New Academic Programs Task Force Update

April, 2013

Why was the New Academic Programs Task Force formed? State funding continues to decline Enrollment growth essential UIS is at a competitive disadvantage in

recruitment because it has so few undergraduate programs

Task Force formed to make informed collaborative recommendations for new program priorities

Task Force Structure voting members and non-voting support staff voting

• 4 faculty • 3 deans • 1 student affairs administrator • 1 staff member • 1 student

college representation governance committee linkages

MembersTim Barnett

• Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Beverly Bunch • Professor of Public Administration, College of Public Affairs & Administration• Chair of the Campus Planning & Budgeting Committee

Patty Byrnes• Associate Professor of Economics, College of Business & Management• Chair of the Committee on the Assessment of Student Learning

Jim Ermatinger• Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Rebekah Grosboll• Online Coordinator• Undergraduate General Education Advisor for the College of Public Affairs & Administration

Brian Kahn• Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, College of Education & Human Services• Member of Undergraduate Council

Linda McCown• Associate Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences• Member, Committee on Admissions, Recruitment, & Retention

Ron McNeil• Dean of the College of Business & Management

Will Miller • Interim Dean of the College of Public Affairs & Administration

Jinger Sanders• UIS Student

Support Staff Cecilia Cornell

• Faculty Associate, Provost’s Office

Tammy Craig• Director of Career Services

Lori Giordano• Interim Director of Admissions

Monica Kroft• Administrative Assistant to the Provost

Stephen McMinn• Clinical Assistant Professor, Brookens Library• Director of Collections & Scholarly Communications for the Library

Karen Moranski• Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education

Ray Schroeder• Associate Vice Chancellor for Online Learning• Director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, & Service

Aaron Shures• Associate Provost and Director of Budget & Financial Analysis

Background

Call to faculty and academic professionals for ideas Focus on prioritizing new programs that require new

resources Does not replace governance process for curriculum

approval Task Force members encouraged to be innovative and

open to new ideas Process both creative and data-driven

Programs Considered

Close to 80 initial submissions Additional suggestions received Not all were academic majors Some already under development Some didn’t require new resources for start-up Task Force members could add to list

Task Force Charge Develop a prioritized list of viable new academic

programs, at the undergraduate level, that will contribute to enrollment growth and academic excellence at the University of Illinois at Springfield

Ideal academic programs will:– provide preparation for occupations in demand at local, regional, and/or

national levels for the foreseeable future– meet high demand from prospective undergraduate students– fit well with the UIS mission, vision, and location– contribute to UIS’ reputation as a premier regional university– generate enrollment growth

Task Force Process Identified relevant factors & data needed Organized suggested program list Separated out program proposals not needing new

resources Reviewed relevant data Considered program possibilities Ranking of programs No program ideas discarded

Ratings, Ratings, & More Ratings

Close to 80 suggestions were received from faculty, academic professionals, and others

– not all suggestions were clear majors or degree programs Task Force started with basic rating template

– tool for assessing collective view– Evolved through five phases based on Task Force discussions and

suggestions Meetings involved review of aggregate ratings, data,

discussion No ideas discarded

Data Considered Admissions data on majors requested (student demand) State documents on higher education Reports from Springfield Chamber of Commerce on

economic development strategies Chicago plan for economic growth & jobs Linkages between majors and occupations Occupational outlook at state and national levels Salaries (by major, by entry-level positions) Regional competitors Preliminary cost/revenue considerations Relation to existing academic departments/majors

Short List: Tier 1

Digital/New/Interactive Mass Media Finance: BBA Concentration Exercise Science/Athletic Training B.S. Health Services Administration

Short List: Tier 2

Actuarial Science Ag Business: BBA Concentration Environmental Public Health Nursing R.N.; R.N. to B.S.N.

Some Unanticipated Convergence February 2011 Enrollment Expansion Retreat

Suggestions*– Finance – Marketing– Blended MBA– Liberal Arts coupled with business curricula– Education (elementary ed/early childhood)– Media/journalism/digital media– Critical analysis (data analytics)– Environmental Studies – Public Health – Public Administration*Suggestions in color were either independently advanced by an academic department or also emerged from NAPTF’s work

What’s Next? Continue consideration of programs in top

tiers Consider campus community input Formulate recommendations for Year 1

program priorities for implementation Review list, consider possibilities, and

formulate recommendations for Year 2 and Year 3

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Check out the Frequently Asked Questions link on the Academic Affairs webpages at http://www.uis.edu/academicaffairs/planning/naptf/