Media: New McCombs Tobacco Policy Garners Press Attention
The New York Times, KXAN, The Daily Texan
The recent decision to stop accepting money from tobacco firms was featured in the New York Times Feb. 4. The story was followed by local and university coverage the next day. "We know the product is deadly,” said Paula Murray, associate dean for undergraduate programs, in the New York Times story. “We know it causes cancer. And we know that the younger you start smoking, the more likely you will find it hard to quit. With two-thirds of our undergraduates under 21, to me it’s a no-brainer.”
Read the New York Times story.
Watch the KXAN segment.
Read the Daily Texan story.

Ticket Sales Software Company Wins Texas Moot Corp
Congratulations to the qcue team, whose e-commerce solution for event ticket sales won Texas Moot Corp®, the venture competition hosted annually at McCombs. The team’s software plan integrates elements of airline pricing and NASDAQ trading into current online ticket-selling platforms, providing primary sellers the ability to dynamically price-to-market. qcue advances to the Global Moot Corp Competition and the Austin Technology Incubator Launch Package, featuring the opportunity to obtain strategic business consulting services, office space, mentoring and discounted legal, accounting and businesses services from top tier providers. The Global Moot Corp, recognized as the “Super Bowl” of international business plan competitions, takes place in Austin April 30 – May 3.
Get more info on the competition.
Read the Daily Texan story.

Shell Donates $225,000 to UT Austin
Shell Oil Company has contributed $225,500 to support academic programs at UT Austin. The grant benefits both undergraduates and graduate students in the university's McCombs School of Business, Cockrell School of Engineering, Jackson School of Geosciences and College of Natural Sciences. With this contribution, Shell has given the university more than $19 million in gifts and research grants.

Media: Accountants Can Count on Jobs
The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 6, 2008
While U.S. markets are getting squeezed, talk of recession continues, and Wall Street firms hand out pink slips by the hundreds, accounting firms are expected to buck the trend. The Big Four accounting firms plan to hire roughly the same number—or more—of interns and entry-level employees for 2008 as they did last year. "Whether firms are prospering or in distress, they must file reports, such as financial and tax," said Stephen T. Limberg, director of the professional accounting master's program at the University of Texas at Austin, which won U.S. News & World Report's top ranking for accounting programs. In 2007, UT Austin had 310 undergraduate- and graduate-level accounting students, up 15 percent from five years ago.
Read more.

Media: Brandl Discusses Merits of Economic Stimulus Package
Biz Radio Network (Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth), Jan. 25, 2008
In a wide-ranging interview, Michael Brandl, senior finance lecturer, shared his insights on the current economy and the President's proposed economic stimulus package. "I'm all in favor of tax cuts," Brandl said. "I'm also very in favor of trying to increase the spending power of those on the lower end of the socio-economic ladder. And there are things we can do with tax cuts to stimulate the economy in the long run. But to think [the government] can do these things in such a timely and targeted manner to fend off a recession, you have to make some pretty big assumptions."
Listen to part one.
Listen to part two.