The third weekly session is a flex period that serves a variety of purposes such as special presentations or assignments, or even class trips to local companies. The order and coverage of course topics is often disrupted by current events. University policies SIM policies Subject to University restrictions and approval of the OSU Treasurer, SIM investment policies and decisions are made on the basis of simple majority voting by the current class. Our experience indicates that majority rule greatly reduces speculation and churning but does not result in a purely passive portfolio. A well-reasoned and carefully planned case will typically win approval.
Information plays a vital role in both the academic and practical parts of the course.
Students are expected to know what information is available and how to access that information. Retail trading via exchanges such as the NYSE, AMEX, regional exchanges, the Intermarket Trading System, Global and 24 hour trading. Typical investments texts focus on the retail market and have difficulty keeping abreast of changes in that segment of the market. Hence a second major thrust in the course is to learn about emerging methods as well as proposals for further changes in the ways in which the securities industry conducts its business. Brokers and Brokerage Services Full service brokers Boutiques and discount brokers Price execution and commissions Soft dollar commission budgets Costs and benefits of alternative order types Students in the SIM program are responsible for choosing brokers, selecting order types, managing the commission budget, and evaluating broker performance.