Meeting of the Board of Regents | February 2008
TO: The Higher Education Committee
FROM: Frank Muñoz
SUBJECT: Master Plan Amendment: The State University of New York
Empire State College
DATE: January 24, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL: Goal 2
Executive Summary
Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)
Should the Regents approve the proposed master plan amendment for the State University of New York Empire State College to offer a nursing program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree?
Reason(s) for Consideration
Required by State Statute.
Proposed Handling
This question will come before the Higher Education Committee at its February 2008 meeting where it will be voted on and action taken. It will then come before the full Board at its February 12, 2008 meeting for final action.
Procedural History
Approval of master plan amendments by the Board of Regents is required by section 237 of the Education Law. Because this would be the first baccalaureate-level program in the major mission area of the health professions at the College, a master plan amendment is necessary.
Background Information
The State University Board of Trustees, at its November 27, 2007 meeting, adopted a resolution to amend the State University Master Plan to authorize the State University of New York Empire State College to offer instruction leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
The College currently offers baccalaureate degrees in business, management and economics; labor studies; educational studies; social theory and social structure; cultural studies; human development; historical studies; interdisciplinary studies; science, mathematics and technology; and technology. The proposed nursing program meets the standards for registration as set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and will augment the supply of registered nurses educated at the baccalaureate level.
Recommendation
The Regents should approve the proposed master plan amendment of the State University of New York, effective February 12, 2008, to authorize the SUNY Empire State College to establish an upper-division nursing program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Timetable for Implementation
This approval will be effective until September 30, 2009, unless the Department registers the program prior to that date, in which case the master plan amendment shall be without term.
The State University of New York
Empire
State
College
The proposed program supports the State University of New York Empire State College’s mission to provide academic opportunities that will prepare individuals for service, leadership and successful careers. The College currently offers baccalaureate degree programs in business; management and economics; labor studies; human development; historical studies; interdisciplinary studies; science, mathematics and technology; and technology. The College has requested registration of an upper-division nursing program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Program
The proposed program would be an upper-division bachelor’s completion program for registered nurses. The 60 to 68 credit program includes 40 credits in nursing course work and 20 to 28 credits of general learning studies that will complete the remaining SUNY general education requirements. A total of 68 lower-division credits will be accepted in transfer. All of the courses, with the exception of the capstone course titled Advanced Clinical Experience, will be offered on-line using the ANGEL course management system. The capstone course will be designed by the student in collaboration with a faculty member and a local preceptor, who will provide joint supervision. The program will be housed within the Center for Distance Learning at the College’s Coordinating Center in Saratoga Springs. Online learning resources and well-developed instructional design and training resources are available at the College. The College’s seven regional centers will provide local support for clinical experiences in nursing and electives outside of the major, as well as academic and administrative support services.
Enrollment
Applicants must be graduates of an accredited diploma or associate degree nursing program and be licensed and currently registered to practice professional nursing. Additionally, students must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and submit two professional letters of recommendation. The College anticipates 40 students will begin the program in fall 2008. By the fifth year of the program, the College expects to enroll 75 new students and have a total enrollment of 232 nursing students.
Faculty
The faculty for the proposed program consist of three full-time nursing faculty and the full-time Program Director. The Program Director and one of the faculty hold earned doctorates and the remaining two faculty members have master’s degrees in nursing. The non-nursing courses will be taught by existing faculty at the College.
Facilities
There will not be any major facility needs to implement the proposed program. The College allocated $30,000 to the library for the proposed program’s development needs and other library resources are sufficient to meet the instructional needs of the proposed program. The total start-up budget is $981,735, with $662,300 allocated to personnel costs.
Planning Review
The State University of New York College at Plattsburgh currently is the only institution in the Northeast Region that offers an on-line upper-division nursing program. The proposed nursing program will prepare nurses to function as generalists and managers in health care agencies, as well as for career advancement and further education. Furthermore, increasing enrollment in bachelor’s degree programs for nursing is an initial step in addressing the existing and continuing shortage of nursing faculty.
A canvass was conducted of all institutions in the Northeast Region. There were no objections to the proposed program.