Center For Small Business

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who provides the services?
Services are provided by undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in courses within the College of Business Administration. Normally, students work in teams of two to five people.

2. When are services provided?
Services are provided during the Fall (September through December) and Spring (February through May) semesters. Cases typically are distributed to faculty within the first three to four weeks of a semester, and they assign them to their students shortly thereafter.

3. How are cases selected for service?
Cases are initially screened by the Center's Director to assess their appropriateness for the program. Then, the cases are distributed to individual faculty for use in their classes. Faculty make the ultimate decision as to whether a particular case is suitable for her/his course.

4. When will I know if I will receive assistance?
Cases are assigned throughout the semester for various reasons. However, it is most likely that you will be contacted by a student team within four to five weeks from the beginning of a semester if your company has been selected. Companies that we cannot serve in a semester will be contacted by the Center's Coordinators.

5. If I am not selected in a semester, do I need to re-apply?
You do not need to re-apply. If the Center is not able to serve you in a semester, you will automatically be contacted at the beginning of the next semester to determine if you would still like assistance.

6. How long will the students work with me, and how much of my time will this take?
Students work with companies over the semester. At the end of the semester, they will provide you with a written report of recommendations. How much of your time is needed varies greatly by the nature of the service. We do ask that you be available to students so they can provide the best service possible.

7. Can I receive assistance in more than one area and for more than one semester?
You can receive assistance in multiple areas of business, and for more than one semester. At times, it is necessary to provide assistance in a particular area during one semester, and another area in the next semester.

8. Can I receive assistance if my company is not located in Sacramento?
Our services extend beyond Sacramento County. However, if your company is located out of town, we ask that you be willing to travel to Sacramento to meet with the students. This makes it much more likely that we will be able to serve you.

9. Is there a fee for this service?
We do not charge for our services, nor will we incur costs on behalf of your company. Our services are made possible by the generous support of community sponsors.
Please refer to our Sponsorship page. Many of our sponsors are financial institutions. If your bank is one of our sponsors, we would appreciate your thanking your bank for making this service possible to you and others. This greatly helps the Center receive contributions.
If your bank is not one of our sponsors, you still can receive assistance. We would appreciate your contacting your bank and asking them to please consider sponsoring our Center.

10. Can I make a donation to the Center?
The Center welcomes donations of any amount to help make this service possible to small businesses. Although you should consult with your tax advisor, we believe any donations will be tax deductible since this is a non-profit organization.

Please make checks payable to the "Center for Small Business, CSUS," and mail them to:
Center for Small Business
College of Business Administration, CSUS
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6088