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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

TO:	Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Master Plan Amendment to Authorize ASA Institute of Business and Computer Technology to offer an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree Program in Criminal Justice
DATE:	May 30, 2006
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

Should the Regents authorize the amendment of the master plan of ASA Institute of Business and Computer Technology in order for the Institute to offer an Associate in Applied Studies (A.A.S.) degree program in Criminal Justice?

Reason for Consideration

Required by State regulation.

Proposed Handling

This question will come before the Higher Education and Professional Practice Committee at its June 2006 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken. It then will come before the full Board at its June meeting for final action.

Procedural History

Master plan amendment is required because this would be the Institute’s first degree program in the discipline area of Social Sciences.

Background Information

ASA Institute of Business and Computer Technology is a proprietary institution authorized to award the Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) and Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. The Institute’s main campus is in Brooklyn, New York. The Institute also has an approved extension center in mid-town Manhattan. Program areas include Medical Assisting, Computer Technologies, and Business. Reported enrollment in fall 2005 was 3,169.

Recommendation

The Department has determined that the proposed program in Criminal Justice, if approved, would meet the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

It is recommended that the Board of Regents amend the master plan of ASA Institute of Business and Computer Technology authorizing the institution to offer an Associate in Applied Studies (A.A.S.) degree program in Criminal Justice. This amendment will be effective until June 30, 2007, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term.

Timetable for Implementation

If the Regents approve the master plan amendment, the Department will register the program. ASA Institute will begin offering the program in the semester following registration. The Department will conduct a follow up review of the institution and of the program’s implementation, impacts and outcomes.

Information in Support of Recommendation

Curriculum. The proposed program in Criminal Justice, leading to the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree, is designed to provide students with a broad-based understanding of the criminal justice system in American society. It is intended to prepare students to assume positions in public and private agencies that deal with crime detection and prevention. The program has been designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for rational analysis of problems pertinent to the criminal justice system and the needs of society. According to the institution, students would be trained to use analytical tools to develop objectivity and a firm understanding of the balance between the rights of individual citizens and society’s continuing need for safety and security. The graduates would also obtain a foundation in liberal arts. The proposed program is congruent with the mission of ASA Institute to “provide high-quality, career-oriented programs that respond to the needs of both students and employers.” This is the second A.A.S. degree program developed by ASA Institute.

The proposed program consists of 61 semester hours of credit. Students will be required to complete 33 credits in their major, 23 credits in Liberal Arts (with 6 elective credits), and 5 credits of college core competencies.

Major-related courses are designed to provide an understanding of law, the nature of crime, and the administration of justice. Graduates would be expected to understand social issues of modern society, human behavior, public management policies, and issues related to juvenile populations. They also would learn the history and the current state of crime control and crime prevention. Additionally, students would be introduced to the future trends in criminal justice, such as terrorism prevention and cyber-crimes. An internship is required at the end of the proposed program. Curriculum structure and the program’s outcome objectives are consistent with published standards of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), a national professional society.

Admission. The basic admissions requirements for students are the same as those for other programs at ASA Institute, namely a high school diploma. In addition, a background check of the prospective student will be added to the admissions requirements. Applicants will be tested in English, Math and/or ESL, and, if necessary, will be placed in remedial courses based on their test scores.

Student Body. The proposed program would start with an estimated 20 students, with a projected increase to 147 total enrollees by the fifth year. It is anticipated that the proposed program will draw students from the same socio-demographic categories as other ASA programs. The racial/ethnic profile of ASA Institute is: Asian/Pacific 9.69 percent; African-American 38.44 percent; Caucasian 13.71 percent; and Hispanic 35.68 percent. Students’ ages are diverse: 37 percent are 25 or younger; 34 percent are 26-35; 20 percent are 36-45; and 9 percent are 46 and older. The Institute expects an increase in enrollment of male students in the proposed program since the field is traditionally male-dominated.

Resources. As of December 2005, the ASA Library had over 7,928 book titles (11,868 volumes); 745 video titles; 127 audio titles; and 135 serial titles. The library budget of $161,362.50 (excluding salaries of staff) includes $92,599 for print collections. Budgetary allocations are sufficient to ensure the continued increase in library print holdings as well as additional databases and e-books. The Institute’s library has substantial database access to publications and other materials pertinent to the proposed program. The library subscribes to 34 on-line journals in law, criminal justice and government.

The Institute currently occupies 120,000 square feet in two locations - downtown Brooklyn and midtown-Manhattan. These facilities have enough classrooms and computer laboratories to serve a population of 4,200 students, well in excess of the current enrollment of 3,000 students. Current facilities include 60 classrooms, 20 computer labs, 14 clinical labs, 3 medical coding labs, 2 medical billing labs, 2 libraries and 2 learning centers. These facilities will easily absorb the projected enrollments in the proposed program.

All classrooms have equipment, furniture and tools required for the courses offered. A total of 1,000 computers with Pentium 4 processors are available to students. A wide range of current software is available, including a variety of widely-used programs for business/accounting, computer science, and medical assisting. Computer labs are networked, offer Internet access, and are connected to high-speed laser printers.

Prospects for Employment. The U.S. Bureau of Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook (2002-2003) shows that the employment of police, detectives and special agents in the U.S. (both public and private) is expected to increase faster than the average of all other occupations through the year 2010. Graduates of the proposed program would be employable in government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as in the private sector.

The Department conducted a canvass of all degree-granting institutions in New York City to access the possible adverse impact the proposed program would have on them. None of the five institutions that responded cited any adverse impact or objected to the proposed program.