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

 

TO:	Committee on Higher Education and Professional Practice
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Master Plan Amendment: Plaza College, Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree; B.B.A., Business Administration - Management
DATE:	July 29, 2005
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Consent Agenda

 

Should the Regents approve an amendment to the master plan of Plaza College to authorize the College to award the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree, its first Bachelor’s degree, and to offer a B.B.A. program in Business Administration - Management?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

 

Required by Section 237 of the Education Law and Section 52.1 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

         
Proposed Handling

 

This question will come before the Committee on Higher Education and Professional Practice at its September 2005 meeting.   It then will come before the Full Board for final action on September 9, 2005.

 

Procedural History

 

Master plan amendment is required because this would be the College’s first baccalaureate program.

 

The Department has determined that the proposed program, if approved, would meet the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

 

Background Information

 

Plaza College, Queens, offers certificate and associate degree programs in diverse fields including, but not limited to, accounting, information sciences, computer operations, and medical assisting.  The College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges.  Plaza College proposes an upper division B.B.A. program in Business Administration - Management that will provide additional educational and career opportunities to graduates of its associate degree programs in business.

 

Recommendation

 

VOTED, that the master plan of Plaza College, Queens, be amended, effective September 9, 2005, to authorize the College to award the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree and to offer a B.B.A. program in Business Administration - Management.  This amendment will be effective until September 30, 2006, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term.

Information in Support of Recommendation

 

Academic Review

 

Plaza College, Queens, is a proprietary college that was established in 1916.  In 1982, the Board of Regents authorized Plaza to offer programs leading to the Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree and in 1988 authorized it to offer programs leading to the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. Upon receiving accreditation by the Middle States Association, Plaza changed its name to Plaza College.  It offers A.O.S. and A.A.S. programs in the discipline areas of Business and the Health Professions.  In the fall of 2004, it enrolled 768 students, all full-time.   

 

The proposed program is a logical extension of the College’s mission to prepare students for business careers, for professional advancement, and for continuing higher education.  The program builds on the successes of the associate programs and responds to the interests of current students and alumni.  Its purpose is to further develop students’ skills relating to managerial expertise, communications, human relations, information literacy, and computer technology.  In addition to the core of management studies, wide-ranging liberal arts core requirements provide a broader exposure beyond that gained in associate degree programs.  The program’s goals are consistent and expand the College’s Framework of Competencies, which defines the critical skills and attributes essential to completing a degree at Plaza or that form the foundation for lifelong learning.

 

A. Curriculum.  The upper-division B.B.A. program in Business Administration - Management will require the successful completion of 60 credits, which are divided as follows: Management – 24 credits, Liberal Arts – 15 credits, and Open Electives – 21 credits.  The combined lower- and upper-division credits required for completion of the proposed program are 120 semester credits.  Twenty-five percent of the 120 credits require liberal arts study.

 

Plaza’s proposed program complements the College’s associate degree programs.  In addition, the Business Administration - Management program unites the elements of the Framework of Competencies, such as written and oral communication, critical thinking, and information literacy.  It integrates technology and systematic assessment by a college-wide portfolio system.  It seeks to address the managerial role from a holistic perspective and the critical importance of values and ethics as well as the key leadership role managers assume.  As a result of more in-depth preparation, graduates of this program will benefit from career opportunities offering upward mobility to positions of increased administrative and managerial responsibility.

 

B. Students.  Students will be eligible for the program if they have successfully completed either of Plaza’s A.A.S. or A.O.S. degree programs that encompass the study of general business, management, accounting, technology, and liberal arts.  Consideration for admission to the proposed program will include completion of an essay on personal goals, submission of letters of recommendation from two faculty members, and participation in a personal interview.

The projected enrollment for the program increases from 50 students in its first year to 165 in its fifth.  Since the proposed program draws from the pool of Plaza graduates, there are few expected demographic changes from the current student body, which is a non-traditional adult population.  The average age is 30.  Ninety-five percent of students come from Queens and Brooklyn.  As of fall 2004, the College enrolled 768 full-time students of whom 80 percent were female; 15 percent, White, non-Hispanic; 34 percent, Black, non-Hispanic; 45 percent, Hispanic; and 6 percent, Asian.

 

C. Faculty.  As of the fall 2004 quarter, 12 full-time and part-time faculty are qualified to teach management courses in the proposed program and 14 full-time and part-time faculty are qualified to teach liberal arts.  Initially, the College plans to recruit one additional full-time instructor with a doctoral degree in the area of management.  By the fifth year, the College will add four full-time and five adjunct faculty in order to meet the increased enrollment projection.

 

D. Resources.  All of the management courses that make up the core of this upper-division program are new.  Library and technology will have ongoing upgrades, but no new facilities are needed.

 

Planning Review

 

E. Need for the Proposed Program.  Career prospects for graduates of the proposed program are good.  Graduates from the proposed program should be able to compete in many of the faster growing industries predicted through 2010, such as services in business and health, finance, insurance, government, sales, and computers.  The U.S. Department of Labor predicts a 21 percent growth in jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree in business through the same period.  The State Labor Department projects the number of management jobs in New York City to grow by 26,710 (11.9 percent) between 2002 and 2012, from 224,920 to 251,630.  The average number of openings each year is projected to be 6,840, with about two-thirds of the openings for replacements of managers who left the workforce through retirement, death, job change, or relocation.

 

In addition to positive career expectations, the proposed program responds to the enthusiasm in baccalaureate education exhibited by current students, College committees, the board of trustees, alumni, and employers of Plaza graduates.

 

F. Effect on Other Institutions.  In New York City, the following eight institutions offer B.B.A. programs in business administration or management: CUNY Baruch College, CUNY Lehman College, Metropolitan College of New York, Pace University, Saint John’s University, Berkeley College, Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, and Monroe College.  Nine institutions responded to the canvass of institutions in the New York City area.  No objections to the program were raised and the nine responses received wished Plaza success with the new program.