While attending college, there are few things better than knowing that someone who has graduated from your college has made it into the “big time.” It is even better to find out that there could be a chance for you to meet this person and learn how you can make it big.
Joe Berardino, class of 1972, is coming to speak at Fairfield next Wednesday, Nov. 6, but unless you belong to the Dolan School of Business, are a member of the Ignatian Residential College or are a faculty member in either of these two groups, you might as well stay home and watch “Dawson’s Creek.”
Jacob Pierson, ’05, a member of the Ignatian Residential College, had mixed feelings about the ordeal. “Because I am a member of the Ignatian College, it doesn’t affect me. However, what Arthur Andersen and Enron did affects not just people in the business world, but everyone. Many people around the country put their money into the Enron stock and now have nothing to show for it.”
According to Norm Solomon, dean of the Dolan School of Business, Berardino is coming to give a speech entitled “Living and Working in Interesting Times.” The event is free but tickets are required and are on a first come first serve basis. It will be held in the Dolan School of Business dining room where a light meal will be served.
“Mr. Berardino is speaking at a number of other universities in addition to Fairfield. It is only natural that given Mr. Berardino’s high regard for Fairfield and his close ties to our university, both as alumnus and as a trustee, that he be willing to speak here as well,” said Solomon.
“This event is a talk focused on a specific part of the academic community,” said Solomon. “The event is very different than an Open Visions lecture… it is also sponsored by the Ignatian Residential College and the Dolan School of Business.”
The Dolan School of Business dining room can only hold 150 people, but, at press time, the Ignatian Residential College had only given out “about 15-20 tickets,” according to Joe DeFeo, associate director of the Ignatian Residential College.
The numbers are different for the Business School. “I am confident that we will have very good attendance for Mr. Berardino’s talk. We have already distributed well over 100 tickets. Given that a week remains before the event takes place, I am sure that additional students and faculty will pick up tickets,” said Solomon.
The event is not required for anyone to attend, according to Solomon, although he feels that individual faculty members may determine that this is an important educational opportunity for their own students and may encourage those students to be present.
Business and non-business students had mixed reactions to the event.
“I think that the event should be open to any business or ethics related major, but other then that I do not think that other students would sincerely want to see him, other than the fact he was the CEO of Andersen and would want to see what he has to prove for himself,” said Kevin Seidler, ’04, who majors in accounting.
“I am outraged,” said Melissa Nowicki, ’05, who is a psychology major. “Even though Berardino was involved in some scandal, I feel that I am missing a great opportunity to hear a successful man speak. It could be encouraging for any person in any major. I don’t see why they couldn’t have it at the Quick Center and let everyone go.”
Berardino became the CEO of Arthur Andersen in 2001. Being one of the largest accounting firms in the business, its clients included many companies in the Fortune 500. After one of Andersen’s biggest clients, Enron, declared bankruptcy in 2001, the government charged the firm with fraudulent accounting. Berardino resigned in March 2002, several weeks after Andersen was indicted for obstructing justice on accusations that the firm shred documents containing information concerning Enron’s financial statements.
“I don’t think he is looking to explain his actions,” said DeFeo, “but he is looking to pass on his experience on how to do business.”
DeFeo feels that it may be a little early for Ignatian Residential College students, who consist only of sophomores, to start thinking about life out of college. “It seems like it is right off their radar screen,” he said. “It’s a big leap as a sophomore to start thinking about senior year and making career decisions.”
When asked for a comment from Berardino, Solomon had this to say: “Mr. Berardino has told us that he does not wish to discuss his visit with the media. When the Dolan School of Business hosts a speakers’ visit, we make every effort to honor the speakers’ wishes concerning the media and we will honor Mr. Berardino’s request.”
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