Students defend investigated professor
David Veenhuis
Issue date: 2/1/10 Section: Campus
Current and former students have come to the defense
of a UM-Flint professor currently being investigated for possible conflict of interest.
In an Oct. 26 e-mail, Provost Vahid Lotfi addressed some concerns expressed to him by the School of Management Executive Committee. Lotfi told the committee that he had asked a team of investigators to conduct a thorough review of the alleged violations of the UM-Flint Policy on Staff Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment by SOM professor Madhukar Angur.
In an Oct. 21 letter to Lotfi, the Committee expressed concerns over Angur's "ongoing pattern of absences during UM-Flint semesters for executive and administrative duties at [Alliance Business School] for the last several years." As a most recent example, the letter pointed to a two-week period earlier that month, in which Angur left for India and one campus session was not held.
Angur's graduate research assistant Adonis Massoud, a UM-Flint MBA candidate, said he was in attendance when the class first met on Sep. 9. Massoud said the BUS 438 class voted that day to work on presentations that would be given after Thanksgiving break away from campus instead of attending the lecture before the break. He also said that Angur's departure for India actually took place during the break.
"The class unanimously suggested that they would prefer to work on their projects with their groups on their own time," Massoud said. "Dr. Angur assured his students that he and I would be available to assist them via e-mail."
Massoud said that Angur was partially responsible for the creation of the NetPlus! MBA program within the SOM. He said this program and his work with ABS has attracted talented students to the University. Massoud also said that many of the faculty were opposed to the creation of the program.
"I believe the general consensus amongst all of us - graduate and undergraduate students - is that (Angur) is the best lecturer and one of the most prominent professors at the university," Massoud said.
NetPlus! student Diana Green said she has been a member of the program for about 16 months. She said the program includes online classes. Green also said the program requires a weekend residency in which professors have held lectures, shown movies, had groups present projects and invited guest speakers.
"What has set Dr. Angur apart is his approach to lectures," Green said. "He discusses case studies, relevant topics and engages students in solid lectures."
Green remembered one instance in which classes were canceled, but it was due to a hospitalization. Massoud confirmed that Angur was hospitalized with a heart condition for two weeks in 2008.
GMAC Program Manager and former UM-Flint student Prasad Nukala graduated with an MBA in general management in 2008. Nukala said Angur taught two of his classes between 2006-08 and that he never canceled class.
"I joined this school to pursue an MBA because of Dr. Angur," Nukala said of meeting Angur at an open house. "His class work is based on practical scenarios that modern- day managers confront on a daily basis.
"I used to adore him for his wide reading, knowledge and, above all, his commitment to the development of students."
David can be reached at daveenhu@umflint.edu.
In an Oct. 26 e-mail, Provost Vahid Lotfi addressed some concerns expressed to him by the School of Management Executive Committee. Lotfi told the committee that he had asked a team of investigators to conduct a thorough review of the alleged violations of the UM-Flint Policy on Staff Conflicts of Interest and Conflicts of Commitment by SOM professor Madhukar Angur.
In an Oct. 21 letter to Lotfi, the Committee expressed concerns over Angur's "ongoing pattern of absences during UM-Flint semesters for executive and administrative duties at [Alliance Business School] for the last several years." As a most recent example, the letter pointed to a two-week period earlier that month, in which Angur left for India and one campus session was not held.
Angur's graduate research assistant Adonis Massoud, a UM-Flint MBA candidate, said he was in attendance when the class first met on Sep. 9. Massoud said the BUS 438 class voted that day to work on presentations that would be given after Thanksgiving break away from campus instead of attending the lecture before the break. He also said that Angur's departure for India actually took place during the break.
"The class unanimously suggested that they would prefer to work on their projects with their groups on their own time," Massoud said. "Dr. Angur assured his students that he and I would be available to assist them via e-mail."
Massoud said that Angur was partially responsible for the creation of the NetPlus! MBA program within the SOM. He said this program and his work with ABS has attracted talented students to the University. Massoud also said that many of the faculty were opposed to the creation of the program.
"I believe the general consensus amongst all of us - graduate and undergraduate students - is that (Angur) is the best lecturer and one of the most prominent professors at the university," Massoud said.
NetPlus! student Diana Green said she has been a member of the program for about 16 months. She said the program includes online classes. Green also said the program requires a weekend residency in which professors have held lectures, shown movies, had groups present projects and invited guest speakers.
"What has set Dr. Angur apart is his approach to lectures," Green said. "He discusses case studies, relevant topics and engages students in solid lectures."
Green remembered one instance in which classes were canceled, but it was due to a hospitalization. Massoud confirmed that Angur was hospitalized with a heart condition for two weeks in 2008.
GMAC Program Manager and former UM-Flint student Prasad Nukala graduated with an MBA in general management in 2008. Nukala said Angur taught two of his classes between 2006-08 and that he never canceled class.
"I joined this school to pursue an MBA because of Dr. Angur," Nukala said of meeting Angur at an open house. "His class work is based on practical scenarios that modern- day managers confront on a daily basis.
"I used to adore him for his wide reading, knowledge and, above all, his commitment to the development of students."
David can be reached at daveenhu@umflint.edu.
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