Dana Wright, Director for Academic Program Development

Office of Programs and Academic Assessment (MC 103)

2630 University Hall

601 South Morgan Street

Chicago, IL 60607

January 27, 2014

TO:

Ilene Harris, Chair

Senate Committee on Educational Policy

FROM:

Dana Wright, Director for Academic Program Development

I am submitting for review and action by the Senate Committee on Educational Policy

the attached Proposal to Establish the Master of Science in Business Analytics.

The proposal was approved by the Department of Information and Decision Sciences, and

then approved by the College of Business Administration faculty on October 25, 2013. In

addition, the proposal was approved by the Graduate College Executive Committee on

January 24, 2014.

*Map: http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/Academic%20Affairs/Applications/public/materials/CRegionMap

**CIP 2010:

Campus:

University of Illinois at Chicago

Degree Title:

Master of Science in Business Analytics

Level of Proposed Program:

Graduate (Masters)

Region*:

Chicago - 10

Zip Code of Proposed Location:

60607

Requested CIP Code**:

52.1301 Management Science

Proposed Date for Enrollment of First Class

: Fall 2015 (earlier if possible)

Description of Program Objectives:

This program is directed at meeting the growing demand for business analytics professionals. It combines foundational knowledge in data management and business intelligence; applied statistics and data mining approaches for analytics, with knowledge of business functional areas; analytics applications in specific contexts; and understanding of analytics and information management practice and strategy in organizations. It is targeted both at students with undergraduate degrees from business and other disciplines who seek specialized knowledge and training to work in increasingly data rich business environments, as well as working professionals looking to develop business intelligence and analytics capability.

The distinguishing feature of the proposed program is in its blend of technical skills, statistical knowledge and business capabilities. It is designed to prepare students for varied data-focused work roles from business analyst, data analyst, quantitative analyst, data scientist, digital marketing analyst, supply chain analyst, and risk analyst to product managers for information and analytics driven organizations, as well as managerial roles leading to chief data officers, chief analytics officers, and chief information officers. Demand for such job roles is increasing in businesses as well in various government and public organizations.

The proposed program will also prepare students for further education in doctoral programs related to information management and analytics. It provides a strong background and suitable preparation for further education and research in broader areas with emerging interest in data- and analytics-driven opportunities, like healthcare, financial markets, marketing, public administration, risk management, and supply chain management.

*Map: http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/Academic%20Affairs/Applications/public/materials/CRegionMap

**CIP 2010:

The proposed program will bring opportunities for education in a field with increasing

market demand to a broad range of students. The program will appeal to those with

undergraduate training in different disciplines and working professionals looking to

develop their knowledge and training for high-paying data and analytics related jobs in a

range of organizations across business and government.

The program will make a focused effort to recruit women and minority students and take

advantage of federal funding opportunities in a STEM discipline for their joining this

promising field.

Description of Delivery Modes:

The courses will be delivered in a regular face-to-face setting. Some content can be

offered online or in hybrid mode.

Projected Enrollments:

15 in Year One, and 75 when fully implemented

Contact Information:

Name: Siddhartha Bhattacharyya

Title: Associate Professor and Interim Head

Department: UIC Department of Information and Decision Sciences

Address 1: University Hall, Room 2404 (MC 294)

Address 2: 601 South Morgan Street

City/State/Zip: Chicago, IL 60607-7124

Phone: 312-996-8794

Fax: 312-413-0385

Email: sidb@uic.edu

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010

1. Degree Program Title and Overview

What is the specific title of the proposed degree program as it would be listed in the IBHE Program Inventory? The name should be what typically is used for similar programs nationally. Provide a short

description of the program, including highlights of the program objectives, and the careers, occupations, or further educational opportunities for which the program will prepare graduates.

Master of Science in Business Analytics

Recent years have seen an explosive growth in digital data, arising from business systems, e-business, social media, mobile technologies, and varied digital business innovations. Developments in information technologies and analytical tools enable the processing and analyses of vast troves of data to inform business operations and decisions, and this has fueled a demand for people with requisite knowledge and skills for business analytics.

This program is directed at meeting the growing demand for business analytics professionals. It combines foundational knowledge in data management and business intelligence; applied statistics and data mining approaches for analytics, with knowledge of business functional areas; analytics applications in specific contexts; and understanding of analytics and information management practice and strategy in organizations. It is targeted both at students with undergraduate degrees from business and other disciplines who seek specialized knowledge and training to work in increasingly data rich business environments, as well as working professionals looking to develop business intelligence and analytics capability.

The distinguishing feature of the proposed program is in its blend of technical skills, statistical knowledge and business capabilities. It is designed to prepare students for varied data-focused work roles from business analyst, data analyst, quantitative analyst, data scientist, digital marketing analyst, supply chain analyst, and risk analyst to product managers for information and analytics driven organizations, as well as managerial roles leading to chief data officers, chief analytics officers, and chief information officers. Demand for such job roles is increasing in businesses as well in various government and public organizations.

The proposed program will also prepare students for further education in doctoral programs related to information management and analytics. It provides a strong background and suitable preparation for further education and research in broader areas with emerging interest in data- and analytics-driven opportunities, like healthcare, financial markets, marketing, public administration, risk management, and supply chain management.

2. Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Code

Recommend the University’s preferred six-digit CIP code for this program. CIP Code 52.1301 Management Science

Definition: A general program that focuses on the application of statistical modeling, data warehousing, data mining, programming, forecasting and operations research techniques to the analysis of problems of business organization and performance. Includes instruction in optimization theory and mathematical techniques, data mining, data warehousing, stochastic and dynamic modeling, operations analysis, and the design and testing of prototype systems and evaluation models.

Approved November 19, 2010

3. Enrollment and Degree Projections for the First and Fifth Years of the Program

In the Excel table below, summarize enrollment and degrees conferred projections for the program for the first and the fifth years of operation. If possible, indicate the number of full-time and part-time students to be enrolled each fall term in the notes section. If it is not possible to provide fall enrollments or fall enrollments are not applicable to this program, please indicate so and give a short explanation. The degree projections should encompass the fiscal year as reported to the IBHE.

Table 1

STUDENT ENROLLMENTAND DEGREE PROJECTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED PROGRAM

Year One

5th Year (or when fully implemented) Number of Program Majors (Fall

Headcount) 15 75

Annual Full-time-Equivalent Majors (Fiscal

Year) 12 60

Annual Number of Degrees Awarded _{6 60}

Enrollment numbers for the fully implemented program by the 5th _{year are based on anticipated demand}

and comparable with enrollment in other MS programs in the college. 

4. Background

Briefly describe the historical and institutional context of the program’s development. Include a short summary of any existing program(s) upon which this program will be built and of any existing administrative unit(s) and program(s) that will share resources with this program. (Note: Student and occupational demand for the program is addressed in #6, below.)

The knowledge and skillset for business analytics comprises of (1) understanding business data, its storage and access, use for business intelligence, and organization practices around data governance and security; (2) business statistics, data mining, and optimization approaches for data analytics and modeling; (3) understanding of analytics applications to different business problems and functional areas and in an organizational context. The Information and Decision Sciences department is defined around and contributes to the College of Business Administration’s teaching and research in the areas of information systems, business statistics, and operations and supply chain management. These areas form the defining elements for a business analytics program. The proposed program combines existing coursework with enhanced material and new courses to offer an integrated program that ties together the different elements of an analytics curriculum with relevant business knowledge and problem-solving skills, communication capabilities, and hands-on competency with current software and tools. It combines IDS coursework with courses in broader business areas where data and analytics play significant and transformative roles. While certain courses will be primarily for students in this proposed program, a few courses are common to the MS in Management Information Systems and MBA programs.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010

5. Mission

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(1): A) The objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are consistent with the mission of the college or university; B) The objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are consistent with what the unit title implies.

Briefly describe how this program will support the University’s mission, focus, and/or current priorities. Demonstrate the program’s consistency with and centrality to that mission.

The proposed program addresses a widely recognized market need for individuals with the capabilities necessary to work in increasingly complex and data-rich business environments. The ability to effectively leverage data assets is key to enhanced decision-making, productivity, and competitiveness in current and future businesses. Data collected and aggregated from varied sources and linked to individual actions and behavior is central to new and improved services and practices for various public and social organizations. As data-driven products and services lead a new wave of innovation, organizations need access to adequately trained talent to take on data-intensive and analytics work. There is a growing and unmet need for such professionals. The program supports three facets of UIC’s mission:

(1) To provide a wide range of students with the educational opportunity only a leading research university can offer.

The proposed program will bring opportunities for education in a field with increasing market demand to a broad range of students. The program will appeal to those with undergraduate training in different disciplines and working professionals looking to develop their knowledge and training for high-paying data and analytics related jobs in a range of organizations across business and government. A program like this, which needs to provide quantitative training, together with business domain knowledge and understanding of varied and emerging analytics applications, is well situated in a leading research university like UIC.

The program will make a focused effort to recruit women and minority students and take advantage of federal funding opportunities in a STEM discipline for their joining this promising field.

(2) To address the challenges and opportunities facing not only Chicago but all Great Cities of the 21st century, as expressed by our Great Cities Commitment.

The proposed program is focused on developing the talent pool to help address such new opportunities and challenges, and relates directly to the UIC’s Great Cities initiative and its commitment to address the needs of Chicago-area and Illinois business and organizations. It also ties in with the City Chicago’s effort to develop an expertise pool in technology and analytics. Graduates of the program will bring the much needed knowledge and skillset vital for fostering innovation in an emerging area of work, and maintaining an attractive and compelling business environment.

Approved November 19, 2010

(3) To train professionals in a wide range of public service disciplines, serving Illinois as the principal educator of health science professionals and as a major healthcare provider to underserved communities.

The management of various public services and healthcare is increasingly looking to data and analytics driven practices to bring better process and cost efficiencies, improved and innovative services and more effective outcomes. Recent open data initiatives arise from a focus on leveraging data. The State of Illinois Open Data Initiative aims at providing broad access to government and public services related data to “encourage innovative thoughts, ideas and plans in order to generate improvements in government that can be driven through areas such as improved services, identification of economic barriers and much more” (https://data.illinois.gov/).

Similarly, the Health Data Initiative at U.S. Department of Health & Human Services focuses on “making high value health data more accessible to entrepreneurs, researchers, and policy makers in the hopes of better health outcomes for all” ( http://healthdata.gov/unleashing-power-data-and-innovation-improve-health). The proposed program will train professionals for such data and analytics oriented work, and bring the critical talent necessary to drive such initiatives in Illinois.

  6. Need for the Program and Future Employment and Additional Educational

Opportunities for Graduates

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(6): A) The unit of instruction, research or public service is educationally and economically justified based on the educational priorities and needs of the citizens of Illinois.

Explain how the program will meet the needs of regional and state employers, including any state agencies, industries, research centers, or other educational institutions that expressly encouraged the program’s development. (If letters of support are available, include them in the appendix as an Adobe Acrobat (pdf) document.)

Discuss projected future employment and or additional educational opportunities for graduates of this program. Compare estimated demand with the estimated supply of graduates from this program and existing similar programs in the state. Where appropriate, provide documentation by citing data from such sources as employer surveys, current labor market analyses, and future workforce projections. (Whenever possible, use state and national labor data, such as that from the Illinois Department of Employment Security at http://lmi.ides.state.il.us/ and/or the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics at http://www.bls.gov/).

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects high demand for business analysts and other information management related jobs. With the growing focus on data-driven operations, products and services, such jobs increasingly look for individuals with the knowledge and capabilities for data management, business intelligence, and analytics related work. Such individuals, combining analytical capability and technology skills with business domain

knowledge and understanding of how to effectively utilize analytics are in short supply. A recent report1 _{by McKinsey Global Institute notes that "}

by 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions".

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010

Numerous recent articles2,3,4 in the popular press emphasize this growing demand for business analytics professionals.

Traditional business programs like the MBA and MS-MIS do not bring the analytical depth required for such work roles. Degree programs in other disciplines also do not bring the combination of knowledge and skills necessary for effective business analytics. The

distinguishing feature of the proposed program is in the combination of data management and analytics knowledge with understanding of business functional areas and role of data and analytics and its application in business contexts.

To address this unmet demand in this area, several universities have started specialized programs in Business Analytics in recent years. Some universities that have introduced Master of Science programs in Business Analytics include:

‐ McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin ‐ Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota

‐ Stern School of Business at New York University

‐ Graduate School of Business at Fordham University ‐ Lidner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati ‐ Broad School of Business at Michigan State University

‐ School of Business at the University of Michigan, Dearborn

‐ Simon Business School at the University of Rochester ‐ LeBow College of Business at Drexel University

‐ College of Business Administration at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

‐ Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

‐ School of Business at the University of Connecticut

‐ Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

‐ Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University

‐ School of Business at George Washington University ‐ Rutgers Business School at Rutgers University.

1_{“Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity”, McKinsey Global Institute,}

May, 2011.

2_{“Age of Big Data”, New York Times, February 11}th_{, 2102;}

3_{“‘Big data’ from social media, elsewhere online redefines trend-watching”, Washington Post, June 6}th_,

2102.

4_{Big Data Talent War: 10 Analytics Job Trends, Information Week, March 28}th_{, 2012.}

7. Comparable Programs in Illinois

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(6): B) The unit of instruction, research or public service meets a need that is not currently met by existing institutions and units of instruction, research or public service.

Identify similar programs and sponsoring institutions in the state, at both public and private colleges and universities. Compare the proposed program with these programs, and discuss its potential impact upon them.

For additional information about similar programs, check the Degree Program Inventory on the IBHE website (http://www.ibhe.org/BHEProgramInventory/default.htm) and review the Notice of

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 2 [Page 6 of 28 ] Intent website for programs being planned

(http://www.ibhe.state.il.us/ODA/tracking/NOI/NOISearch.asp). Analytics-related programs in Illinois:

‐ Master of Science in Statistics: Analytics Concentration from the Department of Statistics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

‐ Master of Data Science from the College of Science, Illinois Institute of Technology.

‐ Master of Science in Analytics from McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern

University.

‐ Master of Science in Predictive Analytics from the College of Computing and Digital Media,

DePaul University.

‐ Master of Science in Marketing Analytics and Communication, Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology.

From Schools of Continuing Studies:

‐ Master of Science in Analytics, School of Continuing Studies, Northwestern University.

‐ Master of Science in Analytics, Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional

Studies, University of Chicago.

The proposed program at UIC blends training in statistics, computing, and information systems and addresses analytics applications in different business contexts such as financial markets, healthcare, supply chain, and marketing. The primary factor differentiating the proposed program from other Illinois programs is its multi-disciplinary blend - where statistics, computational methods, and information systems are fused and applied to different business areas. A student in the proposed program will graduate with business knowledge as well as expertise in analytics as it applies to business problems and areas. It differs from programs like the Master of Science in Statistics and the Master of Data Science programs that have an emphasis on mathematical, statistical, and computing training. The proposed program is not expected to have any impact on these other programs.

The Master of Science in Analytics program from Northwestern University’s McCormick School includes some coverage of business through electives on analytics for supply chain, healthcare, and marketing. The proposed program at UIC covers similar material on analytics and computing, but requires a broader business foundation and knowledge of the domain of analytics

applications.

The Master of Science in Predictive Analytics program from DePaul University offers

concentrations in Computational Methods, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Marketing, each requiring courses in the respective areas. The Master of Science in Marketing Analytics and

Communication at IIT offers two concentrations – in Marketing Analytics and in Marketing Communication; the former covers aspects of basic analytics for marketing. The proposed program addresses business, data, and analytics in a comprehensive manner; it blends broader business knowledge with strong data and analytics capabilities, and will prepare students for data and analytics related work in varied business areas.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 2 [Page 7 of 28 ]

8. The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(6): A) The unit of instruction, research or public service is educationally and economically justified based on the educational priorities and needs of the citizens of Illinois

Demonstrate how the proposed program will support one or more goals of The Illinois Public Agenda,the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Strategic Initiative. Each program does not have

to contribute to every goal, but it must contribute to at least one.

(For more information about each of the four goals of The Illinois Public Agenda, go to the IBHE

website: http://www.ibhe.org/masterPlanning/materials/070109_PublicAgenda.pdf)

Goal 1. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. – Increase educational attainment to match the best-performing states.

Goal 2. COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY. – Ensure college affordability for students, families, and taxpayers.

Goal 3. HIGH QUALITY CREDENTIALS TO MEET ECONOMIC DEMAND. - Increase the number of high-quality post-secondary credentials to meet the demands of the economy and an increasingly global society.

Goal 4. INTEGRATION OF EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, & INNOVATION ASSETS. – Better integrate Illinois’ educational, research, and innovation assets to meet economic needs of the state and its regions.

Goal 1.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Universities in many states have recently started programs in Business Analytics, similar to this proposed program, to address the growing demand in this area. The proposed program develops education for well-trained professionals in an emerging area that is vital for maintaining a competitive and compelling economic environment. Goal 2. COLLEGE

AFFORDABILITY

The proposed program brings education in a high-value and in-demand area of work at an affordable cost for Illinois residents –as the first such program offered in a public university, it involves lower costs than other Chicago-area institutions.

Goal 3. HIGH QUALITY

CREDENTIALS TO MEET ECONOMIC DEMAND

The proposed program brings education in a STEM area and will help increase the pool of trained professional with high quality credentials in an in-demand area.

The program develops a pool of trained professionals in an emerging area that is vital for maintaining a competitive and compelling economic environment.

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 8 of 28 ]

9. Program Description and Requirements 

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(b)(1) [applicable only to new units of instruction]: A) The caliber and content to the curriculum assure that the objectives of the unit of instruction will be achieved; B) The breadth and depth of the curriculum are consistent with what the title of the unit of instruction implies; C) The admission and graduation requirements for the unit of instruction are consistent with the stated objectives of the unit of instruction.  

1050.30(b)(3): Appropriate steps shall be taken to assure that professional accreditation needed for licensure or entry into a profession as specified in the objectives of the unit of instruction is maintained or will be granted in a reasonable period of time.

1050.50 (a)(2)(C) Requirement for Programs in which State Licensure is Required for Employment in the Field: In the case of a program in which State licensure is required for employment in the field, a program can be found to be in good standing if the institution is able to provide evidence that program graduates are eligible to take the appropriate licensure examination and pass rates are maintained as specified in the objectives of the unit of instruction. If there is no such evidence, the institution shall report the program as flagged for review.

a. Admission Requirements

Provide a brief narrative description of the minimum admission requirements for this program. Where relevant, include information about licensure requirements, student background checks, GRE and TOEFL scores, and admission requirements for transfer students.

Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree.

Baccalaureate Field: Individuals from all baccalaureate fields are encouraged to apply. The exact course requirements will be determined based on an individual’s baccalaureate field and work experience. All applicants must have had the following background coursework:

mathematics through the level of calculus covering integration and differentiation, and statistics through regression analysis.

Grade Point Average: At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate studies. Applicants with a master’s degree must have maintained a GPA of at least 3.00/4.00 in that program.

Tests Required: GMAT or GRE taken within five years of entry into the program.

UIC and UIUC students or alumni (graduated within 5 years of applying) with a cumulative GPA of 3.00/4.00, and a GPA of 3.00/4.00 in selected IDS-related courses will be waived from the GMAT or GRE requirement

Minimum English Competency Test Score:

TOEFL 585 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,

IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores. Letters of Recommendation: Two required.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 9 of 28 ] Personal Statement: Required.

b. Program Description

Provide a description of the proposed program and its curriculum, including a list of the required core courses and short (“catalog”) descriptions of each one. (This list should identify all courses newly developed for the program. The learning objectives on which the curriculum is based are discussed in Section 10)

This section also should discuss:

 The unique qualities of this program

 Its delivery method (face-to-face, online, hybrid, etc.)

 Its curriculum’s alignment with national standards (if applicable)

The proposed MS in Business Analytics combines foundational knowledge in data management and business intelligence, applied statistics, and data mining approaches for analytics, with knowledge of business functional areas, analytics applications in specific contexts, and

understanding of analytics and information management practice and strategy in organizations. It is targeted both at students with undergraduate degrees from business and other disciplines who seek specialized knowledge and training to work in increasingly data-rich business environments, as well as working professionals looking to develop business intelligence and analytics capability. The distinguishing feature of the proposed program is in the combination of data management, business intelligence, and analytics capabilities with understanding of business functional areas and processes, analytics application to specific problems, and role of data and analytics in organizational contexts.

The program requires a minimum of 32 hours of graduate coursework beyond the program prerequisites. Students with the necessary background can expect to complete the program within 12 months; students requiring pre-requisite preparation may take from 18-24 months to complete the program. The coursework consists of 12 hours of required core courses, 4 hours of a required capstone course, and 16 hours of electives. Electives are defined as analytics electives and business electives, which can be chosen according to individual career goals and industry-related work interests.

The courses will be delivered in a regular face-to-face setting. Some content can be offered online or in hybrid mode.

Program prerequisites are established to determine adequate preparation for the main coursework, and to allow students from different backgrounds to develop the necessary background.

The program requires students to take three core courses, each for 4 credit hours: IDS 521 - Advanced Database Management

IDS 575 – Statistical Models and Methods for Business Analytics IDS 572 – Business Data Mining

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 10 of 28 ] and a required capstone course (4 credit hours):

IDS 560 – Analytics Strategy and Practice.

The first core course (IDS 521) builds on the basic prerequisite knowledge of relational databases and querying to develop advanced data querying skills, knowledge of data integration, data warehouse design, analytical queries, data organization and querying for ‘big’ data, provision for business intelligence, and effective data management and governance practices. The second and third core courses (IDS 575 and 572) cover the necessary analytical methods, including statistical and machine learning techniques applicable to varied business data and problems. All the core courses involve training for hands-on capabilities with software and tools in current use. Description of required courses

IDS 521 - Advanced Database Management (4 credit hours)

Data analysis for database design; logical data modeling, transaction modeling; implementation models; physical database design; database tuning and performance evaluation; database decomposition; distributed database; database security

IDS 575* – Statistical Models and Methods for Business Analytics (4 credit hours)

Correlation, Regression, Generalized Linear Models, Principal Components, Factor Analysis, Discriminant Analysis, Time series analysis. Application of the above to varied business problems.

IDS 572 Business Data Mining (4 credit hours)

Introduction to data mining for business. Applications to marketing, credit scoring, quality assurance, operations management and human resources management.

IDS 560* – Analytics Strategy and Practice (4 credit hours)

This course will utilize projects and case studies to allow students to learn how to apply the analytic skills developed in the MS Business Analytics curriculum to practical problems. It will also address analytics related issues in the context of organizational strategy.

(* indicates new course)

New courses, including electives, developed for the program:

IDS 575 – Statistical Models and Methods for Business Analytics (4 credit hours) IDS 560 – Analytics Strategy and Practice (4 credit hours)

IDS 576– Advanced predictive models and applications (4 credit hours) IDS 561- Analytics for ‘Big’ Data (4 credit hours)

IDS 564 – Social media and network analysis (4 credit hours) IDS 566 – Advanced Text analytics (2 credit hours)

IDS 567 – Business Data visualization ( 2 credit hours)

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 11 of 28 ] Provide a brief narrative description of all graduation requirements, including, but not limited to, credit hour requirements, and, where relevant, requirements for internship, practicum, or clinical. For a graduate program, summarize information about the requirements for completion of the thesis or dissertation, including the thesis committees, and the final defense of the thesis or dissertation. If a thesis or dissertation is not required in a graduate program, explain how the functional equivalent is achieved.

The program requires a minimum of 32 hours of graduate coursework beyond the program prerequisites.

Technical Prerequisites:

IDS 371 (Business Statistics II) or IDS 570 (Statistics for Management), or equivalent

Knowledge of a programming language like C , C++, Java at the level of IDS 401 or equivalent. Knowledge of relational databases and querying using SQL at the level of IDS 410 or equivalent. Business Prerequisites:

Two introductory courses in any two functional areas of business: operations management, IDS 532; accounting, ACTG 500; finance, FIN 500; marketing, MKTG 500. Each course may be waived based on equivalent prior course work or appropriate work experience in the functional area.

Prerequisite courses will not count towards the minimum degree requirement of 32 hours. Required courses

IDS 521 – Advanced Database Management (4 hours)

IDS 575 – Statistical Models and Methods for Business Analytics (4 hours) IDS 572 – Business Data Mining (4 hours)

IDS 560 – Analytics Strategy and Practice (4 hours) - Capstone

Electives –16 credit hours chosen from the following list, with at least 8 hours of analytics electives.

Analytics electives:

IDS 576 Advanced Predictive Models and Applications (4 hours) IDS 561 Analytics for ‘Big’ Data (4 hours)

IDS 564 Social media and network analysis (4 hours) IDS 435 Optimization Methods and Applications (4 hours) IDS 566 Advanced Text Analytics (2 hours)

IDS 567 Business Data Visualization (2 hours) IDS 594 Special Topics (1-4 hours)

Business electives – analytics-related business electives approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. Sample courses include:

ACTG 516 Financial Statement Analysis (4 hours)

FIN516 Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets (4 hours) FIN 510 Investments (4 hours)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 12 of 28 ] MKTG 561 Consumer Behavior (4 hours)

MKTG 594 Marketing Analytics (4 hours) IDS 518 Electronic Marketing (4 hours) IDS 552 Supply Chain Management (4 hours)

IDS 523 Audit and control of Information Systems (4 hours) IDS 573 Risk Management (4 hours)

Electives are to be chosen with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. Based on student background and interests, other analytics-related courses may be taken with the advice and approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Students entering the program with sufficient background in any of the required core courses may, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, take an advanced analytics elective in its place.

No more than two 400-level courses may be used to count towards degree requirements. Comprehensive Examination: None

Thesis, Project, or Course Work Only Options: Course work only.

The required capstone course (IDS 560) ties together the technical material in the core courses and electives with discussion and cases to address issues related to analytics strategy for organizations and effective analytics practice. This course further integrates this material with project work that involves either detailed study of analytics strategy and practice in organizations, or development of analytics related solutions for specific problems. Such projects, organized as part of the capstone course, can be driven by specific client needs, or framed around problems as currently encountered in practice.

d. Specialized Program Accreditation

Describe the institution’s plan for seeking specialized accreditation for this program. Indicate if there is no specialized accreditation for this program or if it is not applicable.

No specialized accreditation applicable for this program. All College of Business Administration programs are accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which requires well defined processes for assessment of student learning and necessary feedback for improvement of learning. The program will follow processes developed in the college for this.

e. Licensure or Certification for Graduates of the Program

If this program prepares graduates for entry into a career or profession that is regulated by the State of Illinois, describe how it is aligned with or meets licensure, certification, and/or entitlement requirements.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 13 of 28 ] 10. Plan to Assess and Improve Student Learning

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(b)(1)(D) Provision is made for guidance and counseling of students, evaluations of student performance, continuous monitoring of progress of students toward their degree objectives and appropriate academic record keeping.

a. List the program’s student learning objectives.

Each objective should identify what students are expected to know and/or be able to do upon completing this program.

Student Learning Outcomes: Students graduating from this program will demonstrate knowledge, - To apply concepts of data design, storage, integration, access and querying, data

warehousing, and business intelligence

- To apply a broad range of analytical methods for data driven inference and modeling, and will be able to apply analytical methods to various business problems

- To effectively communicate with various stakeholders on requirements, methods, results, and broader business issues for deriving value from analytics applications

- Of business and functional areas and be able to evaluate an organization’s data assets and potential for data-driven and analytics approaches; further they will be able to frame and develop such approaches for effectively addressing varied organizations needs

- Of best practices and governance approaches related to data and analytics in organizations

b. Describe how, when, and where these learning objectives will be assessed. Your description should demonstrate that the assessment will:

 be systematic (that is, occur at different points throughout the program, including course-by-course and end-of-program);

 include multiple, discipline-appropriate measures of student learning;

 emphasize direct measures (e.g., assessments of learning via capstone courses, internships, portfolios, recitals, exhibits, theses, dissertations; standardized, locally-developed, comprehensive, or professional licensure and certification exams; and so on); and

 include indirect assessments from key stakeholders such as current students, alumni, employers, graduate schools, etc. These may include job placement/career

advancement/graduate school acceptance rates of graduates, graduate/employer satisfaction survey results etc.

Achievement of learning objectives will be assessed through: - systematic monitoring of performance in the core courses

- case studies in the capstone course to assess the ability to relate technical knowledge with business context and issues

- performance on the capstone project to assess the ability to effectively address data and analytics applications to specific problems

- evaluation of project related communication effectiveness in the capstone course

- indirect assessment of overall analytics competency from project sponsor and employer feedback and from student’s placement success

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 3 [Page 14 of 28 ] c. Identify faculty expectations for students’ achievement of each of the stated student learning objectives.

What score, rating, or level of expertise will signify that students have met each objective? Provide rating rubrics as necessary.

Regular letter grades will be used for all courses. Students will be required to earn a grade of ’C’ or better on all pre-requisites courses. Students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or better on all core and elective courses and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 out 4.0 in the program.

d. Explain the process that will be implemented to ensure that assessment results are used to improve student learning.

Multiple mechanisms will be used to ensure that assessment results are effectively used to improve student learning:

1. Faculty in individual courses will monitor student progress on (a) basic knowledge of course material; (b) hands-on competency with required software and tools; and (c) ability to effectively communicate methods, results and relation to business problem and context.

2. Student performance in the capstone course will be monitored to evaluate ability to relate technical knowledge with business context, and to effectively manage and communicate on project work.

3. Regular department faculty meetings will discuss student performance in courses, project work, and feedback from project sponsors and employers, and necessary actions to improve student learning, both in individual courses as well as programmatic updates.

4. The program will be accredited through Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business which requires well defined processes for assessment of student learning and necessary feedback for improvement of learning. The program will follow processes developed in the college for this.

11. Plan to Evaluate and Improve the Program

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(2): The design, conduct, and evaluation of the unit of instruction, research or public service are under the direct and continuous control of the sponsoring institution’s established processes for academic planning and quality maintenance. 1050.50 (a)(1) Three years after approval of a new program, the institution shall provide a program progress report to the Board as part of the institution's annual report. The third year progress report shall describe the institution's performance in meeting program objectives and show where any improvements are necessary. The placement of a program in voluntary temporary suspension will not negate the requirement of submitting a third year progress report.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 4 [Page 15 of 28 ] This plan should identify the methods of program evaluation (e.g., faculty self study, curriculum committee review, external review, feedback from key stakeholders such as current students, alumni, employers, and/or staff at residency/internship/practicum sites) as well as its key elements (e.g., curriculum, teaching, research, public services, diversity, quality, cost effectiveness, employer demand, etc., as is relevant to the program), and the goals that will be set for each one. It also should illustrate the existence of regular review and feedback processes to ensure that results of the evaluation will be used to improve the curriculum, instruction, and the overall quality of the program.

Your discussion may include (but is not limited to) the following items:

 Faculty/student collaboration in research, community service, or other projects;

 Faculty productivity (in research, scholarship, creative activities, instruction, and public service);

 Student engagement in integrative learning activities (internships, practica, service learning, study abroad, etc.);

 External funding such as research grants and contracts;

 Support of one or more of the Goals of The Illinois Public Agenda;  Results of student learning assessment;

 Employer, alumni, and other satisfaction survey results;

 Percent of students involved in faculty research or other faculty led projects;

 Percent of graduate students in the program presenting or publishing papers;

 Pass rate of graduates on the end-of-program, comprehensive, standardized, and/or certification/licensure examinations;

 Retention, graduation, and time-to-degree completion rates; and

 Job placement, career advancement, and/or graduate school acceptance rates.

*This plan may be based on the institution’s process for the submission of a progress report to the IBHE at the end of the 3rd _{year of operation and the program’s participation in the IBHE’s 8-year}

program review process or the program’s specialized accreditation review process.

The requirements for accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business require that all programs engage in annual and five-year review programs. As part of this process, the following information is collected annually and reviewed by a team of external reviewers every five years to maintain the campus’ accreditation with AACSB for its business programs:

 Survey of graduating student satisfaction and engagement conducted by Educational Benchmarking Institute (collected biannually)

 Report of placement data for all graduates at time of graduation, three months after graduation, and six months after graduation (including salaries) in accordance with the standards of the Graduate Management Admissions Council

 Report of diversity of the students enrolled in the program

 Ongoing assurance of learning program to both assess achievement of student learning outcomes and demonstrate how assessment data is used to modify and/or improve the program

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 5 [Page 16 of 28 ]

 Report on the engagement of instructional staff with students in accordance with AACSB accreditation standards

 Report of the qualifications of instructional staff to teach in their respective areas based on their academic and scholarly productivity or active engagement with professional practice in the field in accordance with AACSB accreditations standards.

12. Budget Narrative

Fiscal and Personnel Resources

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(5): A) The financial commitments to support the unit of instruction, research or public service are sufficient to ensure that the faculty and staff and support services necessary to offer the unit of instruction, research or public service can be acquired and maintained; B) Projections of revenues necessary to support the unit of instruction, research or public service are based on supportable estimates of state appropriations, local tax support, student tuition and fees, private gifts, and/or governmental grants and contracts.

Budget Rationale

Provide financial data that document the university’s capacity to implement and sustain the proposed program and describe the program’s sources of funding.

a. Is the unit’s (Department, College, School) current budget adequate to support the program when fully implemented? If new resources are to be provided to the unit to support the program, what will be the source(s) of these funds? Is the program requesting new state funds? (During recent years, no new funds have been available from the state (IBHE) to support new degree programs).

Both UIC and the College of Business Administration have budget allocation processes that provide funding based on the tuition and differential tuition revenue generated by each individual program. No additional investment of funds beyond tuition revenue generated by the program will be required to support the program when fully implemented.

b. Will current faculty be adequate to provide instruction for the new program or will additional faculty need to be hired? If additional hires will be made, please elaborate. When fully implemented, it is anticipated that two faculty FTE will be required to serve the students in the program. As the college’s budget model is based on allocating permanent funding based on student demand, as student demand increases, funds for the department to augment the faculty will be available as is necessary. While we project a net gain of two faculty “lines”, the funding mechanism for the program allows for growth to meet demand. c. Will current staff be adequate to implement and maintain the new program or will

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 5 [Page 17 of 28 ] support and advisement, including job placement and or admission to advanced studies? If additional hires will be made, please elaborate.

The college funds support functions similarly to how academic departments are funded. As student demand grows, funds are allocated to the support units to support students. We anticipate no specific increase in administrative staff associated with this program. But need for additional staff may occur as a result of overall increases in college enrollments, of which this program would be a part. For example, there would not be a student advisor hired to support the MS in Business Analytics per se, but a student advisor may be hired to support an increased number of graduate students.

d. Are the unit’s current facilities adequate to support the program when fully implemented? Will there need to be facility renovation or new construction to house the program? (Refer to Section #13.1).

No new facilities or renovations are required for this program. The program will require regular investment in computer infrastructure to ensure that students have access to business-relevant technology in their learning experience.

e. Are library resources adequate to support the program when fully implemented? (Refer to Section #13.2).

Library resources are adequate to support the program.

f. Are any sources of funding temporary (e.g., grant funding)? If so, how will the program be sustained once these funds are exhausted?

This program will be funded based on the tuition it generates.

g. If this is a graduate program, please discuss the intended use of graduate tuition waivers. If the program is dependent on the availability of waivers, how will the unit compensate for lost tuition revenue?

The program is not dependent upon tuition waivers to be sustained. While students in this program will have and will develop skills that may make them attractive to units as graduate assistants to support their administrative operations, the intent of the program is to attract tuition paying students.

h. Complete the budget Table 2 below

ESTIMATED COSTS OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 5 [Page 18 of 28 ] Measurement

(or when fully implemented)

Personnel $ $

Faculty FTE 0 2

Faculty $ $0 $325,000

Other Personnel Costs $ $0 $65,000

Supplies, Services, Equipment1 _{$ $30,000 $6,000}

Facility Costs (e.g., rental, maintenance)

$ $0 $0

Other Costs (itemized): $

$ $ $

$ $ $

$ $ $

Total $ $30,000 $396,000

13. Facilities and Equipment

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(4): A) Facilities, equipment and instructional resources (e.g., laboratory supplies and equipment, instructional materials, computational equipment) necessary to support high quality academic work in the unit of instruction, research or public service are available and maintained; B) Clinical sites necessary to meet the objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service; C) Library holdings and acquisitions, owned or contracted for by the institution, that are necessary to support high quality instruction and scholarship in the unit of instruction, research and public service, are conveniently available and accessible, and can be maintained.

a. Describe the facilities and equipment that are available, or that will be available, to develop and maintain high quality in this program. Summarize information about buildings, classrooms, office space, laboratories and equipment, and other instructional technologies for the program.

The program requires server equipment and software to provide a business relevant

experience for students. An initial investment of $30,000 for equipment will be required to offer the technological infrastructure required for the program. This equipment will be depreciated over five years for an ongoing annual cost of $6000 per year.

No specialized instructional space needs to be created for the program. Existing classrooms and laboratories are sufficient to support the program.

When fully implemented, the program will result in three to five additional sections per semester with the remainder of necessary instructional capacity coming from unused seats in existing sections.

to the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE)

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 5 [Page 19 of 28 ] b. Summarize information about library resources for the program, including a list of key

textbooks, a list of key text and electronic journals that will support this program, and a short summary of general library resources of the University that will be used by the program’s faculty, students, and staff.

The UIC Library has a range of material to support instruction in the program. Some

sample resources useful for the program

The Data Warehouse Toolkit: the definitive guide to dimensional modeling by Kimball, Ralph and Ross, Margy. Wiley Pub. 2013.

Mastering Data Warehouse Design: relational and dimensional techniques by Imhoff, Claudia; Galemmo, Nicholas; Geiger, Jonathan G. Wiley Pub. 2003.

The Microsoft data warehouse toolkit: with SQL server 2008 R2 and the Microsoft Business Intelligence toolset by Mundy, Joy; Thornthwaite, Warren; Kimball, Ralph. Wiley-Blackwell. 2011.

Project Management by Lock, Dennis. Gower Pub. 2012.

Business Analytics : A Practitioner's Guide by Saxena, Rahul and Srinivasan, Anand. Springer:New York. 2013.

Foundations of Predictive Analytics, by Wu, James Coggeshall, Stephen, Publisher: Chapman & Hall/CRC Press. 2012.

Practical multivariate analysis, 5th ed. Afifi, Abdelmonem et al. CRC Press. 2012. Big Data and Business Analytics by Liebowitz, Jay. Auerbach Publications. 2013.

Data mining: practical machine learning tools and techniques, by Witten, I. H; Frank, Eibe; Hall, Mark A , Morgan Kaufmann. 2011.

Data mining techniques: for marketing, sales, and customer relationship management, third edition, by Linoff, Gordon and Berry, Michael J. A. Wiley. 2011.

Linear programming and generalizations: a problem-based introduction with spreadsheetsby Denardo, Eric V, Springer Pub, 2011.

Data mining: concepts and techniques, by Han, Jiawei; Kamber, Micheline; Pei, Jian. 3rd ed. Morgan Kaufmann. 2013.

Data mining and business analytics with R, by Ledolter, Johannes. Wiley. 2013.

Time series: applications to finance with R and S-Plus by Chan, Ngai Hang. Wiley. 2010. Beginning R: The Statistical Programming Language by Gardener, Mark. 2012.

Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning about a Highly Connected World by Easley, David and Kleinberg, Jon. 2010.

Approved November 19, 2010 Part 5 [Page 20 of 28 ] Networks : an introduction by M.E.J. Newman. Oxford University Press. 2010

Visualize this: the FlowingData guide to design, visualization, and statistics, by Nathan Yau. Wiley. 2011.

Mining of Massive Datasets by Rajaraman, Anand Ullman, Jeffrey David. Cambridge University Press. 2011.

Analytics at work: smarter decisions, better results by Davenport, Thomas H; Harris, Jeanne G; Morison, Robert. Harvard Business Press. 2010.

Sample data resources:

- Wharton Research Data Service (WRDS) Business and Financial Databases - The US Bureau of the Census.

14. Faculty and Staff

Illinois Administrative Code: 1050.30(a)(3): A) The academic preparation and experience of faculty and staff ensure that the objectives of the unit of instruction, research or public service are met; B) The academic preparation and experience of faculty and staff, as evidenced by level of degrees held, professional experience in the field of study and demonstrated knowledge of the field, ensure that they are able to fulfill their academic responsibilities; C) The involvement of faculty in the unit of instruction, research or public service is sufficient to cover the various fields of knowledge encompassed by the unit, to sustain scholarship appropriate to the unit, and to assure curricular continuity and consistency in student evaluation; D) Support personnel, including but not limited to counselors, administrators, clinical supervisors, and technical staff, which are directly assigned to the unit of instruction, research or public service, have the educational background and experience necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities.

a. Describe the personnel resources available to develop and maintain a high quality program, including faculty (full- and time, current and new), staff (full- and part-time, current and new), and the administrative structure that will be in place to oversee the program. Also include a description of faculty qualifications, the faculty evaluation and reward structure, and student support services that will be provided by faculty and staff.

Faculty from the all three IDS areas of Management Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations and Supply Chain Management will be involved in teaching the different courses in the program. These include 11 tenure-track, 5 clinical and 1 adjunct faculty. A search for one additional faculty position is currently under way. All faculty members have doctoral degrees. Eight of the tenure line faculty are active in different aspects of analytics related research, and clinical faculty bring relevant professional experience for effective program instruction.

A faculty member will serve as Director of Graduate Studies for the program. The program will be managed by the Liautaud Graduate School of Business, which manages graduate programs in the College of Business Administration. The Liautaud Graduate School of Business has a dedicated staff that oversees the student experience from prospective applicant through

Part 5 [Page 21 of 28 ] graduation. Currently the admissions staff consists of two professionals, with assistance from two graduate students. A third full-time professional will be hired in the next month to six weeks to support current needs.

The student services team works with students regarding registration, enrollment, progress through the program, and certifies that requirements are met for graduation. In addition, the student services team supports student organizations and assures that all Liautaud students have opportunities to network with their peers and alumni. The current student services team has two professionals and assistance from two graduate students. We are in the process of hiring a third full-time professional at this time.

Evaluation and reward structure: faculty annual evaluations are based on a self-assessment, completed by the end of the Spring term. This is reviewed and evaluated by the department advisory committee and department head and scores are assigned for performance on research, teaching and service as relevant to individual appointments. These are further reviewed at the college level, and individual evaluations are reported to respective faculty members. Merit pay increases are based on these evaluations. Promotion and tenure decisions are in accordance with college and university policies.

b. Summarize the major accomplishments of each key faculty member, including research/scholarship, publications, grant awards, honors and awards, etc. Include an abbreviated curriculum vitae or a short description.

Key faculty members for the proposed program: Siddhartha Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor PhD, University of Florida

Siddhartha (Sid) Bhattacharyya’s research is inter-disciplinary and addresses business decision support, data mining, agent modeling, social networks, and evolutionary computation . Some areas that his work examines include data mining in high frequency financial data, marketing, and for credit card fraud; mechanisms to incorporate confidence in predictive models; modeling of electronic auctions, information sharing in supply chains, game-theoretic models for incentive design, information processing and creativity in social networks, and a large-data approach to study adoption of innovations. His current projects examine social media and text mining, data intensive applications in business, and analytics governance in organizations. He teaches courses in business data mining and project management and has received multiple teaching awards. Sid’s work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and private organizations. His papers appear in journals like Decision Support Systems, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, IEEE Transactions, Social Networks, INFORMS Journal of Computing, Evolutionary Computation, Decision Sciences, Complex Systems and in various conferences. He is an Associate Editor for Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, Information Technology and Management and the Journal of Database Marketing and Customer Strategy Management.

Yann Chang, Lecturer

Part 5 [Page 22 of 28 ]

Yann T. Chang is a lecturer in the Information and Decision Sciences department in the College of Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has taught a variety of course at different levels s including Database Design, Information Security, Mobile App Development, and Excel VBA Programming. Prior to his teaching assignments, he served as the director of College Computer Services in the College of Business Administration. He received a doctorate degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Kyle Cheek, Clinical Assistant Professor PhD, University of Texas at Dallas.

Kyle Cheek is Director of the Center for research in Information Management in the College of Business Administration at the University of Illinois – Chicago. In that capacity he is responsible for the Center’s mission to develop opportunities for faculty and student engagement with the local business community to address practical problems in information management. He also holds an appointment as Clinical Professor of Information and Decision Sciences, and teaches courses on enterprise analytics and healthcare information and analytics.

Prior to his current role, Kyle served in various executive roles in the healthcare industry. His expertise is centered on the application of advanced data analytics to healthcare business domain problems including healthcare informatics, payment integrity analytics, and healthcare

information management. Some of his notable accomplishments include leading the definition, development, and implementation of an award-winning advanced-analytic healthcare fraud detection solution, and leading the development and execution of an advanced healthcare analytics business strategy. He is active with numerous professional organizations, both in the healthcare industry and more broadly focused on the furtherance of data analytics as a business asset, and is frequently invited to provide commentary to various industry and media forums on the broader adoption of advanced analytics across the healthcare domain.

Thomas Y. S. Lee, Associate Professor PhD, Yale University

Thomas Y. S. Lee is an Associate Professor in the Information and Decision Sciences

Department. He is also an associate member of the Society of Actuaries. He teaches courses in risk management, operations management and operations research. His research interest focuses on decision making under uncertainty with applications to risk management, supply chain management, production and operations management, and telecommunication systems. Some of his research work has appeared in such journals as Management Science, Operations Research, Mathematics of Operations Research, Queueing Systems and European Journal of Operational Research. He is currently a member of the editorial board of International Journal of Information & Decision Science, International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies and International Journal of Information Systems in the Service Sector.

Part 5 [Page 23 of 28 ] Dr. Matthew Liotine, Clinical Associate Professor

PhD, Princeton University

Dr. Matthew Liotine is a clinical faculty member at UIC’s Graduate School of Business. He is the recipient of the 2012-2013 Teaching Recognition Program Award and was recognized as among the top business school faculty in 2004. He teaches courses in operations and supply chain management, enterprise information security and infrastructure, business continuity and project management. His research interests are in cloud computing for business applications, supply chain risk management and information systems and infrastructure protection.

In prior roles, he held a variety of technical and management positions during his years at AT&T Bell Laboratories and later Lucent Technologies. He received the distinguished AT&T Network Architecture Award for research and the AT&T Quality Award for participating in quality improvement efforts. Prior to this role, he was an industrial engineer for Union Carbide Corporation, where he developed enterprise resource planning systems for chemical production and distribution. There, he developed the Linde Division’s first logistics operations center, which included models and systems to plan and operate the transportation, distribution and production of liquefied gases. He also served as vice president for several technology consulting firms. He was formerly the President of the Chicago Chapter of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). He was the recipient of the Department of Navy Superior Accomplishment Award for work pertaining to Navy vessel engineering. He is the author of the bestselling book Mission Critical Network Planning (Artech House). He holds

Ph.D., MS, and MA degrees in Engineering from Princeton University, and MS and BS degrees in Engineering from New York Polytechnic Institute. He has several professional certifications that include ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSB), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), and a Project Management certification from IBM’s Systems Management Institute.

Aris Ouksel, Professor PhD, Northwestern University

Aris Ouksel's research interests and contributions are in two tracks: (i) information technology strategic planning, business process reengineering, information economics; (ii) mobile ad-hoc networks, wireless and mobile sensor networks and data management, peer-to-peer data management, and semantic issues on the web and in virtual inter-organizational information systems. He has published several articles in leading journals and presented papers at

international conferences in the above areas. He has also obtained several research grants from federal, state, and city agencies, as well as the private sector. He teaches courses in operations management and data management.

Dr. Ouksel is a member of several professional organizations in the information technology and management science areas. He is currently associate editor at two journals: Journal of Distributed and Parallel Databases and Journal of E-Business Research. He was previously associate editor of Journal of Knowledge and Information Systems. He was keynote speaker and panelist at several