Turner Business

Columbus State University men's cross-country freshman Shaun Williams was recently named the Columbus State Athletics Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by Chick-fil-A on Macon Road and Manchester Expressway. Williams captured the individual title at the Willie Laster Invitational on Friday, September 11, completing the men's 8K in 27:38.90. He crossed the finish line nearly 25 seconds ahead of the runner-up. Williams led a dominant performance by the Cougars, who placed five runners among the top six and won the team title with 19 points. Columbus State finished 44 points ahead of second-place Morehouse. The Macon, Georgia, native attended Jones County High School and is majoring in management information systems. His favorite television show is All American .

The CSU women's soccer team recently recognized a number of CSU faculty and staff as having an impact in their lives, and three individuals with Turner College connections were among the group. First, Charles Boster (third from right in the accompanying photo), an associate professor of accounting in the Turner College, was recognized by the team. Turner College MSOL graduate Cortney Wilson (fourth from right in the accompanying photo), the Brown Endowed Chair for Servant Leadership and Director of CSU's Turner Center for Servant Leadership, and Turner College MSOL graduate Laura Pate  (fifth from left in the accompanying photo), Assistant Director of CSU's Turner Center for Servant Leadership, were also recognized by the Lady Cougars. Congratulations to these three.   Another Turner College MSOL degree holder, Samantha Miller Gurski , the  Director, Continuing and Professional Education at CSU, recently spoke to Columbus CEO magazine. During the presentation, Gurksi d...

CSU  President Stuart Rayfield has selected the newest cohort of Presidential Fellows for the 2026-2027 academic year. This group of students and employees will continue partnering with her to help identify campus challenges that can be addressed quickly. Presidential Fellows serve as the eyes and ears of university leadership by identifying and suggesting ways to enhance the university experience for all.  “Fellows broaden our reach to all corners of the university by gathering open and honest feedback from their classmates and peers about what it’s like to study and work at Columbus State,” Rayfield said. “Our fellows continue to provide candid observations of what it’s like to be a Columbus State student or employee as we strive to practice servant leadership.”  The year’s Presidential Fellows cohort includes: Benjamin Baker, associate professor, Department of Strategic Communication, Media & Film JB Belle II, senior, Earth and space science Jayde Colson , junior, ...

Perhaps like yourself, Turner Business is surprised that there has not yet been a public advertisement announcing an opening for a new dean of the Turner College. So, in order to ensure that we were not missing something, we asked Google AI if the Turner College of Business at Columbus State University is searching for a new dean. Here is the response returned by Google AI. As you can see, Google AI discovered that CSU is currently actively searching for a new dean for its business school and that the executive search firm Buffkin/Baker is assisting with the recruitment process. According to the link provided, Buffkin/Baker has posted an add on Crelate . According to Google AI, Crelate "is an AI-powered recruiting platform and applicant tracking system (ATS) built for staffing agencies, executive search firms, and in-house talent teams." The link to the add is here . Buffkin/Baker describes the leadership requirements for the position in the following way.   Much of the abov...

The  Turner College is pleased to support CSU Athletics’ 11th Annual Girls in the Game Luncheon. If you are interested in representing the Turner College at this special event, please note that it is scheduled for  Thursday, October 1, 2026, at  11:30 a.m. in the  Frank G. Lumpkin Jr. Center. Please also note that  to represent Turner College at the luncheon, please contact Yvette Moore in the Turner College Dean's Office by Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Good news for Turner College faculty. The most recent Australian Business Deans Council journal rankings are now searchable online. So, there is no need to sift through the organization's downloadable Excel file in prepping for your next submission. As reported back in January of this year , the newest iteration of the ABDC's journal rankings includes, for the first time, Compensation and Benefits Review , which is edited by Turner College management professor Phil Bryant , as a C-rated journal. It also continued to place the Journal of Financial Economic Policy , which is edited by Turner College economist Frank Mixon , among the B-rated journals. The Turner College community is still eagerly awaiting placement in The Chronicle of Higher Education of the advertisement for a new dean. The ad has also yet to appear in either Inside Higher Ed or on CSU's employment opportunities website, putting the Turner College a little behind schedule. In the meantime, another instituti...

It's Friday evening and you are probably sitting down with your favorite take-out meal or are preparing to go out for dinner. To add to the enjoyment of your end-of-week relaxation time, Turner Business is now providing a new occasional series for Friday evenings called Asking Google AI. Tonight we are asking Google AI the following question: Is it good that Columbus State University is now classified as a national university? Below is an image of Google AI's thorough response. Much what Google AI says in response to the question mirrors the views on the matter in the guest essay on CSU's position in America's Colleges 2027 that was submitted to Turner Business earlier this week. That is, while the prestige attached to the National Universities category exceeds that associated with the Regional Universities South category, CSU is now situated in a more competitive arena and at a much worse relative position. Previously, U.S. News & World Report placed CSU as ...

The release of America's Colleges 2027 by U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday is easily the story of the week as the guide placed CSU in its "National Universities" category for the first time ever. Brad Raizner, the founder of Portal, has taken a deep dive into this year's ranking results and has come away so far with six huge takeaways. First , within the top 200 institutions, private universities were twice as likely to rise in the rankings as public universities. Second , among the top 200 institutions, the average rising private university rose nearly twice as many spots as the average rising public university. Third , the rankings formula removed the graduate debt criterion, which constituted 5%, and replaced it with an earnings by major criterion. As Raizner concludes, this reduces the incentive for universities to graduate their students with less debt. This change will not likely benefit CSU as it likely performed relatively better on the graduate debt...

CSU Registrar Stephanie Speer recently announced a major change coming to CSU's commencement season. Beginning this semester, CSU graduate students will have their own commencement ceremony occurring on the same day as ceremonies for undergraduate students. On Friday, December 14, 2026, students receiving graduate certificates and degrees from any Columbus State University college, including master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees, will enjoy their own commencement ceremony beginning at 4:00pm. Graduate students will attend only this ceremony and not both this ceremony and their college’s ceremony (unless also receiving an undergraduate degree or certificate). Faculty advisors will hood doctoral degree graduates during the ceremony, while college deans will hood master’s and specialist degree graduates. This ceremony replaces the Graduate Hooding Ceremony usually held on the Thursday evening before our Friday Commencement ceremonies. "The compelling benefit of restructuring...

With the CSU community discussing the latest news that U.S. News & World Report now includes it among the National Universities that it ranks each year, Turner Business decided to take a look at how institutions' business schools are contributing to those institutions' overall ranking by U.S. News & World Report . This examination simply involves a comparison of each university's overall ranking to that of its business school. This information for the Georgia-based National Universities is provided in the table below. As indicated in the table above, CSU's Turner College ranks higher (by 32 places) among the nation's business schools than CSU ranks among the nation's universities. As such, the Turner College is doing its share to elevate CSU among the national universities. The push up the rankings that the Turner College is providing CSU is similar in magnitude to the push provided by the Terry College of Business to the University of Georgia, as well...

The schedule for CSU Homecoming 2026 is coming together, and a few events will be especially important to the Turner College community. The Alumni Weekend portion of the festivities kicks off on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 5:30pm with "Cougar Connections." This is an alumni networking event to be held at Nonic Restaurant & Rooftop Bar in Uptown Columbus.  The CSU Alumni Association Award Luncheon is set for Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:30am in the Cunningham Center on CSU's main campus. That event recognizes the outstanding alumni, faculty, staff and university supporters whose achievements, leadership and service have made a lasting impact on CSU, their professions and their communities. Eboni Thomas , a strategic planning specialist at the Columbus Water Works who earned a BBA from the Turner College in 2009 and a Turner College MBA in 2024, will receive the 2026 Young Alumni Award. Stay connected to Turner Business for more on the Homecoming festivities.   ...

CSU went to bed on the evening of September 21, 2026, as the 65th best regional university in the U.S. South. It woke on the morning of September 22, 2026, as the 422nd-ranked (worst) national university in the United States. As you know, this occurred on the release by U.S. News & World Report of its 2027 Best Colleges guide, wherein for the first time ever CSU is classified as a national university. In that classification CSU joins private powerhouse Emory University (ranked 23rd), and two relatively prominent public institutions in the Georgia Institute of Technology (ranked 29th) and the University of Georgia (ranked 52nd). Two other institutions that inhabit the University System of Georgia's "Research Universities" category are also among this group. These are, of course, Georgia State University (ranked 191st) and Augusta University (ranked 317th). The four institutions considered by the USG as "Comprehensive Universities" are also classified, and...

TSYS School professor of computer science Jianhua Yang has been selected for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for 2026–2027. As a Fulbright Scholar,  Yang is expected to spend Spring 2027 in Egypt, where he will conduct research in collaboration with Mohammed AbdelMegeed Salem and his team at the German University in Cairo, an institution that was established through cooperation with major German institutions, including the University of Ulm and the University of Stuttgart, with support from organizations including the German Academic Exchange Service and other German governmental bodies. As part of the program Yang will also teach two courses at Cairo University in Egypt. Turner Business congratulates Professor Yang on this significant professional accomplishment and  wonderful recognition for the TSYS School.

With CSU's ascent into U.S. News & World Report 's most prominent category of National Universities, Turner Business decided to provide some side-by-side comparisons on the Georgia-based institutions included in this category. The table below provides the institutional age and the U.S. News & World Report  ranking of each of these 12 institutions that call Georgia home. Of course, the oldest, at 241 years old, is the University of Georgia. The Athens-based institution is followed by August University and Mercer University, which are 198 years old and 193 years old, respectively. Emory University sits close in fourth at 190 years of age. At 38 years old, Clark Atlanta is the youngest of the Georgia-based national universities. Kennesaw State is next at 63 years old, while CSU is third youngest at 68 years old. The other columns in the table present some of the data  U.S. News & World Report  uses to rank national colleges and universities. Among these are acc...

The 2027 edition of U.S. News & World Report 's America's Best Colleges guide was released this morning, and Columbus State University is included among the National Universities. Listed at the bottom of the national rankings in a group of 40 institutions ranked from 382nd to 422nd, this marks the first year that CSU has ever been included in this category and not in the Regional Universities-South category. The only other Georgia-based public institutions residing in this category are those classified by the University System of Georgia as Research Universities and those classified by the USG as Comprehensive Universities. The former group consists of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Augusta University. The latter group includes Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, the University of West Georgia, and Valdosta State University. The table below shows where each Georgia-based institution sits wit...

It's difficult to overstate how important Michael Harrell's visit to the Turner College last week was in terms of being somewhat of a shot in the arm to the academic life of the Turner College at this point in time. Harrell was the first presenter in the Turner College's renewed Distinguished Speaker Series, and his talk titled  “Carving Out Success” provided v aluable insights from his entrepreneurial journey, including the experiences, challenges, leadership, and work ethic that have shaped his success as the owner of The New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar and 11th & Bay Southern Table. Turner Business joins others in expressing gratitude to Harrell  for taking the time to engage with our students and share his perspective on entrepreneurship and building a successful career. Thank you is also extended to everyone who contributed to making this event possible, especially management information systems professor Jennifer Pitts , who has been the catalyst for this ...

During the first listening session in the Turner College's 2027 search for a new dean, two attendees pointed out that the computer science job market seems to have collapsed. Both suggested that the new dean have a grasp of this situation and be ready to address it on day one. It was at about this time that another attendee questioned why the search committee did not include any computer science faculty. The answer given regarding that particular decision fueled ongoing speculation that preparations are being made for computer science to move from the Turner College and into the new Center for Emergent Technology, which is part of CSU's College of Letters and Sciences and will be housed in the new $22.2 million facility at the opposite edge of CSU's main campus. Would such a move make sense? Could it be a shot in the arm that computer science needs? In discussing changes in the market for computer scientists,  David Roos, a partner at Core Innovation Capital in San Franci...

Fueled by increasing globalization and emphasis on equity, modern societies and organizations are characterized by unprecedented demographic diversity. The convergence of diverse values, norms, and behavioral expectations inherently increases the potential for interpersonal conflict. Rather than viewing interpersonal conflict destructively, contemporary scholarship posits it as an inevitable yet dynamic process that, when managed constructively, can become highly beneficial. For example, although highly competitive or avoidant conflict management styles often lead to relationship breakdown, emotional exhaustion, and reduced productivity, cooperative conflict management styles foster creativity, yield innovation, and enhance decision-making. The awareness of individual differences in conflict management styles is therefore crucial for improving interpersonal relationships. New research by  Turner College management professor Mark James , Zhimin Hu of Hong Kong Polytechnic University...

As regular visitors to Turner Business are aware, the Turner College was not permitted by CSU's central administration to offer $500 payments to the winners of the 2026 Turner College Faculty Awards. This decision also affected the end-of-year awards in the College of Education and Health Professions, the only other CSU academic college that had been offering monetary awards to its faculty. We are pleased to be able report herein that  CSU Chief Human Resources Officer, Tamara Wade, has provided further clarification regarding the CSU administration's decision not to permit monetary awards at the college or departmental level in AY 2025-2026. According to Wade, this decision stemmed from a directive from the University System of Georgia's Chief Operating Officer following an audit that cited procedural concerns. Wade clarified that the Turner College faculty awards initiative is not out of alignment with USG policy; however, all college or departmental-level monetary awar...

It's Friday evening and you are probably sitting down with your favorite take-out meal or are preparing to go out for dinner. To add to the enjoyment of your end-of-week relaxation time, Turner Business is now providing a new occasional series for Friday evenings called Asking Google AI. Tonight we are asking Google AI the following question: What are the pitfalls of hiring an academic dean when the applicants' names are kept confidential  from the college's faculty  by the search firm and hiring committee?  Below is an image of Google AI's thorough response. A closed search for a new academic executive is often the default setting, particularly when search firms are involved. This type of search is usually treated as one with only upsides and no downsides. However, as Google AI indicates above, there are substantial pitfalls associated with relatively closed searches of this kind. For example, faculty networks are often the best source of information about the applican...

As Event Facilitator for the Columbus Civic Center  and Ice Rink   — the largest entertainment venue in this region — Turner College grad Caryn Hammond   plays a key role in bringing world-class experiences to the heart of the community. These roles range from  coordinating high-profile concerts, sporting events, and family shows to managing logistics for local festivals and ice rink programming. To make these experiences successful, Hammond works closely with promoters, production teams, and local partners. Hammond's latest venture for Columbus Consolidated Government is the launch of the  Columbus Civic Center Influencer Ambassadors, which is a group of local social media influencers.  "As the curator of this initiative, this vision was created with one goal in mind, which was to bring together a dynamic group of individuals from different backgrounds, perspectives, and platforms to build meaningful partnerships between the Columbus Civic Center and ...

Modern high-density flash memory technologies, such as Quad-Level Cell, commonly employ a hybrid architecture in which a subset of Quad-Level Cell blocks operates in Single-Level Cell mode as a cache for the remaining Quad-Level Cell blocks. In this architecture, hot data, or active, business-critical information that is accessed frequently and requires rapid, low-latency retrieval, are initially programmed to the Single-Level Cell cache and later migrated to the Quad-Level Cell region at block-level granularity. However, limited Single-Level Cell cache capacity and coarse migration granularity, which refers to transferring or moving large blocks of data, objects, or units at one time rather than small, individual pieces, can cause hot data that has not yet cooled to be prematurely migrated to the Quad-Level Cell region, significantly degrading solid-state drive performance and lifespan. This phenomenon is referred to as premature migration. To address this issue, a new study ...

Columbus State University reached extraordinary new heights in Fiscal Year 2026, receiving $23,634,627 in total gifts, commitments and planned giving from its philanthropic partners. This record-breaking total marks a 29% increase (+$5.3 million) over FY25 and a remarkable 280% surge (+$17.5 million) over FY24—along with noteworthy growth in the university’s endowment.  FY26 stands out as only the third time in university history that single-year philanthropic support has surpassed the $20 million mark—the other two being during multi-year comprehensive fundraising campaigns.  “This milestone year demonstrates what happens when our generous donors invest in the transformative power of a college experience,” said Stuart Rayfield, Columbus State’s president. “From state-of-the-art innovation in teaching, experiential learning and emergent technology to expanding opportunities in the arts, humanities and health professions, these gifts directly empower our students to become pers...