ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL ******************************************************************************

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1 ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: 4.C.1 DATE: November 10, 2011 ****************************************************************************** SUBJECT: New Site Request - SDSU, BS in Sociology, Online South Dakota State University requests authorization to offer the B.S. in Sociology online. Offering the program online allows for place-bound, distance and/or non-traditional students who are working or geographically isolated to access the program online. In addition, online access will support the further development and on-going professional development of the workforce by providing ready access to the Sociology program to current workers. The University notes that its Sociology graduates have gone on to a variety of careers. Online delivery will be funded with self-support tuition revenue. The University does not request new State resources. 1:21): Offering the B.S. in Sociology online supports the system strategic goals (Board Policy Educational Attainment: increasing college participation, improving completion rates, and increasing the number of graduates. Academic Quality and Performance: Expand the use of technology to enhance learning. Economic Development & Quality of Life: workforce development, online programs ****************************************************************************** RECOMMENDED ACTION Provide comments to Dr. Gough for inclusion in the COPS and BOR coversheets.

2 Attachment I South Dakota Board of Regents New Site: Request to Offer an Existing Degree Program Use this form to request authorization to deliver an existing degree program at a new site or by distance delivery. The Executive Director or the Board may request additional information. South Dakota State University University Degree(s) and Program B.S. in Sociology New Site(s) Online Delivery Proposed Implementation (term) Fall 2012 University Approval To the Board and the Executive Director: I certify that I have read this request, that I believe it to be accurate, and that it has been evaluated and approved as provided by university policy. President of the University Date After approval by the President, a signed copy of the proposal should be transmitted to the Executive Director. Only after Executive Director review should the proposal be posted on the university web site and the Board staff and the other universities notified of the URL. 1. What is the need for this program in this site (these sites)? What is the expected demand for graduates in the site(s)? South Dakota State University (SDSU) requests authorization to offer the Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in Sociology via distance (Internet). This request is in response to students needs and market demands. Offering the program online allows for place-bound, distance and/or nontraditional students who are working or geographically isolated to access the program online. In addition, online access will support the further development and on-going professional development of the workforce by providing ready access to the Sociology program to current workers. Online delivery will be funded with self-support tuition revenue. The University does not request new State resources. Online delivery of the B.S. in Sociology supports the South Dakota Board of Regents strategic goals (Policy 1:21): Educational Attainment: increasing college participation, improving completion rates, and increasing the number of graduates. Academic Quality and Performance: Expand the use of technology to enhance learning. Economic Development & Quality of Life: workforce development, online programs AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 2 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

3 The SDSU Sociology and Rural Studies Program has graduated 317 majors since Examples of careers undertaken by our recent graduates include: Counselors variety of agencies Social services variety of agencies Community/economic developer Teachers, university faculty Lawyer Operations/production manager Customer service variety of businesses Personnel variety of organizations Extension educator Data analysts variety of organizations CEO; self employment Law enforcement officer variety of agencies Media relations variety of organizations Banks variety of management positions Recent Sociology graduates have also been admitted to a variety of graduate and professional programs including: SDSU Masters in Counseling & Human Resource Development SDSU Masters/PhD in Sociology USD Masters in Social Work The South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation predicts employment growth in many occupations related to sociology. The chart below estimated demand for occupations. The chart that follows indicates projected growth in various industry sectors. SOC* Code South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation Occupational Estimates and Projections, Selected Occupations Related to Sociology 2006 Base Number Standard Occupational Classification Title of Jobs 2016 Projected Number of Jobs Percent Change Social and Community Service Managers % Employment, Recruitment and Placement Specialists % Compensation, Benefits and Job Analysis Specialists % Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists % Public Relations Specialists 1,290 1, % Technical Writers % Customer Service Representatives 8,970 12, % Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs % *SOC = Standard Occupational Classification 1 Source: Labor Market Information Center, South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 3 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

4 For areas where our graduates are currently employed, the South Dakota Department of Labor & Regulation industry projections for include: 523 Securities, commodity contracts and other % financial investments 541 Professional, scientific and technical services 11,000 13,190 2, % 551 Management of companies and enterprises 3,300 3, % 561 Administrative and support services 11,595 15,750 4, % 624 Social assistance 8,140 10,450 2, % 813 Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 9,135 9, % 93- Local government 22,015 23,755 1, % Student Demand for the Program This year during the transfer and returning student advising and registration sessions, staff were unable to find Sociology courses that would fit into schedules of non-traditional learners with employment and family considerations. In addition, advisors at University Center SF indicated that Sociology majors often have to delay graduation in order to take one of the required courses for graduation. They were enthusiastic about the request to put the major on line. Finally, the University has requests for Sociology courses in some of the smaller centers where the institution typically does not have enough students to offer courses; these students will now be able to purse the degree online. 2. Is any regental university authorized to offer a similar program at the new site(s)? Is any non-system institution offering a similar program at the new site(s)? If either answer is yes, identify the institution(s) and program(s) and explain why authorization is requested. No other regental institutions offer the B. S. in Sociology via online delivery. Dakota State University offers an online minor in Sociology. Out-of-state institutions offer an online degree in Sociology including North Dakota State University, University of Colorado, and Ashford University in Iowa. The University of Nebraska Kearney has a completion program, but not the full program online. Authorization is requested to serve the needs of the non-traditional students who enroll in online courses and who may have begun the program at SDSU and plan to continue. 3. Are students expected to be new to the university or redirected from other programs or both? Complete the table and explain how the estimates were developed. How will the new site(s) affect enrollments in other campus and off-campus programs in the regental system? SDSU anticipates that the majority students will be new to SDSU. In addition, the University expects to attract returning majors and those who do not live close to a regental institution to participate in the online program AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 4 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

5 Fiscal Years* 1 st 2 nd 3 rd 4 th Estimated FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 New to the university Redirected from other programs Continuing from previous year = Total in the program at the site Credit hours, majors in program courses** Graduates 5(a) 15(a) 15 * This is the total number of credit hours generated by the majors in the required or elective program courses. The same numbers are used in Appendix B Budget. (a) This degree program is designed to appeal to an adult student population with previous college credits. Students with all general education and additional credits (64 or more previous credits) will be able to complete this degree program in 2 years. Over the last three years, Sociology courses have been offered online with average enrollment of approximately 28 students per course. All but three of the courses required for the program are currently offered online. In addition, the University expects all courses for the human services specialization will be ready for online delivery by Fall There appears to be significant student demand in that a number of on-campus students have also requested online courses and all current online courses have good enrollment numbers even though the full degree program is not currently offered online. Currently the department has 184 majors. Impact on Existing Programs It is not expected the online program will impact enrollment in the on-campus Sociology program although students who now commute to main campus or the University Center in Sioux Falls will have the option of completing their program online. In addition students whose college career has been interrupted will be able to complete their program online. The University anticipates that the majority of students in the online major will come from current outreach sites where the number of interested students is not high enough to offer classes and from rural and remote areas where access to higher education is difficult. 4. Complete the table and explain any special circumstances. Attach a copy of the program as it appears in the current catalog. If any program modifications are requested, attach that form. Explain how the new courses will be delivered. Attach the new course request forms. An excerpt from the current catalog is provided as Appendix A AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 5 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

6 South Dakota State University B.S. in Sociology Credit hours System General Education Requirements 30 Institutional Graduation Requirements 8-9 Information Technology Literacy Requirements 0 Courses currently from this university online All are All are Courses currently from other universities at this site All are Courses new to this university Online Subtotal, Degree Requirements Required Support Courses 8 cr. # All are College requirements 20 Major Required credits Major Electives or Minor Subtotal, Requirements of the Proposed Major 33 Free Electives credits 20 many many Total, Degree with Proposed Major *If the major will be in more than one degree (BA, BS, BS Ed) at the new site(s) and the number or distribution of credits will vary with the degree, provide a separate table for each degree. # South Dakota State University College of Arts & Sciences required courses Three required courses remain to be redesigned for online delivery. All other courses required to complete the B.S. in Sociology are offered online. The University also intends to have all the coursework for the human services specialization online by the end of 2012 which includes an additional three courses that are slated for development in FY How will you provide student services comparable to those for students on the main campus? A program area advisor will serve as the advisor to students in the major and will maintain an appointment schedule to meet the needs of students near existing outreach centers. Advising appointments will also be scheduled using Skype, teleconferencing, and Elluminate to meet the needs of distant students. The Student Services Advisors will also provide onsite general support to online students in the Sociology program. Library support services will be to students through a variety of means: Faculty may place materials on reserve for student use in D2L. Distance librarians from Briggs Library will provide materials to students through its distance library services as needed. SDSU students in online classes will have access to EBSCO host and other electronic databases through Briggs Library. A distance access librarian is also to these students AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 6 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

7 Other student services such as disability services accommodations will be to students upon request. 6. Is this program accredited by a specialized accrediting body? If so, address any program accreditation issues and costs related to offering the program at the new site(s). There is no specific program accreditation for Sociology. 7. Does the University request any exceptions to Board policy for delivery at the new site(s)? Explain requests for exceptions to Board policy. If no exceptions are requested, enter None. None 8. Costs, Budget & Resources Related to New Courses at the Site: Explain the amount and source(s) of any one-time and continuing investments in personnel, professional development, release time, instructional technology and software, other O&M, facilities, student services, etc needed to implement the program at the new site(s). Complete Appendix B Budget using the system form. A budget is NOT provided because only three additional courses will be needed to offer the B.S. in Sociology online, and these will be developed with existing resources. The program will be funded from self-support tuition revenue generated from the online tuition. Courses will be taught by SDSU Sociology faculty and adjunct faculty. If online enrollment in the B.S. in Sociology grows to a level where a new faculty member is needed, the position will be funded with self-support tuition revenue AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 7 of 8 Printed: :16 AM

8 Appendix A South Dakota State University B.S. in Sociology SDSU Catalog Sociology (SOC) Major A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for the major (exception: Teaching specialization requires a minimum GPA of 2.6). Graduating seniors must take the Sociology exit exam. Requirements for Sociology Major, Bachelor of Science in Arts and Sciences (B.S.), Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Sciences (B.A.) System General Education Requirements*: 30 Goal #1 Written Communication: ENGL 101, and ENGL Goal #2 Oral Communication...3 Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity...6 Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity...6 Goal #5 Mathematics...3 Goal #6 Natural Sciences...6 Institutional Graduation Requirements**: 8-9 Goal #1 Land and Natural Resource Stewardship...3 Goal #2 Personal Wellness Goal #3 Social Responsibility/Cultural and Aesthetic Awareness (outside major)...3 College Requirements: Physical Science (up to 5 additional MATH credits including... STAT 281)...8 Biological Science...6 Humanities (SGR Goal #4 or IGR #3)...2 Social Science (SGR Goal #3 or IGR #3) requirement may be met within major requirements. Bachelor of Arts: 6-14 Modern Language (proficiency must be shown at the 200-level) Social Science (SGR Goal #3 or IGR #3) requirement may be met within major requirements. Major Requirements: 33 SOC/ANTH Electives...21 SOC 100, Introduction to Sociology * (COM) (G)... 3 SOC 307, Research Methods I...3 SOC 308, Research Methods II...3 SOC 403, Sociological Theory (COM)...3 Electives: Total Required Credits: AAC_4.C.1_SDSU_BS-Soc,online Page 8 of 8 Printed: :16 AM