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MWC COC-SACS Home > Committees > Research Questions >New Programs Committee: 12/00
 
MWC COC-SACS RESEARCH QUESTIONS
NEW PROGRAMS COMMITTEE:  DECEMBER 5, 2000, Updated February 28th
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I. Oversight, Organization, and Collaboration
Data
Source
Research
approach
Other
Committees Involved?
With University status, how should current and new programs be organized at the James Monroe Center (e.g., schools, centers)? Step 1:
  • Other institutions.
Step 2:
  • Internal
 Two steps: 
1. Research:
  • Look at existing models (institutions).
  • WhatÌs out there?


2. Focus Groups:

  • Interview Executive Council
  • MWC Faculty Senate (and/or department chairs)
  • JMC Academic Council/Administration (e.g., library, advising):
  • This is what people do.
  • How do you see us? 
  • Ask all questions at one time.
Administration & Resources?
With University status, how should current and new programs be organized at Mary Washington College (e.g., departments, schools)?
What overarching organizational and/or administrative entities should be developed to interconnect the two campuses (colleges)? (For example, councils).
Administration & Resources?
Faculty Governance?
Should there be a functional organization (e.g., College of Education, College of Business) instead of a geographic one (Stafford and Fredericksburg campuses)?

Sample Questions:

  • What are the benefits and disadvantages of functional, geographic, etc? 
  • Which meets the needs of the students better?
  • Which meets the needs of the community?
  • What are the SACS/SCHEV restrictions/benefits?
What group will coordinate between the two campuses? How can we avoid competing for students and resources?

Sample Questions:

  • Who has the resources to coordinate?
  • What technology can we use?
Faculty Governance?
What infrastructure changes need to be made to support new programs (network, technology support, new faculty, etc.), and who will make these decisions?
Administration & Resources?
How do we get new programs five to seven years from now? What is the method/process? Two steps:
1.  Research:
  • Look at existing models (institutions).
  • WhatÌs out there?


2.  Focus Groups:

  • Interview Executive Council
  • MWC Faculty Senate (and/or department chairs)
  • JMC Academic Council/Administration
    • (e.g., library, advising), 
    • instructional technology and support services groups 
  • Focus groups:
    • technology
    • advising
    • finance
    • registrar
    • career services
    • admissions
    • personnel
    • etc.
  • This is what people do.
  • How do you see us? 
  • Ask all questions at one time.
What will be the "regulatory" body for new programs? Will the New Programs Committee evolve into a group that considers/evaluates new programs? If so, what would be the criteria for a new major? A new center or institute? What would be the process?
Faculty Governance?
What process (college and/or university level) needs to be in place to make decisions about launching new programs?
Faculty Governance?
How are proposals for new programs evaluated? How do we ascertain economic viability of a potential new program?
Faculty Governance?
What procedures should be in place to evaluate the viability and sustainability of a new program?
Faculty Governance?
Administration & Resources?
Who are our competitors--and should we use a consortium model?
II. Development
Where do we want to be in five years/ten years in terms of programming at MWC? JMC? MWC
  • Internal


JMC

  • Businesses
  • Schools
  • Government
  • Students
    		•  For all Questions in this section:

     MWC:

    • On campus survey/focus groups (Executive Council, etc.)


    JMC: 

    • Survey random sample of businesses, school divisions, and government offices in 40-mile radius.
    • Survey JMC students.
    • National Survey on internet of business and government offices and Virginia school systems.


    Focus groups.

    • Telephone survey (outsource to marketing research company) before 10-year plan. (Or web-email surveys done in-house?)
    How do we maintain/develop/grow our reputation for Quality and Excellence in all our educational endeavors?
    How do we respond to short-term, rapidly changing demands of the community?
    What constraints do we face from external agencies (e.g., SCHEV, SACS, General Assembly)?
    What internal constraints do we face (e.g., mission, student interest, cost effectiveness)?
    How will demographic changes (locally, nationally, globally) affect the demand for new programs?
    How many new programs are projected (within ten years)? Numbers of programs and FTEÌs--what should we use as estimates?
    What would be the priority/timeline for recommended programs for both campuses?
    III. Methods and Delivery
    How will programs on both campuses be delivered? (Mastery of competencies? Emerging paradigm? Multiple models--traditional and distance learning?) For all questions in this section:

    Research existing models.

    • WhatÌs competition doing?  (Teaching/Learning) Roundtable, EDUCARE)
    Interview/focus group
    • (Students, etc.  See section I.)
    • (A priori decisions on DL--close or no human contact.)
    How will technology affect new programs?
    What part will distance learning play with new programs? Who will make the decisions concerning some of the issues associated with DL (e.g., accreditation, faculty compensation, ownership, delivery medium)?
    How much distance learning will there be? (This requires different administration).
    If we do see an increase in the distance learning components of a new course or new program, will there be a point when we need a separate committee to evaluate these courses/programs? Can a course be entirely distance learning and still be a course that the new university would want to claim as its own?
    IV. Mission and Demand Issues
    Given Mary Washington CollegeÌs mission, what new degree programs make sense for that campus? (What programs would enhance its liberal arts and sciences mission?) After determining responses to issues I-III, reconvene focus groups for consensus and priorities.
    Given James Monroe CenterÌs mission, what new degree programs make sense for that campus? (What programs best respond to community need in the area of professional development? What programs are deliverable through distance learning to reach a broader audience?) Underway.
     
    Even though the courses/programs offered by JMC are not focused on liberal arts education, is that tradition something JMC wants to completely abandon? How will JMC be different from Strayer, Shenandoah, or any of the other institutions now moving into this area? Underway.
     
    How will JMC--developed as an institution to serve public needs--stay sufficiently flexible (in terms of developing new programs) so as to meet changing demands? Will the high growth model continue over the coming years?
    Which programs at JMC will be permanent and which will be short-term? (e.g., certificate programs?) What percentage will be stable (M.Ed., MBA, BPS), and what percentage will be short-term?

    This Page Last Modified on: March 29, 2002

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