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Program Analysis |

BGS Degree

Program List

Section 1: History & Relevance

This criterion shows how the program is aligned with the university mission:

Eastern Illinois University is a public comprehensive university that offers superior, accessible undergraduate and graduate education. Students learn the methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry in the arts, humanities, sciences, and professions, guided by a faculty known for its excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. The university community is committed to diversity and inclusion and fosters opportunities for student- faculty scholarship and applied learning experiences within a student- centered campus culture. Throughout their education, students refine their abilities to reason and to communicate clearly so as to become responsible citizens and leaders.

The university mission statement sets standards and expectations for programs. Programs will vary in their purposes, clienteles, and methodologies, but all programs are expected to support the university's mission in some way and achieve its stated expectations of excellence. The pattern of achievements and expectations is different for a mature program than a nascent one, so program history is relevant.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Program Mission

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

 

BGS MISSION

  • To provide a superior undergraduate degree program for adult learners, who, because of home, family and work responsibilities, need an alternative way to access the institution.
  • To provide a liberal arts approach to degree completion that recognizes and values the rich body of knowledge and skills the adult learner brings to the institution and to the academic environment.
  • To provide access to higher education for those populations that are unable to access the institution in a more traditional manner.
  • To provide education alternatives that serve the public good consistent with the recognized needs identified by the Illinois Public Agenda, 2008.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

Eastern Illinois University’s Mission Statement begins, “Eastern Illinois University is a public comprehensive university that offers superior, accessible undergraduate and graduate education.” The B.A. in General Studies (BGS) provides access to higher education for adult learners seeking an undergraduate degree.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 43% of the total undergraduate population is over the age of 25. Through the BGS program, EIU is able to serve this growing population.  Most BGS students do not take their courses in Charleston. Online learners account for 59% of new students. We also offer courses at 2 locations in the Chicago area and Parkland College in Champaign, IL.

 

Services Provided

Whom does the program serve?

Adult students who because of family, community and work responsiblities cannot commit to attending day classes on the Main Campus.


What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

The B.A. in General Studies serves adult learners who are seeking a bachelor's degree. Through this program, non-traditional students are provided with a "superior, accessible undergraduate education." EIU faculty teach the online and off-campus courses taken by our students. Students must meet the general education requirements of Eastern Illinois University. BGS students are assigned an academic advisor who works one-on-one with them throughout their degree.

Program History

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

 

The BGS program in Illinois was created in 1972 under the title of the Board of Governors Bachelor of Arts Degree Program (BOG). At the time, five state universities in Illinois were administered by one Board of Governors. In the early 1970s, higher education focused almost exclusively on educating 17-23 year olds. Access to higher education for the mature adult, with job and family responsibilities, was extremely limited. Available programs required adult students to take classes during the day in a format consistent with that provided to traditional students. This often meant the adult would be required to quit his/her job and move to be closer to campus, neither of which were viable options for most adults.

 

In response to these barriers, the BOG Degree Program was created. Dr. Robert Pringle, Vice Chancellor of the Board of Governors University System, led the development of the BOG degree program.

 

Access was not the only barrier to returning to college adults faced. For the individual who already completed some college work, the issue of transfer of credits became a concern. Frequently, credits taken toward a specific degree program at one university would not be accepted toward a major at a second university. This often resulted in the adult student losing credits or having to take additional hours to complete their degree. This burden on financial and time resources compounded the issue of returning to college.

After carefully considering all the factors, Dr. Pringle conceived a program designed to address the major barriers of adult learners seeking a bachelor's degree. He presented the program to the IBHE with a request to be allowed to initiate the program at each of the five universities within the Board of Governors and monitor it for one year. After the first year, an assessment would be completed to determine if the program should continue. Permission was granted. Announcements about the program were run for one day in newspapers in each of the five universities service regions. Within five days more than 25 people had applied at each of the five universities. That was in January of 1973.

 

Since 1973, the BOG Program at EIU has had two name changes. When the BOG was disbanded, giving each BOG university their own Board of Trustees, the name was changed to the Board of Trustees (BOT) Program. It later became the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS). The program at EIU has continued to thrive and to serve the needs of the adult learner for 40 years.

            


How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

The unit has grown, and moved beyond Central Illinois. We currently enroll approximately 550-600 students per semester, most of whom take their courses on line, at Parkland College in Champaign and in the Chicago area.

We have added minors for students to complete, as well as a concentration in child care. In the past two years we have added two additional required BGS courses, and developed a plan to assess student learning. 

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Section 2: Internal demand for the program

No single program can achieve the university's mission on its own, and this criterion captures the interconnections among programs. Academic programs provide students with general education courses, foundation and principles courses, and specialized course(s) in support of other programs. Administrative programs may serve a variety of internal clientele, and the choice between internally or externally provided services may be relevant in some cases.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Enrollment Data

Provide data showing the four-year trend in the number of majors, minors, options, and concentrations.

Program Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014
General Studies - Incl CSC/BGS (Degree Program 1) 505 606 573 556 511
General Studies - Incl CSC/BGS (Degree Program 2) 1
Board of Governors (Major 1) 9 15 8 7 2
Board of Trustees (Major 1) 20 15 9 9 6
General Studies (Major 1) 468 568 547 528 496
GST: Childcare Education (Major 1) 8 8 9 12 7
GST: Childcare Education (Major 2) 1
Advertising (Minor 1) 1 1
Africana Studies (Minor 1) 1
Anthropology (Minor 1) 1 1 1
Asian Studies (Minor 1) 1 1
Biological Sciences (Minor 1) 1
Business Administration (Minor 1) 18 20 16 19 14
Communication Studies (Minor 1) 1
Community Health (Minor 1) 1 1 3 1
Criminology (Minor 1) 2 4 2 4 2
Earth Science (Minor 1) 1 2
English (Minor 1) 2 1
Entrepreneurship (Minor 1) 1 1 1 2
Family and Consumer Sciences (Minor 1) 6 7 5 4 4
History (Minor 1) 1 2 2 1
Home Economics (Minor 1) 2
Journalism (Minor 1) 1
Kinesiology and Sports Studies (Minor 1) 1
Management Information Systems (Minor 1) 3 4 1 1
Music (Minor 1) 1
Philosophy (Minor 1) 1
Political Science (Minor 1) 2 4 3 2
Pre-Law Studies (Minor 1) 1 3 1
Professional Writing (Minor 1) 1
Psychology (Minor 1) 59 80 75 79 78
Religious Studies (Minor 1) 1
Sociology (Minor 1) 5 9 13 10 10
Speech Communication (Minor 1) 1
Studio Art (Minor 1) 1
Theatre Arts (Minor 1) 1
Advertising (Minor 2) 1
Business Administration (Minor 2) 1 1 2
Community Health (Minor 2) 1
Chemistry (Minor 2) 1
Criminology (Minor 2) 1
Entrepreneurship (Minor 2) 1 2 1
Family and Consumer Sciences (Minor 2) 3 1 2 1 1
Geology (Minor 2) 1
History (Minor 2) 1 1 1
Management Information Systems (Minor 2) 1 1 2 1 1
Music (Minor 2) 1 1
Pre-Law Studies (Minor 2) 1 1
Psychology (Minor 2) 3 6 6 5 5
Sociology (Minor 2) 7 5 5 7 7

Provide data showing the four-year trend in student credit hour (SCH) production, percent of SCHs that are general education, and percent of SCHs that are taught to non-majors.

Program FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014
Total SCHs 1,749 1,704 1,703 1,192 1,496
% of SCHs that are general education 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
% of SCHs taken by non majors 4% 3% 2% 2% 1%

What elements of the program’s curriculum are offered specifically to support other academic majors, minors, options, and concentrations?

NA

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 3: External demand for the program

The external demands for programs stem from a number of sources: students and their families, employers and business partners, alumni, donors and other friends of the university, and the general citizenry. The establishing legislation for the university requires it to offer courses of instruction, conduct research, and offer public services. The Illinois Board of Higher Education's Public Agenda for Illinois Higher Education establishes expectations for increasing educational attainment, ensuring college affordability, addressing workforce needs, and enhancing economic development.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Employment Opportunities

List relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) New Graduate Salary Survey, and the EIU Career Services Annual Report.

Most of the students in the B.A. in General Studies are employed while earning their degree. Some seek career advancement that comes with earning a B.A. degree, and approximately 30% continue their education beyond a bachelor's. BGS alumni are employed in a variety of fields.

External Expectations

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

No


Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

No

Community Involvement

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?


How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

Section 4: Quality of program outcomes

Assessment and accreditation of academic programs today tend to be more focused on program outcomes than inputs. This criterion focuses on external validations of quality and uses multiple measures to identify exemplary performance and achievements. Both student and faculty outcomes will be relevant for academic programs. Administrative programs are expected to use best practices and provide value to the clienteles served.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Academic Quality Measures

General Studies (B.A.)

Significant Achievements that Document Quality/Improvement

Significant achievements that document support of VPAA and/or University goals

Integrative Learning Opportunities

Student Research/creative Activity

Faculty-student collaboration

Strategies to improve P-16 teaching and learning

External Partnerships

Pass rates on any professional/ occupational licensure exams

Faculty Achievements

Student Achievements

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Section 5: Resources Generated by the Program

Programs may generate resources in a number of ways: enrollments, grants, fundraising, income-producing contracts, ticket sales, and provision of services. Interconnections among programs create implicit cross-subsidies, with some programs being net payers and others being net receivers. Resources in this context need not be financial. Relationships with community colleges, schools and businesses, and government bodies also benefit the university.

Revenues
Account 2011 2012 2013 2014
50020-Fees and Fines 2,682 7,480 2,867 6,906
Program Total: 2,682 7,480 2,867 6,906
Please limit all responses to 300 words
External Funding Data Pending

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

The School received a grant of $3500 from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) for the Prior Learning Assessment Research Project from which DragonSpeech was purchased to increase disability support; attendance at the 2014 Assessment Conference; enrollment in the CAEL Prior Learning Assessment certification.

Relationships

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

BGS students are not awarded institutional scholarships. Several donors have established scholarships to support BGS students.

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

We have a solid partnership with Triton College and Parkland College where we deliver the entire BGS degree. We have staff at both of these schools who provide students and college staff with information on Eastern Illinois University.

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 6: Productivity of the program

Productivity refers to the outcomes and resources generated by the program relative to its size and scope. Productivity measures tend to be quantitative, based on metrics like student credit hour production, degree completions, and number of students or other clientele served, relative to the size of the faculty or staff assigned to the program. A program's productivity can be negatively impacted if its resources are too thinly spread to achieve a critical mass or if its resources are imbalanced relative to program needs.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Student Credit Hours
PROGRAM FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014
Total SCHs 1,749 1,704 1,703 1,192 1,496
Breakdown by student major
Program majors 1,673 1,658 1,661 1,170 1,481
Other majors in college 0 0 0 0 0
Majors in other colleges 63 46 33 16 12
Undeclared/other 13 0 9 6 3
Breakdown by course level
General Education 0 0 0 0 0
Lower Division 472 540 640 616 560
Upper Division 1,277 1,164 1,063 576 936
Mixed 0 0 0 0 0
Graduate 0 0 0 0 0
Breakdown by term
Fall 628 673 728 581 542
Spring 795 768 780 316 658
Summer 326 263 195 295 296
Breakdown by location
On-campus 6 6 3 3 6
SCE/off-campus 1,743 1,698 1,700 1,189 1,490
Breakdown by tech usage
Some Technology Required 0 0 0 0 0
Technology Knowledge Required 0 0 0 0 45
Technology Delivered 666 777 1,030 749 1,118
Other 1,083 927 673 443 333
Breakdown by writing intensiveness
Writing Centered 0 0 0 0 0
Writing Intensive 673 780 865 823 1,205
Other 1,076 924 838 369 291

PROGRAM FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
Average SCHs per faculty instructional credit unit 25 24 37 23 49
Average SCHs per faculty credit unit 25 24 37 23 49
Faculty costs per student credit hour TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Personnel costs per student credit hour TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Ledger-1 program costs per student credit hour TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Degrees Conferred
PROGRAM FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
Number of degrees conferred 194 204 247 207 187
Breakdown by level
Undergraduate 194 204 247 207 187
Graduate
Number of certifications awarded

* For the Science with Teacher Certification it is included with Biology
** For the Social Science with Teacher Certification it is included in History
Class Size For academic programs: Data excluding independent study, independent research, internships, and other individualized curricula.
For Colleges: Summary-level data

PROGRAM FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14
Average class size 29.98 32.24 32.95 37.46 32.17
Breakdown by level
Undergraduate 35 37 40 45 38
Graduate 1 1 1 1 0
Post Baccalaureate 6 8 3 6 4
Percent of 1000–2999 courses with fewer than 24 students 0% 33% 33% 0% 0%
Percent of 3000–4749 courses with fewer than 15 students 35% 35% 40% 63% 40%
Percent of 4750–4999 courses with fewer than 10 students
Percent of 5000 and above courses with fewer than 8 students
Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 7: Costs associated with the program

Program analysis will be tied to the university's financial ledgers. A program by definition uses university resources, and tying to the accounting system helps ensure that no programs are overlooked in the analysis. Metrics in this criterion are used to identify all of the costs of delivering the program. Many of these costs are direct, but some may be implicit or indirect costs not directly associated with any financial payment. Programs may also be drivers of efficiencies that can help reduce the costs of delivering other programs.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Expenditures
Account 2011 2012 2013 2014
 
126010-Board of Trustee's Degree Program
60010-Administrative 228,302 214,899 227,641 234,885
60020-Civil Service 31,880 24,035 39,794 29,695
60030-Faculty 900 - - 600
60040-Graduate Assistants - - - 7,650
60050-Student Employees 982 2,263 3,933 4,259
70020-Contractual Services 6,052 8,653 8,936 8,611
70030-Commodities 94 955 1,800 681
70050-Travel 2,805 957 2,742 1,968
Total: 271,015 251,761 284,846 288,349
60030-Faculty - - 4,909 10,118
60050-Student Employees 734 - - -
70020-Contractual Services 1,301 1,672 1,713 2,458
70030-Commodities 564 138 140 87
70050-Travel 537 - 70 -
Total: 3,136 1,810 6,832 12,662
Program Total: 274,151 253,571 291,678 301,011
Staffing
126B10 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Total Head-Count (Not FTE) 4.50 5.50 6.00 7.00 8.00
Admin/Professional 3.50 4.50 4.00 4.00 4.00
Civil Service 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Faculty 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Unit A 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Unit B 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Non-negotiated 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Graduate Assistants 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00
Student Workers 0.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 2.00
Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Section 8: Program impact on university mission

This criterion may be considered a catch-all for relevant information not covered elsewhere. It focuses on reasons why a program should be maintained or strengthened, the essentiality of the program to the university and its mission, the contributions that the program makes to other programs' successes, and the benefits that the university receives from having the program. The university's vision calls for making personal connections and having a global reach and impact, and programs may have unique aspects that contribute to this vision.

Please limit all responses to 300 words
Distinctive and Unique Aspects

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

Although the BGS program offers the flexibility of similar programs, it requires three BGS courses that tie the curriculum together and assesses student learning. Each student is assigned an advisor who works with him/her to develop a personally meaningful degree program, using integrative advising. 

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

The program supports Eastern Illinois University by serving the mission of providing an accessible and quality education to all learners. 

Program-specific Metrics (optional)

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Section 9: Future opportunities for the program

No program has all the resources it wants or needs, and new or reallocated funds are scarce. This criterion provides an opportunity analysis to identify new and innovative ideas to promote a sustainable academic and financial future for the university. Identifiable trends in student demographics and interests, technological developments, and partnerships with businesses, schools, alumni, and donors are just a few possible avenues for future opportunities. Many of the opportunities that programs identify will tie back to the university's strategic plan, which specifies six key areas that we want to enhance or strengthen.

Planning Limit all responses to 300 words

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

 

The BGS program continues to grow in numbers as well as quality. The new required courses support institutional learning goals and integrated learning. In order to better serve our students we have the following goals:

  1. Work with academic departments to add online courses.
  2. Work with academic departments to add minors and concentrations for off-campus students. 
     

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

In 2006, Peter J. Stokes wrote an issue paper titled, "Hidden in Plain Sight: Adult Learners Forge a New Tradition in Higher Education." In his report, Stokes wrote,

"History is littered with examples of industries that, at their peril, failed to respond to – or even see –changes in purchaser behavior: from the railroad industry to the computer hard disk industry to the music industry. 
• When it comes to the adult learner community – those 92 million Americans – our 
institutions of higher education face similar risks of having their market share substantially 
reduced and their services increasingly characterized by obsolescence. 
• For higher education institutions to effectively mobilize to meet our real education needs, it 
will be necessary first to recognize the diverse faces of higher education – and that means 
recognizing the extent to which adult learners are the future of higher education. 
• If we accomplish that, we can focus on educating our increasingly diverse populations so 
that they can prosper and enrich their lives in ways that ultimately serve the economic, 
cultural, and competitive interests of us all (p.6).

The BGS program serves the student population Stokes refers to in this manuscript. EIU is strategically serving this important group of learners through this program. 

Opportunities Limit all responses to 500 words

What are the program’s two or three most promising opportunities that could help advance the university’s academic mission? Provide an estimate of additional investments or other costs required and additional student credit hours, revenue, or other resources generated.

With the increase in adult learners in higher education, the future is promising for the BGS degree. In order to reach its full potential, support of the academic departments will be necessary. Without additional courses, online and off-campus, we will not be able to grow. 

The BGS degree would benefit from having a variety of concentrations including, but not limited to health studies, hospitality. adult education, entrepreneurship, organizational communication, health communication and business.

Comments (optional)

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.