fundraising exceeded their course limits again this fall.

I am pleased to report that a new student award has been added to our collection of Commencement awards and prizes. Thanks to the generous funding of Dr. Harold Langlois, CSS instructor and last year's recipient of the Joanne Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award, the CSS Program was able to present the Harold V. Langlois Outstanding Student Award for the first time at the 2003 Certificate Commencement ceremony. The award recognizes "a CSS graduate who has demonstrated exceptional academic accomplishment and promise as a manager." The first recipient was Dr. David Hurwitz, who holds a BS in biology from the State University of New York at Albany and a PhD in genetics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Hurwitz has held a number of senior positions in companies dealing with stem cell technology and gene therapy. We are grateful to Dr. Harold Langlois for establishing this award.

The 2003 Certificate Commencement on June 5 took place under sunny skies (unlike last year's rain-soaked event), and Lowell Hall was again filled to capacity with our 246 certificate graduates and their relatives and guests. The CSS Class of 2003 numbered 192, including 163 international graduates representing 35 countries. The six leading countries were Brazil (20 graduates), Turkey (12), Colombia (10), India and Mexico (nine each), and Spain (seven). The following countries were represented by just one CSS graduate: Bangladesh, Belgium, Cape Verde, Chile, The Czech Republic, Macedonia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Philippines, and Togo. The Certificate Commencement guest speaker was Stephen A. Greyser, Richard P. Chapman Professor of Business Management, Emeritus, Harvard Business School. (Read Professor Greyser's Commencement speech, "A Look at Your Inner Mirror.") Greyser is also the instructor of CSS E-165 The Business of Sports.

The Commencement ceremony featured three CSS awards in addition to the new Harold V. Langlois Outstanding Student Award. The Joanne Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award for "exceptional teaching in the CSS Program" was awarded to Mr. Bayley Mason, former Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Harvard University, and a CSS instructor since 1990. Mr. Mason has taught two courses in the program, CSS E-520 Development Communications and CSS E-142 Principles and Practices of Fundraising. Dr. Sujit Kumar Basu, from India, was the recipient of the Katie Yang Prize for "the initiative, character, and outstanding academic achievement of an international student in the CSS Program." Dr. Basu, who holds a PhD in pharmaceutics from the University of Southern California, maintained a perfect academic record. Andrea Spence received the Phyllis Strimling Award, which 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." Ms. Spence has worked as a volunteer in groups supporting women, adult literacy, and the arts.

The 2003 CSS Class Marshals, graduates who earned the highest academic standing in the program, were Dr. Sujit Kumar Basu, Adriana Mendes-Sheldon, Dr. David Hurwitz, and Vivek Vinayak Nagarkar. The CSS Program is continuing its tradition of offering receptions for candidates in the fall and spring. Our fall reception, held Friday, September 26, 2003, in the attractive Library of the Harvard Faculty Club, featured CSS instructor Dr. Robert Brown, who addressed the topic "Staying Ethical in a Crisis: Tips on PR." About 80 CSS candidates and guests attended, our largest turnout yet for a CSS reception. CSS instructor J.E. Hollingworth has agreed to be our guest speaker at the spring reception Friday, April 16, 2004. His address will be titled "The World of Communication is Changing. Are you keeping Up?" This promises to be another enjoyable evening.

In closing, I want to remind you that from now on CSS News will appear online only. Please be sure to send us your updated e-mail address immediately at css@hudce.harvard.edu so we can send you CSS News next year. I also invite you to send us your current professional news so we can include it in the "CSS Alumni News" section. Finally, I join the CSS Office staff, Delia Gerraughty and Donna Clark, in wishing you a happy, prosperous, and healthy 2004. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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