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Meeting of the Board of Regents | April 2003

Tuesday, April 1, 2003 - 5:25am

 

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

TO:

The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

COMMITTEE:

Higher and Professional Education

TITLE OF ITEM:

Briarcliffe College: Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree, B.Tech., Information Technology; Associate in Science (A.S.) degree, A.S., Criminal Justice

DATE OF SUBMISSION:

April 4, 2003

PROPOSED HANDLING:

Approval (Consent Agenda)

RATIONALE FOR ITEM:

Briarcliffe needs the Regents authorization to award the B.Tech. and A.S. degrees and Regents approval of a master plan amendment to authorize its first programs in new disciplinary areas

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goals 2 and 4

AUTHORIZATION(S):

SUMMARY:

Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, has petitioned the Regents for authority to confer the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree at its main campus and to confer the Associate in Science (A.S.) degree at its main campus and Patchogue branch campus and for approval of master plan amendments to authorize it to offer the main campus� first programs in the disciplinary areas of the physical sciences and the social sciences and the branch�s first program in the social sciences. The Office of College and University Evaluation has determined that the proposed programs meet the standards for registration set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

Recommendation: I recommend that the Regents take the following actions:

VOTED, that Briarcliffe College, Bethpage, be authorized, effective April 29, 2003, to confer the degree of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) to duly qualified students successfully completing registered programs at its main campus, and that the master plan of Briarcliffe College be amended authorizing the College to offer B.Tech. programs in Information Technology at that campus. This amendment shall be effective until April 30, 2004, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case the master plan amendment shall be without term.

 

VOTED, that Briarcliffe College be authorized, effective April 29, 2003, to confer the degree of Associate in Science (A.S.) to duly qualified students successfully completing registered programs at its main campus and its branch campus in Patchogue, and that the master plan of Briarcliffe College be amended authorizing the College to offer at both campuses A.S. programs in Criminal Justice. This amendment shall be effective until April 30, 2004, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case the master plan amendment shall be without term.

Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.), Information Technology

The proposed B.Tech. program is designed to provide students interested in receiving an in-depth education in computer-based information technology with an opportunity to concentrate either in networking and telecommunications or in programming within the discipline. It would be offered at the main campus only.

In the proposed program, students will have an opportunity to choose either of two concentrations. The Networking and Telecommunications (CNT) concentration, which educates students in the theory and practical applications of networking and telecommunications, is composed of 121 credits, 40 of which are in liberal arts and 15 in management courses. The Computer Programming Engineer (CPE) concentration, which educates students in the theory and applications of software programming, is composed of 122 credits, also including 40 credits in liberal arts and 15 in management.

The proposed program would engage students interested in the practice and technical management of information technology in the theory and practice of information technology, specifically in the areas of programming, networking, and telecommunications. It is designed to educate students for career opportunities as specialists in programming and software engineering, network design and administration, database development and administration, enterprise systems integration, web administration, technical support, technical writing, and telecommunications.

Graduates of the proposed program would be prepared for graduate study in computer science, telecommunications, and instructional technology or in management information systems. Toward that end, the program has allocated approximately one third of the coursework to the liberal arts, even though the minimum requirement for a B.Tech. degree in the Regents Rules is that one-quarter of the work be in the liberal arts and sciences. The College stated that this allocation is consistent with similar programs in New York and will benefit students by enhancing their critical skills in thinking, reading, writing, speaking, and mathematics.

Faculty

The faculty consists of appropriately credentialed members with theoretical and practical expertise in information technology. Upon the program�s approval, Briarcliffe will increase the number of full-time faculty by adding three full-time instructors � one with a doctoral degree and two with a minimum of a master�s � to its Technology Division. Additional faculty will be added as enrollments expand.

Facilities

Briarcliff�s Bethpage campus, where the program will be offered, already possesses adequate and appropriate facilities to support the College�s two and four-year degree programs in business, computer technology, and graphic design.

 

Enrollment

Applicants for admission to the proposed program will be required to meet the general admissions requirements of the College. At minimum, an enrolling student must provide documentation of possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D, or college degree. The College will grant third-year status to graduates of its A.O.S. programs in Computer Applications Specialist, Computer Information Systems, Networking and Computer Technology, and Telecommunications Technology. The College also intends to develop articulation agreements with area colleges and universities to accommodate those who may wish to take advantage of the program.

Briarcliffe students come from many different backgrounds and have widely varied experiences. The College anticipates that the majority of students entering the program will emanate from Nassau and Suffolk counties, with a starting population of 50 students in the fall of 2003 and growing to approximately 300 students by its fifth year of operation.

Planning Review

Briarcliffe College says that the proposed program is consistent with its mission as an institution of higher education that offers to a diverse body of traditional and non-traditional students professional educational programs in selected fields of business, technology, and graphic design at the diploma, associate, and baccalaureate levels. The College says that it strives to fulfill its mission by providing specialized academic programs that coherently integrate theory and contemporary practice, use advanced technologies, refine students' critical thinking, writing, speaking, and numeracy skills, and incorporate liberal arts course offerings. The proposed program is an extension of its present Diploma and Associate degree programs in networking, programming, and telecommunications.

Occupational projections for careers in information technology and related computer science careers remain strong in the Long Island and New York metropolitan regions through 2008. Computer scientists, computer engineers, systems analysts, and computer support specialists top the list of Long Island�s fastest growing occupations, a phenomenon reflected also in New York City and across the State. The College believes that these trends support and warrant the proposed program addition.

Three institutions responded to a canvass of all colleges and universities on Long Island. Two supported the proposed program, including Nassau Community College, which said that it looks forward to continuing the existing cooperation between the two institutions through articulation agreements and welcomes the additional opportunity for its students to continue their educations. The SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale objected to the proposal, stating that both the national economic recession and local and regional downturns since September 11, 2001, have slowed the growth in the information technology industry. In response, Briarcliffe pointed to the State Labor Department�s projection that the fastest growing occupations on Long Island through 2008 would be those of computer scientist, computer engineer, systems analyst, and computer support specialist. It stated that the local market would not be over-saturated with graduates but rather that there would be a growing demand for them.

Associate in Science (A.S.), Criminal Justice

The proposed A.S. program in Criminal Justice is intended to provide students with a broad introduction to the field of criminal justice and criminology. The proposed program focuses on crime, law enforcement, correction, and the criminal justice system and provides a broad and interdisciplinary approach to understanding the mechanisms of social control, resolutions of criminal justice problems, and presently accepted procedures. It would be offered at both the main campus in Bethpage and the branch campus in Patchogue.

The curriculum is composed of 60 credits, 30 of which are in liberal arts, and offers a balance of theory and application. Coursework includes Introduction to Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice in America, American Correctional Institutions, the Administration of Criminal Justice, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Investigation, Survey of Computer Crime, Police and Police Operations, Constitutional Law, and Forensic Psychology. As with most fields, computers have become an important part of daily activity; therefore, the proposed program provides valuable experience using computers.



An optional internship is available to students allowing them additional experience in a professional setting. This is valuable experience when making the transition from the classroom to the workplace. In addition to the criminal justice course study, the program stresses personal and professional development. The College intends to develop articulation agreements with area colleges and universities to accommodate Briarcliffe students who may wish to pursue more advanced study in criminal justice at the baccalaureate level upon completion of the A.S. degree.

Faculty

Briarcliffe has an appropriately credentialed faculty with theoretical and practical expertise in most areas of criminal justice. Upon the program�s approval, however, the College will retain the services of five new full-time faculty, adding three full-time instructors � one with a doctoral degree and two with a minimum of a master�s � to the Bethpage Campus and two full-time instructors �both with a minimum of a master�s degree � at the Patchogue Campus. Additional faculty will be added as enrollments expand.

 

 

 

 

Facilities

Briarcliffe�s Bethpage and Patchogue campuses already possess sophisticated and appropriate facilities in support of the College�s two and four-year degree programs in business, computer technology, and graphic design. However, four-year programs presently are offered only at the Bethpage campus.

Enrollment

Applicants for admission to the proposed program will be required to meet the general admissions requirements of the College. At minimum, an enrolling student must provide documentation of possession of a high school diploma, G.E.D, or college degree. The College anticipates that the majority of students entering the program will emanate from the Long Island Region, composed of Nassau and Suffolk counties, with a starting population of 50 students in the fall of 2003 and growing to approximately 200 students by its fifth year of operation.

Planning Review

Briarcliffe says that the proposed program is consistent with its mission as an institution of higher education that offers professional educational programs in selected fields of business, technology, and graphic design at the diploma, associate, and baccalaureate levels to a diverse body of traditional and non-traditional students. The College says that it strives to fulfill its mission by providing specialized academic programs that coherently integrate theory and contemporary practice, utilize advanced technologies, refine students' critical thinking, writing, speaking, and numeracy skills, and incorporate liberal arts course offerings. It stated that it is responding to the interest of prospective students; 25 percent of 2002 high school seniors who completed inquiry cards expressed interest in criminal justice.

The State Labor Department projects more than 11,500 annual job openings, statewide, in public and private law enforcement, security, and corrections agencies. Occupational projections for careers in criminal justice and related fields remain strong in the Long Island and New York metropolitan regions through 2007, with projections for over 1,000 positions per year in all law enforcement fields in Nassau and Suffolk counties alone.

Two colleges responded to a canvass of all colleges and universities on Long Island concerning the proposed program. Long Island Business Institute wrote in support. Noting the increasing demand for law enforcement recruits as a result of the September 11 tragedy, Suffolk County Community College indicated that Briarcliffe would be entering a field already served by both Nassau and Suffolk community colleges. In response, Briarcliffe pointed out that Nassau Community College had not raised concerns about the proposed program. (Nassau did not respond to the canvass.) Briarcliffe said that it believed that the great increase in demand by law enforcement agencies indicated a need for an additional program on the Island.