Substantive Change Application: New Programs

Substantive Change Application: New Programs

Substantive Change Application, Part 2: Topic-Specific Questions

New Programs

Name of Institution: Fort Lewis College

Part 1. Characteristics of the Change Requested

1.  Identify the basic characteristics of the proposed educational program as indicated below:

a.  the full name of the proposed program, the specific degree (if applicable) or the instructional level (if not a degree program), and the six-digit CIP code XX.XXXX of the program [CIP codes, program name, and additional description (optional)]

M.A. in Education with the following proposed program: Teacher Leadership

(13.0404 Educational, Instructional and Curriculum Supervision)

b.  the total credit hours (indicate whether semester or quarter) for completion of the program: 30 credit semester hours

c.  normal or typical length of time for students to complete the program

M.A. Two years or Six terms (including summers)

Professional Certificate (One Year (Three Terms including one summer)

d.  the proposed initial date for implementation of the program: Fall 2013

e.  the primary target audience for the program (e.g., full-time, part-time, traditional college age, working adults, transfer students, military personnel, or particular ethnic group)

Part-time students (less than 6 credit hours). Primary audience is local teachers in the region.

f.  the projected life of the program (single cohort or ongoing) Ongoing

2.  If 50% or more of the proposed program will be offered at a location or locations other than the main campus (i.e., existing additional location or branch campus already approved by the Commission), please list the program and location. Main Campus

3.  If the proposed program will be offered via alternative delivery method (hybrid, online, ITV, accelerated, etc.), identify the maximum number of credit hours that may be earned in the program through each method. Hybrid in all courses (100%) in the first two to three years then potentially offering an additional option of entirely on-line by Fall 2015 or Fall 2016.

4.  Identify whether credit for evidence of prior learning (other than credit transferred from formal courses or awarded from Advanced Placement) will be accepted, and if so, for what number of credits. No credit will be given at this time for prior learning for the graduate candidates.

5.  If you are planning any involvement by external organizations (other than accredited higher education institutions) in key operations as identified below, provide the information requested for each planned involvement. (Note that such involvement by a parent company or by one of its subsidiaries external to the institution in any of these operations should be reported.) No external organizations or parent companies.

6.  If you are planning any involvement with other accredited higher education institutions in key operations identified above, provide the name(s) of the other institutions and the nature of the involvement. Not applicable.

Part 2. Institution’s History with Programs

7.  Does the institution currently offer a program at the same instructional level and with the same 4-digit CIP code (XX.XX) as the proposed program? If so, identify the program currently offered and whether it is a degree program. Will the proposed program replace the program currently offered? No.

8.  Does the institution currently offer two or more programs at the same instructional level with same 2-digit CIP code (XX.) as the proposed program? If so, identify the two such programs with the highest numbers of graduates during the past year, along with their numbers of graduates. No.

Part 3. Institutional Planning for Program Change

9.  What impact might the proposed program(s) have on challenges identified as part of or subsequent to the last comprehensive visit or reaffirmation panel and how has the institution addressed the challenges?

The HLC team in 2006 cited all accreditation criteria were satisfactory met and no challenges were identified. However, the HLC team noted some areas that needed attention. First, the team suggested that the college recognize the diversity of learners and other constituencies that we serveand plan to meet the needs of those diverse learners. Student success is at the focal point of the College’s new 2011-2016 Strategic Plan (http://www.fortlewis.edu/Portals/148/Fort-Lewis-College-Strategic-Plan-2012-2016.pdf, 2011).

Secondly, the Assessment Committee will need to renew its efforts and create more rigorous evidence to support general education and new programs. New goals, and evidence for those goals, have been created and posted on each department’s website. New goals and evaluation plans for the graduate programs in Teacher Leadership are found at the end of this application.

Thirdly, new initiatives (e.g. to expand to master-level courses) should be the focus of “Speak Your Mind” meetings to ensure that all stakeholders reach consensus. The College held as part of the new 2011-2016 Strategic Plan a series of “Speak Your Mind” sessions and many constituencies voiced their support of a graduate program in Education. Furthermore, the Faculty Senate has supported the Graduate Program in Teacher Education. The President and Provost agree the graduate program in Teacher Education should be a priority.

Finally, the HLC team cited the deteriorating condition of state investment in higher education as a continuing challenge. As is the case with many institutions faced with dwindling state resources, the institution has responded by prioritizing programs- eliminating two academic programs with low enrollment and low potential for growth, and identified programs with strong potential for growth. Among the programs cited for future growth and investment in the 2011-2016 Strategic Plan was the Teacher Education Department, which represents the College’s first foray into graduate education. The College has also received state approval for incremental tuition increases over the next five years as a response to declining state investments.

10.  What is the impact of the proposed program on existing programs in terms of finances, enrollment, and staffing? Currently there is no Masters program in any discipline at Fort Lewis College, therefore the impact will spread throughout many departments on campus, such as financial aid, admissions, enrollment management, library and registrar. In particular, the impact will be felt most strongly within the Teacher Education Department, which will need to employ more faculty members and increase administrative support services to produce a high quality M.A. program. One additional full time tenure track faculty position will be added to the Teacher Education Department for Fall 2013. The additional full time faculty member will teach courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. This new position will allow at least one current faculty member to teach one graduate course each semester (Appendices A & B). Both the undergraduate and graduate programs will have to supplement certain courses with adjunct faculty in order to offer the current and proposed courses. However, as the graduate program grows in numbers of students, additional tenure track positions would reduce the number of adjunct instructors. In addition, a Program Coordinator for Graduate Studies is currently proposed to handle the admissions, advising, transcripts, program evaluation, adjunct faculty hiring and coordination between students, schools, and College. Undergraduate enrollment will not be affected, as new program will draw on professional teachers, a population currently not served by the College.

11.  What are the physical facilities and equipment needed to support the program? Indicate the impact that the proposed change will have on the physical resources and laboratories that currently accommodate existing programs and services, or identify new laboratory and preceptor needs. No new facilities are needed. Any courses offered on campus would be held at night, on weekends, or over the summer when plenty of facilities are available.

12.  What is the evidence that a market for the new program(s) exists? How has estimated program demand been factored into realistic enrollment projections? How have planning and budgeting processes used this evidence to develop a quality program that can be sustained?

a. Evidence: Research from the College found of the 2,439 public school teachers within a 100-mile radius of campus, 52% of those hold a M.A., ranging from 35% to 69% per district. In addition, a Fall 2011 survey (n=14) to the 52 local teachers who graduated from Fort Lewis College in the past five years found that 80% of these teachers who have enrolled in a Master’s program, would have chosen Fort Lewis College if it offered such a degree. Of those interested in taking a M.A. program, 14% indicated they would enroll in a Linguistically Diverse Program, 36% in a Curriculum and Instruction Program, 43% in an Educational Leadership M.A. with Principal Licensure, and 7% in Special Education. The Teacher Education Department followed up with focus groups with local educators to determine what specific courses and programs would serve their districts the most. Based on these meetings, the proposed program, format and list of courses were developed. Fort Lewis College’s M.A. in Education: in Teacher Leadership responds to the need for a mix of face-to-face classes and on-line assignments in a series of courses directly related to teacher’s on-the-job leadership needs, administrators’ perceptions of teacher’s professional development needs, and desires of teachers to create effective change in their schools.

b. Realistic Enrollment Projections: The M.A. in Education: Teacher Leadership will target the approximately 1,171 regional educators identified in original research as being without an M.A. We are estimating that 12 students will enroll in the M.A. track in the first year or less than 1% of identified teachers. The second target audience will be experienced teachers (at least in their second year) who may already have their M.A. but would want to enroll in the Professional Certificate program (as a subset of the M.A courses) for a one-year program (see course offerings). We anticipate that another 10 students will enroll in the Professional Certificate Program in the first year (see question #13 and Table 1). A third audience will be one-time professional development educators who, depending on enrollment capacity, may enroll in courses such as Emerging Technology, Cultural Competency and Schools, Instructional Coaching, and/or Data Analysis and Transforming Assessments. We anticipate enrolling a limited number of these types of students if we have not filled our courses to capacity. The fourth target audience will be educators within and surrounding the Navajo Nation. For twenty-five years, the College has offered a teacher certification series of courses called the Navajo Outreach Program for over 300 teacher aides who earned their B.A . degree and teaching certificate. The plan will be in Fall 2015 to extend the M.A. in Education: Teacher Leadership to Navajo schools, representing the cohort of 10 out-of-state students. Given conversations with local educators we feel the enrollment goals are very achievable.

c. Program sustainability: The future of the M.A. in Education: Teacher Leadership has two potential directions. In the first scenario, the College would establish partner districts that would fill both the M.A. track and Professional Certificate track in cohort models simultaneously for a two-year cycle. We will start with the Durango-Bayfield-Ignacio area and then extend to Farmington-Shiprock-Kirtland, New Mexico area and then continue to serve Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, Dove Creek before finding a way to incorporate Navajo Nation schools. Potential funding from Navajo Nation and partner schools, interested in local professional development, might make the tuition costs very affordable. A two-year cycle would be established in order for demand to grow in each area. In the second scenario, we would videotape sections for each of the Teacher Leadership course and develop on-line modules that could be marketed regionally or nationwide. Currently, the College lacks the infrastructure to produce such programs; however, the College’s Strategic Plan encourages distance learning and multiple delivery methods and this type of program would be an effective way to pilot on line courses and programs. In conclusion, the future program sustainability will depend on continuously building partnerships in the Four Corners region together with the College’s investment in instructional technology platforms that support distance learning. We are confident that both of these strategies will be developed and the program will be sustained through thoughtful implementation and growth over time.

13.  If the Higher Learning Commission approves your program request, what future growth do you anticipate (e.g., in the next six months, three years, 10-20 years)? Fort Lewis College envisions the M.A. in Teacher Leadership to have relatively modest growth in the future. In the chart below we envision 12 M.A. students and 10 Professional Certificate students in the first year, retaining 10 of the original 12 M.A. students and adding 15 Professional Certificate students in year two. In Fall 2015 we envision offering a new M.A. cohort in the local region of 15 students, a new cohort of 10 professional certificate students, and a new M.A. cohort of 10 teachers in partnership with Navajo Nation schools. In Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 the College projects full implementation 15 regional teachers pursuing M.A. program, 15 regional teachers pursuing Professional Certificates, 10 Navajo Nation teachers enrolled in M.A. program and 10 Navajo Nation teachers enrolled in Professional Certificate programs (see Table 1: Projected Enrollment).

In the future we anticipate offering four M.A. in Education programs: M.A in Teacher Leadership, Fall 2013, M.A. in Culturally Diverse Education (CLDE endorsement), Fall 2014, M.A. in Educational Leadership (Principal License), Fall 2015 and M.A in Teaching, Fall 2015. With other M.A. in Education programs developing, no one program should have more than 30-50 students per year for a total of 120-200 graduate students at one time. Given the modest population in the Four Corners area, these numbers are realistic. As the College builds the infrastructure of online programs, the potential growth would be much higher, perhaps 200-300 graduate students per year.

14.  How do you plan to manage this growth? The M.A. in Education: Teacher Leadership will start small and maintain modest enrollment into the future. Our region is quite rural, and by the nature of the program design, we will be using a two-year cohort model for the M.A. program together with two one-year cohort model for the Professional Certificate. Any seats available after the cohort is established can be filled with one-time course-taking students. Enrollment Growth: The Department seeks to engage regional schools and school districts in the cohort model, discussing ways to make the program and each course relevant to their communities. We will follow up initial meetings with recruitment sessions, holding afternoon and evening registration meetings. Courses will be capped at 25 students in the content courses and 15 in the research courses. Faculty Growth: The Department is approved to hire 1.0 FTE tenure track position Fall 2013 and the necessary adjunct instructors to offer the first year of courses. As listed in the Appendices A & B, several tenure track faculty will combine with local experts to teach specific content courses. The budget presented in question 15 demonstrates the sustainable approach to our growth. The Teacher Education Graduate Coordinator position proposed in 2013 will manage incoming applications, handle financial revenue and expenses, and assist with program advising and evaluation. Training: On-going training for faculty and adjunct instructors will be important as the program grows. Regular meetings of our graduate faculty and adjunct instructors are currently scheduled where we develop curriculum and syllabi in concert with local schools. Furthermore, training with on-line programs (e.g. Moodle and Edmodo) for tenured faculty and adjuncts will be arranged throughout the next year and as we bring on new faculty. Teacher Education Graduate Program Advisory Board: The Advisory Board is composed of area superintendents, human resources and assessment directors, principals and local teachers, as well as, Teacher Education faculty. This body will ensure program development is growing within the needs of regional schools as related to timely state initiatives and policy developments.