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The David LaMarche ’69 Chair in Business (2000) was established by Mr. and Mrs. Edmund J. Cashman, a Saint Michael’s graduate of the Class of 1958. Mr. Cashman also served as a trustee of the College from 1985-1999. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of three children, two of whom also graduated from Saint Michael’s College.  The Chair has been dedicated to honor David LaMarche, Class of 1969, who was a professor, Department Chair and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Saint Michael’s College from 1974 to 2004.  In his Saint Michael’s career, Professor LaMarche not only practiced the highest standards of superior teaching, but also demonstrated consistent dedication to the Mission of Saint Michael’s as envisioned by the founders of our College, the priests of the Society of Saint Edmund.  Professor LaMarche, an academic leader, exemplified to generations of students that excellence is synonymous with values and appreciation of one another. Dennis Voigt was appointed the first David LaMarche Chair and served from July 2008 until July 2011. Robert Kenny was appointed in July 2011 as the next David LaMarche Chair.

Faculty

Chair: Professor Robert Letovsky
Professors: William Anderson, Robert Kenny
Associate Professors: M. Birger Benson, Richard Kuklis, Diane Lander, Melinda Micheletto, Tamara Mullarky, Dennis Voigt, Norman Walker
Assistant Professors: Francis Farina, Karen Popovich
Instructors: Paul Olsen, Joanne Scott
Visiting Instructor: Steven Doyon

The Department offers majors and minors in accounting and business administration, and minors in finance, information systems, international business, management and marketing. These courses of study prepare students to work in administrative positions in business, government, and service organizations, or to enter an advanced degree program.

The business administration major is a well-rounded, general business major which exposes the student to each of the functional areas of business. It emphasizes the nature, function, and social role of the business organization and stresses that administration is both an art and a science. In keeping with the College’s liberal arts mission, requirements for the major are comprehensive but recognize the unique opportunities that the liberal studies foundation affords our students. The major also includes components that help students understand the interface between businesses decisions and the conduct of a moral/ethical life. All business administration majors will have an experiential component as part of their program of study. In addition, the major requires that students pursue in-depth study of a field of their choice. This requirement is met by completing a second major, a minor either from those offered within the department or from any other department on campus, or a concentration within the department.

The accounting major prepares students for careers in a variety of organizations including public accounting firms, business enterprises, government and non-profit organizations. In addition, the coursework is sufficiently broad to prepare students to continue their studies in graduate programs in accounting or business administration. The relationship between the accounting major and preparation for the CPA exam is explained later in this section.

To provide post-graduate opportunities for students in both Business Administration and Accounting, the Department has developed a number of agreements with colleges and universities (e.g., Clarkson, Syracuse, Northeastern, Boston College) that will allow facilitated admission for our alumni into MBA and MSA programs.  Contact the department chair, Dr. Robert Letovsky, for details.

Accounting Majors and CPA Requirements

Requirements to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam vary by state. Certain states require specific electives and/or additional courses. Most states require CPA candidates to have completed 150 credit hours of post-high school courses prior to taking the CPA exam. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants also requires all new members to have completed 150 credit hours. To accommodate these requirements, Saint Michael’s College offers a wide range of undergraduate electives, including during the summer. In addition, the College has entered into several 4 +1 arrangements with graduate programs in accounting or business, to provide students with another way to meet the 150 credit hour requirement. As students progress through the accounting program, they are advised to contact both the appropriate state Board of Accountancy for specific requirements and their academic advisor in order to develop a plan to meet those requirements.

The Department’s curriculum and program aim to ensure that our graduates attain the following learning goals and outcomes:

1. Conduct themselves and their businesses in a way that is informed by the central themes of the mission of the College. This includes an understanding of what it means to lead a moral/ethical life and an ongoing commitment to the service of others.
2. Possess basic competencies necessary to operate and lead in an organizational environment.  This includes the areas of group dynamics and operations, financial and quantitative applications and analysis, technology, and problem solving.
3. Develop an in-depth understanding of either one of the core areas of business or another discipline.
4. Be able to effectively research, write, present and defend concepts and proposals related to business, administration and/or accounting issues.
5. Develop sensitivity for how external factors including global political, economic, social, technological, and ecological trends can impact a business’ or nonprofit organization’s plans and operations.

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