Teacher of the Month-- |
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Teacher of the Month-- |
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Associate Dean and Professor in the College of Business since 1992, Stephen Happel has received numerous state and national teaching awards. Larry Penley, Dean of the College of Business, believes these awards are well deserved. "He is an exceptional teacher completely dedicated to the classroom and his students." Happel said of his commitment, "I want my students to develop a strong sense of self-confidence."
As I started to teach, these ideas served as my beginning foundation. Using economic terminology, my teaching approach is described as "ongoing maximization using marginalist principles." In other words, I want to achieve the highest levels of learning possible in each class by taking everything I can into account. This means high expectations for myself and for the students.
On my side, I make course material clear and avoid wasting class with meaningless discussion. Students' time is far too valuable. I strive to test fairly, giving examinations back quickly and allowing students to plead their cases about the grading. I never purposely embarrass anyone in class; rather I encourage people to speak up if they have questions or wish to express opinions. Students know that I am readily available outside the class and have an "open-door" policy. Most significantly, as a marginalist, I constantly try to improve by considering every class session immediately after it is over: What worked and what didn't? Were my examples clear? Could I have used more humor at key points to get ideas across? Are most students comfortable with the material? To remain contemporary and relevant is my primary teaching goal and a major challenge.
As for the expectations of the students, I begin every semester by discussing ethical behavior and professional conduct. I expect students to take responsibility for their actions, not to miss exams, not to cheat, and not to look for the easy way out. If they are going to be the future leaders in society, they must be willing to work hard and accept challenges (not the least of which is doing well in economics). The father of modern economics, Adam Smith, stressed that bright people should give something back to society rather than take, take, take; and I drive home this point in my classes. In the end I want my students to develop a strong sense of self-confidence with respect to understanding and applying modern economic reasoning.
Although I continue to teach an MBA for Executives class each spring, my main responsibilities are with the undergraduate students. Each semester I coordinate COB 492 and COB 394. COB 492 is the senior honors seminar I began (as ECN 492) in 1991 that emphasizes thesis preparation and brings in prominent leaders from industry and government to speak to the students. COB 394 is the business forum class that I recently began for all business majors to improve interviewing and job search skills. In these courses I emphasize how the students possess many individual talents, how cultural diversity adds to the ASU experience, and how successful professionals get ahead in the world. Also, in conjunction with COB 492,1 serve on a large number of honors theses (over 20 in the past two years).
In addition, each fall I teach a mega class of at least 250 students in ECN 111, macroeconomic principles. Here I offer special breakout sessions in which honors students serve as tutors for the other students in order to earn honors credit. After the midterm is graded, I have the students who earned 99 or a 100 percent grade stand in order to recognized for outstanding achievement . Also, at the end of the semester I present my own personal "Milton Friedman Award" to the top five students in the class (many of whom have subsequently gone on to graduate or law school).
This upcoming semester I requested to teach a mega class ECN 111 to freshmen only. The University has found that 100-level courses contain many upperdivision students who earn the highest grades, thereby driving down freshman GPA's and thus their survival rates. This experiment is the first of its kind at ASU. My goal is to stress early success to the students to show that they can do well in a demanding topic area. They will be with peers, and I want to develop a strong sense of comradery among the groups. The effects will hopefully be a substantial improvement in retention and graduation rates.
Outside of the classroom, I greatly enjoy talking to students and parents about the opportunities ASU provides. To that end, I volunteer to make presentations for the Undergraduate Admissions Office, the University Honors College, and various student groups. I also serve as faculty advisor to the Business College Council and Golden Key Honorary Society and am active in the University Honors College Mentor Program. Listening to people in such informal forums provides valuable insights into better instruction and making the University more hospitable.
In conclusion, teaching presents a real opportunity to make a positive, tangible impact on individual lives. If it done well, students become excited with the power of learning and end up better citizens as a result. What a wonderful life calling! I love sharing my passion of economics and its relevancy for everyday life with my students. Ultimately no compliment means more than, "Thanks Dr. Happel, I really learned a lot in your course. You are one of my favorite teachers."
| Home Address: | 641 N. Cordoba Ave. Chandler, Arizona 85226 | Home Phone: 602-732
1902 OfficePhone: 602 965-5454 |
Professor of Economics, ASU College of Business, 1992-present
Associate Dean for Executive Education, ASU College of Business, 1991-1992
Associate Professor of Economics, ASU College of Business, 1981-1992
Director, ASU College of Business Honors Program, 1989-present
Director, ASU College of Business MBA for Executives Program, 1989-1992
Visiting Fellow, Research School of Social Sciences, Departments of Economics and Demography, Australian National University, May 1984-January 1985, May 1987-August 1987
Visiting Fellow, Departrnent of Economics, University of Waikato, New Zealand, January 1985-May 1985
Assistant Professor of Economics, ASU College of Business, 1975-1981
Instructor of Economics, North Carolina State University, 1973-1975
Faculty, Graduate School of Banking, University of Colorado, 1988-1993.
Faculty, Southwestern School of Banking, Southern Methodist University, 1987-present.
Faculty, Bank Administration Institute, University of Wisconsin, l994-present.
Faculty, National Association of Credit Management, Dartmouth College, 1995.
Instructor, National School of Consumer Credit, University of Oklahoma, 1989-1991.
Instructor, California Intermediate School of Banking, University of San Diego, 1988-89.
Co-Director, ASU Monthly Household Survey, 1990-91.
ASU Representative, Technical Assistance Committee on Arizona Population Projections, Department of Economic Security, 1977-1989; Chair, Subcommittee on Methodology, Technical Assistance Committee, 1982-1987.
Instructor, ASU Center for Executive Development, 1982-present.
Visiting Scholar, Harvard University Population Center, Summer, 1979.
Lecturer, Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, Mexico, Summer, 1977.
"Multiple Residence and Cyclical Migration: A Life Course Perspective" (with K. McHugh and T.D. Hogan), Professional Geoographer, August, 1995.
"Auctions as an Allocation Mechanism in Academia: The Case of Faculty Offices," (with W.J. Boyes), Journal of Economic Perspectives. Summer 1989. Reprinted in Microeconomics, Dushkin Annual Editions, 1991-92.
"Assessing the Economic Rationale and Legal Remedities for Ticket Scalping (with M. Jennings). Journal of Legislation, Spring, 1989.
"The Economic Impact of Elderly Winter Residents in the Phoenix Area," (with T.D. Hogan and E. Pflanz), Journal of Research on Aging, March, 1988.
"Estimating the Winter Resident Population of the Phoenix Area," (with T.D. Hogan). Applied Demographics, Fall, 1987.
"United States and Australian Fertility Past, Present, and Future," Journal of the Australian Population Association, November, 1986.
"The Effect of Adverse Publicity on Sales: A Case Study," Journal of Managerial and Decision Economics, May, 1985.
"An Economic Analysis of the Timing of Childbirth," (with J.K. Hill and S.A. Low). Population Studies, June, 1984.
"Publish or Perish: Fact or Fiction," (with W.J. Boyes and T.D. Hogan), Journal af Economic Education, Spring, 1984.
"Gary Becker's Treatise on the Family," (book review). Journal of Marriage and the Family, February, 1983.
"Just the Ticket for Super Bowl Fans," (with M. Jennings), Wall Street Journal, January 25, 1996.
"Herd Them Together and Scalp Them" (with M. Jennings), Wall Street Journal, February 23, 1995.
"1993-94 Winter Residents Important to AZ Economy" (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, July, 1994.
"1992-1993 CBR Study Tracks State's Winter Residents," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, June, 1993.
"1991-1992 Winter Residents Help Sustain AZ Economy," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, June, 1992.
"1990-91 Winter Resident Study Examines All of Arizona," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, February, 1992.
"Recession, War Fail to Deter Most Winter Residents," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, June, 1991.
"Seasonal Migration Flows to Arizona: An Investigative Study," (with T.D. Hogan). Proceedings of North American Conference on Applied Demographics, 1991.
"Cold Weather States Are Home to Most Winter Visitors," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, June, 1990.
"Snowbirds Are a Half-Billion-Dollar Industry in the Valley," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, May, 1990.
"Arizona Winter Resident Population is Likely to Grow and Spread More," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, November, 1989.
'Winter Residents Increase Eight Percent in 1988-89," (with T.D. Hogan), Arizona Business, May, 1989.
"Winter Residents Add Ten Percent to Valley's Population," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, June, 1988.
"Survey Counts of Snowbirds in Pivotal Counties," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, December, 1987.
"Winter Residents Spend Over $400 Million," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, June, 1987.
"Valley's Winter Residents Spend $381 Million," (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, June, 1986.
"East Valley Migration Up Six Percent in '85," (with T.D. Hogan and J. Fifield). Arizona Business, May, 1985.
"Mobile Home and Travel Trailer Parks in the East Valley A Census," (with T.D. Hogan and D.A. Sullivan). Arizona Business, Second Quarter, 1984.
"Snowbirds Roosting in the Sun: The Seasonal Redistribution of Population," (with T.D. Hogan and D. Sullivan). American Demographics, May, 1984.
"Life Cycle Consumption Smoothing and the Timing of Childbirth," (with J.K Hill and S.A. Low). Proceedings of the American Statistical Association, 1983.
"The Social and Economic Impact of Phoenix Area Winter Residents," (with T.D. Hogan and D.Sullivan). Arizona Business,First Quarter,1983.
"Arizona's Birth Rates in the 1970's and 1980's," Arizona Business, November, 1982.
"Birth Rate Trends: Implications for the Future, (with T.D. Hogan). Arizona Business, November, 1980.
"Economic Input for the 1986 Australian Family Project," Centre for Economic Policy Research, Australian National University, Discussion Paper 102, August, 1984.
'The Economics of the Olympic Games: An Application of the Economic Theory of Clubs," (with A. DeSerpa). Sandler and Loehr (ads.), Public Goods and Public Policy. London: Sage Publications, 1978.
"Population Structure," (with M.R. Jackson). Klaus-Detler Grothusen (ed.), Southeast European Handbook: Romania, Volume II (in English and German). Vandenhoech and Rupresht: Gottinger and Zurich, 1977.
Instructor's Manual/Test Bank: Modern Managerial Economics (with M.T. Farris). SCOK, Foresman, and Company, 257 pages, 1987.
A User Friendly Stroll through Microeconomic Thinking
Arizona Office of Tourism Grant, household surveys of winter visitors, 1990-91.
ASU Monthly Household Survey: funded by grants from the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security and Phoenix Newspapers, Inc., 1990-91.
Classroom Enrichment Grant, ASU College of Business, 1987-88.
Australian Family Institute, Female Labor Force Participation Decisions, Summer, 1987.
Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Mountain Bell Western Savings, Department of Economic Security: grants to conduct annual census of mobile home/travel parks in the Phoenix area, 1985-present.
Council of 100 Research Grant, ASU College of Business, 1985-86.
Fellowship Stipend, Australian National University, 1984.
"Hiring and Promotion Decisions within Economics." College of Business Research Incentive Grant, 1982.
"The Timing and Spacing of Births," Arizona State University Faculty Grant-in-Aid, Summer, 1977.
Paper, "Cyclical Residence as a Growing Alternative to Permanent Residence," (with T.D. Hogan). Population Association of America Annual Meeting, March, 1991.
Paper, "Seasonal Migration Flows to Arizona," (with T.D. Hogan), North American Conference on Applied Demography, October, 1990.
Paper, "Mob Goods," (with R.L. Faith), Public Choice Meetings, March, 1989.
Paper, "State and Local Issues Surrounding Elderly Seasonal Migrants," Population Association of America Annual Meeting, April, 1987.
Session Chair, "Managerial Economics," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1986.
Session Chair, "Demographic Economics," Western Economic Association Annual Meeting, July, 1986.
Paper, "Long Swings in New Zealand and U.S. Birth Rates," Economic Society, Hamilton, New Zealand, March, 1985.
Session Chair, "Demography," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1983.
Session Chair, "Oligopoly," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1982.
Paper, "Dynamics of American Fertility Swings," (with D. White), Western Economic Association Annual Meeting, July, 1982.
Paper, "An Economic Analysis of the Timing of Childbirth," (with J.K. Hill and S.A. Low), Population Association of America Annual Meeting, April, 1982.
Discussant, "Information in Economics," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1981.
Paper, "What Are the Possibilities for a U.S. Baby Boom in the 1980's?," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1980.
Paper, "Are Children a Normal Good," Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting, November, 1979.
Paper, "An Econometric Analysis of Timing and Spacing Patterns of American Births," (with D.A. Sullivan), Population Association of America Annual Meeting, April, 1979.
Discussant, "Economics of Fertility," Population Association of America Annual Meeting, April, 1977.
ASU Student Affairs Outstanding Faculty, 1990-91.
Outstanding Instructor, Center for Executive Development, 1989-90.
Outstanding Teacher (one of ten at ASU), Golden Key National Honor Society, 1989.
Outstanding Instructor, Center for Executive Developrnent, 1986-87.
Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Award, 1985-86.
Arizona State University Alurnni Association Distinguished Teaching Award, 1983-84.
College of Business Distinguished Graduate Teacher, 1982-83.
College of Business Distinguished Graduate Teacher, 1977-78
College
Reviewer: Journal of Economic Education.
Journal of Managerial and Decision Economics.
Advisory Committee, International Consortium of Higher Education.
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants
California Bankers Association
Oregon Bankers Association Annual Convention, Portland
Commonwealth North, Anchorage
WestOne Bancorp, Boise
Arnerican Bankers Association Annual Convention, San Diego
Arizona Bankers Association Annual Convention, Phoenix
Wyoming Bankers Association Annual Convention, Jackson Hole
Greater Phoenix Society of the ICFP, Phoenix
Exchange Bank Board of Directors, Santa Rosa
BAI Community Bank Presidents Forum
National Association of Credit Management
Kansas Bankers Association CEO Forum
San Luis Obispo County Economic Forecast Seminar
| Raising Children Fishing Ticket Scalping |
Last Update:
October 18, 2001
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URL--http://www.asu.edu/upfd/teachmo/happel.html