It’s springtime in Ohio, and that means we can expect all kinds of weather from sunshine and shorts to snow and freezing temperatures. It also signals the approach to the end of the school year. As we wrap up another year, I can’t help but reflect on the changes we’ve experienced (and are about to experience) in our schools and on our campuses in Ohio.
One of the changes that has turned many business educators’ heads is House Bill 383. This bill calls for minimums in financial literacy education in our schools. While this may sound good at first, many of us don’t believe it goes far enough in required coursework. Additionally, we have concerns over the lack of establishing clear requirements for those who teach these financial literacy courses. If this concerns you as well, please email your congressperson. You may read more about the house bill at the following link. Search for HB 383 at https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/
A positive change at some of Ohio’s regional campuses is the increase in the number of four-year degree programs. Additionally, there has been talk about allowing community colleges to offer four-year degrees as well. This has the opportunity of bringing higher education to a more diverse population as well as at a more affordable cost. In one example, the Miami University’s open access regional campuses have launched a new four-year degree in Commerce with a major in Small Business Management, and more business degrees and majors are being developed. This change in strategy is important in improving Ohio’s competitiveness by expanding accessibility to higher education to all of our residents.
In conference news, the National Business Education Association annual event was recently held in Las Vegas. The wonderful event ran concurrent with the Business Education Research Conference, and it was exciting to see so many scholars dedicated to research in business education. Next year’s conference will be in Chicago, and I hope to see you there.
Locally, the OBTA Conference is shaping up to be a great event. The conference planning committee is hard at work developing the conference agenda, and we are looking forward to seeing you in Columbus. Check the website soon for more information.
Lastly, the new OBTA website is up and running, and the new platform is easier to maintain and update. If you have content you would like the webmasters to add, specifically with respect to professional development resources, please contact me or Matt White. See you in Columbus at the OBTA conference!
My best,
Thomas A. Mays
President, OBTA