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Program Change: P00601

Program Title: Minor optional - Fire Service Admin degree
Undergraduate
Describe the proposed degree program change(s) in terms of how the changes differ from the program as currently approved and published in the latest WOU catalog (specify the latest catalog date).
Currently, all Fire Service Administration students MUST complete an approved minor as part of their graduation requirements. Proposal: Modifying the Fire Services Administration degree requirements to facilitate a “Minor Optional” track to accommodate off-campus and transfer student access. On-campus students may still complete a minor of their choosing.

Describe the reasons for making this change:
Reasoning: The FSA degree is a specialized degree delivered primarily to mid-career adult learners typically pursuing their degree for advancement and/or promotional purposes. Mandatory minor requirements for part-time and off-campus students significantly delays degree completion times,decreases retention and WOU loses potential tuition revenue from every student. Arguments supporting the request: (1) Over 90% ( 66 of 73) of all FSA graduates over the past 10 years, were distance students that completed a WOU approved minor, however, these students took most or all the required minor coursework at or through other institutions. (2) Statistical results from a 2007 graduate survey indicated that the “completion of minor requirements and the subsequent articulation / transfer process” was a significant and unnecessary drawback to an otherwise valuable college experience for Fire Service Administration students. (3) WOU is the only school among the seven National Fire Academy regionally affiliated Fire Service Administration schools that requires a minor. (4) Of the 101 undergraduate institutions accredited by NWCCU, less than 10% have mandatory minor requirements (5) EOU, WOU’s “cooperative partner” in the FSA program in Oregon, does not require a minor and in fact, uses this as a marketing / recruitment tool luring WOU admitted students into their program . . . ( 20+ students in the past two years.) (6) Other degrees are offered at WOU that currently do not require a minor; a common characteristic of these degrees is that the major is already rigorous and diverse and requirement of a minor would be destructive to competitiveness for enrollment. . . the FSA program is in a similar situation and is losing the competition. (7) The FSA major is strengthened and students have more opportunity to take WOU courses from other disciplines as well.

For Dean Review only:
How and when will the effectiveness of these changes be determined?
student enrollment,retention and tuition revenue statistics

Approval Queue

Step	Approver	Decision	Timestamp
1 - Department	LaRon Tolley	Approved	November 29 2010
2 - Division	John Rector	Approved	November 30 2010
3 - Division Curriculum	Shaun Huston	Approved	December 07 2010
4 - Library Dean	Shaun Huston	Approved	December 07 2010
5 - Curriculum Committee	Robert Monge	Approved	January 20 2011
6 - Faculty Senate	Gavin Keulks	Approved	February 22 2011
7 - Dean	Stephen Scheck	Approved	February 23 2011
8 - Provost	Kent Neely	Approved	February 24 2011
9 - President	Dianna Nickelson	Approved	February 25 2011

Attached Files:

Minor optional ADDENDUM 2010.docx		Download
FSA Major with Minor-Optional Degree tracks DRAFT NOV-2010.xls		Download
Evaluation - FSA Advising form.xls		Download
FSA minor OPTIONAL Proposal 2010.docx		Download

400 Bad Request

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