MBA Program Assessment Report 2011/12 1. Student Academic Achievement Capstone Course, MGMT 650 Strategic Management Simulation Results Learning Assurance Report (reported in quartiles) Winter 2011 Spring 2009 Winter 2009 Leadership Q4 Q2 Q3 Teamwork Q3 Q3 Q3 Financial Analysis Q2 Q4 Q3 Financial Management Q2 Q2 Q3 Operations Management Q2 Q2 Q2 Marketing Q2 Q1 Q3 Human Resources Q3 Q4 Q4 Strategic analysis and planning IC Q3 Q4 Corporate Social Responsibility Q1 Q2 Q2 Financial Indicators Performance Benchmarks Winter 2011 Spring 2010 PNC All BSG PNC All BSG Overall 79 79 85.3 79 Earnings per share 5.27 5.85 7.35 6.09 Return on Av. Equity 14.9 11.6 20.4 13.2 Stock Price 85.69 95.17 121.9 99.77 Credit Rating A+ A A A Image Rating 71 70 69 71 Conclusions: - Less than optimal performance on financial, operations and marketing indicators as displayed in Learning Assurance Report. May reflect a transition to new faculty member who was utilizing program for the first time. Will continue to monitor to establish trending, impact of movement to cohort model as well as change in delivery of financial coursework. - Satisfactory performance benchmarks, consistently better or equal to benchmark continue to monitor financial performance to determine if programmatic delivery changes have impacted performance. 2. Program Operations - Internal Student Surveys Overall program assessment (Roper, Change Management Course, Fall 2010) see attached Patterns emerging from the Interview Data. Graduates/faculty praised the cohort model which developed relationships, some of which carried on after graduation. Graduates/faculty expressed concerns about group work in the MBA program, regarding participation by all group members. Graduates/faculty expressed an interest in more electives About one-third of the graduates felt some classes were unnecessary. Graduates had concerns about some courses in the program, but it is not clear from our initial effort of interviewing whether they would agree on which courses needed changing or omitting. Graduates expressed strong satisfaction with the 10 week, quarter program. Graduates often remarked that they like the program being offered on Saturdays. Half of them mentioned the location being a positive.
Summary of Recommendations for Improvement Textbook and optional course book availability and pricing Structure of the MBA Program o Review current degree requirements and options o Scheduled entry into the program Ease of the Financial Aid process Academic Advising concerns Food/Snack/Beverage Catering Supplemental Data SWOT exercise (Jacoby, Marketing Strategy Course, Fall, 2010) see attached Appreciative Inquiry Exercise (Roberts, Org Behavior Course, Summer, 2010) see attached 3. Program improvements based on data/student input: - Established standard timeline for book orders - Revision of current MBA program in process. Goals include: o One standard cohort-based program that includes preliminary foundational work for all students regardless of undergraduate background. Faculty have noted better performance in core courses from students taking our own foundational coursework first vs. those fast-tracking into the short program o Compliance with ACBSP standards o o Option to pursue stream of electives More rigorous orientation embedded in preliminary coursework to address writing and team skills. - Preliminary work is underway to develop an alternative masters program such as an interdisciplinary MS in Leadership - In the process of establishing a permanent menu of elective courses (includes the entire curriculum process through the graduate council and graduate school in the Purdue system) - New process for financial aid will mirror automated system in place at Purdue Calumet - Program coordinator will maintain a more regular presence on Saturdays (minimum of 8 per module). - Effective Spring 2011, program will contract with external food vendors on a pilot basis for two out of ten weeks. - Preliminary work has begun to establish alumni advisory council. 4. Other Ongoing studies: - Data collection ongoing to determine validity/predictive value of current entry requirements (GMAT scores, undergraduate GPA, etc.)
MBA Student Suggestions for improvement of program operations November 2011 (n 30) Consider increasing the rigor of admission and/or academic standards o Some felt that they worked harder in some undergraduate courses than they did in some of our MBA courses o Level of what was required/tested on in some courses was seen as too basic for graduate level o Suggest higher level problem-solving, application, essays, and case analysis with less rote memorization of terms and/or busy-work o Too much opportunity for re-work and extra credit, not enough penalty in some courses for late work this causes grade inflation and some students are receiving grades well above what they should be earning o Allowing marginal students to continue will ultimately affect PNC s reputation in the business community Address multiple issues with groupwork o Weight of groupwork in grade allocation according to students, some significant free riding is going on and someone can pass based on group grade even if they are very weak on their own. In their opinion, this has happened repeatedly. o Role allocation - students get settled into certain roles based on initial strengths and then are stuck doing the same type of work in future classes because they keep the same members from class to class (i.e. financial types always get stuck doing the heavy lifting when it comes to financial analysis). o Peer evaluations are not very effective since students still have to continue to work together in future modules. Re-examine and/or reinforce attendance policies o Appear to be no consequences in some courses for late work or people who are repeatedly absent. This has really de-motivated those who work hard to submit quality work on time and attend class each week.
Student Schedule Coordination Student Satisfaction Report 2010 2008 Automatic scheduling by PNC coordinator 3.93 3.29 Adherence to plan of study by PNC 3.88 3.36 By-appointment meeting with MBA academic advisor at Valparaiso campus Fast trackers only ability to substitute elective with foundation course 3.48 3.20 3.47 2.87 Availability of Academic Advisor 3.44 0.00 Current visits of MBA academic advisor at Valparaiso campus 3.41 2.89 An annual listing of anticipated course selections 3.32 2.95 Input ability to plan of study 3.19 2.98 Information Technology 2010 2008 Access to networked computers 4.05 2.94 Changes Implemented Movement to cohort model F09 Movement to cohort model F09 Movement to cohort model F09 Movement to cohort model F09 Changes Implemented Current network availability 3.98 2.29 Access to a printer on campus 3.98 3.06 Blackboard accessibility 3.95 2.52 Speed of network 3.92 1.92 Access to photocopying 3.52 2.33 The ability to rent a laptop from the school 3.12 2.86 Amenities 2010 2008 Cleanliness of building 4.57 4.17 Network upgraded Sp09 Network upgraded Sp09 Changes Implemented Parking arrangements and safety 4.42 4.23 The level of protection while on campus property 4.17 3.72 Beverage choices 4.02 3.65 Classroom temperatures 3.76 3.30 Access to emergency assistance 3.76 3.67 Hours of access to buildings 3.71 3.39 Amount of food available 3.47 3.17 Catering at current cost 3.28 2.85 Food choices offered 3.03 2.68 Contract and choices renegotiated Sp09
Overall 2010 2008 Classes only offered on Saturdays 4.41 4.05 Changes Implemented Facility 4.32 3.88 MBA program cost 4.29 3.98 Current pattern of quarters 4.18 3.92 Faculty 4.13 3.56 A minimum of one-week break within each quarter 4.13 3.95 Faculty availability 4.05 3.53 MBA program experience 4.03 3.74 Administration of the MBA program 3.98 3.39 Ease of application process 3.97 0.00 Scheduling of courses 3.95 3.30 Instruction on program entry to Blackboard, Bookstore & Scheduling 3.64 2.98 The ability to enter MBA program in fall 3.34 3.11 Orientation added in F09, expanded F10 Ease of financial aid process 3.17 0.00 Textbook and optional course books availability 2.97 3.12
Figure 13: MBA Survey Comparison 2008 vs. 2010
Conclusions Survey Data Overall results of the survey dramatically increased from the 2008 data to the 2010 data. In 2010, only one data point fell below the 3.0 satisfaction level, as opposed to thirteen data points in 2008. It is unclear whether this dramatic improvement is due to general improvements or a more content responding class. Dramatic Increase to Information Technology Section over 2008 Emergent Patterns from the Interview Data. Both graduates and faculty praised the cohort model which developed relationships, some of which carried on after graduation. Both graduates and faculty expressed concerns about group work in the MBA program, regarding participation by all group members. Both graduates and faculty expressed an interest in more electives without any pattern in what the electives should be. About one-third of the graduates felt some classes were unnecessary. Graduates had concerns about some courses in the program, but it is not clear from our initial effort of interviewing whether they would agree on which courses needed changing or omitting. Graduates expressed strong satisfaction with the 10 week, quarter program. Graduates often remarked that they like the program being offered on Saturdays. Half of them mentioned the location being a positive.
Recommendations Sustain: o The positive contribution of administration, facility, technology and scheduling Improve: o Textbook and optional course book availability and pricing o Structure of the MBA Program o Review current degree requirements and options (Recommendation 2) o Scheduled entry into the program (Recommendation 3) o Ease of the Financial Aid process o Academic Advising concerns o Food/Snack/Beverage Catering