Business school changes major declaration process

Starting with the class of 2014, the E. Claiborne Robins School of Business will have a new process for declaring a business major.

At the beginning of the students' sophomore year, they will submit an "intent to major" request, which will be evaluated after the end of the semester. Requirements for approval are a 2.7 GPA and at least 12 units, including Economics 101, Accounting 101 and either Calculus 1 or 2.

"The most important thing to know is that this does not affect any students currently here," said Robert Schmidt, the interim dean for the Robins School of Business.

Schmidt and Robert Nicholson, the assistant dean for undergraduate programs, said this was not an admissions process or a second application process. Officials said they thought that as the University of Richmond, particularly the Robins School of Business, improved in rankings, there would be an increase in interest to major in business.

"This whole change is to increase and maintain quality," Nicholson said. "We want to be able to keep tenure and long-term faculty members as well as small class sizes."

If a student fails to meet the requirements, he or she can submit a one-page appeal.

"We understand where a student gets off to a rocky start or had a bad semester," Schmidt said.

The details are still being finalized concerning transfer students and students who don't realize their interest in business until after their third semester.

Contact staff writer Mary Morgan at mary.morgan@richmond.edu