AUSTIN, Texas—Bolstering the University’s commitment to the New Texas Economy, UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner today (Jan. 18) announced the establishment of the Texas Evening MBA Program (TEMBA) in the Graduate School of Business.
Keeping pace with Austin’s growing and increasingly high-tech business community, TEMBA will further increase the city’s attractiveness to its citizens and to companies looking for alternative top-quality educational opportunities for their employees.
“Based on my interaction with the Austin business community, I have believed for some time that the University should offer such a program,” explained Robert G. May, dean of the College and Graduate School of Business at UT Austin. “But a faculty task force reported back to me a number of barriers to high-quality delivery and financial feasibility.” May continued, “Fortunately, President Faulkner is committed to supporting the New Austin Economy.
“He and Executive Vice President Sheldon Ekland-Olson waded in to solve the faculty capacity and financial problems, and the faculty task force relentlessly honed the design-for-quality features.” In a unanimous vote, the Graduate School of Business faculty approved the program last Friday.
“I’ve spoken to many members of the Austin community since I’ve been president of the University,” said Faulkner. “I’ve concluded that this program is the single greatest contribution UT Austin can make to the Austin economy at this time, and it has my full support.”
Austin companies that have long supported the idea of an evening MBA program at UT lauded Faulkner’s announcement. “The new evening MBA program is a major step forward for the Graduate School of Business and for professionals who want to expand their business horizons,” said Ron Harris, president and CEO of Pervasive Software. “The MBA Program is consistently ranked as one of the top programs in the nation and will now be available to local professionals who need the flexibility of evening classes.” He continued, “UT’s MBA Program made a huge difference in my career, and I’m certain that it will do the same for many ambitious entrepreneurs throughout central Texas.”
Though the format will differ, the rigor of the curriculum, high academic standards, and superb faculty dedicated to TEMBA will be the same as in UT Austin’s existing MBA programs. “We have been authorized to add sufficient faculty over a period of years to cover the extra demands of this program without adversely impacting our existing academic programs,” explained Senior Associate Dean, David Jemison, who led the faculty task force. “The faculty is very excited to be able to offer an evening program that will be equivalent in quality to our other MBA programs.”
Upon faculty approval of the program, May appointed Dr. R. Britt Freund, interim director of TEMBA. Freund, who has an outstanding teaching record in the full-time MBA Program, is confident that TEMBA will be one of the premier evening MBA programs in the country. “Nothing is watered down from our more traditional daytime MBA — from the use of the cohort structure to the rigorous core curriculum. It even offers a substantial degree of flexibility through five elective courses, something rarely found in evening MBA programs,” he said. May added, “This will be one of the most stimulating, challenging and transforming experiences in the student’s entire life.”
The Texas Evening MBA is a three-year program designed for managers and professionals who want to pursue an MBA degree after hours, while remaining employed full time. Classes will meet on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 6 to 9:30 p.m., leaving three days a week for business travel.
The Graduate School of Business is noted for innovative programs in technology, entrepreneurship, and globalization. Its full-time MBA is ranked #18 in the country by Business Week magazine and its part-time Executive MBA (Option II) is ranked #11 by U.S. News & World Report.
Public information sessions about the new Texas Evening MBA Program will be held at the following times and locations: 6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 3, MCC Auditorium; and 6:30-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10, The University of Texas Club, 2108 E. Campus Drive. Please call 512-232-4625 for more information and to reserve a space at either session. To set up a company-specific information session for 20 or more employees, please contact Janice Hughes at 512-232-4625.
NOTE to EDITORS: For more information, visit the following website: http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/temba.
