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:	Berkeley College: Master Plan Amendment to authorize a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Health Services Management at the main campus in Manhattan and at the branch campus in White Plains.
DATE:	August 25, 2006
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

  Should the Regents approve the amendment of the master plan of Berkeley College in order to offer a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A) program in Health Services Management at its main and branch campus?

 

Reason for Consideration

 

          Required by state regulation.

 

Proposed Handling

 

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

 

Procedural History

 

Master plan amendment is required because this would be the first bachelor degree program in the disciplinary area of Health Professions at its main campus in Manhattan and at its branch campus in White Plains.

Background Information

 

          Berkeley College’s two New York State campuses have registered programs in a wide variety of business areas leading to B.B.A., A.A.S., and A.S. degrees. The College’s campuses in New York State and New Jersey are accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The proposed B.B.A. program in Health Services Management would be the College’s first baccalaureate degree program in the area of Health Professions at each of the two New York campuses.

 

Recommendation

 

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

 

It is recommended that the master plan of Berkeley College be amended, effective September 12, 2006, to authorize the College to offer a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) program in Health Services Management at its main campus in Manhattan and at its branch campus in White Plains.  This amendment will be effective until September 30, 2007, unless the Department registers the programs prior to that date, in which case master plan amendment shall be without term.

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information in Support of Recommendation

 

          The proposed program requires 120 credits including courses in Introduction to Health Services, Ethical and Legal Aspects of Health Services, Health Services Management I and II, Computer Applications in Health Services, Research Methods for Health Services, Health Services Finance, Issues in Contemporary Health Services Management, and two Internships. The curriculum also has solid business and technology components.

 

An institutional planning process that considered employer demand and emerging career opportunities led to the development of the proposed B.B.A. program in Health Services Management.  Members of the Advisory Board who assisted with program development have indicated that professional opportunities will be readily available for graduates.  The Department of Labor projects a 29.3 percent growth in employment for medical and health service managers by 2012.  An increase of almost 24 percent is projected for the Hudson Valley region. An increase of 18 percent is projected for the New York City region.

 

Graduation from high school or its equivalent and satisfactory scores on an entrance examination, ACT or SAT, are required for admission. Berkeley serves a diverse student population.  Since Berkeley will maintain the same admission standards for the programs, it expects the demographic profile of students at each location to remain approximately the same.  At each location, Berkeley expects to enroll 25 students in the proposed B.B.A. program in Health Services Management in the first year of operation.  Eighty-five students will be enrolled in the fifth year.  More than 80 percent of the students will be enrolled full-time.

 

Berkeley has employed two new full-time faculty members for the proposed program in New York City.  One holds a doctorate in Public Policy with a specialization in Health Policy; the other, a registered nurse, has earned a J.D.  The College has also hired two new full-time faculty members for the program in Westchester County.  One holds a doctorate, a J.D. and an LL.M.; the other has an M.B.A. with a specialization in Health Care Finance.  The faculty members at both campuses have significant professional experience in the health services industry.

 

Berkeley College’s facilities include “smart” classrooms and laboratories equipped with more than 300 computers at the main campus and more than 120 at the Westchester campus. The library, academic support center, offices and lounge spaces are well maintained and handicapped accessible.  Operating budgets will support library and software acquisitions to support the program.

 

          A canvass was conducted of colleges and universities in the New York City and mid-Hudson regions of New York State. Ten colleges responded. Four offered support for the proposed programs. The other six stated the programs would have no impact on their institutions.