The Baccalaureate Degree Approval Process for Community Colleges in Texas Providing Educational Opportunities for Students in South Texas March 1, 2008

Laura Talbot, Curriculum & Accreditation Officer Curriculum & Accreditation Department Dr. Ali Esmaeili, Associate Dean Bachelor Programs and University Relations

 South Texas College – History  Rationale for Community Colleges Offering Bachelor Degrees  Development of 1 st BAT degree at STC  Development of 2 nd BAT Degree at STC  Newly approved procedures in Texas  Overview of CIT Program  Future Growth

 1993 – Created by Texas Senate Bill 251Began with 10 certificates and less than 1000 students  $20 million to fund the initial construction  $98.7 million bond to expand construction  2004 – STC received accreditation to offer Bachelor of Applied Technology.  2005 – Substantive Change Site Visit – SACS April 2005/ Continued Level II accreditation- December 2005  2007 – Approval from THECB for 2 nd BAT in Computer and Information Technology

STARR COUNTY HIDALGO COUNTY Five Campuses/Center Locations Mid ValleyNursingStarr County Pecan CampusTech Center

Student Enrollment History Fall 1993 to Fall 2007

 From 1,000 to over 20,000 students  From a $3.9 million to $96 million budget  From 267 to 1,664 faculty and staff  From 1 to 5 campuses  Over 100 degree and certificate program options  2 Bachelor of Applied Technology Degrees South Texas College

 STC selected the legislative route to gain authorization to offer Bachelor degrees  July 2003  The 78 th session of the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 286, section 50 which directed the THECB to establish a pilot to authorize three community colleges to offer Bachelor degrees in applied science technology. Brazosport College Midland College South Texas College

Sec.A AAPILOT PROJECT: BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAMS.AA (a)The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall establish a pilot project to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of authorizing public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of applied science and applied technology. Participation in the pilot project does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public junior college. (b)The coordinating board shall operate the pilot project at three public junior colleges, as determined by the coordinating board. (c)A public junior college participating in the pilot project must meet all applicable accreditation requirements of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

(d)A public junior college participating in the pilot project may not offer more than five baccalaureate degree programs under the project at any time. The degree programs are subject to the continuing approval of the coordinating board. In determining what baccalaureate degree programs are to be offered, the junior college and the coordinating board shall consider: (1)the need for the degree programs in the region served by the junior college; (2)how those degree programs would complement the other programs and course offerings of the junior college; (3)whether those degree programs would unnecessarily duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education; and (4)the ability of the junior college to support the program and the adequacy of the junior college ’s facilities, faculty, administration, libraries, and other resources.

 Population Served  STC serves population of over 700,000 and 96% Hispanic.  As part of the THECB plan “Closing the Gap”  The plan is to increase the participation and success rate of Hispanic, African American and other minorities to levels comparable to white non-Hispanic population in the state of Texas.  Growth and leadership  STC has demonstrated a well managed growth of the institution, reflecting quality leadership.

Substantive Degree Program Request  Program Administration/Organization -Student Advisement/Supervision  Program Description -Program Educational Objectives -Admissions Standards -Degree Requirements -Student Advisement/Supervision -Effects on Existing Program  Evaluation  Program Need  Budget/Resources -

Bachelor of Applied Technology Technology Management

 BAT in Technology Management  The Bachelor of Applied Technology in Technology Management will educate, train, and develop successful supervisors who will be prepared to utilize technology to create a competitive advantage for their enterprise.

 Prerequisite for Admission  Completion of 60 semester credit hours at regionally accredited institutions  Technical specialty courses  Business Administration – Management  Paralegal Studies  A minimum of 2.5 GPA in prior course work  Degree Components  General Education 45 – 48 SCH  Technical Support Courses36 SCH  Upper division required courses34 SCH  Upper division elective courses12 SCH  Degree completion minimum 127 SCH

Technology Management Required Courses (34 hours)  TMGT3302Business and Economic Statistics3  TMGT 3303Communications for Technical Managers3  TMGT 3305Organizational Theory and Practice3  TMGT 3336Legal issues for Technical Managers3  TMGT 3310Decision Making3  TMGT 3411Technology in Enterprise Management4  TMGT 3312Resource Management3  TMGT 3337Economics for Technical Managers3  TMGT 3338Accounting for Technical Managers3  TMGT 4304Risk Management 3  TMGT 4320Organizational Management and Design Seminar3 Technology Management Elective Courses (12 hours) TMGT3353International Business3  TMGT3358Network Security Management3  TMGT 4303Electronic Commerce Systems3  TMGT 4351Database Administration and Integration3  TMGT4341Purchasing and Supply Management3  TMGT 3340Quality Assurance, Management and Improvement3  TMGT 4347CAPSTONE: Production & Inventory Planning & Control3  TMGT4396CAPSTONE: Managing Technology Projects3

Fall admitted to the program and 53 registered Spring 2006 EnrollmentAttendance 69 admitted and 65 registered 70% full-time and 30% part-time GPAGender 66% GPA %Male 44%GPA %Female Spring 2008 Enrollment Ethnicity 21995% Hispanic Gender 48%Male 52%Female

Mission Accomplished 2007 Graduates

An overview of the Computer and Information Technologies Program A New Degree/A New Process Or Is It?????????

 § BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAMS. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall authorize public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of applied science and applied technology under this section. Offering a baccalaureate degree program under this section does not otherwise alter the role and mission of a public junior college.  (b) The coordinating board shall authorize baccalaureate degree programs at each public junior college that previously participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate degree programs.  (c) A public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program under this section must meet all applicable accreditation requirements of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  (d) A public junior college offering a baccalaureate degree program under this section may not offer more than five baccalaureate degree programs at any time. The degree programs are subject to the continuing approval of the coordinating board.  (e) In determining what baccalaureate degree programs are to be offered, the coordinating board shall consider: (1) the need for the degree programs in the region served by the junior college; (2) how those degree programs would complement the other programs and course offerings of the junior college; (3) whether those degree programs would unnecessarily duplicate the degree programs offered by other institutions of higher education; and (4) the ability of the junior college to support the program and the adequacy of the junior college's facilities, faculty, administration, libraries, and other resources.

New Program Request Form for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees  Program Need - Job Market Demand -Student Demand -Enrollment Projections  Quality -Degree Requirements -Faculty -Library -Facilities & Equipment -Accreditation  Costs and Funding

 February 2007: Application Submitted  June 2007: On agenda for Coordinating Board Approval  June 2007: Removed from Agenda  Summer 2007: -Advised that STC would serve as “Pilot for new Procedures” for approval of Bachelor’s degrees at Community Colleges -Met with THECB Staff to outline additional support materials for application and details for a site visit.

 September 2007: THECB coordinated a site visit to review the program with out-of-state evaluators (Usually only required for Ph.D Program).  October 2007: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the BAT-in Computer and Information Technologies at STC.  The THECB adopted the Procedures for approval of Bachelor’s Programs at Universities as the Procedures for approval of Bachelor’s degrees at Community Colleges.

 New baccalaureate and master's degree programs must meet all of the following criteria:  (1) Role and mission. The program must be within the existing role and mission of the institution as indicated by its table of programs or the Board must make the determination that the program is appropriate for the mission of the institution.  (2) Unnecessary duplication. The program must not unnecessarily duplicate a program at another institution serving the same regional population. The offering of basic liberal arts and sciences courses and degree programs in public senior institutions is not considered unnecessary duplication.  (3) Faculty resources.  (A) Faculty resources must be adequate to provide high program quality. With few exceptions, the master's degree should be the minimum educational attainment for faculty teaching in baccalaureate programs. In most disciplines, the doctorate should be the minimum educational attainment for faculty teaching in graduate programs. Faculty should meet the qualitative and quantitative criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the appropriate accrediting body, if a professional program. There should be sufficient numbers of qualified faculty dedicated to a new program. This number shall vary depending on the discipline, the nature of the program, and the anticipated number of students.

 (B) In evaluating faculty resources for proposed degree programs, the Board shall consider only those degrees held by faculty that were issued by:  (i) United States institutions accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the Board or,  (ii) institutions located outside the United States that have demonstrated that their degrees are equivalent to degrees issued from an institution in the United States accredited by accrediting agencies recognized by the Board. The procedures for establishing that equivalency shall be consistent with the guidelines of the National Council on the Evaluation of Foreign Education Credentials, or its successor.

4) Library and IT resources. Library and information technology resources must be adequate for the program and meet the standards of the appropriate accrediting agencies. (5) Facilities, equipment, and clinical placements. Facilities and clinical placements must be adequate to initiate the program. Adequate classroom and laboratory space, equipment, and office space should be available for the proposed program. Arrangements for any essential clinical placements should be made before program approval. (6) Curriculum design. The curriculum should be up-to- date and consistent with current educational theory. Professional programs and those resulting in licensure must be designed to meet the standards of appropriate regulatory bodies.

 (7) Program administration. Administration of the program should not be unduly cumbersome or costly. Ideally, the program should fit into the current administrative structure of the institution. If administrative changes are required, they should be consonant with the organization of the institution as a whole and should necessitate a minimum of additional expense in terms of personnel and office space.  (8) Workforce need. There should be a demonstrated or well- documented need for the program in terms of meeting present and future workforce needs of the state and nation. There should be a ready job market for graduates of the program, or alternatively, it should produce students for master's or doctoral-level programs in fields in which there is a demonstrated need for professionals.  (9) Critical mass of students. In addition to a demonstrated workforce need, a critical mass of qualified students must be available to enter the program and there must be evidence that the program is likely to have sufficient enrollments to support the program into the future. The size of an institution, the characteristics of its existing student body, and enrollments in existing programs should be taken into account when determining whether a critical mass of students shall be available for a proposed new program.  (10) Adequate financing. There should be adequate financing available to initiate the program without reducing funds for existing programs or weakening them in any way. After the start-up period, the program must be able to generate sufficient semester credit hours under funding formulas to pay faculty salaries, departmental operating costs, and instructional administration costs for the program. Three years should be sufficient time for the program to meet these costs through semester credit hour production. If the state funding formulas are not meeting these costs for the program after three years, the institution and the Board should review the program with a view to discontinuance.

 The Bachelor of Applied Technology in Computer and Information Technologies (CIT) will prepare students for successful careers in the field of CIT.  Coursework is balanced between theoretical and technical competencies associated with the CIT profession preparing graduates for a number of demands placed on CIT professionals.  The degree is designed to educate and provide students with relevant, technical knowledge of CIT focused on providing solutions for real-world problems as well as to provide technical support for computer-based information systems.  Technology-oriented coursework with emphasis on computer application for those technologies forms the core for this program.

CategorySemester Credit Hours Clock Hours General Education Core Curriculum (bachelor’s degree only) 45 Required Lower-level Technical Courses (Foundation) 16 Other (Specify, e.g., internships, clinical work) Technical Support (lower-level) 24 Required Courses (upper-level) Capstone (upper-level) Prescribed Electives (upper level) 66 TOTAL 121

 CITP 3302Advanced Networking (Network +)  CITP 3305System Analysis and Design  CITP 3310Survey of Programming Languages  CITP 3312Fundamentals of Information Security  CITP 3320Database Management  CITP 3360Digital Image Processing and Presentation  CITP 4301CAPSTONE: Computer and Information Technology Internship  CITP 4316Advanced Web Design  CITP 4340Senior Project  CITP 4345Data Communications (Convergent Technologies)  CITP 4350Advanced Computer Programming  TMGT 3336Legal Issues for Technical Managers  TMGT 3338Accounting for Technical Managers  TMGT 3411Technology in Enterprise Management

 Associate of Science  Computer Information Systems  Computer Science  Business Computer Systems Associate of Applied Science  Computer Specialist  Information Security Specialist  Multimedia Specialist  Networking Specialist  Webmaster Specialist

A Closer Look at Our CIT Students

Enrollment  53 Students Enrolled Demographics  40 Male  13 Female  94% Hispanic Degree History  25 with AAS Degrees  10 with AS degrees  3 with AA degrees  4 with Double Majors  5 with 60 hours, but pending Associate degree

South Texas College Faculty

Adding additional Bachelor of Applied Technology degree in….. -Child and Family Development -Health Care Operations Management

THANK YOU Dr. Ali Esmaeili, Associate Dean Bachelor Programs and University Relations Laura Talbot, Curriculum & Accreditation Officer Curriculum & Accreditation Department