FHSU reviewing business college programs
By GAYLE WEBER
Three programs at Fort Hays State University are undergoing "intensive program review" as the result of a study by the Kansas Board of Regents and a committee at FHSU.
All programs at regent universities are reviewed on a cyclical basis, according to FHSU Provost Larry Gould. Degree programs in the College of Business and Leadership were subject to that review last year, and three programs did not meet the standards set forth by the Regents.
"They are looking at a very discreet set of indicators to measure program health," said Chris Crawford, assistant provost of quality management.
Those indicators include ACT scores and the number of students, graduates and faculty in a degree program. The business communication, business education and management information systems programs did not meet at least some of those standards.
As a result, an FHSU program review committee, led by Crawford, has met to review the programs and determine the best course of action to put the programs back in good standing.
"From the looks of it, we'll have two of the programs combining together," Crawford said. "One program will go off the books, but the students will still be served."
Business communication will be absorbed by business education over the next few years. Students already enrolled in the business communication degree will have the opportunity to finish the curriculum for that degree before courses are phased out.
Crawford said there will be no net loss of faculty as a result of the consolidation of degree programs.
The MIS program, which had the highest number of students enrolled in the program of the three, will continue, Crawford said.
"We will work closely with the department to try to find ways to rebuild numbers and rebuild their curriculum to make it more current," Crawford said.
A program has not been eliminated through the review process since the early 1990s, Gould said.
"Instead of discontinuing the programs, we're trying to combine them with other programs," he said.