Frequently Asked Questions for Community Bank Partners

What is the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS)?

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) is the nationwide organization of banking and financial regulators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Established in 1902 as the National Association of Supervisors of State Banks, CSBS is uniquely positioned as the only national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the nation’s dual-banking system.

For more than a century, CSBS has given state supervisors a national forum to coordinate supervision and develop policy related to their regulated entities. CSBS also provides training to state banking and financial regulators.

 

Is there any other organization, agency, or entity involved in facilitating or hosting the case study competition other than CSBS?

CSBS serves as the sole facilitator of the Community Bank Case Study Competition. State financial regulators support the competition and may, at their own discretion, promote the competition within their states. As a prize, winners of the competition may present their work at the jointly hosted annual CSBS-Federal Reserve Community Banking in the 21st Century Research and Policy Conference.

 

How can my bank partner with a university student team?  

If your bank is interested in partnering with a student team, you may directly reach out to a university/college to share your interest in partnering with a potential team. You may also reach out to the Case Study Manager Katie Hoyle ([email protected]), who can assist with an introduction to community institutions within your state.

 

What is the competition process? 

Once the student team and community bank have agreed to partner, all parties must sign a legal disclaimer before commencing case study interviews and sharing bank information. After all parties have signed the necessary document(s), the bank and student team (under the direction of the faculty advisor) may begin scheduling meetings and interviews to conduct case study work. An initial meeting between the faculty advisor and bank management may be necessary before meeting with the student team. 

Typically, the chief loan officer, bank president or vice president, and communications or marketing representative meet with the students as they conduct their case work. Student teams may need to meet with bank representatives three to five times throughout the competition period to complete case work. An additional day or two may be necessary for shooting the case study video.  

 

How much information should or should not be shared? 

Banks have full control over what and how much information is shared with the student teams. Banks are not expected to share confidential information. Keep in mind student teams have access to publicly available information, such as Uniform Bank Performance Reports and Call Report data. 

 

What if the bank disagrees with the students’ analysis of gathered information?

It is the responsibility of the student team, faculty advisor, and bank representatives to ensure all data included in the case study is factual and clear. While student analysis should be based solely on the facts gathered publicly and provided by the bank, the case study analysis is at the full discretion of the students. Student teams may share case study work with the partner bank before submitting the final work for judging. 

 

Who will see the case study papers and videos?

All case study papers and videos will be made public and available on the CSBS website after May 23rd, 2019. Case studies will be available to the media, colleges and universities, and the general public.