Students in the Ways of Doing Auctions course gathered at the Capitol Theatre on March 9 to raise funds for the Liberal Arts and Professional Studies scholarship fund. With the proceeds from this event, the endowment has reached $3,000.

Course instructor Tim Brunet says auctions have grown to become quietly pervasive in our culture.

“We are taught elements of the English Outcry Auction as early as grade school, when we competitively raise our hands to be the first to answer questions,” he says. “By the time we reach adult life, we are bidding on jobs, grants, and more.”

Prof. Brunet notes that the digital world has opened up new opportunities for auction structures on such websites as eBay, Priceline, Uber, Bitcoin, and search engines, through digital advertising. He says the course encourages students to think critically about elements of competition, market asymmetries, fraud, negotiation, networks, collaboration and culture.

Assigned materials approach the subject from a variety of disciplines: arts and humanities, economics and business, computer science and more. Still, he says, the practical aspect of the project is a key component.

“Experiencing the sights and sounds of an English Outcry Auction brings life to the course,” he says, thanking the individuals and organizations that donated items for the auction.

To make a donation to the scholarship fund, contact gift officer Melissa East Aspila at measpila@uwindsor.ca.

—Emily Burden