Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2007

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Board of Regents authorize Berkeley College to award the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree at its Westchester campus and approve a master plan amendment authorizing that campus to offer a B.S. degree program in Justice Studies-Criminal Justice?

Reason(s) for Consideration

           

            Required by State regulation.

           
Proposed Handling

The question will come before the Board of Regents at its April 2007 meeting for final action.

Procedural History

Berkeley College submitted this proposal in August 2006.  The Department has determined that the program, if approved, would meet registration standards. 

Background Information

Regents authorization of the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is required because Berkeley College is not currently authorized to award that degree title. Master plan amendment approval is needed to authorize Berkeley College’s first baccalaureate degree program in the discipline of Social Sciences at its Westchester branch campus.   The Board of Regents first authorized Berkeley College to award degrees in 1974.  Berkeley awards the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.), and Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degrees.  It offers programs in Business and the Health Professions.  In the fall of 2005, it had 1,484 undergraduate and 367 graduate students. 

            One of the Statewide Plan’s priorities is “Strong Graduate Programs to Meet the State’s Needs.”  This program would prepare its graduates for protective services and criminal justice-related positions in local police and corrections departments, State and federal agencies, and private and corporate security operations.  Berkeley states that employment forecasts justify a need for the program.  The New York State Department of Labor projects a 10.7 percent increase in employment opportunities in protective service occupations including law enforcement and security in the mid-Hudson area.  Berkeley states that its Westchester Campus has received hundreds of inquiries from students seeking programs in the field.

Berkeley College expects the demographic profile of the student population in the program to be similar to that of its overall student population.  Over 70 percent of the students at the Westchester Campus are female and more than half are members of minority groups. Berkeley anticipates that 70 students will be enrolled in the program by the fifth year.   

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

Iona College, the one college in the mid-Hudson region that responded to the canvass concerning the proposed Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree program, initially expressed some concerns.  After receiving additional information from Berkeley College about the program, Iona withdrew its concerns.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize Berkeley College to award the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree at its Westchester branch campus and approve a master plan amendment to authorize the College to offer a B.S. degree program in Justice Studies-Criminal Justice at that campus.  This amendment will be effective until April 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.