Meeting of the Board of Regents | July 2007

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Jamestown Business College: Regents authorization for the College to award the B.B.A degree and master plan amendment authorizing the College to offer its first baccalaureate degree program -- a B.B.A degree program in Management.
DATE:	July 11, 2007
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

Should the Board of Regents authorize Jamestown Business College to award the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree and approve a master plan amendment authorizing that campus to offer its first baccalaureate degree program, a B.B.A. degree program in Management?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

             

              Required by State regulation.

             
Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee at its July 2007 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken.  It will then come before the full Board at its July 2007 meeting for final action.

 

 

 

 

Procedural History

 

Jamestown Business College submitted the proposal for this program in September 2006. The College also developed a self-study and a peer review team conducted a site visit to assess the program and the College’s readiness to offer a program at the new degree level.  The Department has determined that the program, if approved, would meet registration standards.  In May, the Department began a canvass of colleges and universities in the Western region.

 

Background Information

 

Regents authorization of the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) degree is required because Jamestown Business College is not currently authorized to award that degree title. Master plan amendment approval is needed to authorize Jamestown Business College to offer its first baccalaureate degree program. 

 

Jamestown Business College is a proprietary college which was authorized by the Regents to award its first degree, the Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S) degree, in 1971. In 1997, it received authorization to award the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree.  Currently the College has registered A.A.S. programs in Business Administration and Administrative Assistant and certificate programs in Medical Office Assistant and Office Administration.  In the fall of 2005, it had an enrollment of 299 associate degree students. 

 

              The proposed B.B.A. program will be an upper-division curriculum that builds on the currently registered A.A.S. in Business Administration.  The program will be available to students who have completed the College’s Business Administration program with a grade point average of 2.5 or better.

 

              The College anticipates that enrollment in the program will increase from 15 students in the first year to 50 students by the fifth year.  The majority of students are expected to be non-traditional students, who, given the responsibilities of work and family, have the fewest options for completing a baccalaureate degree program.

 

              The College surveyed its current students and graduates from the previous two years and found that 93 percent of current students and 71 percent of alumni had an interest in the B.B.A. program.  Local employers were surveyed on the need for such a program.  Of the 78 percent of employers currently employing Jamestown Business College students, 100 percent indicated a willingness to hire B.B.A. graduates.

 

A review of the College’s finances found it to be in sound financial condition.

 

None of the colleges in the Western region of the State responded to the canvass for the program.

 

Recommendation

 

It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize Jamestown Business College to award the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree and approve a master plan amendment to authorize the College to offer a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree program in Management.  This amendment will be effective until June 30, 2008, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

If the Board approves the degree authorization and the master plan amendment, the Department will register the program and the College will proceed to recruit and enroll program students.