Kansas State University is a comprehensive, research, land grant institution first serving students and the people of Kansas, and also the nation and the world. Since its founding in 1863, the University has evolved into a modern institution of higher education, committed to quality programs, and responsive to a rapidly changing world and the aspirations of an increasingly diverse society. Together with other major comprehensive universities, Kansas State shares responsibilities for developing human potential, expanding knowledge, enriching cultural expression, and extending its expertise to individuals, business, education, and government. These responsibilities are addressed through an array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, research and creative activities, and outreach and public service programs. In addition, its land grant mandate, based on federal and state legislation, establishes a focus to its instructional, research, and extension activities which is unique among the Regents' institutions.
As part of the annual Board of Regent Program Review process,
Kansas State University reviewed the academic programs for
the Colleges of Business Administration and Technology and
Aviation. The 2 page summaries for each degree program are
attached to this report. The following materials provide short
reviews of each college and its departments and programs,
a summary of the major issues, and summaries of major changes
and plans.
The main objective of the College of Business Administration is to provide a balanced program for general education and professional study in business administration and accounting. The degree programs in business offered by the College of Business Administration are accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The College was reviewed by AACSB this last year and is awaiting the final report. The preliminary report by the AACSB review team was very positive. The materials from the preliminary report were incorporated into this review.
The academic programs in the College assume the business firm is a vital social, economic, and political institution. The college organizes instructional activities around two themes: 1) the businessperson as the manager of operations and decision maker in a particular firm and 2) the businessperson as one who must analyze and adapt to the larger economic, social, and political environment of which he or she and the firm are integral parts. Both subject matter and instructional techniques focus on decision making and implementation of decisions through critical and creative analysis. The College also sponsors numerous short courses and conferences for business and management groups. At the undergraduate level, the College of Business Administration seeks to produce graduates with a broad education in the arts, sciences, and humanities; a solid knowledge and understanding of the functioning of the business world; sufficient knowledge and skill in a field of specialization to obtain positions in business; and the proven ability to think creatively and analytically in order to progress into positions of greater responsibility.
Students entering college for the first time must enroll in the business administration pre-professions program (BAPP). Students with previous academic work (either at K-State or elsewhere) requesting transfer to the College of Business Administration must have a 2.0 or higher grade point average and enroll in the BAPP curriculum. The BAPP program provides course work in communications, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. The purpose of the BAPP curriculum is to help students develop the descriptive and analytical foundation necessary for the study of business administration. Remaining "core courses" in business administration and courses in the degree-track majors are taken after successful completion of the BAPP program. Once students have successfully completed the requirements for the BAPP program, they are admitted into a degree-track (major) in accounting, finance, management, or marketing which is necessary for graduation. Applicants for admission to one of the degree tracks other than accounting, will be accepted upon completion of a minimum of 45 credit hours with an overall grade point average of 2.50 or above. For accounting the grade point average for admission to the degree track is 3.0. Students in the BAPP are not counted as majors in any degree program.
This review of academic programs coincides with an extensive review by AACSB which was completed this fall. The college and it programs were fully accredited prior to this review and we are confident that they will continue to be accredited after a final report is provided. Brief descriptions of each department in the college follow.
The Department of Accounting at Kansas State University is a quality general business, and accounting educational program at the undergraduate and master's levels. This program prepares students to become both productive citizens and successful professional accountants. The focus of the Department is to achieve a responsive accounting program that provides students with sufficient technical and conceptual knowledge for a successful career in accounting as well as with the problem-solving and communication skills necessary to apply their knowledge in a professional setting. The master's of accountancy curriculum is a 30 credit hour program. Students without prior or complete business and accounting training must acquire basic competency in a business core. The objective of the program is to provide candidates with a greater breadth and depth in accounting than is possible in the baccalaureate or master of business administration program in preparation for careers as professional accountants in financial institutions, government, industry, nonprofit organizations, and public practice.
The Department of Finance offers programs that allow students to specialize in financial management, financial controllership, or financial services. Finance majors are expected to develop a broad understanding of business management, accounting, economic theory, management information systems, and quantitative techniques. Effective written and oral communication skills and the ability to work in groups are essential for a successful career in finance.
The Department of Management offers areas of emphasis in human resource management, management information systems, operations management, and general management. Courses are offered to improve potential managers' integrative skills as well as top management skills in corporate strategy and institutional leadership. The curriculum provides students with opportunities for advancement in professional management careers in organizations.
The Department of Marketing and International Business covers such areas as consumer behavior, marketing strategy, marketing research, international marketing, retailing, personal selling, sales management, business marketing, and marketing management. The curriculum provides students with opportunities for advancement in professional marketing careers in organizations. Dual degree programs are encouraged.
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) program spans the college and is designed to provide professional business education to individuals who wish to pursue a variety of administrative careers in both the private and public sectors and engages the faculty from all departments. The theme of the curriculum is entrepreneurship which can be defined as an "entrepreneurial attitude and approach to management and problem-solving within any organization, large or small." Throughout the program, the focus is "what one needs to know to run a business" while developing the ability to analyze all types of business situations and propose appropriate, creative and financially sound solutions. The curriculum combines conceptual, analytical and experiential approaches to learning both in and out of the classroom. Once the foundation of basic problem solving tools and knowledge in each functional area is established, the program deepens the interdisciplinary understanding of problem-solving approaches and their functional, ethical, environmental, and international ramifications. The program then culminates with a required capstone practicum. This practicum makes the K-State MBA unique in the area, by providing an interdisciplinary, team-based consulting-type of experience for all students in their last semester of study. Before beginning the MBA course work, students must acquire basic competency in the core areas of business.
This review process involved the input of numerous faculty, working at the departmental and College levels. Individual department reports were prepared under the direction of the respective Department Head, with input from section heads and faculty. College level review of the reports was accomplished by a team of faculty and administration composed of all members of the College Committee on Planning, all College representatives to Faculty Senate, the Department Heads, and the College Dean.
The College of Business Administration has a total of seven degrees: the associate, bachelors, and master's in accounting, bachelors in finance, bachelors in management, bachelors in marketing, and the MBA in management. A secondary major is offered in Industrial and Labor relations. Enrollments in these degree programs have continue to grow in all but one area (the associate degree in accounting). The College continues to be academically strong and has great student appeal. Given the pre-professional approach used by the College, the enrollment figures reported for each degree program underestimate the size and complexity of their enrollment. None of the pre-professional students are counted in these degrees. The College of Business Administration at Kansas State University is the largest business program in the State. The size of enrollments in classes and programs and the continued growth in enrollments has placed sever strains on the faculty resources in the College. The College finds it increasing difficult to serve its own students and many students from other academic areas are unable to enroll in business courses. In many cases the business courses are required to obtain their degree. Students who want to add business courses to improve their skills and knowledge, but are not required to take them, are often unable to do so. As part of the AACSB accreditation review, an agreement was reached to add an additional seven positions to the College over the next three to five years. This is in addition to those positions added this year. They will be funded from a combination of internal reallocations and the anticipated increase in tuition revenues associated with increased university enrollments. Given the low enrollments in the associate degree in accounting, the College will be requesting a discontinuance of the degree. All other degrees will be continued as they are currently structured.
The brief two page Summaries of the seven
degree programs for the College of Business Administration
follow in Appendix A.
In 1991 the Kansas Legislature passed SB 22 merging Kansas College of Technology with Kansas State University with the resulting unit named "Kansas State University-Salina, College of Technology." The period from 1992 to 1997 was a dramatic period as the College was transformed from a two-year technical college to an associate and baccalaureate level College of Technology and Aviation that is becoming fully integrated into the comprehensive, research university. Five new baccalaureate degree programs were established. With no graduate programs, the College of Technology and Aviation emphasizes the specific missions of teaching and service. A central expectation within these mission areas is scholarship, defined as an innovative result, product, process or procedure that is accepted by peers and is communicated. Utilization of a portfolio approach to scholarship allows faculty to meet evaluation expectations with a variety of approaches, including but not limited to the development of new teaching methods, techniques, or technology, the application of cutting edge industrial or aviation technology in classroom applications, and faculty internships along with the long accepted peer reviewed publication. This review of academic programs coincides with an extensive review by the TAC of ABET for the College's Engineering Technology programs and an annual review of the Aviation program by the Federal Aviation Agency. Brief statements on each academic department follows.
The Department of Engineering Technology is concerned primarily with the application of established scientific and engineering knowledge and methods. Engineering technology is that part of the engineering field which requires the application of scientific and engineering principles and methods in combination with technical skills in support of engineering activities. The Engineering Technology degrees are equal parts of the educational experience and hands-on experience. Experience indicates that technical education programs usually can be accomplished in a minimum of two academic years. The engineering technologists with baccalaureate degrees receive an education of more breadth because of the two additional years, and of greater depth because of additional courses in mathematics, technical sciences, and general education.
The Department of Aviation combine academic programs and requirements with training requirements of the FAA to meet rating requirements for career pilot and maintenance professionals. A critical shortage of pilots and mechanics has created a unique opportunity for innovative and cooperative educational approaches. The placement of our top graduates into highly sought pilot, mechanic, and manager positions has required the aviation department to address quality and academic rigor while maintaining an active operational fleet operating as flying laboratories to meet the demands of an increasing number of active students.
The Department of Arts, Sciences, and Business offers courses in business, English, humanities, math, sciences, social sciences, oral communication, geographic information systems/global positioning systems, and statistics. The department does not offer any degree programs but teaches these courses for all degrees offered in the departments of Engineering Technology and Aviation. Because of the wide range of courses offered, this department generates the largest number of student credit hours in this college.
This review process involved the input of numerous faculty, working at the departmental and College levels. Individual department reports were prepared under the direction of the respective Department Head, with input from section heads and faculty. College level review of the reports was accomplished by a team of faculty and administration composed of all members of the College Committee on Planning, all College representatives to Faculty Senate, the Department Heads, and the College Dean. Results of these combined reviews reveal numerous strengths and areas of excellence along with some weak areas that are being addressed. Highlights of these reviews indicate the following problems: 1) low faculty salaries; 2) need for equipment upgrades; 3) need to review and revise academic programs; 4) faculty overloads; and 5) maintaining college growth.
Enrollment in the College of Technology and Aviation, while remaining steady for several years, have been a potential source of problems. Until the Fall of 1998, the balance in enrollments has been shifting from a strong technology base to more students in the general education classes. A number of majors in some of the technology programs has seen a sharp decline and many programs have failed to reach their full potential. The reasons for these changes have been complex and include: 1) a changing market base, 2) changing in job opportunities, 3) a failure to reach the right applicant pool, 4) changes in the curriculum, and 5) changes in the expectation from the market. With more than 1/2 of the degrees being at the associate level (12 out of 17), the college needed to be more effective in targeting the right applicants. The recent changes in leadership have produced an environment which recognizes these needs and has made appropriate adjustments. For the first time in several years, enrollment in the technology programs took a turn for the better. At the same time, total enrollment increased 22% this fall alone; the largest increase (%) by far in the Regents system. The three air transportation degree programs (CIP 4900 series) are growing and have the potential to be very strong once they have developed. They are unique within the Regents system. The 2 aircraft repair degree programs (CIP 4700 series) and related certificate programs are also unique within the system and have great potential given the large base of aircraft industry in Kansas. One of the two degree programs, Technician-Airframe, has good enrollment levels and one, Technician-powerplants needs to be improved. Growth in the aviation area can be limited by size requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration. The flight (pilot) program as full. The two degree program in computer programming (CIP 1100) have had adequate enrollment levels but need to improve the numbers of students completing a degree. The 10 degree programs in engineering technology (CIP 1500 series) have had a more uneven enrollment and graduation pattern. The enrollments in the electrical (CIP 1503), mechanical (CIP 1508), and surveying (1511) have been adequate, but need to be improved. The new enrollment management efforts should help in all these areas. The success of the bachelors degree in surveying is to some degree dependent upon changes in State regulations related to certification requirements. The program in technology management (CIP 1599) is new and needs time to mature and its curriculum is being revised to better match community college programs. The programs in civil (CIP 1502), environmental control (CIP 1505), and industrial production (CIP 1506) all have low enrollments. The environmental control program has shown some improvements in enrollments. The other two programs, civil and industrial production, are both weak. If enrollment levels can not be quickly improved, the program in civil will need to be overhauled and some degrees dropped and the resources shifted to other programs. We are waiting to see whether legislation is passed requiring a four year degree for surveyors. We will be asking that the degree program in industrial production be dropped.
The brief two page Summaries of the 17 degree
programs for the College of Technology and Aviation follow
in Appendix B.
The degree programs in the College of Business Administration are generally strong and vibrant. The one exception, the associate degree in accounting will be dropped. The continuing growth in the enrollment requires an infusion of additional resources. The current plan is to add seven new positions over the next three to five years with funding generated by new enrollments. The situation in the College of Technology and Aviation is more spotty. Until the Fall of 1998, enrollment levels in the College were stable. However, this was due to an increasing number of general education students and a decreasing number of technology students. This trend was reversed this fall. Adjustments are being made in recruiting strategies to continue the improvements in technology related programs. The civil program requires change, temporarily awaiting legislative action on degree requirements for surveyors. The degree program in industrial production will be dropped.
There were two substantial changes noted in the review for
the College of Business Administration. The dropping of the
associate degree in accounting is expected to have few programmatic
or fiscal effects on the college. The courses required by
students in this program were all part of the regular requirements
for the pre-professional students and bachelors students in
accounting. The agreement to add seven positions over the
next three to five years will require a substantial investment
from the campus. The funding for these positions is expected
to be generated by additional tuition revenues associated
with increased enrollments. The total funding required for
these positions will be approximately $560,000. These positions
must conform to the requirements of the accrediting agency
and be either professionally or academically qualified in
the business area. Most of the position will be full-time
tenure track positions. These positions are needed to teach
the relevant academic courses and maintain the needed student/faculty
ratios. The new positions will also allow the College to continue
to provide relevant courses to students other than their majors.
The funding implication associated with proposed changes in the College of Technology and Aviation are more difficult to gauge and some have already occurred. The program in industrial production has been winding down over the last five years. Our best estimate is that this has resulted in the reassignment of 1 FTE to other areas. If the programs in civil do not improve and they need to be dropped, we estimate that up to $250,000 will be reallocated to other areas with solid growth potential. The strong enrollment growth in the College for the Fall of 1998 suggests that many of the weaker programs have the potential to improve. We also expect to see further growth in some of the newer degree programs.