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Enron Mail |
Jeff,
I would like to get on your calendar (together with Jeff Shankman) for 15 - 30 minutes to discuss the results of my visit at the Wharton School with Tom Piazze. A separate message about this visit will follow. I would like also to talk to you about the way we manage our relationships with different universities. Historically, we were rather passive customers of the academic institutions, trying to hire the best students and limiting our presence on the campuses mostly to the recruiting trips and campus receptions. We should rethink the way we work with universities. The efforts to get the best students look more and more like a hand-to-hand combat and often we are not very successful. It is critical that we increase our presence on the campuses and this can be accomplished in a number of different ways: 1. Involvement in research projects. For example, we are currently underwriting two research projects at Stanford University, involving Ph.D. students of Professor Nicholas Bambos (a top expert on communications networks). We shall participate in formulation of the projects' objectives and will be given access to the results. Involvement in research projects allows us to obtain access to current scientific developments in the leading universities and also to lock-up some very promising students. Most companies in the high tech industries have such programs. 2. Lectures and presentations by Enron employees. Practically every presentation I have made so far at different universities resulted in a number of resumes and hiring decisions. It is important that students get exposed to Enron early in their academic program. In many cases, the best students have already made up their mind by the time we approach them during their senior years. 3. Visits by faculty members in Enron. Closer cooperation with the universities has many advantages in addition to getting the best students and obtaining access to current research. The universities are very important in shaping public opinion on the issues critical to Enron's future (especially in the area of deregulation and design of new markets). Currently, the relationships with many leading academic centers depend on personal commitment of a number of overworked Enron employees. In many cases, there is no continuity and focus. I want to recommend a creation of a special function (VP or MD level) responsible for coordinating our relationships with the universities. This function would be separate from our Analyst/Associate program. I have many ideas how this function could be structured. Vince
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