Meeting of the Board of Regents | November 2010

To:                                           The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

From:                                      Joseph P. Frey

Subject:                                  ITT Technical Institute - Getzville: A.O.S., Criminal Justice

Date:                                       November 2, 2010

Authorizations:                      

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Board of Regents approve a master plan amendment for ITT Technical Institute - Getzville, authorizing the college to offer an Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree program in Criminal Justice?  Master plan amendment is required because this would be the Institute’s first associate degree program in the discipline area of the Social Sciences.

Reason(s) for Consideration

Required by State regulation.


           
Proposed Handling

The question will come before the full Board at its November 2010 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken.

Background Information

ITT Technical Institute - Getzville, Getzville, Erie County, is a proprietary college offering A.O.S. programs in the discipline areas of Engineering and the Physical Sciences.  The institution reported a total enrollment for the fall 2009 term of 585 students.

The proposed A.O.S. program is a 96 quarter-credit program that will consist of 32 quarter-hours of general education courses, 52 quarter-credits of core course material, and 12 quarter-hours of technical basic courses.  The curriculum is designed to offer a balance of theory and application used in the field by integrating interpersonal skills and criminal justice subject matter.  It will include a foundation in criminal law, legal procedures, criminal evidence, and Criminology.  Students will learn about the legal system and law enforcement standards to help them develop technical skills used in today’s criminal justice environment.

There are no special admissions requirements for the proposed program.  Potential students would adhere to the standard admissions requirements for all ITT Technical Institutes, a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.  The Institute’s projected enrollment during the program’s first year is 15-20 full- and part-time students. By the program’s fifth year of operation enrollment is expected to expand to 150-200 students.

ITT Technical Institute - Getzville occupies approximately 35,800 square feet of space in a one-story building.  The school has large classrooms and laboratories, a learning resource center, and a student lounge.  Special facilities for disabled individuals include designated parking spaces, ramped entrances, and restroom facilities.  The facility is in compliance with federal, State and local ordinances and regulations, including those relating to safety and health.

A full-time Program Director with a J.D. degree is already employed at the Institute.  It also has two additional full-time and three adjunct faculty who will teach the general education courses.  These faculty have master’s degrees in relevant fields.  The Institute indicates that it will hire one additional full-time and three additional adjunct faculty with degrees in Criminal Justice upon approval of the program and prior to admitting students. 

Graduates of the proposed program will seek opportunities in corrections, security services, gaming surveillance officers, private investigation, insurance investigation, customs and border protection, and loss prevention.  An associate degree in criminal justice can also prepare graduates for entry into the law enforcement field.  According to the New York State Labor Department, long-term occupational projections for the Western region of the State indicate that between 2006 and 2016, total employment in the Western New York Region is projected to increase by 3,420, or 0.5 percent. The majority (98 percent) of annual job openings will be created by turnover rather than new job growth. Three occupations relevant to this proposed degree program that are expected to experience greater than average growth over the decade cited are: Security Guards (8.10 percent growth); Detectives and Criminal Investigators (10.40 percent); and Private Detectives and Investigators (15.40 percent).

The Department conducted a canvass of all degree-granting institutions in the Western Regents region.  Four institutions responded.  One institution, Niagara County Community College, raised concerns, citing the fact that several other institutions in the region (including NCCC) already offer associate-level programs in Criminal Justice, and indicated that the addition of another program may perhaps be problematic for these institutions.  Based on additional data regarding labor projections and high school graduation figures for the Western region provided by ITT Technical Institute, Niagara County Community College subsequently indicated that it would withhold further comment.

The Department has determined that the proposed program meets the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

 

           
Recommendation

It is recommended that the Board of Regents approve a master plan amendment for ITT Technical Institute - Getzville to authorize the Institute to offer an A.O.S. program in Criminal Justice.  The amendment will be effective until November 30, 2011, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term.