Meeting of the Board of Regents | May 2008

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

 

 

TO:	Higher Education Committee
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	Master Plan Amendment: State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill, Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree in Information Technology
DATE:	April 30, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goals 2 and 4
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

             

Should the Board of Regents approve an amendment to the master plan of the State University of New York authorizing the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill to offer the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree in Information Technology?

 

Reason for Consideration

 

              Required by State regulation.

 

Proposed Handling

 

The question will come before the Higher Education Committee at its May 2008 meeting, where it will be voted on and action taken.  It then will come before the full Board at its May 2008 meeting for final action.

 

Procedural History

 

              Master plan amendment is required because the proposed program would be the College’s first independent degree program in the discipline of physical sciences.

 

Background Information

 

In August 2000, Governor Pataki approved a master plan amendment (MPA) to the long-range master plan of the State University of New York to authorize the State University Colleges of Technology Alliance (consisting of the University Colleges of Technology at Alfred, Canton, Delhi, and the College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill and Morrisville) to offer a multiple institution program leading to the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree in Information Technology.  The State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill (SUNY Cobleskill) is now proposing to independently offer instruction leading to the Bachelor of Technology degree in Information Technology (IT).  A master plan amendment is necessary as the proposed program will be the College’s first independent degree program in the MPA discipline of physical sciences.  The Information Technology program will continue to be offered by the Alliance.

 

The purpose of the proposed program is to prepare graduates to enter the workforce as Information Technology specialists.  Graduates will also be prepared for further study and research in relevant graduate programs. The highly applied and technical curriculum of the program was developed by the College’s faculty after a panel of experts verified the need for the program and identified the curriculum objectives and content using the Develop a Curriculum (DACUM) process.  Internet Technology specialists further validated the need for the program, curriculum objectives and content. 

 

The proposed 125 credit-hour program will provide students with the necessary applied knowledge and skills in areas of management and communication.  Students will select one of the following areas in which to specialize:  Web Application and Development; Web Graphics and Design; Network Administration and Support; or Information Security. 

 

The College anticipates the program will grow from 97 students to 150 in five years.  Transfer students must have a minimum 2.25 GPA with a major in a related IT field.  Recent high school students must meet defined admission standards for this program.

  

              Seven faculty members will teach full-time in the program with an additional nine faculty members full-time at the institution and two part-time faculty also teaching courses in the program.  All faculty teaching in the proposed program hold graduate degrees; five of the full-time faculty members and one part-time faculty member hold doctoral degrees. In the proposal, SUNY Cobleskill has committed to hiring an additional full-time faculty member with a doctoral degree for the program and the College’s strategic plan supports adding faculty lines as enrollment in the program grows.

 

              The current facilities of the Information Technology department and the School of Business contain all the necessary classroom, laboratories and network infrastructure for the program.  There are curriculum specific computer labs for each specialization track.  The library’s collection holds sufficient books, periodicals, and videos for the proposed program and participates with SUNY Connect providing electronic databases through this service. 

 

              According to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer-related jobs lead the list with three of the ten fastest growing occupations, and five of the top ten highest paid jobs from among the thirty fastest growing jobs.  The Information Technology Association of America and specific companies have reported a large number of IT jobs being unfilled.

 

              The 2002 to 2012 New York State Occupational Outlook for computer and mathematical occupations indicates that there will be 662,320 openings statewide and 52,680 openings in the Capitol District and Mohawk Valley regions.  The consideration of AMD, a microchip fabricator, to build in Saratoga County and the State’s initiative to make the Hudson Valley the silicon valley of the east further illustrates the need for information technology professionals.         

 

A canvass was conducted of all degree-granting institutions of higher education in the Northeast region.  The Department received no responses.  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.

 

Recommendation

 

It is recommended that the Board of Regents approve the amendment to the master plan of the State University of New York authorizing the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill to offer the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree in Information Technology.  This amendment will be effective until May 20, 2009, 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 Board of Regents approves the master plan amendment, the Department will register the program following gubernatorial approval, and the institution will proceed to recruit and enroll program students.