Two SUNY Canton Faculty Publish Topical Academic Research

Modern corporate responsibility and discovering how Generation Z learners adapt to college are among the most recent research from faculty members in SUNY Canton’s School of Business and Liberal Arts.

Associate Professor Umesh Kumar, Ph.D., who teaches in the Finance program, published “Convicted Firms, Board Composition, and Corporate Social Responsibility in the Post Sarbanes-Oxley Era” in the Academy of Business Research Journal. The paper examines the impact of corporate board composition on socially responsible behaviors of Fortune 500 firms convicted of illegal corporate behavior through the years 1991 to 2002.

“Our research suggests that a firm’s socially responsible behavior is negatively affected by board size,” Kumar said. “Convicted firms with large boards show lower levels of socially responsible behavior. Further, we find that corporate social responsibility and sustainability measures positively influence firms’ growth.”

The paper was coauthored by Brian K. Harte, a former SUNY Canton faculty member who remains actively involved in academic research.

Professor Eunjyu Yu, Ph.D., who teaches English, published “Student-Inspired Optimal Design of Online Learning for Generation Z” in the Journal of Educators Online. Her research aims to optimize online learning environments and increase the completion rates of online learners.

“Statistical analysis compares face-to-face classes to fully online and hybrid instruction delivery methods,” Yu said. “Both Generation Z and Millennials favor flexibility and self-paced learning methods. Generation Z students surveyed favor hybrid classes over online, where Millennials appear to prefer fully online courses.”

Students’ ability to reflect on their own learning was identified as key to succeeding in an online learning environment, Yu added.

Kumar and Yu are two of the college’s most prolific researchers and have both published numerous papers during their tenure.

“Umesh’s chosen areas of study have a direct connection to the courses he teaches and the students he works with,” said School of Business and Liberal Arts Dean Philip T. Neisser. “Eunjyu’s analysis is especially topical as we continually add online and flex learning opportunities. I commend our faculty on their continued commitment to scholarly endeavors.”