Assuring Quality in Three-Year Undergraduate Degree Programs

Transcription

1 Assuring Quality in Three-Year Undergraduate Degree Programs Hartwick College Mike Tannenbaum, CAO George Elsbeck, CFO Manchester College Glenn Sharfman, CAO Jack Gochenaur, CFO The CAO-CFO Partnership Council of Independent Colleges Williamsburg, VA November 6-9, 2010

2 Hartwick College Same quality. Less time. The Three-Year Degree Option

3 Institutional Profile Private, independent liberal arts and sciences academic calendar No on-line delivery; no summer coursework $45,775 T&F, R&B for Organizing Principle: We will be the best at melding liberal arts education with experiential learning

4 Institutional Profile Fall 2010 full-time headcount = full-time faculty lines 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio 31 undergraduate majors, mostly A&S with some pre-professional (BSN, business, accounting) About 30% of students play DΙor DΙΙΙathletics

5 Why a Three-Year Option? Because we felt it was the right thing to do Increase accessibility: reduces cost by 25 percent; less post-graduate loan burden limit to how far we could reduce cost base without changing the quality of the product commitment to the traditional, residential liberal arts approach can change delivery approach without changing quality of the product gives talented students a choice

6 Why a Three-Year Option? Because we could flexible general education requirements under new (Fall 2008) Liberal Arts in Practice curriculum well established 4-week January-Term program entrepreneurial and open-minded faculty can deliver without sacrificing the quality liberal arts experience

7 Process Timeline Aug 2008: discussion began Sept 2008: financial crisis begins Jan 2009: Feb 2009: faculty approval Board approval; announced program Sept 2009: first class (18 FY and 5 continuing) Sept 2010: 29 FY, 19 continuing, 2 transfers 5.85% of Fall 2010 FY cohort

8 Program Fundamentals (Assuring Quality) an optionto our traditional four-year experience; notfor all students same number of credits (120), same gen ed requirements, same major requirements 40 credits per year for 3 years: 18 credits each fall and spring term (typically 12-15) one course during J-Term (typically 4 credits)

9 Program Fundamentals (Assuring Quality) Eligibility Criteria cumulative HS GPA of >3.0 (out of 4.0) or 85 (out of 100) in a challenging, college-preparatory curriculum optional submission of SAT and/or ACT scores $500 non-refundable program fee (applied to the last semester s bill) signed declaration of intent form

10 Program Fundamentals Who is it for? well-prepared, well-motivated students fairly certain about their choice of major/career path best to start immediately (fall of FY) can play varsity sports and engage in full student experience

11 Program Fundamentals Participating Majors Accounting 1 Individual Student Program Art History Information Science Biology Mathematics 4 Business Administration Nursing 5 Chemistry 2 Philosophy Computer Science Political Science Economics Psychology Education 3 Religious Studies English Sociology French Spanish Geology Studio Art German Theatre Arts History

12 Program Fundamentals (Assuring Quality) The Three-Year Degree option is not availablein the following majors: Anthropology Biochemistry Environmental Chemistry Medical Technology Music Music Education Physics

13 Program Fundamentals (Assuring Quality) Support for Participants highest priority for course registration specially trained faculty advisors optional special living-learning housing special co-curricular programming (affinity activities to develop a sense of cohort ) 3-Year Degree Steering Committee

14 Program Fundamentals (Assuring Quality) Three-Year Degree Steering Committee VP of Enrollment Management & Marketing VP of Student Affairs Dean of Academic Affairs Registrar 2 Faculty Members

15 Program Advantages 3-Year students take same courses as traditional students (including J-Term abroad, if desired) no summer or on-line requirements no change in faculty staffing patterns prior AP or college credit not required

16 Lessons Learned discipline specific admissions criteria impact of early (June) orientation Honors Program requirements rolling vs. precipice admissions and projections

17 What have we seen so far? mean GPA: vs for other FY 77.7% (14/18) FY-Soph retention vs. 72.6% distribution of FY majors A&H Soc Sci Nat Sci attractiveness

18 Student Interest in 3YD Program for Fall 2010 Applications with expressed interest % of total first year applications Admits 648 Actual Enrollees (29 FY and 2 transfer) 31 (487 first-time freshmen in Fall 2010)

19 3YD Program Tuition and Fees -same as 4-Year students Student Financial Aid - same as 4-Year students No impact on campus facilities Enrollees signed declaration of intent and nonrefundable $500 fee credited to final tuition bill

20 Total Enrollment vary % in 3YD 450 FY Class; % in 3YD 1,500 1,490 1,480 1,470 1,460 1,450 1,440 1,430 1, % 12% 15%

21 Hartwick Vary FY Class 1,500 enrollment, 12% in 3YD Total FY Class