Bachelor of Science in Information Technology - WESTCLIFF ...

WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY A unit of Westcliff Management Group

DEGREE PROGRAM REVIEW

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology

Submitted to the

PEQAB

2021

Table of Contents Page

WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY 1

Section 1 5 Depth and Breadth of Knowledge 5 Conceptual & Methodological Awareness/Research and Scholarship 6 Communication Skills 6 Application of Knowledge 6 Professional Capacity/Autonomy 7 Awareness of Limits of Knowledge 7

Section 2 9 Admissions 9

English Proficiency Required 9 Prior Learning Assessment 10

Transfer Students 10 Promotion and Graduation 11

Section 3 12 Program Advisory Council 12 Research Focused Graduate Programs 14

Section 4 15 Academic Feasibility 15

Course Format and Design 15 Course Calendar and Contact Hours 15 Student Learning Outcomes Assessment 16

Section 5 17 Program Faculty 17

Evaluation Processes 17 Incentives for Scholarship 18 Process for Hiring and Evaluating Faculty 18

Faculty Policies 19 Student Supports 19

Learning Resources 19

Library Learning Resources 19 Student Life/Support Services 20

Facilities 21

Section 6 23 Career Services 24

Section 7 26

Section 8 27

Section 9 28 Program Review Policy 28

External Evaluation 29 Internal Program Review 29 Program Feedback by Internship Employers 29 Program Feedback by Graduating Students and Alumni 29 Accessibility of Information 30

Appendices 31 Appendix 1.01 Sample Syllabi 1 - BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials 33 Appendix 1.02 Sample Syllabi 2 - BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages 34 Appendix 2.01 POLICY AC151 - Admissions Policies 35 Appendix 2.02 Prior Experiential Learning Policies and Procedures 36 Appendix 2.03 POLICY AC144 - Westcliff University Transfer Credit Policy 37 Appendix 3.01 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Descriptions 38 Appendix 3.02 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Mapping 39 Appendix 3.03 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Resources 40 Appendix 3.04 Program Consultations for the College of Technology & Engineering 41 Appendix 3.05 COB PAC STEM Meeting Minutes 42 Appendix 3.06 Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research 43 Appendix 4.01 Westcliff University Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook 44 Appendix 5.01 Adjunct Professor Information Technology Job Posting 45 Appendix 5.02 POLICY GP101 - Academic Freedom Policy 46 Appendix 5.03 POLICY PP102 - Staff Development Policy 47 Appendix 5.04 POLICY PP101 - Staff Hiring and Evaluation 48 Appendix 5.05 Faculty Observation - Administration 49 Appendix 5.06 Faculty Observation - Peer to Peer 50 Appendix 5.07 Westcliff Faculty Handbook 51 Appendix 6.01 Toronto Market Research 52 Appendix 7.01 WSCUC Standards at a Glance 53 Appendix 7.02 WSCUC Approval of BSIT Degree 54 Appendix 9.01 Program Review Cycle 55 Appendix 9.02 External Review Assessment 56

Appendix 9.03 BBA Program Review 57 Appendix 9.04 Sample Annual Program Evaluation - BBA Program 58 Appendix 9.05a Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - MBA 59 Appendix 9.05b Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - DBA 60 Appendix 9.06 Graduate Satisfaction 61 Appendix 9.07 Graduate Exit Interview 62

Section 1 Degree Level Standard

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) program offered by Westcliff University is an interdisciplinary program that offers pathways for students who want to pursue careers in the growing field of Information Technology (IT). The program focuses on addressing business challenges and creating new opportunities with technology. The students pursuing this program gain the necessary skills to solve business challenges through data analysis using information technology. The objective of Westcliff University’s BSIT program is to produce graduates who can utilize information technology to carry out data analysis and solve business problems.

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge

The BSIT curriculum requires students to apply research findings, demonstrating their understanding of the material and their ability to address problems typically addressed by industry at a macro (global) and micro (business entity) level. Assignments are primarily based on research, but application of newly-acquired knowledge, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills are applied to practical situations as an emphasis of the program.

The program’s breadth is wide, combining concepts across several related disciplines, such as business and technology. Program curriculum includes computer technologies, systems analysis and design, data analytics, and software management, all of which are simultaneously integrated with marketable skills that include ethical decision making, teamwork, and communication skills.

Faculty engage students during lectures, challenging them to think critically about creative and innovative solutions to complex IT problems and challenges. The core curriculum, defined as BSIT 315, 320, and 325, prepares students to develop depth of knowledge, helping them to develop proficiencies that will serve them well in their professional careers. These core courses build a solid foundation of research, inquiry, critical thinking, innovation, and application that begin the formation of in-depth technological knowledge.

Upon completion of their core courses, students choose from one of three concentrations. Each concentration comprises five courses that provide students with more specific and advanced skills and knowledge, preparing them for entry into more defined sectors within the larger field of information technology. Students’ capstone topics begin to crystallize in their concentration courses as they gain more insight into their chosen sub-field of study.

Students conclude their degree with a capstone course designed to prepare them for the successful demonstration of their proficiency in the program learning outcomes and their capacity for professional achievement. To accomplish this goal, students must demonstrate a great depth of knowledge about their

chosen topic while also maintaining a significant breadth of understanding in the field of information technology, particularly for the macro context of their chosen capstone topic.

Conceptual & Methodological Awareness/Research and Scholarship

The BSIT program is built around a learning process that enables students to accumulate and make effective use of these proficiencies:

A. Evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems using well established ideas and techniques. For example, the course learning outcomes in BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials focuses on providing a comprehensive foundation in major topics of Information Technology and Systems. Topics in computer hardware and software, databases and database management systems, networking, security, emerging technologies, the Internet, and business process management are surveyed.

B. Devise and sustain arguments or solve problems. For example, BSIT 345 provides students with an introduction to the main concepts in programming related to data. The course focuses on data storage and the use of regular expressions to search data. The course also includes an overview of object-oriented concepts.

In the program’s courses, students research, analyze, evaluate, and learn information related to the field of study. In the capstone course that follows, they use their new proficiencies to develop soundly-argued, original work intended to advance the outlook and practices of IT industry sectors.

Communication Skills

Students must demonstrate mastery of oral and written communication, which are two of Westcliff’s seven core competencies. Assignments are aimed at helping students achieve mastery by developing clear, concise, and logically-organized thought, speech, and writing. The understanding of and adherence to effective, professional communication practices is stressed, including: context, content development, genre and disciplinary conventions, sources and evidence, control of syntax/mechanics, organization, language, delivery, supporting material, central messaging, and interpreting others’ words as the author intended.

Students develop their listening skills and ability to debate, negotiate, and persuade, as well as their capacity to adjust their approach to their audience. By heightening these skills, students learn to think creatively, to read others’ words and body language effectively, to argue convincingly, and to direct their new knowledge into well-researched, reasoned decision-making. They learn teamwork, specifically the importance of open discussion, feedback, patience, and accommodation.

Communication skills are systematically assessed using rubrics developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).

Application of Knowledge

BSIT core, concentration, and capstone courses require students to apply findings from their research of scholarly resources to analyze a newly stated problem in a new location. For example, a course learning outcome in BSIT 327 Computer Hardware Systems is designed to help students gain knowledge in

computer hardware. It introduces basic computer architecture and discusses the basic structure of a digital computer, with memory unit, processor, storage devices, and the input/output (I/O) unit. Students develop necessary skills to assemble, configure, operate, troubleshoot, repair, as well as perform the maintenance of computers. The course has a business focus as it provides the technical knowledge required to successfully implement technologies for an organization. One example of this is the learning objective to configure the operating systems, networks, and applications in local, networked, and mobile computing environments.

Professional Capacity/Autonomy

The BSIT program upholds Westcliff’s mission by facilitating student acquisition of learning outcomes designed to prepare them for personal and professional success in an ever-evolving industry. The university has established seven core competencies students are guided to achieve:

Written Communication Oral Communication Information Literacy Ethics Critical Thinking Interpersonal Communication Quantitative Skills

Every course and assignment integrates one or more of these competenties. All assignments align naturally to ideas of: initiative and personal responsibility and accountability, decision-making, intellectual independence, and the application of knowledge. Development of these skills facilitates personal growth, leadership potential, and the ability to value diversity, collaborate, manage time, and solve problems. The university also prioritizes engagement in civic matters. Enhancement of the above skills helps students interact appropriately and effectively at the managerial level and with individuals and groups, as well as acting with responsibility and accountability.

As a higher level of learning, in accordance with Bloom’s taxonomy, students are taught, as a form of professional development: how to analyze facts, concepts, and procedures independently with an awareness of personal (carrying out or using a procedure in a given situation), facts, concepts, procedures (integrating compliance with regulations), metacognition (deconstructing one’s biases), how to evaluate by making judgments based on criteria and standards, and how to create by (combining elements into a coherent whole and reorganizing them to form new patterns). Students are trained to detect and address nuance in the words, acts, and attitudes of others, and to develop and apply a systematic approach for evaluation and response.

Awareness of Limits of Knowledge

As a part of the information technology cross-disciplinary curriculum, students have the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss the interconnectivity in businesses and opportunities for hybrid value, and the growing impact of the technology industry’s disruptive growth (such as in the collection, archiving, and dissemination of information).

Students are also advised from enrollment to graduation that education is a lifelong activity, and they are counseled to commit to prepare for and acquire up-to-date industry knowledge through a program of continuous professional development to insure continued proficiency in this rapidly fast-changing field.

Appendix 1.01 Sample Syllabi 1 - BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials

Appendix 1.02 Sample Syllabi 2 - BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages

Section 2 Admission, Promotion and Graduation

Admissions

For acceptance into an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree, applicants must satisfy one of the following criteria:

High school diploma from a university-recognized high school with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA or university-recognized high school equivalency such as GED, TASC, or HiSET;

OR

High school diploma plus a previously earned associate-level or higher degree from a nationally, regionally, or government-accredited college or university;

OR

High school diploma plus twenty-four (24) college-level credits (does not include remedial credits) from a nationally, regionally, or government-accredited college or university earned with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA;

OR

Approval from the Admissions Committee following a review of factors considered essential for academic success, including previous academic progress, non-academic achievements, and any additional information requested by the committee as they relate to standards set by the university's governing bodies.

As Westcliff University has aspirations to offer undergraduate degrees at the proposed Ontario campus in the future, the university leadership has studied the Ontario Transfer System and plans to embrace it by developing strong partnerships with institutions active in the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT).

Appendix 2.01 POLICY AC151 - Admissions Policies

English Proficiency Required

Prospective students whose native language is not English must demonstrate college-level English proficiency. One form of such proof is a degree granted by accredited institutions where English is the principal language of instruction.

https://westcliff.gscadmin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AC151.pdf

Students without such a degree must achieve minimum scores of Reading 13 / Listening 12 / Writing 21 on the paper-delivered Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PDT), 60 on the Internet-Based Test (iBT), 6.0 on the International English Language Test (IELTS), 50 on the Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report, or the equivalent score on other accepted tests.

Westcliff University also offers its Certificate of Proficiency Exam. The Certificate of Proficiency Examination (CPE) exam is an option for students to take in order to fulfill the English proficiency requirement for admissions. The passing score for the undergraduate and graduate program is as follows:

Undergraduate Programs (Bachelor Degrees):

International students must receive an overall score of B2 CEFR level or higher on the CPE exam and the minimum score of each section must be an B1 or higher.

Non-English transcripts must be translated into English by a qualified third party. When transcripts are evaluated by a trained transcript evaluator fluent in the transcript’s language, the evaluator must be an expert in the educational practices of the country of origin and must provide an English translation of the review.

Prior Learning Assessment

Appendix 2.02 Prior Experiential Learning Policies and Procedures

Transfer Students

Westcliff University considers accepting students from other schools for transfer. Students must file an application for admission, satisfy all admission requirements, and submit official copies of transcripts from all schools previously attended.

The maximum number of credits transferable from appropriately accredited institutions into undergraduate programs at Westcliff University is 90 credits, of which:

1. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred to satisfy the requirements for lower division General Education courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Lower Division General Education Courses).

2. A maximum of 30 credits may be transferred as Course Waivers for upper division core courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Upper Division Courses).

The maximum number of credits transferable to graduate programs is six for master-level, and nine for doctoral-level studies.

Appendix 2.03 POLICY AC144 - Westcliff University Transfer Credit Policy

Students seeking to transfer course work are evaluated by the Transcript Evaluation Department (TED) under direction of the University Registrar, with guidance from program deans.

Westcliff University enters into comprehensive articulation agreements with other institutions to provide a smooth transition and pathway for student admissions.

https://westcliff.gscadmin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AC144.pdf

Promotion and Graduation

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program consists of a program requirement of 120 credit hours, including 45 credits of core information technology courses, 30 credits of business courses, 30 credits of general education courses, 12 credits of elective courses, and a 3 credit capstone course. Students may complete their entire 120 credit Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program by taking all 45 information technology, 30 general education, 30 core business, 12 elective, and 3 capstone credits at Westcliff University. Alternatively, students may transfer up to 30 General Education credit hours to the university from another accredited school. Students may be granted course waivers for a maximum of 30 credit hours of the required core business courses. In any option, 54 of the 60 General Education credit hours must have academic content.

Section 3 Program Content

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program offered by Westcliff University is an interdisciplinary program that offers pathways for students who want to pursue careers in the growing field of information technology. The program focuses on addressing business challenges and creating new opportunities with technology. The students pursuing this program gain the necessary skills to solve business challenges through data analysis using information technology. The objective of Westcliff University’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program is to produce graduates who can utilize information technology to carry out data analysis and solve business problems.

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology encourages students to achieve the following educational outcomes:

- Evaluate current and emerging technologies

- Identify and gather user requirements to design user-friendly interfaces

- Apply, configure, and manage IT technologies

- Utilize data to help businesses gain insights to help them make better decisions

- Access IT impact on individuals, organization, and the environment

- Apply IT concepts and strategies to solve real world problems

- Conduct research in the field of information technology and related fields

Appendix 3.01 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Descriptions

Appendix 3.02 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Mapping

Appendix 3.03 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Resources

Program Advisory Council

To help ensure its graduates bring valuable skills to today’s demanding, dynamic marketplace, Westcliff University established a Program Advisory Council (PAC) composed of leaders from market segments directly related to Westcliff programs. Council members provide detailed advice about curriculum and course materials, instructional methods, and Program Outcomes.

Council contributions include:

1. Helping to identify and assess employment market requirements 2. Reviewing and suggesting practical program objectives, content, and instructional methods

addressing changing and developing marketplace dynamics 3. Reviewing case studies used in Westcliff courses to assess their usefulness as learning tools 4. Helping to develop and enhance community understanding and support for Westcliff programs 5. Reviewing and providing input about current and proposed legislation and regulations affecting

Westcliff programs

Current Program Advisory Council members:

Name Position Company/ Personal Profile

Lesley Wright

Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Texas A&M opened its doors in 1876 as the state's first public institution of higher learning. Texas A&M's main campus in College Station is home to more than 69,000 students. Another 5,200 are at the branch campuses in Galveston and Qatar and at the School of Law, Higher Education Center at McAllen, and Health Science Center locations across Texas.

Gora Datta

IEEE, General Chair

HL7 International Ambassador

Founding Chairman and CEO of CAL2CAL group of companies

Gora Datta, FHL7 is a US-based serial entrepreneur and an internationally acknowledged subject matter expert on digital health, health informatics standards & cyber health initiatives.

He is an accomplished, visionary executive with 36 years of international professional expertise in the field of computer & software engineering and its application to healthcare, mobile health, cyber security, IoT, blockchain, elearning & social protection.

Allen Tran IT Associate, Director

Lee Kum Kee was established in 1888 when its founder Mr. Lee Kum Sheung invented oyster sauce in Nanshui, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. With a glorious history of over a hundred years, Lee Kum Kee has become an international household name as well as a symbol of quality and trust. Substantiating the core values of “Pragmatism”, “Integrity”, “Constant Entrepreneurship”, “Si Li Ji Ren” (Considering Others’ Interests), “Benefiting the Community” and “Sharing Fruits of Success” in every aspect of its business operations, Lee Kum Kee has straddled three centuries. Lee Kum Kee's headquarters is located in Hong Kong, China, with other production bases in Xinhui, Huangpu and Jining, China; Los Angeles, the

United States and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tommy Hong

Principal Solutions Architect at Ceridian

Analytical, creative enterprise cloud solutions architect with over 16 years’ experience leading world class, enterprise-wide virtualization/cloud initiatives within renowned global technology firms. Proven senior technology professional who has excelled in high traffic, high demand, critical uptime environment and excels as a pivotal business partner and provides critical strategic support and leadership to users, the corporation and management team. Demonstrated ability to learn and teach new concepts, easily adapt to change and manage multiple concurrent tasks. Innovative professional with excellent organizational and communication skills, and proven track record of success. Lead and design multi-million dollars projects with 100% success rate and on time delivery.

The College of Technology and Engineering Program Advisory Council meets twice per year, usually in June and December.

Appendix 3.04 Program Consultations for the College of Technology & Engineering

Appendix 3.05 COB PAC STEM Meeting Minutes

Research Focused Graduate Programs

Westcliff strongly encourages and supports academic research conducted by faculty, students, and staff. The annual Westcliff International Symposium on Business and Education Research (SyBER), an international competition, invites presentations of new research topics, new ideas, and provides opportunities to present to a global audience. It is hosted by the University’s Learning, Innovation, Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center, and students are awarded prizes based on research and presentation. The Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR) is a journal, published annually, presenting research projects. Contributions may be authored autonomously, individually, and with other students, faculty, and outside experts. Students and faculty may also serve the journal as editors, co-editors and reviewers.

The university expects Ontario students and faculty to participate fully and provide valuable contributions to SyBer and WIJAR as integral members of the Westcliff community.

Appendix 3.05 Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research

Section 4 Learning Methodologies/Program Delivery

Academic Feasibility

Course Format and Design

Westcliff plans to offer the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program at a Westcliff campus in Toronto. Students will have the opportunity to participate onsite or online. In the onsite format, students will meet each week on campus to satisfy the majority of their academic commitment through synchronous engagement and instruction conducted by a professor. Additional weekly asynchronous instruction will be provided via resources and discussion boards. Evening synchronous onsite meetings will provide convenience for students balancing daytime work schedule and other obligations.

Online students use the same material as onsite students. Their synchronous weekly interaction with faculty and peers occurs online during Virtual Class Sessions (VCS). A VCS is a three-hour dynamic class held by videoconference (Zoom). Students attend live or asynchronously by viewing recordings. Students attending asynchronously gain access to the class recording the next day and must submit a prescribed assignment used by the professor to gauge students’ absorption of the material and to provide them with feedback and clarification. All learning, coursework, and professor-student interaction takes place on the University’s Global Academic Portal (GAP), where, as with the onsite format, students participate in weekly discussion boards and post assignments online.

All courses are designed to meet the rigor expected of a bachelor’s-level degree program. Learning outcome goals are the foundation for content development and both the goals and content are assessed to measure student understanding. Textbooks are reviewed, on a cyclical basis, for content relevancy. Faculty are provided with course materials one month prior to the start of a term. They are responsible for delivering quality instruction, including supplemental resources and external experiences, and are encouraged to contribute to the quality of their courses. Prior to the start of the term, they are encouraged to adjust course assignments and supplemental materials, in consultation with their Program Chair. Faculty are required to evaluate and return students’ graded assignments and projects with substantive feedback within five days of submission.

Course Calendar and Contact Hours

Westcliff courses run for eight weeks. Learning experiences are mainly synchronous, with supplemental asynchronous components. Weekly three-hour class meetings constitute the majority of academic engagement time (24 hours), while the rest happens in online discussion forums (approximately 21 hours, or 2-3 hours per week). Students are expected to devote approximately two hours of preparatory activity

(including reading, studying, and preparing assignments for submission) for every hour of academic engagement.

Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

Evaluation of student learning is embedded in every course. Each student learning outcome is mapped to one or more program learning outcomes shown in Appendix 3.02. Student outcomes assessment is designed to align instructional activities with academic standards and values and to inform faculty and administration about the need for enhancements. The purpose of Westcliff’s outcomes assessment process is to collect data and feedback on student achievement and satisfaction and use the information to make program improvements. Westcliff University recognizes that course grades alone are not a satisfactory measure of student learning. While important, they do not provide a comprehensive assessment of the university’s alignment of its mission and objectives with program and institutional learning outcomes. Assignments evaluating the students’ achievement of course learning outcomes are assessed in each class. This assessment is applied to program learning outcomes. Additional information on the university’s assessment processes is provided in Section 9 of this application.

Appendix 4.01 Westcliff University Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook

Section 5 Capacity to Deliver

Program Faculty

Initial hiring plans for the Toronto campus include the campus dean and two full-time faculty members. Westcliff University projects enrollment of 10-15 students in the BSIT program for the 2024-2025 academic year. A portion of the courses will be taught by the campus dean. The dean and full-time faculty members will teach classes, serve as subject matter experts (SMEs), and participate in assessment, curriculum development, and additional academic support services.

Student recruitment occurs year-round. The university accepts students every semester (three 16-week semesters per calendar year) with additional options for mid-semester starts (an option made possible because of the 8-week course format). As enrollment grows, additional courses will be offered online or onsite.

To support Toronto’s startup and projected growth, the university intends to hire two staff members: an admissions and financial aid advisor charged with enrollment and financial aid work, and a student advisor proficient in registrar duties and academic advising.

Westcliff will also appoint an adjunct faculty member versed in research as its Library and Information Resources network (LIRN) digital library resource. This person will support students’ library and learning resource needs.

When Toronto enrollment exceeds 60 students, a part-time student advisor will be added. When the campus exceeds 100 students, an additional full-time advisor will be added, and responsibilities of financial, academic, and career advising will be clearly delineated among staff members. A third full-time faculty member (in addition to the dean and first two full-time faculty members) will be added in the second year of operation. Faculty serve important advisory functions at Westcliff by making themselves available to students during office hours and by remote access, providing guidance and feedback on academic and career-related matters. Additional admissions staff will be added in the third year. The university recognizes that staff may need to be added more quickly if enrollment growth exceeds expectations.

Evaluation Processes

Westcliff faculty members are expected to effectively execute all duties and responsibilities to which they agree, and as stipulated by the Faculty Handbook. Westcliff is committed to provide faculty with ample support and help guide them to excellence as classroom facilitators, champions of student success, and gatekeepers of academic integrity.

To support that commitment, regularly scheduled evaluations of faculty are provided by: 1) students via mid-course and end-of-course surveys; 2) academic leaders, who review teaching performance; 3) observations, mentoring, and professional development conducted by the university’s Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center; 4) peers, who evaluate fellow faculty members; and 5) review by the administration of the professor’s cumulative performance, including participation in activities such as research, publications, professional achievements, assisting in institutional governance, and community service.

Reviews are intended to help faculty enhance their skills at guiding students to achieve success. Each faculty member completes an annual “Faculty Professional Development Record” form, a copy of which is included in the appendices of the Faculty Handbook. Faculty members must complete professional development programs, some of which are provided by Westcliff as webinars and tutorials.

While faculty hiring will be a top priority in the months leading to the launch of the Toronto BSIT program, the university currently employs several faculty who teach the BSIT program at its Irvine, California, campus. The job description the university intends to use to recruit Toronto faculty is included at Appendix 5.01.

Appendix 5.01 Adjunct Professor Information Technology Job Posting

Incentives for Scholarship

In addition to encouraging professional growth of faculty teaching abilities, the university faculty may apply for financial support for conference registration and publication fees for original research and presentation. The university sponsors an annual peer-reviewed journal, the Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR), and an annual Symposium on Business and Education Research (SyBER). Faculty and students are encouraged to submit contributions to both. Westcliff also provides funds for professional development for staff and faculty.

Process for Hiring and Evaluating Faculty

Faculty will be recruited as needed to preserve a low student-to-faculty ratio. Westcliff uses referrals, online job board postings, flyers at conferences, and other resources to recruit faculty. Faculty credential requirements are clearly established and adhered to in all programs.

Faculty undergo interviews with college and university leadership and conduct a teaching demonstration as part of the hiring process. They are hired based on aptitude for teaching, credentials, industry experience, scholarly research, and expressed and demonstrated desire to support student success.

New faculty undergo New Faculty Orientation (NFO), in which they are introduced to the university's mission, vision, and values, the school history, core competencies, and the university’s expectation of faculty. New faculty are made aware of university policies, opportunities for personal and professional growth and development, and diversity training. Faculty complete tutorials on grading and rubrics, the use of TurnItIn (anti-plagiarism software), LIRN (digital library), the importance of academic integrity, the use of technology platforms and academic modalities, the significance of learning outcomes, and APA formatting. Faculty are encouraged to share their academic journeys with students and assume the role of academic coaches and mentors.

Upon completion of NFO, faculty undergo a credentialing review aligned with standards set by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), which the university has adopted for all of its colleges. This helps Westcliff identify courses each faculty member is qualified to teach. Education, teaching background, and professional experience are taken into consideration when approving faculty for course assignments. Full-time faculty are considered continuing appointments and are expected to teach courses each semester. Their responsibilities may include work on program development projects. Part-time faculty are temporary appointments with part-time hours allocated. They may sometimes take on additional projects.

Appendix 5.02 POLICY GP101 - Academic Freedom Policy

Appendix 5.03 POLICY PP102 - Staff Development Policy

Appendix 5.04 POLICY PP101 - Staff Hiring and Evaluation

Appendix 5.05 Faculty Observation - Administration

Appendix 5.06 Faculty Observation - Peer to Peer

Faculty Policies

Appendix 5.07 Westcliff Faculty Handbook

Student Supports

Ever since its doors opened in 1993, a top priority for Westcliff has been the adoption of up-to-date technology to facilitate learning, meeting the evolving expectations and needs of faculty, students, and staff. Emphasis on transferable skills permeates all programs, opening numerous opportunities for all to gain significant mastery of professional skills needed to excel in their fields. Graduate programs build upon theory learned in undergraduate programs.

Learning Resources

Westcliff integrates up-to-date technologies for content delivery. Students and faculty have ready access to data resources in convenient ‘anytime, anywhere’ format on personal computers, laptops, and mobile devices.

Westcliff’s LMS hosts immersive online virtual class sessions (VCS) via Zoom. This enhances student engagement by providing synchronous lectures from any location, and Zoom’s screen share feature provides an opportunity to present videos, audio, images, and whiteboard notations, increasing student interest and engagement. Zoom breakout rooms provide faculty the opportunity to facilitate small group discussions and collaborative work sessions. Tutorials are provided to ensure students understand how to make the best use of available resources.

Library Learning Resources

Westcliff faculty and students are provided access to the Library and Information Resources Network (LIRN), a virtual collection of more than 80 million peer-reviewed scholarly journals, articles,

https://westcliff.gscadmin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/GP101.pdf

https://westcliff.gscadmin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PP102.pdf

https://westcliff.gscadmin.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PP101.pdf

periodicals, e-books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, podcasts, audio, and video resources. LIRN also includes databases from Gale/InfoTrac with Informe, ProQuest, eLibrary, Credo, RCL, Web, and Books in Print. A few LIRN resources relevant to the field of Information Technology include the Computer Science and IT Videos on Demand Collection, the ACM Digital Library (which is the world’s most comprehensive database of full-text articles and bibliographic literature, covering computing and information technology), and the Technology Essentials Collection, including information on science, the Internet, social media, artificial intelligence, digital warfare, IT administration, software, web design, and nanotechnology.

Toronto students will have full access to LIRN for research remotely or in the university library, a dedicated campus space providing students with the use of computers, physical copies of textbooks, and space to study and seek additional guidance from faculty and student tutors. A part-time faculty member with expertise in research will be assigned to support students in their use of these resources to find and make use of the information they need. When enrollment warrants, the university will hire additional staff to coach students on the use of the library and learning resources.

Student Life/Support Services

Westcliff’s Student Services Department is dedicated to helping students achieve academic goals. At the Toronto campus, Westcliff will create a dedicated Student Life and Learning Resource Center to support student learning and provide access to other services. The university is committed to monitoring Toronto students’ progress and offering academic counseling, support, and referrals to necessary services, as it does at its current locations.

● Academic Advisement. Westcliff encourages students to seek counseling from the student services department and faculty on academic matters, including setting career goals and improving and maintaining performance. The Toronto campus will initially provide one student advisor, adding more as the student body grows.

● Student Concerns. Westcliff policies and procedures address student grievances with respect, equity, and professionalism. Information about these processes is published in the Student Catalog Handbook. In addition, Toronto students presenting with non-academic challenges may receive counseling through a local referral network the university has developed or virtually by consulting a contracted mental health provider the university retains at its home campus to provide services to students at all locations.

● Technological Services. Westcliff trains students to use the university’s extensive online course offerings and other resources. Students have 24/7 access to course materials, interactive resources, and other services to enable and enhance learning. Should students run into technological challenges, tech services are available from [email protected], an email-based ticketing system allowing the technology department to assess, address, and track technology-based issues effectively and efficiently.

● Student Financial Services. Westcliff is committed to helping students navigate education financing. In addition to the admissions and financial aid advisor who will work at the Toronto

mailto:[email protected]

campus, the university will dedicate remote financial aid advisors with extensive training in Canadian policies and resources. With growth, more advisors will be added on campus.

● Career Services. Westcliff’s Career Services Department is dedicated to helping students and graduates find employment and posts job openings that align with students’ interests. These services will be provided to Toronto students.

● Academic Resource Center (ARC). The ARC offers students personalized support to reinforce classroom content, provide opportunities for deeper engagement, and facilitate group review and one-on-one sessions to help students achieve academic goals. The ARC hosts both onsite and virtual tutoring and content support service for Westcliff students. In addition, it provides textbook rental services, study space, desktop computer availability, and periodic skills workshops.

● Online Writing Center. Students can have an extra set of eyes read through papers, make sure assignment requirements and expectations are met, and ensure correct APA format, grammar, and spelling. Students submit papers to the Online Writing Center on GAP and receive detailed feedback within 48 hours.

Facilities

Pending approval to operate as a university in Ontario, Westcliff intends to lease appropriate space in the Toronto metropolitan region. Initial considerations include an 800 sq. m. section in an office building or park at a location with easy access to public transportation and with student-friendly amenities within walking distance. Areas of interest include downtown Toronto, the Entertainment District, Old Toronto, or the Discovery District, each of which has desirable features for Westcliff’s target student populations. Westcliff prefers a location that affords an opportunity to expand the campus up to 1,0000 -1,200 sq. m. either on the same site or at other ones close by.

As the university intends to offer business and technology-related programs at the onset, a location close to the hubs of the technology and business industry in the region would be of tremendous value to Westcliff students.

Westcliff University intends its Toronto campus to be a robust learning environment for students intent on developing their technological and managerial skills. Westcliff expects to need at least three classrooms in the first two years and will secure enough space for four classrooms to eliminate any potential conflict of overlapping classes for year three. Classrooms at Westcliff include ample room for student seating, an instructor lectern with an Internet-enabled computer, a whiteboard, and a wall-mounted 65” monitor connected to the classroom computer. Classrooms are equipped with cameras, so lessons may be recorded, and students can attend both remote and onsite. The entire facility, including the classrooms, will be WiFi-enabled.

In addition to classrooms, the facility will be equipped with a computer lab that includes access to an online library resource network filled with thousands of reference materials, including many relevant to the education, business, and technology and engineering courses. This network is also available off-campus and anywhere with an Internet connection. Westcliff trains students on best practices related to the use of the university’s extensive online resources, including its library network, and provides

additional in-person guidance on effective academic research using this network.

Other student resources on campus include quiet study space, a small physical library of materials directly relevant to the classes (such as copies of classroom textbooks), and an area for student tutoring. Westcliff’s Academic Resource Center (ARC) program supports student learning and writing by providing content and writing specialists. This program will extend to the Toronto campus with in-person services and remote services bookable using the student portal and facilitated by video conference (Zoom).

The Westcliff Toronto campus will include office space for full-time personnel and shared office space for part-time employees, including space for part-time faculty to prepare for lessons, meet with students, and convene with colleagues.

Section 6 Credential Recognition Standard

Westcliff University offers ten degree programs in business, education, engineering, law, and technology. The programs require students to engage in practical training to enhance their appeal to employers and provide a strong foundation for leadership within their selected industries. To ensure each program’s effectiveness, the university conducts extensive needs assessments within local job markets and monitors economic trends. Each program is analyzed for its value to potential students. Westcliff always conducts market study research on prospective locations, including its proposed Toronto campus.

Advanced technologies and their application in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, financial and government services has led to strong demand for highly skilled talents with business and analytical skills. High demand sectors in the Canadian digital economy include apps and services, cloud, mobile applications and data analytics. Emerging areas include advanced manufacturing and robotics, cybersecurity, intelligent retail, video gaming and entertainment, connected transportation & smart cities, FinTech, CleanTech and eHealth (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016, 2020). This demand results in a “direct hiring requirement of more than 182,000” information and communications technology (ICT) workers in Canada by 2019. The Information and Communications Technology Council projected that employment in the ICT sector will have recovered from the pandemic shock in 2022 (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2020).

The talent pool in Canada is still considered insufficient in the ICT sector even though the country has produced more graduates in this sector (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016). In the area of applying new technologies to traditional businesses, Canada is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers who have both technical and business skills (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016). Based on a 2018 study, Ontario was expected to reach 670,000 technology jobs with one out of six jobs unfilled (Gupta, 2018).

In a more recent report from Information and Communications Technology Council (2020), the number of young employees (aged 15 to 24 years old) in the ICT sector grew consistently but the share of them is slightly lower than it was in 2010. The share of workers from 55 to 64 years old increased from 11% to 13% from 2010 to 2020 Information and Communications Technology Council (2020). This reaffirms that Canada needs to encourage more young people to pursue STEM degrees and equip them with managerial skills to prepare them for the future when the current older workers retire. Not only tech employment in the ICT sector requires technology skills but also the “not-as-high-tech” workers do. In addition, the demands for hybrid jobs (merging both business and technology skills) might not be fully captured since the category “hybrid” is poorly defined (Shortt et al., 2020). Due to high demand, the information and communications technology sector experienced a significant lower unemployment rate

than the national average. Employees in this sector have salaries on average 48% higher than other sectors (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016).

Starting from 2019, the Ontario government has conducted initial steps to address the talent gaps, including: increasing the number of STEM graduates and graduating additional master students in applied artificial intelligence. With the high demand from the job market, Westcliff University intends to offer its MSIT and MBA programs in Ontario in the first year, followed by other STEM and business programs in a five-year plan.

Graduates from the STEM programs can work in the occupations listed below. Most of them have a growth rate above 10%, while a few have growth rates between 7% and 9%.

● Information systems analysts and consultants ● Computer programmers and interactive media developers ● Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) ● Computer network technicians ● Software engineers and designers ● Computer and information systems managers ● Professional occupations in business management consulting ● Web designers and developers

Employment outlook for graduates from STEM programs such as computer and information systems managers, information systems analysts and consultants, and other occupations in Ontario is promising over the next three years. Employment growth and retirements will lead to a moderate number of open positions for computer and information systems managers. The number of unemployed workers with recent experience in these occupations is small (Job Bank Canada, 2021).

The annual income of these occupations are expected to be above $CAD 80,000 (except for web designers and developers) in Ontario. The growth rate is promising, from 7% to 12%, with computer and information systems managers and software engineers and designers being the top two occupations (Figure 12) (Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, n.d.). According to Job Bank Canada (2021), graduates with a master’s degree in information technology could earn an average of $CAD 78,910. Among those who graduate with an MSIT degree, 89% got employed. From the National Graduates Survey in 2013, 83% of graduates indicated that they would choose this field again. Twenty-eight percent of those surveyed indicated that they would continue further studies in the field of information technology (Job Bank Canada, 2021).

Appendix 6.01 Toronto Market Research

Career Services

Westcliff Univesrity’s Career Services Department is tasked with aiding students with career related questions and preparing the new workforce for a career after college. The Career Services team works hand-in-hand with the Registrar’s Office to track upcoming graduates and also partners with the Institutional Research team to review feedback from each student. Every semester, the career services team hosts career-focused workshops to aid students in finding a job. The local team also builds partnerships with local businesses to provide jobs or internships with our students. With the establishment

of the Ontario Campus, career services will extend to the students of Ontario and, with the assistance of the Campus Director, pathways would be developed with local businesses for new career opportunities.

Graduate exit interviews are scheduled about 1-2 months after graduation. Career Services contacts students, asking them to complete a structured survey. They are asked to name their employer, if any, to approve tracking of their progress, and to assess the relevance of university programs to their careers. Survey information is shared internally to inform curriculum and program reviews and determine how co-curricular and extracurricular activities might be enhanced to support graduates’ outcomes. Another survey is sent to graduates asking for, among other things, whether their degree resulted in a promotion, salary increase, career change, or other benefits. This sample of assessments demonstrates the types of evaluation the university program undergoes. Information retrieved from these surveys provides multiple opportunities to improve curricula and services to meet students’ needs. Reports are shared with university stakeholders and incorporated into the program review process.

Section 7

Regulation and Accreditation Standard

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program is subject to periodic review and evaluation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), Westcliff’s institutional accreditation agency. The program, courses, curricular elements, credential designation, and nomenclature follow WSCUC guidelines, facilitating credential recognition by other post-secondary institutions and by Ontario employers. WSCUC has approved the BSIT program for on-site and online delivery.

Westcliff University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. WASC is the premier accrediting body for the Western region of the United States. To maintain this prestigious accreditation, Westcliff must demonstrate continuing, diligent effort to fulfill its educational mission. In the United States, the gold standard is accreditation by the regional accreditors. Degrees and diplomas from schools accredited by these bodies have high

acceptance among government, private, and educational employers, domestically as well as internationally.

Appendix 7.01 WSCUC Standards at a Glance

Appendix 7.02 WSCUC Approval of BSIT Degree

Section 8 Nomenclature

The naming of degrees offered by Westcliff complies with guidelines adopted by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board as degree ten Bachelor’s Degree at a university level.The name of the credential that Westcliff University proposes to offer in Ontario is a widely used and generally understood degree name in Canada. In compliance with the ministry’s general guidelines for naming degrees, the name of the degree offered describes a general area of study (technology) within the Westcliff Faculty of Technology and Engineering. The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology qualifies for use of the discipline of science because it requires specialized study rooted in science: specifically, the development and implementation of data and information management systems. This introductory degree program is designed to introduce students to technical and scientific knowledge, develop their critical analysis and problem-solving abilities, and augment their leadership skills. The BSIT program gives a general overview of Information Technology practices and prepares students for introductory level job positions or advancement into master’s level programs.

The university’s Faculty Senate approves all degree programs and program nomenclature. Bachelor’s degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours of study, typically requiring four years to complete. This follows the typical standards for an undergraduate bachelor’s program as described in the Degree Qualifications Framework.

Section 9

Internal Quality Assurance and Development

Westcliff ‘s program review process provides the university an opportunity to gain insight and examine the effectiveness of its programs. Program review is a regular process furthering the university’s quest for continuous improvement and its determination to surpass its accreditors’ expectations.

Program Review Policy

Westcliff academic programs undergo annual evaluation and an in-depth review every five years. Both reviews rely on faculty evaluations of student outcomes to develop action items, address opportunities for improvement, and gauge the effectiveness of action items arising from previous reviews. Special attention is given to external input in the annual reviews of fields (like information technology) that are subject to rapid change and may require frequent updating. Faculty, program chairs, and deans are actively involved in the review process.

Program reviews provide a continuous platform on which to internally and externally audit program consistency, encourage excellence, and identify areas for improvement that can result in evidence-based decisions for strengthening programs and improving student learning, curriculum, and faculty effectiveness. The university strives to achieve a clear, honest, accurate, and unbiased assessment of each program, including effective use of resources (including physical, technological, financial, and human, namely in the areas of student support and teaching quality). Program improvements and enhancements resulting from these reviews assist the university in serving its students at a standard that is as rigorous and relevant as it is complete.

Reviews take into consideration similar programs, educational requirements, industry standards, and employment requirements. Market analysis and information from outside sources, such as international guidelines and standards, as well as external reviewers, such as the program advisory council (PAC), and contracted external evaluators, enable Westcliff to complete a thorough program review. Collected information and industry requirements also play a role in prompting program changes and improvements.

Program analysis allows faculty to reflect upon program strengths and weaknesses and create action plans. Concerns or challenges can be addressed immediately, ensuring the information flowing from the process is useful, applicable, and complete.

The review begins with a self-study document. This document serves to guide the process of identifying and contracting outside expert reviewers, collecting feedback from outside reviewers, preparing a response to the review team, and finalizing action plans. The self-study reviews in detail the

administrative supporting structure, program curriculum, delivery methods, and achievement of objectives, such as student progress and rates of satisfaction.The action plans resulting from program reviews result in the enhancement of program effectiveness.

Appendix 9.01 Program Review Cycle

External Evaluation

Program reviews are a group effort, with multiple perspectives weighing in on content, program, and the best interest of all stakeholders. Involvement of various stakeholders enhances the program’s credibility and validity, generates advocacy, and secures buy-in on new ideas and improvements.

Appendix 9.02 External Review Assessment

Appendix 9.03 BBA Program Review

Internal Program Review

Westcliff University’s program review process, described earlier, provides an opportunity to examine program effectiveness and make evidence-based decisions for strengthening programs and improving student learning, curriculum, and faculty effectiveness. Curriculum mapping provides a comprehensive look at program learning outcomes. By checking alignment within courses, the deans, program chairs, and faculty can assess quality at the assignment and course levels. Design changes can then be made to enhance learning outcomes, assessment processes, and rubrics.

Westcliff University is committed to faculty involvement in the review process. Faculty are selected for this process based on expertise in the relevant industry and the curriculum, their commitment to the university’s values, and their collaborative nature. Others are also involved, including deans, the director of assessment, program chair(s), and faculty. Tasks include feedback, research, analysis, and report writing. Select individuals conduct research, write reports, and analyze data. Annual evaluation for each program ensures continual improvement.

Appendix 9.04 MSIT Curriculum Map

Appendix 9.05 Sample Annual Program Evaluation - BBA Program

Program Feedback by Internship Employers

Westcliff University stresses the importance of internships as a way for students to apply their knowledge to the real world. Under the university's robust internship program, employers are asked to provide feedback on student performance at the end of each semester using the Employee Performance Evaluation Survey, which measures student preparedness. The surveys also alert leadership to areas where the program can be improved.

Program Feedback by Graduating Students and Alumni

Graduate exit interviews happen about 1-2 months after graduation. Career Services contacts students, asking them to complete a structured survey. They are asked to name their employer, if any, to approve

tracking of their progress, and to assess the relevance of university programs to their career. Survey information is shared internally to inform curriculum and program reviews and determine how co-curricular and extracurricular activities might be enhanced to support graduates’ outcomes. Another survey is sent to graduates asking for, among other things, whether their degree resulted in a promotion, salary increase, career change, or other benefit.

Information retrieved from these surveys provide multiple opportunities to improve curricula and services to meet students’ needs. Reports are shared with university stakeholders and incorporated into the program review process.

Appendix 9.06a Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - MBA

Appendix 9.06b Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - DBA

Appendix 9.07 Graduate Satisfaction

Appendix 9.08 Graduate Exit Interview

Accessibility of Information

Westcliff’s Institutional Research department performs the university’s data collection, analysis, and reporting functions and publishes its research results on its website (ir.westcliff.edu). In addition, Westcliff provides reports and data to its accrediting bodies, which publicly post findings, commendations, and recommendations about the university’s self-study and programs.

Appendices Appendix 1.01 Sample Syllabi 1 - BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials

Appendix 1.02 Sample Syllabi 2 - BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages

Appendix 2.01 POLICY AC151 - Admissions Policies

Appendix 2.02 Prior Experiential Learning Policies and Procedures

Appendix 2.03 POLICY AC144 - Westcliff University Transfer Credit Policy

Appendix 3.01 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Descriptions

Appendix 3.02 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Mapping

Appendix 3.03 Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Resources

Appendix 3.04 Program Consultations for the College of Technology & Engineering

Appendix 3.05 COB PAC STEM Meeting Minutes

Appendix 3.06 Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research

Appendix 4.01 Westcliff University Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook

Appendix 5.01 Adjunct Professor Information Technology Job Posting

Appendix 5.02 POLICY GP101 - Academic Freedom Policy

Appendix 5.03 POLICY PP102 - Staff Development Policy

Appendix 5.04 POLICY PP101 - Staff Hiring and Evaluation

Appendix 5.05 Faculty Observation - Administration

Appendix 5.06 Faculty Observation - Peer to Peer

Appendix 5.07 Westcliff Faculty Handbook

Appendix 6.01 Toronto Market Research

Appendix 7.01 WSCUC Standards at a Glance

Appendix 7.02 WSCUC Approval of BSIT Degree

Appendix 9.01 Program Review Cycle

Appendix 9.02 External Review Assessment

Appendix 9.03 BBA Program Review

Appendix 9.04 Sample Annual Program Evaluation - BBA Program

Appendix 9.05a Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - MBA

Appendix 9.05b Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - DBA

Appendix 9.06 Graduate Satisfaction

Appendix 9.07 Graduate Exit Interview

Appendix 1.01

Sample Syllabi 1 - BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials

BACHELOR OF SCIENCEINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

BSIT 315Information Technology Essentials

Syllabus

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Table of Contents

Course Description 3

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Linked to Program Outcomes 4

CLA Linking Table 5

PA Linking Table 5

DQ Linking Table 5

Detailed Course Outline 6

2 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Course DescriptionCOURSE NAME Information Technology EssentialsCODE BSIT 315LENGTH OF CLASS 8 weeks

COURSEDESCRIPTION

Information Technology Essentials is a course focused on providing acomprehensive foundation in major topics of Information Technologyand Systems. Topics in computer hardware and software, databasesand database management systems, networking, security, emergingtechnologies, the Internet, and business process management aresurveyed

REQUIRED TEXTBidgoli, H. (2021). MIS (10th ed.). Cengage.Print ISBN: 978-0357419304eText ISBN: 978-0357419304

METHOD OFINSTRUCTION

The course is conducted in a combination modality. Students interactwith each other and with the faculty in a classroom setting and in anonline learning system. Learning will be facilitated throughlecture-discussions, presentations, cooperative learning, and casestudies.

SCOPEStudent outcomes are measured through professional individualassignments, discussion postings, comprehensive learningassessments, and class participation.

3 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Linked to Program OutcomesLearning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners haveachieved, and can reliably demonstrate at the end of the course. Learning outcomes identify what thelearner will know and be able to do by the end of a course – the essential and enduring knowledge,abilities (skills) and attitudes (values, dispositions) that constitute the integrated learning needed by agraduate of this course. The learning objectives for this course summarize what you can expect tolearn, and how this course is tied directly to the educational outcomes of your BSIT degree.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)BSIT Program

Outcomes

(K) Knowledge(S) Skill

(A) Attitude

1. Summarize essential and foundational knowledge ofcomputer hardware and software. 1, 2, 3 K

2. Interpret, identify, and analyze user requirements whenconsidering the selection, creation, evaluation andmanagement of computer‐based systems.

1, 2, 3, 4, 7 S, A

3. Identify and summarize the business units and disciplinesin which computer applications may be applied to attainorganizational goals.

4, 5, 6 S, A

4. Explain the relationship of the business organization as itrelates to information systems from an enterpriseperspective.

4, 5, 6 K, S, A

5. Develop the skills in verbal and written communicationrequired to summarize business computing andinformation processing.

4, 5, 7 K, S

6. Develop knowledge of the capabilities of generic andopen-source software. 1, 2, 3 S, A

7. Recognize and analyze ethical issues and/or dilemmas ininformation privacy and security settings, then proposereasoned courses of action.

1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 K, S, A

8. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the theoreticalfoundations of information technology. 1, 4 K, S, A

4 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

CLA Linking TableComprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) directly measure Course Learning Outcomes andindirectly measure BSIT Program Outcomes. The following table shows how all those are linkedtogether.

Comprehensive LearningAssessments (CLAs)

Course Learning Outcomes(CLOs)

BSIT Program Outcomes

CLA1 (Week 5) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

CLA2 (Week 7) 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 1, 4, 5, 6, 7

PA Linking TableProfessional Assessments(PAs)



PA 1 (Week 3) 1, 2, 3, 5 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ Linking TableDiscussion Questions(DQs)



DQ 1 (Week 1) 7, 8 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ 1 (Week 3) 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ 1 (Week 5) 7, 8 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ 1 (Week 6) 2, 4 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

5 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Detailed Course OutlineThe following outline provides important assignment details for this course, week-by-week. You areresponsible for all of the assignments given. Please refer to the Detailed Description of EachGrading Criteria in the University Policies for specific information about each assignment.

1. Week 1

Assignments to complete this week:● Reading: MIS (10th ed.)

○ Chapter 1: Information Systems in Business● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm

Each week, students must post one (1) answer and one (1) peer response for every discussionquestion. Please see Grading Criteria for Discussion Board Participation in the University Policiesfor Discussion Question and Response expectations.

Discussion Question 1: CLO 7, CLO 8

● Will online classes substitute the traditional class setting someday?● If this happens, what would the advantages and disadvantages be?● Justify your arguments.

Discussion Question 2 – Applied Concepts (AC) - Week/Course Learning Outcomes

Using your textbook, LIRN-based research, and the Internet, apply the learning outcomes for theweek/course and lecture concepts to one of the following scenarios:As applied to your current professional careerAs applied to enhancing, improving, or advancing your current professional careerAs applied to a management, leadership, or any decision-making positionAs applied to a current or future entrepreneurial endeavor

OR

Using your textbook, LIRN-based research, and the Internet, apply the learning outcomes for theweek/course and lecture concepts to a business organization that exhibits and demonstrates theseconcepts. You should develop a summary of the organization's strategy and how they use theseconcepts to compete.

This is a learning and application exercise designed to give you an opportunity to apply conceptslearned in a pragmatic and meaningful way that will enable you to gain valuable and relevantknowledge in an effort to augment your skill set and enhance your professional careers.

6 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

2. Week 2


○ Chapter 2: Computers and Their Business Applications○ Chapter 3: Data and Business Intelligence

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm


DQ (P) - Discussion Question 1 – (PDQ directed at upcoming PA) Undergraduate Level

Prior to reading this DQ, please read the PA1 assignment and understand what the assignment isasking you to complete. Once you have an understanding of the PA1 assignment, please continue tothe paragraph below to complete DQ1.

Using the Library Information Resource Network (LIRN), JSTOR, or any other electronic journaldatabase, research two (2) peer-reviewed articles that can be used to answer your upcoming PA1assignment. Your discussion should summarize the articles in such a way that it can justify anyarguments you may present in your PA1 assignment and should be different from the abstract. Inaddition to your researched peer-reviewed article, you must include an example of the articleresearched as it is applied by industry (company, business entity, and so forth).

Please note: This article summary should not be the only article researched for your PA1assignment. You may (and should) have several other articles researched to fully answer your PA1assignment. The concept of this DQ is to allow students to be proactive in the research necessary tocomplete this assignment. You may use your article summary, partially or in its entirety in your PA1assignment.

Important: Please ensure that your reference for the article is in correct APA format, as yourreference in your discussion post. Depending on which electronic database you use, you should see aCite selection for your article. In addition, there should be a variety of articles summarized and assuch, students should have different articles summarized. Your summary MUST include ALL of thefollowing in your DQ post (include every item in the bullet list below, or you will not receive fullcredit):Do these in order:

● In correct APA format, write the Reference of the article.● Clearly state what the article is about and its purpose.● Describe how you will use it in your upcoming assignment.● Repeat for a total of two (2) peer-reviewed sources.

7 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

3. Week 3


○ Chapter 4: Personal, Legal, Ethical, and Organizational Issues○ Chapter 5: Protecting Information Resources

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm● Professional Assignment 1 due by Sunday at 11:59pm


Discussion Question 1: CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3

● Choose three industries.● List a specific legal, ethical, or industry issue for each one.● Explain how big data analytics could provide a competitive advantage to overcome this

issue.

Professional Assignment 1 – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 5

Define, explain, and provide examples of each of the following concepts in the framework ofmanaging and implementing IT solutions:

● Five generations of computer languages● History of computer hardware and software● Four major components of an information system● Five Forces Model● Green computing

Then choose two and demonstrate how they relate to each other.

When completing this assignment, please use your own words. Quoted and paraphrased informationare meant to support your ideas. These do not replace your original thoughts. A minimum of 80% ofthe content in this assignment must be your own original work.

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for Professional Assignments (PAs) in the UniversityPolicies for specific guidelines and expectations.

8 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

4. Week 4


○ Chapter 6: Data Communication: Delivering Information Anywhere and Anytime○ Chapter 7: A Connected World

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm


DQ (C) - Discussion Question 1 – (CDQ directed at upcoming CLA) Undergraduate Level

Prior to reading this DQ, please read the CLA1 assignment and understand what the assignment isasking you to complete. Once you have an understanding of the CLA1 assignment, please continueto the paragraph below to complete DQ1.

Using the Library Information Resource Network (LIRN), JSTOR, or any other electronic journaldatabase, research three (3) peer-reviewed articles that can be used to answer your upcoming CLA1assignment. Your discussion should summarize the articles in such a way that it can justify anyarguments you may present in your CLA1 assignment and should be different from the abstract. Inaddition to your researched peer-reviewed article, you must include an example of the articleresearched as it is applied by industry (company, business entity, and so forth).

Please note: This article summary should not be the only article researched for your CLA1assignment. You may (and should) have several other articles researched to fully answer your CLA1assignment. The concept of this DQ is to allow students to be proactive in the research necessary tocomplete this assignment. You may use your article summary, partially or in its entirety in yourCLA1 assignment.


● In correct APA format, write the Reference of the article.● Clearly state what the article is about and its purpose.● Describe how you will use it in your upcoming assignment.● Repeat for a total of three (3) peer-reviewed sources.

9 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

5. Week 5


○ Chapter 8: E-Commerce○ Chapter 9: Global Information Systems

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm● CLA 1 due by Sunday at 11:59pm


Discussion Question 1 - CLO 7, CLO 8

● How does social media help in providing a community of people with similar interests?● What are the different categories of social networks and online media that collectively

constitute social commerce?

Comprehensive Learning Assessment 1 - CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 6, CLO 7

Using LIRN, the Internet, other electronic journals and databases, and your textbook, define,explain, and provide examples of the following concepts in the framework of managing andimplementing IT solutions:

● Illustrate the three types of networks● How wireless and mobile technologies are implemented in a business setting● Compare and contrast Intranets and extranets● Identify current web trends and their impact on business● Discuss the ethical implications of current IT solutions implemented by companies● Explain the major categories of e-commerce

When completing this assignment, please use your own words. Quoted and paraphrased informationare meant to support your ideas. They do not replace your original thoughts. A minimum of 80% ofthe content in this assignment must be your own original work.

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) in theUniversity Policies for specific guidelines and expectations.

10 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

6. Week 6


○ Chapter 10: Building Successful Information Systems○ Chapter 11: Enterprise Systems

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm● Exam – Opens Monday - Sunday at 11:59pm


Discussion Question 1: CLO 2, CLO 4

● How is personalization different from customization?● Provide an example of each.● Discuss how personalization and customization help companies improve customer service.

Exam – Online

The Exam can be accessed under Week 6 of your course GAP site. The Exam will open on Mondayand will close on Saturday at 11:59 p.m. You will have one (1) attempt to complete the exam. Pleasesee Exam Grading Criteria in the University Policies.

11 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

7. Week 7


○ Chapter 12: Supporting Decisions and Processes○ Chapter 13: Artificial Intelligence and Automation

● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm● CLA 2 due by Sunday at 11:59pm


DQ (C) - Discussion Question 1 – (CDQ directed at upcoming CLA) Undergraduate Level

Prior to reading this DQ, please read the CLA2 assignment and understand what the assignment isasking you to complete. Once you have an understanding of the CLA2 assignment, please continueto the paragraph below to complete DQ1.

Using the Library Information Resource Network (LIRN), JSTOR, or any other electronic journaldatabase, research four (4) peer-reviewed articles that can be used to answer your upcoming CLA2assignment. Your discussion should summarize the articles in such a way that it can justify anyarguments you may present in your CLA2 assignment and should be different from the abstract. Inaddition to your researched peer-reviewed article, you must include an example of the articleresearched as it is applied by industry (company, business entity, and so forth).

Please note: This article summary should not be the only article researched for your CLA2assignment. You may (and should) have several other articles researched to fully answer your CLA2assignment. The concept of this DQ is to allow students to be proactive in the research necessary tocomplete this assignment. You may use your article summary, partially or in its entirety in yourCLA2 assignment.


● In correct APA format, write the Reference of the article.● Clearly state what the article is about and its purpose.● Describe how you will use it in your upcoming assignment.● Repeat for a total of four (4) peer-reviewed sources.

12 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Comprehensive Learning Assessment 2 – CLO 1, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, CLO 8

Using LIRN, the Internet, other electronic journals and databases, and your textbook, define,explain, and provide examples of the following concepts in the framework of managing andimplementing IT solutions:

● Summarize each of the four types of intelligent agents and how these are used● Describe the five benefits of integrating AI technologies into decision support systems● Examine the types of decisions made in each phase of the decision-making process● Explain an executive information system’s importance in decision making● Describe the foundation, models, and applications of cloud computing● Describe blockchain technology and cryptocurrency.

When completing this assignment, please use your own words. Quoted and paraphrased informationare meant to support your ideas. These do not replace your original thoughts. A minimum of 80% ofthe content in this assignment must be your own original work.

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) in theUniversity Policies for specific guidelines and expectations.

Each CLA2 and presentation will become a part of the student’s digital portfolio. Upon completionof the program, the student’s digital portfolio will demonstrate the student’s mastery of the courseand program learning objectives.

13 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

8. Week 8


○ Readings this week as required to complete your final CLA2 paper, and CLA2 PPT.● Assignments to complete this week:

○ Chapter 14: Emerging Trends, Technologies, and Applications● Post DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59pm● Post DQ Peer Responses by Thursday at 11:59pm● CLA 2 Presentation due in class


Discussion Question 1 – Summary & Critical Thinking – Week/Course Learning Outcomes Welcome to the last week of your course. In this discussion question you have the opportunity to becreative and to relate what you have learned to your professional lives. Please explore and criticallythink about some of the learning objectives and concepts presented in this course. Please effectivelycommunicate how you would lead an organization (or a group of people within the organization) byapplying the knowledge you have learned ethically and responsibly. Your discussion should alsoinclude innovative thinking, and information-technology aspects (such as the Internet, social-media,computers, etc.) that may assist you in decision-making. You may frame your discussion around anyfunctional component of business, and in any context; problem-solving, management, leadership,organizational behavior, and so forth.

CLA2 Comprehensive Learning Assessment (CLA 2) Presentation

In addition to your CLA2 report, please prepare a professional PowerPoint (PPT) presentationsummarizing your findings for CLA2. The presentation will consist of your major findings, analysis,and recommendations in a concise presentation of 12 slides (minimum). You should use contentfrom your CLA2 report as material for your PowerPoint presentation. In addition, you shouldinclude learning outcomes from all your major assignments. This would include PA1, CLA1, and ofcourse, CLA2 (unless otherwise specified by your Professor). An agenda, executive summary, andreferences slides should also be included. Please keep in mind that the university is moving towardsa more digital footprint for our students. This means that your final CLA2 presentation may berecorded, so that you may include it in your “e-portfolio” (graduating students should have all oftheir CLA2 presentations on a flash-drive, in addition to student biography, resume, interests, etc.)Students will present their PowerPoint during the last week of class in either the On-Campus ClassSession or the online Virtual Class Session, as determined by the professor. Presentations should notexceed 12 minutes.

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for CLA2 Presentations in the University Policies forspecific guidelines and expectations.

14 of 15

BSIT 315 Syllabus

Each CLA2 and presentation will become a part of the student’s digital portfolio. Upon completionof the program, the student’s digital portfolio will demonstrate the student’s mastery of the courseand program learning objectives.

15 of 15

Appendix 1.02

Sample Syllabi 2 - BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

BSIT 345Data Programming Languages

Syllabus

BSIT 345 Syllabus

Table of Contents

Course Description 3

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Linked to Program Outcomes 4

CLA Linking Table 5

Detailed Course Outline 6

2 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

Course Description

COURSE NAME Data Programming LanguagesCODE BSIT 345

UNITS 3

LENGTH OF CLASS 8 weeks

COURSEDESCRIPTION

The course provides students with an introduction to the mainconcepts in programming related to data. The course focuses ondata storage and the use of regular expressions to search data.The course also includes an overview of object-orientedconcepts.

REQUIRED TEXT

Sebesta, Robert (2019). Concepts of programming languages(Subscription) (12th ed.). Pearson.

Print ISBN: 978-0134997186eText ISBN: 978-0135102251

METHOD OFINSTRUCTION

The course is conducted in a combination modality. Studentsinteract with each other and with the faculty in a classroomsetting and in an online learning system. Learning will befacilitated through lecture-discussions, presentations,cooperative learning, and case studies.

SCOPEStudent outcomes are measured through professional individualassignments, discussion postings, comprehensive learningassessments, and class participation.

3 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) Linked to Program Outcomes

Learning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learnershave achieved, and can reliably demonstrate at the end of the course. Learning outcomes identifywhat the learner will know and be able to do by the end of a course – the essential and enduringknowledge, abilities (skills) and attitudes (values, dispositions) that constitute the integratedlearning needed by a graduate of this course. The learning outcomes for this course summarizewhat you can expect to learn, and how this course is tied directly to the educational outcomes ofyour BSIT degree.

Course Learning Objectives (CLOs) BSIT ProgramObjectives

(K) Knowledge(S) Skill

(A) Attitude

1. Describe and offer a summary overview of logic andfunctional programming languages. 2, 6, 7 K, A

2. Define the main concepts in data programming andrecognize them in examples and case studies. 2, 6, 7 K, A

3. Demonstrate the use of regular expressions to queryand search data. 4, 6, 7 K, S

4. Demonstrate programming using object-orientedconcepts. 4, 5 K, S, A

5. Implement statement-level control structuresincluding selective, iterative, conditional andunconditional branching.

4, 5, 6 K, S, A

6. Develop subprograms to analyze data. 3, 6 K, S

4 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

CLA Linking Table

Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs), Professional Assessments (PAs) and DiscussionQuestions (DQs) directly measure Course Learning Outcomes and indirectly measure BSITProgram Outcomes. The following table shows how all those are linked together.

Comprehensive LearningAssessments (CLAs)

Course Learning Outcomes(CLOs) BSIT Program Outcomes

CLA1 (Week 4) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

CLA2 (Week 7) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

PA and Team Project Linking Table

Professional Assessments(PAs)

Course Learning Outcomes(CLOs) BSIT Program Outcomes

Team Project (Week 8) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ Linking Table

Discussion Questions (DQs) Course Learning Outcomes(CLOs) BSIT Program Outcomes

DQ1 (Week 1) 1, 2 2, 6, 7

DQ1 (Week 2) 1, 2, 3 2, 6, 7

DQ1 (Week 3) 1, 2, 3, 4 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ1 (Week 4) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ1 (Week 6) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DQ1 (Week 7) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

5 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

Detailed Course Outline

The following outline provides important assignment details for this course, week-by-week. Youare responsible for all of the assignments given. Please refer to the Detailed Description of EachGrading Criteria in the University Policies for specific information about each assignment.

1. Week 1

Assignments to complete this week:● Reading: Concepts of Programming Languages

o Chapter 1: Preliminarieso Chapter 2: Evolution of the Major Programming Languages

● Lab: access/install C, Java, C++ and Python● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● Form Project Teams

This week, students must post one (1) answer and one (1) peer response for every discussionquestion. Please see Grading Criteria for Discussion Board Participation in the UniversityPolicies for Discussion Question and Response expectations.

Discussion Question 1 – CLO 1, CLO 2

1. Build a table identifying all of the major language developments, together with when theyoccurred, in what language they first appeared, and the identities of the developers.

2. Using LIRN and the Internet, identify the top five most used programming languages andscripting languages currently used in the US market. Research the job listings in Glassdoorand Indeed.com for software engineers and data scientist positions and write a summaryparagraph that describes the programming languages required by employers today.

Team Project – Team Selection

Instead of an exam in week 8, there will be a team project. This information is available in Week8. For week one, teams of 4-5 students will be selected voluntarily or as assigned by yourprofessor. Each team member will be responsible for the overall project, just as a project team ina business situation would be.

Although nothing beyond identifying the teams is due for week one, teams are encouraged tobegin reviewing the project information, and determining what role each person will take as anIT analyst, and who will be responsible for each of the required portions. Please note that thedistribution of the work must be even, both in the work to complete the project as well as theduring the presentation.

6 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

3. Week 2


o Chapter 3: Describing Syntax and Semanticso Chapter 4: Lexical and Syntax Analysis

● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● Team Project Charter due by Sunday at 11:59 p.m.


DQ (P) - Discussion Question – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3

1. Prove the following program is correct (exercise 28 in chapter 3):{n > 0}count = n;sum = 0;while count <> 0 dosum = sum + count;count = count - 1;

end{sum = 1 + 2 + . . . + n}

2. Write an EBNF rule that describes the for statement of Java or C++. Write therecursive-descent subprogram in Java or C++ for this rule.

Post your analysis in the discussion board and then review and comment on another submission.

Team Project:

All students are to form groups of 4-5 and by the end of Week 2. Each group will work on theteam project throughout the entire session and submit the results in Week 8 for grading.Before the end of Week 2, the team must meet (virtually or in person) to discuss the week 8 teamproject (PA) and create the Project Team Charter. The completed charter identifies the teammembers, each member’s responsibilities, and the deadline for each member’s analysis. Theteam can submit a draft of the analysis and presentation in Week 6, for faculty non-gradedfeedback during week 7.Project Team forms and information can be found here.

For details on the project, see Week 8.

7 of 22

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pi7NcBDkHnxAecYALLW3RABen0jVA6iDrwiiEk41eRE/edit?usp=sharing

BSIT 345 Syllabus

4. Week 3


Chapter 5: Names, Bindings, and ScopesChapter 6: Data Types

● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.


DQ (C) - Discussion Question – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4

1. In your opinion, what major features would a perfect programming language include? Takethe examples of C++, Java and Python and discuss their features, advantages anddisadvantages.

2. Repeat Programming Exercise 3 in chapter 5 with Python.3. Write a C program that does a large number of references to elements of two-dimensioned

arrays, using only subscripting. Write a second program that does the same operations butuses pointers and pointer arithmetic for the storage-mapping function to do the arrayreferences. Compare the time efficiency of the two programs. Which of the two programs islikely to be more reliable? Why?

4. Post your analysis in the discussion board and then review and comment on anothersubmission.

8 of 22

https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/9780135102251/epub/OPS/xhtml/fileP7001015124000000000000000001982.xhtml?favre=brett#P700101512400000000000000000198D

BSIT 345 Syllabus

5. Week 4


Chapter 6: Data TypesChapter 7: Expressions and Assignment StatementsChapter 8: Statement-Level Control Structures

● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● CLA 1 Assignment by Sunday at 11:59 p.m.


DQ (C) - Discussion Question – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 51. Program exercise 8 of chapter 7 in C++, Java and Python.2. Rewrite the following code segment using a multiple-selection statement in C, C++, Java and

Python:if ((k == 1) || (k == 2)) j = 2 * k - 1if ((k == 3) || (k == 5)) j = 3 * k + 1if (k == 4) j = 4 * k - 1if ((k == 6) || (k == 7) || (k == 8)) j = k - 2


CLA 1 Comprehensive Learning Assessment - CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5,CLO 6

1. What are arguments for and against a user program building additional definitions forexisting operators, as can be done in Python and C++? Do you think such user-definedoperator overloading is good or bad? Support your answer.

2. Write a program that includes two subprograms, one that takes a single parameter andperforms some simple operation on that parameter and one that takes 20 parameters and usesall of the parameters, but only for one simple operation. The main program must call thesetwo subprograms a large number of times. Include in the program timing code to output therun time of the calls to each of the two subprograms. Run the program on a RISC machineand on a CISC machine and compare the ratios of the time required by the two subprograms.Based on the results, what can you say about the speed of parameter passing on the twomachines?

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) inthe University Policies for specific guidelines and expectations.

9 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

5. Week 5


Chapter 9: SubprogramsChapter 10: Implementing Subprograms

● Lab:o Read and practice the R exercises listed in section “R Zone” of Chapters 9 and 11.

● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.

Discussion Question 1 – CLA2 Preparation & Course Learning Outcomes Welcome to week 5 of your course. This discussion question will help you prepare for yourCLA2 assignment, and as such, will have a fair amount of detail. Read the CLA2 assignmentlisted in week 8 of the course. Then, please provide an outline that itemizes the concepts thatyou will include in your CLA2 submissions. Please be sure to include concepts learned in thecourse and information (findings, conclusions) from your PA1 and CLA1 (if applicable) papers.Provide some brief details for each item that is outlined. Please keep in mind that you shouldhave place-holders for material not yet covered in lecture from week’s 6 and 7. Here is anitemized list that summarizes the requirements of this DQ (include every item in the bullet listbelow, or you will not receive full credit):

● Outline that itemizes concepts learned in the course● Include information (findings, conclusions) from your PA1 and CLA1 (if applicable)● Placeholders for material not yet covered (taken from syllabus)● Brief details for each item that is outlined (creating a comprehensive outline)

10 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

6. Week 6


Chapter 11: Abstract Data Types and Encapsulation ConstructsChapter 12: Support for Object-Oriented Programming

● Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● Team Project presentation draft submitted by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.

Each week, students must post one (1) answer and one (1) peer response for every discussionquestion. Please see Grading Criteria for Discussion Board Participation in the UniversityPolicies for Discussion Question and Response expectations.

DQ (C) - Discussion Question – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, CLO 6

1. Write an analysis of the similarities of and differences between Java packages and C++namespaces.

2. Why are destructors rarely used in Java but essential in C++?3. Study and explain the issue of why C# does not include Java’s nonstatic nested classes.4. Rewrite the single_linked_list, stack_2, and queue_2 classes in Section 12.5.2 in Java

and compare the result with the C++ version in terms of readability and ease ofprogramming.


Team Project Presentation Draft Submission

Please review the Project Information in Week 8.

Prepare a draft for submission by Sunday evening at 11:59 pm of week 6. The faculty memberwill provide feedback on the draft for content only during week 7. You will then use thatfeedback to improve and finalize the project for presentation and submission during the last classmeeting in week 8.

11 of 22

https://jigsaw.vitalsource.com/books/9780135102251/epub/OPS/xhtml/fileP70010151240000000000000000036DF.xhtml#P70010151240000000000000000036E7

BSIT 345 Syllabus

7. Week 7


Chapter 15: Functional Programming LanguagesChapter 16: Logic Programming Languages

● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● CLA 2 Assignment by Sunday at 11:59 p.m.

DQ (C) - Discussion Question – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, CLO 6

Browse the information provided by https://www.w3resource.com/java-exercises/, identify threeexercises based on the theory concepts you learned in this topic and review them. For three (3)concepts you identified, write a paragraph each summarizing the:

1. Concept definition2. Problem this concept was used in.3. Learnings you got from using and calculating the concept.4. Identify challenges you encountered and how you solved them.


CLA 2 Comprehensive Learning Assessment – CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5,CLO 6

1. Write a Scheme function that takes a simple list of numbers as its parameter and returns alist identical to the parameter list except with the numbers in ascending order.

2. Write the following English conditional statements as Prolog-headed Horn clauses:If Fred is the father of Mike, then Fred is an ancestor of Mike.If Mike is the father of Joe and Mike is the father of Mary, then Mary is the sister of Joe.If Mike is the brother of Fred and Fred is the father of Mary, then Mike is the uncle ofMary.

3. Write a Prolog program that finds the maximum of a list of numbers.

*Please refer to the Grading Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) inthe University Policies for specific guidelines and expectations.

12 of 22

https://www.w3resource.com/java-exercises/

BSIT 345 Syllabus

8. Week 8

Assignments to complete this week:● Post Initial DQ Answers by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.● Post Peer Responses by Saturday at 11:59 p.m.● Team Project presentation – last night of class

Discussion Question 1 – Summary & Critical Thinking – Week/Course Learning Outcomes

Welcome to the last week of your course. In this discussion question you have the opportunity tobe creative and to relate what you have learned to your professional lives. Please explore andcritically think about some of the learning outcomes and concepts presented in this course.Please effectively communicate how you would lead an organization (or a group of peoplewithin the organization) by applying the knowledge you have learned ethically and responsibly.Your discussion should also include innovative thinking, and information-technology aspects(such as the Internet, social-media, computers, and so forth) that may assist you indecision-making. You may frame your discussion around any functional component of business,and in any context; problem-solving, management, leadership, organizational behavior, and soforth

Team Project Presentation –CLO 1, CLO 2, CLO 3, CLO 4, CLO 5, CLO 6

Welcome to the last week of BSIT330. Every group of 4-5 students presents its analysis of theTeam Project. Presentations are to be summarized in a professional PowerPoint with a minimumof 18 slides containing the following sections:

1. Title2. Executive Summary3. Problem/challenge/opportunity studied with a list of clear analysis questions4. For each question identified at point 3, prepare one slide that shows how the question was

solved using all the statistical concepts learned throughout the class. Clearly identify thestatistic used, how it was implemented/calculated in SAS.

5. Summary of all findings and impact on the business.6. Proposed further analysis7. References

Please keep in mind that the university is moving towards a more digital footprint for ourstudents. This means that your final PA Team Project presentation may be recorded, so that youmay include it in your “e-portfolio” (graduating students should have all of their presentations ona flash-drive, in addition to student biography, resume, interests, and so forth). Students willpresent their PowerPoint during the last week of class in either the On-Campus Class Session orthe online Virtual Class Session, as determined by the professor. Presentations should not exceed20 minutes.

Team Project Description:

13 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

Using everything you learned in this class, solve the following problems:1. What are the final values of i, j, k, and *p after executing the following C program segment?

int i = 10, j = 20, k = 30;int *p;p = &k;*p = *p + 3;p = &j;*p = 0;p = &i;

2. The Figure below shows two programs, one written in C++, the other in Java. In bothprograms, a Parent class has a public method named msg. A Child class overrides the methodmsg with a new one. In the main function of both programs, a Child object named x iscreated and assigned to a Parent object named y.

a. What is the output of the C++ program?(a) Parent: Parent, Child: Parent(b) Parent: Parent, Child: Child(c) Parent: Child, Child: Parent(d) Parent: Child, Child: Child

b. What is the output of the Java program?(a) Parent: Parent, Child: Parent(b) Parent: Parent, Child: Child(c) Parent: Child, Child: Parent(d) Parent: Child, Child: Child

14 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

3. Refer to the JavaScript programs below.

What is printed by program (a)? What is printed by program (b)?

4. In Python, suppose function f is defined as follows:def f(x):

return x*xWhat is the value of the expression map(f,[2,3,4,5]) ?

5. Write regular expression patterns to match US social security numbers. Your patterns shouldmatch an entire string, leaving no characters unmatched. Your answers should be able tosupport the sample session in the boxes below. Please give your answers as assignments tovariables P1, P2 and P3, e.g., P1 = r’…your re pattern goes here…’.(a) Write a simple Python regular expression, P1, that matches a SSN like “123-45-6789”,i.e., three digits, a dash, two digits, a dash, four digits.(b) Write another regular expression, P2, that matches SSNs where the separators betweenthe numeric groups are optional and can a mixed sequence dashes or white space characters.(c) Write a final version, P3, that extends P2 and defines three capturing match groups, onefor each of the three “fields” in the SSN.

15 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

(d) Fill in the following table. For each row, assume that we evaluate the expression mo =re.match(pattern,string) The variable mo will be matched to the result of the match, i.e.,either None if the match failed or a match object if it succeeded. A match object hasattributes and methods that can provide the details of the match. Fill in the missing values forMatch? (i.e., does the pattern matched the string, mo.group() (i.e., what part of the string

16 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

matched the pattern) and mo.group(1) (i.e., which is the first of the pattern’s match groups).Enter N/A in a cell if no answer is appropriate for it or it generates an error.

6. Use Python to split lists, as below:(a) Define a Python function, odds, that takes a list and returns every other element, starting

with the first. See the example below.

(b) Using the Python function odds and any of the primitives if, <, len(), return, write afunction evens that takes a list and returns the elements in even positions, starting withthe second. Pay attention to the end conditions.

17 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

7. Explain what is happening with the programming code sections below:(a) Your classmate wrote the simple module shown to the right and put it in a file grp.py.

When she used it, she got the following error. Explain why this happened. (Don’t justparaphrase the error message, but explain why Python was confused

UnboundLocalError: local variable 'size' referenced before assignment

(b) She modified the file as shown below, re-started Python, and entered the following:

18 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

She added lines 2-4 above to make her life easier by adding aliases for the variables andfunction in the grp module, so that she could refer, for example, to grp.group as justgroup. It seemed to work at first, but when she checked on the group and it’s size, shewas surprised and confused. Explain what’s going on.

19 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

8. The table below gives the symbols Python uses in regular expressions.(a) A variable name in Python must start with a letter or underscore and may be followed byany number of letters, digits, and underscores. Give a Python regular expression that matchesa legal Python variable name.

(c) Fill in the following table. For each row, assume that we evaluate the expressionmo = re.match(pattern,string)Fill in the missing values for Match? (i.e., does the pattern matched the string,mo.group() (i.e., what part of the string matched the pattern) and mo.group(1) (i.e., whichis the first of the pattern’s match groups). Enter N/A in a cell if no answer is appropriatefor it.

20 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

(d) Write a Python regular expression to match a date string for any date from January 1,1900 to December 31, 2099 using the familiar notation like 10/08/2002. Here is aspecification:A date is a month followed by a slash followed by a day followed by a slash followed by ayear. A month is an integer between 1 and 12. If the integer is a single digit, it can bepreceded by an optional zero (e.g., 01/20/2009). A day is an integer between 1 and 31and, if a single digit, can be preceded by an optional zero (e.g., 12/01/2008). A year willbe an integer between 1900 and 2099, inclusive.You can ignore the fact that some months have fewer than 31 days. Strings yourexpression should match include 01/01/1900, 1/1/1900, 12/31/2080, 1/01/2009,02/30/1984, 1/23/1945, and 10/8/2002 and strings that shouldn’t match include00/01/1900, 1/1/1899, 13/01/2000, and 10/8/02. Hint: it will probably help if you draw afinite state graph for the regular expression first.

9. Java and other programming languages have taken the approach of executing on a virtualmachine, as opposed to compiling to native machine code. Explain one advantage and onedisadvantage of the virtual machine approach.

10. Explain the relationships between the following syntax terms: parse tree, derivation,grammar, language, and sentence. Give an example of each in the programming language ofyour choice.

11. Taking the Wells Fargo dataset provided with this course, develop a plan for analysis andimplement it in C, C++, Java or Python. Your objective is to answer the question: Who is theWells Fargo home mortgage consumer and what is his/her behavior? To answer the question,you need to understand the demographics of the consumer and be able to describe hisbehavior. Make sure you use all the concepts you learned weekly throughout the course. Foryour analysis, Wells Fargo shares a database of 32,264 customers and 47 variables detailingtheir financial behavior. The entire list of variables is:

Ins purchase variable annuity account 1=Yes, 0 = NoAcctAg age of oldest account in yearsDDA checking account 1=Yes, 0 = NoDDABal checking account balanceDep number of checking depositsDepAmt amount depositedCashBk number of times customer received cash backChecks number of checksDirDep direct deposit 1=Yes, 0 = NoNSF occurrence of insufficient funds 1=Yes, 0 = NoNSFAmt amount of insufficient fundsPhone number of times customer used telephone bankingTeller number of teller visitsSav saving account 1=Yes, 0 = NoSavBal saving balanceATM used ATM service 1=Yes, 0 = NoATMAmt ATM withdrawal amountPOS number of point of sale transactionsPOSAmt amount in point of sale transactionsCD has certificate of deposit

21 of 22

BSIT 345 Syllabus

CDBal certificate of deposit balanceIRA has retirement account 1=Yes, 0 = NoIRABal retirement account balanceLOC has line of credit 1=Yes, 0 = NoLOCBal line of credit balanceInv has investment account 1=Yes, 0 = NoInvBal investment account balanceILS has installment loan 1=Yes, 0 = NoILSBal installment loan balanceMM has money market accountMMBal money market balanceMMCred number of money market creditsMTG has mortgage account 1=Yes, 0 = NoMTGBal mortgage balanceCC has credit card account 1=Yes, 0 = NoCCBal credit card balanceCCPure number of credit card purchasesSDB has a safety deposit box 1=Yes, 0 = NoIncome income in thousands of dollarsHMOwn owns home 1=Yes, 0 = NoLORes length of years at residenceHMVal home value in thousands of dollarsAge age of customer in yearsCRScore credit scoreMoved recent address change 1=Yes, 0 = NoInArea local address 1=Yes, 0 = No

22 of 22

Appendix 2.01

POLICY AC151 - Admissions Policies

POLICY #AC151

REVISED: 08/20/2020 REVIEWED: 08/20/2020 APPROVED: 12/08/2020

WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

ADMISSION POLICIES

Enrollment Policy and Requirements Applications for admission are accepted year - round. There are six term starts per year; Fall1, Fall 2, Spring 3, Spring4, Summer 5, and Summer6. Enrollment forms are available online. Once the student has been accepted, they may enroll into their chosen program of student and begin courses the following term.

Students are required to review and sign their individual Enrollment Agreements.

Admission Requirements Students interested in applying for any program at Westcliff University must meet the eligibility criteria for that program. If a student does not enroll in a course within six (6) months from the date of acceptance (including provisional acceptance), the acceptance will be revoked. Students must then reapply and repeat the admissions process.

Prospective students must acknowledge receipt of the catalog as part of the admission process. They are strongly encouraged to review the catalog as well as the School Performance Fact Sheet. Both documents must be provided before signing the enrollment agreement.

Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements will receive letters of denial within 30 days of submitting an application.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR ADMISSIONS Students are provisionally accepted to Westcliff University until all required documentation has been submitted, verified, and approved, which includes:

1. Admissions Application – All students who wish to apply must complete

an Admissions Application. The application can be requested from the Office of the Registrar or downloaded off and submitted from the Westcliff University website: http://www.westcliff.edu/apply/ the application must be completed thoroughly, or it will be returned without action.

2. Application Fee – All applicants must submit an application fee of thirty dollars ($40.00 CAD) with the Admissions Application or by credit card online. If the fee does not accompany the Admissions Application, the application will not be processed. The application fee is non‐refundable.

3. Personal Statement – All applicants must submit a one page personal statement indicating why they wish to study at Westcliff University highlighting any special personal qualifications or personal circumstances; citing examples of personal attributes or qualities that will enable completion of study successfully; describing personal determination to achieve goals, initiative and ability to develop ideas, and ability to work independently; listing any background characteristics that indicate overcoming an educational disadvantage (English language learner, family economic history, lack of educational opportunity, disability, etc.)

4. Transcripts – All applicants must submit official transcripts from previously attended institutions. If transcripts are from a foreign institution, a University‐approved evaluation agency must review and send their official evaluation directly to the Registrar. Regular Degreed applicants must show evidence of a bachelor’s degree. Regular Non‐degreed applicants must show evidence of 60 credit hours of college work. Transfer applicants must also submit official transcripts from their previous school to be evaluated (The students provisionally accepted must submit an official transcript before the end of the first enrollment period which shall not exceed 12 credit hours.).

5. Personal Identification – All applicants are required to submit a copy of a current form of personal identification such as: A State driver’s license, government issued identification card, passport, visas, etc. which must contain a photo of the applicant.

6. Disclosure Forms – All applicants must sign and submit required disclosure forms which include:

a. Memorandum of Understanding

b. Photograph/Video/Testimonial Consent to Release Form c. FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act)

Form d. Attestation Form e. Acknowledgement of Handbook f. Consent to Release Information of Education g. Disability Self‐Disclosure and Request for Accommodations (if

necessary) h. School Performance Fact Sheet

7. Enrollment Agreement – Applicants are required to review and sign their individual enrollment agreement; the agreement contains the complete understanding between Westcliff University and the student regarding the University providing educational services in exchange for payment of fees and tuition.

8. Registration – Once accepted for admission, students must complete enrollment materials. Upon enrollment to the University, students will be registered for courses. Admission is only valid for the accepted term. Payment of all fees and tuition are due at the time of registration. Students may seek financial counseling with a designated University financial representative.

9. Readmission – The University requires all candidates who applied in prior years to complete new application materials. Any student who wishes to re‐enroll must submit a Readmission Petition. Upon approval of readmission, students must also complete a new Admission Application. The Readmission Petition and Admission Application must be accompanied by a non‐refundable application fee of $40.00 CAD each. Students who were dismissed by the University must complete the reinstatement section of the Readmission Petition form.

10. International Students – Westcliff University admits students from other countries. The institution does not provide visa services, nor does it vouch for the status of students for purposes of a visa. Westcliff does assist the student in obtaining an evaluation of their official transcript, in which such event there is a service charge. The following is a brief description of International Student admissions requirements. More details and information can be found in the International Student Handbook.

International students are advised to begin the admission process as early as possible prior to the time they wish to enter Westcliff University because of the tests required, delays in international mail, etc. To apply to Westcliff University, international students must submit the following additional materials:

a. Copy of their passport b. Copy of passport for all dependents ( if applicable) c. Affidavit of Support: A student living independently must be

guaranteed the minimum amount of financial support that is comparable to cost of living in Vancouver, British Columbia, including tuition and books. This form is required for the student’s admission and must be completed by the student and his or her sponsor. The form identifies whether the student is solely responsible for his/her tuition at Westcliff University or if a sponsor will contribute funding then the information provided in the form identifies from where the funds for the tuition is coming from.

d. Bank statement showing financial capability: An original and current bank statement from the sponsor’s bank account must be provided to validate the certification noted on the affidavit of support form.

e. Health insurance: Provincial Health Care Coverage is available for international students for a monthly fee. To ensure the safety of our student body, enrollment in this health coverage program is highly encouraged.

f. Certified academic documents – CSC, CXC, GCE, WASC, CGSE – or official final secondary school records, official University transcripts, mark sheets, and course syllabi or catalogs. All students must have official transcripts evaluated by the International Educational Research Foundation (IERF) Service ( www.ierf.org ).

g. If the applicant is applying to a higher degree program than previously earned, with no transfer courses, a general report is requested.

h. If the applicant is applying to a degree program, with possible transfer courses, a detailed report (course by course translation) is requested.

http://www.ierf.org/

i. Evidence of English language proficiency as prescribed in the

University Policy on English Language Proficiency for applicants whose native language is not English. (For complete information on English Proficiency Requirement, please refer to the English Proficiency Required Section of the Catalog.)

j. Resume (optional)

11. Veterans: The University’s programs are approved for enrollment of persons eligible to receive educational benefits through the Veteran’s Well-Being Act. Students who are eligible for educational assistance through the Veterans’ Education and Training Benefit programs must apply online via their VAC account.

12. Students Dismissed by the University: - Students who wish to re - enroll at Westcliff University after being dismissed by the University must wait for one full session before petitioning for readmission. Students must submit the Readmission Petition (International Students must also complete the Reinstatement Section) at least 1 session (2 months) before the start date in which he/she requests readmission. Students must answer all questions and sufficiently explain how they plan to improve their performance in order to maintain good standing.

The Readmission Committee will assess the student’s ability for future success in the program of study and notify the student, in writing, for reinstatement and ability to resume coursework at Westcliff University. After readmission approval, students will need to complete a new Admission Application with the Office of Admissions to submit updated admission materials and academic transcripts to be officially reinstated.

Notification of Acceptance Once the Office of Admissions has received an Application Form and all supporting documents have been received by the Office of Admissions, the applicant must allow between two to three weeks for processing and notification of the admission status. International transcripts evaluations may take longer for foreign applicants.

Once a prospective student is admitted into a program, Letter of Acceptance will be mailed advising of the status of admission along with a Student

Handbook and all necessary instructional materials/information to begin the term. An applicant may be provisionally (conditionally) admitted for enrollment if their file is pending receipt of documents.

Application for Enrollment Upon acceptance, applicants are required to review and sign their individual enrollment agreements for the programs in which they will enroll; the agreement contains the complete understanding between Westcliff University and the student regarding the educational services to be provided in exchange for your payment of fees and tuition.

After students have completed their enrollment agreements and are officially enrolled, student services will guide new students through the course registration process and provide access to the campus Global Academic Portal. New students are required to attend new student orientation, offered on-ground and/or virtually. New student orientation introduces students to the support systems at Westcliff University in order to maximize their studies at the campus.

Cancellation Policy Students have the right to cancel the enrollment agreement and obtain a refund of charges paid through attendance at the first class session, or the seventh day after enrollment, whichever is later. Students may withdraw from courses and receive a prorated refund for the unused tuition portions if they have completed 60% or less of the instruction. Withdraw requests must be in writing and should state the reasons for the request. The school will make any refunds due within 30 days, even if the student has failed to return materials. The refund does not include the $40.00 CAD Application fee, or $33.00 CAD registration fee.

English Language Proficiency Requirements Prospective students whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must demonstrate college‐level proficiency in English through one of the following for admission:

1. Undergraduate Degree: A minimum score of 500 on the paper‐based

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), or 61 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), a 6.0 on the International English Language Test (IELTS), or 44 on the Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report. A high school diploma completed at an accredited/recognized high school (where the medium of instruction is English).

2. Master’s Degree: A minimum score of 530 on the paper‐based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), or 71 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), a 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS), or 50 on the Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report.

3. First Professional Degree or Professional Doctoral Degree: A minimum score of 550 on the paper‐based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), or 80 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), a 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS), or 58 on the Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report.

4. A minimum score on the College Board Accuplacer ESL Exam Series as follows:

4.1. ESL Language Use: Score of 85 4.2. ESL Listening: Score of 80 4.3. ESL Reading: Score of 85 4.4. ESL Sentence Meaning: Score of 90 4.5. ESL Writeplacer: Score of 4 4.6. Comprehensive Score for all exams of 350

5. A minimum grade of Pre‐1 on the Eiken English Proficiency Exam. 6. A minimum B‐2 English proficiency level identified within the Common

European Framework of Reference (CEFR) standards and assessed through various ESOL examinations, including the University of Cambridge.

7. A transcript indicating completion of at least 30 credit hours with an average grade of “C” or higher at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or accepted foreign equivalent that is listed in the International Handbook of Universities where the language of instruction was English. A “B” or higher is required for a master's degree, first professional degree, or professional doctoral degree.

Transcripts not in English must be evaluated by an appropriate third party and translated into English or evaluated by a trained transcript evaluator fluent in the language on the transcript. Evaluators must have expertise in the educational practices of the country of origin and include an English translation of the review.

Transfer Students Westcliff University will consider accepting transfer students from other schools. To transfer to the University, students must file an application for admission, satisfy all admission requirements, and submit official copies of transcripts from all schools previously attended. The maximum number of credits that can be transferred from other appropriately accredited institutions into Undergraduate Programs at Westcliff University is 90 credits, of which:

1. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred in order to satisfy the requirements for lower division General Education courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Lower Division General Education Courses).

2. A maximum of 30 credits may be transferred in as Course Waivers for Upper Division Core Business Courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Upper Division Courses). The maximum number of credits that can be transferred from other institutions into Graduate Programs at Westcliff University is, 6 credits for Master‐level, and 9 credits for Doctorate‐level. Transferring students utilizing financial aid should refer to Westcliff University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy to ensure they meet transferability requirements.

Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT)

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS 1. Admission Application 2. Application fee of $40.00 CAD 3. Personal Statement 4. Transcript 5. One (1) form of Personal Identification, including a government issued

ID with photo

6. A Bachelor Degree from an accredited institution required 7. At least 1 course taken at the undergraduate level in content related to

information and/or computer technology 8. Work experience related to information technology is recommended 9. Sign admissions disclosure forms:

i. Memorandum of Understanding ii. Photograph/Video/Testimonial Consent to Release Form iii. FIPPA Form iv. Attestation Form v. Acknowledgement of Handbook vi. Consent to Release Information of Education vii. Disability Self‐Disclosure and Request for Accommodations (if applicable) viii. School Performance Fact Sheet

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Students may apply for graduation after meeting all academic and financial requirements. They fulfill all graduation requirements after completing thirty (30) prescribed credit hours with a program GPA of 3.0 or higher and satisfying their financial obligations to the University. Degrees reflect coursework completed.

Appendix 2.02

Prior Experiential Learning Policies and Procedures

WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR PRIOR

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

September 1, 2013

Westcliff University Policy

for

Academic Credit for Prior Experiential Learning(Applicable only for Undergraduate Programs)

Definition

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) is any prior learning experience that was not part of a collegeor university course and does not in or of itself carry academic degree credit.

Learning can take place in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, the following:

• On-the-job training• Military training• Volunteer work• Conventions and conferences• Continuing education courses• Teaching• Hobbies and recreational activities• Community/religious service• Travel• Seminars and workshops• Training programs or in-service courses• Independent research• Awards, publications, or• memberships

At Westcliff University the Prior Experiential Learning program is applicable only for ourundergraduate programs. We do not award PEL credit for students enrolled in any of ourGraduate Degree Programs.

Source of Information for Policy

As the basis for our policies regarding Prior Experiential Learning, Westcliff University usesguidelines and reference materials published by internationally recognized sources; such as:

a) The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services;b) The Guidelines of the Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning (CAEL);c) The standards of the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and the

guidelines for assessing learningd) The National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.

How Credit is Awarded

A university cannot award credit for life or work experience. Credit awarded for experientiallearning is based solely on the depth and quality of learning that is derived from the life or workexperience.

Credit (semester unit/hours) awarded by Westcliff University for Prior Experiential Learning isbased on specific measurable learning outcomes, which match the learning outcomes associatedwith a specific course offered by Westcliff University. Students must demonstrate:

a) That they have acquired specific knowledge or skills;b) How they acquired the knowledge or skillsc) How the knowledge or skills can be viewed as equivalent to those gained in a

university-level course.

Maximum PEL Credit Available

A maximum of 30 semester units, or 25%, whichever is less, of a prospective student’scoursework may be earned by credits based on Prior Experiential Learning.

Experiential learning credits may be earned through a portfolio assessment:

• Through enrollment in an existing section of a course (after consultation with theinstructor) and develop an individualized plan for participation and testing based on theinstructor's evaluation of skill and experience levels;

• Through recommendations of the College Credit Recommendation Service of theAmerican Council on Education;

• Or any one of several other experiential learning opportunities.

The number of equivalent credits awarded may not exceed 25% of the total number of creditsrequired for the specific degree or certificate. No graduation, residency, degree or certificateprogram requirements will be waived as a result of credits earned through this process.

Experiential learning credit may or may not transfer to satisfy course requirements at otherinstitutions. When accepted –if accepted, it is usually applied toward a student’s electiverequirements. Most institutions prefer to award similar types of credit using their own procedures.Any experiential learning credit that a student receives will appear on the official transcript andwill show that a degree requirement has been met. The credit will be marked, for example, ascredit for “Portfolio Assessment” and will specify the content area. Letter grades are not assignedto experiential learning credits. A student will receive a “CR.” Which stands for ‘credit.” And thenumber of semester credits earned. If a student does not receive credit upon submission or aportfolio, or other form of testing, no entry will be noted on the official transcript.

Prior Learning Assessment – (PLA)

Prior Learning Assessment is a term used to describe learning gained outside a traditionalacademic environment. It is learning and knowledge a student acquires while living their lives:working, participating in employer training programs, serving in the military, studyingindependently, volunteering or doing community service, and studying open-source courseware.

PLA is the evaluation and assessment of an individual’s life learning for college credit,certification, or advanced standing toward further education or training

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Prior Learning Assessment is accomplished through standardized tests (i.e. CLEP and DANTES),course challenge examinations, portfolio assessment, and crosswalks between work-basedlearning and college courses.

In all instances, Westcliff University will analyze the description of the learning outcomesprovided the university by the student in his/her description of the experiential learning. Theoutcomes should closely match the learning outcomes associated with the course for which thestudent desires Prior Experiential Learning credit. This description can be provided via either aportfolio or an essay.

Our Standards for Assessing Learning

To determine whether to award university credit to students for prior learning experiences,Westcliff University follows these standards:

1. Credit or its equivalent is awarded only for learning, and not for experience.2. Assessment is based on standards and criteria for the level of acceptable learning that are

both agreed upon and made public.3. Assessment is treated as an integral part of learning, not separate from it, and is based on

an understanding of learning processes.4. The determination of credit awards and competence levels is made by appropriate subject

matter and academic or credentialing experts.5. Credit or other credentialing is appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and

accepted.6. If awards are for credit, transcript entries clearly describe what learning is being

recognized and is monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning.7. Policies, procedures, and criteria applied to assessment, including provision for appeal,

are fully disclosed and prominently available to all parties involved in the assessmentprocess.

8. Fees charged for assessment are based on the services performed in the process and notdetermined by the amount of credit awarded.

9. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning pursue and receive adequate trainingand continuing professional development for the functions they perform.

10. Assessment programs are regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and revised as neededto reflect changes in the needs being served, the purposes being met, and the state of theassessment arts.

[Source: Assessing Learning: Standards, Principles, and Procedures (Second Edition). MorryFiddler, Catherine Marienau, and Urban Whitaker, 2006. Chicago, Kendall Hunt PublishingCompany.]

The following regulations for experiential learning credit apply at Westcliff University:

1. All experiential learning options that are approved will be granted with credit.2. Experiential learning credit will be granted upon the written recommendation of the chair

of the department or designated faculty assessor having jurisdiction over the coursesinvolved with the Dean's approval.

3. The applicability of experiential learning credit toward specific degree programrequirements is subject to departmental approval.

4. A student may not fail a course at Westcliff University and later receive credit for thesame course through an experiential learning option.

5. A student may not enroll in a course for credit or audit at Westcliff University andsubsequently seek credit for the same through an experiential learning option.

6. No letter grades will be entered on the student's transcript for experiential learning credit;this credit will be treated in the same way as transfer credit: a "P" (Pass) will be assignedand it will not count in the student's grade point average.

7. A student must request experiential learning credit as early as possible upon admission todegree status.

8. A student in a certificate program may earn a maximum of six credit hours throughexperiential learning credit to apply to a certificate. Experiential learning hours gained inthese programs would be applicable to approved degree programs at Westcliff University.In an approved undergraduate degree program, a student who has previously earned sixcredit hours of experiential learning credit for a certificate area may be eligible to attemptadditional experiential learning credit toward a degree program.

Process

Prior Experiential Learning allows students to receive college credit for equivalent educationalexperiences acquired through work/on-the-job training or life experiences. Upon enrolling inWestcliff University, a student may petition for a review of their experiential learningexperiences.

Methods to Receive Credit for Experiential Learning

There are a number of ways for a student to demonstrate that your experiential learning is equalto course work offered by Westcliff University: They are:

● Direct Conversion● Proficiency Examination● Standardized Examination● Portfolio Evaluation● Essay Evaluation.

● Direct Conversion

Your learning experience may already have a recommended conversion to universitycredit by ACE (American Council on Education) or PONSI (Program on non-collegiateSponsored Instruction). These organizations publish nationally accepted guidebooks thatrecommend transfer credit conversion for civilian and military work experiences. In someinstances, courses offered by employers, or specialized work experiences maybe convertto credit based on the recommendation of these guidebooks.

To receive credit using the direct conversion method, a student should submit officialrecords verifying successful completion for evaluation. Upon receiving the submitteddocuments, the appropriate Dean will evaluate the courses using the ACE or PONSIrecommendations and award you college credit for your work experience, whenappropriate.

Students who have been in the military should submit either their military papers or aDD214 form to receive credit. Also, an AARTS (Army/ACE Registry TranscriptService) transcript documenting military training and experience is available to Armyenlisted active-duty personnel and veteran who entered the service on or after October 1,1981.

Write to:AARTS Operations Center415 McPherson AvenueFt. Leavenworth, KS 660275073

Or, fax a written request to: 913-684-2011

● Proficiency Examination

A proficiency examination is given by Westcliff to test your knowledge related to a singlecourse we offer. The University will grant PEL credit, which usually is not valid at othercolleges or universities, to those matriculated students whose scores on local proficiencyexaminations indicate mastery of course material. Proficiency examination credits do not

factor into your grade point average. Youmay take a proficiency examination for a particular course only once in a one-year period.You may not take a proficiency examination in a course you have previously taken.

Application forms and information about the examinations are available from theRegistrar upon request by the student.

Upon approval of the Dean of the college in which the course is offered, a student maytake a comprehensive proficiency examination in an academic course in which he or shecan demonstrate proficiency and upon passing the examination receive credit for thatcourse. A request for testing should be made through the Director of Admissions, whichforwards the request to the Dean of the College involved. A course may be tested throughdepartmental examination one time only.

● Standardized Examination (i.e. CLEP/DSST (DANTES)/EXCELSIOR)

Standardized examinations are given by nationally recognized testing agencies. Theseexaminations are accepted throughout the United States. Examinations are designed togauge the comprehension of subject material corresponding either to a single course or amore general scope.

Westcliff University will consider awarding credit for specific standardized examinationsgiven by the following testing agencies:

• Excelsior (Regents) College Examinations• CLEP (College Level Examination Program) Examinations• DANTES (Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support) Examination• AP (Advanced Placement) Examinations

Credit may be granted when the content of the examination matches or closely parallelsthe content of the courses offered by Westcliff University. If the examination does notparallel a course, Westcliff may grant elective credit within the limits of your program.Westcliff is not required to grant the amount of credit listed in the publications for thestandardized examinations. for these examinations will be evaluated on the same basis astransfer credit accepted from another university.

Once you have taken the examination, you must request the agency send yourexamination scores directly to the Director of Admissions at Westcliff University.

o Excelsior (Regents) College Examinations

Excelsior (Regents) College offers examinations in more than 40 college subject areas,include education and business. Thee are available nationwide through the AmericanCollege Testing Program and are known as ACI PEP examinations.

To receive the Excelsior (Regents)College Examination bulletin and the study guides for the tests you are applying to take,you should write to the following address and request the appropriate materials:

Excelsior (Regents) College ExaminationsAssessment Unit7 Columbia CircleAlbany, New York 12203-5159Tel: 518-474-3703FAX 518-474-8777

Westcliff University regards 45 as the minimum passing standard score to receive credit. Thefollowing is a list of Excelsior (Regents) College examinations for which Westcliff Universitywill grant credit with the Westcliff course and credit equivalents:

Excelsior (Regents) CollegeExaminations

Westcliff UniversityEquivalent Course Credits

Corporation Finance (581) 3

Human Resource Management (482) 3

Introductory Accounting (431) 3

Organizational Behavior (429) 3

Principles of Management (430) 3

Principles of Marketing (483) 3

o CLEP (College-Level Examination Program)

CLEP examinations are administered at more than 1,000 locations across the USA and arerecognized at more than 2,500 participating colleges and universities in the US.

The subject area tests let you demonstrate the specific knowledge and skills you may have gainedthrough job experience, outside course work, or independent reading. These examinations requirea higher degree of specialized knowledge and training than the general examinations.

To receive information about CLEP examinations or registering to take them, write to thefollowing address and rquest the appropriate materials:

CLEP Program Service OfficerThe College Board45 Columbia AvenueNew York, New York 10023-0317Tel: 212-713-8000

Or:

College Credit Recommendation ServiceAmerican Council on EducationOne DuPont Circle, NW, Suite 250Washington, DC 20036-1193

Credit requirements are satisfied upon passing the examination with a mean test score of 50 onsubject examinations or the minimum score on general examinations. The mean score isequivalent to a grade of C in the respective courses.

CLEP ExaminationWestcliff UniversityEquivalent Courses Credit

Introductory Accounting 3

Introductory Business Law 3

Principles of Management 3

Principles of Marketing 3

o DSST Credit by Exam Program

Formerly known as the DANTES Program, owned and administered by Prometric, testsknowledge of both lower-level and upper-level college material through 38 exams.

● PortfolioEvaluation

Method 1, Portfolio:

Students wishing to receive academic credit through portfolio development should do thefollowing:

Submit a “Request for Experiential Credit Form” for a specific course(s)

Provide a succinct and detailed explanation of a particular occupational experience ordocumentation related to the nature of the training (seminars, corporate sponsored programs,military programs, etc) that are relevant to the course(s) identified for possible experiential creditaward.

The decision of the Dean is final. However, the student may appeal the denial of ExperientialLearning Credit awarded by providing additional information or documents for consideration.

A Professional Training Portfolio contains documents that demonstrate prior learning experience.The educational or training programs that you’ve completed through a corporate or professionaltraining institution may transfer to elective or general education credits. The same may be true forunaccredited college credits.

Portfolio-based Assessments is described by ACE in the following:

For decades, institutions assessed individualized student portfolios, collections of work reflecting the

knowledge and skills students gained outside of the classroom.

To assist prospective students in preparing portfolio-based assessments:

LearningCounts, a nationwide program of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, now offers

students a more standardized process for demonstrating prior learning and receiving a transcript of

potential credits. Students build their portfolios by taking an online course and then submit their work for

review by faculty members at participating institutions.

Website for LearningCounts:

http://www.learningcounts.org/time-cost/

Organizations like LearningCounts provide portfolio services for a fee that prospective students can use.

These are the types of documentation that will be eligible for portfolio andPLA review:

• Certificates• Licenses• Training courses, workshops or seminars

http://www.learningcounts.org/time-cost/

•Transcripts from unaccredited collegesor schools• Transcripts from nationally accredited institutions that only offer diplomas or certificates

You are admonished to represent your experience accurately as our academic integrity must bemaintained. Any inaccuracies in your portfolio contents will result in immediate investigation.When the investigation is complete, the application and documentation will be forwarded forreview regarding our Ethical Standards. Your portfolio, or other submission, will be closed tofurther evaluation until a final determination is made.

The College Dean will examine the portfolio and determine an award of credit. The decision willbe forwarded to the Director of Admissions who will then notify the student and the UniversityRegistrar of the results.

If the conclusion for the portfolio assessment process results in a negative decision of the awardof credit, a student may appeal the decision to the college having the responsibility for thecourse(s) for which credit is sought. The basis for a portfolio assessment appeal is the student'scharge that the assessment decision was awarded through prejudice or caprice. The burden ofproof rests with the student.

Students must initiate appeals in writing within three weeks of receiving the completed portfolioevaluation form. The appeal must be written to the director.

Method 2: WorkHistory:

In the alternative, the following methodology for determining experiential learning via Work History

Prospective students seeking credit for experiential learning while on the job would provide a work history.

The work history should contain:

o Company or Organization name, address, and contact information

o Position or work title held

o The length of time employed in that position

o Description of job functions performed

o List of any activities performed that is not included in job description

o Supervisor or HR contact information for validation.

● Once the work history is received by the University:

o An academic advisor (or representative from admissions) will file a “Work history validation

for PEL form” containing information from the Organization that both corroborates and

reconciles the information provided by the prospective student in regards to work history. It

also lists specifically the equivalent course(s) titles and the corresponding amount of credit

that the PEL satisfies if it is determined that there is congruency between job functions and

LO’s for that specific course(s).

o Upon validation, the Associate Dean or Dean will review the “Work history validation for

PEL form” to ensure that it is accurate and in accordance with the guidelines specified.

o If there is more than one (1)

course that can be awarded for credit, then it should be listed on the form.

o The form then becomes part of the student file

This process may be the best way to determine if experiential learning credit can be awarded when time is

of the essence, and the lack of documentation prohibits any other methodology.

The director will forward the appeal letter to the appropriate department chair. The chair willreview the student's appeal. The chair will get input from the student and from the facultyassessor and may form an independent committee to review the appeal. The chair makes thedecision on the validity of the appeal. If the chair concludes there is no cause for complaint, thestudent has the right to appeal to the Dean of the college.

Essay Evaluation

Students wishing to receive academic credit through development of an essay should dothe following:

How to Write and Submit Your Essay

1. Select a preapproved topic from our essay list2. Essays must be written and submitted in our essay template and follow these

guidelines:o Written in the first persono Please use 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-space the

document.o Essays must address the four sections of Kolb’s experiential learning model:

1. Concrete experience2. Reflective observation3. Abstract conceptualization4. Active experimentation

o The topic must represent your personal experience—not on history, research,observation or the experience of a third party. The essay should demonstratea high level of expertise.

3. Submit a 1,500 to 2,100 autobiography written in the first person. If you aresubmitting more than one essay for credit, you will only need to submit oneautobiography. Please use 12-point, Times New Roman font and double-space thedocument.

4. Submit supporting documentation along with your essay as evidence that thestudent'syour experience resulted in the level of expertise portrayed in your essay.Acceptable documents include photocopies of licenses and certifications, letters oncompany letterhead with official signatures from employers, training providers andhuman resource representatives. Friends and family can also corroborate thestudent’s knowledge or experience through letters of recommendation.

https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/pla/experientialCourseDescription.asp

Experiential Learning Fees

Students participating in the Experiential Learning program at Westcliff University areresponsible for assessment fees as follows:

1. External.Examination- Students are responsible for the testing fees for external examinations such as CLEP andDSST (DANTES), and should check with the Director of Admissions at WestcliffUniversity for fee information. There is no additional experiential learning assessment feefor the granting of academic credit for external examinations.

2. College.Examination- The experiential learning assessment fee is equal to 30% of the current approved rate forundergraduate courses.

3. Training.Evaluation- The type of training determines the experiential learning assessment fee for trainingevaluations. For example, Westcliff University already articulates military training;therefore, there is no additional experiential learning assessment fee for the granting ofacademic credit. The assessment fee for training not previously evaluated by WestcliffUniversity is equal to 20% of the current rate for undergraduate and graduate courses.

4. Portfolio- Portfolio assessment fee equal to 50% of the current rate for undergraduate courses.

5. EssayAssessment fee equal to 50% of the current rate for undergraduate courses

Fees are based on the credit hours attempted and are not refundable if the student does not receivecredit as a result of the evaluation. There is no appeal of the fee charge. The fees must be paid atthe time the student submits the completed portfolio, departmental examination or trainingdocumentation for evaluation

Appendix 2.03

POLICY AC144 - Westcliff University Transfer Credit Policy

POLICY #AC144


WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY

Students who have completed coursework at a non-Westcliff University, accredited college of university may request an evaluation for transfer credit. External coursework may be considered for transfer credit if all of the following conditions are met:

● The course work is substantially similar to Westcliff courses ● The final grade posted for each potential transfer course is a “C” or

better ● The coursework does not duplicate, overlap, or regress previous work

The maximum number of credits transferable from appropriately accredited institutions into Undergraduate Programs at Westcliff University is 90 credits, of which:

● A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred to satisfy the requirements for lower division General Education courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Lower Division General Education Courses).

● A maximum of 30 credits may be transferred in as Course Waivers for Upper Division Core Business Courses (see Transfer Credit Policy for Upper Division Courses).

The maximum number of credits that can be transferred from other institutions into Graduate Programs at Westcliff University is 6 credits for master’s programs and 9 credits for doctorate program courses.

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY

Lower Division General Education Courses

Westcliff University offers 20 General Education courses, which students may take to fulfill the 60-credit hour requirement. Should students wish to

transfer General Education credits from another appropriately accredited institution, the following requirements must be met:

General Education Requirements (30 credit hours):

● English- 2 courses (6 credit hours) required ● Math- 1 course (3 credit hours) required ● Arts and Humanities - 2 courses (6 credit hours) required ● Social and Behavioral Sciences- 3 courses (9 credit hours) required ● Natural Sciences - 1 course (3 credit hours) required ● Communications- 1 course (3 credit hours) required

Electives- 30 credit hours required (maximum of 6 non-academic credit hours)

Applicants who have earned undergraduate level general education credits at another appropriately accredited institution may transfer them to Westcliff University subject to evaluation of an official transcript and review of the grades and courses. Transfer credits apply only to courses that are part of the general education and elective categories for an undergraduate degree. No more than sixty (60) credits may be transferred toward Bachelor Degrees.

Only non-remedial courses with passing grades of a C- or higher will be accepted. Courses with grades of “D or D+” will only be accepted for transfer credit as part of an entire Associate, Bachelor, or Master Degree Transfer. In the case of a transferred Associate’s Degree, 60 credits will be accepted and will satisfy all of the General Education and electives requirements for a Bachelor Degree from Westcliff University, provided coursework for the degree encompasses typical general education categories such as English, math, arts, humanities, natural sciences, and communications.

Applicants who wish to transfer credits should submit the University’s regular application and must provide an official copy of transcripts from all colleges and universities from which they wish to transfer credits. If an unofficial transcript is provided, the University will conduct a pre-evaluation to determine what transfer credits can be awarded. Once the University receives an official transcript, it will conduct an evaluation and notify the student of all transferrable credits and any remaining credits needed to complete their degree. Official transcripts must be sealed by the institution

sending them and must arrive unopened at the Office of Admissions. They must contain official institution stamps or markings.

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY FOR UPPER DIVISION COURSES

Students with upper division undergraduate or graduate level credits at another appropriately accredited institution may request a waiver of courses required by the degree program for which they are applying, subject to evaluation of their official transcript and review of grades and courses. Waiver is available only for courses required to complete a specific major and not for undergraduate general education courses.

Waived course work must have been earned at an appropriately accredited school. It should have been completed within seven (7) years of attempted transfer of credit for Masters and 10 years for Bachelors, to ensure the studies’ relevance to Westcliff course requirements.

Only equivalent courses with a grade of 2.0 or “C” are waived. Approved courses count as credit towards the degree. Maximum waivable credits are nine (9) for Doctor Programs, six (6) for Master Programs, and thirty (30) for Bachelor Programs. Credit hours are determined by evaluating similarities between the waived and Westcliff courses. To help ensure comparability, the University consults the official catalog published by the student’s school. The student is responsible for requesting a course waiver and providing the University with the catalog published when they took the courses.

Career and Technical Training Transfer Credit

Westcliff University understands the value of career and technical training. The rigor and the amount of work is typically congruent to that found in traditional college, general education, and elective courses. This may include courses in science, technology, public service, criminal justice, health, and vocational areas. When such courses were taken in pursuit of a degree, credential or certificate program at other accepted educational institutions, Westcliff University will follow adjusted guidelines to determine applicability for transfer credit satisfaction of general education and elective course requirements (they cannot be used to waive out-of-core courses).

If approved, Block Transfer Credits will be applied as opposed to a course-by-course transfer. A limit of 60 Block Transfer Credits can be applied toward only general education and elective requirements. Exceptions may exist if course require rigor similar to that of Westcliff University Programs

Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) Transfer Credit

Westcliff University understands that vital learning experience takes place outside of the classroom. Students may earn credits for what they have learned in the workplace or the community by applying for Prior Experiential Learning (PEL) Credit. These conditions apply:

● A maximum of 30 semester units, or 25%, whichever is less, may be transferred as PEL credit,

● PEL transfer credit applies only to Undergraduate Programs, and

● The Westcliff University “ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR PRIOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING” policy is scrupulously adhered to.

Students planning to apply for PEL credit should start the process early. Students must submit a formal request via email to the college dean to start the process. After the request is received, the college dean will have a meeting with the student to review their planned PEL and provide the options available for applicable credits. The full policy is on record with the Department of Academic Affairs.

Appendix 3.01

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Descriptions

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Courses

BSIT 315 Information Technology Essentials (3 credit hours). Information Technology Essentials is a course focused

on providing a comprehensive foundation in major topics of Information Technology and Systems. Topics in

computer hardware and software, databases and database management systems, networking, security, emerging

technologies, the Internet, and business process management are surveyed.

BSIT 320 Introduction to Statistical Analysis (3 credit hours). An introductory statistics course which covers

descriptive statistics, probability, random variables and selected probability distributions, statistical inference

including confidence intervals and hypothesis tests. Appropriate technology will be used for simulation and to solve

statistical problems. Neither a background in calculus nor experience with computers is required

BSIT 325 Applied Statistics for Optimization (3 credit hours). This course focuses on more advanced models

including correlation, simple and multiple regression analysis, time series and forecasting, and optimization

models. Computer software will be used to assist in modeling and analysis. Students will learn to apply these

techniques to solve business problems.

BSIT 330 Discrete Mathematics (3 credit hours). Covers important discrete mathematical objects such as sets,

relations and functions, graphs and trees. An introduction to mathematical logic and reasoning, and the concept of

an algorithm and its complexity will be covered.

BSIT 335 Web Page Design and Development (3 credit hours). A thorough introduction to the languages used to

create web pages. Throughout it stresses the importance of good coding style. The course also introduces students

to the principles of good human computer interface design, including design for people with disabilities. Finally, the

course introduces students to object-oriented design.

BSIT 341 Calculus I (3 credit hours). This is the first of a sequence of courses which present a unified treatment of

the differential and integral calculus. Topics include: limits, continuity, differentiation and integration, applications

of the derivative and the integral.

BSIT 342 Linear Algebra for Data Science (3 credit hours). This is an undergraduate course in linear algebra for

students of computer and data science. Linear algebra is the study of linear systems of equations, vector spaces,

and linear transformations. Solving systems of linear equations is a basic tool of many mathematical procedures

used for solving problems in computing. In this class we will concentrate on the mathematical theory and methods

of linear algebra. The student will become competent in solving linear equations, performing matrix algebra,

calculating determinants, and finding eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

BSIT 344 Advanced Web Programming and Application Development (3 credit hours). This course is designed to

give students the opportunity to enhance and enrich their skills in Web programming. Students will learn to

develop Web applications that use three-tier architecture, session management, object-oriented techniques, and

advance database interactions. Concepts such as advanced CSS concepts, rich interactive Web environments,

authentication, and security will also be explored.

BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages (3 credit hours). The course provides students with an introduction to the

main concepts in programming related to data. The course focuses on data storage and the use of regular

expressions to search data. The course also includes an overview of object oriented concepts.

BSIT 345 Data Programming Languages (3 credit hours). The course provides students with an introduction to the

main concepts in programming related to data. The course focuses on data storage and the use of regular

expressions to search data. The course also includes an overview of object oriented concepts.

BSIT 348 Cloud Computing (3 credit hours). The course will introduce this domain and cover the topics of cloud

infrastructures, virtualization, software defined networks and storage, cloud storage, and programming models. As

an introduction, we will discuss the motivating factors, benefits and challenges of the cloud, as well as service

models, service level agreements (SLAs), security, example cloud service providers and use cases. The students will

gain an overview of the field of Cloud Computing, and an in- depth study into its enabling technologies and main

building blocks. Students will gain hands-on experience solving relevant problems through projects that will utilize

existing public cloud tools.

BSIT 350 Database Design & Management Systems (3 credit hours). This course provides students in- depth

knowledge of database design, implementation, and management. Topics covered include data modeling,

development processes, systems development, database design and programming methodology.

BSIT 355 Technical Writing and Communication (3 credit hours). This course focuses on more advanced models

including correlation, simple and multiple regression analysis, time series and forecasting, and optimization

models. Computer software will be used to assist in modeling and analysis. Students will learn to apply these

techniques to solve business problems.

BSIT 360 Introduction to Data Communication Networks (3 credit hours). The field of communication technologies

is expanding and this course is a survey of the latest developments in this field. The course examines

communications technologies for many forms of electronic mass media, computers & consumer electronics, and

networking technologies.

BSIT 365 Computer Networking Concepts, Administration and Security (3 credit hours). This course will cover data

communications and networking concepts for Local Area Networks (LAN) N and Wide Area Networks (WAN).

Concepts and topics include network protocols, with emphasis on Ethernet, PPP, TCP/IP, and WWW protocols, and

mobile and wireless networks. Network applications include Telnet, ftp, email, distributed file systems, and

client-server applications. We survey network security issues, as well as network efficiency via hands-on simulation

and design techniques.

BSIT 370 Business Intelligence Tools and Technologies (3 credit hours). This course introduces Business Intelligence

(BI) from an analytical perspective. Topics covered include BI tools and data analytics, with emphasis on predictive

analytics focused on information and knowledge pertaining to customers, competitors, internal operations, and

external variables, all for the purpose of making better strategic business decisions.

BSIT 375 Knowledge Discovery and Data Science (3 credit hours). The course covers the process of automatically

extracting valid, useful, and previously unknown information from data sources and using the information to make

decisions. This course is designed to provide students with a solid understanding of the knowledge discovery

process and the use of data mining concepts and tools as part of that process.

BSIT 380 Big Data Analytics (3 credit hours). The Big Data Analytics course provides students with the tools and

analysis techniques to make informed big-data decisions using quality information. Students will learn specific

packages and analysis tools, and they will learn the benefits of popular solutions, such as Hadoop and Oracle

Endeca, as well as the sources of common errors in analysis and how to prevent and fix them.

BSIT 385 Data Visualization (3 credit hours). This course introduces students to the field of data visualization. The

course covers basic design and evaluation principles to prepare and analyze large datasets, and standard

visualization techniques for different types of data. The course prepares students to communicate clearly,

efficiently, and in a visually compelling manner to a variety of audiences.

BSIT 390 Capstone (3 credit hours). This capstone course is designed to allow students to strategically apply

Information Technology concepts to a business organization. The course focus is on strategic planning, managing,

and implementation of current and emerging technologies for making strategic business decisions and solving

real-world problems. Information technology’s impact on the organization and the environment are also

investigated. Students are required to use technology and management concepts learned in the BSIT program in

order to facilitate IT solutions for a business enterprise.

Appendix 3.02

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Course Mapping

Summary Matrix of BSIT Program Learning Outcomes as met by Course Learning Outcomes, Assignments, and Assessments (CLOs and PLOs)

PLOsEvaluate current and emerging technologies.

Identify and gather user requirements to design user friendly interfaces.

Apply, configure, and manage IT technologies

Utilize data to help business gain insights to help them make better decisions.

Access IT impact on individuals, organization, and the environment.

Apply IT concepts and strategies to solve real world problems.

Conduct research in the field of information technology and related fields.

Courses CLOs

BSIT 315 (BUS 303)

1. Summarize essential and foundational knowledge of computer hardware and software.

X X X2. Interpret, identify, and analyze user requirements when considering the selection, creation, evaluation and management of computer-based systems.

X X X X X3. Identify and summarize the business units and disciplines in which computer applications may be applied to attain organizational goals.

X X X4. Explain the relationship of the business organization as it relates to information systems from an enterprise perspective.

X X X5. Develop the skills in verbal and written communication required to summarize business computing and information processing.

X X X6. Develop knowledge of the capabilities of generic and open-source software.

X X X7. Recognize and analyze ethical issues and/or dilemmas in information privacy and security settings, then propose reasoned courses of action.

X X X X X X8. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the theoretical foundations of information technology.

X X

BSIT 320 1. Explain the basic concepts and select the appropriate measurements, tables and graphs to represent quantitative data in a variety of formats and scenarios.

X X X X X2. Summarize probabilities and link probability theory to statistical inferences.

X X X X3. Perform basic statistical inferences using confidence interval and significance test on common measures such as means and proportions and interpret the results

X X X X X4. Use statistical software programming languages such as R to analyse data and generate statistics.

X X X X5. Explain how statistical analysis can help organizations in supporting decision making

X X X X X X

BSIT 325 1. Explain the mathematical framework for linear models and their applications.

X X X2. Apply regression models to real data sets for generating inference, understanding and communication.

X X X3. Apply regression models to establish an understanding of the relationships of variables

X X4. Introduce both theoretical and simulation approaches to uncertainty in models.

X X X5. Perform complex data management and statistical analysis for optimization.

X X X6. Use advanced features of statistical programming such as R for analysis.

X X X

BSIT 330 1. Model real-world phenomena with functions (e.g. linear, polynomial, exponential).

X X2. Optimize functions and interpret results. X X X X3. Develop geometric intuition for linear modeling and optimization.

X X X4. Employ tools for understanding local behavior of functions and models.

X X X5. Demonstrate how tools from matrix algebra are used to analyze higher dimensional models.

X X6. Investigate sensitivity of models to small changes in the inputs.

X X7. Navigate the choice of model; understanding limitations of models.

X X8. Generate models for varied applications, using a diversity of tools.9. Summarize the relationship between discrete mathematics and computer science

X X X X X

BSIT 335 1. Apply a structured approach to identifying needs, interests, and functionality of a website.

X X X X X2. Explain the principles of creating an effective web page, including an in-depth consideration of information architecture.

X X X3. Design dynamic websites that meet specified needs and interests.

X X X X4. Incorporate best practices in navigation, usability and written content to design and develop websites.

X X X X X5. Write well-structured and standards-compliant HTML code.

X X X X6. Write well-structured and standards-compliant CSS code to present HTML pages

X X X X7. Use JavaScript to add dynamic content to pages. X X X X X









Courses CLOs8. Make use of good practice and debugging tools to debug and test javascript codes.

X X X X9. Use JavaScript to access and use web services for dynamic content (AJAX, JSON, etc.).

X X X X X X

BSIT 340 1. Develop problem solving skills by developing algorithms to solve problems incorporating the concept of data abstraction in a computer program.

X X X X2. Design programs according to specifications by creating flow charts, IPO charts and pseudo code.

X X X X X3. Implement a simple program by writing the code, testing the code and debugging the program.

X X X X4. Incorporating the use of sequential, selection and repetition control structures into a program.

X X X X X5. Summarize and explain the design and implementation of functions and the passing of parameters to simplify the solution of large problems and to promote the concept of code reuse.

X X X X X6. Implement programs using sequential input and output files.

X X X7. Explain the use of the array data structure and discuss the collection of elements

X X

BSIT 345 1. Explain and interpret the fundamentals of programming such as variables, conditional and iterative execution, methods, etc.

X X X2. Apply object oriented concepts (classes, objects, inheritance) in writing programs

X X X3. Apply and use standard python library to maximize proper coding and readability

X X4. Build modular python program. X X X5. Access data (text files, databases and other data storage technologies), and process and manipulate that data.

X X X6. Develop procedures to correct errors and exceptions in programs and to prevent future occurrences

X X X7. Use a programming environment to develop programs.

X X X8. Apply industry-standard tools and techniques for working within a development team, such as Git for versioning.

X X X X X

BSIT 350 1. Summarize and learn the fundamentals of how data is structured and stored in computer systems.

X X X X2. Demonstrate basic principles of data processing and programming that can be used to store and extract data in a database.

X X X3. Use Structured Query Language (SQL) store and retrieve data from a MySQL database.

X X X4. Apply the principles used in class to build a web-based database application from the ground up.

X X X5. Design and use relational databases in both theory and practical application.

X X X6. Interact with a variety of data sources including relational and non-relational databases for the purpose of making data available to the right people and in the correct format

X X X X X

BSIT 355 1. the genre and manipulate the structure of selected technical documents.2. Convey clearly, cogently and correctly, through written media, the technical aspects of a practice to non-specialist audiences.

X X X3. Recognize and use the rhetorical and stylistic elements necessary for the successful practice of scientific and technical communication.

X X4. Work collaboratively and individually to research, to analyze, and to write about, public debates regarding the conduct of science and technology.

X X5. Evaluate the effect and influence to the enterprise as prospective practitioners in your chosen field to the laypersons affected by your work.

X X X X

BSIT 360 1. Describe the role of communication technologies in distributing and transmitting information and as being the mechanism to compete in business, and to be connected to society.

X X X2. Demonstrate and explain how the advancements in electronic mass media functions as a conduit for multimedia data transmission, and how industry has become reliant on these advancements.

X X X X3. Examine how computers and consumer electronics have impacted various industries such as the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual & augmented reality, and eHealth.

X X X X4. Compare and contrast the various networking technologies such as broadband, the Internet, social media, and big data.

X X5. Investigate new communication technologies and emerging trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and 5G.

X X X X6. Investigate how having an understanding of current and future communications technologies can promote you professionally, or your move your organization more competitive.

X X X X7. Explain the ethical, privacy, and environmental issues associated with the new era of data communications, especially accross the Internet.

X X X









Courses CLOs

BSIT 365 1. Explain concisely how the Internet is constructed and functions, with emphasis on the various layers in the TCP/IP protocol stack

X X X2. Evaluate standard tools to debug network paths, and to support how to establish and maintain communication protocols at various levels of data abstraction.

X X X X X3. Explain enterprise security principles including system attacks, and evaluate security and information integrity risks faced by computer systems

X X X X4. Summarize and categorize software vulnerabilities and the detection process and risks involved

X X X X5. Analyze and evaluate software systems in terms of adequate security measures and properties

X X X6. Explain how various security mechanisms work, and correlate these security mechanisms with security principles in terms of advantages and limitations

X X X X X X7. Apply security principles to solve computer-related problems for the enterprise

X X X X

BSIT 370 1. Explain the role of computerized support for decision making and its importance.

X X2. Use BI for Business performance management using dashboards and scorecards.

X X X X X3. Differentiate and use fundamental principles used in predictive analytics.

X4. Discuss fundamental concepts and theories within Business Intelligence, BI tools, and data warehousing.

X X X5. Demonstrate the importance of relationships between data warehouses to production and operational systems.

X X X6. Create and critically examine a decision support system report.

X X X7. Select and apply appropriate tools for data visualization.

X X8. Select and apply descriptive data analytics methods.

X X X9. Interpret and use the results to produce business intelligence in a variety of settings.

X X X X

BSIT 375 1. Use appropriate tools to extract data from web or from databases like MySQL.

X X2. Clean, organize, merge and manage the collected data for knowledge discovery process

X X X3. Use best practices to implement linear regression.

X X4. Use Logistic regression to classify data into discrete outcomes.

X X5. Implement regularization to prevent models from overfitting the training data.

X6. Model a dataset using gaussian distribution for anomaly detection.

X7. Use support vector machines algorithm for classification problems.

X X X8. Use visual techniques to describe data. X X X9. Segment data using Cluster Analysis, and interpret the output.

X X

BSIT 380 1. Use statistical analysis algorithms for big data problems.

X X X2. Evaluate and apply appropriate principles, techniques and theories to large-scale data science problems.

X X X3. Discuss the intricacies of a Big Data Platform, and modern methods of data exploration, and its use cases.

X X4. Learn and use MapReduce to solve big data problems.

X5. Implement various forms of streaming data like weather data.

X X X X6. Use Hadoop to store and process to store and process large files across machines

X X X

BSIT 385 1. Explore data for visualization. X X X2. Use web technology to design and create visualizations.

X X X3. Apply key design principles and techniques while creating maps and visualisations.

X4. Explain the fundamentals of communication and alignment around concepts required for effective data visualisations and presentation.

X X









Courses CLOs5. Identify, analyze, prepare, and present effective visualizations on a variety of topics.

X X X X6. Present information in an understandable, efficient, effective, and aesthetic manner, for the purposes of explaining ideas and analyzing data.

X X7. Develop skills at designing and evaluating information visualizations and other forms of visual presentation.

X X X X

BSIT 390 1. Identify the components and applications of Business Information Systems (BIS), hardware, software, and emerging technologies, as they relate to the management of the enterprise

X X2. Compare the concepts related to enterprise information sharing and dissemination such as databases, data warehousing, data mining, and big data, networking and telecommunication

X X3. Evaluate and distinguish the stages of BIS including initiating systems development, and managing the BIS project

X X4. Interpret systems analysis including user requirements, aspects of e-business systems, testing, and managing software

X X5. Employ various approaches to integrating IS and business strategies, including information security, ethics, and selecting appropriate courses of action to maintain system integrity

X X6. Demonstrate and interpret end-user requirements and deliverables, mitigating project risk and implementation of policies to ensure information technology solutions effectiveness

X X7. Construct processes to develop and implement strategic plans to information technology solutions that sustain growth and scalability

X X X

Appendix 3.03

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Resources

Code Course Name Textbook Title Author(s) Edition/Year Publisher ISBN Exp. Date

Core

BSIT 315

Information Technology Essentials MIS Bidgoli 10th/2021 Cengage

978-0357419304 2024

BSIT 320

Introduction to Statistical Analysis

Applied Statistics and Probabilty for Engineers

Montgomery & Runger 7th/2018 Wiley

978-1119231943 2021

BSIT 325

Applied Statistics for Optimization

Applied Statistics and Probabilty for Engineers

Montgomery & Runger 7th/2018 Wiley

978-1119231943 2021

BSIT 330Discrete Mathematics

Fundamentals of Discrete MAth for Computer Science

Jenkyns & Stephenson 2nd/2018 Springer

978-3319701509 2018

BSIT 335

Web Page Design and Development

Web Design with HTML & CSS3: Complete Minnick, J 8th/2016 Cengage

978-1337268974 2021

BSIT 340

Data Programming Concepts

Programming Logic and Design, Introductory Farrell 9th/2018 Cengage

978-1337669832 2021

BSIT 345

Data Programming Languages

Concepts of Programming Languages Sebesta 12th/2019 Pearson

978-0134997186 2022

BSIT 348Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing Basics Rehman 2019

Mercury Learning

978-1683923503 2022

BSIT 348Cloud Computing

Enterprise Cloud Computing for Non-Engineers 2018 CRC Press

978-1138106215 2021

BSIT 350

Database Design & Management Systems

Database Systems: Design, Implementation & Management

Coronel & Morris 13th/2019 Cengage

978-1337670562 2022

BSIT 355

Technical Writing and Communication

Technical Communication Process and Product

Gerson & Gerson 9th/2017 Pearson

978-0134094038 2021

BSIT 360

Introduction to Data Communication Networks

Data Communications and Computer Networ;s: A Business User's Approach White 8th/2016 Cengage

978-1337677929 2021

BSIT 365

Computer Networking Concepts, Administration & Security

Data Communications and Computer Networ;s: A Business User's Approach White 8th/2016 Cengage

978-1337677929 2021

BSIT 370

Business Intelligence Tools and Technologies

Business Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Science

Sharda, Delen & Turban 4th/2017 Pearson

978-0134633282 2021

BSIT 375

Knowledge Discovery and Data Science

Discovering Knowledge in Data: An Introduction to Dat aMining Larose 2nd/2014 Wiley-Blackwell

978-0470908747 2021

BSIT 380Big Data Analytics

Practical Big Data Analytics Dasgupta 1st/2018 Pakt Publishing

978-1783554409 2018

BSIT 385Data Visualization

Fundamentals of the Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quests for Better Decisions Simon 1st/2019 Wiley

978-1118794388 2022

Appendix 3.04

Program Consultations for the College of Technology & Engineering

Program Consultations for College of Information Technology

The individuals below were provided with details related to the Westcliff University MSITcurriculum. They shared feedback with Westcliff after reviewing the program and askingfollow-up questions. The feedback below has been incorporated into the current version of theMSIT program where appropriate and into the future plans for areas in which the universityrequired more time to develop (ex. recommendations for additional concentrations).

Dr. Amir AmintabarMicrosoft | Software Engineering, Localization lead | 2015 – PresentUniversity of Windsor | PhD, 3D Vision, Augmented Reality, and Distributed ComputingReinforced the decision to include a thesis in the degree; supported the 30-credit model withcompletion in 1.5 years; indicated that “the job market is good and students [in this field] try toget their degree ASAP and get to work... your proposed programs are good. In future you maywant to consider more AI into it though.”AI was a considered concentration and one we intend to roll out in the near future afterfurther expert consultation and curriculum development.

Pooya AminiAmazon | Software Development Engineer | 2014 – PresentSimon Fraser University | MSc, User Experience (UX)Really liked the program and saw a great deal of relevance between the concepts covered andthe industry needs; recommended a core focus on cloud architecture instead of computersystems architecture course to address greater demands in the field; recommended broadeningbeyond an agile approach in software quality metrics, focusing on multiple methodologiesinstead as real-world application tends to be more eclectic; considered Management of TechInnovation "one of the best courses I have ever seen in this field"; recommended greaterincorporation of machine learning throughout the curriculum, at least to promote a high- tomedium-level of understanding for managers.Currently under advisement for the Computer Systems Architecture course and the Agile

Dr. Reza NezamiMcGill University | Research Fellow | 2017 – PresentUniversity of Victoria | PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering“Vancouver is a great place to launch an educational program.” The curriculum we areproposing “seems well prepared and focused on the programs main objectives. As pointed outin the program description, this program's main focus is on management, various technologicalbased decision making requirements. There is room for such a program in Vancouver IT

education environment.” Feedback included the following items: (1) “[t]his program would bevery beneficial for someone already working in IT and planning to upgrade to more decisionmaking roles, as those potential roles mentioned. You may be even able to contact the potentialindustries and setup some form of liaison and collaboration... I doubt… that someone fresh outof university with a B.Sc. degree [would] be able to secure those kind[s] of positions simply bytaking MSIT.”While we may accept students who are recent graduates with BSc degrees, our targetmarket should be practicing professionals looking to advance.(2) May be challenged with finding appropriately-credentialed faculty at the doctoral level. “Iwould relax on [the] Ph.D. [requirement] and [emphasize] more [on] industry experience at ahigh role level... those people [may be] hard to come by and attract for teaching.” Facultyrecruiting is a challenge at this level; however, we have already begun building ournetwork and intend to offer competitive wages and an opportunity to prepare the nextgeneration of talent in their fields. We are also exploring a TA program to support ourfaculty and allow them to focus more on the teaching component of their roles. “[D]efinitely MSIT would be a great addition to BC's higher education circle.”

Steve KestellElectronic Arts (EA) | Head of Technical Art | 2011 – PresentUniversity of British Columbia | BASc, Computer EngineeringAcademically, a computer engineer who works alongside IT professionals. Reinforced theemphasis we are placing on IT Security and Data Security and recommended its integrationthroughout all of the courses. Regarding MSIT 603 Computer Systems Architecture,recommend refining the course description and outcomes to clarify if students are assemblingsystems or understanding processor design, etc. Supported the inclusion of DataAnalysis/BI/Big Data as a concentration in the curriculum, recommended emphasizing DataVisualization more (perhaps even as its own course) as it is traditionally underserved as acomponent of learning BI (recommended Edward Tufte’s literature on this topic). RegardingITPM concentration, recommends multiple methodologies (as opposed to a focus on agile) andtheir respective strengths.Currently under advisement for the Agile Approach course and the inclusion of DataVisualization into BIDA concentration.

Richard SmithRemedy’s Rx | Director of Business Development | 2012 – PresentSimon Fraser University | MBA, Management of (Bio)Technology“I think you’ve put together a very good program.” Recommended some slight course revisionsto ensure they align with Canadian systems (as some language was a bit US-centric). Found

particular interest in the inclusion of managing technological innovation into the curriculum,

recommended both a textbook and the use of more recent readings to ensure up-to-datecontent.Currently under advisement for minor course changes to U.S. centric language.

Loic ArgeliesPromethean TV | Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder | 2017 – PresentUniversity of Montpellier | Master’s + DEA (1st year PhD), Computer Science Seems like agreat curriculum designed for breadth, should fit the local segment (and more global appeal) ofthe market, corporate side in particular dealing with corporate assets or large consumerdata/BIEmerging tech (although arguably no longer that much "emerging"!) awareness is a strongpoint, particularly Big Data and AI (the kind dealing with data structure/labeling, retrieval andtrend discovery/mining - probably useful to consider covering a bit of AI "ethics" and "bias" inthis field, if you are going into AI, since that applies particularly to data quality and real-worldconsequences of actuating on data)Data architecture scalability & network distribution - may want to consider addressing thedichotomy of acquiring the understanding and core skills vs. applying those skills at amassive/large data scale, and potentially also covering the latter specifically in the course,which tends to require specific knowledge and experience beyond the core mastery (usually ahuge asset at hiring point if presenting experience or specific knowledge of architectures anddeployment practices for large scale data projects, particularly in the context ofmanipulating/retrieving large scale consumer data)Major practical techs - as a corollary, knowledge of currently available major data and backendtechnologies (and companies providing these) in the marketplace linked to data representation,retrieval and management could be useful (these often cloud-based) - as well as anunderstanding of how to assess their risks, strengths and weaknesses, for practical applicationsHealth industry a good choice, although some others may also applySecurity critical and a huge plusProject management wise, including coverage of agile/SCM/deployment workflows andpractices interesting to consider as well for successful integration with development andbusiness processes.Local community should be a decent tech hotbed with companies willing to engage students orwork as partners, as well as, potentially, contacting some of the local government economicbodies or tech business organizations for help with connections and routing. Locally, also, lotsof international students from many places and particularly Asia/India.

Julia Sundberg

EA | Regional IT Director | 2004 – PresentQueen’s University | BAH, Political Science

Provided curriculum feedback to strengthen and align more closely with observed industryneeds, including a heavier focus on automation (DevOps/SRE course), cloud-based systems(not only the cloud technology itself but the transition to new technology), artificial intelligence(as a component of BIDA), and the use of video conferencing and collaboration technology; alsorecommended specific skills to better understand and demonstrate proficiency in programming(ex. python, powershell for windows, bash for linux, and JSON,YAML, and XML files) and webapp development (including serverless cloud-based systems such as AWS API gateway andLamda functions).

Appendix 3.05

COB PAC STEM Meeting Minutes

COB PAC; STEMMeeting Minutes

January 31, 2019| 2:00 PM | Zoom

A�endees:Meeting called by George Sayegh

Facilitator George Sayegh Note taker Diane

Ramos|Anna Kim

TOPICS DISCUSSED (AGENDA ITEMS)

George Sayegh, Michelle Rouche, Tommy Hong,Lesley Wright, Fadi Batarseh, Alan Tran, Gora Da�a,David McKinney, Anthony Lee

Topic Presenter Notes

☐ INRODUCTION TO

WESTCLIFF

UNIVERSITY’S COB

& COE

Dr. Sayegh Westcliff University’s goals includefacilitating meaningful knowledge to both students and

faculty. All programs thatWestcliff offers involve data analytics, informationsystem and other technologies. Therefore, it would beveryappreciated if the member of the meeting share theiropinions on Westcliff’s STEM curriculum.

☐ EMERGING TRENDS OF TECHNOLOGY

☐ CYBER SECURITY AND PROGRAMS

Dr. Sayegh, Gora DattaHong: Today, the most popular trendfor schools in terms of technologicaladvances is Cyber Security. Specificsubcategories that draw attention arecloud security, privacy, user accesscontrol.Datta: For now, the health caresection has the most protected databy Cyber Security. Dronetechnologies are also expandingnowadays; its necessity comes to the

national level, replacing human laborforce. In the labor market, success ofstudents depend on their experienceand their background. Admittedly,with the Cyber Security educationalbackground, students become morecompetitive rather than with othercertificates. The spread ofinformation is much more valuablethan a debt of information. CyberSecurity depends on where yourconcentration means to be and whatis your job role is. Hong: When aperson graduates from one major andwants to shift to another, CyberSecurity provide with theinformation and a foundation whereshould the person start.Rouchell: What is the biggest threatto industry? It is important toidentify different parts of CyberSecurity and understand it from ahands-on perspective.Wright: Another topic to discuss isAI and virtual reality/design. Theunderstanding of cost-savings and aprocess of utilizing that sorts ofsoftware is useful nowadays. Tryingto be in contact with developers ofsoftwares, getting more knowledgefrom them would be great as well.

MSIT: Capstone courses requirebetter understanding of utilizingtechnologies. However, if you’relooking at the Cyber Security as aconcentrational specialization, thenthe Capstone classes would not besufficient enough.

☐ FOCUS OF THE TECHNOLOGY

PROGRAMS AT WUAll Datta: Cyber Security, Data Science and Analyticscan be one of the main focuses of the technology.

Wright: Teaching Python as a technology language

because it can be a useful tool.Focus of technology most likely is driven bygeographical insights.Hong: Suggested PowerShell as a basic scriptinglanguage as well. If you have knowledge of CyberSecurity, it can be applied anywhere.Rouche: Since the courses are trying to be aimed on areal-life experience, the level of proposals can be

introduced. With engineering management, conceptdesign, prototype and demonstrate, compete orworking on solutions are very important.

Page 2☐ DATA ANALYTICS IN TECHNOLOGY

☐ BENEFIT FOR

STEM GRADUATES

THROUGH

TECHNOLOGYDr. Sayegh, Datta Datta: Since the data driveseverything today, it is vital for every field. Previously,we cannot have that much access to

data, that is why we used MIS before. But now, westart atthe design table and analyze data. Specializations aredifferent but data analysis is always the same andimportant.

Datta: Benefits writingRouche: Oral communication

Presentation skills/Creative Thinking/need to be taughtandenhanced more. To have more out-of-the- classexercises(online/social media) will also positively benefitstudents’development.

Documents Referred to

During the Meeting Document

Title

Name/Grdistributed

Original Date on Document

WU_COB_STEM_PAC Dr. Sayegh .

Observers: George Sayegh

Resource Persons: George Sayegh

☐ Minutes approved by [Committee] on [Insert date of approval]

Total Calculated Hours: [Total Paid Hours]

Appendix 3.06

Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 ABOUT THE JOURNAL 4 Women’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Nepal: A Study Based on 5 Kathmandu Valley

Upasna Acharya (Faculty) & Chittaranjan Pandey (Faculty)

Leading the Change with Six Images of a Change Leader 18 Mojibola Bamidele-Sadiq (DBA student) The Historical Retrospect of an Overlooked Business Opportunity Within 24 the Aerospace Sector Amir S. Gohardani (Faculty) Adult Learning and Advantages of the Online Learning Experience 31 Stephanie Hoon (Faculty) Penny Wilkins (External contributor) Angela Perry (External contributor) Decision Maker’s Tool: Statistics, the Problem Solver 37 Faith Cajudo Orillaza (External contributor) Human Creativity and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Two Distinct Requirements 44 for Sustainable Competitive Advantage Nima S. Salami (Faculty) Addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in Germany 50 Jocelyn Sorensen (Faculty)

Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research Open-access ◦ Multidisciplinary

3

Transition from Linear to Circular Economy 62 Sugam Upadhayay (DBA student) & Omaima Alquassimi (DBA student) Reading as a Basis of Vocabulary Growth: Application to an EFL Setting 75 Tran B. Vo (MATESOL student)

4

ABOUT WIJAR

The Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR) is a multi-disciplinary, open access journal, pioneered by the faculty at Westcliff University. The first issue was published in the spring of 2017. The fundamental objective of the Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research is to create a platform for faculty, students, and external contributors to publish their work in any discipline. This journal brings together faculty from different industries and students who are at any level in their academic career, thereby bridging the gap between faculty, students, and other industry professionals.

Published by: Westcliff University, 16715 Von Karman #100, Irvine, CA 92606 Tel: 888-491-8686 Fax: 888-409-7306

http://www.westcliff.edu / [email protected]

5

Women’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Nepal: A Study Based on Kathmandu Valley

Upasna Acharya, Faculty

[email protected]

Chittaranjan Pandey, Faculty

[email protected]

ABSTRACT Entrepreneurship, traditionally seen as a male preserve, has witnessed increasing participation from females in recent years. Across the world, the number of enterprises being run by women is growing exponentially. Nepal is not an exception to this emerging trend. However, there are embedded structural and socio-cultural constraints which pose a challenge to the growth of women entrepreneurs and the stability of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal. Through qualitative research, this article attempts to study the phenomenon of the entrepreneurship of women and explore the status-quo and the policy framework for female entrepreneurs in Nepal. This article explores the current entrepreneurial environment for Nepalese women, as well as the issues and challenges associated with it. This study was conducted within the Kathmandu valley and samples of the study were drawn from various stakeholders comprising of financial institutions, government agencies, I/NGOs, venture capitalists and women entrepreneurs. The data required for the study was obtained via in-depth personal interviews, key informants’ interviews and literature reviews from a variety of well-researched journals and articles. The six-factor model, inclusive of social, economic, competitive, facilitating, locational and political aspects identified by Bulsara, Chandwani and Gandhi (2014), has been assessed to understand the inherent challenges. Additionally, a political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal (PESTEL) framework has been used to analyse insights from current women in the Nepalese entrepreneurial ecosystem. This study revealed that the process of lengthy documentation, bureaucratic hassles, political uncertainty, unconducive business environments, corruption, strikes, and unionization are the concurrent factors affecting the entrepreneurial environment in Nepal. On the policy side, though an amendment has been made in the Nepal Enterprise Act to support the entrepreneurship of women, the effectiveness of the policy support is still questioned.

INTRODUCTION Women entrepreneurship refers to the

innovation, initiation and operation of any business by that of a woman (Kumar, Navalgund, Mohan, & Vijaya, 2013). Findings from Cohoon, Wadhwa and Mitchell (2011), list empowerment, self-reliance, financial stability and independence as key factors motivating females to step into the entrepreneurial journey.

Women entrepreneurship in Nepal is still in the evolving process. According to Dwibedi (2015), the surrogate entrepreneurship culture evident in Nepal makes the task of capturing the actual number of women entrepreneurs very difficult. Many women, though registered as entrepreneurs, do not operate the ventures. The enterprises they own are either run by their husbands or another male family member. Nepal still follows the feudalism of cultural norms and beliefs which prevent women from being entrepreneurs (“Green tick Nepal,” 2018). The embedded structural and socio-cultural constraints have highly challenged the growth and stability of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In many parts of the country, women are viewed as a vulnerable population and are subjected to unfair treatment which binds them to break the blockages and act on their own will (“Green tick Nepal,” 2018). As per the United Nation’s (2018) records, women constitute 50.4 percent of Nepal’s population. Despite representing half of the country’s population and being a better half of the society, female participation is relatively low in the economic sector, which is why women entrepreneurship in Nepal is yet to gain momentum.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to understand the current entrepreneurial environment for women and the issues and

challenges associated with this sector in the context of Nepal. The specific objectives of the study are:

i. To explore the overall entrepreneurial environment for women in Nepal.

ii. To assess the contribution of the supporting agencies like I/NGOs, financial institutions-commercial and development banks, government agencies and venture capitalists in promoting women entrepreneurship in Nepal.

METHODOLOGY

Kathmandu valley is the social, political and financial hub of the country. Kathmandu and Lalitpur metropolitan, cities which are two contiguous and closely looped administrative cities (Thapa, Murayama, & Ale, 2008), were selected for the study. Qualitative research design and the convenience sampling method was used for finding the appropriate respondents. The sampling technique as of Llorente, Lopez, & Montes (2011) was followed. Seven sample points were determined to capture the heterogeneity and diverse respondents in the study. A total of ninety-two samples were selected randomly from sample points and were further broken down as per the requirement in each district. The sample covered respondents from NGOs/INGOs, financial institutions-commercial and development banks, government offices, venture capitals, startups and private enterprises. The research design for this project can be seen below in Figure 1.

7

Figure 1. Research design followed for the study.

As can be seen, the primary data was collected via personal interviews, key informant interviews and mailed questionnaires. The key informants for the study were respondents from the credit departments in commercial and development banks, representatives of I/NGOs, government officers, owners of private organizations-venture capitals, law firm and colleges. Face-to-face interviews with selected entrepreneurs were also conducted to gain insights related to entrepreneurship programs and their effectiveness.

DATA ANALYSIS

Most of the data obtained was qualitative and descriptive in nature. Triangulation of ideas was carried out and the responses obtained were compared and contrasted with previous academic literature related to women entrepreneurship. The study used the phenomenological approach for the analysis of the data. The fundamental goal of the phenomenological approach is to arrive at a description of the nature of a particular phenomenon (Creswell, 2013). Under the phenomenological orientation, persons with deeper understandings of the entrepreneurial

ecosystem and experiences were identified; their experiences of entrepreneurial aspects were recorded, transcribed and interpreted. Collected data was processed and further analyzed with the help of Microsoft Excel 2010.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The conceptual framework, developed by Bulsara, Chandwani, and Gandhi (2014) identifies six factors that affect and challenge women entrepreneurship: social factors, economic factors, competitive factors, facilitating factors, locational mobility of entrepreneurs, and other factors. Social factors include childhood, background, education, religion, community setup and cultural issues, support from spouse/family/relatives/community, social mobility and work-life balance. Usually in Nepalese society, women have a lower societal position than men and are expected to work at home. They do not have complete support from their families to enter into the entrepreneurial world (Acharya, 2001). Male members of families do not want to invest their capital in a business run by a woman due to a lack of confidence in women's ability to run a venture successfully. Even if a woman

8

receives the familial support to work outside of the home, it is generally within the confines of a corporate job.

Economic factors refer to financial assistance, size of the market, and a lack of access to credit. A lack of financial support is the most common reason as to why many women are unable to start an enterprise (Sashikumar, 2017). In Nepal, women have lesser access to financial resources when compared to their male counterparts. They are not entitled to property rights which deprive them of tangible assets which can be used as a collateral for obtaining funds from external sources.

Competitive factors involve potential entrants, rivalry of firms and substitute products, and cut-throat competition. In Nepalese communities, people start their businesses as a rivalry. “If s/he can do it, I can do it too” is a common thought driving people to start businesses. According to Acharya (2001), a majority of small and medium enterprises owned by females lack prior market research and business knowledge due to which women proprietors face severe problems operating business. Lack of access to marketing networks, marketing information and appropriate business education deprive women entrepreneurs of voice and say in mainstreaming their concerns.

The facilitating factors include training, mentoring and exposure to a business environment. Networks and business associations play an important role in support,

training, information management, and access to mentors, role models, and resources (Sattar, 2010). Women entrepreneurs in Nepal are disadvantaged because formal and informal networks and business development services are largely dominated by men. Women, thus, lack exposure, inhibiting their prospects of growth and expansion. Low participation in trainings, limited access to modern management methods, technology and consulting services are pertinent challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Nepal.

When it comes to locational mobility, unlike men, women’s mobility in Nepal is highly limited due to the socio-structural constraints. Women are obliged to access resources through family and spouses. A single woman running a business is still looked upon with suspicion. The cumbersome exercise involved in the registration and operation of business compels women to give up the idea of starting their own venture and instead turn to a corporate job or domestic work. Other factors for giving up include a lack of self-confidence and risk-taking capacity, as well as male domination in the productive sector. Mainstream research, policies and programs tend to be “men streamed” and too often do not take into account the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and would-be women entrepreneurs (Acharya, 2001), thereby, limiting their substantial participation entrepreneurship. These challenges can be summarized as seen below in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Theoretical framework for women entrepreneurs and challenges faced. (Bulsara, Chandwani, & Gandhi, 2014).

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN NEPAL: HISTORY AND TRENDS The history of entrepreneurship in Nepal

dates back prior to the unification of the country. The Mallas, who ruled then, married Bhrikuti to the Tibetan emperor, Srong Btsan Sgam Po. This partnership improved the relationship between Nepal and Tibet, especially in regard to the trade of Buddhist philosophy and art. Nepal was known for its unique art and crafts. People made wooden, metal, and stone crafts that reflected the culture of Nepal and incorporated elements of Buddhism. This might have been the first entrepreneurial step in the history of Nepal (Shakya, 2008). Since then, the trend of entrepreneurship in Nepal has been on the incline. There are a variety of startups, social and commercial enterprises emerging in the market. The idea of entrepreneurship has also been integrated into the educational system,

as entrepreneurial courses. Some of the business colleges in Nepal run incubation centers, which incubate and transform the ideas of individuals into concrete business projects. These centers facilitate the growth of social and commercial entrepreneurship through academic teaching, training, mentoring, networking, and most importantly, providing access to seed capital for establishing startups. In addition to this, the emergence of venture capitals has also supported the growth and development of the entrepreneurial sector in the country.

ECO-POLITICAL SITUATION IN NEPAL

The eco-political situation in Nepal is not considered favorable for establishment of a business. This is due to the fact that the process of business registration and operational procedures is a hassle. Nepal is

Women entrepreneurship environment and

its challenges.

Social Factors(Background, education etc.)

Economic Factors(Banks,

government etc.)

Competitive Factors

(Entrants, market

research etc.)

Facilitating Factors

(Experience, technology

etc.)

Locational Mobility of

Entrepreneurs(Culture, Resources

etc.)

Other Factors(Self

confidence,corruption)

10

ranked 110th among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank (2018) annual ratings. The continued political disputes, complex tax regime, weak institutional capacity to enforce contracts standing, electricity standing,

construction permit etc. attributes to this lower position (“Nepal slips 5 places,” 2018).

If we compare the index of doing business presented by the World Bank, the report will help us know how friendly the economy is for the females.

Figure 3. Time taken to start a business by female. (“The world bank in Nepal,” 2016).

The graph shows the time taken (in days) to start a business by females in the South Asian region. It also compares this to the world average. According to the graph, Nepal takes almost 17 days to start a business, which is less than the number of days shown as the average of low-income countries and the world average, but it is a larger number of days than the average of South Asia (15.54 days). Nepal thus, lies in the middle for the duration required to start a business for all South Asian countries.

Similarly, if we compare Nepal with the top five countries of the world, in terms of doing business, we can see that these countries, on average, take 2.2 days for entrepreneurs to start a business, whereas Nepal requires more than 15 days to accomplish the same feat. This implies that Nepal still needs to learn a lot from these countries regarding policy and business environment. The number of days required to start a business can be seen by country in Figure 4.

0.005.00

10.0015.0020.0025.0030.00

AFGHANIST

AN

BANGLADESH

BHUTANINDIA

LEAST

DEVELOPED …

LOW IN

COME

SRI LA

NKA

MALDIVES

NEPAL

PAKISTAN

SOUTH ASIA

WORLD

8.00

19.5012.00

29.8024.26 23.88

9.00 12.0016.50 17.50 15.54

19.88

Days

Countries

Time taken to start a business, female (Days)

Figure 4. Number of days required to start business. (“The world bank in Nepal,” 2016).

Another constraint of doing business in Nepal is that private businesses are required to follow 130 processes from 41 different ministries (“The World Bank in Nepal,” 2016). Additionally, corruption is extremely high in Nepal. It was ranked as 130th out of 175 countries in 2015 (“Transparency international,” 2017). Bribery has become so infused within the bureaucratic system in Nepal that the pace for business registration has been impacted when there is an absence of bribes. For the reasons aforementioned, it

can be concluded that Nepal presents a difficult entrepreneurial environment.

To make a further study the entrepreneurial environment in Nepal, a PESTEL analysis was carried out which included analysis of political, economic, socio-cultural, technical and legal environments. The elements of the PESTEL analysis can be seen below in Figure 5.

Figure 5. PESTEL framework to study the women entrepreneurial environment in Nepal.

05

1015202530

New Zeala

nd

Canad

a

Hong Kong

Australi

a

Singa

poreNepal

South Asia

World

1 2 2 3 3

17 16

29

Num

ber o

f day

s

Name of countries

Number of days required to start a business

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM ANALYSIS Legal Environment

Different countries have different legal terms and procedures regarding entrepreneurship and the starting of a business. According to USAID’s chief economist, Steve Radelet, the significant requirements for women entrepreneurs in terms of legal and regulatory frameworks differ between countries from property rights to access to finance options. Similarly, women entrepreneurs face a myriad of legal and regulatory challenges that prevent them from starting new businesses.

Nepal’s constitutional and legislative framework has become more gender friendly with the intention of raising the social and economic status of women in the country. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) (2011), female headed households have increased from 14.57 percent in 2001 to 25.73 percent in 2011.

A way Nepal has attempted to assist women is seen through the registration of land. If land is registered in the name of a woman, she would receive 20 percent off in the tax payment. After this law passed, registration of land and property in the names of women rose to 19.71 percent from 9.11 percent in the previous census (CBS, 2011). This proves that, the current law is influencing the power distribution in small but powerful ways.

According to a Nepalese law enacted in 2011, if a business is registered as solely owned by a woman, the business will receive 35 percent off of the registration fee. In addition, women can receive 20 percent discounts for patents and other intellectual property rights (“Government of Nepal,” 2011). Currently, it is very difficult to estimate the actual number of women entrepreneurs in Nepal due to the absence of up-to-date data. According to the findings obtained from the financial

institutions, I/NGO’s, government agencies and venture capitalists surveyed, women entrepreneurs are being supported at various levels. Financial institutions, such as commercial banks, development banks, and micro credits are providing loans, credits and other possible benefits. I/NGOs provide seed money, functional and financial literacy trainings, mentoring, counselling and leadership development skill trainings. The government provides tax rebates, concessions in the process of registration, entrepreneurship funds, reservations of seats and scholarships in technical education, etc., while venture capitalists support via mentoring, counselling and providing networking opportunities.

However, it is unclear who is actually controlling or running the businesses that have been registered in the name of women. A trend has developed for registering businesses under a woman, solely for the tax benefits. This is continuing to increase as the Nepal Enterprise Act 2016 has been passed, promoting woman entrepreneurship by offering rebates in registration, income tax, and remuneration income. Despite all the efforts of supporting agencies to empower women as entrepreneurs, the status of women has not changed as expected. According to the gender development index (GDI), socio-economic conditions for Nepalese women is very not good. Nepal ranks 134th among 156 countries in terms of the GDI (“The World Bank in Nepal,” 2016). Economic Environment

Nepal is an agrarian economy with a population of 28.51 million and a gross domestic product of 21.19 billion dollars (“The World Bank in Nepal,” 2016). Development assistance, agricultural enterprises, tourism, exports of carpets and garments and the remittances of millions of Nepalese working abroad, play important role in the Nepalese

13

economy (Maskey, 2014). According to Simoes (2016), the top exports of Nepal are flavored water (USD92.2M), knotted carpets (USD75.7M), non-retail synthetic staple fibers yarn (USD58.4M), nutmeg (USD34.3M) and other plastic products (USD33.2M). The majority of these exports are in China, India, United Arab Emirates, United States and some European countries. In recent years, the export base to China has improved equating to 55.3 percent of the total exports, while merchandise exports to India rose by 22.6 percent (Tripathi, 2016). Additionally, out-going migrant workers have decreased by 8.9 percent according to the department of foreign employment and thus, remittance in Nepal has also been continuously decreasing.

The liquidity management of the economy has also been challenging as financial institutions have not been able to facilitate the entrepreneurial environment. Since the exports have been slightly positive towards China, it is high time women entrepreneurs tap the opportunity and begin to produce items such as agricultural products, handicrafts, garments, which have not been made commercial or been dominated by male business society. Political Environment

The political environment of a country plays a vital role in the growth and expansion of businesses. In a country like Nepal, where a multi-party system exists, untimely formation and dissolution of the government has ravaged the policy-making and execution of drafted policies. The Worldwide Governance Indicators ranked Nepal in the bottom 20th percentile for political stability out of 200 countries (“The World Bank in Nepal,” 2016). The prevailing uncertainty in the political system has not just dampened entrepreneurial activity but has affected the macroeconomic environment. The frequent changes in government structure, policies, reforms, laws

and regulations have constrained both domestic and foreign investments, which in turn stops newcomers from entering into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The bureaucratic system has had a major impact on entrepreneur’s lives. According to Sorensen (2006), the characteristics of bureaucratic organizations may create frustration, political disruptions and lost opportunities for individuals who are attempting to pursue new ideas. In the context of Nepal, bureaucratic hassles are one of the major concerns. The lengthy conventional documentation process and the centralized and exclusionary system where people from outside the valley have to come to Kathmandu, the capital city for business registration presents territorial hurdles within the country. The evolving bureaucratic system is dominated by bribery. Bribery has become fundamental to progressing through each step of the registration process and results in discouraging entrepreneurs and worsening situations.

Political challenges include unionization in the production process. Each political party in Nepal has its own labor union. Such unions are considered powerful by their respective governments. They pressure the government to fulfil their self-based interests by holding demonstrations, calling for strikes, locking up the industries, protesting, etc. The affiliation of labor organizations with political parties and leaders compel management to compromise with labor union demands even against the interests of an enterprise or the nation as a whole. Socio-cultural Environment

Nepal is rich in terms of socio-cultural diversity. Despite the diversity, the patriarchal system is still dominant (“Green tick Nepal,” 2018). Even though gender equality, leading to equity and equal opportunity are fundamental rights in Nepal, different standards of behavior for men and women exist. The lower

14

participation of women in entrepreneurship is the outcome of societal standards and beliefs which view women as homemakers rather than innovators or change makers.

In Nepal, entrepreneurship has always been a male preserve. Women’s participation in meaningful business experiences are limited by various socio-cultural factors. Women face specific obstacles such as family responsibilities, restrictions on spatial mobility and limited social capital that must be overcome in order to give them access to entrepreneurial opportunities. In addition, the society in Nepal, of which the woman is an integral part, does not believe in a woman’s capacity to operate a business (Acharya, 2001). Many times, a family’s reluctance to invest their capital has impaired the growth of women-led ventures. When it comes to requesting loans, even the financial institutions demand the presence of a male member or the need for tangible collateral which women have little access to. This clearly displays the lack of trust the Nepalese society puts in the capability of women to run a business independently.

If we look at the positive side, the increasing number of enterprises initiated, run, and managed by women marks a transformation of the Nepalese society. “The formation of self-help groups (SHGs), support from I/NGOs, higher levels of education, and economic liberalization can be considered reasons for this change” states, Rita Bhandari, former president of Federation of Women Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal (FWEAN). However, despite all of this support, female entrepreneurs are still far from being on par with men. Technological Environment

Business and technology are complementary to each other. Technology advancement increases production, effective use of resources, and brings an opportunity to

upgrade business firms. Technology is not only a driving force for economic growth and entrepreneurial ventures, but it also acts as a powerful factor able to shape entrepreneurs’ behaviors, values, and mindsets.

The process of entrepreneurship involves the use of technology at every step whether that be idea generation, idea selection, resource assemblage, production, marketing, customer satisfaction or any other aspect related to the development of the enterprise. In this perspective, technology is not a neutral tool but something that supports and constrains human action, thinking and even deepest values. Each technological innovation brings with it a wave of new start-ups and new entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs in Nepal are well-represented in small and medium enterprises that are based primarily on the subsistence level of technology and production. The growing number of women who own businesses in Nepal, is concentrated mostly in retail trade, home based operations, and personal service industries (Maskey, 2014).

Since mass scale of production is important for economic empowerment and technology is vital for the same, it is imperative to link women entrepreneurs to business development services and increase their access to relevant technical education. The primary focus of Nepalese women entrepreneurs has to be shifted from the traditional sector of small and micro enterprises to larger sectors of technology and innovation. The use of the latest digital technology, to disrupt old ways of doing business, is the need of the hour. Therefore, the usage of computers and the internet and light semi-automated machineries must be promoted to increase the utility and production among the women entrepreneurs.

15

CONCLUSIONS The entrepreneurial environment for

women in Nepal is full of challenges. It is improving but at a snail’s pace. The political uncertainty, corruption, strikes, bureaucracy, and unionization have greatly affected the entrepreneurial environment. The process of starting a new business is long and tedious. Not only do the political factors affect this, but also factors like societal, legal, economic imbalances have greatly affected the current situation for women who wish to enter into entrepreneurial positions. In addition, the society of Nepal views women as homemakers rather than as innovators or change makers. Some people even find the word, “women entrepreneurship” to be feminist and refuse to use it. Whereas some, who are genuinely trying to help, complain that women do not even try to seek out possible help due to inadequate market information or networks.

The civil society organization is working together with I/NGOs, like the United Nations, to decrease the gender gap by setting quotas for women to participate in professional development functions. The I/NGOs also help in training, providing networking opportunities, and giving options for financial aid to women entrepreneurs. The legal environment is trying to help women entrepreneurs to uplift their status through power distribution, living styles, and working environments. But, it is unclear who is actually utilizing those services and how many are benefiting from it.

Additionally, legal policies try to encourage women entrepreneurs, but according to the new Industrial Act of 2011, we can see the

industry is employing more than 50 percent of women, socially excluded and those who are disabled to receive a 15 percent tax discount. Instead of promoting women entrepreneurs, the legal policies seem to rip them off by further adding documentation that is unnecessary and hard to come by and by not supporting them in ways that make a difference. Furthermore, the political environment of a country plays a vital role in the growth and expansion of businesses in any economy. Having an unstable political system will not just dampen entrepreneurial activity but will also affect the macroeconomic environment as a result. In Nepal, it has constrained both domestic and foreign investment, which has also stopped newcomers from entering into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Nepali women have to be seen as more than homemakers and need to be given equal rights (in practice) as suggested by the constitution of Nepal to establish and flourish their businesses. Only when the policies are made people-friendly, can more women be encouraged to join the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Current social norms must be changed. Regarding the policy amendments, the entrepreneurial and economic policies of countries like New Zealand, Hong Kong need to be studied and compared and contrasted with the Nepali policies, wherein the legal hurdles can be overcome. As Nepal’s federal government stabilizes as grows, the political stability will further boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country, providing women with more opportunities to enter into it.

16

REFERENCES Acharya, M. (2001). Women and the economy: The key issues. Retrieved from

http://www.nepaldemocracy.org/gender/women_economy.htm Bulsara, H. P., Chandwani, J., & Gandhi, S. B. (2014). Women entrepreneurship and innovations in India: An

exploratory study. International Journal Of Innovation - IJI, 2(1). doi:10.5585/iji.v2i1.2 Cohoon, J. M., Wadhwa, V., & Mitchell, L. (2011). The anatomy of an entrepreneur: Are successful women

entrepreneurs different from men? SSRN. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1604653 Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 (2017). In Transparency International. Retrieved from

https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016#table Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among the five approaches. Thousand Oaks,

CA: SAGE Publications. Development of women entrepreneurship in Nepal. (2018, February 12). In Green Tick Nepal. Retrieved from

http://gtn.com.np/development-of-women-entrepreneurship-in-nepal/ Dwibedi, L. (2015). Women entrepreneurship and innovations: A critical analysis. Academic Voices: A

Multidiscipinary Journal, 5, 16-21. Retrieved from https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AV/article/view/15846

Industrial Policy 2011. (2011). In Government of Nepal [GoN]. Retrieved from http://moi.gov.np/uploads/files/Industrial%20Policy%2C%202010.pdf

Kumar, M., Navalgund, L. K., Mohan, C. H., & Vijaya, C. (2013). The role of women entrepreneurship in modern world. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology (1), 100-104. Retrieved from http://inpressco.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Paper20100-104.pdf

Labour migration for employment a status report for Nepal: 2015/2016 – 2016/2017. (2018). In Department of Foreign Employment [DoFE].

Llorente, G. M., Lopez, M. B., & Montes, C. (2011). Exploring the motivations of protesters in contingent valuation: Insights for conservation policies. Environmental Science & Policy(14), 76-88.

Maskey, I. S. (2014). Socioeconomic status of women entrepreneurs in Kathmandu metropolis (Published dissertation). Kathmandu: Tribhuwan University (TU).

National population and housing census 2011. (2011). In Central Bureau of Statistics [CBS]. Retrieved from http://cbs.gov.np/image/data/Population/National%20Report/National%20Report.pdf

Nepal population clock (live). (2018, November 11). In United Nations. Retrieved from https://countrymeters.info/en/Nepal

Nepal slips 5 places in doing business. (2018, November 1). In The Himalayan Times. Retrieved from https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/nepal-slips-5-places-in-doing-business-index/

Sashikumar, B. (2017). An economic study of women entrepreneurship. International Journal of Current Research and Modern Education, 2(1). Retrieved from http://ijcrme.rdmodernresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/185.pdf

Sattar, S. (2010). Opportunities for men and women: Emerging Europe and Central Asia . Washington DC: The World Bank.

Shakya, M. (2008). Cultural capital and entrepreneurship in Nepal: The readymade garment industry as a case study. East Eisenhower Parkway: ProQuest.

Simoes, A. (2016). Nepal (NPL) Exports, imports, and trade partners. Retrieved from https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/npl/

Sorensen, J. B. (2006). Bureaucracy and entrepreneurship. Stanford, CA: Stanford University. Thapa, B. R., Murayama, Y., & Ale, S. (2008). City profile Kathmandu. CITIES - The International Journal of Urban

Policy and Planning, 45-57. Time required to start a business (days). (2016). In The World Bank. Retrieved from

http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.REG.DURS The World Bank in Nepal-Overview. (2016). Retrieved from

http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/nepal/overview

17

Tripathi, A. (2016, 1 4). Nepal- China trade: Prospect and challenges. New Business Age. Retrieved from http://www.newbusinessage.com/MagazineArticles/view/1391

World Bank. (2018). Nepal systematic country diagnostic. Washington DC: The World Bank Group (The World Bank /International Financial Corporation /Multilateral Investmet Gurantee Agency).

World Bank [WB]. (2018). Doing Business 2019 : Training for reform-Nepal. Kathmandu: World Bank Group. Retrieved from http://www.doingbusiness.org/content/dam/doingBusiness/country/n/nepal/NPL.pdf

World Bank. (2017). Nepal-Country At a Glance. Retrieved from www.worldbank.org: http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/nepal

18

Leading the Change with Six Images of a Change Leader

Mojibola Bamidele-Sadiq, DBA student

[email protected]

ABSTRACT Change is constant, and it is a continuous norm. It has even been said that, “to refuse to change is to be left behind” (anonymous). While difficult, this is still something that both individuals and organizations must cope with. The world is constantly changing, which explains why individuals and organizations that are open to change continue to survive. Many researchers have argued that an organization may only achieve a successful change when there is effective leadership. Effective leaders are those who understand when to change and how much to change. The purpose of this paper is to reiterate the importance of leadership in implementing a successful and transformational change in an organization. It will further explore a body of literature that supports and identifies roles leaders take on in the change management process.

INTRODUCTION Today, organizations are constantly

changing in their strategies, processes and procedures in response to the dynamism of business. Organizations are faced with internal and external environmental pressures, and in response to these pressures, they have to constantly change. Johansson and Heide (2008), explain that change is often driven by conditions in the surrounding environment and also triggered by needs within organizations. Elias and Mittal (2011), assert that virtually every organization will go through development and change at some point. While change revolves around both the organization and the employees, the employees are the main actors of change. Therefore, change is about the people in an organization. However, to lead these people, a change leader whose role is to act as the catalyst in the change process is essential. A change manager provides a structured approach to help people transition from a current state to a future state, as a result of change (Hoe, 2017).

More importantly, change cannot exist in a vacuum as it occurs between the organization and the people of the organization. Therefore, a successful change can be determined by identifying if the people were an integral part of the change process and throughout the process were building relationships and depending on team work. The personal leadership style of a change leader is the key to a transformational change taking place. Leaders must have confidence in themselves and their abilities so that those who look up to them as leaders will have confidence in them as well.

Hoogendoorn, Jonker, Schut and Treur (2007), explain that the need for a change may be prompted by an environment or by an organization. This paper analyses in detail why change is a survival strategy in today’s business

world, especially in the face of fierce competition. The methods used in this analysis are those of formalization, simulation, and verification. An analysis of the six images of a change manager in the pursuit of successful transformational changes will be included. Additionally, characteristics of leaders such as transparency, openness, trustworthiness, and honesty are found to be essential to achieve a desired change, and due to this, will be explored.

THE SIX IMAGES OF A CHANGE MANAGER

Palmer, Dunford, and Buchanan (2016), identified the six images of a change manager as a director, interpreter, navigator, coach, caretaker and nurturer. A change leader must exhibit all six of these roles, which are not separate categories. Instead, they form two continua, from controlling to shaping management roles and implement outcomes that vary from planned to unintended. The boundaries of these six images are blurred, and their elements may overlap in practice (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016). Although one or more of the six images may be more pronounced than the others, a transformational change leader is able to balance the mix.

In the role of a director, a change manager gives direction towards the expected outcome spelling out how the change would be achieved and providing the necessary resources required for the change. This image makes the change leader the grand commander in the change process. The one who designs the tactics and strategies that need to be adopted in order to achieve the desired result. The director maneuvers, manipulates, manages and monitors the teams’ activities in the direction of the desired change (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016). It is important for a change manager never to base actions on assumptions in the process of change. There

20

must be a clear vision as well as a defined mission of what is to be achieved. This will guide the change. There must also be an understanding of what needs to change and the direction of the change in order for the leader to guide and control the activities of the team members appropriately.

The interpreter image requires more of a ‘sense-making’ approach involving ‘sense breaking’ and ‘sense giving’ to the situation. This simply means that the change must make sense to the people who will enact the change. In order to achieve this, a change leader must clearly communicate the purpose of the change in a manner that is easily understood by other team members. A change manager must know that everyone may not move at the same, thus, an assessment of the level of support from the team is necessary. Once a specified percentage of support is achieved, the late adopters will eventually catch up with the change (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016). Whatever happens, it is the duty of change managers to offer interpretations of the change where they make sense to the people involved. In the opinion of Rouleau and Balogun (2010), sense-making is a social process of construction and reconstruction through which managers understand, interpret, and create sense for themselves and others of their changing organizational context and surroundings.

The image of a change manager as a coach is important because the actions or inactions of a leader can lead to a change that cannot be sustained or that may fail outright. Change can fail if the people enacting the change feel demotivated, if the vision is distorted, if people do not buy into the change, if there are dishonest leaders, or if organization politics and power are perceived. People tend to resist change either actively or passively, although, it is mostly passive as they would not want to be seen as opposing the organization or change

outright (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016). People will however actively resist change when it is perceived as likely to cause discomfort or is perceived as a threat. Lack of communication, perception of wrong timing for the change, lack of clarity, a negative legacy of past experiences, unclear advantages, dislike for change, strong attachment to status quo or organization culture, and a lack of or low tolerance for uncertainties are some of the reasons people resist change (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016). As a navigator, a change leader must be able to manage through resistance, addressing the concerns of the team members while making them focus on the overall outcome which the change process aims to achieve. Change leaders must ensure that they always communicate effectively during the process of change management, perpetually assessing people’s support of the change and projecting the change without threat in order to minimize resistance. Resistance to change can be managed using a contingency approach, although there is no specific best way of managing change (Urquhart & Allison, 2014). A change manager needs to understand that change must take its natural course, and as such, people are bound to deny, resist, explore and finally commit to the new course. This is what Kubler-Ross (1969) identifies as the coping cycle is later described as the classic change curve (Schneider & Goldwasser, 1998).

The change curve is a change management design model that describes the path the people and the organization follow in order to achieve the change result. It is a model that describes the four phases that people go through as they adjust to change. The phases are known as the introduction phase, the disruption phase (also known as the despair, resistance or apathy phase), the decision phase (also known as the make or break point) and lastly, the phase of embracing and

21

committing to the change. It is worthy to note that although the phases are predictable, strong leadership is needed to know what to do at the point of resistance, despair or apathy. The role of a nurturer on behalf of the leader is necessary in order to achieve stability (Palmer, Dunford & Buchanan, 2016).

Throughout the process of change, each situation will be different, and as such, a leader must determine the best approach as they progress (Burnes, 1996). This is where the role of the change leader as the caretaker comes into play. In this role, the leader must first ensure that resources are available in terms of capital and intellectual ability. Next, they must ensure process continuity such that no one’s absence can halt or disrupt the process. The third step is to shape the process while understanding the direction of change in order to identify promptly when there may be some form of derailment. If this occurs, a change leader must develop an adequate plan to put things back on track. Lastly, a caretaker is to welcome constructive criticism. The failure of a change does not always indicate failure, but rather it serves as a learning tool to identify other better ways of achieving the desired result (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2016).

There are identified change management competencies required for effective leadership. The Change Management Institute (CMI, 2012) proposed a competency model which encompasses all the areas that require the attention of a change manager. The model identifies twelve skill areas of a transformational change leader and emphasizes a more strategic perspective of the change manager’s ability to understand the environment, the stakeholders, and the sustainable outcomes.

Other inherent factors that may affect sustainable change and which a change manager must be mindful of are organizational culture, politics and power. If an organization’s

culture does not embrace change, a change manager will have to utilize more energy and resources in order to achieve buy-in. A change manager cannot be ignorant or neglect organizational politics. Instead of pretending that they do not exist, a change manager must engage in order to gain the desired political support necessary to achieve the change. In the opinion of Buchanan, Claydon, and Doyle (1999), organization politics play a major role in change implementation and this is why it must not be ignored, but rather managed in a change process. A change manager must know that some individuals are powerful in the organization. These individuals can either make or break a change program, and as such, change managers must strive to gain the buy-in of such people in the organization. In the opinion of Mark and Wim (2008), the success of strategic change will depend not only on an organization's ability to implement new structures and processes, but also on the organization's ability to convey the new mission and priorities to its many stakeholders. In other words, communication is key in achieving successful organizational change.

CONCLUSIONS

The practical implication of analysis done in this paper is to identify the strategic roles that leaders play in the change management process while contributing to the body of literature regarding the strategic change management process. It is very important that change managers understand the change management process itself, the changes by understanding the vision, and the need for change. They can then create a shared understanding of the change with their team through effective and honest communication, a well-defined strategy and properly mapped out plans for the change. A change manager must know that change can fail and must be

22

prepared for unplanned or unprecedented outcomes.

The further implication of this paper is the need for a strategic approach to managing change because change itself is a risky venture characterized by so many uncertainties. A change leader must be prepared to navigate through the process, weathering the storm until normalcy and the desired results are achieved. The likelihood of unintended

outcomes is one of the major reasons why people tend to resist change. Unfortunately, change is inevitable but resistance to change is not inevitable. Therefore, change leaders must ensure to communicate effectively during the change management process, assessing people’s support of the change and projecting the change without threat in order to minimize resistance.

23

REFERENCES Buchanan, D., Claydon, T., & Doyle, M. (1999). Organization development and change: The legacy of the nineties.

Human Resource Management Journal, 9(2), 20-37. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/199387134?accountid=158986.

Burnes, B. (1996). Managing change: A strategic approach to organizational dynamics (2nd ed.). London: Pitman. Change management survey 2012. (2012). In Change Management Institute. Retrieved from http://www.change-

management-institute.com/sites/default/files/ cmiresearchcmi_survey2012finalreport.pdf Elias, S. M., & Mittal, R. (2011). The importance of supervisor support for a change initiative. International Journal of

Organizational Analysis, 19(4), 305-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/19348831111173432. Hoe, S. L. (2017). What makes a competent change manager? The importance of developing the "right" attitudes.

Development and Learning in Organizations, 31(5), 14-16. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1938399022?accountid=158986

Hoogendoorn, M., Jonker, C. M., Schut, M. C., & Treur, J. (2007). Modeling centralized organization of organizational change. Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 13(2), 147-184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10588-006-9004-5

Johansson, C., & Heide, M. (2008). Speaking of change: Three communication approaches in studies of organizational change. Corporate Communications, 13(3), 288-305. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13563280810893661.

Mark, V. V., & Wim J.L. (2008). Communication, sensemaking and change as a chord of three strands. Corporate Communications, 13(3), 349-359. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13563280810893706

Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Buchanan, D. (2016). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspective approach (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Rouleau, L. & Balogun, J. (2011). Middle managers, strategic sensemaking, and discursive competence. Journal of Management Studies, 48(5) 953-983. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ j.1467-6486.2010.00941.x

Urquhart, R., & Allison, I. K. (2014). Towards a change leadership framework: Assessing capabilities within an IT service organization. Communications of the IIMA, 14(1), 87-103. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1765134458?accountid=158986

24

The Historical Retrospect of an Overlooked Business Opportunity Within the Aerospace Sector

Amir S. Gohardani, Faculty

[email protected]

ABSTRACT The aerospace sector is a dynamic, highly technology-driven industry with a remarkable societal impact. Partially fueled by air transportation and space exploration, the United States aerospace and defense industry generated 143 billion worth in exports in 2017. In light of conventional marketing and management practices pertaining to product development, traditional, non-adaptive product life-cycle management often falls short in this industry, explicitly under circumstances when the customer experience is neglected on a holistic level. Notably, such an approach could indeed result in overlooked business opportunities and strategic planning inconsistencies. In this paper, a specific overlooked aerospace business opportunity is dissected with objectives to depict the potential existence of secondary markets and to suggest a holistic approach to product life-cycle management.

INTRODUCTION Product development and market

penetration signify convoluted tasks in the aerospace industry. The defense-related nature of the aerospace sector inherently results in the fact that product development no longer remains a purely technology-driven process. In fact, the introduction of new aerospace products in the United States, a global leader of this industry, is commonly done with a variety of legislative facets (Department of State, 2012). One of these sets of regulatory regimes, entitled, International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), restricts and controls the export of defense and military-related technologies to safeguard U.S. national security and further U.S. foreign policy objectives. Thus, since there is an increasing level of competition between nations who aspire for global aerospace dominance, safeguarding technologies is a rather common practice.

With the legislative nature of the aerospace industry in mind, a short historical study about product development with regards to air transportation is fruitful as a starting point. In the early days of flight, the mere objective was to design a flight-capable, aerial vehicle. Balloons and gliders preceded powered aircraft which essentially had the distinct goal of transporting passengers and cargo from point A to point B (Gohardani, 2011). Over time, more efficient ways of transportation were adopted by the industry as progress in aircraft design including aircraft propulsion took place. Piston engines were replaced by gas turbines and the shape of the aircraft fuselage was modified based on the intended flight regime and operational requirements (Gohardani, 2013). Throughout the years, powered aircraft perpetually found new applications, and today, many are familiar with the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles

(UAVs), more commonly known to the general public as drones.

Despite the false perception that the concept of drones is new, this is not the case at all. In fact, onboard pilotless aircraft were the ideas of individuals like George Cayley, referred to as the father of aviation, and Felix Du Temple, the developer of one of the early powered model planes. With other visionaries like Nikola Tesla, designer and inventor of the radio remote control vehicle torpedo, weighing in, these concepts progressively evolved from simple ideas to functional aerial torpedoes and drones (Gohardani, 2018a).

In subsequent sections, additional insight is provided into UAVs, product development in other industries, and an overlooked business opportunity within the aerospace sector.

UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES: DRONE

TECHNOLOGIES Drones have taken the aerospace sector by

storm (Juniper, 2018; Parks & Kaplan, 2017; Custers, 2016). Today, drones are frequently used in support of educational efforts, search and rescue, public safety, and monitoring. Herein, one needs to distinguish between drones operated by the general public (Juniper, 2018) and devices exclusively operated by members of the armed forces for military applications (Parks & Kaplan, 2017). In the latter case, there are often distinct guidelines and regulatory frameworks set in place for drone use. Nonetheless, the drone operational regime for the general public has been a different story entirely.

With countless numbers of drone applications and the choice of toy manufacturers to streamline the usage of drones, the regulatory framework for drone usage and operation (Custers, 2016) reluctantly fell behind the product to market penetration points. Moreover, as an abundant number of cases are constantly reported in

26

which the drone operations result in the invasion of privacy, and at times, prevent first-responders from performing their duties (Urness, 2018), the legislative puzzle pieces for prevention of such behaviors are continuously falling into place. One direct measure by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to target the aforementioned shortcomings has been to request that drone operators register their drones. Hitherto more than a million U.S. drone users are recorded in the FAA drone register (Gohardani, 2018c).

ANTI-UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGIES:

ANTI-DRONE TECHNOLOGIES The drone boom and operational

inconsistencies amongst different operators have led to the development of a series of anti-drone technologies (Atherton, 2016a; Atherton, 2016b; Atherton, 2016c). An anti-drone technology essentially refers to a type of technology that can bring down a flying drone or a drone hovering in the sky. For these specific purposes, many different technologies have been suggested and many others are currently being explored. Consider, for example, a technology where bazookas and rifles deploy nets midair and prevent drone rotors from functioning as originally planned, hence, leading to the downfall of the drone from the sky. Another promising anti-drone concept is the usage of laser beams to freeze a drone midair and safely bringing it down. Anti-drone startups and entities are currently developing technologies to protect airports, stadiums, prisons, corporates, and high net worth individuals who are increasingly worried about their privacy and safety (Gohardani, 2018a; Levick, 2018). In short, anti-drone systems and technologies are specifically designed to counter unwarranted intrusions of drones (Gohardani, 2018a).

AN OVERLOOKED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY In hindsight, it can readily be established

that the anti-drone market was indeed an overlooked business opportunity of the aerospace sector. Although this market is being shaped on an ongoing basis and solely features the infancy of its technologies, the anti-drone market is still estimated to reach a billion dollars within the next decade (Gohardani, 2018a). Within this framework, a valid question to ask is, was it ever possible to predict the dawn of the anti-drone market? In short, the answer to this question is yes. However, in order to shed more light on the process of arriving at this answer, two different approaches are suggested. These approaches serve as historical lessons to widen the horizons for future business cases in which adjacent technologies and emerging markets are considered. It should be emphasized that combining these two approaches would have led to a compelling argument and a solid business case for the exploration of a potential emerging anti-drone market.

APPROACH 1: LESSONS LEARNED FROM OTHER

DISCIPLINES Comprehensive reviews of different

disciplines and estimations of hypothetical technical impacts on society enable new paths for innovation. These relationships are often cause and effect. With the answer key in hand, the argument is in essence that a series of privacy and safety concerns could have been predicted with the rapid emergence of drones in remarkable volumes. If at least a different area unrelated to drones is considered, navigation to the answer becomes even more apparent.

Consider the waste management industry as an example. Waste management refers to all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal (UNSD, 2018). An industry and market

27

created as a consequence of waste in all forms, whether industrial, biological, household, or those cases where the waste poses a threat to human health, the waste management industry engages in holistic thinking about the life-cycle of products. Even though, product usage undoubtedly has a significant effect on such a cycle, historically, this type of thinking has not always been advocated. In an exemplary case, the shipping industry, one of the global polluters, has operated its ships with business as usual until recently when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) finally ruled for an implementation of the reduction of sulfuric content in shipping fuel (Rathi, 2017). Although the shipping industry only produces 3% of carbon-dioxide emission, it equally produces 13% of nitrogen, 15% of sulfur, and 11% of particulate emissions. This elucidated case reveals that at times normal technology operations lead to unwanted consequences. In the case of drone usage, the drone application itself in combination with pending legislation on drone operation and usage in addition to negligence by operators, are contributing factors to privacy and safety concerns.

Privacy and security concerns have also emerged with cell phones and smartphones and are still a topic of interest to privacy and security advocates (Agrawal, Gans, & Goldfardb, 2018). Once again, cell phone usage can bear an impact on safety and privacy. Lessons learned from the communication industry could also have paved the path for a better understanding of how non-regulated access to drones would result in the anti-drone market.

APPROACH 2: EXAMINING PRODUCT SUCCESSION

In marketing, the product life cycle at different stages is well-known. This cycle typically includes four stages: introduction, growth, maturity or stabilization, and decline

(Anderson & Zeithaml, 1984).With the objective, amongst others, to reduce environmental impacts at the end-of-life, the invisible bridge to an aftermarket could become visible if the variety of internal markets to be served had been recognized in the implementation of the new technology, as suggested by Leonard-Barton and Kraus (1985). With the new drone technology for the general public, technological forecasting (Quinn, 1967) would also assist in the identification of adjacent subject areas. Furthermore, if the various stages through which a product is designed would be considered in profound detail, branches to new markets could also have been identified.

Two of the contributing factors leading to overlooked business opportunities in the aerospace sector are incorrect usage of market research (Reinartz, 2012) and challenges of executing state-of-the-art programs (Gohardani, 2018a; Gohardani, 2018b). Nonetheless, if opportunities such as the anti-drone market had been identified by the leading actors of the drone market, these companies and entities would have had a unique opportunity to develop anti-drone technologies in concurrence with developing the drone technologies originally. Such a strategic approach would possibly have enabled these actors and entities to capture a larger portion of the anti-drone market share as it was developing. Other advantages associated with this strategic approach would have been that the early developers of anti-drone technology could have gotten a head start on a variety of technologies and possibly leverage the information gained from the continuously developing drone technology for the anti-drone industry.

An emerging field that targets cross-disciplinary topics is denoted as science, technology, and society (STS). Recently, STS (Kumar & Chubin, 2000; Bauchspies, Croissant

28

& Restivo, 2005; Williams, 2017) has gained momentum. STS is particularly useful when a need for observation of a chosen topic from multilateral perspectives is identified (Gohardani & Gohardani, 2016; Gohardani, 2018a). For instance, glancing at the drone industry through STS lenses would, at a minimum, have identified the impact of drones on society. With that level of comprehension, which also encompasses other subject areas such as economics, safety, privacy, and legislation, a baseline for an emerging market such as the anti-drone market possibly could have been established.

For clarification purposes, it should be emphasized that aerospace companies and entities linked to the aerospace sector, still have opportunities to gain market share and capitalize on the anti-drone industry. The missed business opportunity described in this article specifically refers to the missed opportunity by originating drone technology companies and entities which overlooked the emerging anti-drone market and its business potential.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, the anti-drone market has been identified as a missed business

opportunity within the aerospace sector. This market is estimated to reach a billion dollars within the next decade and is becoming increasingly relevant on a daily basis (Gohardani, 2018b). With objectives to prevent the unwarranted intrusion of drones, companies and entities in the anti-drone industry have embarked on a quest to develop technologies with aims to protect airports, stadiums, prisons, corporates, and high net worth individuals who are increasingly worried about their privacy and safety. In hindsight of this missed business opportunity, solely two different approaches, communicated as historical lessons, have been suggested for identification of emerging technology markets. These approaches are by no means all-encompassing but serve as navigational guides for approaching emerging markets and pave the path for holistic product lifecycle thinking.

DISCLAIMER

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this journal article are exclusively those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization(s) or entities affiliated with the author.

29

REFERENCES Agrawal, A., Gans, J., & Goldfardb, A. (30 May 2018) Google’s AI assistant is a reminder that privacy and security are

not the same, Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/05/googles-ai-assistant-is-a-reminder-that-privacy-and-security-are-not-the-same

Anderson, C. R., & Zeithaml, C. P. (1984). Stage of the product life cycle, business strategy, and business performance. The Academy of Management Journal, 27(1), 5-24. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/255954

Atheron, K. D. (2016a). DARPA wants a new anti-drone weapon by 2020, Popular Science. Retrieved from https://www.popsci.com/darpa-wants-new-anti-drone-weapon-by-2020

Atheron, K. D. (2016b). SkyWall is a new anti-drone net bazooka for police, Popular Science. Retrieved from https://www.popsci.com/skywall-is-an-anti-drone-net-bazooka

Atheron, K. D. (2016c). American anti-drone rifle deployed in Iraq, Popular Science. Retrieved from https://www.popsci.com/american-anti-drone-rifle-spotted-in-iraq

Bauchspies, W. K., Croissant, J., & Restivo, S. (2005). Science, technology, and society: A sociological approach. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell.

Custers, B. (Ed.). (2016). The future of drone use: Opportunities and threats from ethical and legal perspectives. Amsterdam, Holland: T.M.C. Asser Press.

Department of State – DOS. (2012). ITAR international traffic in arms regulation. Redbike Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.redbikepublishing.com/itar-2

Federal Aviation Administration - FAA (2018). UAS registration – UAS flown under the small UAS rule (part 107), FAA. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/part_107

Gohardani, A.S. (2011). Challenges of future aircraft propulsion: A review of distributed propulsion technology and its potential application for the all-electric commercial aircraft. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 47(5), 369-391. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376042110000497

Gohardani, A. S. (2013). A synergistic glance at the prospects of distributed propulsion technology and the electric aircraft concept for future unmanned air vehicles and commercial/military aviation. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 57(1), 25-70. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376042112000735

Gohardani, A. S., & Gohardani, O. (May 2016). Astronautics in light of science, technology, and society, Space Times Magazine. Retrieved from http://astronautical.org/dev/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ST55-34-may-aug2016-final-for-web.pdf

Gohardani, A. S. (2018a). Owning the 21st century. Aerospace America. Retrieved from https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/departments/owning-the-21st-century

Gohardani, A. S. (2018b). Rx for the workforce. Aerospace America. Retrieved from https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/departments/rx-for-the-workforce

Gohardani, A. S. (2018c). A year of records. Aerospace America. Retrieved from https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org Juniper, A. (2018). The Complete Guide to Drones. London, England: Wellfleet Press. Kumar, D. D., & Chubin, D. F. (Eds.). (2000). Science, technology, and society: Education. Heidelberg, Germany:

Springer. Leonard-Barton, D., & Kraus, W. A. (November 1985). Implementing new technology, Harvard Business Review.

Retrieved from https://hbr.org/1985/11/implementing-new-technology Levick, R. (15 May 2018). Drone industry just beginning to take off. In Forbes. Retrieved from

https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardlevick/2018/05/15/drone-industry-just-beginning-to-take-off Parks, L., & Kaplan, C. (Eds.). (2017). Life in the age of drone warfare. North Carolina, Durham: Duke University Press

Books. Quinn, J. B. (March 1967) Technological forecasting, Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from

https://hbr.org/1967/03/technological-forecasting Rathi, A. (29 August 2017). One of the world’s most polluting industries has two years to clean up-and it’s woefully

unprepared. In Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/1064658/the-shipping-industry-one-of-the-worlds-biggest-polluters-is-being-forced-to-clean-up-its-dirty-fuel

30

Reinartz, W. (30 August 2012). Using market research just for marketing is a missed opportunity, Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/08/using-market-research-just-for-marketing

Urness, Z. (27 August 2018). Illegal drone grounds firefighting aircraft on 5,400-acre Terwilliger fire, Salem Statesman Journal. Retrieved from https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2018/08/27/terwilliger-fire-cougar-reservoir-illegal-drone-shuts-down-firefighters-5-400-acre/1110570002

United Nations Statistics Division - UNSD. (2018). Environment glossary, Glossary of environment statistics. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/unsd/environmentgl

Williams, L. D. A. (2017). Getting undone technology done: Global techno-assemblage and the value chain of invention. Science Technology and Society, 22(1), 38-58. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0971721816682799

31

Adult Learning and the Advantages of the Online Learning Experience Stephanie Hoon, Faculty

[email protected]

Penny Wilkins, External contributor

[email protected]

Angela Perry, External contributor

ABSTRACT This paper discusses several benefits of the online educational experience, specifically as it pertains to the adult learner. The paper focuses on the aspects of collaboration, flexibility, and cultural opportunities. The work concludes that online education is ideal for adult learners because of the aspects of collaboration, flexibility, and diversity it provides utilizing the constructivist approach.

INTRODUCTION Although criticized by some, online

education offers several advantages in today’s world. In fact, online education is a preferred method of many students, including the adult learner. In some cases, this type of learning can prove to be even more beneficial than more traditional methods (Luscinski, 2017). Online education has been studied now for many years. White and Weight (2000) point out that there is a connection between online education and the dynamics of human communication. As such, it offers advantages beyond those associated with technological forms of correspondence courses and interactive television programs, which were some of the beginning forms of non-classroom education. Adult learners, looking for an education, seem especially likely to thrive in the online environment because they require specific elements in order to benefit from the education process. For instance, adult learners may be more attracted to courses that permit freedom with respect to their daily schedules, especially when considering family and careers.

ADULT LEARNERS AS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS Adult learners introduce a different

dynamic to learning in that they bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom that can enrich the course content (White & Weight, 2000). Both personal and professional experiences add to an adult learner's ability to see things from different perspectives, as well as create alternative solutions and implement critical thinking approaches to solve problems. However, factors such as ineffective planning skills and poor time management can contribute to failure in an online program (Wright, 2015). However, some factors align very well with online programs. As Rudestam and Schoenholtz-Read (2002) described, work experience and prior knowledge play

important roles in the learning experiences of adults. Additionally, Wright (2015) found that offering a pre-orientation workshop helped to contribute to adult online learners’ success. Online learning is reinforced with ever-improving technology that lends to a collaborative learning environment. Also, an online environment may exceed that of the traditional classroom to the extent that it is a round the clock environment, permitting students to connect to the learning process at any time (Hiltz, 1997).

Additionally, the passiveness of the traditional educational process (e.g., lecture presentations) does not serve to capitalize on the knowledge of the adult learner, nor does it offer other elements adults prefer. For instance, adult learners may desire to be educational partners. Knowing that there are benefits associated with participation, reciprocity, and a sense of belonging, may contribute to online participation among adult learners (Diep et al., 2016). The online environment offers the adult learner the ability to work as collaborative partners in the learning process due to the nature of the online discussions and sharing of assignments (Rudestam & Schoenholtz-Read, 2002). Having access to the discussions and assignments 24/7 allows the adult learners to contribute ideas dependent on their own schedules and when it is convenient for them.

Adult learning theory differs markedly from pedagogy (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 1998). Although online instructors direct learning as offered in the pedagogy model, the adult learning theory places learners in positions to direct learning as well. Allowing for direct learning refers to devising a learning atmosphere where learners address topical issues pertaining to their experiences and workplace, as well as providing an opportunity for them to play a role in open course discussions.

33

Adult learning theory finds its roots in andragogy (Knowles et al., 1998). Andragogy provides six principles for adult learning theory including: learners’ need to know why they are learning; learners use self-directed learning; learners learn based on experiences; learners have a readiness to learn; learners have an orientation to learn; and learners have a high motivation to learn (Ota et al., 2006). As suggested by Knowles et al. (1998) and Cherne (2002), adult learners can direct their own learning, have life experiences that can be used in the classroom, and look to apply the knowledge learned to their current world, which seems to connect to the six principles of adult learning theory. Soundly designed online courses lend to this type of learning with materials delivered in an asynchronous fashion, permitting learners the opportunity to complete assignments relating their experiences to theory and doing so according to their schedules.

CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH

The constructivist approach to learning is based on the idea that learners create knowledge through interactions with others (Bruner, 1996). The constructivist approach is an oppositional stance to the traditional approach where the student takes a passive role in learning (Markel, 1999). The constructivist theory varies from traditional theories in that it shifts from memorization to implementation. With the constructivist approach to learning, the instructor takes on the role as facilitator, directing discussions and providing general parameters for the course. As Carr-Chellman and Duchastel (2000) explained the:

traditional delivery of instruction receives much less attention in online courses than in the traditional context of higher education…we are moving, here, toward a more student-centered and activity-based learning environment design. (para. 8)

Lovejoy (2002) supports this notion by indicating that adult learners have both individual and group roles in the online environment. Student-centered learning and the constructivist approach take precedent in the online learning environment. Online classrooms often compliment student-centered learning in that they provide a “medium in which the self is readily constructed in diverse ways and in which students readily form different opinions and interpretations regarding the same reading material and commentaries” (Rudestam & Schoenholtz-Read, 2002, p. 16). In addition, the constructivist approach fits well with the paradigm of online learning, whereby knowledge is something that is actively constructed and not just something that can be found in lectures, books, and traditional aspects of higher education (Rudestam & Schoenholtz-Read, 2002, p. 18). Formerly prescribed methods of instruction such as formal lectures and memorization of materials, while used sparingly in the online classroom, are merely a spring board for the conversations and assignments, such as Socratic questions, in-depth discussions, and case analyses that follow and serve to direct the course and build student learning.

From the perspective of collaboration and team work in an online setting, the constructivist theory promotes more dialogue amongst students as each student is perpetually asked to discuss his/her understanding and then compare that understanding to his/her peers. This differs from traditional learning environments where students are often asked to merely regurgitate information. Furthermore, team discussions are much more likely to spark ideas and allow students to learn new concepts and theories in relation to their experiences as well as the experiences of their peers, thus continuing to facilitate the constructivist view of learning.

34

Collaboration within a constructivist model supports a learning community where there is ongoing dialogue for the adult learner to enhance individual learning and the sharing of knowledge. Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) explain that the “value of any one person’s contribution is determined less by his or her location in the organizational hierarchy than by the importance of the information she or he provides to the entire knowledge-creating system” (p. 151). In an online classroom, embracing the constructivist approach, this perspective is pivotal to adult learning because the student is working within a system to build knowledge and understanding of the concepts. In addition, an online classroom creates situations where students can take what they learn back to their respective work organizations. There is a strong aspect of real-world application throughout these courses, which has a direct impact on society.

In reality, a good online class strives to create an environment of collaboration by not only requiring weekly discussion questions but also by having students share assignments, reflect on the work of their peers, and their own experiences. Much of this is done through the incorporation of teamwork. Teamwork is a key element to adult education because “much of the work in larger organizations is now done in work groups or teams” (Bolman & Deal, 1997, p. 81). Creating teams to work towards the accomplishment of a common goal is important “because they provide a shared context where individuals can interact with each other and engage in the constant dialogue on which effective reflection depends” (Nonaka, 1998, p. 44). Thus, online learning helps to better prepare the adult learner for today’s work world.

FLEXIBILITY AND ADULT EDUCATION

Generally, adults looking for educational opportunities tend to be busy individuals with

their careers, families, and volunteer activities (Rudestam & Schoenholtz-Read, 2002; White & Weight, 2000). Because of adults’ busy lives, the postmodern business world has presented a need for many working adults to expand their education. As Hannay and Newvine (2006) suggest, adults may choose non-traditional models because they are associated with programs that “provide access to higher education for students who cannot attend traditional courses due to employment, marital status, family responsibilities, distance, and expenses incurred with traditional education” (para. 1). This diversity ultimately contributes to a rich learning environment. Ko and Rossen (2001) added that a benefit of online education is that “it opens the student to more information from all involved in the class. When students are limited to the information the instructor provides, it reduces the courses breadth and scope” (p. 105). The lack of social and demographic boundaries in online education make the learning not only more flexible, but multi-dimensional.

ADULTS FROM VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Online education provides an opportunity for learners from various regions throughout the world to come together to obtain an education. The ability to interact with peers has been identified as an important component in the online learning experience (Lucey, 2018). The online, asynchronous mode of learning means that a person living in a remote North American town, a person in Alaska, and a person on a military base in Bosnia can all obtain the same education from the same program. This opportunity not only means that education is available to more people, but that classes can now provide individuals with the opportunity to experience a diversity of thought. As many organizations move towards global operations (Shafritz & Ott, 1996), the online form of education serves

35

yet another purpose by helping the adult to learn to work with diverse individuals. Such opportunities are rarely provided by traditional classroom learning experiences.

CONCLUSIONS Online, asynchronous education lends

itself to adult learning in that the teacher can facilitate learning and offer collaborative, flexible, diverse opportunities for the students. The online classroom also allows for more in-depth discussions, which students can direct with the guidance of their online facilitator. Being able to go to class anytime and anywhere presents adult learners with the advantage of being able to hold a job, maintain a family, and enjoy other activities all while gaining a

valuable education. Finally, the online mode of learning serves to capitalize on collaboration and team work. This is an important aspect for working adults today in that many organizations are now moving towards team-based projects and programs in the workplace. Online education provides a viable alternative to the adult learner searching to further his/her knowledge base and educational credentials.

Although online education is continually changing and developing, it may be a viable option for many adult learners. More research needs to be done in this field in order to fully understand the impact that online education can have on an adult population.

36

REFERENCES Bolman, L., & Deal, T. (1997). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (2nd ed.). San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass Publishers. DePaepe, L., Zhu, C., and DePryck, K. (July 2018). Drop-out, retention, satisfaction, and attainment of online

learners of Dutch in adult education. International Journal on E-Learning, 17, 303-323. Diep, N. A., Cocquyt, C., Chang, Z., & Vanwing, T. (2016). Predicting adult learners’ online participation: Effects of

altruism, performance expectancy, and social capital. Computers and Education, 84-101. Hannay, M., & Newvine, T. (2006). Perceptions of distance learning: A comparison of online and traditional

learning. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 2, 1-11. Harvard business review on knowledge management. (1998). Boston, MA: President and Fellows of Harvard

College. Hiltz, S. R. (1997). Impacts of college-level courses via asynchronous learning networks: Some preliminary results.

Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 1, 1-19. Knowles, M., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. (1998). The adult learner (5th ed.). Texas: Random House. Ko, S., & Rossen, S. (2001). Teaching online: A practical guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Lucey, K. (2018). The effect of motivation on student persistence in online higher education: A phenomenological

study of how adult learners experience motivation in a web-based distance learning environment (Doctoral dissertation). Available from Proquest Dissertations Publishing (10750789).

Luscinski, A. (2017). Best practices in adult online learning (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertation Publishing (10608529).

Mathis, R., & Jackson, J. (2003). Human resource management. (10th ed.). Ohio: Thomson South-Western. Ota, C., DiCarlo, C. F., Burts, D. C., Laird, R., & Gioe, C. (2006). Training and the needs of adult learners. Journal of

Extension. Rudestam, K., & Schoenholtz-Read, J. (2002). Handbook of online learning: Innovations in higher education and

corporate training. London: Sage Publication. Shafritz, J., & Ott, S. (1996). Classis of organization theory (4th ed.). New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers White, K., & Weight, B. (2000). The online teaching guide: A handbook for attitudes, strategies, and techniques for

the virtual classroom. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, Wright, L. (2015). Identifying successful online adult learners (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest

Dissertation Publishing (3721680).

37

Decision Maker’s Tool: Statistics, the Problem Solver

Faith Cajudo Orillaza, External contributor

[email protected]

ABSTRACT

The primary objective of every investor is to see how his money grows. No matter where one decides to plant or invest his money, there is an inevitable process that follows. The important thing is to closely monitor events and record every detail of information. Unless there is a proper system, issues will build and may become difficult to manage. This is the main reason why there are tools which are necessary to use when planting the seeds for investments. These tools are packed into one parcel and referred to as statistics. The term statistics will refer to descriptive and inferential statistics, probability, parametric and non-parametric tests, time series, and business intelligence. This paper will define statistical gears which are normally used by business managers to gather and analyze data for planning and decision-making. It will further highlight how the elements of statistics can build a strong pillar to run a business and alleviate potential challenges through the use of a tool known as the problem solver.

INTRODUCTION Problems are a part of running a business.

Companies must meet a target return of investment while dealing with daily operational issues and even some unexpected problems or hitches. Becoming seamlessly problem-free is what everyone is after, but it seems impossible to achieve. This is where the problem solver comes into play. To make the goals of a company attainable and achievable, the problem solver, statistics, is essential.

STATISTICS In business, problem-solving and making

decisions are daily encounters for management teams. Each day, these teams deal with the quantitative analysis of a large amount of data. In order to handle this data, knowledge about statistics is crucial. Statistics includes an understanding of the population under study as well as an analysis and generalization of the information given (Skinner, Patel, Thomas, & Miller, 2011). Statistics are needed to aid operational activities and solve identified issues.

There are two types of statistics, one is descriptive, and the other is inferential. The former applies numerical measures or graphical methods to organize data and information and describes the types of the sample taken (Marshall & Jonker, 2010). Since descriptive statistics create a systematic presentation of data and figures, it becomes an easy way for managers to comprehend the given information. Inferential statistics provides a generalization about the population from which random samples are drawn (Van, 2001). The meaning behind the figures is then explained. The decision maker can then formulate conclusions from the given summary of the systematic events analyzed.

When dealing with problems and proofs, the basis must be the common denominator for why a certain decision is made. A reliable

manager must be someone who develops his opinion, based on the data analyzed, not simply depending on his viewpoint alone. According to Kutschera (2002), for many people, their prior experiences become a major determinant for how they make decisions. This is not recommended, specifically in a world of figures, where money is involved. The trend of the previous success in business must first be gathered and analyzed prior to making a decision about the next move to take.

Confidence is developed through competence. Competence is acquired through gathering information, knowledge and experience. Competent leaders are not weak or easily intimidated but are powerful when they display an attribute of expertise in the subject of their role (Ramba, 2013). In the United States, one of the leading causes as to why small companies fail is due to incompetent leaders (Valdiserri, 2010). Competence on the part of the decision maker is achieved when a series of supporting data is available. Unless proofs are ready to be evaluated, examined and analyzed, there is no assurance that a particular decision is correct or proper. Therefore, a leader must continue to use the problem solver tool, in order to build competency and confidence. Using this, a leader will be able to manage his entire team well and handle issues logically.

On the other hand, if a leader is neglectful of his duties, specifically regarding finding ways of gathering data or analyzing information, the business will most likely fail. Failed businesses impact the GDP of a country. Headd (2003), explains that 90% of small businesses fail during the first three years of their operation in the United States. When a leader is overwhelmed by the pressure of handling problems, does not conduct a thorough study of the market and sales trends, or is not able to handle the performance and

39

scheduling of delivering goods and services, the nine over ten ratios will surely become applicable.

PROBABILITY

Probability is a major player in statistics (Gerhan, 2001). Uncertainties are everywhere, which is not a good thing for business managers. According to Burgin (2012), probability is associated with risk in the area of business. Risk management, as defined by Cross (1995), is the implementation of concepts which are applied and used by other entrepreneurs who succeeded in their business ventures. However, risk management should not only identify a pattern from previous gains, it must also incorporate the application of acquired knowledge.

Generally, in business, the probability of success rates is lower than the rates of failure. A majority of leaders will predict that they will always be able to hit their targets, but this is not usually the scenario. In this particular case, a knowledge of statistics could support the decision-making process by allowing leaders to evaluate uncertainties based on numerical values. The insurance field is an example of the type of industry which handles big data. Different sections within the industry each deal with various policies and issues. Without the application of probability, there would be no system or direction. Plans are generally created based on assumptions, essentially predicting an upcoming condition which has no guarantee (Gitlow, 2001). Businesses can side step this risk of planning with no certainty by basing predictions on the analysis of data prior to developing a plan.

In statistics, parametric and non-parametric tests are essential tools used to analyze the given data. Cohen (2001), explained that a parametric test pertains to the analysis of variance, while a non-parametric test is a ranking test. The former deals with the

study of given data with known values for distribution. On the other hand, the non-parametric test is not dependent on its analysis through the sample data, but instead depends on the ordinal, position, and levels determined.

The use of a survey is one way to perform parametric and non-parametric tests. From 2003 until 2015, the investment activity of 144,000 firms in Croatia were reviewed. A parametric test was conducted to check if investors who made a prior investment before the recession were able to survive during this period. It turned out that there was around a 60-70% success rate for those who made investments (Kovac, Vukovic, Kleut, & Podobnik, 2016). This information is helpful to investors when they analyze if investing is wise when a recession is approaching. Probability to succeed must be based on past data, which should be reviewed, analyzed, and applied to a given situation.

TIME SERIES ANALYSIS Time is a very important parameter in

business as time is one of the most crucial elements used to monitor how money is generated. When data is collected, it is gathered at a given period of time (Lind, Marchal & Wathen, 2017). The record of time helps information to be provided regarding how intervals are obtained, why fluctuations happen, when discrepancies arise, and to determine the extent to which a trend will continue to move in the same direction.

When a company experiences loss, most of the time a leader will still push to a maximum extent to try and save a business. According to Wu and Young (2002), in order to prevent bankruptcy survival analysis on the available statistical data must be performed. Though survival data is said to be exclusive information, it is otherwise referred to as "censored" as bankruptcy is not even detected

40

at some companies which seem to be performing fine until they are suddenly unable to financially support their operations. That is why time is very important to monitor along with the progress of a business. Forecasting sales versus expenses is a must.

In statistics, there are rules that must be kept to provide information based on correct and accurate data, not that from fixed data. There could be hundreds of rules to follow, but in terms of dealing with statistical process control charts, the 10 commandment rules were shared by Hoyer and Ellis (1996). This type of chart is commonly presented with the inclusion of time. Two of the commandments were written as "Thou shalt not adulterate thy data to make an out-of-control process appear to be in control” and “thou shalt not conceal an out-of-control process from thy supervisor, manager, or customer” (Hoyer & Ellis, 1996). Data should serve as a guide. Manipulating or adjusting data violates the process of control regulations. Unless these rules are adhered to and followed, a company’s system cannot be improved or developed. These rules exist to prevent future issues from impacting an organization.

A control chart is applicable to every type of organization to promote a type of quality control system. Under the process control, the two sources of variability are referred to as natural and assignable. The former is uncontrollable unless a process is revised and modified, while the latter is an outcome of human error. It could be prevented, reduced or removed by analyzing the issue and knowing the cause. An example of human error could be that, supplied materials may have changed, which may require recalibration of the equipment used or any other form of improvement to correct the system (Trujillo, 2018).

In order for a control chart to work efficiently, any outcome that appears in the

chart must be transparent followed by an open discussion to mend issues identified in a system. Some companies may just be using a control chart for audit purposes. Points outside the control limit warn the management team that an action plan is needed to improve the identified unruled practice. Any company may pass the audit evaluation, but the actual structure of an operation may suffer from a number of defects. With the use of a control chart and its sets of rules, flaws in a given system could be fixed or even avoided.

Because a time series is about forecasting, the wider the numbers in a given sample of a population, the better. The more information that is given, the more useful the data is in the decision-making process. When consultants are asked to evaluate a sequence of events, they need ample data for the basis of their analysis. Ideally, a minimum of 100 responses to 1,000 responses from a conducted survey or data information must be available (Beam, 2005). For the confidence level, if an examinee would like to get a score of at least 96% for his periodic exam, out of 50 question items, he should make at most two errors. If an investor is willing to take a risk of losing 30% of his investment in five years, he should maintain an earning of seven million dollars and above within a five-years period from a 10M investment. If time is monitored and recorded along with its corresponding activity in an organization, a trend could be generated which plays a significant role in estimating future events. This will be very helpful in forecasting probable issues that might arise.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE USED IN CONCEPT WITH

STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES Problems in a business are dealt with

through a process of decision-making. Managers in an organization follow an existing ranking. The one working in the operation

41

department and customer relation department, as well as those involved with business associates, competitor activities, human resources issues, or economic situations, handle decision-making on a short-term basis. They are dealing with the least numbers of data. Moreover, technical managers refer to those who are above the heads of the listed departments, top managers deal with comprehensive decisions based on the numerous amounts of data available for them to analyze. Through business intelligence, all data is converted into information which enables the decision maker to handle every issue objectively. All leaders from top to bottom use business intelligence to develop a systematic process and maximize efficiency. Therefore, the different rankings of managers are intertwined by the use of business intelligence (Zamani, Maeen, & Haghparast, 2017).

Lastly, organizational flexibility is crucial in decision making. Through business intelligence, market opportunity and threat can be gauged (Chen, 2012). This is proven essential to handle gains and losses. The aforementioned components of statistics are necessary to ensure security on the part of the investor.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, problems are everywhere. They may be small and possible to ignore, or huge

and seemingly impossible to handle. Companies may not be able to identify the correct decision, unless they adopt the advantage of technology and use it to solicit feedback from their customers, by applying the parametric and non-parametric test, business intelligence, and concepts of statistics.

The main key in every investment is to carefully plan and make informed decisions. This can be done only through being precise, gathering data from the past, analyzing the given trends, and drawing probability to determine one’s actual possibility to meet identified targets. Wrong decisions may cost a hundred dollars at the start, but in later days or years may cause the company to close.

Decision-making is dependent on what risks the decision maker is willing to take. For investors, there are four options to choose from: release more money for investment, release a reasonable amount for investment, release a small amount for investment, or stop investing altogether. What is important is to follow the guidelines upon which decisions must be based. It is not through a baseless line of thinking, but it is about going back to the data, the history of data information. From there, the decision maker can make up their minds to execute a plan for how to solve any problem that should arise, mostly by applying and using the principles of statistics, the problem solver.

42

REFERENCES

Beam, C. (2005). Turn quantitative data into meaningful information. Consulting to Management, 16(2), 35-38. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/215902686?accountid=158986

Buluswar, M. (2016). How companies are using big data and analytics. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-analytics/our-insights/how-companies-are-using-big-data-and-analytics

Burgin, M. (2012). Integrating random properties and the concept of probability. Integration, 3(2), 137-181. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1626547458?accountid=158986

Chen, X. (2012). Impact of business intelligence and IT infrastructure flexibility on competitive advantage: An organizational agility perspective. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1035336826?accountid=158986

Cohen, M. E. (2001). Analysis of ordinal dental data: Evaluation of conflicting recommendations. Journal of Dental Research, 80(1), 309-13. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/209472478?accountid=158986

Cross, W. (1995). Choosing Goals. In Choices with Clout (p. 54). New York, NY: The Berkley Publishing Group.

Franklin, T. (2015). The state of big data. EContent, 38(1), 28-29. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1671016474?accountid=158986

Gerhan, D. (2001). Statistical significance: How it signifies in statistics reference. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 40(4), 361-374. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/217869732?accountid=158986

Gitlow, H. S. (2001). Viewing statistics from a quality control perspective. The International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 18(2), 169-179. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/197602174?accountid=158986

Headd, B. (2003). Redefining business success: Distinguishing between closure and failure. Small Business Economics, 21(1), 51-61. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/220946575?accountid=158986

Hoyer, R. W., & Ellis, W. C. (1996). A graphical exploration of SPC - part 2: The probability structure of rules for interpreting control charts. Quality Progress, 29(6), 57. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/214734186?accountid=158986

Kenett, R. S., & Shmueli, G. (2016). From quality to information quality in official statistics. Journal of Official Statistics, 32(4), 867-885. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jos-2016-0045

Kovac, D., Vukovic, V., Kleut, N., & Podobnik, B. (2016). To invest or not to invest, that is the question: Analysis of firm behavior under anticipated shocks. PLoS One, 11(8). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158782

Kutschera, I. (2002). Cognitive style and decision making: Implications of intuitive and analytical information processing for decision quality. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/305553574?accountid=158986

Lau, R. S. M. (1996). Evaluating faculty workload: An application of process control charts with supplementary run rules. Journal of Education for Business, 72(2), 94-97. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/202818610?accountid=158986

Lind, D. A., Marchal, W. G., & Wathen, S. A. (2017). Statistical techniques in business and economics. Chennai, India: McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

Marshall, G., & Jonker, L. (2010). A concise guide to... descriptive statistics. Synergy, 22-25. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/757915317?accountid=158986

43

Nilson, V. (2016). How companies are using big data and analytics. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-analytics/our-insights/how-companies-are-using-big-data-and-analytics

Skinner, C. G., Patel, M.M., Thomas, J.D., Miller, M.A. (2011). Understanding common statistical methods, part I: Descriptive methods, probability, and continuous data. Military Medicine, 176(1), 99-102. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/848242599?accountid=158986

Ramba, C. (2013). Leadership requirements model – competent, confident and agile. Defense Resources Management in the 21st Century. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1477776474?accountid=158986

Trujillo, J. (2018, June 21). Bus 604-VCS3-Thurs (6/21) 6:00 - 8:00 pm PST [Video file]. Retrieved from https://zoom.us/j/872938779?pwd=&status=success

Valdiserri, G. A., & Wilson, J. L. (2010). The study of leadership in small business organizations: Impact on profitability and organizational success. The Entrepreneurial Executive, 15, 47-71. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/807725904?accountid=158986

Van, D.B. (2003). Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, rhetorical statistics. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 54(11), 1077. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/asi.10304

Wu, C., & Young, A. (2002). Critical operating problems and survival rates in small firms: A look at small business institute clients. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 7(1), 1-23. Retrieved from https://proxy.lirn.net/MuseProxyID=mp01/MuseSessionID=0003lzm/MuseProtocol=https/MuseHost=search.proquest.com/MusePath/entrepreneurship/docview/208439398/fulltext/C07917B3AA65453EPQ/1?accountid=158986

Zamani, M., Maeen, M., & Haghparast, M. (2017). Implementation of business intelligence to increase the effectiveness of decision-making process of managers in companies providing payment services. Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 22, 1-24. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1932306914?accountid=15898

44

Human Creativity and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Two Distinct Requirements for Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Nima S. Salami, faculty

[email protected]

ABSTRACT

Increasing competition among industries requires them to be intelligent in order to make their best decisions and remain competitive in the market. Nowadays both human and artificial intelligence have made many contributions to this purpose and have helped businesses tremendously to achieve their goals. This paper explains why industries need to realize that intelligence and creativity are two distinct disciplines, and each needs to be treated differently in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) in order to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage in the future.

45

INTRODUCTION

Companies that are able to formulate effective strategies would be able to outperform their competition and remain at a superior position in the market when compared to others (Rothaermel, 2015). If a company is able to continuously maintain its superiority for a prolonged period of time, it will have gained a sustainable competitive advantage over other rivals (Rothaermel, 2015). The mainstream idea is that the formulation of such strategy requires management to have relevant talent and intelligence in order to execute the devised strategy both properly and successfully (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble, & Zeng'an Gao, 2008). Interestingly it was not until mid-50s that researchers finally started to distinguish between intelligence and creativity as separate phenomena (Proctor, 2014).

On the other hand, artificial intelligence (AI) has been around since 1955, the year that it was introduced to the market (Socha, 2017). AI is defined as the ability of digital machines’ to make calculations and decisions and learn, faster than what humans are capable of (Socha, 2017). Since then, AI has been used in unstructured strategic decision-making processes, in simulating human thinking, in reasoning and learning, in learning or understanding from experiences, in making sense of contradictory information, and in making effective and efficient decisions for organizations (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015).

As a result, when Deep Blue, a chess-playing computer developed by IBM, defeated Gary Kasparov in the world class champion chess competitions, the strength with which the machine was able to compete in the competition was interpreted as intelligence (Newborn, 2012). Therefore, at that time period, it was safe for people to assume that the winners of these types of logical games, are those who have higher levels of intelligence, with either higher IQs or stronger analytical skills (Proctor, 2014).

In this paper, moderating factors to curate a sustainable competitive advantage such as human creativity, innovation, creativity, intelligence, and artificial intelligence will be discussed and analyzed.

HUMAN CREATIVITY Creativity has been a popular topic recently

especially in the high-tech industries (Proctor, 2014; Schilling, 2017). Although there have been several definitions for the term, there still exists much confusion about what creativity means exactly (Proctor, 2014). For instance, Maslow (1954) considered that creativity has two levels, primary and secondary. In the former, an individual’s new discoveries, novel thinking, and new insights are important. Whereas, in the latter, the collective characteristics of collaborative discoveries and works of scientists extends from previous works, and creates new insights.

Although there is a lack of consensus between researchers in defining creativity (Parkhurs, 1999), many of them agree that creativity is directly related to the newness and usefulness of an idea (Mumford, 2003). Batey (2012) adds that any product resulting from creativity should be novel, useful, and original in order to be considered in the framework.

Innovation and invention

Schilling (2017) believes that innovation is the practical product of creativity that has been used in devices or processes. Proctor (2014) has furthered this concept to advocate that innovation needs to create a significant change in the application of the technology as well. He has further explained that there is a distinction between invention and innovation, where the former is “the formulation of a new idea” but the latter “concerns the practical application of new inventions into marketable products or services” (Proctor, 2014, p. 4).

Moreover, it has been argued that since many of the situations that have arisen in today’s business environments are unique, have no precedence, or history, organizations that have inherited creativity and continuous innovation in their cultures are the ones that can overcome these situations and sustain their competitive advantage (Proctor, 2014). Therefore, creative thinking, innovation, and creative problem-solving abilities for all members of an organization, specifically for the management team, would be essential (Proctor, 2014).

46

On the other hand, research has shown that an organization’s internal and external environments, including economic, political, technological, social, and cultural forces can produce opportunities as well as threats for the company. If managers do not recognize them nor continuously look for creative solutions, it might be too late to react, and the company might lose its competitive advantage in the market and among the competition (Large, 1992). In a famous case where, negative social forces were involved, Air Canada’s logo was negatively associated by customers with the government’s defective bureaucracy. For this reason, the sales went down (Proctor, 2014). Managers started to look for the sources of the problem, and eventually, their surveys determined why customers were reluctant to purchase tickets from them. The creative solution was to implement a subtle change to the company’s logo design. This small change, using the creative approach crafted by designers, was successful and was accepted by the customers. The quick remedy for the business’s problem resulted in the continuation of the company, the employees’ jobs, and their overall reputation (Proctor, 2014). Individual creativity

Research has shown that an individual’s creativity is a collective function of factors such as personality, intellectual abilities, knowledge, style of thinking, environment, and motivation (Sternberg, & Lubart, 1999). Schilling (2017) suggests that certain intellectual abilities can increase creativity. These abilities include how individuals perceive issues in a different capacity, how they pick related problems that they deem to be worth pursuing, and how they explain and articulate the new ideas to others in an attempt to convince them (Schilling, 2017).

Interestingly, Schilling (2017) has argued that the effect of knowledge on creativity is double-edged, where in extreme situations, individuals’ creativity will decrease in cases where the knowledge they possess is either lacking, or is too high. For instance, if an individual has a lot of knowledge in a specific field, he/she could be trapped in his/her paradigms, existing logic, and perceptions, therefore decreasing creativity

(Schilling, 2014). Also, if he/she does not have enough knowledge about the subject matter, his/her understanding would not be enough to produce a meaningful result. Therefore, again his/her creative solutions could potentially be worthless (Proctor, 2014). Therefore, a moderate knowledge of a field is optimum to produce the maximum number of creative solutions for individuals (Schilling, 2017).

Proctor (2014) has also suggested that an individual’s creativity could be blocked if certain unfavorable conditions such as mindsets, emotions, perceptions, expressions, and cultural influences are present and can block individuals from creativity. By definition, a mindset is an individual’s over-sensitized bias for particular parts of the information, where his/her feelings might exclude some portions of necessary information, which can create a block (Proctor, 2014). Organizational creativity

Woodman, Sawyer, and Griffin (1993) have suggested that organizational creativity is the function of all individuals’ creativities, social processes, and contextual factors within an organization. They argue that organizational creativity is not the aggregate creativity of all members combined. This notion makes it clear that organizations not only need to have creative people on board, but they also should create the proper environment, processes, and contextual factors that would foster and encourage creativity (Schiller, 2017).

For instance, methods such as suggestion boxes, idea management systems (database for uploading ideas and comments for everyone’s review), employee driven idea system (an online platform for suggestions, but if accepted, are implemented by the same employee), and creativity training programs (in which managers learn how to verbally and nonverbally appreciate employees’ creative thinking) can be used to increase organizational creativity (Shilling, 2017).

Other techniques such as, “one great idea” (enables individuals to have access to a company’s idea depository through the intranet), developing alternative scenarios, comparative analogies for problem solving, creating mock prototypes of

47

potential new products, and playful design of product features, have all proved to be beneficial for organizational creativity (Schilling, 2017). INTELLIGENCE VERSUS CREATIVITY

More intelligent people can naturally score higher on intelligence tests since they have larger working memories compared to other people which enable them to quickly find answers to complex problems (Proctor, 2014). However later studies have not been able to find a correlation between intelligence and creativity, and therefore, psychologists believe that intelligence and creativity are two distinct phenomena (Proctor, 2014). For instance, there can be people in an organization that are highly intelligent, but are not highly creative and vice versa (Proctor, 2014).

Intelligent people are more likely to use reproductive thinking, which is the use of previous experiences, to make comparisons with similar problems that they have encountered in the past in order to find quick conventional solutions for their problems (Proctor, 2014). Research has shown that this type of thinking generates rigidity in thought and only serves to consolidate the paradigms and mindsets of individuals, thus, leading to creativity blocks (Proctor, 2014).

On the other hand, creative people are more likely to think productively. This term refers to the ability to look into a problem from many different perspectives and identify multiple potential solutions (Proctor, 2014). These creative productive thinkers have the ability to form many novel combinations of solutions for the identified problems and identify the juxtaposition between dissimilar subjects to resolve issues (Proctor, 2014).

In productive thinking processes, the creative mind will consider all possible solutions for the problem including both the obvious and obscure ones, even after a promising solution has been found for the problem (Proctor, 2014).

Productive thinking styles are crucial forms of creativity for all businesses since these techniques can generate more and more solutions for the same problems. This can increase the likelihood of finding a creative solution for the issue and most probably will help the company to sustain its competitive advantage (Proctor, 2014). It has

been explained that highly productive thinking individuals have the ability to tolerate the ambivalence that might exist between the opposites, or two entirely incompatible subjects (Proctor, 2014). For instance, the same abilities for tolerating the ambivalence made it possible for Thomas Edison to invent electric lamp bulbs, as he could tolerate to combine two ambivalent objects (high-resistance filaments and high resistant parallel wiring circuits). This was something that could easily look impossible to many conventional reproductive thinkers (Proctor, 2014). Artificial intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a digitized computational technology that enables managers to make more effective and efficient decisions (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). There are five categories of AI systems; expert systems, neural networks, generic algorithms, intelligent agents, and virtual reality (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). These systems can increase the speed, consistency, and problem-solving abilities (where available information is incomplete). Additionally, they are able to resolve complicated issues and boost the productivity of assembly lines, resulting in more effectiveness and efficiency (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015).

The above capabilities can easily enhance a company’s competitive advantage as they make an organization more effective and efficient. However, there is no guarantee for the sustainment of competitive advantage. These systems can help automation, streamlining (removing bottlenecks and redundancies), and business reengineering processes (to find a totally different approach) (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). Business process reengineering (BPR) systems, together with management information systems (MIS), are the only AI systems that can enhance managers’ creative problem-solving capabilities to sustain the competitive advantage (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015).

If managers are not creative thinkers or creative problem solvers, the combination of the above AI capabilities (specifically BPR and MIS) would not render the best results for an organization (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). Therefore, it becomes crucial for managers to be able to think

48

outside of the box and possess the ability to focus on the core strategic processes of their organizations that are critical for performance, rather than focus on managerial functions that have little impact on their organizational processes (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015).

For instance, Progressive, an insurance company, was able to innovatively make fundamental changes in its processes with the help of its BPR and MIS (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). The company was able to reduce the settlement time for its standard claims from 31 days to four hours (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). Progressive’s use of BPR in innovation entirely reshaped and redefined the methods of the whole industry (Baltzan, & Phillips, 2015).

CONCLUSIONS In today’s dynamic nature of the markets,

sustaining a competitive advantage is a must (Rothaermel, 2015). Sustainable competitive advantage is attainable through the development of a thorough comprehensive strategy that has been formulated by expert, talented, and creative managers, executed by employees and reviewed

consistently (Thompson et al., 2008). Although intelligent managers and employees are required for the success of any organization, if they are not creative problem-solvers, do not have innovative personalities, or are not novel thinkers, they may not be able to develop the most efficient strategies for their organizations. Additionally, they would not be able to resolve complex unprecedented issues and even the companies’ best opportunities may be overlooked or even lost (Proctor, 2014).

If managers are not creative thinkers, even artificial intelligence and information systems such as BPR and MIS would not be effective nor efficient for their organizations. This lack of efficiency would waste the company’s resources (Baltzan & Phillips, 2015). Therefore, any organization’s solution for developing a sustainable competitive advantage would result from a set of strong, intelligent, creative, and innovative employees whose abilities are reinforced by their organization’s supportive and rewarding culture and environment. Such an organization would be able to use its AI capabilities and sustain its competitive advantage both effectively and efficiently.

49

REFERENCES

Baltzan, P., & Phillips, A. (2015). Business driven information systems. McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Batey, M. (2012). The measurement of creativity: From definitional consensus to the introduction of a new heuristic framework. Creativity Research Journal, 24(1), 55-65.

Large, M. (1992). Eco-mapping-how to avoid boiled frogs. Management Education and Development, 23(4), 317-325.

Maslow, A. H. (1954). Personality and motivation. Harlow, England: Longman, 1, 987.

Mumford, M. D. (2003). Taking stock in taking stock. Creativity Research Journal, 15(2-3), 147-151.

Newborn, M. (2012). Kasparov versus Deep Blue: Computer chess comes of age. Springer Science & Business Media.

Parkurst, H., B. (1999). Confusion, lack of consensus, and definition of creativity as a construct. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 33, 1-21.

Proctor, T. (2014). Creative Problem Solving for Managers: Developing Skills for Decision Making and Innovation. Routledge.

Rothaermel, F. T. (2015). Strategic management. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

Schilling, A. S. (2017). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Socha, G. (2017). What will AI mean for you? Judicature, 101(3), 6-8. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/2102830485?accountid=158986

Sternberg, R. J., & Lubart, T. I. (1999). The concept of creativity: Prospects and paradigms. Handbook of creativity, 1, 3-15.

Thompson, A. A., Strickland, A. J., Gamble, J. E., & Zeng'an Gao. (2008). Crafting and executing strategy: The quest for competitive advantage: Concepts and cases (19th ed.).

Woodman, R. W., Sawyer, J. E., & Griffin, R. W. (1993). Toward a theory of organizational creativity. Academy of Management Review, 18(2), 293-321.

50

Addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in Germany

Jocelyn Sorensen, Faculty

[email protected]

ABSTRACT This paper takes a critical look at the United Nations’ sustainable development goals in regard to Germany. This paper will further examine three of the seventeen goals laid out for 2030 focusing on determining what efforts and proposed solutions towards ending poverty, eradicating hunger and achieving gender equality are undertaken. The issues of poverty, hunger and gender equity are an additional source of tension for Germany as they seek to address these concerns domestically while acting as a responsible leader internationally.

51

INTRODUCTION Delicate political coalitions, a leading geo-

political position, and a complicated troubled past make Germany a country of tensions and complexities. A proud Kulturnation, Germany remains willfully ignorant of its historic heterogeneous makeup, its role in the history of migration flows and its economic need for immigrants. As a social-democratic state, Germany constantly strives to maintain a delicate tension. It is a generous welfare state working in conjunction with a free-market economy guided by social policies. Germany is a leading actor in the European Union. Its powerhouse economy, for which Chancellor Angela Merkel has achieved both fame and infamy, is centered around Germany’s economic surplus. Economic optimism is held in tension with social anxiety about the effects of the large numbers of asylum seekers and the rise of racist nationalists into parliamentary positions in the recent election. Germany’s election in September 2017 exposed racist and xenophobic movements that had been building over time, resulting in a historic upset of party coalitions. As Germany moves forward, it must confront its (re-)emerging internal conflicts as it continues to navigate and lead on the global stage.

Confronting these tensions and conflicts, Germany is taking a leading role by evaluating and constructing solutions working toward the goals set forth by the United Nations’ seventeen sustainable development goals targeted for the year 2030. This paper will look at three of these goals in the case of Germany, focusing on the challenges of ending poverty, eradicating hunger, and achieving gender equality as well as their proposed solutions. The issues of poverty, hunger and gender equity are an additional source of tension for Germany as they seek to address these concerns domestically while acting as a responsible leader internationally.

ENDING POVERTY The United Nations has created the

following sustainable development goals for Germany, “Ending Poverty” and “Zero Hunger.” Unsurprisingly, there is tension involved when talking about poverty in Germany, or any other affluent country with a robust welfare state for that matter. The existence of poverty in a country with a welfare state and an economic surplus is counter-intuitive. It is almost unthinkable to speak of poverty in Germany (or any other Western European country) when there are other regions which encounter much more extreme forms of poverty. The World Bank is central to the examination and documentation of poverty world-wide.

Germany has been a key member of the World Bank since 1952 (“EDS05 Home,” n.d.), and yet, is largely excluded from World Bank reports that discuss poverty. These reports focus on new European Union (EU) member states and other countries in southeastern Europe which are in far worse economic condition than those in western Europe. It is the comparison of Germany with developing countries in Africa, the struggling Balkan nations, and even with other weaker EU member states like Greece that contribute to the denial of the existence of German poverty (Pfeiffer, 2014). Public trust in the welfare state is extremely high in regard to its provision for those in need. These multiple layers of denial have rendered poverty in Germany largely invisible. Thanks to more recent social and economic shifts, Germany is becoming increasingly aware of its perpetual problems in this area while also coming to a deeper, more convicting understanding of its role globally. In particular, the country is coming to grips with the effects of German colonialism as well as the effects of the German industry on the global South. German recognition of its complicity in the poverty cycle parallels the

52

nation’s efforts to take a more proactive role in assisting developing countries.

Though poverty and hunger exist throughout German society, the media’s attention on the subject is not mainstream, occluded by other highly politicized issues such as immigration and corporate tax evasion. In the affluent state of Germany, the question of poverty is not whether the population suffers abject, or “extreme” poverty, but of the increasing inequalities that push wage-earners further and further from the established standard of living. Official estimates state that 16.7% of the population falls below the poverty line (“Population below poverty line,” n.d.). Poverty is defined in the region as those who are living at or below 60% of the average gross income of the country’s population (Meyer-Rosenfeld, 2013). Many experts argue that this designation is an arbitrary one and does not properly capture the complexities, as there is a high variance of living costs across the region (Simler, 2016). The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) complicates the understanding of poverty in Germany by defining the poverty rate as:

the ratio of the number of people (in a given age group) whose income falls below the poverty line; taken as half the median household income of the total population. It is also available by broad age group: child poverty (0-17 years old), working-age poverty and elderly poverty (66-year-olds or more). (“Inequality - poverty rate,” n.d., para. 1)

The comparison between EU states also obfuscates the actual experience of poverty as, “two countries with the same poverty rates may differ in terms of the relative income-level of the poor” (“Inequality-poverty rate,” n.d., para. 1). OECD data measures poverty as those living at 50% of the median income, rather

than 60%, lowering the statistic of those living in poverty substantially.

Multiple populations have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to poverty for several systemic reasons. As will be demonstrated in the following discussion, these populations include single mothers, children, and female pensioners. Even in a powerhouse economy like Germany, poverty has a feminine face. Poverty is predominately measured at the household level. This measurement is both useful and problematic as it reveals the gender gap in poverty:

In households with an adult couple, either both partners are in poverty or neither is in poverty. So, if all adults are married or cohabiting with a person of the other sex, there would be no sex gap in poverty. Thus, the gender gap exists because single women are poorer than single men (Christopher, England, Smeeding & Philips, 2002, p. 5).

This is problematic because it removes all nuance of the female experience of cohabiting with men, assuming equal access to resources, and thus, equal quality of life. Single mothers are more vulnerable to poverty for several distinct reasons. Single mothers are shown to be more likely to live with children than single fathers. Additionally, women earn lower wages than men due to their greater presence in the service sector and the persistent gender pay gap (Christopher, England, Smeeding & Philips, 2002). Motherhood has also shown to be a factor for reduced income as women either stop working, reduce their hours or change occupations, further increasing the male-female pay gap (Christopher, England, Smeeding & Philips, 2002).

Though the German government provides child support to mothers when fathers are absent, research shows that government social transfers and tax breaks do

53

little to reduce gendered poverty (Christopher, England, Smeeding & Philips, 2002). Women are also less likely to pursue their rights for child support in court, thus increasing their vulnerability as they only receive government support if the father is not able to pay or is unknown (Klammer, 2009). Children are naturally subject to poverty determined by their parents’ situations. Notably, children living in poverty suffer from social stigma and social exclusion in their educational experiences (Klammer, 2009).

A population often neglected in poverty research is pensioners. The feminization of poverty persists even into retirement age, and especially late retirement. European Union research illuminates the risk of poverty amongst pensioners in stating that, “Gender differences in the at-risk-of-poverty rate among those aged 75+ are fairly large, even though there are hardly any differences among the younger pensioners” (Ahornen & Bach-Othman, 2010, p. 13). Widows tend to outlive their husbands and live alone on pensions, which is shown to be connected to their vulnerability regarding poverty (Ahrnen & Bach-Othman, 2010). Women have lower pensions on average than men, largely because they work less due to child-rearing and earn less on average than their male counterparts (Sellach & Ender-Dragässer, 2000). Pensions were set at their retirement age and have not until recently been adjusted for inflation. This has been an area of debate in the last couple decades as the introduction of the euro plus continued inflation and rising costs for housing and food have put strain on the population as a whole (Boersch-Supan & Wilke, 2006). When the euro was introduced, prices were not adjusted properly, but transferred directly over from Deutsche mark to euro, devaluing savings. The elderly in the east of Germany feel this most acutely. The exodus of working-age Germans to the west after reunification

left those who stayed susceptible to poverty. Though much effort has been made to invest in the east’s economy, much of this is centered in just a few urban areas, namely Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden (Nipper, 2002; Bontje, 2005). Those who owned a rural home in the east and stayed through retirement found themselves in increasing distress, often without ready access to healthcare or food as the sparse, aging rural population does not substantially contribute to a tax base to sustain the basic infrastructure.

SYSTEMIC ECONOMIC STRUCTURES

Even within a thriving economy as is the case in Germany, weak points exist and implemented measures of reform often have unintended consequences. The legislation reform in Germany passed in the early 2000’s was known as “Agenda 2010.” This was introduced in an effort to combat high rates of unemployment and a sluggish economy. This legislation introduced some new employment options intended to increase full-time employment. The bulk of the legislation dealt with part-time employment, which up until that point had been very limited in the German economy (Somaskanda, 2015). Flexible part-time employment was introduced and deregulated. The idea was that access to part-time work was better than no work and would effectively lead to full-time employment (Somaskanda, 2015). Unfortunately, an increase in full-time employment did not come to fruition, but instead created a growing culture of temporary part-time work. The core of the workforce in Germany, which makes up the middle class, has remained strong through this shift, though this may change when the current generation retires. The reform packet introduced, among other things, the mini-job, which allows for an employee to earn up to 450 euro per month tax-free. This was intended to supplement incomes. Instead, people started

54

working several mini-jobs to make ends-meet, and employers began offering mostly mini-job positions because they did not have to provide the same employment benefits or taxes required by the state. The deregulation of this type of job classification led to instances of exploitation, especially considering that there was no minimum wage in Germany at this time. Poverty increased through this mechanism.

Because the economy and labor force are highly regulated and access to work and the welfare state is limited, the informal sector is precarious, largely invisible, and not captured in official statistics. Acknowledgement of the informal sector is important to uncovering the invisible exploitation that increases the already recognized statistics on poverty in Germany. Susceptible to this type of exploitation are those who find themselves on the edge of society for some reason. Women, and men, from other EU countries who have residency in Germany but not citizenship are an example. If these EU citizens do not formally register their residency in Germany, they are not properly captured in government statistics and are often working in the low wage sector. Those who have overstayed their visas or entered illegally also find themselves in similar positions, though they find themselves under greater pressure from employers as any slipups could potentially trigger an employer to anonymously call immigration services.

Another vulnerable population that often finds themselves in situations of exploitation are asylum seekers who are in limbo until their case is decided upon. In this state of limbo, they do not have the right to work, and thus, rely on support from the government. This support is so little that they are never able to invest in their future. In many cases as little as 40 euro a month is given in addition to housing and food subsidies. Taking an honest look at the structural loopholes and informal economy

without criminalizing those experiencing poverty and exploitation within it is a necessary first step in working towards productive solutions to ending poverty and discrimination in German society. No hunger

Addressing hunger in Germany is difficult as research on the topic is still in a nascent stage. To begin with, there is no centralized data collection on hunger in Germany by either the state or academic researchers (Pfeiffer, 2014). Pfeiffer (2014) reports that limited research has been done by a select few, but the insight and knowledge gained pales in comparison to effective and extensive research done in other western nations such as the United Kingdom and United States, and as a result, its impact on policy making has been limited (Pfeiffer, 2014). The most recent survey was completed from 2005 to 2007, examining the eating habits of 20,000 people using various methodologies. Though the results are not helpful in creating legitimate estimations of food poverty or hunger in Germany, they revealed some counter-intuitive realities that illuminate the importance of pursuing access to healthier food in addition to universal access (Pfeiffer, 2014).

Pfeiffer (2014) has done significant research on food poverty in Germany and sees food as more than just a physical need. Pfeiffer (2014) offers the definition of hunger as, “physically palpable poverty” (p. 5). She argues that while hunger occurs in Germany, food poverty is more than just making sure that a certain number of calories are present in a diet, arguing that food has a social-psychological component, and is, in fact, “deeply social” in German society, and thus, deeply related to social inclusion/exclusion, which is a central concern in the fight to end poverty (Pfeiffer, 2014). Pfeiffer (2014) argues that, “Food is essential to participation and

55

sociality, a central source of social capital in an individualized society” (p. 3). Those who live under the poverty line do not have expendable income to purchase food in social settings important to building relationships in German society. Going to lunch or a pub after work with colleagues or brunch with friends is important for both professional and personal relationships. Not being able to participate in such social activities, excludes a person from potential job opportunities and from friend circles, among other things in a society where it is taboo to speak of finances. Exclusion from social settings can easily translate to exclusion from professional ones.

The government has shifted responsibility for food security away from itself, delegating it to the private sector and to existing religious and moral impetus (Pfeiffer, 2014). The result of this shift was the establishment of food distribution centers and food banks. Many of these entities are run by volunteers and rely on donations. They provide meals for both adults and children during school hours for those who not receive sufficient or reliable food provision at home. Because of their reliance upon volunteers and donations, the food banks work well as a point of emergency assistance but should not be relied upon for long-term assistance (Pfeiffer, 2014). Research shows that every year 1.5 million people attend 900 food banks and 3000 food distribution centers across Germany, half of which are regular customers (Pfeiffer, 2014). Achieve gender equity and empower all women and girls

We all committed ourselves in 1995 to implement the Beijing Platform for Action. Now we are making a new commitment with Sustainable Development Goal 5. Commitments are good. Action is better. Let us take

action! (Merkel, 2017) The feminization of poverty is a pattern

that has developed within the German welfare state. Intricately enmeshed in the issue of poverty is the prevalent gender inequality that persists despite decades of feminist thought and influence. In the reunification process of east and west Germany, it was west German culture that was given credence rather than that of east German culture. Those in the east of Germany had been accustomed to a greater degree of equality due to policies of full employment and quota systems, even though women experienced the double burden of full-time employment and full-time domestic work as wife and mother (Skard, 2015). Women were encouraged to be in the home as caretakers, and policies focusing on the family were extended, including those mentioned in the above sections. These policies, though heavily supported by the general population, have recently been critiqued as having a “re-traditionalising effect,” reinforcing traditional gender roles and norms instead of focusing on policies targeting equity (Botsch, 2015, p. 5). The report on women’s rights and gender equality rates Germany’s performance in this area as “mediocre” (Botsch, 2015). Chancellor Merkel’s (2017) declaration of action has picked up more speed than in previous years, though much is left to be desired. Discussions on gender equality in Germany focus largely on the percentage of women in leadership positions, gender pay gap and labor market participation, and female interest and participation in subject matter in secondary schools, notably, STEM fields.

Research on gender divisions in the labor force reveals that there exists both a “horizontal” and “vertical segregation” (Botsch, 2015, p. 4). “Horizontal segregation” is the distinct segregation of men and women across occupations, each being

56

overrepresented in their respective gender typical professions (e.g. women in the service sector, men in science and engineering) (Botsch, 2015, p. 4). “Vertical segregation” refers to a lack of women in management positions (Botsch, 2015, p. 10). The European Commission believes that “equal participation of women and men in decision-making positions is a matter of justice, respect for fundamental rights and good governance” (“2017 report on equality,” 2017, p. 28). One of the platforms for important decision-making is government. Representation of women elected into the Bundestag and at the federal state level “has remained about one-third for over ten years,” but increased to 37% by 2017 (“2017 report on equality,” 2017, p. 32). This level of representation is largely responsible for why the issue of gender inequality has not been a higher priority within the country. It is at the municipal level that women’s representation at 26% falls below the EU average of 35% (“2017 report on equality,” 2017).

Another platform for influential decision-making is corporate management. Compared to the federal government, it is in the private sector that women are far more underrepresented. Supervisory boards are shown to have increased their percentage of women over the years to just 19%, while at the executive level, women make up only 6% of board members (“The current situation,” 2012). The EU Commission has determined that countries with specific legislation targeting an increase in the number of female board members in large stock-listed companies have seen more success in attaining better representation of women than those without (“The current situation,” 2012).

Labor market participation and the persistent gender pay gap produce mixed messages on the state of gender equality in Germany. Labor market participation is up but

little progress has been made on closing the pay gap in recent years (“The current situation,” 2012). In fact, between 2010 and 2014, no progress was made at all (“The current situation,” 2012). The factors measured to determine labor market gender inequality, apart from the segregation of that labor market, are levels of employment, the predominance of atypical work (e.g. part-time), and the gender pay gap. The European Commission’s report on gender equality (2012) demonstrates that Germany is a relatively poor performer in this respect, standing at 45% labor market inequality. The report also shows that the gender pay gap, gender hours gap (i.e. unpaid work such as caretaking), and employment gap are all greatly contributing to inequality (“The current situation,” 2012). The employment gap is the least problematic in Germany as more and more women are joining the workforce in some capacity. As we saw in the horizontal segregation of the labor market, however, where women enter the market is largely related to their educational choices and attainment. The dominance of traditional family formation and gender roles still heavily influences choices and opportunities/barriers to the nature of work for women. Legally, equality is required. Yet barriers to women continue to persist, especially in the typical areas of family formation and retirement (Botsch, 2015). Women continue to be the primary caregivers for children and the elderly, especially as positions in state-run day care centers are limited. This unpaid work results in women either not working or working part-time. As of 2011, 45% of German women were working part-time instead of full-time, higher than the EU average (“The current situation,” 2017). The percentage of women working part-time is significant considering that 75% of German women between the ages of 20 and 64 are employed (“2017 report on equality,” 2017). Determining equality encompasses

57

factors such as economic independence, which takes the employment rate into account as well as “the number of paid working hours, which better reflects work intensity” (“2017 report on equality,” 2017, p. 12).

Unpaid work for women total, on average, almost the number of hours that an average woman works a part-time job. Women work an average of 29 hours per week while doing 20 hours of unpaid work, while men work 38 and 7 hours, respectively (“2017 report on equality,” 2017). Gender norms, gender relations and family formation are currently in shift. Women are marrying later and having less children. Though divorce is a lengthy and expensive process in Germany, it is becoming more common. Blossfield (1995) explains that, “the distinction between marital and non-marital child-bearing, and between marriage and cohabitation, are losing their normative force and divorce tends to become more of an option than a violation of social norms” (p. 201). Optimistically, Blossfield (1995) claims that the “expansion of the welfare-state-based extra familial institutions…provide alternative sources of material security, personal services, satisfaction, and leisure” (p. 201). Social exclusion due to the stigma of divorce may be disappearing, but it is crucial to note that the vulnerability of women and children should not be minimized or hidden by the seemingly generous welfare state provisions.

STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS TO MEET SDGS IN 2030 The German parliament published a set of

strategic solutions in a social report in 2015 as a path for moving forward with a domestic agenda to achieve the UN sustainable development goals by 2030 (“Strategische Ssozialberichterstattung,” 2015). To address the issue of poverty, and ultimately other goals in the process, the parliament committed to a range of initiatives, expansions of current policies, and investments. One of the first steps toward fighting poverty was the

institution of a minimum wage (“Strategische Ssozialberichterstattung,” 2015). This was introduced gradually, first applying to only a few service jobs, such as taxi drivers and hairdressers, but now has been extended to almost all jobs, although there still exists a few exceptions. Minimum wage began at €8.50 but was increased to €8.84 by the following year “Strategische Ssozialberichterstattung,” 2015). This is extremely advantageous for women living in rural areas and less so for those in expensive urban locations due to higher costs of living. Pensions were also given a slight increase to adjust for inflation starting in 2014 and are intended to continue to increase as deemed appropriate. More importantly, commitments to increases in pensions, will bring advantages to women specifically, as there is a greater recognition of and compensation for time spent raising children (“Strategische Ssozialberichterstattung,” 2015).

A couple of campaigns were initiated to attempt to address the gender wage gap. “Equal Pay Day” was a public campaign that worked to encourage transparency in wages for men and women (“Strategische sSozialberichterstattung,” 2015). A second initiative is a project entitled, “Was verdeint die Frau? Wirtschaftliche Unabhängigkeit!” (What does a woman earn? Economic independence!). This project took place from 2014 to 2016. This project worked to educate women on the issues of which they should be aware regarding their professional lives, concentrating on transitional periods in their resume due to childbirth, education, etc., which persist as barriers to meaningful and rewarding work (“Strategische Ssozialberichterstattung,” 2015).

One of Germany’s efforts toward gender equality is participation and implementation of an EU practice called gender mainstreaming, which:

58

involves ensuring that gender perspectives and attention to the goal of gender equality are central to all activities—policy development, research, advocacy, dialogue, legislation, resource allocation, and planning, implementation and monitoring of programmes and projects (“Gender mainstreaming,” n.d., para. 1). The EU Commission and German

governments have chosen to tackle these issues from a gendered perspective, focusing specifically on women, supporting the more traditional roles of women in the same breath as advocating for equality in value. A number of projects focusing on gender equality have been reported. The “equal treatment check” is undergoing development, which will result in a set of analytical tools to be utilized by employers, boards, and other supervisory entities to assess whether the law of gender equality in hiring practices and working conditions is being upheld (“2017 report on equality,” 2017, p. 13).

As childbirth has proven a barrier for women when re-entering the workforce, the German government has implemented two discrete actions to address this issue and to work toward towards gender equality. The Development Policy Action Plan on Gender Equality 2016-2020 increases state-funded childcare, allowing for women to return to work much more quickly than was previously possible (“Germany pledges to expand support,” n.d.). Parental leave has also intentionally been extended for men, as it has proven to contribute to more active fathers (“2017 report on equality,” 2017, p. 17). Men now receive 9 weeks of paid leave (“2017 report on equality,” 2017). This is intended to incentivize the sharing of childcare and other domestic work.

One of the most important and prominent pieces of legislation passed recently was the Act on Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions in the private and public sector. This act requires 3500 businesses to create goals to “increase [the] proportion of women on their boards and at several management levels” (“Germany pledges to expand support,” n.d., para. 5).

Also, as of 2016, a gender quota of 30% for supervisory boards for stock-listed companies is required (“Germany pledges to expand support,” n.d.). Initiatives to increase entrepreneurship for women have been passed as an additional effort to close gender employment and earning gaps. In Mecklenburg-Pomerania, for example, an initiative was passed enabling women to obtain loans from state investment banks whose loan applications had been previously rejected by other banks (Sattar, 2015).

CONCLUSIONS There is much to be done domestically to

end poverty in Germany. Thankfully, Germany has many stable systems already in place and has already achieved a relatively high level of affluence, even among its poorest. With enough public commitment to taxes and expansion of social programs, eradication of poverty, or more realistically great reduction in poverty is arguably within reach by 2030. The more Germany opens access to the labor market, the more transparency and protection can be extended to those at risk of poverty. This includes opening the labor market further to immigrants and refugees, who are among the country’s most vulnerable.

Though poverty affects women more broadly than it does men, the current trajectory of poverty development is not toward a further feminization of poverty, but rather an increase in the poverty experienced by men. Although the statistical gap between

59

men and women is indeed closing, often interpreted as progress, the overall picture is not as optimistic. Evidence points to an increase in income inequality in society, not just for women. Men are experiencing a feminization of work, meaning that men will now experience more periods of interrupted work throughout their careers, causing an increase in poverty experienced by men (Klammer, 2015).

Food banks have played a key role in alleviating food poverty. However, they are not a viable long-term solution as they receive no state funds and are dependent upon both volunteers and donations to function. After much scandal in the past, a deep vein of skepticism and suspicion runs through German society, making donations hard to come by, be it for blood drives, homeless assistance, or food banks. A certain level of public oversight and trust will have to be re-established before the private sector can truly take the reins of being a stable support system that can not only meet needs sufficiently but can effectively assist clients in bettering their financial states. Research in the area of hunger, is absent and thus, is essential. Only in the past year has the government even begun to acknowledge that there might be something to address in this area. The first step of acknowledging the problem has been taken; now funding and experts are needed to step in to provide some reliable and tangible data on the subject for the appropriate governmental policies to be created and implemented.

Workers who have been unemployed long-term will experience delays in being

incorporated into the work force. The hiring process and criteria are very rigid across all sectors.

Officialness and detailed documentation is part of the fabric of German culture and society and works to exclude competent workers from finding employment. Even entry-level grocery store cashiers must obtain an official job training certification prior to work. Changing these processes will take much effort and time. Even equipping those who have been unemployed long-term with job skills, trying to fill-in the gaps of education, and training for interviews will not destroy the stigma associated with being unemployed nor will these efforts bring about a rapid change in hiring expectations or standards. Instead, this will entail a long-haul effort to create a cultural shift in the labor market. An additional challenge to addressing the gender pay gap is the cultural taboo of talking about money in general, and salaries specifically. In addition, most companies in Germany currently have non-disclosure agreements on all salary-related issues. Forcing companies to make their hiring practices and salaries transparent is crucial to gender equality efforts, and equally difficult to accomplish.

Ultimately, the greatest challenge to addressing gender inequality and poverty in Germany is to stop comparing the poor in Germany to the impoverished in places like Africa and the Indian subcontinent. These comparisons in conjunction with the national confidence and reliance upon the welfare state, hide these inequalities and prevent appropriate action from taking place.

60

REFERENCES

Blossfeld, H.P., De Rose, A., Hoem, J. M., & Rohwer, G. (1995). Education, modernization, and the risk of marriage disruption in Sweden, West Germany, and Italy. In K. Oppenheim Mason & A. Jensen (eds.), Gender and Family Change in Industrialized Countries (pp. 200–222). Oxford, GB: Clarendeon Press.

Boersch-Supan, A., & Wilke, C. B. (2006). Reforming the German public pension system, American Economic Association Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, 2014. Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging.

Bontje, M. (2005). Facing the challenge of shrinking cities in East Germany: The case of Leipzig. GeoJournal, 61(1), 13–21.

Botsch, E. (2015). The policy on gender equality in Germany (No. PE 510.025). Brussels, Belgium: European Parliament.

Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.). Population below poverty line. Retrieved October 23, 2017, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2046.html

Christopher, K., England, P., Smeeding, T. M., & Phillips, K. R. (2002). The gender gap in poverty in modern nations: single motherhood, the market, and the state. Sociological Perspectives, 45(3), 219–242.

Deutscher Bundestag. (2015). Strategische Sozialberichterstattung 2015: Unterrichtung durch die Bundesregierung (No. Drucksache 18/4500). Berlin, Germany: Deutscher Bundestag.

European Commission. (2012). The current situation of gender equality in Germany. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/epo_campaign/country-profile_germany_en.pdf

European Commission. (2017). 2017 report on equality between women and men in the EU. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/2017_report_equality_women_men_in_the_eu_en.pdf

Finnish Centre for Pensions. (2010). Tracing old-age poverty--the significance of the household structure on gender differences in the poverty rate in eight EU countries (Working Paper No. 2010:7). Helsinki: Ahonen, K., & Bach-Othman, J.

Huinink, J., & Mayer, K. U. (1995). Family formation in West Germany. In K. Oppenheim Mason & A. Jensen (eds.), Gender and Family Change in Industrialized Countries (pp. 200–222). Oxford, GB: Clarendeon Press.

Klammer, U. (2009). Germany: deviating from the male breadwinner norm. In G. Schaffner Goldberg (ed.) Poor women in rich countries: the feminization of poverty over the life course (pp. 94-120). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (n.d.). Inequality - poverty rate. Retrieved October 31, 2018, from http://data.oecd.org/inequality/poverty-rate.htm

Meyer-Rosenfeld, J. (2013). GRIN - Staatliche Maßnahmen gegen Kinderarmut. Eine Übersicht über die Situation in Deutschland. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from http://www.grin.com/de/e-book/337797/staatliche-massnahmen-gegen-kinderarmut-eine-uebersicht-ueber-die-situation

Nipper, J. (2002). The transformation of urban East Germany since the “Wende”: from a socialist city to a ...?. Hommes et Terres Du Nord, (4), 63–74.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2016, March). OECD economic surveys: Germany 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2017, from http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/economics/oecd-economic-surveys-germany-2016/the-gender-earnings-gap-is-wide-because-many-women-work-few-hours_eco_surveys-deu-2016-graph12-en

Pfeiffer, S. (2014). Die verdrängte Realität: Ernährungsarmut in Deutschland: Hunger in der Überflussgesellschaft. Wiesbaden, Hessen: Springer VS.

Sattar, S.. (2012). Opportunities for men and women in emerging Europe and Central Asia. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from World Bank Group Website: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/479131468250293544/pdf/659310WP00PUBL065737B0Gender0Report.pdf Washington, D.C.

61

Sellach, B., & Ender-Dragässer, U. (2000). Ursache und Umfang von Frauenarmut. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from Social Science Open Access Repository Website: https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/12575

Simler, K. (2016). Pinpointing poverty in Europe: New evidence for policy making. Retrieved October 24, 2017, from World Bank Group Web site: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/618561489646988000/Pinpointing-poverty-in-Europe-new-evidence-for-policy-making

Skard, T. (2015). Women of power: half a century of female presidents and prime ministers. Bristol, GB: Policy Press.

Society for the Study of Economic Inequality. (2006, May). Poverty and women’s labor market activity: the role of gender wage discrimination in the EU (ECINEQ WP 2006-40). Vigo, Spain: Gradin, C., del Rio, C., & Canto, O.

Somaskanda, S. (n.d.). Rich Germany Has a Poverty Problem. Retrieved October 23, 2017, from Foreign Policy Web site: https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/05/rich-germany-has-a-poverty-problem-inequality-europe/

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. (n.d.). Gender mainstreaming. Retrieved November 26, 2017, from http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/gendermainstreaming.htm

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. (n.d.). Germany pledges to expand support for women’s professional skills in developing countries, and require corporate boards at home to apply a 30 per cent quota for women. Retrieved October 20, 2017, from http://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/step-it-up/commitments/germany

62

Transition from Linear to Circular Economy

Sugam Upadhayay, DBA student

[email protected]

Omaima Alqassimi, DBA student

[email protected]

ABSTRACT The contemporary model of economical production and consumption is not sustainable; if the pattern continues, humankind will need to scramble for resources. Currently, resource extraction from the earth is 1.7 times higher than her actual capacity (Watts, 2018). This paper stresses the importance of the shift from the current linear (take, make and dispose) modality to a circular (take, make and reutilize) model to maximize the value from a product by keeping it in the loop of circularity. In pursuit of this change in model, reverse logistics, performance economy, and sharing economy all need to be integrated in order to facilitate regenerative and restorative techniques which enable reusing, recycling, remanufacturing and refurbishing of resources. Businesses need to redesign and restructure their current processes so that they can reduce the consumption of resources, thus developing a competitive edge. Incineration and dumping of resources should be the last option. The assets that are able to sense, record and communicate information are referred to as “intelligent assets” which innovates “smart solutions” to enable a circular economy (MacArthur, 2016). But this paradigm shift is not possible alone through the effort of a single entity. Involvement and commitments from individual, regional, governmental and intra-governmental levels are mandatory as it helps to create a synergist effect.

INTRODUCTION Society has always welcomed productivity

since it has not only rewarded the producers with economies of scale but has also made buyers wealthier with consumer surplus. But a question remains, is this the golden rule of production and consumption or the best model for sustainable use of resources where equilibrium is obtained between the factors of production and its proportionate utility entailing the unequivocal saving of resources for upcoming progeny? The clandestine decay of resources that is jeopardizing the eco-system is in process. Every segment of an economy including service, manufacturing and agriculture is epitomizing productivity to satiate their voracious quench for remaining competitive. Sadly, they are unable to manifest the opulence of sustainability. The problem is not with societal progress, but with the approach, which is detrimental and devastating to the environment (Sandoval, Garcia, & Goenaga, 2016).

As per a report published by the United Nations, primary resource extraction which was comprised of roughly 22 billion tons in 1970, included materials such as fossil fuel, metals, and timbers. This ballooned to roughly 70 billion tons in 2010. If the rate continues in this pattern, there will be 180 billion tons of material needed annually by 2050 (Mosbergen, 2016). The commodity price rose by 150% from 2002 to 2010, making the real price decline of the previous 100 years disappear (“Towards the circular,” 2014). Regrettably, the oscillation is coming back to us, the tiny particles from cars, power plants, waste incineration, and other sources are killing over 3 million people worldwide each year (Vaughan, 2016), and the estimated annual global health cost due to air pollution is currently over $5 trillion (Stone, 2017).

The wealthiest countries resource rapaciousness is ten times more on average

than that of poorer countries. As stated in the UN Environment report of 2010, North America and Europe had an annual per capital material footprint of 25 and 20 tons, whereas it is 9 for Asia Pacific (Mosbergen, 2016). The unequal global distribution of resources has intensified conflicting trade behavior among countries, thus creating a “dumping economy.” The paradigm shift of the radical transformation of product development, process re-engineering, and selling and distribution along with responsible consumption and disposal is required for sustainability and the longevity of resources. The revision of backward and forward linkage to implement the green approach is a necessity. Thus, the time has come to draw a line between earning and caring and between vanity and insanity, where every government, business entity, and individual has to be active in the transition from the linear to circular model of production and consumption.

LINEAR ECONOMY A linear economy is a business model that

focuses on the take, make and dispose philosophy. Resources are extracted from the earth and then products are manufactured for consumption. The residuals of this consumption later accumulate in a landfill or are incinerated. Atrociously, only 14% of plastic is recycled annually, and if this continues, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans. Once plastic gets into the waterways, it brings $13 billion in annual losses to tourism, shipping, and the fishing industries (Kaplan, 2016). The plastic is just an example of the negative external consequences that we are dealing with due to linearity. There are thousands of such culprits, such as aluminum, steel, papers, cans, leathers, oils, and fossil fuels. Miserably, the unhealthy competition among the corporations has reduced product life cycles,

64

making products obsolete and has converted them into waste, collapsing the ecological balance. Figure 1, seen below, depicts the flow of resources in a linear economy where the

resources are ultimately trashed or dumped in the landfills.

Figure 1. Linear economy flow diagram.

Although aware of the negative impact, businesses still thrive with this production methodology due to the low cost of raw material created by the competition and fewer mandatory regulation and legal penalties.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY The circular economy advocates the shift

from the traditional extract-produce-dispose economy to a restorative and regenerative approach where the focus is on extending the life cycle of a product to get the maximum value from it. The circular economy turns

goods that are at the end of a life cycle into alternative resources, ultimately closing the loop in the industrial ecosystem and minimizing waste. Its philosophy builds on reuse, recycle, repair and remanufacture. The economic advantage of this model lies in the appropriate use of the waste, thus promoting performance economy, favoring resource productivity, and concentrating on escalating nature’s capital and its resilience (Webster, 2017). Figure 2 illustrates the flow of resources in circular model of production and consumption.

Figure 2. Circular economy flow diagram.

Maximum prioritization is given to make

the resources transmit back into the production loop. Focus is on reuse, recycle,

refurbish and remanufacture, rather than dumping.

Resource extraction (Raw

material)

Products Manufactured Consumption Waste Creation Dumping of waste

Resource extraction (Raw material)

Products Manufactured Consumption Waste Creation

RecycleRepair

Remanufacture

Reuse

No

Yes

65

UNDERSTANDING THE CIRCULAR MODEL IDEO, a global design company, who

crafted the first computer mouse for Apple, has collaborated with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to strategize the best modules to use for a circular economy. The butterfly diagram as shown in Figure 3, which encapsulates the biological and technical cycle of resource utilization, is a feedback read system. The biological cycle comprises of

biological materials like textiles, fruits, and foods that could be regenerated into the circular loop. The technical cycles are restorative. Both mentioned cycles advocate for reuse, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling of the products to the highest level possible. In the biological cycle, non-toxic products that are beneficial to the environment are returned to the biosphere directly or in the cascade of a series of uses.

Figure 3. Butterfly diagram. (“Understand circular flows,” 2014). The circular model encourages businesses

and individuals to be more mindful of environmental issues. Alternatives to wasteful packaging and fuel costs have been found through companies such as Ecovative and Lufa Farms. Ecovative has created reusable packaging from unused parts of plants (Ecovative, 2018), and Lufa Farms encourages rooftop gardens and hydroponic farming (Adam, 2015). Both concepts can be reconciled with the left side of the butterfly diagram where there is a focus on prolonging the value and life of raw materials used.

The right side of the butterfly diagram exemplifies the circular modality in technical products. It is restorative, where both the product and material would retain their

integrity and highest utility. Examples of this can be seen by companies such as Zipcar. Rather than selling a new car, Zipcar rents unused ones. Additionally, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the USA, in 2012 alone, 84% of unwanted clothes were trashed in a landfill or incinerated. Patagonia, a global apparel brand, focused on refurbishing the clothes so that they could be reused, and their value could be extended (Wicker, 2016). These types of small changes may not seem like a lot, but if all businesses started to use the circular economy model, great changes could be made in decreasing environment footprints.

66

PRINCIPLES OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY Sandoval, Garcia, and Goenaga (2016) in

their extensive study of literature related to the circular economy prioritizes regenerative posture and the eco-centric perspective as a major principle within the circular economy. The circular economy is based on 3Rs, i.e., reduction, reuse and recycle. Stahel (2018) outlined the set of principles which guide the circular economy: (i) the smaller circulation of resources will make it profitable and resource efficient; (ii) the loops of material are circular and continuous in economy and feed into a new production process, minimizing the potential waste; (iii) maintaining value, performance and quality of goods; (iv) the efficiency in managing the stocks in circular economy is inversely related with the flow speed; (v) extending ownership is a cost-efficient strategy (vi) requirement of well-functioning second-hand market (Milios, 2018). Similar principles were emphasized by FICCI, in the “Circular Economy Symposium 2018” held in India, to implement the idea of circularity into a business model. These concepts were identified as circular supply chain, recovery and recycling, product life extension, sharing platform, and selling products as a service. Out of the numerous factors that conceptualize a circular economy, the most crucial are listed below.

REVERSE LOGISTICS

Reverse logistics refers to the flow of goods and services from the point of consumption to the point of consolidation. It focuses on the backward flow of post-consumed resources

which aim at closing the loopholes within a circular economy. Reverse logistics leads resources to the stages of remanufacturing, refurbishing, reusing or recycling, ultimately increasing the value of the resources. To utilize this concept, companies should consider the modality of reverse logistics at the time of product design to help in streamlining the work and alleviating unexpected future financial burdens. At the same time, the cost of reserve logistics could be the biggest challenge when compared to the residual value of goods. In California alone, 6000 computers become surplus a day and recycling cost between $15 to $35 for each monitor alone (Baltzan, 2014). Reserve logistics can be intricate when compared to forward logistics and must be considered previous to its development and implementation.

The research executed by KMPG (2017) emphasizes that the use of technology and infrastructure can reduce the lead time between production and getting the resources back. The barriers to reverse logistics are geographical dispersion, material complexity, and linear lock-in. As shown in Figure 4, the traditional approach of reverse logistics has significantly larger intermediaries when compared to the strategic approach. The diagram below clarifies the traditional and strategic approach to reverse logistics. Efficient and effective handling of reverse logistics is a must. A new business initiative can fit the concept of reverse logistics and circular economy from the very first phase of the product and process design making the flow

67

Figure 4. Traditional verses strategic logistic. (“Future-proof your reverse logistics,” 2017, p. 11). seamless. The product design phase should focus on the listed parameters to ensure that the product lifecycle favors reverse logistics: • Material Selection: material should be

chosen in a way that the byproducts or scraps can be utilized again in future

• Standardized components: the consistent components support easy categorization and favors easy manufacturing

• Design to last products: the durability helps in saving resources and making products durable

• Design for easy end-of-life sorting: facilitates dismantling, separation and support in the reverse logistics of products

PERFORMANCE ECONOMY The paradigm shift from the traditional to

performance economy has had significant ramifications on the traditional business model. There have been changes from volume driven to value drive, energy and resource intensive to knowledge-intensive and from a linear to circular system (Stahel, 2010). Stakeholders are now more focused on smart solutions through smart products which are based on the minimum level of resource utilization.

The performance economy focuses on the service of its products. It is a paradigm shift from ownership to access economy. The customer becomes the user of the products rather than the owner of the products. Now, business models are based on an agreement to pay for use, lease, rent, and performance agreement through servitization (FICCI, 2018).

Figure 5. The objective of selling performance economy. Examples of this can be seen with

businesses such as Michelin Solutions, a US-based tire company, rather than selling their tires, lease them (Stahel, 2010, p.122) and YCloset, a China based apparel company, which leases apparel (Colao, 2012). As shown in Figure 5, both companies are practicing performance models of circular economies

68

which has helped to maximize wealth, lower resource consumption, create jobs and prevent loss and waste of resources (Stahel, 2010). Amalgamation of performance economy will make high-end washing machines accessible to most households.

SHARING ECONOMY

The sharing economy has revolutionized the consumption of products and services. It is based on the philosophy of sharing excess resources and has empowered ordinary people to use their excess capacity rather than keeping it (Stemler, 2017). Botsman (2015) tried to bring clarity to the muddied concept of sharing economy by stating that it is the economic system where unused assets or services are used directly from individuals. Examples of this include Airbnb and BlaBlaCar. The facilitation of the sharing economy for the circular economy is seen where customers are served through existing excess products and services rather than by the production of new ones (Egerton, 2016).

The World Economic Forum (2016) has listed economic rebalancing, material efficiency, technological changes and high-speed domestic adoptions as reasons to adopt a sharing economy. The sharing economy, which was estimated to have generated over $229 billion in 2015, is projected to grow by 40% p.a. over the next five-years (World Economic Forum, 2016). This will bring tremendous economic, social and environmental benefits. Table 1, below, shows the various types of facilities being used in a sharing economy for each different kind of industry.

Table 1. Various models of sharing economy with their examples.

FACILITATING AND IMPLEMENTING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Investment in the circular model brings a win-win situation for producers as well as for consumers. It brings a positive impact in the economic, societal and environmental domain of society. As per Sandoval, Garcia, and Goenaga (2016), circular economy promotes innovation, decreases the pace of global resource depletion, and reduces the overuse of natural resources. Corporations should follow a circular model as it has become an aspect of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Implementation of the circular model favors symbiosis which helps corporations to reuse their products and fosters developing ancillary industries. Further government regulation plays a crucial role in making a circular philosophy a reality. The factors mentioned below induces and facilitates the circular economic model.

CIRCULARITY AS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

(CSR) Resource stewardship has become a part of

CSR. Incorporating circularity into the operational and corporate strategies of businesses will bring radical shifts in the production and consumption of goods and services. Envisioning and practicing circularity will represent the entity fulfilling their corporate social responsibility (CSR). It will provide a competitive and comparative advantage to each company utilizing it.

Types Examples

Peer-to-Peer Lending Lending Club, Prosper, SoFi Crowdfunding Kickstarter, Indiegogo

Apartment/House Renting Airbnb, Couchsurfing

Ridesharing and Carsharing Uber, Lyft, Car2Go, Zipcar

Coworking Share the cost of office rent, utilities

Reselling and Trading Craigslist, eBay

69

Examples of this can be seen by companies such as IKEA who is collecting and reselling its previously sold products. In 2017, Google LLC diverted 91% of waste from the global data center operations away from landfills. These steps have not only economized the operation of the companies but has also unequivocally enhanced their image and reputation as they were able to reduce their environmental footprints. Circularity supports optimization of resource consumption and the extension of material life. It not only economizes the expenses and resource cost for a company, but also enhances the brand equity.

GOVERNMENT LEVEL INITIATIVES

The circular economy initiatives should not be voluntary or discretionary. Strong policies, laws, regulations, and initiatives from governmental and global arenas are deemed necessary to protect the environment and the way businesses function within it. Since 2009, the number of climate change laws has increased from 300 to 500, carbon pricing was introduced, and 20 countries in Europe levied landfill taxes.

Regulation plays a binding role in manifesting circular economy. The European Union (EU) directives on circular economy includes the EU Action Plan, which has both mandatory legislation and voluntary measures included. The inability of the corporations to comply to the mandatory measures results in economic, administrative or criminal penalties, whereas the voluntary measures are not binding. As per Milios (2018), the policy measure should focus on the following factors so that corporations will abide and work within the principle of a circular economy.

DURABILITY, REPARABILITY AND REMANUFACTURING

POLICIES The durable product lasts for a long time, is

easily repaired, and has available and

accessible spare parts to support prompt product maintenance. This helps to extend the use of the product. Corporations should focus on product and process designs to make it durable and easy to repair so that the value and the life of the products increases, ultimately leading to decreased pressure on the natural resources needed to manufacture a new product.

STRENGTHENING THE SECONDARY RESOURCE MARKET

Clear policies should be in place to facilitate the secondary market, which includes the national or cross-border movement of used products. The developed secondary market facilitates the reserve logistic of the products after its end use, which could later be recycled, reused, remanufactured or refurbished.

POLICIES PROMOTING AND HARMONIZING EXTENDED

PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY (EPR) Often there is a minimal incentive for a

producer to innovate and design eco-friendly products. If the mechanism of reverse logistic is developed well, which supports the collection of the product back to the producer, third parties could reap the end benefits. For example, the scrapped electronic appliances are often collected and traded by third parties, thus disincentivizing the original producer from investing in the circular model. So, a corporation as well the regulators should have clear policy in place on ERP, which will encourage producers to invest in the circular model.

SYMBIOSIS

Symbiosis is the process where the end output from one activity is again used as a resource for another cycle so that the life cycle of the product is prolonged. Companies’ generated waste is not only an environmental problem, but it is also an economic loss for the companies. The waste output of a company

70

could be a valuable input resource for another company. Symbiosis, through regenerative and restorative techniques, could be used to prolong the life of the material.

An exemplary initiative in the circularity model can be seen in Srinivasan’s Garbage to

Gold initiative (Drolia, 2016). The process illustrated in Figure 6 is a perfect apotheosis of symbiosis at the most rudimentary level where biomimicry can be observed.

Figure 6. Flowchart showing symbiosis using the natural cycle.

In this process, no form of technology, artificial catalyst, or artificial feeds are used. The waste from a vegetable market, rather than ending up in a landfill, are used as the feed for cow, fish, hen and duck, ultimately generating energy and organic compost as an output. Corporations can use the modality of symbiosis in the same way. For example, old disposed batteries, rather than being dumped in a landfill, could be collected and recycled for future use. The waste water coming from industries after treatment can be used for irrigation. The plastic and metal waste should not be allowed to be disposed of haphazardly, but rather, should be collected for further use. These steps help in looping back the resources into the production cycle which extends their life and enhances their utility.

USING TECHNOLOGY TO LEVERAGE CIRCULARITY Technology creates interconnectedness,

which facilitates the circular economy. For example, the use of radio frequency

identification (RFID) makes tracking and collection of products easier, which supports reverse logistics. All the factors mentioned above, like sharing and performance economy along with symbiosis are supported by technology. Botsman (2013) has emphasized the capacity of technology to create an efficient platform where millions of haves are matched with millions of wants. By 2020, 25-50 billion devices will be connected in the loop created by the Internet of things (IoT) which would create a trillion-dollar economy.

The breakthrough and commencement of the fourth industrial revolution is seeing advancements in technology like artificial intelligence (AI), augmentation reality, blockchain technology, and machine learnings. This has unlocked enormous potential in the circular model. Corporations embedding technological innovation to their product and process design can outperform resource utilization. "Liam" robot used by Apple to disassemble iPhones has collected 61 million

Garbage collection from market in every 4 hour

Feeds to Co1 cow= 35 kg

waste

Cow Dung(Methane)

Into Bio-Digester

Methane free Dung

Given to earthworm

Waste not edible by Cow are dropped in compost box

Maggots are developed Given to

chicken as fed

Feed to Ducks

Eggs from 8-10 to 24 per month

Organic Compost /Black Gold

Eggs

Fish waste from market

71

pounds of reusable materials which includes 22,204 pounds of gold (Lacy, 2017).

The Internet of things (IoT) has given birth to “intelligent asset.” Figure 7 shows how the

scanner (asset) is remotely assessed by the producer and how maintenance is carried out as per the requirement leading to increase the life of the scanner.

Figure 7. Intelligent Asset Transfer of data for circular economy. (“Intelligent assets: Unlocking the circular

economy potential” 2016, p. 38).

Rather than selling the scanner to the user, the manufacture has rented it. The user will pay on a pay per use basis. At the end, the product will go back to the manufacture for recycling. It has facilitated the performance and sharing economy.

AWARENESS OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY

With all of the advantages of a circular economy, it is phenomenal that there is still a majority of people who do not know about this concept (Guo, Geng, Sterr, Zhu, & Liu, 2017). Governments, business entities, NGOs and INGOs all have a responsibility to collaborate and make the public aware of this style of economy. Some ways in which this can be done are as follows:

• Governments can incorporate the concept of the circular economy into academic courses. This will help younger generations

to understand the very basics of circularity and its importance.

• Intermediaries like suppliers and retailers can also incorporate the circular model of production in their forward and backward linkage

• NGOs should focus on community and local institutional awareness programs. INGOs can play a pivotal role in the capacity building of stakeholders.

CONCLUSIONS Shifting the production and consumption

pattern from a linear to circular economy is unequivocally important to reduce the pressure in the extraction of resources from the environment. The circular economy through reverse logistic, performance and sharing economy helps in reusing, recycling, refurbishing and remanufacturing products

Scanner Monitoring Performance

Factory Design DevelopmentData Informs product

Improvement

Data transmitted from product to manufacturer

Redefining MaintenancePredictive MaintenancePerformance ContractUpdates and Upgrades

Improve Components and Products

ReuseRecycleParts-

Harvesting

72

which otherwise would have been thrown into landfills or incinerated.

Sadly, the clarity about the circular economy is still muddied. Awareness in local, regional as well as at the global arena is needed to move the circular economy into the mainstream economy. Corporations should

embed circular philosophy into their product and process design from the very beginning. Additionally, the government should provide incentives and regulations to facilitate the implementation of a circular economy so that collectively we can work towards sustainability.

73

REFERENCES Adam, A. (2015, March 24). Lufa Farms takes gardening to a whole new level. Retrieved from www.globalnews.ca:

https://globalnews.ca/news/1901306/lufa-farms-takes-gardening-to-a-whole-new-level/ Baltzan, P. (2014). Business Driven Information System (4th ed.). New York: McGrawHill. Botsman, R. (2013, November 21). The sharing economy lacks a shared definition. Retrieved from

www.fastcompany.com: https://www.fastcompany.com/3022028/the-sharing-economy-lacks-a-shared-definition

Botsman, R. (2015, May 27). Defining the sharing economy: What is collaborative consumption–and what isn’t? Colao, J. J. (2012, October 11). Welcome to the new millennial economy: Goodbye ownership, hello access. Retrieved

from www.forbes.com: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao/2012/10/11/welcome-to-the-new-millennial-economy-goodbye-ownership-hello-access/#56453dc174ab

Drolia, R. (2016, January 22). Garbage to gold: Chhattisgarh's Ambikapur to become first Ambikapur to become first dustbin free city . Retrieved from www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/Garbage-to-gold-Chhattisgarhs-Ambikapur-to-become-first-dustbin-free-city/articleshow/50678420.cms

Ecovative. (2018, June 29). Ecovative partners with CNC exotic mushrooms to reach EU market. Retrieved from www.ecovativedesign.com: https://ecovativedesign.com/press-releases/174

Egerton, S. (2016, August 4). What does the sharing economy mean for a circular economy? Retrieved from www.circulatenews.org: http://circulatenews.org/2016/08/what-does-the-sharing-economy-mean-for-a-circular-economy/

FICCI. (2018). Accelerating India's circular economy shift: A half-trillion USD opportunity, future-proofing growth in a resource-scare world. India: Accenture Strategy.

Forbes. (2018, March 06). Meet the members of the three comma club. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/#361c446251c7

Growth within a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe. (2015). Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Guo, B., Geng, Y., Sterr, T., Zhu, Q., & Liu, Y. (2017). Investigating public awareness on circular economy in western

China: A case of Urumqi Midong. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142 (4), 2177-2186. IKEA Australia. (2018). IKEA Australia People & Planet Positive 2018, Creating a Circular IKEA. IKEA Australia. Intelligent assets: Unlocking the circular economy potential. (2016). In Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Kaplan, S. (2016, January 20). By 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans, study says. Retrieved

from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/ 2016/01/20/by-2050-there-will-be-more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-worlds-oceans-study-says/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c42c8984c28e

KPMG. (2017). Future-proof your reverse logistics: Did your supply chain meet the challenge of post-christmas returns? KPMG International.

Lacy, P. (2017, September 14). These 5 disruptive technologies are driving the circular economy. Retrieved from www.weforum.org: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/09/new-tech-sustainable-circular-economy/

Milios, L. (2018). Advancing to a circular economy: three essential ingredients. Sustainable Sci, 13, 861-878. Mosbergen, D. (2016, August 03). Our consumption of earth’s natural resources has more than tripled in 40 years.

Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/natural-resource-use-tripled_us_57a05c3ae4b0693164c273a8

Sandoval, V. P., Garcia, C. J., & Goenaga, M. O. (2016). Circular economy: An economic and industrial model to acheive the sustainability of society. 22nd International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference. Lisbon: School of Science and Technology,Universidade Nova de Lisboa.

Stahel, W. R. (2010). Performance Economy (2nd ed.). UK: Palgrave Macmillian. Stahel, W. R. (2016). The circular economy. International Weekly Journal of Science, 531, 435-438. Stemler, A. (2017). The myth of the sharing economy and its implications for regulating innovation. Emory Law

Journal, 67(2), 97-241.

74

Stone, S. (2017, November 27). Closing the loop: How a circular economy helps us #BeatPollution. Retrieved from www.unenvironment.org: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/closing-loop-how-circular-economy-helps-us-beatpollution

Towards the circular economy: Accelerating the scale-up across global supply chains. (2014). In Ellen MaArthur Foundation. United Kingdom: Ellen MaArthur Foundation.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2015). Towards a circular economy: Business rationale for an accelerated transition. Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Towards the circular economy vol. 2: Opportunities for the consumer goods sector. (2013). In Ellen Macarthur Foundation. United Kingdom: Ellen MaArthur Foundation.

UN environment. (2016, July 20). Worldwide Extraction of Materials Triples in Four Decades, Intensifying Climate Change and Air Pollution. Retrieved from www.unenvironment.org: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/worldwide-extraction-materials-triples-four-decades-intensifying

Vaughan, A. (2016, September 27). China tops WHO list for deadly outdoor air pollution. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/27/more-than-million-died-due-air-pollution-china-one-year

Watts, J. (2018, July 22). Earth's resources consumed in ever greater destructive volumes. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/23/earths-resources-consumed-in-ever-greater-destructive-volumes

Webster, K. (2017). The circular economy: A wealth of flows. Ellen Macarthur Foundation. Wicker, A. (2016, September 1). Fast fashion is creating an environmental crisis. Retrieved from

www.newsweek.com: https://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html

Wijkman, A. (2015, April 15). Circular economy could bring 70 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2030. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/15/circular-economy-jobs-climate-carbon-emissions-eu-taxation

75

Reading as a Basis of Vocabulary Growth: Application to an EFL Setting

Tran B. Vo, MA TESOL student

[email protected]

ABSTRACT This paper will explore the critical roles of vocabulary development and teaching reading as a basis of vocabulary growth in an advanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. An application is promoted from the discussion, which identifies the interrelation between reading and vocabulary growth (Krashen, 1989; Horst, Cobb, Cobb, & Meara, 1998; Waring &Nation, 2004; Hunt & Beglar; 2005). The quality of a reading text and the learners’ interests are considerations that must be taken into account for improved vocabulary instruction.

INTRODUCTION The recent growing demand of learning

English as a foreign language in Vietnam has been reflected through the accelerating rates of overseas study opportunities and the emergence of accreditation programs. In 2017, about 130,000 Vietnamese students attended academic programs outside of Vietnam, in roughly 50 countries, thus doubling the figure from 2009 (Viet, 2017). According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), during the first quarters in 2017, 84 universities and colleges all over the country were offering accreditation programs in 273 programs in numerous fields, the most popular of which were Business Administration and Finance (MoET, 2017). There were eight programs related to the English language (MoET, 2017). Students who attended these programs needed to prove competency in lexis and reading skills. August, Carlo, Dressler and Snow (2005), in highlighting the role of vocabulary development, stated that students’ limited lexicons might increase the risk of students’ developing a learning disability. Exposure to reading materials in English throughout these specified programs has enhanced the participating students’ vocabulary development. Being alert to this understanding, the Premier Language School in Ho Chi Minh City has been incorporating reading and vocabulary instruction into their curriculum through a course entitled, Vocabulary Building and Reading Comprehension (VR). This course is dedicated to advanced learners who need to improve their vocabulary repertories and reading skills either for academic or professional purposes. These conditions initiated the premise of this research in identifying the contribution of teaching reading to students’ vocabulary

development, especially in enriching lexicons.

READING AS FUNDAMENTAL TO VOCABULARY

GROWTH Krashen (1989) asserts that spelling and

vocabulary competence are both subconsciously acquired through comprehensible written input. This process is referred to as incidental learning. Waring and Nation (2004) perpetuate this assertion by exploring the relationship between reading in a foreign language and lexical acquisition. It was found that reading helped to improve the vocabulary learning process (Waring & Nation, 2004). Most research suggests learners be introduced to 3-6 new words for every hour of reading (Waring & Nation, 2004). Regardless of the relatively low average rate of vocabulary gained (13.8%), the benefits are increased through repeated encounters (Waring & Nation, 2004). Horst, Cobb, Cobb, and Meara (1998) agreed that extensive reading helped learners to enrich their personal database of words, improve lexical access speed, and build network linkages among words.

PEDAGOGICAL APPLICATION

The contributions of reading to vocabulary growth are monumental. Thus, it is essential for the pedagogical implications to be explored. Below is an acquisitive analysis of the requirements for selecting a reading text. Following the analysis is a specific reading text, which serves as a sample that is applicable for students when focusing on vocabulary development.

REQUIREMENTS OF READING TEXTS

An effective reading text should meet the following criteria. First, implicit instruction should occur through meaning-focused reading, thus, increasing vocabulary

77

size through extensive reading and fluency development (Hunt & Beglar, 2005). Second, extensive reading should ensure a word-rich environment that can invigorate vocabulary size. Students should be able to select materials that suit their interests (Hunt & Beglar, 2005). Third, a core topic with integrated tasks such as discussions or watching videos and narrow reading can enhance levels of lexical access and reading fluency (Hunt & Beglar, 2005). Next, reading texts should be easy to read and be appropriate for the given level. The coverage rate, the amount of vocabulary the readers know, should be at least 98% (Waring & Nation, 2004). In addition, reading texts must foster word consciousness (Schmitt, 2000).

AN INCIDENTAL READING TEXT A reading text (see Appendix) was

selected with intensive consideration based on the criteria discussed above. The 98.25% coverage rate of the words the students were familiar with throughout text guarantees a sustainable number of new words, i.e. 10 new words over 572 words, for students of the advanced level. The core topic of this text is the Son Doong Cave, the world’s largest and most unique cave in Vietnam. This cave has attracted both domestic and international concerns as there is a current fight to save it. Thus, this topic has the potential to engage students in reading the text. The informative and thoughtful message of the text is suitable for advanced learners. If possible, pictures of the cave should be presented to raise excitement levels and interest in the content previous to reading the text. This story is an example of the incorporation of authentic material as it was found in the Huffington Post. Articles in the Huffington Post are of high lexical quality and are able to create a

word-rich environment for vocabulary learning. The paragraphs were numbered to make the text easier to read. Finally, identifying the new word’s word functions (see Appendix) rejuvenates students’ word consciousness.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Extensive reading is truly beneficial for vocabulary development, an essential element in foreign language acquisition. In material design, teachers should take into account the following: meaning-focused reading, fluency development, vocabulary size enhancement, a core topic, a word-rich environment, word consciousness, and reader-friendliness. The reading text suggested above can be incorporated into either an in-class reading comprehension practice or a summative assessment like homework. Another implication idea is for students to practice guessing the meaning of new words by using context clues.

APPENDIX

Reading Text

Before you read: There are 10 new words in this article. As you read it, identify these words’ functions. Do not look at the glossary until you finish reading the article.

In Vietnam, A Rush to Save the World’s Largest Cave from the Masses

By Nick Visser – Huffington Post

“Caves are fragile environments. They don’t regenerate very quickly, and once they’re broken, they’re broken.”

1.The world’s largest cave, the mammoth Hang Son Doong in Vietnam, is a relative babe-in-arms when it comes to natural history: The cavern was first discovered in 1991, then lost, then found again before it was first explored in 2009. But less than a decade later, environmentalists are scrambling to save the site from thousands of tourists and a development company set on thrusting a cable car into its depths.

2.Located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Son Doong stretches more than 5.5 miles underground, reaches heights of 650 feet and is home to its own jungle, ecosystem and river. Just one tour company has a concession to venture into the cave, and only a few hundred people are allowed inside the fragile environment every year. But that could soon change.

3.HuffPost RYOT spoke with local activists, cavers and the spelunkers who first explored Son Doong about the local government’s secretive plans that may allow developers to build a massive cable car project that’d bring more than 1,000 people to the cave each day.

Such threats are not new.

4.In 2014, a group of local activists helped stave off a proposal to build a $212 million, 6.5-mile-long cable car throughout Phong Nha-Ke Bang park that would traverse parts of Son Doong. The announcement drew widespread condemnation despite assurances from the cable car company, Sun Group, that it would be an environmentally friendly way to view the park that’d bring “thousands of jobs for the poor local people.”

5.Any plans at Son Doong would likely echo another project, completed by another company last year, at the country’s Mount Fansipan, one of the tallest peaks in the region. The site is now home to a cable car that cut a journey that used to take three days on foot down to 20 minutes. The system can now bring 2,000 people to the summit every hour, and, like the country’s iconic Ha Long Bay, has become a hive of tourist activity.

6.Environmentalists fear that if the Son Doong project were to go forward, it would bring hordes of tourists to a pristine ecosystem protected by its relative unreachability.

7.A Facebook group operating under the name Save Son Doong has called on the Vietnamese government to again reject the proposal, saying the “project must be stopped before it has a huge and damaging impact on the Son Doong cave and the ecosystem of the entire Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park,” a Change.org petition organized by the group says.

8.Those concerns were echoed by the British Cave Research Association, the group that declared Son Doong the largest of its kind and, alongside the explorer Howard Limbert, led the first expedition to the site.

79

9.“Caves are fragile environments. They don’t regenerate very quickly, and once they’re broken, they’re broken,” Deb Limbert, a team leader for the group, told HuffPost RYOT.Government officials in the province of Quang Binh, where Son Doong is located, have told local media there are no plans to support a new cable car project.In March, HuffPost RYOT filmed a representative of the cable car company traveling to the cave with Phong Nha-Ke Bang park employees.

Visser, N. (2017, March 21). In Vietnam, a rush to save the world’s largest cave from the masses. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/son-doong-cave-vietnam-cable-car-plan_us_58c67dc2e4b054a0ea6ba11f

Glossary (from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

a mammoth(n) – something immense (supremely good) of its kind

a cavern (n) – a cave; especially : one of large or indefinite extent

scrambling(adj.) from to scramble (v) – to struggle eagerly or unceremoniously for possession of something

to thrust st.(v)– to push or drive with force

to venture(v) – to proceed especially in the face of danger

a spelunker (n) – one who makes a hobby of exploring and studying caves

stave off(v) – to fend off

to traversest.(v) – to move or pass along or through

hordes(n) – a large unorganized group of individuals

pristine(adj.) – not spoiled, corrupted, or polluted (as by civilization)

80

REFERENCES August, D., Carlo, M., Dressler, C., & Snow, C. (2005). The critical role of vocabulary development for English

language learners. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(1), 50-57. Retrieved from https://macmillanmh.com/LAUSD_econsultant/rla/assets/papers/vocabdev_ell.pdf

Horst, M., Cobb, T., Cobb, T., & Meara, P. (1998). Beyond a clockwork orange: Acquiring second language vocabulary through reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 11(2), 207-223. Retrieved from https://www.lextutor.ca/cv/beyond_a_clockwork_orange.html

Hunt, A., & Beglar, D. (2005). A framework for developing EFL reading vocabulary. Reading in a Foreign Language, 17(1), 23. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ689121.pdf

Krashen, S. (1989). We acquire vocabulary and spelling by reading: Additional evidence for the input hypothesis. The Modern Language Journal, 73(4), 440-464.Retrieved from https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/33988299/krashen1989.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1521299166&Signature=VGzIA%2BEg6TZ4%2Ffm%2BS5t6LtoCrnw%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DKrashen1989.pdf

Schmitt, N. (2000). Vocabulary in language teaching. Cambridge University Press. Thornbury, S. (2002). How to teach vocabulary. Harlow, Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Waring, R., & Nation, I. S. P. (2004). Second language reading and incidental vocabulary learning. Angles on the

English-Speaking World, 4, 97-110. Retrieved from http://geolangs.org/archives/sla/waring120304.pdf List of accreditation programs approved by MoET. (2017). In VIED. Retrieved from

http://vied.vn/imgs/2017/03/LKDT_21.3.2017.pdf Viet, N. (2017, March 7). Du họcsinhViệt Nam ở nướcngoàităngmạnh (The acceleration of the number of

Vietnamese overseas students). Retrieved from http://baoquangnam.vn/the-gioi/201703/du-hoc-sinh-viet-nam-o-nuoc-ngoai-tang-manh-726389/

Visser, N. (2017, March 21). In Vietnam, a rush to save the world’s largest cave from the masses. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/son-doong-cave-vietnam-cable-car-plan_us_58c67dc2e4b054a0ea6ba11f

81

Dear Readers,

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the Westcliff International Journal of

Applied Research (WIJAR). We would like to thank all of the contributors who

have put forth the time and effort required to provide high-quality articles for

others to read. It is an honor and a privilege to have once again received

contributions from authors around the globe. We hope these articles inspire

others to contribute their great ideas and research to future WIJAR

publications.

We also want to recognize the Westcliff University Writing Center for working

tirelessly to assist authors in further refining their articles and providing

writing tips. Our appreciation cannot be understated.

---WIJAR Committee Members

Considering submitting an article for WIJAR’s next issue?

Keep an eye out for WIJAR’s next call for articles, opening February 2019.

We look forward to your Spring contributions!

Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research Open-access ◦ Multidisciplinary

Appendix 4.01

Westcliff University Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook

Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook

2020 Prepared by

The LITE Center, Director of Assessment

Appendix IV.1 Westcliff University Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook

Contents Assessment Overview 3

Assessment Defined 3 Assessment Cycle 4

Step 1: Establishing Learning Outcomes 4 How to Establish Learning Outcomes 4 Westcliff University’s Learning Outcomes 5 Core Values 5 Core Competencies 5 Institutional, Program, and Course Learning Outcomes 6 Institutional Learning Outcomes 6 Program Learning Outcomes 9 Who Establishes Program Learning Outcomes? 9 Course Learning Outcomes 12 Who Establishes Course Learning Outcomes? 13 Creating Learning Outcomes 13 What is the difference between Course Objectives and Course Outcomes? 14 Co-curricular/Co-educational Departmental Learning Outcomes 14 Sharing Learning Outcomes Internally and Externally 15

Step 2: Develop or Modify Assessment Plan 15 What are Assessment Plans? 15 Westcliff University’s Yearly Assessment Cycle 16 Institutional and Programmatic Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle 16 STEM Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle 16

Step 3: Provide Learning Opportunities 17

Step 4: Assess Student Learning 18 Conducting Course-level Assessment 19 Rubrics 19 How to Build a Rubric 20

Step 5: Closing the Loop- Using Results to Make a Change 21 The Importance of Using Assessment Results 21 How Westcliff University Closes the Loop 21

Appendix 22 Appendix 1: Assessment Glossary 22 Appendix 2: Assessment Plan Template 26


Assessment Overview This handbook was designed to support Westcliff University faculty and staff in the continuous development, implementation, and improvement of assessment planning, practices, and reporting. The handbook provides best practices and strategies for assessing student learning at the institutional, program, and course level. Student outcomes assessment is a formative process designed to enable the alignment of instructional activities with academic standards and values and to inform faculty and administration about any needed changes or improvements. Westcliff University has developed an outcomes assessment plan, focused on continuous improvement, which is designed to provide an ongoing review of student achievement and satisfaction. The plan is an ongoing process of reviewing performance and achievement of outcomes. The outcomes assessment process at Westcliff University flows from the institution’s mission to develop and deliver quality education at a reasonable cost in the areas of business, technology, and education. The institutional program and course learning outcomes emanate from the mission of the university. The purpose of Westcliff University’s outcomes assessment process is to collect data and feedback on student achievement and satisfaction and use this information in the university’s decision-making process for program improvements and, ultimately, student learning. Westcliff University recognizes that course grades alone are not a satisfactory measure of student learning. While they are an important source of information about student achievement, they are not a comprehensive assessment of the university’s overall institutional activities for aligning its mission and objectives with the program learning outcomes and institutional learning outcomes. The university outcomes assessment plan serves as a framework for a more comprehensive and structured approach to outcomes assessment of student achievement and satisfaction. The process is led by the director of assessment, who is responsible for coordinating all assessment and related-activities within the university. Other members include the provost, deans, and program chairs. There is also collaboration between the Faculty Senate Performance Assessment Committee, the Academic Leadership Committee, and the Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center.

Assessment Defined Assessment can be defined in several ways. For the purposes of this handbook, assessment is defined as a systematic process of gathering information to better determine the knowledge or skills achieved by a student.


Assessment is: “Deciding what we want our students to learn and making sure they learn it” (Suskie, 2018)

Assessment Cycle Assessment is a cyclical or continuous process that can be described in 5 stages. The first step in the assessment cycle is to establish learning outcomes. Once the outcomes are determined, a plan must be established to determine what learning outcomes will be assessed and when they will be assessed. The next step in the cycle is teaching, or provide learning opportunities (e.g. assignments, projects, lectures, readings). Once teaching has occurred, the next step is to assess whether learning has occurred and at what level, this is the fourth step. The final step is to “close the loop” and ensure that the results from the assessment of student learning is being used to make programmatic or co-curricular changes. This handbook describes what happens during each stage in the process.

Step 1: Establishing Learning Outcomes

How to Establish Learning Outcomes Establishing learning outcomes is the first step in the assessment cycle. Learning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning that learners should achieve. When establishing learning outcomes, the following question needs to be considered: What should students know, be able to do, and/or value upon graduation, completion of a program, or completion of a course or assignment?

Westcliff University’s Learning Outcomes At Westcliff University, the major goal in the development and assessment of student learning is to be able to demonstrate that our students have relevant knowledge, skills and competencies consistent with the university institutional mission and outcomes and consequently, improve and enrich student’s


professional lives. To make sure graduates consistently achieve the stated learning outcomes and established standards of performance, Westcliff University strives for well-constructed curricula that achieve the university mission, institutional learning outcomes, program learning outcomes, and course learning outcomes adopted by the university. This is the purpose of the curriculum: if it does not achieve the mission and the learning outcomes, it is not serving this purpose.

Westcliff University's mission University’s mission is to educate, inspire, and empower students from around the world to acquire the competencies to excel personally and professionally through innovative, high-quality distance and campus programs. The mission statement of Westcliff University is an explanation of how we achieve our vision, offering clarity of purpose and giving significance to our tasks and objectives as identified below. It is an expression of our deep commitment to providing accessibility to qualified students to a high quality distance education, as well as one which may also be blended with on campus learning opportunities.

Core Values These are the values that are central to the culture of Westcliff University and are considered important. These standards provide the context for how we achieve our goals and conduct ourselves in all tasks we perform. These shared standards express the manner in which our educational community is bound together. These comprise a set of guiding principles for whatever we do, wherever we are and with whomever we are interacting, holding ourselves, students and faculty to the highest standards of ethical behavior.

• Honesty • Integrity • Mutual Respect • Personal Accountability • Social Responsibility • Global Citizenship • Inclusion

Core Competencies 1. Written Communication 2. Oral Communication 3. Interpersonal Skills 4. Critical Thinking 5. Ethics 6. Information Literacy 7. Quantitative Reasoning


Institutional, Program, and Course Learning Outcomes Westcliff University wants to produce capable and knowledgeable students who manifest an understanding of work and careers and an ability to adapt quickly to the expectations of employers and the work environment. The institution developed and continues to develop the program outcomes based on the experience of administration and faculty from teaching in other similar programs and also based on industry standards and comparison with other similar programs. The outcomes were developed using the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. At the graduate level, the program outcomes have been created by emphasizing higher-order learning skills. At this level, students should be required to demonstrate specialization and a greater depth of learning. At the undergraduate level, the program outcomes were created using the first three levels of the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. The outcomes are based around students learning and understanding vocabulary, fundamental introductory concepts, with a transition into application and synthesis later in the program. The different levels of cognition incorporated help measure students’ ability and success, lead students to clearly understand what is expected of them, and help instructors provide appropriate instruction To make sure learners successfully meet all programs outcomes, the Assessment Coordinator, Provost, Deans, Program Chairs, Faculty Senate Performance Assessment Committee, Academic Leadership Committee, and Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center, guided by the university’s Outcomes Assessment Plan and Curriculum Development manual, review all changes, modifications, and new additions, and the corresponding data. Feedback is given to all reviewed curriculum. Once the changes/additions are approved, the college may make the changes within the program.

Institutional Learning Outcomes Westcliff University has institutional learning outcomes (ILOs) identify what each student at each level of study (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate) should achieve upon completion of their degree. Institutional learning outcomes are designed to help guide individual curricular and co-curricular departments and disciplines in the development of program and divisional learning outcomes for programs and courses and services, and to help shape the decision-making processes of the college. Westcliff University’s institutional learning outcomes are listed below.

General Education Institutional Learning Outcomes

1. Recognize and compose written language in a clear, coherent, and organized manner, giving appropriate consideration to audience, content, and format (Written Communication)

2. Use appropriate ways to communicate effectively to diverse audiences in various contexts (Oral Communication)

3. Demonstrate appropriate and relational and collaborative skills within groups for effective outcomes (Interpersonal Skills)

4. Identify and examine assumptions and arguments while considering the


confirming and opposing evidence (Critical Thinking) 5. Recognize and fulfill ethical responsibilities within the community and

profession (Ethics) 6. Find, select, and use appropriate sources to fulfill an informational need to

support ideas and decision making (Information Literacy) 7. Use quantitative methodologies to understand and frame problems to

determine appropriate solutions (Quantitative Reasoning)

Bachelor’s Level Institutional Learning Outcomes

1. Use language that is grammatically correct in a style appropriate to the audience, prepare in writing an argument that is well presented, supported and formatted (Written Communication)

2. Employ the appropriate non-verbal aids to convey the oral message appropriately, organize the message so as to obtain acceptance of the intent (Oral Communication)

3. Solve problems collaboratively, applying the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes, become recognized as a respected leader of one’s peers (Interpersonal Skills)

4. Solve the appropriate organizational problems creatively, efficiently and effectively (Critical Thinking)

5. Respect the diversity of different cultures, communities and individuals, recognize ethical issues when presented in a complex context, understanding cross relationships between issues (Ethics)

6. Select and evaluate the appropriate information that is required to make an informed decision (Information Literacy)

7. Use diagrams and graphs to express an idea, convert into numerical concepts the essences of real life problems, organize numbers logically to solve problems (Quantitative Reasoning)

Master’s Level Institutional Learning Outcomes

1. Master the conventions of the written language with culturally accepted structures for presentation and argument, awareness of audience, and other situational factors while successfully mixing texts, data, and images (Written Communication)

2. Demonstrate compromise by facilitating cooperation, achieved through informational, persuasive, and expressive oral communication (Oral Communication)

3. Exhibit behaviors that lead to stronger human relationships and inspire others to excel in conflict resolution, expectation management, and problem solving (Interpersonal Skills)

4. Be open-minded and motivated to seek the truth by distinguishing between fact, opinion, and intentional deception, summarizing and creatively synthesizing complex issues with insight and reflective judgment so as to decide what to believe or what to do (Critical Thinking)

5. Be critically engaged in global and local issues with increased reflection and analysis of values, assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes of diverse cultures and communities (Ethics)


6. Articulate a need for information, apply with expertise an analysis of others’ claims and use enhanced ability to summarize findings both collaboratively and individually (Information Literacy)

7. Evaluate, construct, and communicate arguments and other communications using quantitative reasoning (Quantitative Reasoning)

Doctoral Level Institutional Learning Outcomes

1. Prepare original, content-rich documents which effectively demonstrates a logical, well-constructed argument supported by data that make significant contributions to industry related literature (Written Communication)

2. Communicate in a clear and direct style that is assertive and supported by tone of voice, appropriate body language, and current technological aids to effectively articulate viewpoints, beliefs, and feelings (Oral Communication)

3. Develop inner excellence and a strong emotional foundation by exhibiting behaviors that lead to stronger human relationships and inspire others to excel in conflict resolution, expectation management, and problem solving (Interpersonal Skills)

4. Approach information through the analyses of competing ideas systematically, resulting in clarity of thought and development of original concepts (Critical Thinking)

5. Respect diversity in culture, communities, and individuals to foster an environment of understanding and learning, and to recognize and respond constructively to address ethical issues and dilemmas (Ethics)

6. Acquire, select, interpret, and interact with relevant information for use in academia and/or industry. Add originally prepared research, information, and findings to relevant industry annals (Information Literacy)

7. Make use of diagrams and graphs to summarize and express ideas and have the ability to utilize numerical data and concepts to support quantitative reasoning in producing insights and recommendations (Quantitative Reasoning)

The ILOs were designed to be measurable and distinctly related to Westcliff University’s mission. Interpretation of the ILOs allows the program offerings to link to the institution and to each other, while maintaining the character and academic rationale for each specific field. These broad categories of learning outcomes represent competencies that will enable students to be successful in their future education or careers to benefit the public good.

Program Learning Outcomes Program learning outcomes are measurable statements of what graduating students should know or be able to do after completing the program. Program outcomes are broader in scope compared to course learning outcomes. It is important to keep the number of outcomes to a manageable number for the purposes of meaningful assessment.


Program-level assessment determines the effectiveness of student learning in the program. Program assessment should not be an evaluation of individual students, faculty, or staff. Instead, the continuous improvement process is conducted to provide a program with feedback on performance, ensuring progress toward the goal of improving student learning across all disciplines and services.

Who Establishes Program Learning Outcomes? Program learning outcomes are established by program deans, chairs, and faculty. They take into consideration Westcliff University’s mission and institutional learning outcomes. When establishing Program Learning Outcomes, requirements from programmatic accreditors are to be considered. See below for the list of Program Learning Outcomes.

General Education Program Learning Outcomes

1. Use quantitative analysis and reasoning to construct and critique arguments 2. Articulate ideas and connect with global audiences through oral

communication 3. Critically evaluate current events in arts, humanities, sciences, and technology 4. Apply and promote the value of ethics in general education 5. Collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, values, and life experiences 6. Evaluate global and local issues and their impact on society 7. Use appropriate content to convey the writer’s understanding to communicate

meaning to readers with clarity and fluency

Bachelor of Business Administration Program Learning Outcomes

1. Differentiate and discuss the functional components of business - economics, marketing, accounting, finance, law, and management

2. Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through written forms of communication appropriate to the intended audience

3. Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through oral communication of conventions and forms appropriate to the intended audience

4. Demonstrate the ability to recognize the need for information, be able to identify, locate, evaluate, share and apply the information effectively to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making

5. Illustrate the value of diversity when developing a global perspective 6. Use independent, critical thinking and reasoning skills to identify problems and

apply problem-solving abilities 7. Employ a sense of ethics and values which can be applied in a personal and

professional environment 8. Construct and apply aspects of team development and construct for the purpose

of solving business problems and attaining organizational goals 9. Analyze business problems through quantitative reasoning and methods by

obtaining, evaluating and interpreting the data

Bachelor of 1. Apply research, assessment, and written skills in creating and maintaining a


Arts in Education Program Learning Outcomes

safe and engaging learning environment 2. Defend key concepts and theories related to curriculum and instruction through

oral presentations 3. Actively associate and collaborate with members of the education profession

and the wider community 4. Employ the ability to recognize and critically analyze appropriate classroom

management skills, continually improving upon professional knowledge and practice

5. Apply values, theories, and best practices to educational issues in education 6. Extrapolate information from research uncovering inequities in educational

access, opportunities, and practices 7. Diagnose the needs of students and use quantitative and qualitative data to

respond to those needs using appropriate methods

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Program Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate current and emerging technologies. 2. Identify and gather user requirements to design user-friendly interfaces. 3. Apply, configure, and manage IT technologies 4. Utilize data to help business gain insights to help them make better

decisions. 5. Access IT impact on individuals, organization, and the environment. 6. Apply IT concepts and strategies to solve real world problems. 7. Conduct research in the field of information technology and related fields

Master of Business Administration Program Learning Outcomes

1. Develop mastery of functional components of business—economics, marketing, accounting, finance, law, organizational behavior, and leadership

2. Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through written forms of communication appropriate to the intended audience

3. Demonstrate effective presentation of business analyses and recommendations through oral communication of conventions and forms appropriate to the intended audience

4. Appraise current information technology effectively to support business decision making

5. Value and integrate diversity and a global perspective in business decisions 6. Compile independent, critical thinking, and reasoning skills to critique

problems and develop problem solving and decision-making abilities 7. Integrate ethical issues in a business context and formulate alternatives that

demonstrate ethical values 8. Facilitate the use of research and information from all mediums for the

purpose of promoting critical thinking as it is applied to learning complex business concepts

9. Evaluate, analyze, and communicate quantitative data to improve and sustain strategic business initiatives


Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate principles of language pedagogy and of current best practices in teaching English to speakers of other languages; relate how these principles are based on research of language acquisition and the teaching of the various skills

2. Show proficiency in spoken and written English at a level commensurate with the role of a language model of the anticipated English teaching context

3. Consider current TESOL pedagogy in the creation of effective lesson plans

for diverse groups of learners in a variety of teaching contexts; evaluate materials, produce content and level appropriate lesson plans, and employ the skills required to explain the English language system

4. Explain current theories concerning the cognitive, affective, social, and cultural factors involved in the acquisition and use of second languages and illustrate this knowledge in effective lesson design and classroom interactions with second language learners

5. Identify and apply the skills necessary for effective leadership, collaboration, and communication in and out of the classroom and/or institution

6. Analyze, discuss and integrate ethical values and issues in learning and teaching

7. Select, assess, and implement technology in teaching English within a wide variety of contexts

8. Formulate and build upon the application of analytical and quantitative reasoning and classroom research procedures to guide, support, and solve complex issues in the TESOL field

9. Recognize when information and/or analysis is needed and develop skills to find, appraise, and effectively synthesize and compose needed information and content

10. Construct and challenge critical thinking skills through inquiry and reflection on theory, practice, and beliefs of teaching and learning

Master of Science in Information Technology Program Learning Outcomes

1. Create strategic plans that implement information technology requirements and specifications of complex technology systems.

2. Evaluate computer systems and improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness by incorporating value computing methodologies.

3. Analyze, design, develop, and maintain information technology infrastructure to allow for implementation of strategic initiatives that incorporate emerging technologies

4. Analyze and construct database management systems to meet the needs of business and technology decision makers.

5. Compare and contrast various methodologies of computer systems design for the purpose of creating efficacy in computer-related business functions.

6. Create and develop the ability to conduct in-depth research, independently or within the enterprise in a broad range of information technology.

7. Create, innovate, design, and improve technology aspects of data collection and analysis to sustain competitive advantage.


Master of Laws and Letters (LLM) Program Learning Outcomes

1. Doctrinal Knowledge: Students will demonstrate knowledge of substantive and procedural law in the core curriculum subjects, including Criminal Law, Evidence, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility.

2. Legal Analysis: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify the factual and legal issues implicated by a fact pattern and to appropriately use cases (including identifying the salient features of an appropriate precedent case, identifying legally significant similarities or differences between the precedent case and a fact pattern and explaining why those are legally significant) and rules (including the ability to connect legally significant facts in a fact pattern to the rule) to predict how a court would decide the issue. Students will also demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate the public policies of a precedent case or rule, and be able to evaluate how public policy can impact the application of a rule to the legal issue.

3. Legal Research: Students will demonstrate the ability to locate relevant legal authority using a variety of book and electronic resources, and to properly cite to such legal authority.

4. Advocacy of Legal Argument: Students will demonstrate the ability, in both oral and written formats, to evaluate the legal, economic and social strengths and weaknesses of a case and use case and statutory authority as well as public policy to persuade others. Making policy-based arguments includes the ability to identify and evaluate the public policies of a precedent case or rule and their implications, and be able to assert such appropriate arguments to support a particular application or distinction of a precedent case to a legal controversy or a particular resolution of the application of a rule to the legal controversy.

5. Legal Ethics: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify ethical issues in law practice contexts and make appropriate decisions to resolve such issues.

Master of Laws in Compliance (MLC) Program Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge of the Legal System: Examine the structure, history, and values underlying the legal system.

2. Research, Analysis, and Workplace Communication: Locate, analyze, and apply relevant legal authorities to real-world situations, and present research findings in a clear and professional manner.

3. Communication with Legal Counsel: Define the broad outlines of legal issues encountered in the workplace, and communicate with legal counsel, as needed, using appropriate legal reasoning and vocabulary.

4. Risk Management (Concentration): Assess ways to reduce and manage legal risks in the workplace.

5. Compliance Programming (Concentration): Plan, implement, and evaluate effectiveness of compliance programs.

6. Application of Regulatory Standards (Concentration): Identify and apply


the relevant legal authorities that regulate their professional field.

Doctor of Business Administration Program Learning Outcomes

1. Develop effective presentation of business analyses, research, and recommendations through written forms of communication with specificity and appropriate to the intended audience

2. Develop effective presentation of business analyses, research, and recommendations through oral communication of conventions and forms with specificity and appropriate to the intended audience

3. Critique how a broader understanding of cultural differences results in personal competencies that positively impact business strategies

4. Formulate how transformational leadership can improve the implementation of business objectives no matter the location of the business

5. Evaluate how the relationship between vision and tactics can result in meaningful and successful strategies in a complex business environment

6. Judge and measure how the internal and external criteria for an organization may be used to maximize both efficiency and effectiveness of a business operation

7. Justify the ethical choices related to societal issues, so as to optimize organization effectiveness in a global setting

8. Evaluate the essence of business knowledge in existing literature to produce new, meaningful ideas that have practical applications

9. Integrate the innovative principles in business operations that contribute to the advancement of business management and leadership

10. Create strategic opportunities by providing innovative solutions to complex business problems using quantitative reasoning and methodologies that contribute to organizational sustainability

Juris Doctor (JD) Program Learning Outcomes

1. Doctrinal Knowledge: Students will demonstrate knowledge of substantive and procedural law in the core curriculum subjects, including Criminal Law, Evidence, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Professional Responsibility.

2. Practice Skills: Interviewing, counseling, negotiations, mediation. (Each student’s chosen outcomes within this category will be varied based on the student’s particular interests, coursework and work experiences.)

3. Legal Analysis: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify the factual and legal issues implicated by a fact pattern and to appropriately use cases (including identifying the salient features of an appropriate precedent case, identifying legally significant similarities or differences between the precedent case and a fact pattern and explaining why those are legally significant) and rules (including the ability to connect legally significant facts in a fact pattern to the rule) to predict how a court would decide the issue. Students will also demonstrate the ability to identify and evaluate the


public policies of a precedent case or rule, and be able to evaluate how public policy can impact the application of a rule to the legal issue.

4. Legal Research: Students will demonstrate the ability to locate relevant legal authority using a variety of book and electronic resources, and to properly cite to such legal authority.

5. Communication: Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate both orally and in writing in a manner appropriate to a particular task to effectively convey the author or speaker’s ideas. This includes audience sensitivity in written and oral communication (the ability to adopt a tone, style and level of detail appropriate to the needs, knowledge and expertise of the audience); and written communication basic proficiency (the ability to use the conventions of grammar, spelling, punctuation, diction and usage appropriate to the task and sufficient to convey effectively the author’s ideas).

6. Advocacy of Legal Argument: Students will demonstrate the ability, in both oral and written formats, to evaluate the legal, economic and social strengths and weaknesses of a case and use case and statutory authority as well as public policy to persuade others. Making policy-based arguments includes the ability to identify and evaluate the public policies of a precedent case or rule and their implications, and be able to assert such appropriate arguments to support a particular application or distinction of a precedent case to a legal controversy or a particular resolution of the application of a rule to the legal controversy.

7. Client Sensitivity and Cultural Competency: Students will demonstrate an awareness of clients’ needs and goals, including a sensitivity to clients’ background and circumstances (including, but not limited to, socio-economic, gender, race, ethnicity, educational, disability and/or religious background(s)), the ability to make decisions that reflect an appropriate focus on those needs and goals, and awareness that cultural issues may affect the relevance of facts and application of the law.

8. Legal Ethics: Students will demonstrate the ability to identify ethical issues in law practice contexts and make appropriate decisions to resolve such issues.

Course Learning Outcomes Course learning outcomes are measurable statements that describe what students should know, be able to do, or value after completing a course. They address a student’s understanding and ability within a specific area or topic within a course.

Who Establishes Course Learning Outcomes? Course learning outcomes are established by faculty in collaboration with program chairs and deans. When establishing course learning outcomes, requirements from programmatic accreditors are to be considered.


Below is a sample of Course Learning Outcomes from TSL 552

Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Course Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the characteristics and teaching implications of research in TESOL; Organize, differentiate, and produce APA formatted research-based summaries, analyses, annotated bibliographies, and proposals

2. Analyze and explain the issues that exist within educational technology availability and use; Evaluate the effectiveness and age/level appropriateness of technological tools

3. Effectively plan and integrate technology into learning and instructional contexts in order to enhance English language learning; Anticipate context, diversity, and technological access implications in order to make necessary adjustments and differentiation

4. Differentiate between the teaching of English to young learners in EFL settings and ESL settings; Compare goals of different educational contexts

5. Collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative needs analysis results; Use information to evaluate the effectiveness of the questionnaire and the perceived data implications

6. Find and evaluate different professional resources available for teachers, as well as opportunities for professional involvement, leadership roles, and civic engagement

7. Give and receive respectful and effective written feedback, demonstrating ability to collaborate, apply knowledge and manage deadlines.

8. Create a well-organized, clear, timed presentation based on collaborative feedback, revision, and rationale of lesson plan materials and information

Creating Learning Outcomes When creating learning outcomes for any university program or course, it is important to create them in tandem with the core competencies or institutional learning outcomes.

Institutional Learning Outcome

Program Learning Outcome Course Learning Outcome

Graduate ILO 7: Evaluate, construct, and communicate arguments and other communications using quantitative reasoning

PLO 8: Formulate and build upon the application of analytical and quantitative reasoning and classroom research procedures to guide, support, and solve complex issues in the TESOL field

TSL 552 CLO 5: Collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative needs analysis results; Use information to evaluate the effectiveness of the questionnaire and the perceived data implications


In the sample above, there is a clear link from ILO to PLO to CLO. In order to maintain the alignment, learning outcomes should be created in this manner.

What is the difference between Course Objectives and Course Outcomes? There is often confusion around the difference between objectives and outcomes. Objectives are small steps that lead toward a goal, creating an overarching framework for achieving that goal; such as the course content covered by faculty in a course. Outcomes are larger measurable results that come from synthesizing, evaluating, and analyzing multiple objectives. Outcomes involve demonstrating knowledge or skills that serve as evidence that learning occurred.

Co-curricular/Co-educational Departmental Learning Outcomes Westcliff University’s Department of Student Services is comprised of co-educators who provide meaningful experiences that facilitate learning for students in acquiring learning outcomes in concert with the program and course learning outcomes. Co-Curricular divisional learning outcomes are measurable statements of what graduating students should know, be able to do, or value after working with Student Services staff throughout the course of their tenure at Westcliff. Co-curricular and extracurricular activities at Westcliff University also have specified outcomes to be used for the additional assessment criteria of community service activities, as categorized by recipient of benefits of such services (student, faculty, institution, and community), and type of outcomes (learning, personal development, social, career development, relationship with the university, faculty benefits, institutional benefits derived from community engagement, and community benefits). Surveys are given to students after each event. The surveys are specific to the different activities and help administration gauge the effectiveness of each activity, as well as guide the planning for future events. A quick form allows for easy data collection to help ensure that both student needs and expectations are met. The end of the form also has a section regarding student interests. The students can check their interest within the field, thus guiding future topics and meeting students’ needs and interests. When a community service event occurs, additional surveys are to be taken due to the added number of potential beneficiaries of the services provided, such as students, faculty, institution and community. After the collection of survey data and the completion of the event, Student Services and any other department involved meet for a debriefing meeting. In the debriefing meeting, the parties review the events and analyze the feedback from the participants. A report is then created with suggestions for the next event. When planning commences for the next similar event, the suggestions from the report are used to improve the subsequent event for the students.

Sharing Learning Outcomes Internally and Externally Once learning outcomes are established, the institution, programs, and faculty must share those outcomes and articulate the associated goals and objectives to students. Learning outcomes are designed to be


publicly accessible and shared across all co-curricular and academic programs at Westcliff University. All institutional and program learning outcomes are shared publicly with the community on the University website and are published in the Student Handbook, which is also made available to the public. Course learning outcomes are shared with students in the syllabus of each course offered at Westcliff University. Once outcomes have been established and communicated, the next step is to plan how and when the outcomes will be assessed.

Step 2: Develop or Modify Assessment Plan

What are Assessment Plans? Assessment is no different than any other undertaking; it will be more effective and successful if a plan is created to guide the assessment process. The goals of an assessment plan are to describe how learning outcomes will be systematically assessed over the upcoming years and to identify which learning outcomes were mastered at acceptable levels and which learning outcomes require attention and improvement. An Assessment Plan is a document that outlines:

● The learning outcomes for programs ● The timeframe for collection of artifacts and review of the resultant data (e.g. Fall 2018) ● The course, assignment, and assessment methods used to demonstrate the achievement of each

outcome (e.g. ENG 120, CLA 2, and rubric to assess papers) ● The individuals responsible for the collection and review of data (e.g. faculty or PC name) ● The benchmark for mastery of skill by the end of the program (e.g. 90% of students achieve a

75% or above on each skill) Assessment plans are documents that are constantly reviewed and updated. The plan, after initial development is implemented and assessment is conducted, the results from that assessment informs future assessment plans as well as budgeting and long-range planning process. An example of an assessment plan can be found here.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h-5DeynR6Nzv-Dq9WvmRdA1YtSuZOtMJKZd1NJB5kJ8/edit

Westcliff University’s Yearly Assessment Cycle At Westcliff University, all academic programs have a yearly program assessment plan, meaning assessment is planned out for according to a 5-year cycle. The planning cycle guides the planning process in regards to when each learning outcome is covered and to ensure sufficient data is collected for each programmatic and institutional learning outcome. This cycle may be updated or adjusted to include additional cycles for any learning outcomes that need more attention. (hybrid and online will have the same cycle)

Institutional and Programmatic Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

College of Education (COE) Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-23 2024-25 2025-26

Written Competency

BAEd/MA TESOL

BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

GE BAEd/MA TESOL

Oral Competency

BAEd/MA TESOL

BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

GE BAEd/MA TESOL

Interpersonal Communication

BAEd/MA TESOL

BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

BAEd/MA TESOL

Critical Thinking GE BAEd/MA TESOL

GE

Ethics COB/COE GE

Information Literacy

GE BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

BAEd/MA TESOL

GE

Quantitative Reasoning

GE BAEd/MA TESOL/GE

BAEd/MA TESOL

College of Business (COB) Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-23 2024-25 2025-26

Written Competency

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

Oral Competency

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA



BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

BBA/MBA/ DBA

Critical Thinking BBA/MBA/ DBA

Ethics BBA/MBA/ DBA


COB/COE/GE

BBA/MBA/ DBA


COB/COE/GE

BBA/MBA/ DBA

College of Technology and Engineering (COTE) Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-23 2024-25 2025-26

Written Competency

MSIT/BSIT MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

MSEM

Oral Competency

MSIT/BSIT MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

MSEM


MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

MSEM

Critical Thinking MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

Ethics MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS

MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSCS


MSIT/BSIT/MSCS

MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSC

S

MSEM


MSIT/BSIT/MSCS

MSEM MSIT/BSIT MSCS/BSC

S

MSEM


Western State College of Law (WSCL) Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-23 2024-25 2025-26

Written Competency

JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC

Oral Competency

JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC


JD JD JD

Critical Thinking JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC

Ethics JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC


JD/LLM MLC

JD/LLM MLC


JD

To select the courses that will be assessed each year in accordance with the schedule, an assessment map is used to show which courses should be assessed. Once the assessment occurs, the program leadership uses the results to work with faculty to make programmatic or curricular changes. These updates should be made to the master curricula in order to make sure the changes have been noted and documented. Additionally, these changes should be shared at the faculty meetings.

Step 3: Provide Learning Opportunities After outcomes have been established and assessment is planned, the next step in the cycle is providing students with ample learning opportunities through the course components. These are learning experiences that assist students in mastering the learning


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MPGd7B8aTOHNJT21MUUMw7Us_nZLTAPPGtAj1xcf3eQ/edit?usp=sharing

outcomes that will be assessed. Examples of learning opportunities within the course include:

● Class activities and discussions ● Course readings and videos ● Assignments ● Discussion Questions ● Group Projects ● Quizzes ● Guest Speakers ● Field trips ● Capstone Projects

Step 4: Assess Student Learning Yearly, program and learning outcomes are assessed by full-time and part-time faculty members. Two scorers are used for each assessment to provide reliability for the scores. The Assessment Coordinator facilitates the process by working with the Director of Technology to select, download, and organize assignments and rubrics to pass on to the faculty for individual grading using university scoring rubrics to assess program and institutional learning outcomes. Assessment of learning outcomes can be indirect or direct measures. Direct assessment gathers evidence about student learning based on student performance that demonstrates the learning itself. Indirect assessment gathers evidence on students’ opinion about their learning, rather than demonstrations of learning. Table 1 provides examples of Indirect and Direct assessments. Table 1: Direct and Indirect Measures of Assessment

Direct Measures Indirect Measures

Professional Assignments (PAs) Student course evaluations

Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) Instructor course evaluations

Quizzes Exit interviews/surveys

Projects/Capstones Testimonials

Presentations Periodic student surveys


The data that comes from assessment can serve either diagnostic, formative, or summative purposes, depending on the type of assessment and when it is administered. Figure 1 describes each of the three forms of assessment and when these types of assessment can occur within a degree.

Figure 1: Types of Assessment- Diagnostic, Formative, Summative

Conducting Course-level Assessment On a smaller scale, faculty can make use of diagnostic, formative, and summative data collected at the course level to make decisions and assess student learning and course learning outcomes (CLO) attainment. Diagnostic assessment is a type of “pre-assessment” that offers a baseline of what students know prior to a learning opportunity. Formative assessment is considered the best practice as it can be used continually throughout the learning process to determine whether students are learning, at what level, and which specific aspects they have yet to master. In doing so, formative assessment allows the faculty member to know when to slow down and spend more time providing explanations and examples, or to move on because the learner has already mastered the skill.

Rubrics for COB, COE, COTE Rubrics are a written framework for assessing student work. Specifically, the rubric provides a list of things to look for when assessing artifacts selected for assessment of a specific outcome. Learning outcomes assessment rubrics have been developed for both the program and institutional learning outcome level. The rubrics are put into formatted Google Sheets or Excel for faculty to access and use for assessment purposes. The institutional learning outcomes are directly in line with the program learning outcomes, assessing the general skill of the core competency achievement. At the program learning


outcome level, the rubrics have increased specificity and are tailored to the competencies necessary for the field/program.

How to Build a Rubric Below is a sample rubric on oral communication. The first step in creating a rubric is to carefully review and dissect the learning outcomes that the rubric will be assessing. In doing so, identify what knowledge, skills, or values you need the student to demonstrate to ensure students master the learning outcome. It is also important that assignments are built in a way that provides students the opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, or values. There are three main components needed to build a rubric.

The first component, category, is on the left-hand side, and represents the skills you want a student to demonstrate through a given activity. In the example below, the categories for this Oral Communication rubric were: Organization, Language, Delivery, and Message Conveyed. When building a rubric make sure the categories are only looking at one skill per dimension. Having two or more skills within one category will make it difficult to assess if a student masters one skill but not the other.


The second component, performance scale, is located across the top of the rubric. The performance scale represents established levels of achievement, performance, or mastery of skill. In the example below the scale shown is: Unacceptable, Acceptable, Good, and Excellent. The third and final component needed when building a rubric is the Description. The description provides an understanding of performance expectations for each dimension along the scale.

Rubrics for WSCL

Assessment rubrics for WSCL are designed to check for introduction, reinforcement, and mastery of student achievement of the specific program learning outcomes at different points throughout the program.

For each learning outcome, faculty assess students through the use of two rubrics. The first rubric (below) is generic to all Program Learning Outcomes and looks at thoroughness and consistency, sophistication, coherence, and any options standards. Excellence Competence Emerging

Competence Not Competent

Thoroughness and

Consistency

Most More/Consistent Some/Inconsistent Seldom/None

Sophistication Complex/Nuanced Advanced Basic Overly Simplistic

Coherence Well-reasoned Coherent Unclear (but a recognizable attempt)

Illogical/Incoherent

(optional standard)

The second rubric is specific to the PLO being assessed using the same criteria scale as the first (Excellence, Competence, Emerging Competence, and Not Competent). An example communication rubric is seen below:

Excellence Competence Emerging Competence

Not Competent

Communicate orally in a manner appropriate to a particular task to effectively convey ideas


Communicate in writing in a manner appropriate to a particular task to effectively convey ideas

Audience sensitivity in written communication

Audience sensitivity in oral communication

Written communication basic proficiency

(other criterion)

In addition to the rubrics, faculty complete reflective questions and summaries of the data collected, findings, and ideas for improvement. Assessment rubrics for WSCL can be found here.

Step 5: Closing the Loop- Using Results to Make a Change

The Importance of Using Assessment Results The information that comes from assessment is meaningful and valuable, and therefore needs to be shared and used to make changes and inform practices. Evidence collected from learning outcomes assessment is used to improve and gain insight into student learning and gage student success. More than just telling us what students have learned, assessment informs us of areas where students need additional or different learning opportunities. Additionally, results from assessment can inform faculty and academic leadership of curricular changes needed.

How Westcliff University Closes the Loop Westcliff University closes the loop by sharing assessment results and using the results to make programmatic or curricular changes. Assessment data and results are shared bi-annually at Academic Leadership Meetings, and are reviewed and shared with the Faculty Senate Performance Assessment Committee


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YXJ_nJn6bkzZCWZ6R3NXTXu1V0C3Jsv8/view?usp=sharing

Additionally, results of the assessment are presented in an annual report that serves as a permanent record of the results for each outcome measure in the assessment plan and the evaluation of progress toward achievement of the associated objectives. It includes: (1) a brief summary of progress; (2) recommendations for program improvement; (3) discussion and explanation of changes to objectives, expected outcomes, or outcomes measures; (4) any new objectives or outcome measure which are adopted; and (5) other changes in the assessment plan indicated by the most recent environmental scan. The outcomes assessment results, as listed in the annual report, are made available to all university administrators, faculty, and staff.


Appendix

Appendix 1: Assessment Glossary Alignment matrix: A matrix (table) that shows the relationship between two sets of categories, such as the relationship between program and course learning objectives. Assessment: The systematic process of gathering information to better determine the knowledge or skills achieved by a student. Assessment cycle: A cyclical or continuous process that can be described in 5 stages: establish learning outcomes, develop or modify an assessment plan, provide a learning opportunity, assess student learning, and make changes based on assessment results (closing the loop). Authentic assessment: The assessment process is similar to or embedded in relevant real world activities. Benchmark: A criterion for assessing results compared to an empirically developed standard. Bloom’s taxonomy: A popular scheme for defining depth of processing. Divides learning into three domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Cognitive skills are organized into a hierarchy of six categories: remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create. Calibration (norming): Evaluators are normed or calibrated so they consistently apply standards in the same way. Capstone: Holistic activity that students complete as they approach the end of a learning experience. Capstones give students an opportunity to see the bigger picture: To integrate, synthesize, apply, and reflect on what they have learned throughout their studies. Central Tendency Error: Occurs when faculty and staff tend to avoid both extremes of a rating scale. Classroom assessment: Assessment to improve the teaching of specific courses and segments of courses. Close the loop: Faculty discuss assessment results, reach conclusions about their meaning, determine implications for change, and implement them. Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs): CLOs are measurable statements that describe what students should know, be able to do, or value after completing a course. Critical Thinking: Umbrella term for many kinds of thinking skills that go beyond basic understanding, including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, problem solving, information literacy, and some habits of mind.


Curriculum Alignment: Is ensuring that your course, program, or general education curriculum is designed to give every student enough opportunity to achieve its key learning goals. Diagnostic Assessment: A type of “pre-assessment” that offers a baseline of what students know prior to a learning opportunity Data ownership: Who has control over the assessment data – who has the right to see the data or allow others to see them? Deep learning: Learning which makes knowledge personal and relevant to real-world applications. Developmental assessment: Repeated assessment information on individual students is used to track, verify and support student development. Diagnostic assessment: A form of pre-assessment that allows a teacher to determine students' individual strengths, weaknesses, knowledge, and skills prior to instruction. It is primarily used to diagnose student difficulties and to guide lesson and curriculum planning. Direct measure: Students demonstrate that they have achieved a learning objective. Educational effectiveness: How well a program or institution promotes student development. Focus groups: Planned discussions among groups of participants who are asked a series of carefully constructed questions about their beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Formative assessment: Assessment designed to give feedback to improve what is being assessed. Formative validity: How well an assessment procedure provides information that is useful for improving what is being assessed. Holistic rubric: A rubric that involves one global, holistic judgment. Indirect measure: Students (or others) report perceptions of how well students have achieved an objective. Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs): ILOs represent the knowledge, skills, and values that all WU students are expected to acquire upon completing their degree Intentional teaching: Designing learning experiences to help students develop mastery of specific learning objectives.


Inter-rater reliability: How well two or more raters agree when decisions are based on subjective judgements. Learning outcome: A clear, concise statement that describes how students can demonstrate their mastery of a program goal. Goals that describe what students will be able to do as the result of a learning experience (aka: Learning objective, learning goal) Mission: A holistic vision of the values and philosophy of a program, department, or institution. Norms/norm group: Results that are used to interpret the relative performance of others; for example, test results might be compared to norms based on samples of college freshmen or college graduates. Objectives: Small steps that lead toward a goal, creating an overarching framework for achieving Outcomes. Outcomes: Compared to objectives, outcomes are larger, measurable results that come from synthesizing, evaluating and analyzing multiple objectives. Outcomes involve demonstrating knowledge or skills that serve as evidence that learning has occurred. Performance measure: Students exhibit how well they have achieved an objective by doing it, such as a piano recital. Pilot study: An abbreviated study to test procedures before the full study is implemented. Portfolio: Compilation of student work. Students often are required to reflect on their achievement of learning objectives and how the presented evidence supports their conclusions. Program assessment: An ongoing process designed to monitor and improve student learning. Faculty develop explicit statements of what students should learn, verify that the program is designed to foster this learning, collect empirical data that indicate student attainment, and use this data to improve student learning. Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs): PLOs are measurable statements of what graduating students should know, be able to do, or value after completing a program. Program outcomes are much broader in scope than course learning outcomes. Recall item: A test that requires students to generate the answer on their own, rather than to identify the answer in a provided list. Reflective essays: Respondents are asked to write essays on personal perspectives and experiences. Reliability: The degree of measurement precision and stability for a test or assessment procedure.


Response rate: The proportion of contacted individuals who respond to a request. Rubric: A written guide for assessing student work. Specifically, the rubric provides a list of things to look for when assessing student work. Summative assessment: Assessment is designed to provide an evaluative summary. Summative validity: Assessment accurately evaluates what is being assessed. Surface learning: Learning based on memorization of facts without deep understanding of what is learned. Triangulation: Multiple lines of evidence lead to the same conclusion. Validity: How well a procedure assesses what it is supposed to be assessing. Value-added assessment: Student learning is demonstrated by determining how much students have gained through participation in the program. Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.


Appendix 2: Assessment Plan Template Google Template

Program Name:

Institutional Learning Outcomes

1.

Program Learning Outcomes 1.

Year PLO to be measured

PLO to be measured

Courses with opportunity to achieve outcome

Assignment/ Artifact

Findings How results will be used

2019-2020 ILO PLO BUS CLA/PA/DQ






https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Km-N9OsNArIU95HWzosxlMIsaKiZFdYOxiqjOH5h1A/edit?usp=sharing

Appendix 5.01

Adjunct Professor Information Technology Job Posting

Job Position: Adjunct ProfessorInformation Technology

Job OverviewWith a footprint in over 70 countries and a dedication to quality accessible education, Westcliff University isseeking candidates for an Adjunct Professor to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the area ofInformation Technology. The courses are taught on campus at the University's Toronto location.

Job DescriptionUnder the direction of the Campus Dean and the Dean of the College of Technology and Engineering,adjunct professors are entrusted with the following responsibilities:

● Reviewing and managing the syllabus and corresponding materials● Facilitating class instruction utilizing experience and passion for the field● Teaching assigned classes in accordance with Westcliff University's learning objectives and session

plan outlines● Administering evaluations of student performance based on course deliverables and rubrics● Posting course grades on the Learning Management System (LMS)● Responding promptly to grade determination and providing detailed timely feedback● Submitting grades for assignments, discussion board exercises, and exams promptly● Participating in Faculty Senate, programmatic development and committee work● Adhering to Westcliff University protocols● Other duties as assigned

Qualifications/Requirements● Doctoral degree from a regionally or internationally accredited institution in or closely related to the

field● Will consider Doctorate degrees in progress, provided the candidate has at least 15 credits (18

preferred) in the teaching field● Experience teaching online, on-campus, and/or in hybrid format● Five years experience teaching at the university level in your discipline (preferred)● Demonstrated commitment to teaching students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds● Able to travel to campus● Availability must align with course schedules

○ Weekdays Daytime Classes (courses meet for 3 hours 1x per week for 8 weeks - times vary)○ Weekdays Evening Classes (courses meet 6:30-9:30pm 1x per week for 8 weeks)

Interested individuals who meet the qualifications should send their resume (or CV) and cover letter (optional) [email protected] with the subject line - [Last Name] Resume for Adjunct Professor in Information Technology

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as anexhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonablyaccommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health andsafety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by theemployee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related dutiesrequested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skillsand/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continuedemployment remains on an at-will basis, unless otherwise contractually bound.

Westcliff University is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Appendix 5.02

POLICY GP101 - Academic Freedom Policy

POLICY# GP101

REVISED: 01/02/2010 REVISED: 08/31/2012

REVIEWED: 08/14/2020 APPROVED: 12/08/2020

UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

ACADEMIC FREEDOM POLICY

All members of the University have responsibilities and rights based upon the nature of the educational process and the requirements of the search for truth and its free presentation. These rights and responsibilities include:

▪ Obligation to respect the freedom to teach, to learn, and to conduct research and publish findings in the spirit of free inquiry. Institution censorship and individual or group intolerance of the opinions of others is inconsistent with this freedom.

▪ Obligation not to interfere with the freedom of members of the

University to pursue normal academic and administrative activities.

▪ Obligation not to infringe upon the right of all members of the campus to privacy and in the keeping of personal papers, confidential records, and effects, subject only to the general law and University regulations.

▪ Obligation not to interfere with the right to hear and study unpopular

and controversial views on intellectual and public issues.

▪ Right to identify oneself as a member of the University community and a concurrent obligation not to speak or act on behalf of the institution without authorization.

▪ Right to recourse if another member of the University community is

negligent or irresponsible in the performance of his/her responsibilities, or if another member of the campus represents the work of others as his/her own.

▪ Right to be heard and considered at appropriate levels of the decision-making process about basic policy matters of direct concern.

Members of the University community who have a continuing association with the institution have an especially strong obligation to maintain an environment conducive to respect for the rights of others and fulfillment of academic responsibilities.

RIGHTS OF THE INSTITUTION

The institution, and any division or agency that exercises direct or delegated authority for the institution, has rights and responsibilities of its own. The rights and responsibilities of the institution include:

▪ Right and obligation to provide an open forum for members of the University community to present and debate public issues.

▪ Right to prohibit individuals and groups who are not members of the

University community from using its name, its finances, and its physical and operating facilities for commercial or political activities.

▪ Right to prohibit members of the University community from using its

name, its finances, or its physical and operating facilities for commercial activities.

▪ Right and obligation to provide, for members of the University

community, the use of meeting rooms under the rules of the University.

▪ Right to require that persons on University property identify

themselves by name and address, and state what connection, if any, they have with the University.

▪ Right to set reasonable standards of conduct in order to safeguard the

educational process and to provide for the safety of members of the University community and the institution’s property.

Appendix 5.03

POLICY PP102 - Staff Development Policy

POLICY #PP102 REVISED: 01/03/2017 REVIEWED: 8/14/2020

APPROVED: 12/08/2020

WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

STAFF DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Westcliff University recognizes the importance of encouraging and supporting employees in professional development activities that are related to their employment. It extends to work related professional development opportunities including, but not exclusive to, e-learning, employee workshops, courses, classes, and professional conferences. Responsibility for professional training and development extends to all levels of the university.

∙ The university is responsible for identifying, creating, and providing opportunities for professional development and training to enhance and build the capacity, skills, excellence, and professionalism of employees to enable them to contribute effectively and creatively to the university mission.

∙ Supervisors are responsible for assessing and communicating professional development and training needs of individual employees in their direct reporting line, identifying and actively encouraging and supporting appropriate learning experiences.

∙ Individual employees are responsible for assessing their job related skills and knowledge, for maintaining a high level of performance throughout their university employment, and for

seeking appropriate professional development and training opportunities.

∙ Professional development and training opportunities should be available to all employees.

∙ Supervisors need to plan for and allow appropriate professional development and training activities that occur as part of work time.

The responsibility of implementing this policy extends to the following:

∙ University Leadership and Administration – University leadership is responsible for identifying and communicating priorities and goals as well as relevant development and trends affecting the university.

∙ Heads of Academic and Administrative Units – Deans, directors, and department heads are responsible for adopting flexible strategies which promote participation in professional development/training activities.

∙ Supervisors – Supervisors are responsible for working with their employees to identify needs and for creating a professional development and training plan that will benefit the unit as well as the individual. ∙ Employees – Employees are responsible for engaging in the

development of plans in partnership with their supervisor, and for participating in the designated learning experiences.

All professional development must be approved prior to attending if financial assistance is requested or if the event interrupts the employee’s regular work schedule.

Appendix 5.04

POLICY PP101 - Staff Hiring and Evaluation

POLICY #PP101


WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY PERSONNEL POLICIES AND

PROCEDURES

STAFF HIRING AND EVALUATION

Westcliff University provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. The University complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the University has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of hiring and placement of applicants.

The University believes that hiring qualified individuals to fill positions contributes to the overall strategic success of Westcliff University. Each employee, while employed, is hired to make significant contributions to Westcliff University. In hiring the most qualified candidates for positions, the following hiring process is applicable:

Personnel Requisitions Personnel Requisitions must be completed in order to fill all positions. The requisitions may be initiated by the University Deans or the Department Supervisor. Requisition approval by the CEO or Provost is also required as needed and then forwarded to Human Resources. Personnel Requisitions should indicate the positions’ hours/shifts, status, reason for the opening, essential job functions and qualifications or any special recruitment advertising instructions.

Job Posting All regular exempt and non-exempt job openings are posted on the University web site for employees to review. Jobs remain on the

posting until the position is filled or at management’s discretion. Positions are advertised externally based upon need and budget requirements. Human Resources’ is responsible for placing all recruitment advertising.

Interview Process Human Resources or the HR Recruiter will screen resumes prior to scheduling interviews to make sure the candidate meets the job requirements. Initial interviews are generally conducted by telephone. Candidates will receive a confirmation e-mail or telephone call with the date and time of the scheduled interview. If the candidate misses the scheduled interview, it is the responsibility of the candidate to contact the University to reschedule a missed interview. Candidates who do well on the telephone interview will be scheduled for additional interviews.

Employment Offers Once a decision has been made regarding interest in hiring an applicant a verbal offer will be made contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference checks.

Human Resources will send offer letters and if the candidate accepts the offer a new hire packet will be sent.

Background and Reference Checks To ensure that individuals who join Westcliff University are well qualified and to ensure that Westcliff University maintains a safe and productive work environment, Westcliff University may conduct pre-employment background checks on all applicants prior to an offer of employment. Background checks may include verification of any information on the applicant’s resume or application form.

All offers of employment are conditioned on receipt of a background check report that is acceptable to Westcliff University. All background checks are conducted in conformity with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state and federal privacy and antidiscrimination laws. Reports are kept confidential and are only viewed by individuals involved in the hiring process.

Additional checks such as a driving record or credit report may be made on applicants for particular job categories if appropriate and job related.

Westcliff University also reserves the right to conduct a background check for current employees to determine eligibility for promotion or reassignment in the same manner as described above.

Drug Testing Westcliff University has the right to require a pre-employment drug test before beginning work or receiving an offer of employment. Refusal to submit or failing a drug test will result in disqualification of further employment consideration.

Initial Start Date On the initial start date, employees will review the required paperwork with Human Resources. Candidates who are not able to provide completed forms and documents required for employment will not be allowed to begin work.

Orientation and Sexual Harassment Training Each new hire will be scheduled to meet with Human Resources to review the Universities Policy and Procedures, and with the Department Supervisor for training and orientation.

In addition, all new employees with supervisory responsibilities will be required to attend a Supervisory Sexual Harassment Training class within 6 months of their date of hire.

Performance Evaluations Each new employee is given a 90-day introductory period to determine; 1) if the employee made the right choice in accepting the job offer and, 2) if the University made the right choice in making the job offer to the candidate. Managers/Supervisors must complete a performance evaluation on all candidates within the 90-day period and make a determination of the candidates continued employment. If it is determined that the candidate is not meeting expectations, a recommendation to submit a corrective action plan and extend the introductory period is submitted to the CEO for consideration. If the decision is to terminate the employee, Human Resources is contacted to initiate the final pay process.

In addition to the 90-day performance evaluation, all employees are to receive a performance evaluation at least annually. Performance evaluations

DO NOT necessarily indicate a salary increase.

Performance Evaluations are to be submitted to Human Resources for the employee file.

Appendix 5.05

Faculty Observation - Administration

Administration Faculty Classroom Observation (Updated 09/10/14)

Administration Office 4199 Campus Dr, #650 ■ Irvine ■ CA ■ 92612

Tel: 888-491-8686 ■ Fax: 888-409-7306 ■ www.westcliff.edu 1

Administration – Faculty Classroom Observation

Class Observed Term/Semester Date Time

Faculty Member:

Observer:

INSTRUCTIONS: According to our observations, please rate the professor.

1 = Strongly Disagree 3 = Neutral 5 = Strongly Agree

2 = Disagree 4 = Agree N/A = not applicable

A. ORGANIZATION & PRESENTATION 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

1. Instructor communicated audibly and clearly ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

2. The material was presented in an interesting, enthusiastic manner. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

3. Instructor used examples, illustrations, or applications to clarify the concepts. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

4. Instructor engages students in the learning process by using a variety of teaching methods. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

5. Instructor used technology appropriately. If applicable, please list (e.g., overhead projector, multimedia presentation, e-learning portal, etc.): ___________________________________________________

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

6. Instructor achieved session objectives (per syllabus or agenda). ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

7. Instructor lectured according to the topics mentioned in the syllabus. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

8. The presentation was well organized. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

9. Instructor summarized or reinforced ideas discussed during the lesson. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

10. Instructor built on previous experience in class. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

11. Instructor was knowledgeable about the material. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

B. INTERACTION WITH STUDENTS 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

12. Students appeared to be comfortable in class. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

13. Students were encouraged to ask questions, express opinions, and participate in class discussion. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

14. Instructor used student ideas to encourage class discussion or to further the session objectives. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

15. Instructor asked questions that encourage learning. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

16. Instructor asked questions that encourage critical thinking and analysis. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Administration Faculty Classroom Observation (Updated 09/10/14)

Administration Office 4199 Campus Dr, #650 ■ Irvine ■ CA ■ 92612

Tel: 888-491-8686 ■ Fax: 888-409-7306 ■ www.westcliff.edu 2

17. Instructor checked students’ understanding of class outcomes ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

18. Instructor exhibited a respectful attitude toward students.

19. Instructor was approximately on schedule according to course syllabus. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Please see backside for observation and suggestions notations.

Observations: For any number with ratings 1 or 5, please provide an explanation for each rating.

Suggestions: What are some improvements the instructor could make?

Appendix 5.06

Faculty Observation - Peer to Peer

Administration Office

4199 Campus Drive #650 ■ Irvine ■ CA ■ 92612

Tel: 888-491-8686 ■ Fax: 888-409-7306 ■ www.westcliff.us

1

Peer Review Teaching Observation

INSTRUCTIONS: Please rate the professor in terms of the effectiveness of the observed demonstration. 1 = Strongly Disagree 3 = Neutral 5 = Strongly Agree

2 = Disagree 4 = Agree N/A = not applicable

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

1. Appearance a. appropriately dressed ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. well groomed ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. professional, good first impression ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

2. Style a. confident, enthusiastic ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. well-paced ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. good use of humor ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ d. relaxed, appears comfortable ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ e. instructor exhibited a respectful attitude toward students

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

3. Voice a. audible, clear, in command ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. good modulation – appropriate variation ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

4. Emotion a. persuasively passionate ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. obviously dedicated to subject ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. convincing ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ d. energetic ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ e. conveys message with sincerity ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

5. Body Language a. good gestures with hands ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. non-nervous feet ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. no hands in pockets ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ d. erect posture ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ e. relaxed composure ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ f. good eye contact ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ g. pleasant mannerisms ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Topic of Presentation Length of Lecture Date Time

Name of Faculty Member/College:

Observer:




2

PRESENTATION FEATURES 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

1. Introduction a. used an icebreaker effectively ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. identified outline of presentation in an understandable manner

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

c. defined scope of presentation ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ d. Framed effectively sparked curiosity about subject ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

2. Body of lecture a. demonstrated ideas in an interesting manner ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. asked ‘open-ended questions’ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. well organized – flows easily ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

3. Conclusion

a. memorable, strong review of what was covered ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ b. achieved objectives as stated in introduction ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ c. Instructor checked students’ understanding of class outcomes

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

4. Technology a. professor uses technology appropriately ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

b. visual aids supported concepts and ideas presented ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 5. Time management a. actual time required equivalent to proposed length

of time ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

TEACHING TECHNIQUES 1 2 3 4 5 N/A

1. Obtained immediate attention of students ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 2. Peaked interest of students. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 3. Created a desire for more information ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 4. Appears to be subject expert ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 5. Made strong connection-sincere rapport with students ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 6. Good research easily evident ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 7. Stimulated group participation, engaged students in the learning process ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 8. Good storyteller ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 9. Good use of metaphors 10. Uses examples, illustrations, or applications to clarify the concepts ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

11. Well prepared ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 12. Shows breadth of knowledge in other related areas ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 13. Doesn’t read slides, but rather explains them ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 14. Uses industry knowledge and practical experiences to explain concepts ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 15. Leaves group wanting more ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 16. Responds well to any type of question ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 17. Summarizes or reinforces ideas discussed during lesson ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 18. Students were encouraged to ask questions, express opinions, and participate in

class discussion ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

19. Asks questions which encourage critical thinking, analysis and learning ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○




3

Observations/Suggestions: Please provide a brief summary of your overall impression of the abilities of the prospective faculty member as demonstrated in the presentation you have observed and critiqued:

______________________________ ____________ Signature of Observer Date

Appendix 5.07

Westcliff Faculty Handbook

Westcliff University Faculty Handbook

2020-2021

Faculty Senate Approval: October 28, 2020

____________________________________________________________________ Table Of Contents

From the Desk of the Provost 5 Introduction 6 Section 1 | Overview of Westcliff University 7

1.1 History 7 1.2 Vision, Mission, Values 7 1.3 Organizational Structure 8

Section 2 | Faculty Roles and Responsibilities 14 2.1 Role of Faculty 14 2.2 Responsibilities of Faculty 15 2.3 Faculty Rank 23 2.4 Evaluation of Faculty 28 2.5 Resources for Faculty 29

Section 3 | Academic Policies and Procedures 31 3.1 Attendance Policy 31 3.2 Grading Policy 32 3.3 Academic Integrity Policy 34 3.4 Room and Space Use 36 3.5 Zoom Use 37 3.6 University Supplies & Equipment 37

Section 4 | Ethical Responsibilities of Faculty 38 4.1 Statement of Academic Integrity 38 4.2 Notice of Non-Discrimination 40 4.3 Conflicts of Interest 40 4.4 Faculty Personnel Record Policy 42 4.5 Whistleblower Policy 42 4.6 Confidentiality Policy 43 4.7 Copyright Policy 43 4.8 Intellectual Property 43 4.9 University Statements 43

Appendices 47 Glossary of Westcliff-Specific Terminology 47

Handbook Acknowledgment Form 48

2

____________________________________________________________________

From the Desk of the Provost Dear Faculty Member, As the Provost of Westcliff University, I am delighted to welcome you as a member of our Westcliff family. Westcliff University perpetually aspires to offer an educational experience for our students that inspires and empowers engagement within the academic journey. We believe that the power to accomplish this lies within each of our faculty members. We recognize the role that you play in our success, and it is our desire to support you and the initiative that you take to aid us in fostering life-long learners, promoting inclusive classrooms, and achieving academic excellence. This handbook is developed to provide you with an overall understanding of Westcliff University’s policies, procedures, and organizational structure. We hope that it succeeds in providing you guidance regarding how the University operates as a whole. If there is anything that we can do to further support you, please advise us. We are dedicated to fostering a collaborative environment where your opinions, suggestions, and insights are both valued and most appreciated. Once again, welcome to Westcliff! Warm Regards,

David C. McKinney, Ph.D. Chief Academic Officer

3

____________________________________________________________________

Introduction The Faculty Handbook indicates the policies, procedures, and organizational structure of Westcliff University as it pertains to faculty members. As such, the Faculty Handbook serves as a supplement to the Employee Handbook. All policies and descriptions recorded in this handbook have been approved by the Board of Trustees, President, Provost, Deans, and Faculty Senate. The Faculty Handbook is jointly maintained by a committee made up of representatives from Academic Leadership, the LITE Center, and the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate in collaboration with Human Resources. At the time of this development, committee members were: Dr. Matthew Hubbs, Dean of Academic Operations; Prof. Jennifer Hirashiki, Director of the LITE Center; Dr. Mark Atkinson, Faculty Director; and Prof. Christa Bixby, Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee. Westcliff University maintains the right to interpret, revise, and update any or all policies indicated in this handbook. The Faculty Handbook is reviewed and updated annually to reflect changes to the University policies or procedures or as needed. Any modifications to this document require approval from all members of the governance indicated above.

4

____________________________________________________________________

Section 1 | Overview of Westcliff University Westcliff University (WU) is a private university in Irvine, California, dedicated to educating, inspiring and empowering students from around the world. Founded in 1993, the globally recognized and nationally-accredited private institution provides practical business, STEM and education bachelor’s, masters’ and doctoral degree programs, as well as unique certificate programs. WU is a California Benefit Corporation committed to the public good and society by dedicating itself, first and foremost, to serving the interests and welfare of its students, staff, faculty, and the greater community. Westcliff’s affordable, innovative programs are offered live online and in-classrooms across the globe. 1.1 History Westcliff University was established in 1993 to provide quality education for students wishing to enter the expanding fields of Business and Education. Westcliff received its initial approval with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov) and is accredited under the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) (www.wscuc.org). Westcliff comprises a College of Business, College of Education, College of Technology & Engineering, and Western State College of Law. Westcliff University offers graduate and undergraduate certificates and degree programs to prepare students for immediate entry and advancement in their respective industries. While some schools only teach theoretical concepts, the programs at Westcliff University prepare students for the practical and theoretical elements required in the job market today. Westcliff University offers full-time working students a chance to enroll in 100% online courses or take courses onsite at its beautiful Southern California campuses. All programs at Westcliff are convenient, flexible, and affordable. Westcliff University prepares students for personal, professional, and academic success with innovative, up-to-date, and high-quality programs. The University has guidance and expertise from members of its Faculty, Program Advisory Council, and Board of Trustees that includes key leaders from local and national businesses and organizations. 1.2 Vision, Mission, Values Our goals and objectives are dynamic; that is, they can change as our University grows. Annually, all faculty are requested to review our goals and objectives and either approve them or make suggestions for potential changes.

5

http://www.bppe.ca.gov/

http://www.wscuc.org/

____________________________________________________________________ Vision Westcliff University strives to become the most innovative global educational institution, respected for its transformative, technologically advanced programs and initiatives with a focus on excellence, social responsibility, and diversity. Mission Westcliff University’s mission is to educate, inspire, and empower students from around the world to achieve personal and professional success by providing practical, innovative, high-quality campus and online programs. Values The following are the core values that guide the actions of everyone associated with the University. They comprise the system of ethics we employ in all activities in which we are involved: ➢ Integrity ➢ Accountability ➢ Social Responsibility ➢ Global Citizenship ➢ Diversity & Inclusion ➢ Collaboration ➢ Compassion

Core Competencies The Core Competencies of the University, to which all other outcomes at all levels (institutional, program, course) and of all programs (general education, undergraduate, and graduate) are mapped, include:

1. Written Communication 2. Oral Communication 3. Interpersonal Skills 4. Critical Thinking 5. Ethics 6. Information Literacy 7. Quantitative Reasoning

1.3 Organizational Structure

6

____________________________________________________________________ Board of Trustees The Board of Trustees bears ultimate responsibility for the University, its policies, organization, financing, and governance. Two direct responsibilities are the supervision of the University's finances and the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer/ President. Ordinarily, the Board of Trustees does not involve themselves in the everyday affairs of the University. Rather, operating responsibilities and the authority to act are delegated to the Chief Executive Officer/President; and it is primarily through this position that the Board of Trustees monitors University activities. The Board of Trustees has a particular responsibility to mediate between the University community and the larger society the University serves. Thus, the Board of Trustees must be alert to the needs of the University and must be willing and able to explain, defend, and, if necessary, amend, the University's values, goals, and procedures. It is the duty of the Board to maintain the effectiveness and continuity of the board. In selecting new members, the trustees choose those who have a sincere interest in the University and those whose talents and backgrounds contribute to it. Academic Administration The academic administration is formally responsible for supervising the programs and enforcing the policies of the University, assessing the effects of policy, and recommending improvements or changes where appropriate. In the operation of the University, the Chief Executive Officer/President delegates responsibility to the Provost, Deans, and other members of academic administration and to various councils and committees which may include faculty, students, and staff. This delegation may be on a continuing basis or for specified periods and may be withdrawn or reassigned. It is the duty of the academic administration of the University to maintain a campus climate that enhances the freedom of the faculty to teach, to engage in research, and to take part in other scholarly and innovative practices as well as encourage student learning and growth, both inside and outside of the classroom. This means that all policies of the University must be administered effectively and in accord with the purposes and standards of the University and with due regard to the rights and privileges of all members of the University community. In setting and carrying out University policies, it is important for academic administration to consider the opinions and experiences of faculty and students, both individually and through the formally constituted committees and departments of the University. Academic administration shares with the Board of Trustees the major responsibility for interpreting University policies and actions to the community at large. This responsibility requires that academic administration, in collaboration with the remainder of university leadership, interact with representatives of local, state and federal governments, industry leaders, foundations, and many

7

____________________________________________________________________ other community groups in both formal and informal ways pertaining to the many matters of interest to the University's well-being. Academic Administration Roles Provost The University Provost serves in the capacity of Chief Academic Officer for all of Westcliff University. The Provost provides leadership, vision, and direction for all academic activities and faculty affairs of the University. The Provost oversees all academic programs and faculty to ensure quality in both curriculum and instruction across all programs to meet the needs of students. Academic Dean Academic Deans are the second-highest-ranking academic leaders for the college or function they oversee. Deans are responsible for managing the resources of the college or function for which they are responsible, ensuring appropriate personnel are available to adequately deliver or support academic programs, and maintaining the quality of curriculum or services they oversee. Academic Deans lead the efforts of the entire college of function for which they are responsible to contribute to the mission of the University and fulfill the vision of the Provost. Faculty Director The Faculty Director serves as the primary supervisor for the teaching faculty of the University. This individual oversees the instructional quality of the University, the teaching performance of its faculty, and adequacy and appropriateness of the resources available to faculty. The Faculty Director coordinates all efforts related to faculty performance evaluation with support from other members of academic leadership and the faculty themselves. Program Chair Program Chairs directly oversee the curriculum of the programs to which they are assigned. They manage the course outcomes, course design, and course deliverables, and address all matters related to grades, grading, and assessment of their courses. Program Chairs support the instructional quality offered in their programs by contributing to the oversight of faculty. Director of the LITE Center The Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (LITE) Center provides faculty with training and development opportunities to improve the quality of their classroom instruction and facilitation. The Director of the LITE Center coordinates these efforts to ensure they address faculty needs and deliver them in a manner that aligns with faculty availability. The Director of the LITE Center supports the instructional quality offered in all programs by contributing to the oversight of faculty.

8

____________________________________________________________________ Faculty Senate The Westcliff University Faculty Senate is responsible for leading faculty not only in fulfilling their responsibilities in the shared governance and policies of the University, but also for advocating for the growth of scholarship, learning, teaching, research, service, and respect for equity, diversity and inclusion by acting as a collective and independent voice that serves as a liaison between faculty and stakeholders. The Faculty Senate is made up of three Senate officers and five standing committees. Officer roles include that of President, Vice President, and Secretary. Officer terms are two-years long, and officers are eligible to serve a maximum of two terms. Standing Committees include: ➢ Academic Standards, Policies, and Procedures Committee ➢ Curriculum Committee ➢ Faculty Affairs Committee ➢ Performance Assessment Committee ➢ Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.

All information regarding the Faculty Senate structure, purpose, Constitution and Bylaws can be found in the Faculty Senate Handbook. Faculty The faculty members of Westcliff University have the primary responsibility for carrying out the educational and scholarly programs of the University. Each member of the faculty has the duty to conduct each course in a manner that is consistent with the highest standards of the profession. Through the presentation of material in the class, faculty should strive to advance their level in the art of teaching. One of the primary goals should be to instill in students a desire to learn and an enthusiasm for the subject matter at hand. The faculty, as a whole, has the major responsibility for establishing and maintaining curricula, which meet the standards and fulfill the educational goals of the University. The faculty also has an important role to play in the interaction between the University and the community which it serves. In addition to conducting research and other professional activities, faculty members have the right to participate in community affairs. When engaged in non-University activities, faculty members are expected to make clear that they act as individuals and not as spokespersons for the University.

9

____________________________________________________________________ Students Westcliff, as a private University, selects from among its applicants those students who have demonstrated the qualifications for achieving professional competence in one of the fields in which the University offers instruction. Any person who meets its standards may apply for admission and, if admitted, to remain at the University with abidance to the University’s code of conduct. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the resources provided by the University to further their academic and personal development. Each student is expected to meet the academic requirement of the University, of the college and of their departments in which he or she studies and seeks to receive a degree. In turn, each student has the right to expect that the educational resources made available to him or her are of high quality. They are encouraged to provide constructive feedback through student evaluations and surveys to aid the University in maintaining the excellence of its curricula and instruction and the viability of its total educational program. The University sponsors certain extracurricular programs and makes provisions for various student governing bodies and other groups to sponsor a variety of lectures, social events and other activities.

10

____________________________________________________________________

Section 2 | Faculty Roles and Responsibilities 2.1 Role of Faculty Faculty, guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of the advancement of knowledge, shall recognize that academic responsibility implies faithful performance of professional duties and obligations. Their primary responsibility to their subject is to seek and state the truth as they see it. To this end, faculty members shall devote their energies to developing and improving their scholarly competence. They have an obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge. They shall practice intellectual honesty. Although faculty members may follow subsidiary interests, these interests may never seriously hamper or compromise their freedom of inquiry. As educators, faculty members are to encourage the free pursuit of learning by students. They are to hold before them the best scholarly and ethical standards of their discipline. Faculty members are to make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and ensure that their evaluations of students reflect each student’s true merit. They are to acknowledge significant or scholarly assistance from students on any collaborative projects, including but not limited to, publications, presentations and research (Statement on Professional Ethics, n.d.). They are to avoid any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students. As colleagues, faculty members have obligations that derive from common membership in the community of scholars. Faculty members are not to discriminate against or harass colleagues. They are to respect and defend their colleague’s right to free inquiry. In the exchange of criticism and ideas, faculty are to show due respect for others, even when disagreeing with or criticizing others’ opinions. Should a faculty member be in a position requiring the evaluation of a colleague, any and all academic debts must be acknowledged. In making public statements – including the right to responsible dissent on matters of institutional policy or educational philosophy – faculty have an obligation to be accurate, to act in a professional manner, to show respect for the opinions of others, and to make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for Westcliff University. Faculty members are to accept their share of faculty responsibilities in the academic governance of the University. The academic faculty in each college or program are scholar-practitioners with the rank of instructor or higher whose duties include teaching, engagement in applied research, and participation in University governance activities.

11

____________________________________________________________________ Full-time Faculty Under the direction of the Dean of the college under which the faculty member primarily works, full-time faculty members provide high-quality instruction and support to students of Westcliff University. Full-time faculty members devote their full time, attention, and energies to the required duties at Westcliff. Full-time faculty members are assigned to teach a set number of courses each semester based on their role. They are expected to excel in all aspects of teaching, and they serve as models and mentors for others regarding how to conduct oneself in the classroom and to facilitate student learning. Additional responsibilities for full-time faculty are covered throughout this handbook outlined in each faculty member's letter of appointment. Part-time Faculty Under the direction of the Program Chairs of the college under which the faculty member primarily works, part-time faculty members provide high-quality instruction and support to students of Westcliff University. Part-time faculty members are assigned classes per their degree qualifications and based on the instructional needs of the students. While class assignments are not guaranteed from term-to-term, Westcliff University aims to provide consistent opportunities for part-time faculty to contribute to the instruction of its students. Part-time faculty may also be invited to participate in special projects with the approval of the Faculty Director. Core Faculty The core faculty designation is one used to recognize members of the part-time faculty at Westcliff who consistently teach a regular course load and regularly contribute to the University’s mission and vision beyond their teaching assignments. This designation is evaluated and awarded each year as part of the annual faculty review process. Core faculty designation is evaluated during each faculty member’s annual review. Faculty may be relieved of or relinquish their core faculty designation at any time when it is determined by the University or the faculty member that the faculty member is no longer able to meet the expectations of the core faculty designation. 2.2 Responsibilities of Faculty General Responsibilities Responsibilities of all faculty members include: ➢ To provide a high level of quality instruction and educational rigor within the class (both

on-site and online) that is relevant to the level of the course and program; ➢ To prepare and deliver lectures relevant to the course content; ➢ To provide a high level of stimulation regarding class discussions; ➢ To attend every all-faculty meeting held by the assigned college(s) or the University;

12

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ To provide regular and timely grading and feedback on student participation and

performance using Moodle and submit final grades by the deadline established for each session on Moodle;

➢ To monitor student performance and provide additional support to students who appear to be having difficulty in the class, such as those struggling with the content or failing to meet course requirements for participation;

➢ To create, administer, evaluate, analyze, and grade examinations and assignments; ➢ To respond to Program Chair and student emails and questions within 24-48 hours when

classes are in session; ➢ To advise students on curricula; ➢ To maintain up-to-date industry knowledge; ➢ To act as adviser to student organizations (if assigned to do so); ➢ To serve on Faculty Senate (if eligible and elected to do so); ➢ To engage in scholarship and research that contributes to the advancement of their fields of

study and practice (required for full-time; encouraged for part-time); ➢ To understand the criteria used to determine faculty rank and promotion (see Section 2.3

Faculty Rank). Teaching a Course Presentation of Material Each course includes the facilitation of a live class session. In 100% online classes, these live sessions are referred to as Virtual Class Sessions (VCS) and facilitated through online videoconference (Zoom). In onsite classes, these live sessions are referred to as Onsite Class Sessions (OCS) and are facilitated in a campus classroom. In either modality, the professor should be prepared for each session with a lesson plan and his or her presentation slides that include relevant content to be covered. Faculty should consider the following for live class sessions (both VCS and OCS): ➢ Faculty should create an introduction slide with class learning outcomes for the day. ➢ Materials used in the VCS should include visuals (PPT, Google Slides, or Prezi presentation,

videos, articles, talking points, images, etc.). ➢ Consider using an icebreaker to start each class, such as reference to a current event that

is related to the material to be covered in class. ➢ Contact the Program Chair or [email protected] if any technical problems are

experienced.

13

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ In no instance is a professor to cancel or reschedule a class schedule without first obtaining

initial authorization from the Dean or Program Chairs. Faculty should inform the Program Chair in advance of any classes that will be missed (justifiable reasons), in order to have sufficient time to assign a substitute for that class.

For each class session (VCS or OCS), the professor should encourage interaction through active learning.

➢ All classes should be interactive. The professor should facilitate discussions with the goal of

students providing significant contributions to the class session. ➢ Faculty should elicit responses from students frequently throughout the lesson and should

focus on discussion/interaction rather than lecture. ➢ The information covered during the chat should support the materials that students are

required to read, watch, or listen etc. ➢ Include time for student questions and comments at the end of each class. Allocate about

3-5 minutes at the end of class for any last questions and concerns. Textbooks Faculty desk copies of course textbooks are usually requested and accessed through VitalSource (for those courses using this platform) by the faculty member. Faculty should sign up for a VitalSource account in order to request a copy. Other supplementary materials or physical textbooks (when available) may be provided by the Program Chair. Textbooks and other materials are acquired by the students through outside book stores or online (exs. VitalSource, LIRN, etc.). If a faculty member prefers a different text than what is normally used for the course, he or she should provide a list of requested textbooks to the Program Chair for review and approval. The Program Chair will be responsible for reviewing the request, seeking the appropriate approvals, and notifying faculty of the outcome of the request. Classroom GAP and Syllabus All classes are facilitated using the Westcliff University Global Access Portal (GAP). This portal serves as the Learning Management System (LMS) for every course by housing the syllabus, classroom resources, online discussion forums, and the location for assignment submissions. Faculty are responsible for reviewing the GAP and syllabus for every course they are assigned each session. Faculty should review the following on GAP and the syllabus for inaccuracies: ➢ Course title and textbook information ➢ Instructor name, bio, and contact information ➢ Course description

14

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ Course outcomes ➢ Grading criteria and grading scale ➢ Westcliff policies and procedures ➢ Course summary with reading assignments and exam schedule

It is important that once the syllabi have been distributed to the students, professors do not make any major changes or add any additional readings or assignments. If there happen to be some minor adjustments, the information should be announced to students by the professor. Assignment Types Common types include: Comprehensive Learning Assessments Comprehensive Learning Assessments: In each course, students complete at least one Comprehensive Learning Assessment (CLA). CLAs are extensive assignments that provide evidence of student mastery of course content and most or all course learning objectives at once. CLAs cover all course learning objectives, and can include assignments such as case study analyses, research papers, and/or student presentations. CLAs focus on assessing course foundations and the student’s competency and mastery of the course concepts, particularly the application of those concepts. Professional Assignments In each course, students complete at least one professional assignment (PA). PAs enable students to demonstrate their mastery of the content and the program educational outcomes and should cover 2-3 learning outcomes. For PAs, students connect research to practice within the applicable field. Professional assignments can include case studies, research papers, reflection papers, instructional materials design, and presentations. Discussion Questions Each week, discussion boards consist of 1-3 Discussion Questions. Questions are carefully crafted to minimize possible academic dishonesty, and consist of open-ended discussion topics where students can apply their own experiences and ideas to the dialogue. Discussion questions can be based on textbooks, other readings, or research (journals, periodicals, and other electronic resources). Projects Projects offer students hands-on experience incorporating current practices. In order to maximize the value of the project, it must be purposeful, engaging, and relevant to achieving the

15

____________________________________________________________________ objectives of the course. Projects should be thoroughly explained at the start of the course so that students know what is expected of them. All pertinent details, expectations, standards, and grading criteria should be made available. Refer to the completed syllabus for every class. Instructors should be available if students require any assistance in regards to a course project. Professionalism and Classroom Etiquette In class discussions (including online discussion forums, OCS, and VCS), faculty are to demonstrate professional behavior, civility, and human concern for each of those students with whom they interact, while presenting a positive attitude and professional demeanor. The professor must be mindful that online communication and verbal communication are very different. Due to the diversity of the Westcliff University student population, each faculty member must be attentive to each and every communication and its content before posting. Techniques that may be easy to misinterpret in an online environment, such as the use of ALL CAPS in written communication or the inclusion of online slang (exs. lol, brb, etc.), should be avoided and replaced with straightforward and plain-spoken language to reduce the chance of miscommunication. Grading Assignments shall be reviewed and graded within five calendar days following the due date (if a holiday falls on one of these days, one extra day is given). If applicable, a scored rubric should be uploaded to GAP along with the grade for each assignment (see section for grading policy). Faculty Attendance Faulty members are expected to faithfully and promptly conduct classes at the time and date when they are scheduled. Class cancellation is to be avoided because of the substantial inconvenience to many students who must travel great distances to attend class or who must rearrange their schedules to participate in a virtual classroom. Where it is necessary to be absent because of illness or other justifiable cause, the faculty member is responsible for notifying their Program Chair in advance. The Program Chair will arrange for an approved substitute instructor. An outline of the topics to be covered must be submitted by the faculty in advance. Faculty who routinely require substitutes or whose absences otherwise disrupt university operations may be required to meet with their supervisor to determine the best course of action moving forward.. When classes fall on a holiday, all faculty scheduled to teach on that day will receive information on how to record their lesson for students to watch asynchronously.

16

____________________________________________________________________ Office Hours Faculty are encouraged to make themselves available to students outside class time through regular office hours or by appointment. The personal contact with professors who are readily available to answer questions or help guide students through assignments serves to increase student confidence, University retention, and enhance overall student performance. Office hours may be held at designated locations on campus or virtually. Email Faculty members are issued an email account to be used for correspondence purposes. Faculty are expected to check their Westcliff University issued email address daily during the week and once on the weekends when actively teaching and weekly when not actively teaching. Faculty must use their Westcliff email address when corresponding with administration, academics, students, or University stakeholders. Email accounts are set-up by the technology department ([email protected]). How to access Westcliff University email:

1. Log on to mail.google.com 2. Login with user ID and password, provided by the New Faculty Orientation Coordinator

For assistance with managing the Westcliff email account, faculty should notify the technology department using the email address above; alternatively, they may notify the Faculty Director or the New Faculty Orientation Coordinator so that they may contact the Director of Technology for assistance. Professional Development An important responsibility of each faculty member is to engage in continuing education, research, and scholarship to further their professional development. While the particular areas of the University or the personal commitment of the faculty may change, continuing professional development should always remain as a distinguishing characteristic of the University and its faculty. Part-time faculty members are expected to complete all training required by the University and seek out and participate in additional professional development relevant to their field of teaching. Successful completion of new faculty training requirements during the first semester of teaching must occur before part-time faculty members are offered more classes to teach. Additional professional development should support excellence in the classroom and may include updating industry knowledge, advancing skills with educational technology, or improving upon classroom instruction and facilitation skills. Training provided by the LITE Center may fulfill this requirement. However, faculty supervisors may assign additional training based on perceived opportunities for

17

mailto:[email protected]

____________________________________________________________________ professional growth. Funding for additional costs (ex. conference registration fees) may be available for certain development opportunities. Proposals for funding must be reviewed by a supervisor and submitted to the LITE Center at least 60 days prior to the training start date. Full-time faculty are required to dedicate at least 4 hours per semester to management-approved professional development programs offered by the LITE Center. The Faculty Director may assign additional training. Funding may be available for certain programs (see Professional Development Funding). All faculty are to keep record of and report all engagement in professional development activities through this link: Professional Development Form Timekeeping and Pay (Part-time Faculty) Part-time faculty are hourly, non-exempt employees. Part-time faculty must accurately and diligently track all hours worked daily and report them to their faculty supervisor at the end of each pay period for review and recording in Paychex. Recorded hours determine part-time faculty pay before normal withholdings and deductions. Faculty are provided with their hourly rate at the time of hire. Part-time faculty must always obtain their supervisor’s approval before doing any of the following (or immediately after if gaining authorization beforehand was not an option):

➢ Working more than 8 hours in one day ➢ Working more than 40 hours in one week ➢ Working for any amount of time for more than 6 consecutive days

Part-time faculty must adhere strictly to the above. Failure to do so may result in corrective action up to and including termination.

As nonexempt employees, part-time scheduled to work more than five hours in a workday are provided with a one-hour unpaid, duty-free meal period no later than the end of the employee’s fifth hour of work. Nonexempt employees who work more than ten hours in a workday are provided with a second unpaid, duty-free meal period of 30 minutes, no later than the end of the employee’s tenth hour of work. During this time, employees are relieved of all duty and the University relinquishes all control over employee activities, and permits employees a reasonable opportunity to take an uninterrupted break as set forth above.

All part-time faculty are provided with an hourly rate of pay. This hourly rate of pay will be applied to all hours worked under this appointment.

➢ Hours worked beyond 8 hours in one day, 40 hours in one week, or for the first 8 hours of work on the 7th consecutive day will be paid at 1.5 times the hourly rate.

18

https://forms.gle/UsirkWQjFJZBKD1HA

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ Hours worked beyond 12 hours in one day, or beyond 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day

will be paid at 2 times the hourly rate. Allocations (Part-time Faculty) Part-time faculty are allocated a specific number of hours per each course assignment based on size, type, and modality. This allocation of hours is based on projected student enrollment and shared with faculty at the time of the course assignment. These hours are expected to be used to meet all of the requirements and expectations laid out in this Faculty Handbook, including but not limited to course preparation and setup, student engagement through lecture and discussion, evaluation of student work including grading and feedback, and submission of student attendance and final grades. Should the class size change prior to the start date or should a significant number of students withdraw throughout the course, part-time faculty are expected to adjust hours accordingly and consult with the Faculty Director for guidance on how to do so as needed.. Faculty members are expected to manage their time accordingly in the best interest of students and their success. Based on how courses are paced, some weeks may require more hours and others less. In managing these hours, part-time faculty must be mindful of the timekeeping expectations identified above and consult with the Faculty Director as needed for support. Faculty Expectations for Scholarship Westcliff University values the contributions of faculty to the collective knowledge of their fields of study and practice. Faculty engage in research, scholarship, and creativity activity when they conduct their own research for publication and presentation, provide evaluative critique of an aspect of their areas of expertise, enhance their own understanding of their fields of study, engage collaboratively with students in applied research in the field, and bring knowledge gained in these ventures back into the classroom and/or the conference room. Faculty seek out opportunities that support the advancement of their fields of study and practice as well as the greater good of a global society in alignment with the mission, vision, and values of the University. As scholar-practitioners, the faculty at Westcliff engage in applied scholarship and creative activity as both educators and as professionals in their fields. As educators, faculty apply their areas of expertise and their experience in teaching to enhance student learning at Westcliff. These contributions include the development of new curriculum, new methods of instructional delivery, and new means of engaging students and supporting their success. Faculty influence their peers through the facilitation of professional development sessions and the sharing of proven practices. Also as educators, faculty promote research, scholarship, and creative activity among the student body,

19

____________________________________________________________________ particularly the graduate student body. Joint faculty-student research endeavors, such as joint consulting and research partnerships in the field, co-authored papers, and collaborative presentations of scholarship, are vital components of the graduate culture at Westcliff. As professionals in their fields of practice, faculty serve as subject matter experts to evaluate and enhance the learning outcomes and ensure they align with the needs of industry. These scholar-practitioners also apply their industry expertise to create simulated work environments for students in order to provide them with an authentic and practical learning experience. To provide students with the highest quality of teaching and learning, faculty continuously build their own subject matter expertise within their areas of specialization and use their academic knowledge to contribute solutions to the problems facing their industries. This may include working as consultants, facilitating training, presenting at professional conferences, and contributing to industry publications. Faculty who engage in scholarly research have opportunities within Westcliff to publish and present their work in our sponsored forums - the annual Westcliff International Symposium: Business and Education Research (SyBER) and the annual Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR). For SyBER, faculty scholarship includes the presentation of original work or work that has been co-authored with students and fulfilling the role of judge for proposals and presentations. For WIJAR, faculty engage in scholarship by submitting personal research or work that has been co-authored with students and by reviewing submissions as a subject matter expert. Full-time faculty members at Westcliff University are expected to engage in regular research and scholarship as part of the expectations of their roles. Part-time faculty members at Westcliff University are encouraged to do so in the same ways that are expected of full-time faculty. Evidence of engagement in scholarly activities are requirements for faculty to apply for rank promotion. Professional development resources are available to faculty upon request and review of an application. The University maintains a dedicated budget for professional development of both full-time and part-time faculty. Selection and distribution of resources is determined by a committee who assess the proposal’s value to both the faculty member and the University. Faculty who receive professional development are expected to disseminate the knowledge gained to the relevant departments within the University. 2.3 Faculty Rank Westcliff University is a proud member of the global academic collective that contributes to the advancement of knowledge for today’s world and for future generations to come. The principal functions of Westcliff University to achieve its mission are to preserve, increase and transmit knowledge so as to maximize the potential success of its students. The chief instrument for

20

____________________________________________________________________ performing these functions is the University’s faculty. It is the intent of Westcliff to enlist and retain distinguished faculty members with outstanding qualifications, including the innate ability to teach, so as to enable it to achieve its mission. Westcliff faculty are therein provided with an initial rank and the opportunity for rank promotion as a means of recognition both by the University and by society-at-large for their accomplishments as contributors to academia. The following describes the various titles and ranks which may be assigned to faculty members, or those who teach at Westcliff University. Instructor The rank of instructor is primarily attributed to new part-time faculty at the university who start their role with less than 2 year of teaching experience. The minimum qualifications to be appointed to the rank of instructor include: ➢ A master’s degree or higher in the appropriate discipline ➢ 15+ semester units in graduate coursework in subjects related to courses approved to teach ➢ Evidence of recent scholarship activity contributing to the faculty member’s field of study

(preferred) ➢ Previous teaching experience at a college or university (preferred)

Instructors are eligible to serve on special projects as needed and may be eligible to serve as faculty mentors after two years of service. Assistant Professor The rank of assistant professor is earned or awarded to those faculty who have demonstrated achievement in teaching, training, and scholarship prior to and during their assuming the role of Westcliff faculty. Assistant professorship may be applied for by an Instructor who has satisfied the criteria listed below. In some cases, new faculty may be awarded assistant professorship based on their previous experience with teaching and scholarship as well as a commitment to complete the required faculty training in a timely fashion. The minimum qualifications to earn or be appointed to the rank of assistant professor include: ➢ A master’s degree or higher in the appropriate discipline ➢ 15+ semester units in graduate coursework in subjects related to courses approved to teach ➢ Two years previous teaching experience at a college or university ➢ Evidence of recent scholarship activity contributing to the faculty member’s field of study ➢ Completion of all required Faculty Training ➢ Advancement score of 80% or higher (for those advancing from Instructor rank)

21

____________________________________________________________________ Assistant professors are eligible to serve on special projects and on the Faculty Senate. They may serve as faculty mentors and group leaders, and they are eligible for core or full-time faculty status. Associate Professor The rank of associate professor is earned or awarded to those faculty who have demonstrated advanced achievement in teaching, training, and scholarship during their time as a member of the Westcliff faculty. Associate professorship may be applied for by an assistant professor who has satisfied the criteria listed below. The minimum qualifications to earn or be appointed to the rank of associate professor include: ➢ A master’s degree or higher in the appropriate discipline ➢ 15+ semester units in graduate coursework in subjects related to courses approved to teach ➢ Five years previous teaching experience at a college or university including two years at

Westcliff University ➢ Evidence of at least one recent scholarship activity contributing to the faculty member’s field

of study for each year since earning previous rank ➢ Completion of all required Faculty Training ➢ Advancement score of 85% or higher

Associate professors are eligible to serve on special projects and on the Faculty Senate. They may serve as faculty mentors and group leaders, and they are eligible for core or full-time faculty status. Professor The rank of professor is earned or awarded to those full-time faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary and prolonged achievement in teaching, training, and scholarship during their time as a member of the Westcliff faculty. Professorship may be applied for by an associate professor who has satisfied the criteria listed below. The minimum qualifications to earn or be appointed to the rank of professor include: ➢ A terminal degree (typically a doctorate) in the appropriate discipline ➢ 15+ semester units in graduate coursework in subjects related to courses approved to teach ➢ Eight years previous teaching experience at a college or university including six years at

Westcliff University ➢ Evidence of at least two scholarship activities contributing to the faculty member’s field of

study for each year since earning previous rank ➢ Completion of all required Faculty Training ➢ Advancement score of 90% or higher

Professors are eligible to serve on special projects and on the Faculty Senate. They may serve as faculty mentors and group leaders. A professor must be full-time at the time of appointment of this

22

____________________________________________________________________ rank; in the event that the faculty member converts from full-time to part-time or core status, the faculty member retains the status of professor. Description of Additional Titles Additional roles and ranks may be made use of in the event that a faculty member does not fit the criteria above. These additional titles include: Guest Lecturers Instructors and/or professors may invite guest speakers or lecturers to speak to University groups or classes. The instructors/professors should provide advance notice to Program Chairs about such speakers/lecturers. Professor Emeritus/Professor Emerita An associate professor or a professor with more than 10 years experience with the University who no longer teaches may apply for emeritus status. This application is to be considered by the Board of Trustees upon recommendation from the President, college deans, or Faculty Senate. President, Administrators and Deans with Faculty Rank Faculty rank may be also assigned to those who serve as the University President, administrator, or dean. Distinguished Professor This rank is awarded to faculty members with superior academic achievement after the time in which they have been approved for the rank of professor. This achievement may include outstanding and continued scholarly work or applied research, excellence in teaching, and major contributions in diverse areas, such as: University administration, curriculum development, program development, faculty governance, and representation of Westcliff in professional and/or community affairs. Faculty Promotion The purpose of promotion in faculty positions at Westcliff University is considered a means by which the University can recognize faculty member’s significant contributions to the University and its students. Promotion is based upon meritorious achievement beyond what is recognized as the competency which is expected of all faculty members in all ranks. Satisfactory compliance with the responsibilities of faculty as noted above does not serve as the qualification of a faculty member for a promotion of rank. Rather, meritorious performance in

23

____________________________________________________________________ teaching, training, and scholarship activity serves as the basis for promotion in one’s faculty position at Westcliff University. Faculty members are responsible for applying for their own promotion. They may do so after the required years of service for the next rank have been met. However, the minimum periods as identified herein are not mandatory, and therefore, do not preclude the accelerated advancement of a faculty member demonstrating evidence of unusual achievement and exceptional promise of continued growth. Advanced training may be considered in determining the period of service. Advancement in qualified academic ranks may be extended beyond the customary period of service, as noted above, and should be based on the demonstrated ability to carry out the responsibilities at a level of proficiency appropriate for the referenced rank. Academic appointments by the University of all types are subject to full review and approval as indicated in these guidelines. Special promises or agreements cannot be made outside of this structure and processes which are formally accepted by the University (through the Board of Trustees) and the faculty (through the Faculty Senate). Advancement Score Criteria for Promotion of Faculty Rank The following are the criteria accounted for in determining the faculty member’s advancement score. The advancement score is one of several factors considered when determining approval for a faculty member’s application to advance in rank. Contributions to student success which go beyond the aforementioned Faculty Responsibilities, such as: ➢ Mentoring students outside of the classroom ➢ Substantive and unusual scholarly interaction with students ➢ Supplementing expected instruction with additional resources (i.e. guest speakers, videos,

digital learning tools) ➢ Results of peer evaluations, classroom observations, and student surveys

Outstanding accomplishments in scholarship activity, such as: ➢ Published research in University, peer reviewed, or trade journal ➢ Joint presentations with a fellow faculty member or student ➢ Presentations at professional/trade conferences

Significant service contributions to the University, such as: ➢ Active standing committee membership and participation in Faculty Senate meetings ➢ Regular involvement in University initiatives

24

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ Regular attendance at University events, such as convocation and commencement

A quantitative assessment of the above criteria serves as the basis for determining the faculty member’s advancement score. Faculty members are required to submit evidence for review by the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate to determine their advancement score. Scoring for each item varies between exemplary and minimal with an associated percentage at each level, and the average of the percentages is what constitutes the faculty member’s advancement score. 2.4 Evaluation of Faculty The philosophy for faculty evaluation at Westcliff University encourages academic growth and excellence. It includes regular assessment of teaching or student services performance, college service, follow through on all duties and responsibilities listed in the letter of appointment, and professional development. Faculty evaluation at Westcliff stresses flexibility and adaptation to individual needs. The purpose of evaluation is: ➢ To recognize outstanding performance ➢ To improve satisfactory performance and further professional growth ➢ To identify and document unsatisfactory performance, and assist

individuals in achieving required improvement. Performance Evaluations In most instances, faculty receive informal evaluations of performance as needed. A formal written performance evaluation is conducted each year for each faculty member. During the review, a supervisor or mentor discusses observed strengths, opportunities to improve, and means of capitalizing on those opportunities. The written performance evaluation is signed and dated by the faculty member, and the faculty member may provide a written response. The evaluation (and any response provided) are maintained in the faculty members’ personnel file. Each faculty member, in order to be evaluated properly, is to regularly update their professional development activities (see Professional Development Record). Academic and Peer Observations A critical component to any performance evaluation (formal or informal) is the direct observation of the faculty member’s performance.Faculty members may be observed by members of academic leadership (Academic Observation) or by their peers (Peer Observation). The purpose of the Academic Observation is to monitor any concerns needing attention that have either: ➢ Already been identified in previous evaluations; ➢ Have come about through student responses to course surveys or other means of student

25

____________________________________________________________________ feedback; or

➢ Have previously been brought to the attention of the faculty member being evaluated. The Academic Observation is also to determine periodically how effective faculty are in their instructional efforts and identify resources that individual faculty may need in order to continue to grow and develop professionally, as well as meet University expectations. The Academic Observation is conducted by a Program Chair, Dean, Faculty Director, or LITE Center Staff and is conducted annually. The focus for Peer Observations is on instructional practices that promote effective classroom management, maintaining high expectations, and engaging lessons. Peer Observations are highly encouraged as a part of being committed to a culture of lifelong learning., and may be requested by a faculty member or recommended by a faculty supervisor. For Peer Observations, faculty members are paired with another faculty member for a single observation. During the observation, one hour of the class is observed and a form is completed. It is recommended that faculty do one observation for every three sessions taught. The observation form will be shared with the Dean, Program Chair, and observed faculty member. Peer Observations are eligible for inclusion as a professional development item on the PD form. See Professional Development Record

Evaluation Criteria Evaluation of each faculty member includes the following: ➢ Demonstration of the faculty to understand and implement the essence of the unique

characteristics of Westcliff University, in regard to its Vision, Mission and Values ➢ Demonstration of the faculty to the enhancement of University’s Mission ➢ The performance of faculty in improving their teaching performance (which is of paramount

importance), professional achievements, and assisting the University in its governance., and serving the needs of their local community

2.5 Resources for Faculty The items below are meant to serve as resources for faculty in areas in which questions are common. For an extensive list of answers to other common questions raised by faculty members, please consult this document. Should your question not be found here, please contact your Program Chair.

26

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WJXMD9V3_aSrqUXpmbnsmXFVg9mbdlGhSvdPA8ChCYg/edit?ts=5e4eecb8

____________________________________________________________________ Professional Development Funding Westcliff University recognizes the value of professional development in order to assure quality development for all faculty and continued excellence for all students. Professional development opportunities consist of specialized training, continued education, and advanced professional learning intended to help faculty improve their professional skills and competence. Examples of professional development include conferences, webinars, and workshops, and research grants. A comprehensive list of professional development activities can be accessed by contacting the Professional Development Coordinator directly. To apply for funds, a faculty member must submit a Professional Development Funding Request Form. More information regarding potential funding and the process of review can be found here. Publication in WIJAR Any faculty member who publishes an article in the Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research (WIJAR) will receive a stipend post-publication. For submission guidelines, faculty can refer to the WIJAR website.

27

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7BOvWKg6HThKA4Bs7gbkwPHYXZEi6gWv8p2UtE-Cz7LpjKQ/viewform?c=0&w=1

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7BOvWKg6HThKA4Bs7gbkwPHYXZEi6gWv8p2UtE-Cz7LpjKQ/viewform?c=0&w=1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15fisekKD0f0ePHD5jAOKIogWHUq-qpbr/view?usp=sharing

https://wijar.westcliff.edu/

____________________________________________________________________

Section 3 | Academic Policies and Procedures 3.1 Attendance Policy Westcliff University requires fifteen (15) hours of instruction per one (1) unit taken. Students may be dropped from a course due to lack of participation. Instruction is defined as academic engagement between the faculty member and students. This engagement may be synchronous or asynchronous, and it consists of the following: the faculty member reinforcing information covered in the classroom resources or sharing new information relevant to the course outcomes; discussion or group activity involving faculty and students reviewing learned information for the purposes of students gaining a better understanding; and the student presentation of learned information to include the delivery of feedback and critique by faculty and other students (not to take the place of faculty evaluation and feedback as part of grading the assignment). Students may be allowed to perform make-up work. Notices of absences that have not been received or approved by Academic Administration are considered unexcused absences. Cutting of classes will be considered unexcused absences. Students are expected to attend all class meetings as these class meetings are considered essential to their educational experience. In the event of an absence from a class meeting, the student has the responsibility to reach out to the faculty member to notify the faculty member of the reason for the absence. Absences lead to lost credit for any activity conducted during class time, and multiple absences may result in reduction of the student’s final grade.

A student is considered to be tardy to class if he or she arrives more than 10 minutes after a class meeting starts, and an early departure is any instance in which a student leaves the class before it is dismissed. Three tardy marks and/or early departures is equivalent to one absence, and this absence is factored into the attendance policy with a potential impact on the student’s final grade. Tracking Attendance Each professor is responsible to input class attendance into a system and with protocols established by University Administration.. Students Missing Classes Online students will be given the option to either attend the VCS live or to watch the recording of any missed sessions and to submit a summary responding to the course content covered while absent.

28

____________________________________________________________________ Early Dismissal of Classes Accreditation mandates that class sessions not end early in order for students to meet academic rigor. Disciplinary action will be taken if questions arise regarding early dismissal. Class Breaks For every one hour of instruction, a class may break for ten minutes. For example, one hour of class credit equals fifty minutes of instruction and ten minutes for a break. Breaks should not exceed ten minutes, and they are given at the discretion of the instructor.

3.2 Grading Policy Grades are based on completed assignments (exs. Professional Assignments (PAs), Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs), discussion questions (DQs), class participation, quizzes, exams, and presentations). Although a faculty has discretion to allow assignment redos or accept late work (up to 3 days), the present policy does not permit changing of grades for particular students on the basis of class participation or other particularized grounds. All grades should be submitted by the professor using the course gradebook in GAP. After all grades have been submitted and are considered final, faculty members must notify the Registrar. All grades are numerical and are carried out to the tenth degree. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is the minimum necessary to avoid probation or dismissal. It is the equivalent of a “C” under the letter grade system. A 4.0 is outstanding and is comparable to an “A” under the letter grade system. A 0.6 and below is a failure. All letter percentage grades are converted to a letter grade. Letter grades are then converted to grade points. Mandatory grading guidelines must be adopted by all faculty. Course grade averages must comply with the guidelines. See the course syllabus for the grading scale. Once recorded, grades should not be changed unless there has been a clerical error or a student proves the grade given was a result of bias or error. Deadlines for Grades Final grades for a course must be submitted within five (5) days of the end of that course. Change of Assignment Deadline No assignment deadlines are to be changed.

29

____________________________________________________________________ Change of Grade Process Within one year of the awarding of the grade, final grades may be changed by the instructor on a change-of-grade form, only if there has been an error in computation. The grade change must be approved by the Program Chair and College Dean. For all other changes in grades, not caused by the instructor’s error in calculation, please refer to the Grade Appeal Policy. Late Work Late assignments receive a 10% deduction for each day they are late past the due date. Assignments more than 3 days late will not be accepted. Only when extenuating circumstances exist that prohibits the timely submission of assignments beyond this timeframe, will any variance from this policy be permitted. Any extenuating circumstance must be properly documented and/or verified by the faculty or University. This late assignment policy is to the discretion of the faculty member, but may require approval by the Program Chair and/or the Dean. Students who neglect to submit their Class Participation responses (either answers to discussion questions or responses to classmates/faculty) by the stated weekly deadlines will be deducted up to 15% of the online participation points possible for that week. Discussion Boards close on Sunday of each week at 11:59 pm PST at which time students are no longer able to post responses and receive no credit for missed posts. Unless an ‘Incomplete’ grade has been granted, assignments submitted after the last day of class will not be accepted. An Incomplete grade, or “I”, is a temporary grade which may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion. The instructor may assign an Incomplete grade when the coursework is of passing quality but is incomplete as a result of illness, hospitalization, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student which prevents completion of the course requirements by the end of the corresponding academic session or term. More information can be found in the student catalog on the Westcliff University website. 3.3 Academic Integrity Policy The University does not tolerate any form of academic misconduct, such as cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and/or multiple submissions. Any student found to be committing academic misconduct will be subject to disciplinary action. Cheating Cheating, includes but is not limited to, the use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise; the alteration of any answers on a graded document before submitting it

30

____________________________________________________________________ for re-grading; or the failure to observe the expressed procedures or instructions of an academic exercise (i.e., examination instructions regarding alternate seating or conversation during an exam). Fabrication Fabrication includes, but is not limited to, falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise, including fabrication or falsification of research.

Fabrication of Research - making up data or results and recording or reporting them. Falsification of Research - manipulating research materials, equipment or processes, or changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not accurately represented in the research record.

Plagiarism Plagiarism is the deliberate use of written work, or copying of written work of any length without giving full credit to the original author for their contribution with a proper citation. This includes work that has been published in books, in journals and magazines, and on the Internet. as well as, work that has not yet been published. Considered highly unethical, plagiarism is a direct violation of University policy, and is an infringement of U.S. copyright law. It is important to understand that plagiarism is a breach of academic integrity – a principle of intellectual honesty that all members of the academic community should acknowledge their debt to the originators of the ideas, words, and data which form the basis for their own work. Passing off another’s work as one’s own is not only poor scholarship but also means that the individual has failed to complete the learning process. Deliberate plagiarism is unethical and can have serious consequences for the student’s future career; it also undermines the standards of the institution and of the degrees it issues. Students at Westcliff University are not only expected to refrain from presenting the works of others as their own, they must also take precaution not to share their works with others so that it may be falsely presented as original work from a different author. Students should not share their individual works with their peers or classmates and must limit sharing their contributions to group assignments with members of the group only. Students should never upload their works to known plagiarism sites (exs. CourseHero, UK Essays) that allow others to access them. Any student found knowingly participating in such activities may be subject to disciplinary action by the University.

31

____________________________________________________________________ Procedure to Address Violations When a faculty member has reason to suspect plagiarism or other violations to the academic honesty policy, the faculty member reviews the reasoning and determines if the potential violation appears to be the result of the student’s lack of understanding as to how to properly summarize and/or give credit to sources or if the student has attempted to cheat or present the work of others as his or her own, the latter of which being a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. When determined to be a lack of understanding, the faculty member uses the opportunity to review the University’s Academic Integrity Policy with the student, educate the student on expectations and the correct processes for academic writing, and refer him/her to the Academic Resource Center for further coaching. A student may redo and resubmit this assignment for a single letter grade reduction. When determining that a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the faculty member notifies the student of the violation, shares with him or her any evidence to support the violation (such as a TurnItIn report), provides referrals to the University Writing Center and the Academic Resource Center, and awards zero credit for the assignment. The faculty member submits a completed Academic Integrity Violation Form along with the supporting evidence (typically a TurnItIn report) for University review. Academic Integrity Violations are reviewed by the Dean of the student’s college or a qualified designee (such as a Program Chair) to determine if the faculty member’s conclusion that the student violated the Academic Integrity Policy is supported by the evidence provided. If the evidence supports a violation, the student, faculty member, and the University Registrar are notified by the Dean (or designee) that the violation was appropriately reported and is being entered into the student record (or file). If the evidence does not support a violation, the Dean (or designee) consults further with faculty to determine a reasonable step forward. Assignments that are confirmed as violations of the Academic Integrity Policy are awarded zero points. The student may redo the assignment in question with a single letter grade reduction once the student completes a tutoring session with the Academic Resource Center and shares evidence of the session with the faculty member. Faculty should consult with the Dean or Program Chair before accepting redone work to determine if the student has had multiple academic integrity violations which would make them ineligible for a redone assignment. Multiple Violations A student who commits multiple violations of the Academic Integrity Policy is subject to more severe consequences. Upon receiving an Academic Integrity Violation Form, the Dean (or designee)

32

____________________________________________________________________ reviews the student’s records to determine if the student has previously violated the Academic Integrity Policy. Appropriate actions are taken as indicated below: Repeat Violation A student found in violation of the Academic Integrity Policy after a first violation may receive either a zero on the assignment in question or the grade of F in the class as decided by the Dean (or designee). The determining factor is the severity of the current and previous violations. Final Warning Once a student has received the penalty of the grade of F in a class as a result of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the student is provided a Final Warning by the Dean and informed that the next violation of this policy may result in a recommendation for termination. Recommendation for Termination A student who has violated the Academic Integrity Policy on multiple occasions, received a final warning, and violates the policy again may be subject to a recommendation for Academic Termination by the Dean of the college. This recommendation is presented with evidence from each violation, the communication provided to the student, and the record of referrals to support services, such as the University Writing Center. The University Student Conduct Board reviews the recommendation to determine if established policies and processes were followed and the student was provided ample opportunities to address the issues. The Board makes the ultimate determination to dismiss the student. Process for Student Appeals Students may appeal findings against them related to a violation of the academic integrity policy. The student appeal policy and process are in the Student Code of Conduct and the Student Handbook.. 3.4 Room and Space Use Faculty may reserve rooms for use for a variety of purposes. Additional space may be requested for classroom activities. Additionally, faculty may request space to bring speakers and programs of their choice to the Westcliff campuses on a space available basis. Such speakers shall have the same access to the University facilities as their sponsor. This policy is not applicable to situations within the context of normal classroom instruction and discussion. Rooms may be reserved at the front desk. 3.5 Zoom Use Faculty should sign up for a free Zoom account using their WU email address. In order to log into

33

____________________________________________________________________ classes, the account needs to be registered with the University. Zoom training is provided by the University, and proficiency in the use of Zoom is an expectation of all faculty at Westcliff. When conducting courses on Zoom, faculty are expected to adhere to the following: ➢ Consider VCS appearances as live video productions. ➢ In all instances the webcam should be on during class. ➢ The professor’s head and shoulders should be centered on the camera. ➢ The camera should be horizontal with the eyes/nose of the professor. ➢ The use of headphones can help avoid sound looping. ➢ Appropriate attire should be worn at all times (business casual). ➢ Have good lighting for high quality images. ➢ No source of light (ex. windows) should be behind the professor or in view of the camera. ➢ All cell telephones in the room should be turned off. ➢ Do not move back and forth in the chair, as such movements are disconcerting to viewers. ➢ No family members should walk behind the professor or talk to the professor while class is

being conducted. ➢ While waiting for students at the beginning of the class, avoid dead air by chatting, or

broadcasting non-offensive music. ➢ In no instance should the professor merely read only the material printed on PPTs slides.

The students can do this independently and simply reading from the slides adds little value. Tell stories from your experience or develop interactive conversations about issues related to the material written in the PPT slides.

➢ Students should have their video on during class. 3.6 University Supplies & Equipment Please erase all boards at the end of your class. You can get dry-erase markers from the front desk. Please return at the end of class. Appropriate technology is available for instructional use. Please allow yourself enough time to set up the technology ahead of the class time. You can ask the technology department to help set up.

34

____________________________________________________________________

Section 4 | Ethical Responsibilities of Faculty Due to the unique environment of an institution of higher learning and the sensitive nature of relationships in and related to teaching and learning, faculty are expected to observe the distinct relevance of their roles and their relationships with students in adherence with all Westcliff University policies (including those covered in the Employee Handbook) as well as applicable local, state, and federal laws. 4.1 Statement of Academic Integrity Westcliff University is a self-governing institution that sets high expectations of ethical behavior for its administration, faculty, staff and students. In every facet of academia (learning, teaching, and research), the University remains dedicated to upholding the values of respect, honesty, and fairness, all of which are fundamental to the accomplishment of the University’s mission. Westcliff University is dedicated to: (1) preparing its students to consistently conduct themselves with integrity in both their professional and personal lives, (2) supporting the dissemination of knowledge and equitable access to information to benefit our global community, (3) encouraging faculty and students to ethically engage in research and scholastic activities that add value to the wider academic community, (4) reinforcing the values of honesty, responsibility, dedication and fairness with students through modeling ethical behavior and moral standards. The University, collectively, is committed to providing an inclusive learning environment where academic integrity is upheld, reinforced, and valued. To achieve this aim, members affiliated with the University are to model academic integrity in the curation, expression and dissemination of knowledge and information. Faculty are to accurately represent the University and what it stands for, and aid the student body in discovering their voice and role within the University as well as within society. Students are expected to engage in the learning process ethically and honestly and avoid any instances of plagiarism, cheating, or unethical conduct. Practice of Academic Integrity The values of academic integrity are ideals for forming a wider community of scholastic integrity. Westcliff University believes in putting these ideals into action through the following practices: Respect Westcliff University believes in creating a scholastic learning environment where all individuals are respected, and in that, value the diversity of opinions and ideas. The University is dedicated to perpetuating the growth of knowledge through the incorporation of active learning, collaboration,

35

____________________________________________________________________ and spirited discourse. This necessitates the need for a safe space where all members feel they have a voice and are considered. Mutual respect should be the basis of interaction between any member of the University. Students show respect to themselves by embracing the opportunity to learn from various perspectives, practicing civil discourse in speech and in word, and in creating a climate of respect where freedom of expression is possible. Faculty show respect by valuing contributions of students, modeling proper and ethical behavior, providing a stimulating educational environment, and speaking in a way that communicates attentiveness and openness. All members of the University show respect for the field of academia by the acknowledgment of intellectual contributions through proper citation and avoidance of plagiarism. Dedication to Core Values Dedication to the core values of Westcliff University first requires clear communication of the University’s mission, vision and values. All members of the University should explicitly understand, embrace and model these standards. The University shall consistently reflect upon its adherence to these standards and remain open to dialogue and discussion regarding these practices. The mission of the University will be communicated to the local and global community. Responsibility and Professionalism Personal responsibility is foundational to creating a higher learning environment of integrity. Every member of the University must be accountable for their actions and behavior and in protecting the value of honesty and fairness in academia. Members of Westcliff University are to perpetually maintain professionalism and adherence to proper conduct to fulfill their commitments to the roles in which they hold. Students are responsible for taking ownership of their education, embracing the opportunities they are provided, and being accountable to themselves and the University in remaining in alignment with the University’s code of conduct. Faculty are responsible for providing students with a quality education, upholding academic standards, maintaining professionalism in all interactions, and creating a learning environment where all students are able to succeed. Honesty and Trust The foundation of honesty creates a basis of trust. Trust is essential for the open communication and authentic dialogue needed to sustain an environment of inclusion and freedom of expression. Faculty can develop trust through consistent adherence to academic standards, reliability of feedback and communication, and genuine interaction. Students can develop the trust of faculty by submitting original work, remaining in consistent communication, and choosing honesty especially when it requires courage. Trust is essential to encourage the academic community to collaborate with one

36

____________________________________________________________________ another, freely share ideas, and express themselves without fear of retaliation, copying or not receiving credit for one’s work. 4.2 Notice of Non-Discrimination Westcliff University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, national origin, national ancestry, sex, pregnancy, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, military service or veteran status, physical ability, or genetic information in employment, admission, treatment, or access to its programs or activities. 4.3 Conflicts of Interest It is Westcliff University policy that its personnel, while serving on behalf of the institution, conduct themselves in concert with the highest standards of ethics, law and morals. Conflicts of interest are to be avoided, or at the least, disclosed to University Administration. Additionally, University personnel may not use their positions to seek or receive personal monetary gain or benefit for themselves or others. When personnel have the opportunity to influence University operations or decision-making in ways that may result in personal monetary gain or benefits for themselves or others, there is potential for conflict. When any type of situation arises or may arise in which personnel have a potential or actual conflict of interest, it must be immediately reported to University Administration. Upon receipt of such information, University Administration shall determine a fair and appropriate way to mitigate the conflict and safeguard the University so it is not harmed or compromised in any way. Should University Administration determine that there is no feasible way to avoid a conflict given reported information within current circumstances, the staff member in question may be disallowed participation in any activity related to the actual or potential conflict. The University must protect itself from conflicts of interest and personnel must report actual or potential conflicts of interest. When reporting an actual or potential conflict of interest, University personnel shall do so by describing details of the disclosure and sending the communication through an official communication channel of the University such as email. Planned disclosures should be conducted at least annually. Upon discovering an undisclosed conflict of interest, University Administration shall conduct an investigation by allowing the related member(s) of personnel to explain the situation. Such explanations should be communicated through an official communication channel of the University.

37

____________________________________________________________________ University Administration shall then make a decision and communicate the decision to the related personnel, prior to acting upon its decision. Conflicts of interest may arise in various forms. Examples of potential conflicts of interest, not intended to be exclusive, follow. All stated examples require immediate disclosure: ➢ Business services ➢ Consultations ➢ Counseling ➢ Food services ➢ Computer hardware/software or related ➢ IT services ➢ Legal services ➢ Document preparation ➢ Marketing ➢ Mail or shipping services ➢ Temp services ➢ Office equipment or supplies ➢ Construction or maintenance services

Other types of potential conflict could arise when University personnel hold a management position in another organization, when the other organization offers services similar to those of the University. Further activities that follow are prohibited: ➢ Using University property or resources of any type (owned or leased), facilities, equipment or

other resources in any manner for the personal gain of the employee or others. ➢ Using University property or resources of any type (owned or leased), in any manner that

supports a not-for-profit entity, unless special permission is provided by the University Administration.

➢ Using University stationery or letterhead (in any form) in connection with outside activities other than activities having a legitimate relationship to the performance of University business.

➢ Using the facilities or a personnel position at the University for the purpose of advocating, endorsing or marketing the sale of products or services other than as part of an employee’s responsibilities, without prior approval.

➢ Using the University’s name, trademark or intellectual property for the personal gain of the employee or others.

➢ Using any University data or information for the personal gain of the employee or others.

38

____________________________________________________________________ ➢ Using any University personnel for outside activity during normal work time for which he or

she is receiving remuneration from the University. ➢ Participating in the selection or awarding of a contract between the University and other

entities in which an employee is seeking employment or has or may be offered employment. ➢ Other activities may be prohibited by University Administration if they conclude that there is

no reasonable or fair way to manage associated conflict of interest. 4.4 Faculty Personnel Record Policy There are two files maintained for each faculty member by the University: The Faculty Placement File and the Faculty Personnel File. Separation of files ensures that the personnel file information is kept confidential. These files are maintained by the Director of Human Resources. 4.5 Whistleblower Policy A “whistleblower” is an employee who discloses information to a government or law enforcement agency when the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of a state or federal statute; a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation or with reference to employee safety or health; and/or unsafe working conditions or work practices in the employee’s place of employment. The University will not make, adopt, or enforce any rule, regulation or policy preventing an employee from being a whistleblower. The University will not retaliate against an employee for refusing to participate in an activity that would result in a violation of a state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation. The University will not retaliate against an employee for having exercised his or her rights as a whistleblower in any former employment. The University will not retaliate against an employee who is a whistleblower. Under California Labor Code Section 98.6, if an employer retaliates against a whistleblower, the employer may be required to reinstate the employee’s employment and work benefits, pay lost wages, and take other steps necessary to comply with the law. The University informs all employees of their rights as a whistleblower and their right to call the California State Attorney General’s Whistleblower Hotline at 1-800-952-5225. 4.6 Confidentiality Policy No faculty member shall disclose or discuss with any non-employee or unauthorized person any confidential matter regarding the University procedures and operations, any of its activities or any information obtained by virtue or employment with the University, the disclosures of which might in any way be detrimental to the interests of the University.

39

____________________________________________________________________ 4.7 Copyright Policy All copying of materials for classroom use or for research must conform to appropriate guidelines concerning copyright. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty member to see that no infringement occurs. 4.8 Intellectual Property All materials (such as PPTs) created by a faculty member for any course becomes the sole intellectual property of the University.

4.9 University Statements Academic Freedom Academic freedom is imperative for the welfare of a University. It functions to protect Westcliff University from unwarranted interference by external groups and to ensure the retention of the services of those whose contributions toward its goals make them an essential element of the faculty. In doing so, academic freedom promotes the autonomy and integrity of a University and making its development as an intellectual learning community an outcome of primary focus. Academic freedom is an unqualified right of each member of the faculty. It carries the obligation to respect and maintain the academic freedom of every other member of the University community. Academic freedom is the ability to teach inside and outside the classroom, to perform research and to publish (in various manners) the results of such inquiries, and to address any matter of institutional policy or action, whether or not as a member of institutional governance. Furthermore, members of the faculty should have freedom to address their larger community with regard to matters of social, political, economic, or other interests, without institutional discipline, save in response to fundamental violations of professional ethics, statements that suggest disciplinary incompetence, intolerance of other groups--including racism, violations, or injustices of professional obligations. Diversity Westcliff University promotes, celebrates, and seeks diversity in all staff, faculty, students, visitors, programs, formation of policy, and decision-making. Doing so comprises our deep commitment to the equitable treatment of all and the elimination of discrimination in the world around us; every member of the human family has the potential to make a contribution for the benefit of all. We make it a focus to encourage and promote such contributions.

40

____________________________________________________________________ The environment of a university is enhanced by diversity and inclusion and may only thrive with it. We seek practices that are inclusive to all as Westcliff University promotes the acceptance and appreciation of all individuals regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, ability, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or country of origin. Westcliff University will be a model institution that engenders a human community celebrating each of its members. The more inclusive we are, the stronger we grow. Free Speech Westcliff University encourages and supports the respectful and free expression of ideas, viewpoints, and opinions in public or private forums, recognizing rights of expression, affiliation, and peaceful assembly so long as they do not disrupt University functions, nor infringe upon the rights of others. The University has an obligation to protect the rights and freedoms of those who choose to participate in free speech or peaceful assembly and protect the rights and freedoms of those who do not wish to do so. Additionally, the University has an obligation to protect its property and to assure continuation of the activities of students, faculty, staff, and visitors on its campuses, both physical and virtual. Free speech may be legitimately regulated with regard to time, place and manner. Disruptions are not allowed if they cause any of the following which may include but are not limited to: interfering with, impairing, or impeding teaching, research, or administration of programs. Interfering with, impeding, or blocking the flow of any type of traffic (automobiles, accessibility devices, bicycles, or pedestrians, etc.) on any streets, paths, buildings, grounds, or parking areas. Expressions of free speech may not interfere with any entrance or exit to any building on or related to a campus. They may not violate any federal, state, or local laws, regulations, fire codes, or any other type of violation. They may not interfere with any events nor in any way disrupt the peaceful operation of the University in, on, or around any campus. They may not destroy, remove, or prevent access to any type of property. Expressions of free speech must comply at all times with the orders or directives of University officials and any law enforcement officers, or any other type of official seeking to maintain peace. They may not frighten, coerce, or intimidate any individuals whether related to the University or not. The University is committed to the elimination of all forms of bigotry whether on or off campus, either related to or not related to the University.

41

____________________________________________________________________ The University will consider each alleged violation on a case-by-case basis and examine all relevant facts. The University encourages all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to responsibly exercise their rights of free speech. Intellectual Diversity At the crosswords of diversity and free speech, intellectual diversity blends elements of each to promote and welcome the pluralistic and free exchange of ideas. Intellectual diversity is an authentic form of diversity whose canvas is an element of free speech that fosters curiosity, diverse thinking, constructivism, and openness. Westcliff University is committed to maintaining a welcoming environment where intellectual expressions, including research, are respected and ensured. The University expects all, in their expression of intellectual diversity, to state their viewpoints professionally, constructively, and collegially. All protective parameters found in the statements of diversity and free speech similarly apply to intellectual diversity.

42

____________________________________________________________________

Appendices Glossary of Westcliff-Specific Terminology

The definitions and descriptions in this glossary reflect the vocabulary of our University. The terms are derived from Westcliff University’s policies and related support documents and/or literature. Please be aware that these terms may be used differently by other organizations.

To propose an addition to this glossary, contact the Provost.

43

https://ir.westcliff.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Faculty-Handbook-Glossary.pdf

____________________________________________________________________

Handbook Acknowledgment Form The University provides all faculty members with a copy of the Westcliff University Faculty Handbook. This handbook works as a guide to policies, procedures, and general information to assist during employment with the University. I understand that I should consult my direct supervisor regarding any questions not answered or covered in this handbook. I have entered into my employment relationship with the Westcliff University voluntarily and acknowledge that there is no specified length of employment. Accordingly, either the University or I can terminate the relationship at will, with or without cause, at any time, so long as there is no violation of applicable federal or state laws. As the information and policies described here are subject to change, I acknowledge that revisions to the handbook may occur, except to the University’s policy of employment-at-will. All such changes will be communicated through official notices, and I understand that revised information may supersede, modify, or eliminate existing policies. Only the President of the University has the ability to adopt any revisions to the policies in this handbook. I acknowledge that this handbook is neither a contract of employment nor a legal document. I acknowledge that my responsibility to Westcliff University is to comply with the policies contained in this handbook and any revisions made to it. Any information within is the property of Westcliff University. Faculty Name: ____________________ Faculty Signature______________________

Date: __________________________________

44

Appendix 6.01

Toronto Market Research

Market ResearchDegree Programs in Ontario, Canada

Irvine, CaliforniaMay 2021

Amended October 2021

1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

I. Purpose of the Study 3

II. Executive Summary 3

III. Market Study 4A. Population and demographic trends 4

1. Population trends 42. Diversity: race/ethnicity and age range 53. International Students Trends 6

B. Economic Growth 81. GDP and economic growth rates 82. Employment trends 93. Unemployment rate 104. Wage trends 115. Cost of living 11

C. Program Demand 12D. Job market demand 14

1. STEM fields 142. Business administration and management 163. Education 18

E. Program Comparison 191. Pricing Comparison Analysis between Ontario Institutions and Westcliff University’sPrograms 192. Westcliff University’s Competitive Advantages 22

Practical Curriculum 22Affordable Tuition 22Flexible Schedule 22High Student Satisfaction Rates 23

F. Enrollment Projections 231. Target Market 232. Enrollment Projection 24

IV. Conclusion 24

2

I. Purpose of the StudyThe purpose of this study is to compile sufficient information to determine the academic

feasibility of offering business, education and STEM programs in Ontario, Canada.

II. Executive Summary● Ontario’s population is projected to grow by 35.8% in 2020-2046. Net migration and

non-permanent residents including international students drive the province’s populationgrowth (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 2021).

● Canada is ranked as the third highest destination in the world for international studentswith 642,000 students in 2019, an increase of 13% from previous year (Immigration,Refugees and Citizenship Canada). The share of first-time study permit holders takingMasters programs doubled from 5% in 2000 to 10% in 2019 (Crossman et al., 2021).Ontario comprises the highest number of enrolled international students among allprovinces, accounting for 48% of Canada’s international student population (Governmentof Canada, 2021).

● Ontario’s real GDP and unemployment rates are expected to rebound and surpass thepre-pandemic rates in early 2022. The real GDP in Ontario is expected to grow by 4% in2021, 4.3% in 2022, 2.5% in 2023 and 2.0% in 2024 (Government of Ontario, 2021).

● Between 1999-2019, the service sectors, especially in health care and social assistance(3.1%), professional and scientific and technical (2.2%) and education (0.9%) saw thehighest percentage points increase whereas the manufacturing had the largest decreasebased on percentages at 8.2% (Figure 6) (Government of Ontario, 2021). Due to thisshift, the aging workforce (Hodnett, 2021), workplace automation (Birnbaum & Farrow,2018) and the rising digital and green economy (Hodnett, 2021), employers demand fortechnology-driven, analytical and problem solving candidates.

● Ontario is “home to the second largest IT cluster in North America.” The industryproduces $CAD 43.3 billion in GDP with nearly 24,000 companies and more than320,000 workers.

● Leading tech occupations in Ontario include Software Developers (+8.1% YoY),Information Systems Analysts and Consultants (+9.5% YoY) and IT User SupportTechnicians (+7.3% YoY) (Comptia, 2020).

● Unemployment rates are expected to decrease from 8.2 to 6.3 in from 2021 to 2024(Government of Ontario, 2021).

● Regarding hourly wages, business, finance and administration occupations saw anincrease to managerial positions from 2016 to 2020 with an increase of 14% from$CAD26.21 to $CAD 29.96 (Statistics Canada, 2021).

● The cost of living in Ontario is 1.17 times more expensive than the average in Canada(Livingcost.org, n.d.).

3

● The number of students who pursue a Masters degree has increased significantly fromapproximately 21,000 enrollments in 2007-08 to 29,000 enrollments in 2017-18. Of thestudents who pursue a Masters degree, students who choose mathematics, physical andapplied sciences, and engineering fields of study rose more significantly from 2011(Figure 11) (Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, n.d.).

● The talent pool in Canada is still considered insufficient in the information andcommunications technology sector (Information and Communications TechnologyCouncil, 2016). In the area of applying new technologies to traditional businesses,Canada is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers who have both technical andbusiness skills (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016).

● Occupations for graduates in technology programs have a growth rate from 7% to 12% inOntario. Most of the occupations for business administration graduates have growth ratesabove 10% in Ontario. Some manager positions have a growth rate of 13% (OntarioMinistry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, n.d.).

● The lack of teachers in Ontario has reduced the unemployment rates for newly graduates.In Ontario, the unemployment rate among first-year graduates in the education field isonly 6% in 2020 in comparison to 16% in 2016. Growth rates for teacher positions areestimated to be 7% to 8% (Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development,n.d.).

● The average university tuition in Canada is seeing an upward trend. Tuition cost forinternational undergraduate students climbed up significantly from 2010 to 2020 (HigherEducation Quality Council of Ontario, n.d.). Tuition cost for international graduatestudents has increased but not as steep as the costs for undergraduate students.

III. Market StudyA. Population and demographic trends1. Population trendsAccording to the population projections by the Ontario Ministry of Finance (OMF),

Ontario’s population is projected to grow by 35.8% in 2020-2046 from 14.7 million to 20 millionpeople. Increased immigration and a rapidly growing population of non-permanent residentsincluding international students and positive interprovincial migration drive the province’spopulation growth (Figure 1) (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 2020). Natural increase of populationonly accounts for 14% of population growth while the remaining 86% of growth is due to netmigration (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 2021).

4

Figure 1: Natural increase and net migration in Ontario 1971 to 2046

The reports conducted by the OMF highlights the growing senior population (65 yearsand older) of 2.6 million in 2020 to 4.5 million in 2046, with an significant growth in 2020-2031.That is when the entire Baby Boomer generation enters retirement. The senior population growthwill slow down after 2031. While many senior citizens consider continuing their work duringtheir retirement years, research suggests that the mass retirement in 2031 will create a greatnumber of business ownership handovers and vacant senior management positions (Colson,2019).

Although each of the six regions in the Ontario province will see an increase in humanpopulation, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will see the highest projected increase of 40.9%from 7.1 million in 2020 to 10.0 million by 2046 (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 2021). In general,the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the population growth as the annual growth rate decreases to0.6% in 2020-2021 then jumps to 2.1% in 2021-22.

2. Diversity: race/ethnicity and age rangeSouth Asians make up the highest number of minorities in Ontario with over 1.15 million

residents in the province (Statistics Canada, 2019). Other large populations of visible minoritiesin Ontario include Chinese, Black, Filipino and Latin American with 754,550, 627,715, 311,675and 195,950 residents, respectively. When it comes to age distribution in Ontario, 66.8% ofOntario’s residents are between the ages of 15 to 64. Population between the ages of 20 and 40accounted for 25% of the total population (Government of Canada, 2019). The immigrant

5

population of Ontario is relatively younger than the resident population. The median age ofimmigrants was 29 years old in 2018-2019 (Figure 2) (Ontario Ministry of Finance, 2020). Thislevel of diversity is consistent with Westcliff’s current model and target student demographic.

Figure 2: Age distribution of immigrants to Ontario in 2018-19

3. International Students TrendsAccording to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) data, Canada is

ranked third in the world as the highest destination for international students with 642,000foreign students in 2019. The number increased by 13% in 2019 from the previous year with404,000 foreign students having their permits taken into effect in the same year. Number offirst-time study permit holders increased steadily from 2000 to 2019 (Figure 1). The share offirst-time study permit holders who take the bachelor’s programs peaked in the late 2000s, thenfell back to the levels of the early 2000s in 2019 (Figure 2). On the other hand, the share offirst-time study permit holders taking Masters programs doubled from 5% in 2000 to 10% in2019. The proportion of international students pursuing doctoral degrees has been steady(Crossman et al., 2021).

6

Figure 1: Trends in number of first-time study permit holders

Figure 2: Education level composition of first-time study permit holders, 2000, 2010 and 2019

Among the provinces in Canada, Ontario makes up the highest number of enrolledinternational students with almost 307,000, 48% of Canada’s international student population.Among the first-time study permit holders arriving in Canada from June 2015 to August 2021,

7

those who choose Ontario as their study destination account for an average of 47% total studypermit holders (Figure 5) (Government of Canada, 2021). The five largest represented countriesin Canada are India, China, South Korea, France and Vietnam (El-Assal, 2020).

Figure 5: Proportion of first time study permit holders by province/territory

B. Economic Growth1. GDP and economic growth ratesOntario is the largest economy in Canada with a GDP of $CAD710 billion in 2020.

Compare that to Quebec and Alberta, the second and third largest economies, with a GDP of$CAD357 billion and $CAD307 billion, respectively, Ontario’s GDP is greater than Quebec’sand Alberta’s GDP combined (Statistics Canada, 2021). The service sector in Ontario makes upthe largest slice of the province’s economy. The service sector employs 79% of Ontario andmakes up almost 77% of the economy. Major parts of the services sector in Ontario includebusiness and financial services, professional and scientific technical services. Ontario is locatedin a region in Canada that has an abundance of natural resources; therefore, other importanteconomic sectors include manufacturing, agriculture, forestry and mining (Government ofOntario, 2021).

Although Ontario’s economy saw a negative growth in 2020 due to the COVID-19pandemic, Ontario’s government projects a healthier economy in the next few years. As theeconomy recovers from the pandemic, the real GDP and unemployment rates are expected torebound and surpass the pre-pandemic rates in early 2022. The real GDP in Ontario is expected

8

to grow by 4% in 2021, 4.3% in 2020, 2.5% in 2023 and 2.0% in 2024 (Government of Ontario,2021).

2. Employment trendsBetween 1999-2019, the Ontario economy experienced a shift in the industry sectors. The

service sectors, especially in health care and social assistance (3.1%), professional and scientificand technical (2.2%) and education (0.9%) saw the highest percentage points increase whereasthe manufacturing had the largest decrease based on percentages at 8.2% (Figure 6) (Governmentof Ontario, 2021). According to the latest labor force survey, employment in Ontario increasedfor the fourth consecutive month with more than 74,000 jobs in September 2021 (StatisticsCanada, 2021).

Due to the economic shift, the aging workforce (Hodnett, 2021), workplace automation(Birnbaum & Farrow, 2018) and the rising digital and green economy (Hodnett, 2021), Canada’slabor force is changing. Technology and hybrid jobs that require analytical and problem solvingskill sets are in demand. Some evidence suggests that there are many unfilled positions in themarket because employers could not find candidates with the right qualifications.

Figure 6: Shifting structure of Ontario’s economy

9

Ontario is “home to the second largest IT cluster in North America” with majorinvestments in R&D operations from Amazon, IBM, Google, Cisco and Shopify (Invest Ontario,n.d.). The industry produces $CAD 43.3 billion in GDP with nearly 24,000 companies and morethan 320,000 workers. Ontario accounts for almost half of all IT workers in Canada (InvestOntario, n.d.). Net tech employment in Ontario follows a consistently upward trend from 2013 to2019 (Figure 7) (Comptia, 2020). Leading tech occupations include Software Developers (+8.1%YoY), Information Systems Analysts and Consultants (+9.5% YoY) and IT User SupportTechnicians (+7.3% YoY) (Comptia, 2020).

Figure 7: Net tech employment in Ontario, 2013-2019

In the 2021 Scoring Tech Talent report, Toronto and Waterloo are among the top fivemost concentrated tech markets with 9.4% and 10.2% of their total employment, respectively.Toronto was named the biggest “brain gain” market with more than 54,862 new jobs created overthe past five years. The city came in third in the “large tech talent markets” ranking with a 42.8%increase in tech jobs from 2015 to 2020 (CBRE, 2021). Besides Toronto, Waterloo and Ottawaare two promising cities for technology (Invest Ontario, 2021). Ottawa claimed four spots fromthe previous year’s ranking to be the third in the small tech talent market ranking in 2020 with69% increase in talent pipeline (CBRE, 2021). Waterloo has experienced 47% growth in techemployment since 2015 (CBRE, 2021). In addition, Waterloo is known for its relatively lowcosts to start new businesses. Its millennial-aged population is the fastest growing populationamong the “small tech talent markets” which allow rooms for expansion in the near future.

3. Unemployment rateThe unemployment rate increased from 5.6 to 9.6 from 2019 to 2020 with the COVID-19

pandemic playing a major role in the increase of unemployment among Ontarians. As the rate of

10

coronavirus-related infections, hospitalization and death has decreased, Ontario is projected tosee a decline in unemployment rates. The OMF forecasts a steady decrease of 8.2 to 6.3 inunemployment rates from 2021 to 2024 (Government of Ontario, 2021). Ontario’sunemployment rate fell to 7.3% in September 2021, which is the fourth consecutive month ofdecrease (Statistics Canada, 2021).

4. Wage trendsManagement occupations that include senior-level, middle-level and specialized

management positions in Ontario have seen a steady increase of hourly wages in the past severalyears. In 2016, the average hourly wage for management positions was $CAD44.15 and thatnumber increased to $CAD49.04 in 2020, a jump of 11% in those five years. Observing justsenior management occupations in the same period, the hourly wage increased by 21% from$CAD52.76 to $CAD63.88. Business, finance and administration occupations saw a similarincrease to managerial positions from 2016 to 2020 with an increase of 14% from $CAD26.21 to$CAD29.96 (Statistics Canada, 2021).

5. Cost of livingThe cost of living in Ontario is 1.17 times more expensive than the average in Canada

(Livingcost.org, n.d.). This can be partially attributed to the highest housing costs in Canada. Onthe other hand, the other household costs such as food, electricity, and communication servicesare around the Canadian average (WOWA, n.d.).

Figure 8: Cost of living across Canada

11

C. Program DemandOntario has a vast number of colleges and universities located in the province with 20

public universities and 24 colleges of applied arts and technology. An estimated 64% of Ontarioresidents between the ages of 25 and 64 have completed their post secondary schooling(Government of Ontario, 2021). The number of students who pursue a Masters degree hasincreased significantly from approximately 21,000 enrollments in 2007-08 to 29,000 enrollmentsin 2017-18 (Figure 9). Healthcare and technology enrollments continue to increase, businessenrollments stay consistent and applied arts enrollment has seen a decrease (Figure 10). Amongthe students who pursue a Masters degree, students who choose mathematics, physical andapplied sciences, engineering fields of study rose more significantly from 2011 (Figure 11)(Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, n.d.).

The number of students who have completed a Masters increase in most study subjects,but social sciences and related fields including commerce have the highest number of masterdegree completion. With the general trend that Baby Boomers will retire in 2030, there are anumber of management positions that will be vacant. Students would be more likely to pursuepost-baccalaureate degrees that offer management skills.

Figure 9: Master’s Degree Enrolment in Ontario Universities

12

Figure 10: Enrolment in Ontario Colleges by Program Area

Figure 11: Master’s Degrees Granted by Field of Study

13

D. Job market demand1. STEM fieldsAdvanced technologies and their application in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing,

financial and government services has led to strong demand for highly skilled talents withbusiness and analytical skills. High demand sectors in the Canadian digital economy includeapps and services, cloud, mobile applications and data analytics. Emerging areas includeadvanced manufacturing and robotics, cybersecurity, intelligent retail, video gaming andentertainment, connected transportation & smart cities, FinTech, CleanTech and eHealth(Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016, 2020). This demand results in a“direct hiring requirement of more than 182,000” information and communications technology(ICT) workers in Canada by 2019. The Information and Communications Technology Councilprojected that employment in the ICT sector will have recovered from the pandemic shock in2022 (Information and Communications Technology Council, 2020).

The talent pool in Canada is still considered insufficient in the ICT sector even thoughthe country has produced more graduates in this sector (Information and CommunicationsTechnology Council, 2016). In the area of applying new technologies to traditional businesses,Canada is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers who have both technical and business skills(Information and Communications Technology Council, 2016). Based on a 2018 study, Ontariowas expected to reach 670,000 technology jobs with one out of six jobs unfilled (Gupta, 2018).

In a more recent report from Information and Communications Technology Council(2020), the number of young employees (aged 15 to 24 years old) in the ICT sector grewconsistently but the share of them is slightly lower than it was in 2010. The share of workersfrom 55 to 64 years old increased from 11% to 13% from 2010 to 2020 Information andCommunications Technology Council (2020). This reaffirms that Canada needs to encouragemore young people to pursue STEM degrees and equip them with managerial skills to preparethem for the future when the current older workers retire. Not only tech employment in the ICTsector requires technology skills but also the “not-as-high-tech” workers do. In addition, thedemands for hybrid jobs (merging both business and technology skills) might not be fullycaptured since the category “hybrid” is poorly defined (Shortt et al., 2020). Due to high demand,the information and communications technology sector experienced a significant lowerunemployment rate than the national average. Employees in this sector have salaries on average48% higher than than other sectors (Information and Communications Technology Council,2016).

Starting from 2019, the Ontario government has conducted initial steps to address thetalent gaps, including: increasing the number of STEM graduates and graduating additionalMaster students in applied artificial intelligence. With the high demand from the job market,Westcliff University intends to offer its MSIT and MBA program in Ontario in the first year,followed by other STEM and business programs in a five years plan.

14

Graduates from the STEM programs can work in the occupations listed below. Most ofthem have a growth rate above 10% while a few have growth rates between 7% and 9%.

● Information systems analysts and consultants● Computer programmers and interactive media developers● Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)● Computer network technicians● Software engineers and designers● Computer and information systems managers● Professional occupations in business management consulting● Web designers and developers

Employment outlook for graduates from STEM programs such as Computer andinformation systems managers, Information systems analysts and consultants and otheroccupations in Ontario is promising over the next three years. Employment growth andretirements will lead to a moderate number of open positions for Computer and informationsystems managers. The number of unemployed workers with recent experience in theseoccupations is small (Job Bank Canada, 2021).

The annual income of these occupations are expected to be above $CAD 80,000 (exceptfor web designers and developers) in Ontario. The growth rate is promising from 7% to 12%with computer and information systems managers and software engineers and designers beingthe top two occupations (Figure 12) (Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and SkillsDevelopment, n.d.). According to Job Bank Canada (2021), graduates with a Master’s degree ininformation technology could earn an average of $CAD 78,910. Among those who graduate witha MSIT degree, 89% got employed. From the National Graduates Survey in 2013, 83% ofgraduates indicated that they would choose this field again. Twenty-eight percent of thosesurveyed indicated that they would continue further studies in the field of informationtechnology (Job Bank Canada, 2021).

15

Figure 12: Annual income, growth rate and total openings by occupation

2. Business administration and management

There are 801,940 active businesses in Canada in January 2020. It is estimated that 260companies are founded everyday. Small and medium enterprises provide approximately 50% ofthe country’s employment (Kepka, 2020). According to a report from Techcrunch (2021),startups in Canada have doubled their venture investment amount in July 2021 in comparison totheir 2020 totals (Wilhelm & Heim, 2021). Toronto-Waterloo is one of the fastest growinginnovation clusters in the world. Startups in this area have excelled in raising investment funds,boosting the economy and creating jobs even under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic(Startup Genome, n.d.).

In addition to the booming startup market, existing businesses in Canada experienceincreasing demand for managers positions such as human resource managers, insurance, realestate and financial brokerage managers, Advertising, marketing and public relations managers,and managers in health care due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (Job Bank Canada,2020). With Baby Boomers retiring in 2030, the younger generation will need to equipthemselves with managerial skills and knowledge to fill out the vacant positions. For example,

16

senior managers in financial, communications and other business services or corporate salesmanagers have an estimated growth rate of 14% (Figure 13) (Ontario Ministry of Labour,Training and Skills Development, n.d.). Additional demand for consulting services is high sincebusinesses are looking for professional advice during the unexpected situation. The Canadaconsulting market grew above 4% each year in 2018 and 2019 (Richards, 2020). The growth isexpected to continue through 2023 (Small Business Accelerator Program, 2019).

Graduates from the business administration programs can work in the occupations suchas managers, directors, consultants and other occupations that are related to business operationslisted below. Most of the occupations have growth rates above 10% in Ontario (Ontario Ministryof Labour, Training and Skills Development, n.d.).

● Professional occupations in business management consulting● Banking, credit and other investment managers● Financial and investment analysts● Business development officers and marketing researchers and consultants● Financial auditors and accountants● Advertising, marketing and public relations managers● Financial managers● Corporate sales managers

Figure 13: Annual income, growth rate and total openings by occupations business

17

3. EducationThe COVID-19 pandemic worsened the teacher shortage issues in Canada (Reid &

Cranston, 2021). With a small number of future teachers on track to start their careers, teachershortage remains a challenge to Ontario school boards in the next several years (McIntyre &Malczak, 2020). The lack of teacher supply has reduced the unemployment rates for newlygraduates. In Ontario, the unemployment rate among first-year graduates in the education field isonly 6% in 2020 in comparison to 16% in 2016. Only one out of ten English language newlygraduates indicated unemployment in 2020 instead of one out of five in 2016.

Canadian Digital Learning Research Association revealed that online learning inpost-secondary education in Canada grows steadily at approximately 10% a year. Blendedlearning - a combination of some online and some face-to-face learning - has become a normalsetting in teaching and learning around the world. Synchronous online learning is a keycomponent of the teaching and learning landscape thanks to the development of Zoom and othervideo conferencing systems. The trends in online learning require teachers to obtain knowledgeand additional skill sets (Teach Online Canada, 2021).

Graduates from the education programs can work in the occupations listed below. Theteachers , principals and administrators and education policy researchers have a growth from 4%to 8% in Ontario (Figure 14) (Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development,n.d.).

● Elementary school and kindergarten teachers● Secondary school teachers● School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education● Educational counsellors● College and other vocational instructors● Education policy researchers, consultants and program officers● University professors and lecturers● Administrators - post-secondary education and vocational training● Post-secondary teaching and research assistants

18

Figure 14: Annual income, growth rate and total openings by occupations in education

E. Program Comparison1. Pricing Comparison Analysis between Ontario Institutions and Westcliff University’s

Programs

According to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (n.d.), the averageuniversity tuition in Canada has increased exponentially. Tuition cost for internationalundergraduate students climbed up significantly from 2010 to 2020 (Figure 15). Tuition cost forinternational graduate students increased but not as steep as the undergraduate costs.

19

Figure 15: Average University Tuition Fees for Domestic and International Students

Westcliff University conducted a comparative analysis including 53 institutions andcolleges that offer programs in Ontario either on campus or online. Among them, there are:

● 30 public university, 4 private university and 15 public college of applied arts andtechnology (CAAT)

● Three (3) US institutions that are approved in Ontario: Northeastern Univ, CentralMichigan Univ and Adler Graduate Professional School

Among the undergraduate degrees, the cost for the BSCS program and BBA (or similarprograms) program are very high for international students. There are only a few privateuniversities that offer undergraduate programs or graduate programs in STEM and business. Inaddition, there is no institution that offers the DBA program. Up to 75% of Westcliff University

20

target enrollment are international students and it is the university’s plan to maintain reasonabletuition for international students.

Cost per credit by Bachelor Program # Programs

Total programcost Canada

resident ($CAD)

Total program cost forInternational students

($CAD)

Overall

BSCS 9 $34,325.76 $120,688.24

Bachelor in Commerce 11 $31,617.80 $110,735.65

BBA/BS in Management 23 $34,006.25 $106,795.64

BSIT 7 $32,420.49 $104,904.81

Bachelor of Education 13 $28,034.26 $90,427.09

Bachelor of Nursing 3 $32,315.39 $81,940.00

Bachelor of Engineering 4 $30,153.76 $75,683.00

Other STEM Bachelor Degree: BIDA, AI 6 $24,537.74 $65,303.26

Private

Westcliff University $81,613.00 $87,549.00

BBA/BS in Management 1 $54,000.00 $67,500.00

Bachelor of Education 1 $64,200.00 $64,200.00

Figure 15: Average tuition by undergraduate programs in Ontario

Cost per credit by Master Program # Programs

Cost per creditfor Canada

resident ($CAD)

Cost per credit forInternational students

($CAD)

Overall

MBA 20 $36,898.60 $63,903.39

MS Engineering 3 $14,233.19 $47,809.82

MSCS 15 $16,027.46 $42,970.09

MSIT 2 $14,040.74 $41,967.17

MEd 8 $16,065.14 $40,667.62

Other STEM Master: Info Mgmt, BIDA 7 $32,657.79 $37,650.00

MS Nursing 1 $17,523.00 -

Private

Westcliff University $31,161.00 $32,274.00

21

MBA 1 $48,000.00 $48,000.00

MSCS 1 $48,100.00 $62,612.00

Other STEM Master: Info Mgmt, BIDA 4 $41,146.00 $45,270.00

Figure 16: Average tuition by graduate programs in Ontario

2. Westcliff University’s Competitive Advantagesa. Practical Curriculum

Based on information presented above, it is noted that occupations in the technology fieldare in demand in Ontario. Management, analysis, and communication skills are usually requiredfor these occupations. Also, workers with strong knowledge about business administration andtechnology are preferable (Job Bank, 2020). According to a recent report from Burning Glass,jobs and careers have evolved to require greater adaptability and a broader skill set due toautomation and advanced technology. Computer science workers or data scientists are nowrequired to have soft skills, such as communication and managerial skills. On the other hand,non-technology jobs, such as marketing, public relations, or sales managers are required to haveboth creative thinking and analytical thinking. Today’s managers are expected to understand,analyze data, and make fact-based decisions (Sigelman et al, 2019).

Westcliff University designs its business, technology and education programs with apractical approach that students who graduate from the programs would obtain necessarymanagerial and technical skills and are ready for the job market. The university emphasizespractical experience and innovation in its coursework. The university's faculty are scholarlypractitioners with an average of 20 years of experience in the field they teach. WestcliffUniversity has strategically designed its STEM program to incorporate many of the businessskills required to be successful. In addition, the University starts offering the Web Developmentconcentration for its program in January 2021.

b. Affordable TuitionComparing Ontario colleges and universities, Westcliff University offers one of the most

affordable tuitions to its students. As mentioned above, Westcliff is more competitive in offeringreasonable tuition costs to international students in Canada. Considering the increasing influx ofinternational students to Canada, Westcliff’s affordable tuition would meet their needs.

c. Flexible ScheduleWestcliff University follows a year-round calendar that enrolls new students in six

sessions (January, March, May, July, August, and October) every year. This year-round calendarallows students to start the program at the beginning of any session rather than waiting for thefall semester. In 2020, over 31% of the University’s total student population were engaged in an

22

internship. Westcliff University's goal is to ensure that Canadian students can gain practicalexperience during their study. The flexible schedule is suitable for students who are looking forwork while studying.

d. High Student Satisfaction RatesSince its establishment, Westcliff University has maintained a high student satisfaction

rate above 90%. At the end of every course, students are asked to answer three questions toindicate their satisfaction with the course. The STEM programs received a high satisfaction rateof 94% in Spring and Summer 2020.

F. Enrollment Projections

1. Target MarketThe following are projections of the targeted sources of potential students in the proposed

MSIT program. These figures are based on a review of the demographics of the local market,Westcliff’s current student body, and international regions in which Westcliff works witheducational consultants for referrals to the university.

Projected Sources of Students25 – 35% Domestic Residents

Among them:10 - 20% Recent graduates of post-secondary higher education

programs35 - 50% Working adults entering the IT industry for the

compensation benefits40 - 50% Previous immigrants now permanent residents in

Ontario

65 – 75% International and ImmigrantsAmong them:70 - 80% of Immigrants who live in Ontario from Asia and

North America20 - 30% of International students coming to Ontario

for educationEthnicity/Location of immigrants and international students15 - 25% United States25 - 30% China15 - 20% India5 - 10% Vietnam5 - 15% Philippines

23

2. Enrollment ProjectionBased on insights from the analysis above, Westcliff University projects the enrollment

for five years as below:

Figure 17: Enrollment Projections in over Five Years

IV. ConclusionWestcliff University’s STEM, business and education undergraduate and graduate

programs can offer Ontario, Canada and its steady growing population especially amonginternational students practical training and education to meet the growing demand in thebusiness, technology and education sectors. Ontario has the highest GDP and population inCanada and it has a reputation as the epicenter of technology and innovation in the country. Thegrowing number of businesses especially in the technology sectors will certainly increase thedemand for qualified STEM and managerial professionals.

By opening a new campus in Ontario, Westcliff University will have the opportunity tohelp meet those demands. Furthermore, compared to other colleges and universities in the region,Westcliff University has a comparative advantage of offering lower tuition rates than it’spotential competitors. Moreover, Westcliff University has a flexible schedule and high studentsatisfaction rates. Westcliff University will launch the STEM programs first since it’s the highestpotential market in the region then the business programs will come after. Although educationprograms will most certainly come after the aforementioned two programs, the educationprogram will be available to help meet the region’s demand for more qualified teachers andeducation professionals. Ontario provides a great opportunity for Westcliff University to open anew campus and succeed based on Ontario’s economic and technological foundations andWestcliff’s advantages over the other institutions.

24

References

Birnbaum, L. & Farrow, J. (March 2018). The Impact of Technological Change on Ontario’sWorkforce. Brookfield Institute.https://brookfieldinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/RPT-RobotTalks-Summary.pdf

Colson, E. (2019, December 18). The Baby Boom Shift: The Impact of An Aging Workforce, theProjected Big Business Transfers and the Millennial Changeover. Devry Smith FrankLLP Lawyers & Mediatorshttps://devrylaw.ca/the-baby-boom-shift-the-impact-of-an-aging-workforce-the-projected-big-business-transfers-and-the-millennial-changeover/?utm_source=Mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=LinkedIn-integration

CompTIA. (2020). Cyberprovinces 2020: The definitive province-by-province analysis of theCanada tech industry and tech workforce. The Computing Technology IndustryAssociation (CompTIA).

Crossman, E., Choi, Y., & Hou, F. (2021, July 28). International students as a source of laboursupply: The growing number of international students and their changingsociodemographic characteristics. Statistics Canada.https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2021007/article/00005-eng.htm.

El-Assal, K. (2020, February 20). CIC News.https://www.cicnews.com/2020/02/642000-international-students-canada-now-ranks-3rd-globally-in-foreign-student-attraction-0213763.html#gs.5d5z03

Government of Ontario. (2021, June 8). About Ontario. Ontario.ca.https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-ontario#section-5

Government of Ontario. (2021, March 24). 2021 Ontario Budget. Ontario.ca.https://budget.ontario.ca/2021/chapter-2.html

Government of Canada. (2021, August 31). Temporary Residents: Study Permit Holders –Monthly IRCC Updates.https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/90115b00-f9b8-49e8-afa3-b4cff8facaee

Gupta, A. (2018, April 28). Talent Development for the Tech Sector – Transition Briefing.https://on360.ca/30-30/talent-development-for-the-tech-sector-transition-briefing/

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. (n.d.). Quick Stats. Section 2: Enrollment.https://heqco.ca/data-and-resources/quick-stats/

25

https://brookfieldinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/RPT-RobotTalks-Summary.pdf

https://devrylaw.ca/the-baby-boom-shift-the-impact-of-an-aging-workforce-the-projected-big-business-transfers-and-the-millennial-changeover/?utm_source=Mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=LinkedIn-integration



https://www.ontario.ca/page/about-ontario#section-5

https://budget.ontario.ca/2021/chapter-2.html

https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/90115b00-f9b8-49e8-afa3-b4cff8facaee

https://on360.ca/30-30/talent-development-for-the-tech-sector-transition-briefing/

https://heqco.ca/data-and-resources/quick-stats/

Hodnett, S. (2021 February 20). How to solve the skills gap in Canada. Toronto Star.https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-canada.html

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2016). Digital talent: road to 2020 andbeyond. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2020). 2020 - Annual Review.https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2020). The Digital-led new normal:revised labour market outlook for 2022. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Invest Ontario. (n.d.). Information Technology. Ontario Canada.https://www.investontario.ca/information-technology#map-title-ICT

Invest Ontario. (2021, August 3). Three Ontario markets drive tech talent acceleration acrossNorth America. Ontario Canada.

https://www.investontario.ca/spotlights/three-ontario-markets-drive-tech-talent-acceleration-across-north-america

Job Bank Canada. (2020, November 16). Outlooks for COVID-19 Impacted Occupations inOntario.https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/job-market-reports/ontario/prospects-report

Job Bank Canada. (2021, October 5). Career Planning: Master’s Degree Information Technology.Government of Canada. https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/studentdashboard/11.0103/LOS07

Kepka, A. (2020, August 26). Business Startup Statistics Canada (2021 Update). Fundsquire.https://fundsquire.ca/startup-statistics-canada/

Livingcost.org. (n.d.). Cost of Living in Ontario, Canada. https://livingcost.org/cost/canada/on

McIntyre, F. & Malczak, E. (2020). Teacher Shortages Mean More Jobs for New Graduates.Professionally Speaking.https://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/2021-03/2021-03-Feature-Story-2-PS.asp

Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. (n.d.). Ontario’s labor market: jobprofiles. https://www.services.labour.gov.on.ca/labourmarket/search.xhtml?lang=en

Ontario Ministry of Finance. Government of Ontario. (2020). Ontario's Long-term report on theEconomy. Ontario Ministry of Finance. https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/ltr/.

26

https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-canada.html

https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-canada.html

https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/


https://www.investontario.ca/information-technology#map-title-ICT



https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/job-market-reports/ontario/prospects-report

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/studentdashboard/11.0103/LOS07

https://livingcost.org/cost/canada/on

https://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/2021-03/2021-03-Feature-Story-2-PS.asp

https://www.services.labour.gov.on.ca/labourmarket/search.xhtml?lang=en

https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/ltr/

Ontario Ministry of Finance. (2021, June 9). Ontario population projections. Ontario.ca.https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-population-projections.

Reid, N. & Cranston, J. (2021, March 15). Provinces should act fast to avert a teacher shortagenow and after COVID-19. The Conversation.https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-and-after-covid-19-154930

Richards, B. J. (June 2020). The Canada consulting market in 2020. Market trends programme.Source Global Research.https://reports.sourceglobalresearch.com/report/download/6936/extract/The-Canada-Consulting-Market-in-2020

Sigelman, M., Bittle, S., Markow, W. & Francis, B. (2019). The Hybrid Job Economy. How NewSkills Are Rewriting the DNA of the Job Market. Burning Glass Technologies.

Small Business Accelerator Program. (2019, Jul 16). Industry Overview: ManagementConsulting in Canada. The University of British Columbia.https://sba.ubc.ca/blog/industry-overview-management-consulting-canada

Startup Genome. (n.d.). Toronto-Waterloo Highlights.https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/toronto-waterloo

Statistics Canada. (2021, January 27). Employee wages by occupation, annual.https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034001&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1

.7&pickMembers%5B1%5D=2.2&pickMembers%5B2%5D=3.1&pickMembers%5B3%5D=5.1&pickMembers%5B4%5D=6.1&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2016&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20160101%2C20200101

Statistics Canada. (2021, May 03). Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by industry,provinces and territories (x 1,000,000).

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3610040201

Statistics Canada. (2019, August 9). Census Profile, 2016 Census - Ontario [Province] andCanada [Country].https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E

Statistics Canada. (2021, October 8). Labour Force Survey, September 2021.https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211008/dq211008a-eng.htm

27

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-population-projections

https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-and-after-covid-19-154930

https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-and-after-covid-19-154930

https://reports.sourceglobalresearch.com/report/download/6936/extract/The-Canada-Consulting-Market-in-2020


https://sba.ubc.ca/blog/industry-overview-management-consulting-canada

https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/toronto-waterloo

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034001&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1.7&pickMembers%5B1%5D=2.2&pickMembers%5B2%5D=3.1&pickMembers%5B3%5D=5.1&pickMembers%5B4%5D=6.1&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2016&cubeTimeFrame.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20160101%2C20200101





https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211008/dq211008a-eng.htm

Shortt, D., Robson, B., & Sabat, M. (January 2020). Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: AlternativePathways. https://technationcanada.ca/

Teach Online Canada. (2021, August 3). A Look Back to Better Understand the Future – TenOnline Learning Trends and Patterns Before COVID – Five Small Items to Clarify.https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning-trends-and-patterns-covid-five-small-items

Wilheim, A. & Heim, A. (2021, July 22). Canada’s startup market booms alongside hot globalVC investment. Techcrunch.https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global-vc-investment/

WOWA. (n.d.). Cost of living across Canada. WOWA.ca. https://wowa.ca/cost-of-living-canada

28

https://technationcanada.ca/

https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning-trends-and-patterns-covid-five-small-items

https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning-trends-and-patterns-covid-five-small-items

https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global-vc-investment/

https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global-vc-investment/

https://wowa.ca/cost-of-living-canada

Appendix 7.01

WSCUC Standards at a Glance

2013 WSCUC Standards at a Glance – Effective July 2013

2013 STANDARDS AT A GLANCE

Note: Standards at a Glance is a much abbreviated, “quick view” version of the Standards and Criteria for Review contained in the 2013 Handbook of Accreditation Revised. It does not address all points under each CFR or include important guidelines or policies. Teams should use the full Standards, CFRs, guidelines, and policies as they conduct reviews and site visits and prepare reports.

Standard 1: Defining Institutional Purposes and Ensuring Educational Objectives

Institutional Purposes 1.1 Formally approved, appropriate statements of purpose that define values and character 1.2 Clear educational objectives; indicators of student achievement at institution, program and

course levels; retention/graduation data and evidence of student learning made public

Integrity and Transparency 1.3 Academic freedom: policies and practices 1.4 Diversity: policies, programs, and practices 1.5 Education as primary purpose; autonomy from external entities 1.6 Truthful representation to students/public; fair and equitable policies; timely completion 1.7 Operational integrity; sound business practices; timely and fair responses to complaints;

evaluation of institutional performance 1.8 Honest, open communication with WSCUC including notification of material matters;

implementation of WSCUC policies

Standard 2: Achieving Educational Objectives Through Core Functions

Teaching and Learning 2.1 Programs appropriate in content, standards, degree level; sufficient qualified faculty 2.2 Clearly defined degrees re: admission requirements and levels of achievement for graduation;

processes to ensure meaning, quality and integrity of degrees 2.2a – Undergraduate degree requirements, including general education and core competencies 2.2b – Graduate degree requirements clearly stated and appropriate

2.3 Student learning outcomes (SLOs) and expectations for student learning at all levels; reflected in curricula, programs, policies, advising

2.4 Faculty’s collective responsibility for setting SLOs and standards, assessing student learning, demonstrating achievement of standards

2.5 Students actively involved in learning and challenged; feedback on learning provided 2.6 Graduates achieve stated levels of attainment; SLOs embedded in faculty standards for

assessing student work 2.7 Program review includes SLOs, retention/graduation data, external evidence and evaluators

Scholarship and Creative Activity 2.8 Scholarship, creative activity, and curricular and instructional innovation for both students and

faculty valued and supported 2.9 Faculty evaluation links scholarship, teaching, student learning, and service

2013 WSCUC Standards at a Glance – Effective July 2013

Student Learning and Success 2.10 Institution identifies and supports needs of students; tracks aggregated and disaggregated

student achievement, satisfaction and campus climate; demonstrates students' timely progress 2.11 Co-curricular programs aligned with academic goals and regularly assessed 2.12 Institution provides useful and complete program information and advising 2.13 Appropriate student support services planned, implemented, and evaluated 2.14 Appropriate information to, and treatment of, transfer students (if applicable)

Standard 3: Developing and Applying Resources and Organizational Structures to Ensure Quality and Sustainability

Faculty and Staff 3.1 Sufficient, qualified, and diverse faculty and staff to support programs and operations 3.2 Faculty and staff policies, practices and evaluation well developed and applied 3.3 Faculty and staff development planned, implemented, and evaluated

Fiscal, Physical, and Information Resources 3.4 Financial stability, clean audits, sufficient resources; realistic plans for any deficits; integrated

budgeting; enrollment management; diversified revenue sources 3.5 Facilities, services, information and technology resources sufficient and aligned with objectives

Organizational Structures and Decision-Making Processes 3.6 Leadership operates with integrity, high performance, responsibility, and accountability 3.7 Clear, consistent decision-making structures and processes; priority to sustain institutional

capacity and educational effectiveness 3.8 Full-time CEO and full-time CFO; sufficient qualified administrators 3.9 Independent governing board with appropriate oversight, including hiring and evaluating CEO 3.10 Effective academic leadership by faculty

Standard 4: Creating an Organization Committed to Quality Assurance, Institutional Learning, and Improvement

Quality Assurance Processes 4.1 Quality-assurance processes in place to collect, analyze, and interpret data; track results over

time; use comparative data; and make improvements 4.2 Sufficient institutional research (IR) capacity; data disseminated and incorporated in planning

and decision-making; IR effectiveness assessed

Institutional Learning and Improvement 4.3 Commitment to improvement based on data and evidence; systematic assessment of teaching,

learning, campus environment; utilization of results 4.4 Ongoing inquiry into teaching and learning to improve curricula, pedagogy, and assessment 4.5 Appropriate stakeholders involved in regular assessment of institutional effectiveness 4.6 Reflection and planning with multiple constituents; strategic plans align with purposes; address

key priorities and future directions; plans are monitored and revised as required 4.7 Anticipating and responding to a changing higher educational environment

Created 8/1/2013 Revised 4/14/2015

Appendix 7.02

WSCUC Approval of BSIT Degree

98 5 Atlantic Ave nu e, Su it e 10 0, A l a me d a, C A 9 4 5 01 • phone: 5 10.74 8.9 0 01 • e-fax: 5 10.9 95. 147 7 • www.wscuc.org

July 23, 2020 To Whom It May Concern, This is to verify that WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) accredits Westcliff University. Westcliff University was granted accreditation June 29, 2018 and continues to be accredited in good standing at present. Westcliff University will be reviewed June 2024 for reaffirmation of accreditation. WSCUC accreditation does not expire but institutions undergo a reaffirmation process on a regular basis depending on terms set by our Commission. The following are approved programs offered by Westcliff which have been implemented:

Program Name Degree Level Modality

Bachelor of Arts in Education Bachelors On-Site Bachelor of Arts in Education Bachelors Distance Education Bachelor of Business Administration Bachelors On-Site Bachelor of Business Administration Bachelors Distance Education

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) Bachelors On-Site Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) Bachelors Distance Education Master of Business Administration Masters On-Site Master of Business Administration Masters Distance Education

Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) Masters On-Site Master of Science in Computer Science Masters Distance Education Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) Masters On-Site Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) Masters Distance Education

Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) Masters On-Site Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) Masters Distance Education Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Masters On-Site Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Masters Distance Education Doctor of Business Administration Professional Doctorate On-Site

Doctor of Business Administration Professional Doctorate Distance Education Juris Doctor Professional Doctorate On-Site English As an Additional Language (EAL/ESL) Non-degree On-Site English As an Additional Language (EAL/ESL), Online Non-degree Distance Education

Undergraduate Communications (Pathway) Non-degree On-Site Undergraduate Communications (Pathway) Non-degree Distance Education Graduate Communications (Pathway) Non-degree On-Site Graduate Communications (Pathway) Non-degree Distance Education

Coding Bootcamp Undergraduate Certificate Non-degree On-Site Coding Bootcamp Undergraduate Certificate Non-degree Distance Education

98 5 Atlantic Ave nu e, Su it e 10 0, A l a me d a, C A 9 4 5 01 • phone: 5 10.74 8.9 0 01 • e-fax: 5 10.9 95. 147 7 • www.wscuc.org

Coding Bootcamp Graduate Certificate Non-degree On-Site

Coding Bootcamp Graduate Certificate Non-degree Distance Education Undergraduate Certificate in Business Administration Non-degree Distance Education Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Non-degree Distance Education Graduate Certificate in Business Administration Non-degree Distance Education

Graduate Certificate in Executive Management Non-degree Distance Education Graduate Certificate in Marketing Non-degree Distance Education Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership Non-degree Distance Education Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Non-degree Distance Education Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Non-degree Distance Education

WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) accredits baccalaureate and graduate degree-granting institutions in California, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. All programs, courses and departments are included under this accreditation, including off-campus programs. Accreditation is an important form of institutional accountability designed to serve the higher education community, prospective and current students, their parents, and the general public. Accreditation certifies that an institution meets established standards and is achieving its own clearly defined objectives. Accreditation also encourages institutional development and improvement through self-study and periodic review. Federal and state governments consider accreditation a reliable indicator of institutional quality. WSCUC Colleges is one of seven regional accrediting commissions, and is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Sincerely,

Tarmia Lowe Accreditation Process Coordinator

Appendix 9.01

Program Review Cycle

Westcliff University’s Program Review Cycle

Program Review Cycle

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

BBA Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

MBA Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

DBA 5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

BAEd Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

MA TESOL Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Gen Ed Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

MSIT Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

BSIT Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

MSEM Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

MSCS Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

Annual Evaluation

5-year Review

Appendix 9.02

External Review Assessment

External Review Assessment Results

The areas below are rated according to the following scale:

4=Excellent

3=Good

2=Marginal

1=Needs Improvement

Assessment Areas

Program 4 3 2 1 Comments (if applicable)

Program overview

Program clearly described

Program need and demand explained

Mission and goals

Program’s mission and goals are consistent with the university’s goals

Program’s mission and goals contribute to the university’s goals

Program is on par with meeting its 5-year

vision, goals and or objectives

The program's mission and goals are

reasonable and reflect current expectations

and trends in the discipline/industry

Assessment Areas

Program Outcomes 4 3 2 1 Comments (if applicable)

Program outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes are clearly

identified in the program

Program Learning Outcomes align with

support the program's mission

Assessment Areas

Curriculum 4 3 2 1 Comments (if applicable)

The curriculum is appropriate for the level and

purpose of the program

Curriculum map reflects program learning

outcomes in the program's core courses

The curriculum includes a core of appropriate

courses in the discipline

Course learning outcomes and assignments

contribute to ro am learning outcomes

An appropriate balance is maintained between

required core courses and elective courses

The curriculum encourages the development

of critical thinking

Students have opportunities to apply what

they have learned to real-world situations

The curriculum encourages the development

of critical thinking

Students have opportunities to apply what

they have learned to real-world situations

Outcomes from assessments are used to

modify the curriculum

Assessment Areas

Teaching and Learning 4 3 2 1 Comments (if applicable)

The program instructional practices are

consistent with the mission of the university

The program provides students with the

opportunity for interaction with one

another, faculty, and professionals in the

field

Westcliff is adequately equipped with

appropriate technology to aid teaching

Faculty is adequate in number to meet the

needs of the program

The faculty is diverse with respect to gender,

ethnicity, and academic background

Faculty are appropriately qualified to teach

courses for the level of the program

Assessment Areas

Student Support Services 4 3 2 1 Comments (if applicable)

The program regularly evaluates the student

support services to ensure its effectiveness

and benefits to the students

Effective advising is provided by well trained

and qualified advisors

The library services are current and adequate

to meet the needs of the students

The technology services are adequate for the

program

Student Enrollment Success & Satisfaction

Graduation/Retention rates on par

with university expectations

Assessment surveys reflect student

satisfaction with the current program

Resource requirements (if applicable)

The program meets or exceeds minimum

standards of good practice in an adequate

level academic programs

Appendix 9.03

BBA Program Review

1

BACHELOROFBUSINESSADMINISTRATION

PROGRAMREVIEW

Preparedfor

Dr.SheliaLewis

ExternalReviewer

By

WestcliffUniversity

CollegeofBusiness

October9,2017

2

InternalProgramReview

A.IntroductionExecutiveSummaryPurposeofProgramReviewReviewofallProgramsStakeholderInvolvement

B.AnalysesAnalysisandRationaleforMissionStatementsAnalysisfromPreviousProgramReviewAnalysisofMarketplacePerceivedNeedandDemandforProgramCurriculumAnalysisStudentSuccessAnalysisFacultyAnalysisSupportServicesAnalysis

C.ReflectionsProgramCurriculumStudentsGraduates/AlumniFacultySupportServicesFeedback

3

IInternalProgramReview

A.Introduction

Foraprogramtothrivewithinauniversity,theinstitutionmustassessitsprogramsandharnessa solidunderstandingof their competitive advantage in thebusymarketplace. The institutionmuststayrelevantinthemarketplacebypayingattentiontotrends,integratenewtechnologyintothecurriculum,andmakemeaningful,data-drivenchangesbasedoffofself-assessmenttofurther produce a curriculum which students will find appealing and apropos, with courseactivities which will further their understanding of the many different themes within theprogram. The College of Business atWestcliff University understands the significance of thisprocess, delving into it profoundly, and making changes based upon data derived. It is thereasoning behind this program review, a review process, which speaks directly to theuniversity’squestforcontinuousimprovement.

Theprogramreviewisconsideredavaluableanalyticaltoolforevaluationanddeep-reflection.Itprovidestheinstitutionaframeworkforconductinganin-depthreviewoftheprogram,andacontinuous plan for improvement. The program review will provide essential data andinformation that will enable the institution to make strategic decisions involving long-termplanningandresourceallocation.

Thereviewisevidence-basedandthorough,asitidentifieskeyareasoftheprogram’sstrengths,opportunities, andmore importantly, areasof improvement. It is aprocess that ismalleable,whichprovidestheinstitutionaconduittoimplementrelevantandcurrentbusinessknowledgeandbestpracticesintoitscurriculum.Italsoprovidesaworkableplanfortheimplementationofactionitemsthatwillenabletheinstitutiontostrengthenitscurriculumandtoachievedesiredimprovements, and affords students the opportunity to learn and be successful in theirprofessionalendeavors.

1. ExecutiveSummary

TheBachelorsofBusinessAdministration(BBA)programatWestcliffUniversitywentthroughaprocessofself-auditduring2017.Theprogramreviewwasbasedonacomprehensiveself-studyof its curriculum, mission statement, program learning outcomes (PLOs), course learningoutcomes(CLOs),assignments,assignmentdescriptions,andrubrics. Inaddition,alldirectandindirectmeasuresofstudent learningwereanalyzedtoevaluatethegainsthatstudentsmakewhileintheprogramaswellasaftergraduation.Thedirectmeasuresincludestudentgradesonall written assignments: professional assignments (PAs), comprehensive learning assessments(CLAs), discussion questions (DQs), and quizzes. Indirect measures include student surveysadministered halfway through and at the end of each course. These surveys measure theeffectiveness of both the instructor and course materials. Simultaneously, a detailed marketanalysiswascompiledtoassesstheneedforthisprogramaswellastheemploymentprospectsworldwide for graduateswith a BBAdegree. Theprocess of self-reflection,which involved allstakeholders, led to proposals for modifications in the program. Finally, as a result of thisprogramreview,themakeupofuniversitysupportservicesandfacultywerealsoassessed.Seeproposedmodificationsattheendofthisprogramreview.

4

2. PurposeofProgramReview

The purpose of Westcliff University’s BBA program review is to gain insight and collectivelyexaminetheeffectivenessoftheprogram.Programreviewprovidesacontinuousplatformonwhichtointernallyandexternallyauditprogramconsistency,encourageexcellence,andidentifyareas for improvement that can result in making evidence-based decisions for strengtheningprogramsand improving student learning, curriculum,and facultyeffectiveness.The intentionof the university is to establish a clear, honest, accurate, and unbiased assessment of theprogramunderreview.

Theprogramreviewisfacilitatedbythecollectionandanalysisofavailabledataandinformationpertaining to learning and teaching activities from various perspectives that will identifyprogramstrengthsandareasof improvement.Using these findings,actionabledata itemswillbedetermined.Theprogramreviewwillculminatewithaclearstrategicdirectionthatwillguidethe university towards improving, augmenting, and enhancing the overall quality of the BBAprogram. This will facilitate student learning, progress and success in the program andultimatelyprovideanopportunitytoethicallyenhancestudent’sprofessionalcareers.

This process is a critical tool for change, evaluation, and reflection. Through consistent andcarefuldocumentation,andinternalandexternalexamination,thisreviewprocesscanresultina detailed analysis of a program, expose the quality of education being offered to students,exhibit programdemand, and factormaintenance costs for the current program. The reviewresults will be used for strategic planning, program enhancements, and benchmarks to helpachievetheseadjustments.Programimprovementsandenhancementsmadebasedonreviewresultswillultimatelyassisttheuniversityinservingitsstudentsatahigherstandard,astandardthatisasrigorousandrelevantasitiscomplete.SeeAppendix1:BBAProgramReviewOutline

The analysis and review will take into consideration similar and emulated programs andrequirements, industry standards, and employment requirements. Market analysis andinformationfromoutsidesources,suchasbusinessandeducationaltrendsreferences,aswellasexternal reviewers, suchas theprogramadvisory council (PAC), andDr.VipinGupta (externalreviewer),willenableWestcliffUniversitytocompleteathoroughandinformativereviewofthecurrentprogram. Additionally,thecollectedinformationandindustryrequirementswillplayaroleinthechangesandimprovementsoftheprogram.

Program analysis will allow for college of business faculty to reflect upon strengths andweaknesses in the program, and create an action plan based on findings. Any concerns orchallengesthatarisecanalsobeaddressedimmediately;ensuringthatinformationthatcomesfromthisprocesswillbeuseful,applicable,andallencompassing.TheprogramreviewprocessforWestcliffUniversityconsistsofformingateamofexpertreviewers,preparingaself-studydocument,collectingfeedbackfromoutsidereviewers,preparingaresponsetothereviewteam,andfinalizingactionplanswhichwillbeconsolidated

5

inamemorandumofunderstanding(MOU),adocumentusedtoexpressandindicateacommonlineofactionbetweenthecollegeofbusinessandtheuniversity.

3. OverviewoftheBBAProgram

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree is the only undergraduate degreeprogramofferedinthecollegeofbusiness.Thepurposeoftheprogramistopreparegraduatesto seek employment in entry-level positions in various industries of budgeting, accounting,payroll, personnel, computer systems, riskmanagement, facilities planning andmanagement.Westcliff University aims to produce capable and knowledgeable students who manifest anunderstanding of work and careers and an ability to adapt quickly to the expectations ofemployersand theworkenvironment.Theperformanceoutcomeswhichare required for thecompletionoftheprograminclude:classparticipation,responsetodiscussionquestions,writingresearchpapers,presentations,casestudyanalyses,quizzes,mid-termandfinalexaminations,knownasComprehensiveLearningAssessments(CLAs).

TheBBAprogramconsistsofbothdomesticandinternationalstudents.Theprogramcaterstothe flexibility that distance education offers so that students may work and studysimultaneously. When the program is in hybrid format, the onsite class components arescheduledwiththestudents’schedulesinmind.Whenitisintheonlineformat,careistakentoensurethatthevirtualclasssessions(VCS)meettheschedulingneedsofitsstudents,bykeepingconsistenttimesandconsideringstudentandprofessortimezones.TheBBAprogramconsistsofaprogramrequirementof120credithours,including60creditsofcorebusinesscoursesand60creditsofgeneraleducationcourses.Studentsmaycompletetheirentire120creditBBAprogrambytakingall60generaleducationand60corecoursecreditsatWestcliff University. Alternatively, students may transfer up to 60 general education credithourstoWestclifffromanotheraccreditedschool.Additionally,studentsmaybegrantedcoursewaiversforupto30credithoursoftherequiredcorecourses.BachelorofBusinessAdministrationProgram(CoreCourses–60credits)

BUS300 FoundationsofBusiness 3units

BUS305 PrinciplesofAccounting 3units

BUS310 ConceptsofMicroeconomics 3units

BUS311 ConceptsofMacroeconomics 3units

BUS315 IntroductiontoBusinessWriting 3units

BUS317 IntroductiontoBusinessLaw 3units

BUS320 FoundationsofStatistics 3units

BUS323 IntroductiontoOrganizationBehavior 3units

BUS325 IntroductiontoLeadership 3units

BUS330 PrinciplesofMarketing 3units

BUS334 EssentialsofCorporateFinance 3units

6

BUS340 IntroductiontoInformationSystems 3units

BUS345 FundamentalsofDecisionMaking 3units

BUS349 FoundationsinOperationManagement 3units

BUS350 Introductiontosalesmanagement 3units

BUS355 EssentialsofEntrepreneurship 3units

BUS367 TheNecessitiesofInternationalMarketingandCulture 3units

BUS385 PrinciplesofAdvertising 3units

BUS387 IntroductionofBusinessResearch 3units

BUS390 DevelopmentofBusinessStrategy 3unitsFor reference, BUS 300 Foundations course and BUS 390 are included for review. All coursedescriptions and learning outcomes can be found in the appendix. The course specificcurriculum forBUS300andBUS390 is also included in theappendix. SeeAppendix 36 BBACourseDescriptionsandLearningOutcomes,Appendix37aBUS300CourseDetails,Appendix37bBUS390CourseDetailsBUS300FoundationsofBusiness(3credithours)Thiscourseaddresses the foundationsofbusinessadministration.This course isa studyofanintroduction to the business world. Focus is placed on the identification, analysis, andintegration of business, procedures, and policies with strategic planning in relation to theenvironment,organizationandtheindividual.ThefollowingarethecourselearningoutcomesforBUS300:1. Recognize the vocabulary, terminology, acronyms, and the language used in Business.

Demonstrate an understanding and a clear overviewof howa business is organized andmanaged.

2. Assess the importance and magnitude of the interrelationship between businessmanagementandthesocialforcesofgovernmentandthecommunity.Relatethepossibleadvantagesandbarrierstodoingbusinessinaglobalmarketplace.

3. Use current information technology and the Internet effectively to support businessdecisionmaking.

4. Integratediversityandaglobalperspective intobusinessdecisions. Identify themethodsandproceduresusedbypeopleinbusinesstoarriveateffectivedecisions.

5. Identify ethical issues in a business context and define alternatives that demonstrateethicalvalues.

6. Differentiate themain aspects of business functions such asmanagement, organization,human relations and ethical issues, operations, marketing, information technology,accounting,andfinance.

BUS390DevelopmentofBusinessStrategy(3credithours)This course is a capstone course for the undergraduate business school students andwill bestructured around a framework of measurement principles covered throughout the program

7

offered at Westcliff University. Each student will be required to use different methods andprinciplesthatarelearnedinthisprogramasafoundationfortheirfinalprojectoftheprogram.ThefollowingarethecourselearningoutcomesforBUS390:1. Discussthescopeandbenefitsofstrategywithinanorganization.Examinethebenefitsof

craftingandexecutingastrategyandillustratehowpeopleareinvolvedinstrategy.2. Explaintheimpactofthefivegenericcompetitiveforceseffectingbusinessingeneral.3. Identifyandexplaincompanyresources,capabilities,andcompetitiveness.4. Demonstrate how a company can strengthen its competitive position, and explain what

factorsdeterminewhentomakestrategicmoves,andhowsocialresponsibilityfits intoacompetitivestrategy.

5. Determinewhichmanagerialinternaloperationspromotegoodstrategyexecution.6. Demonstrateanunderstandingoftheactionsmanagementmusttakeinordertoexecute

strategysuccessfully.7. Explaintheimportanceofhiring,training,andretainingtherightpeopleinanorganization

whenitcomestostrategyexecution.8. Demonstrate an ability to implement and execute a competitive strategy; explainwhich

actions,whichshouldbetaken,andwhichfactorstobeconsidered.

4. StakeholderInvolvement

CoreStakeholdersWestcliffUniversitysubscribestothebelief that it is importanttohavefaculty involved inthereviewprocess,astheymakeupthecorestakeholders.Duringthisprogramreviewprocess,thecollegeofbusinessdean,assessmentcoordinator,BBAprogramchair,andselect facultywereinvolved.Tasksincludedfeedback,research,analysis,andreportwriting.Selectindividualsweredirectly involved with research, report writing, information gathering, and analyzing dataspecific to the field ofbusiness. Their education and experience is detailed in the followingsegmentsofthisprogramreview.

Dr.Sayegh,collegeofbusinessdean,holdsaDoctorofBusinessAdministration& InformationSystems degree, a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership & Business Managementdegree, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, an Associate of Science in Engineeringdegree,andanAssociateofScienceinElectronicsTechnology&Computersdegree.Dr.Sayeghhasconductedpostgraduateresearchinspeechrecognitionforimprovingmedicalproductivityamongphysicians,andhasco-authored2publishedpapersintheareasofInformationSystems&Applications in theMedical Field,andMobileWorkandWirelessCompanies. Inaddition toowningandoperatingaComputerRetail&Consultingcompany,Dr.Sayeghhasbeenemployedand/or contracted by such organizations as NASA at JPL, Wangtek Drive Systems, FerrantiAerospaceMissile Systems,Hewlett Packard,ComputerCity,MicropolisDrive Systems,MercyCollege, National University, Hope International University, UEI College, Irvine University,Westcliff University, Hancock College, and Argosy University. Dr. Sayegh has served as anadjunct facultymember, Associate Professor, Professor, Professor of Practice, Program Chair,AssociateDean,andDean.Hehasalsodevelopedbusinessandinformationsystemscurriculumatboththeundergraduateandgraduatelevel.Assessment Coordinator, Jennifer Hirashiki has 14+ years of professional experience and fiveyearsofexperiencerunningacademicdepartmentsandprograms.Shehasimplementedmany

8

monitoring and assessment processes to ensure student and faculty satisfaction and success,andhasworkedonvariousaccreditationefforts.SheisalsotheprogramchairoftheMATESOLprogramatWestcliffUniversity.TheMBAProgramChair,Dr.Goodstone’scareerspans30yearsofexperienceinmanagement,business and product development, marketing, sales, public relations, marketingcommunications,brandingandpromotions.Herdoctorate is inbusinessadministrationwithaconcentration inMarketing fromArgosyUniversity. ShealsoholdsaMasterofArtsdegree inCommunicationsfromHunterCollege/CUNY.Shehasservedasanassociateprofessoratseveraluniversitieswithbothonlineandoncampuscourseofferings.Sheinstructscoursesinbusinessmanagement andmarketing, leadership, communications, organizational behavior and healthcareatthebachelor,masteranddoctorallevels.TheBBAProgramChair,ProfessorRapisardihasbeenanactivemarketingprofessionalforover16years.Hiscareerevolutionhasmirrored thatof themarketingandadvertising landscape–beginning in traditional media buying and strategy at a full-service agency, to working inmarketing analytics and digital marketing strategy. Areas of expertise include: branddevelopment, media buying, email marketing, quantitative and qualitative analysis, searchengine marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, and account-based marketing(ABM). In addition to his extensive professional experience, Professor Rapisardi has been aprofessor in Marketing for over eight years. He has taught at all university levels:undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate. He uses a blend of applied and theoretical learningstrategies to weave in his professional experiences with documented resources such astextbooks,casestudies,andwhitepapers.The individuals mentioned above had different degrees of involvement during the reviewprocess, some involved in research during the program review, some seeking out evidence,others researching demands for services, societal andmarket trends, and perceived programneeds. Finally, they assisted with editing various sections of the review and finding updatedinformationanddata.IndirectStakeholdersTheexternalreviewerforthisprogramreviewisDr.SheilaLewis.Dr.LewisistheAssociateProvostforQualityAssuranceandtheDirectorofSchoolofBusinessforTouroUniversityWorldwide.Dr.LewishassignificantexperienceteachinganddevelopingcoursesforTouroUniversityWorldwide,TouroUniversityInternational,andFortHood’sNoncommissionedOfficersLeadershipandDevelopmentProgram,partofCentralTexasCollege.Theuniversity subscribes to thebelief thatprogramreviewsareandshouldbeagroupeffortwith multiple perspectives weighing in on the content, program, and best interest of allstakeholders. Representing the needs and interests of stakeholders and those involved andimpactedbytheprogramisafundamentalaspectoftheprogramreviewprocess. Byinvolvingvarious stakeholders in the program review process, various benefits are yielded, such asincreasedcredibility,validity,advocacy,andabilitytoimplementnewideasandimprovements.Stakeholder input leads to strengthened programs and related processes, a higher rate ofsuccesswhenimplementingnewideas,andequitablesubsequentevaluations.

9

B.Analyses

1. AnalysisandRationaleforMissionStatements

WestcliffUniversitybelieves indefiningthemissionat the institutional level, thecollege level,andtheprogramlevel.Therecurringthemethroughoutthethreemissionstatementsisoneofenablingandempoweringstudents,strivingtointegratecreativeandinnovativeprocessesintoprograms, teaching, services, and curriculum. Themission statements are relevant to presentdayglobalizedbusinessenvironments,astheyareindicativeofadaptivelearningandinnovativeapproaches.

UniversityMission

Westcliff University’smission is to educate, inspire, and empower students from around theworld, through the acquisition of competencies that will enable them to excel and growpersonally and professionally, through innovative and interactive, high-quality distance andcampuseducationalprograms.

Theuniversity’smissionplaysaguidingroleforourentireinstitutionandinformsthemissionsatthecollegeandprogramlevels.Asauniversity,Westcliffenables itsstudentswiththeskillsnecessary to succeed in a real-worldenvironment. Studentsbuildon their knowledgeas theyare challenged to discover and apply their newly found skills. These skills empowerWestcliffgraduates to be productive members and leaders of society. The university’s mission isespecially relevant in the global economy where there is a strong demand for diverse andpracticalskillsets.

CollegeofBusinessMission

ThemissionoftheCollegeofBusinessistodeliverahigh-qualityeducationthatcanimprovethelivesofstudents.TheCollege’steachingphilosophyistogalvanizebusinessconceptsbyofferinga curriculum in a pragmatic and relevant framework, using innovative teachingmethods thatenablestudentstoenhancetheirbusinessacumeninanethicalandsociallyresponsibleway.

Themissionof thecollegeofbusiness is touseamulti-dimensionalapproachwhen informingand educating students about business concepts. As technology changes, so do the ways inwhichpeopleaccessinformation.Theuniversityharnessestechnologicaladvancementsinawaythat equips professors to utilize innovative teachingmethods such as virtual professor onsite(VPOS-planned),bringingbusinessexecutivesintotheclassroomvirtually.Thisapproachenablesstudents access to relevant business knowledge and skills that are immediately applicable totheirfieldofstudy.

BBAProgramMission

The mission of the Bachelor of Business Administration program is to teach students corefoundational concepts, preparing the students to succeed in their professional careers. Theprogramempowers themtouse relevantbusinessknowledge, thinkcritically, solveproblems,communicate,andmakedecisionsinanethicalandprofessionalmanner.

10

Attheprogramlevel,themissionistoinspirestudentstogobeyondthebasicunderstandingofbusiness concepts and to consider different organizational perspectives. By expandingknowledgeofcorebusinessprinciples,studentswillalsogaintheskillsnecessarytodevelopandimplementeffectivestrategiesandprocesses.Theprogramgrantsstudentsampleopportunitiestogainacomprehensiveunderstandingofbusinesssectorsandcareersinthefieldofbusiness.

AnalysisfromPreviousProgramReview

WestcliffUniversityisaccreditedbytheDistanceEducationAccreditingCommission(DEAC).DEACislistedbytheU.S.DepartmentofEducationasanationallyrecognizedaccreditingagency.AllWestcliffUniversityprogramshavebeenreviewedandapprovedbyDEAC.ThefollowingareaswerereviewedatthetimetheuniversitysoughtaccreditationwithDEACin2013:

• 20BBAcorecourses,eachwiththreeunits• Designed toallowgraduating students toenter thebusinessarenawithknowledge in

corefoundationalbusinessconcepts• Eachcourseofferedhadadurationoffiveweeks• Three,five-weeksessionsper15-weekterm• Three15-weektermsperyear

The entire program curriculum and structure was reviewed by internal and externalstakeholders,andextensivefeedbackwasreceived.Data,collectedviabothdirectandindirectmethods, was thoroughly analyzed. Once analysis of all data and feedback was complete, acomprehensiveactionplanwerecreated,whichincludedadjustmentsandchangessuchasthefollowing:

• Syllabirevision• Curriculumenhancement• Discussionquestionformatrevision• Facultydevelopment• Studentsupport

Specificactionitemsincluded:

• Asessionlengthchangefromfivetoeightweekso Reasoning:tofurtherfacilitateanddevelopmasteryofcorebusinessconcepts

• Revisionofcurriculumo Reasoning:betteralignmentofdeliverableswithprogramoutcomesandcourse

content• Originationofsignatureassignments

o Reasoning: encompass all course learning outcomes within deliverables in ameaningful,relevant,andpragmaticway

• Increase of data-mining activities, Customer Relationship Management (CRM)deliverables,andanincreaseinoralcommunication-basedassignments

o Reasoning: toensure thatgraduatesaregaining specific knowledgewhichwillhelpthemmeettheneedsofthebusinessindustry

• Additionof real-timecasestudiesandagreatervarietyofdiscussionquestions inBBAcurriculum

11

o Reasoning: stimulate intellectual debate and dialogue between students andthefaculty.

• Better structured faculty training with added resources for faculty via the GlobalAcademicPortal(GAP)andthefacultyportal

o Reasoning: facultywhoarebetterpreparedcanore suitablyassist students inreachingtheiracademicgoals

• Startofawritingsupportdivisiono Reasoning: assist students that require assistance writing assignments in the

APAformat2016WSCUCBBAAnnualReview

Aseparateanalysisandreviewwasconductedthatsameyear,withslightlydifferentareasoffocus.Theactionplanwhichresultedfromthereviewincludedthepointshighlightedinthefollowingsection,aswellasseeninthedatadrivenevidenceappendix.SeeAppendix2:Evidence-drivenData

1. Coursesa. Includemoretechnologyincourses.Especiallywhenreflectingonthe

opportunitiesintheSWOTanalysis,technologyineducationdeliveryisontheriseandWestcliffisontheforefrontoftheuseofinteractivetechnicalplatformsandwecanincorporatemoreinteractiveactivitiesduringclassdelivery.Thecourseevaluationsalsohaveafocusonaddingtechnologytocontinuetoimprovetheoverallprogram.

1. Response:Heldmandatoryprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesononlinepedagogyandfacultyexpectations.

2. Response:Reviewedtextsandmaterialsformoreupdatedcontentwithcurrenttechnologicalfocus

3. Response:Revisednewfacultyorientation,addingpedagogicaltrainingandindepthtutorialsandresourcesforcoursetechnology.

b. Reviewandupdatecoursematerialsandcurriculum.Lookforwaystokeepattheforefrontofeducationbyincludingcurrenteventsorissuesinthecoursecontentandsyllabus.

1. Response:ReviewedallBBAcoursesandmaterials.2. Response:UpdatedtextbooksandPPTslides3. Response:Reviewedprogramlearningoutcomes-separatingoraland

writtencompetencies,andaddingalearningoutcomeregardingquantitativereasoning.

4. Response:Reviewedselectedcourselearningoutcomes

2. Development:Continuetodevelop,createandimprovethesyllabiforallcourses.Incorporateteachingfacultyandstudentfeedbackandrecommendationsintothemodifications.

1. Response:Updatedcurriculumandrevisedassignments.Thisisanongoingtaskthatwillbedoneoverthenextyear.Datafromlearningoutcomesassessmentswillguidethemodifications.

2. Response:Reviewedandcleanedupallsyllabi-torefresh,revise,andincreaseconsistencyofinformation.

12

3. TeamAssignments:Reviewcoursestoincludeteambasedassignmentsinvolvingclass

presentationsinoneormoreassignmentsineveryappropriatecourseintheBBAprogramtofosterthecollaborativeapproachtoproblemsolving.

• Response:BUS300integratedateamassignmentwithinthecourse.Itwasaddedasanadditionalassignment,ratherthanintegratedintoestablishedassignments.Fromfall2017,allassignmentswillbereviewedtofindappropriateassignmentsforteamwork-appropriateopportunities.

4. Contextualizingcontentforaglobalcurriculum

• Response:U.SbasedfacultyaswellasNepalbasedfacultyhavebeenworkingoncontextualizingthecurriculumfortheBBAcourses.75%ofthecourseshavebeencontextualized.

2. AnalysisofMarketplace

BenchmarkingAnalysis

Summary

Thepurposeofthiscomparativeanalysis,istohelpinassessingthestrengthsandweaknessesofWestcliffUniversity’sBBAprogram,benchmarktheprogramagainstotheruniversitiesofferingsimilar programs, and introduce continuous improvement changes for the next cycle ofassessment studies. The comparison of the program in this cycle was accomplished bybenchmarking and comparing institutionswith similar programsusing a purposeful sample offourteen universities; seven of which are emulated programs and seven of which are peerschools. Additionally, seven of the programs included in this research are part of domesticinstitutions,whiletheothersevenincludeinternational institutions. Theintent istoprovideawide representationof theprogramsaccreditedby the sameorganizationsorequivalent.Thechoseninstitutionsareservingstudentswithinthesamemarket.

Theuniversitiesincludedare:

• Domesticemulatedo SaintLeoUniversityo FloridaInternationalUniversityo ArizonaStateUniversity-Online

• Domesticpeero SouthernNewHampshireUniversityo WesternGovernorsUniversityo QuinnipiacUniversity-Onlineo ColumbiaSouthernUniversity

• Internationalemulatedo NilaiUniversityo UnitedInt'lBusinessSchoolso SPJainGlobalSchoolofManagement

• Internationalpeero CanadianUniversity-Dubaio WisconsinInt'lUniv-Ukraine

13

o NationalUniversityofSingaporeo BarcelonaBusinessSchool

ANALYSIS

CreditRequirementWestcliffUniversity’sBBAprogramhasa120-creditunitrequirement,with60creditsrequiredfromGeneralEducationandanother60corecredits required.Similarandemulatedprogramsalso reflected a strong similarity to this credit hour requirement. Average credits for all fourinstitutioncategoriescanbefoundinthechartbelow.

CreditRequirementAverages

WestcliffUniversityBBA

Domestic,Peer

Domestic,Emulated

Int’l,Peer

Int’l,Emulated

CoreUnits 60 80 79 79 95

General EducationUnits

60 40 41 41 25

TotalUnits 120 120 120 120 120

ProgramDurationWestcliffUniversityBBAprogramlastsapprox.3.5years,whileitmighttakelongerforstudentstocompletetheirdegreeatotherinstitutions.

ProgramDuration:AveragesinYears

Westcliff UniversityBBA

Domestic,Peer

Domestic,Emulated

Int’l,Peer

Int’l,Emulated

3.5 4.15 Noinfoavailable 3.62 3.33

AccreditationTypeWestcliffUniversityisapprovedbytheBureauofPrivatePostsecondaryEducation(BPPE)andisnationallyaccreditedbytheDistanceEducationAccreditingCommission(DEAC).Theinstitutionholds WASC Senior College and University Commission candidacy and is currently seekingaccreditation.

14

AccreditationHeldbyDomesticSimilarandEmulatedProgramsDEAC:1of7AACSB:2of7NEASC:2of7ABA:1of7CAEP:1of7SACS:1of7ACBSP:1of7NWCCU:1of7

CourseModalityTheBBAprogramofferscoursesintwomodalities;onlineandhybridformats.Althoughsimilarandemulatedprogramsvariedintheirlearningformats,themajorityofthemincludedanonlinelearningformat.Thelearningmodalitydetailsforallfourinstitutioncategoriescanbefoundinthechartbelow.

LearningModalities


Domestic,Peer

Domestic,Emulated

Int’l,Peer

Int’l,Emulated

Online Yes 4of4 3of3 1of4 0of3

Hybrid Yes 0of4 0of3 1of4 0of3

Onsite(100%)

No 0of4 0of3 4of4 3of3

CostThecostper creditunitatWestcliffUniversity is$290/credithour.The total cost for theBBAprogram is $34,800, for the entire 120 credit units. The cost details for all four institutioncategoriescanbefoundinthechartbelow.

CostPerCreditHour


Domestic,Peer

Domestic,Emulated

Int’l,Peer

Int’l,Emulated

inUSDollars

$290/credithour $346 $397 $370 $500.10

15

Summary ofWestcliff University’s program offering in relation to the programs within thecomparativeanalysisWestcliff University: is a for-profit university, nationally accreditedby theDistanceEducationAccreditingCommission(DEAC),offeringanon-site/hybridaswellasonlineBBAprogram.Theprogramseekstoteachstudentscorefoundationalconcepts,preparingthemtosucceedintheirprofessional careers. Theprogramempowers them touse relevantbusiness knowledge, thinkcritically, solve problems, communicate, and make decisions in an ethical and professionalmanner.Theprogramiscomposedof40courses,whicharethreecreditseach,foratotalof120credits.The feeper credit hour for domestic online students is $290, and the feeper credit hour forinternational F1 students is $415. The program total costs are $34,800 and $49,800,respectively.TheBachelorofBusinessAdministrationprogramservestheeducationalneedsofworking adults, military veterans who receive a military discount, traditional students, andinternational I-20students.Studentscancompletetheirprograminapproximatelythreeyearsandahalf,dependingonthenumberofcoursestakenpersession.Strengths:

● Online,synchronouscoursesinafast-pacedsetting● Onlineprogrameliminatesgeographicboundaries● Tuition costs are very affordable, especially when taking into consideration the 16

universities selected for this analysis, the average costperunit is $ 396.00.A total of120unitsisrequiredforprogramcompletion.WestcliffUniversityhasthebestvalueperunit price at $290 per credit hour, and only the public university selected in thiscomparativeanalysishasalowercostof$254perunit.

● Whencomparingthetypeofcorecoursesoffered,Westcliffofferstwentycorecoursesandthecomparativecourseanalysisshowsarangeofequivalentcorecoursesrangingbetweentenandeighteencourses.ArgosyUniversity(AU)hastencorecoursessimilartoWestcliff’s. Argosy University has 45 credits course courses, plus twelve credits inconcentrations,foratotalof57units.Also,althoughDeVrycostperunitishigherthanthat ofWU, the core courses are similar toWU, but DVU, like AU, offers students achoiceofconcentration.

● Economicalforstudents.Theydonotneedexpensivesuppliesforthisprogram.● Offersaccessibleeducationatconvenienttimes● Multiplestartdatesperyear● Doesnothaveanyrestrictiverequirementforadmissionstotheprogram● Practicalemphasis● Internshipsofferedtostudents● AnI-20grantinginstitution● AcceptingF-1Visatransferstudents● TitleIVFederalStudentAideligible● WSCUCcandidacy/eligible● DEACAccreditation(increasedcredibility)● Faculty- Consists of experienced faculty. Faculty are committed to students, provide

expansionbasedontheirexpertise,andguidestudentsthroughfeedback,support,andinstruction.

16

● Manageableclasssizeallowstheinstructortospendmoretimeworkingwithstudentsindividually,whilepersonalizingthelearningexperience.

● Cantakeadvantageofnewtechnologytoassiststudents● Usesacontinuingimprovementprocessaimedatimprovingstudentlearningoutcomes,

objectives,andassessments● administrationisverydemandingregardingfacultyperformance● 21stcenturylifeskillsincludedincurriculum● Culminatingexperienceasreflectiveportfolio.

Opportunities:

● WSCUCAccreditation(increasedcredibility)● Deeperconnectionswiththecommunity

Opportunitiesforimprovement:

● Consideraddingelectives● Involve faculty in regular professional development dealing with technology in

education.● LMSplansandadaptationsforthefuture

In summary of the comparative analysis between Westcliff and other universities, WestcliffUniversity’sBachelorofBusinessAdministrationprogramiscomparabletootherprograms,butoffersadvantagestostudentsthatotherinstitutionsdonotcurrentlyoffer.Thisiswhatmakesthe university an ideal institution for many students, especially once granted regionalaccreditation.Itwouldbeexpectedthatthecourse-by-coursecomparisonwoulddifferbetweenWestcliffUniversityandthedifferentuniversityprogramssampled.However,thereshouldalsobepointsofparityorcommonalitybetweentheBBAdegreeofferings.Basedonthereviewofthe types of courses offered in the core programs, Westcliff University’s BBA programcurriculumisalignedandconsistentwithothercompetingdegreeprograms.WestcliffUniversity(WU)hasadvantagesoversimilarinstitutionsinthefollowingareas:

• Westcliff’s price per unit is the lowest amongst all the private universities in thissample. WU offers an internship program, serves I-20 students and eight-weeksessions.WU also has a unique and effective learning environmentwith hybrid, on-campus / interactive online modality, using both synchronized and a-synchronizeddelivery.

• Westcliff’s cost per unit is at the $290, which makes it very competitive, not onlynationally,butinternationallyaswell.

• Synchronous- While many online and hybrid programs offer strictly asynchronousinstruction, the online and hybrid BBA program at Westcliff University includes aweeklysynchronouscomponentinadditiontostudentreading,study,andassignmentpreparation outside of class. There is a strong focus on student discussion andcontributions via Zoom video or on-ground classroom time. In the comparativeanalysis, themajority of programswere either online asynchronous or hybridwith asynchronouson-campuscomponent

17

• Knowledgeable Staff and Advisors- The BBA program has strong leadership and anexperienced program advisory council. The council is made up of advisors who areCEOs,presidents,andboardmembers.

• Academic Support-Writing support is available to students by accessing theWritingCenter. This is an excellent and helpful resource to help those struggling withgrammatical and mechanical issues in their writing. Students who are working onassignments for a course can request a one-on-one review of their work. Writingcenteradvisorsreviewassignmentsspecifically forformatting,grammar,andspelling.Additionally, students are able to meet with the dean for advising sessions. Theuniversity also provides webinars and tutorials for writing and academic support. Inregards to the competitor analysis findings, all comparison programs offer studentacademic support to varying degrees. Some consist of a mentorship or academicadvising sessions. Others have livewriting support sessions and/orwebinars.WhileWestcliff University may want to look into offering live writing center services, theuniversityacademicsupportstilloffersarangeofsupport.

• Internship Program-Westcliff University offerscurricular practical training (CPT), atemporary, off-campus internship/employment option for F-1 non-immigrant foreignstudents. This option is available during the program for credit. CPT employment isdefinedbytheU.S.CodeofFederalRegulationsas“alternativework/study,internship,cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that isofferedbysponsoringemployersthroughcooperativeagreementswiththeschool”[8CFR 214.2(f)(10)(I)]. The CPT option gives students the opportunity to obtain evenmore practical, hands-on experiencewithin a business sector. Per thefindings in thecomparative analysis, five of the ten programs have no mention of internshippossibility.Twoof thetendonothaveacurrent internshipoption.Onlynineof thefourteenofferandsupportinternship/curricularpracticaltrainingoptions.

Insummary,theevidenceclearlyindicatesthatWestcliffUniversity’sBBAprogramiscomparableto,andevenexceedssomebenchmarkedprograms. WestcliffUniversity fills thegapandaddseducational advantages for students, especially upon achieving regional accreditation. It is notexpectedtohaveanexactmatchbetweencourseofferingsamongstthedifferentprograms,butthere should be points of parity or commonality between the BBA degree offerings. Based onreviewofthetypesofcoursesofferedinthecoreprograms,Westcliff’sBBAprogramcurriculumis aligned and consistent with comparative BBA degree programs, which will continuouslyimprovebasedonstudents,academicandindustry/businessneedsandchanges.Asmentionedinthecomparativeanalysissectionofthisreview,theanalysishelpsprovideabenchmarkagainstother comparable and competitive universities, aswell as show the strengths of theWestcliffUniversityBBAprogram.SeeAppendix3:BenchmarkingAnalysis

3. PerceivedNeedandDemandforProgram

TheBachelorofBusinessAdministration(BBA)degreeprogrampreparesindividualsforsuccessintheirprofessionalbusinesscareers.Oneofthegoalsoftheprogramsistoproduceconfident,hirablecriticalthinkerswhoarecapableofworkinginentry-levelpositions.Therefore,courseswerecreatedusingBloom’sTaxonomyasachecklist,ensuringthatassessmentmethodswerealignedwithappropriatelessonsandmethodologiesatthebaccalaureatelevel.Coursesofferedin BBA provide a foundation for student growth, encouraging them to become competent

18

business professionals in entry-level positions, graduates who seek employment in variousindustries of budgeting, accounting, payroll, personnel, computer systems, riskmanagement,facilitiesplanningandmanagement.

Through a selection of general business courses or a focus on one concentration, the BBApreparesastudentfornumerouscareers,suchas:

• Accountant: Typically good with numbers, detail oriented, and enjoy helpingothers.Preparefinancialdocuments.

• FinancialAdvisor:Chargedwithensuringfinancialhealthofpeopleandfirms.Manage,allocate,andusemoneytomakepeopleandfirmssuccessfulbyassessingrisks.

• Marketer: Responsible for determining demand for goods and services as well asdetermining strategies for maximizing profits. Oversees development of product andmonitortrendsrelatedtotargetmarkets.

• Commodities Trader: Buys and sells commodity contracts. Typically traders are wellorganized,detailoriented,withasolidunderstandingofeconomicsandbusiness.

• HumanResources:Ensuresthesafetyandhappinessofcompanyemployees.Hirenewemployees, as well as maintaining employee records and policies, counseling anddiscipliningemployees,andscheduling.

• Loan Officer: Work in banks and lending companies to evaluate, authorize, andrecommend approval or denial of loans to people and businesses. Generally have asolidfinancebackgroundandaregoodwithnumbersandmoney.

• Real Estate Agent: Help others buy, sell, and rent properties. Licensed toworkindependently (as a broker), or for a licensed broker. Can specialize either incommercialorresidentialarenas.

• Manager: Applicable at every level of business. In charge of running day to dayoperationsofretailstores,tosourcingmaterialsforlargeproductionfacilities.

• Entrepreneur:Creates,organizes,andoperatesbusinesses. Typicallyverycreativeandorganized.Withtheriseoftheinternet,thenumberofentrepreneurshasincreased.

Compensationvariesbasedonanumberofissues:location,sizeofemployer,economicconditions,yearsofemployeeexperience,skills,specialty,position,costofliving,etc.However,theestimatedaveragestartingsalaryforaBBAgraduatecanrangefrom$45,000(inMichigan)to$73,000(inNewYork)inaselectedgroupofsevenU.S.states.SeeAppendix4:AverageBBASalaries,Appendix5:BBADemandandTrendsData,Appendix6:EmployeeAttributesPESTLEAnalysisThe field of business is impacted by political, economic, social, intercultural, legal, and digitalphenomena.Curriculumdevelopersandprogramadministratorsconstantlyseektounderstandthechangingbusinesslandscape,andengageindialoguebothinandoutsideoftheinstitutiontoidentifywaysinwhichtorespondtopotentialprogramimpacts.SeeAppendix7:PESTLEInorder forWestcliffUniversity to remain competitive, theBBAprogrammust adapt contentand materials to business trends, continue to research factors of hindrance and programsuccess, and provide opportunities for students to both understand and embrace theseanticipatedchanges,astheybegintheirquestforemploymentinthebusinessindustry.SometrendsthatmightaffectsomeaspectsoftheBBAprogramare:

19

• InformationTechnology:Knowledgeisjustaclickawayintoday’sinformationeconomy.Thiswillcontinuetoaffecthowpeopleclaimingtobeexpertsareperceived.Thisisatimewherepatientscanresearchanddiagnosetheirsymptomspriortovisitingadoctor.Individualinvestorscanruntheirownanalysisofacompanypriortoconsultinganinvestmentbroker.Examplessuchastheserepresenttheparadigmshiftawayfromconsultingexpertsfirst.Inanacademicenvironment,wheretheworkforceisprimarilycomprisedofexperts,thiscanbeanespeciallyjoltingreality.Withinformationnolongerlimitedtotheexperts,studentstodayareenteringtheclassroommoreinformedandpreparedthanever.Priortostartingacourse,studentscanreadreviewsandresearchaprofessor’scompletepublishedworks.Theyhavetheabilitytoaccessrealtimeinformationduringclassandfactchecktextbooksandinstructors.

• PoliticalMatters:CurrentU.S.administrationplaysalargeroleinhowthedepartmentofeducationviewsfor-profituniversitiesandthefundingthatisavailableforstudents.Newgovernmentalregulationscouldresultinadecreaseoffinancialaidavailability.Additionally,newgovernmentalregulationscoulddeterinternationalenrollmentsandcreatemorevisaregulationsandrestrictions.Thereisagrowingmovementofpopulismthatopposeshighereducation,combinedwithadeeplyskepticalpublicopiniononthehighcostsoftuition,bothofwhichinfluencethedesireanddriveofstudentstoattenduniversity.

• EconomicEnvironment:Concernssuchasglobaleconomy,studentdebt,interestandexchangerates,andbudgetcuts,areallelementsthatcoulddeterstudentenrollmentinaprogram.Thereisincreaseddebtduetoeducationalloans.Studentdebthasskyrocketedmorethan256percentfrom2004to2015,accordingtoaseparatereportfromValuePenguin.ReportsasofMay2017arethatTrumpandDeVos’initialeducationbudgetwillseektoeliminatethePublicServiceLoanForgivenessprogram,whichcouldcoststudentloanborrowersbillionsofdollars.Theywilllikelyseektoeliminateover$700millioninPerkinsLoansandmassivelyreducework-studyprograms.However,thereareafeweconomicupsidessuchaslocationandU.S.economy.Californiaisoneofthreestateswiththehighestyieldsforinternationalstudentsoutofall50states(theothersbeingTexasandMassachusetts).

• ContentDelivery:Anotherdevelopingtrendisthemethodofcontentdelivery.Theeraofthelonedesktopcomputerhaslongsincebeenreplaced.Evenlaptopcomputersarebeingcastasidebyconsumersforoptionsthatsupporttruemobility.Asaresult,mobileformatshavebeendevelopedtoorganizeandpresentcontentonthesedevices.Limitationsinthisareastillexist,butthecontinuedtrendtowardssmallerdeviceswithgreatercapabilitieswillrequireorganizationstoaddresstheseissues.Similarly,WestcliffUniversitywillneedtoconsidertheeffectsofthesenewtechnologiesoncontentdeliveryforstudentsinbothonlineandbrick-and-mortarenvironments.Forexample,mobileandcloudcomputingmustbeintegratedintotheLMSsothatBBAstudentsmayhaveaccesstotheglobalacademicportal(GAP),savedassignments,andlibraryresourcesinaconvenientanytime,anywhereformat.Fromaprofessionalstandpoint,therehasbeenanincreaseintelecommuting,remotework,andcloud-basedprograms.Preparingstudentstobereadyforthedifferentworkcontextstheymaybefacedwithviaonlineassignmentsandgroupcollaborativeprojectscanleadtofuturesuccessandadaptability.

20

• CyberSecurity:Withtheincreasingdemandfornewwaystotransmitandstoreinformation,cybersecuritycontinuestobetheareawiththehighestworkforcedemand.TheconceptofsecuringdatawasoncetheloneconcernofI.T.managers;nowallmembersofanorganizationareexpectedtoconsidercybersecurityriskswhenmakingeverydaybusinessdecisions.Astechnologychanges,newsecurityconcernsarise.Aswecontinuetotraintheleadersoftomorrow,wemustconsiderhowcybersecurityappliestoeachofthetopicsthatarecovered.CybersecuritytopicsrelatedtobusinessandecommercewillbephasedintocoursesthroughouttheBBAprogram.

4. CurriculumAnalysis

WestcliffUniversityiscommittedtoremainingproactiveinitsoverallcurriculumsoastomeetthe challenges, expectations, and theoverall needs and learning styles of all its students in aglobalized, fast-paced, changing world. This is highlighted in the choices and challenges itpresentstoitsstudentstosucceed,notonlyacademically,butalsointheirwork.TheBBAprogramoffersbothonlineandhybridcurriculathatencompassthemissionaswellasthe institutional learning outcomes of the university. The courses in the program and theassignments in the courses close the loop with the university’s mission and outcomes tosignificantlyincreasetheacademicrigorandattractivenessoftheprogramtopotentialstudentsworldwide. The curriculum is based on the course learning outcomes, which are tied to theprogram learning outcomes, which tie into institutional learning outcomes. SeeAppendix 8:MatrixofBBAILOs-PLOs-CLOsandIDM,Appendix9:NarrativeforMatricesStudentsarerequiredtocomplete60unitsofgeneraleducationcoursesapartfromthe60unitsin BBA core. General education courses are categorized under English, math, arts andhumanities,socialandbehavioralsciences,naturalsciences,andcommunications.Thegeneraleducation courses directly respond to all of the seven core competencies adopted by theinstitution, and are a critical component to a student’s academic journey. General educationcoursescanbecompletedconcurrentwithBBAcourses,astheydonothavetobecompletedprior toenrolling incorecourses.Thegeneraleducationprogramwillbereviewed indetail in2018.Whenreviewingcourseworkinanyprogram,reviewersareurgedtounderstandthesignificanceofpedagogicalmethodsusedtoengage,challenge,andeducate.Forthat,theuniversityensuresthat theycommunicate toboth facultyandstudents theconnectionbetweenthedeliverablesandcourselearningoutcomes.The university curriculum finds a satisfactory balance between innovation and tradition. AninnovativeprogrammakesWestcliffdistinctiveandattractivetopotentialstudentsandfaculty.An ideal curriculumsatisfies the traditional criteriaof intellectualbreadthanddepthandalsofindsnewanddistinctivewaysof implementing it. This iswhat thecollegeofbusinessstrivesfor, and this is the driving principle behind the thorough review conducted in Summer 2017,whereanactionplanwasmadeforseveralrevisionswithintheBBAprogram.Someexamplesinclude:

• Continue to revise and update course contents (increase practical technologycomponents)

21

• Assess the achievement of program and institutional learning outcomes within eachcomprehensive learning assessment. Assess two program and institutional learningoutcomesperyear.

• Increase the development of course learning outcomes in each course, throughscaffoldedprojectsanddiscussionquestions

• Includepresentationsinthemajorityofcourses• Creategroupassignmentsfor50%oftheBBAcourses,includingareflectiveactivityand

interpersonal communication self assessment. Use faculty and student feedback toassesstheeffectivenessofeachteachingassignment.

These meaningful, data-driven changes are still undergoing implementation, but are beingcarefully crafted to ensure that the program continues tomeet the high standards it sets foritself. Changes such as these are also a part of the larger college of business strategic plan,whichdirectlyaffectsBBA.SeeAppendix10:BBAActionPlanAlthough Westcliff University’s college of business considers curriculum to go beyond theclassroom, there is no doubt that in-class experiences play the most important role incurriculumdesign.Thisiswhyuniversityadministrationseeksandwelcomesfacultyandstudentinput that not just expresses acceptance, but also demonstrates engagement, reflection, andbelief in the ability to accomplish the university, college, and program goals, and also sharesownershipofthenewcurricula.This fact places reasonable demands on faculty, staff, and institutional resources. Proposedcurriculathatmakemoreeffectiveuseoftheresourcescurrentlyavailablewillbepreferabletothosethatrequiresignificantlyincreasedresources.ThisdoesnotmeanthatWestcliffUniversitymust restrict itself to proposals that are exactly as cost-effective as the current system.However, the university must carefully consider the costs associated with any proposedchanges, including the costs of faculty time and energy, which might significantly affect thefacultysupportcrucialtotheacceptanceofsuchchanges.Finally, these demands include a plan that demonstrates student achievement of courseoutcomes. It isnotpossible to verify that the curricula ishelping studentsachieve the courselearningoutcomesunlessthereareextensive,practical,valid,andreliableassessmentmethodsinplace.Tomeettheseneeds,administratorsensurethattheprogramprovidesbothprofessorsand studentswith clear assessment criteriabymeansof comprehensive rubrics thatpromotefair,straightforwardperformanceevaluationofstudents.SeeAppendix11:RubricsBBACurriculumDesignPrinciplesThe BBA curriculum, sans general education unit requirements, consists of 60 credit hourscompleted over twenty courses. The program allows students to enter at one of six sessionsofferedperyear(fall1,2,spring3,4,orsummer5,6).Eachtermisdividedintotwoeight-weeksessions.Thesequenceforeachstudentvariesaccordingtothecoursesofferedeachsession.Typically,students take two courses per session so that they have the ability to focus, being that theclassesarefairlyintensiveduetotheeight-weeksession.

22

While students have the ability to join the programwhile almost any course is being offeredduring a session, there are two core courses that students typically begin with, BUS 300FoundationsofBusinessandBUS315IntroductiontoBusinessWriting.Thesecoursesprovideasolidfoundationforundergraduatebusinessstudentstoventureintotherestoftheprogram’score courses. The final course is the capstone, BUS 390, Development of Business Strategy.Businesscorecoursescanbetakenalongsideofthegeneraleducationcourses.Thereare two to threediscussionquestionsperweek,oneprofessionalassignment (PA), twocomprehensive learning assessments (CLAs), and a quiz. The course format is consistentthroughout the program. Professional Assignment 1 is completed during the second or thirdweek of the course, respectively, while Comprehensive Learning Assessment 1 andComprehensiveLearningAssessment2arecompletedduringthefourthandeighthweekofthecourse,respectively.Thequiz iscompletedweekseven.Thisspacingofassignmentsallowsforsufficient preparation time, course instruction, feedback and revisions, and solid pacing ofinformation. This structure and consistent format also assists students in acclimating to theprogramquickly,despitetherapidsuccessionofcourses.SeeAppendix12:SampleSyllabusSyllabusandContentAvailabilityStudents are emailed a copy of the syllabus and an introduction email from their professorapproximatelyoneweekbeforethecoursebegins.Theweekendbeforethestartdate,studentsaregivenaccessallmaterialsontheirglobalacademicportal(GAP).VCS(VirtualClassSession)For fully online courses, a virtual class session is required weekly. During this two-hourZoomvideoconferencesessionbetweentheprofessorandstudentsenrolled,professorsspendtimereviewingmaterial,presentingnewmaterial,holdingdiscussions,connectingthepracticaltothetheoretical,andgivingstudentsampleopportunitiestoputthenewtheoreticalconceptsbeingtaughtintopracticeandtodemonstratemasteryofthem.OCS(On-CampusSession)Forcoursestaughtinthehybridformat,theprofessorandstudentsmeetinaweekly3.5-hourclasssessionheldoncampus.FlippedClassroomIn both VCS and OCS classes, the flipped classroom approach is used. Students review theassigned readings and materials prior to the live session. This enables students to go askquestions for clarification, as well as promoting deeper discussions and interaction with thecourseconcepts.ProgramLearningOutcomesandCourseLearningOutcomesWestcliff University aims to produce capable and knowledgeable students who manifest anunderstanding of work and careers and an ability to adapt quickly to the expectations ofemployers and thework environment. Throughwell-defined program learning outcomes, thecollegeofbusinessaimstoprovidestudentswiththenecessaryskills,knowledge,andattitudesfor success. The program learning outcomes for the BBA program underwent a revision,separating oral andwritten competencies, as well as adding an outcome to correspondwithquantitative analysis. These were recently updated in all syllabi within the program. SeeAppendix13:Current-PreviousProgramLearningOutcomes

23

Course learning outcomes are statements that describe significant and essential learning thatlearnershaveachievedandcan reliablydemonstrateat theendofeachcourse;essentialandenduring knowledge, abilities (skills), and attitudes (values, dispositions) that constitute theintegrated learning needed by a graduate of the course. The outcomes for every coursesummarizewhat learners canexpect to learn,and links thecoursedirectly to theeducationalobjectivesoftheBBAdegree.Duringtherecent2017reviewandrevision,somecourselearningoutcomes were reviewed to ensure applicability to the program and the courses within theprogram.Finally,aftercarefullyanalyzingthecurriculumanditscomponents,inparticulartheprogramlearningoutcomes,courselearningoutcomes,andcorecompetenciesandhowtheyarelinkedtoinstitutionaloutcomes,theBBAprogramfacultyhavefoundsomestrongareaswithinthecurriculumlinkages,butwillfocusonageneralstrengtheningofallcourselearningoutcomesasseenintheactionplan.SeeAppendix8-MatrixofBBAILOs-PLOs-CLOsandIDM.xlsxAppendix10:BBAActionPlanCourseAcademicEngagementEacheight-weekcourseconsistsof135hoursofacademicengagementandpreparation.Boththeonlineandhybridformatshavethesameamountofacademicandpreparationhours.SeeAppendix14:AcademicEngagementandGrading

AssessmentEach course has one professional assignment, two comprehensive learning assessments, andonequiz. The assessments are all linked inwith course andprogram learningoutcomes.SeeAppendix14:AcademicEngagementandGradingEvaluationofCurriculumandOverallLearningExperienceThe BBA program uses student evaluations, faculty input, and observations from universityadministrators to evaluate if program outcomes are being met. In weeks four and eight,students take a mid-course and end-of-course evaluation survey, respectively. The questionspertain to instructional, content, materials, professors, self-assessment, and curriculum. Thesurveyusesa1-5Likertscaleratingsystemandalsorequestsshortanswers. The informationcollectedand sharedwith the facultymember teaching the course canhelp togauge studentperceptions,learning,andqualityofthecurriculumaswellasfacultystrengthsandweaknesses.Thisanalysiswillcoverthedatacollectedinstudentevaluationsforacademicyears2013-2014,2014-2015,2015-2016,and2016-2017.The overall return rates for each academic year based on mid-course and end-of-courseevaluationsareasfollows: 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 Actual Possible Actual Possible Actual Possible Actual PossibleMid-course 25 45 28 67 61 3,547 2,247 4,636End-of-course 18 45 38 67 2,120 3,547 2,170 4,636

24

*Starting Fall Session 2 2016-2017Westcliff Universitymandated the students had to complete the survey or beblocked fromtheiracademicprogram. Thestudentsdevelopedawork-around toavoid theblockingandWestcliffUniversityiscurrentlydevelopingawork-aroundoverthestudentwork-around.2013-2014AcademicYearSurveysection Mid-course End-of-course AveragePart 1: CourseContent andSequence

4.53(91%) 4.1(82%) 4.31(86%)

Part 2: Quality ofInstructor’sActivities

4.51(90%) 4.31(86%) 4.47(89%)

Part 3: SelfAssessment

4.48(90%) 4.43(89%) 4.45(89%)

Part 4: Quality ofLearningEnvironment

4.2(84%) 4.06(81%) 4.13(83%)

Part 5: OverallEvaluation of CourseQuality

4.38(88%) 3.98(79%) 4.18(84%)

(Mid-Course)• Part I - The students’ perception of the quality of course content in theMid-Course

Evaluationwasverypositivewithanaverageratingof91%.• Part II - Students perceived that the quality of the instructor’s activities, information,

andcommitmenttobehighlypositivewithanaverageratingof90%.• Part III - The self-assessment pertains to the students’ perception on how they

interactedwithstudentsandprofessorsandhowtheyachievedtheirintendedlearningoutcomes. Studentsrespondedextremelypositivewithanaveragingratingof90%ontheself-assessmentportionontheMid-CourseEvaluation.

• Part IV - The students’ perception of the quality of the learning environment andmaterials hadanaverage scoreof 84%. Compared to theother three sections in the2013-2014 academic year, this section has the lowest rating. Nevertheless, it is stillabovetheself-imposedthresholdof80%anditisconsideredverypositive.

(End-of-Course)

• PartI-ThequalityofcoursecontentandsequenceintheEnd-of-CourseEvaluationwasconsideredpositiveby thestudentswithanaveragescoreof82%. In thisyear’sMid-Course Evaluation, this exact portion of questions had an average score of 90%, so adecreaseof8%.

• PartII-Withanaveragescoreof86%,thestudents’perceivedthequalityofinstructor’sactivitiesaspositive.

• PartIII-Studentsperceivedtheirself-assessmenttobehighlypositivewithanaveragescore of 89%. The student responders thought that they positively interacted withstudentsandtheprofessors,committedtolearningandachievedtheintendedlearningoutcomes. Compared to other portions in the 2013-2014 End-Course-CourseEvaluation,theself-assessmenthadthehighestoverallaverage.

25

• Part IV -Withanaverage scoreof81%, studentsbelieved that thequalityof learningenvironmentwaspositive. Thelearningenvironmentincludedlearningmaterials(e.g.,text, reading, instruments, etc.), online environment and tutorial, and the technicalsupport.

In general, the chart and evaluation breakdown information show a high level of satisfactionoverall, but with a slight decrease of satisfaction between themid-course and end-of-courseevaluations. This can be attributed to possible delays in getting the students to submitevaluations, passingonevaluations toprofessors in a timelymanner, cultural teachingnormsandexpectations, aswell appropriateassignment scaffoldingand information forprofessionalassignments and comprehensive learning assessments. As a result of this data, the changesmadewere:systematicreviewoftheevaluationprocess,detailedassignmentdescriptionsinthesyllabus,andprofessortrainingforreviewingassignments,aswellasprofessionaldevelopment.Overall,when looking at the qualitative data for the following twomid-course questions andtwoend-of-coursequestions,studentsprovidedhelpfulfeedbackandcommentsregardingthecourseandtheirinstructors:Mid-courseSofar,hasthiscoursecontributedtoyourknowledgeoftheconcepts,subjectmatter,andissuesofthiscourse?Pleaseexplain.

• I didmakeme have to think out the box what with character analysis and thematicviewpoints. Itwasveryrigorous.Theportionofthiscoursethathadsurprisedmewastheamountofreading.Otherthanthatithaschallengedmetodobetter.(spring,2014)

• No,other then the text Ihave read, I knownothingabout this subjectmatter. Idon'tfeel like Iamreallygettinganunderstandingofthiscourse.Onecan'tsimply justreadthe book and be able to speak knowledgeably about the intended learning of thisclass.(spring,2014)

• It definitely has helpedme a lot with the readings and PowerPoints. The discussionquestionshavebeenexcellentbecausetheyhavegivenmeotherpeople'sperspectives.(summer2014)

• Not really.Without the interactionof theProfessor,wewerenot able to truly graspmoreindepthknowledge.(spring2014)

Whatwould you recommend to help the instructormodify and/or refine this course and theirteachingstyle?(Includethingsthatyouwouldliketobeaddedortakenawayfromthesyllabus.)

• Moreactiveinvolvementwiththestudents.(spring,2014)• Therereallyisn'tanyteachingstyleforthiscoursebecauseit'sjustonline.Wearepretty

muchjustdoingthingsbythesyllabus.(spring,2014)• Theinstructoristeachingexcellently,Iwouldnotchangeathingotherthenbeingable

tomeetinclasswithhermoreoften.(spring,2014)• Theinstructor isdoingawonderful jobinpreparingher lessonplansandinteaching. I

wouldnotchangehertechniqueforanyreason.(summer,2014)

End-of-courseWhatwerethebestfeaturesofthecourse?

26

• Ienjoythediscussionthreads,tohavingtoseemyprogressreportandforthepositivefeedback from the instructor on thework thatwedo. It helps tomotivate and grow.(summer,2014)

• The videos and the few timesthe students got together and worked as a group. itpromoted our team spirit and the ability to apply the subject matter. Professor washelpfultoo.(spring,2014)

Howcouldweimprovethiscourse?

• Moretimetoworkonassignmentswhengivenor removing items lastminute.Timelyfeedbackwouldalsobegreatlyappreciated.(spring,2014)

• Givemoretimefortheonlinediscussing,atleasttillSundayinsteadofWednesdayandFridaydeadlines.(summer,2014)

• Duetotheshorttimeofthecourse,morepracticalandhandsonclassworkwillhelpalot.(spring2014)

2014-2015AcademicYearSurveysection Mid-course End-of-course AveragePart 1: CourseContent andSequence

4.14(83%) 4.42(88%) 4.28(86%)

Part 2: Quality ofInstructor’sActivities

4.09(82%) 4.31(86%) 4.2(84%)

Part 3: SelfAssessment

4.26(85%) 4.62(92%) 4.44(89%)

Part 4: Quality ofLearningEnvironment

4.32(86%) 4.56(91%) 4.44(89%)

Part 5: OverallEvaluation of CourseQuality

4.11(82%) 4.39(88%) 4.25(85%)

(Mid-CourseEvaluation)

• Part I - With an average rating of 83%, the responders believed that the quality ofcourse and sequence to be positive. However, compared to last year’s data, thepercentagedecreasedbyeightpercent.

• Part II - The quality of instructor’s activities, information, and commitment wasperceivedbythestudentresponderstobehighlypositivewithanaveragescoreof82%.

• Part III - When evaluating their self-assessment portion of the evaluation, studentshighly regarded themselves by giving this portion of the Mid-Term Evaluation anaveragescoreof85%.

• Part IV - The students perceived that the quality of the learning environment andmaterialstobepositivebygivinganaverageratingof86%.

(End-of-CourseEvaluation)

• PartI-Thequalityofcoursecontentandsequencewashighlyregardedbythestudentresponders by giving an average rating of 88%, an increase of six percent from thisyear’smid-courseevaluation.

27

• Part II - The quality of instructor’s activities was also highly positive with an overallaveragescoreof86%.

• Part III - The students who have responded to the survey believed that they werecommittedanddedicatedtotheirclassesbygivinganaveragescoreof92%.

• Part IV -With anoverall average ratingof 91%, the studentsperceived thequality oflearningenvironmentandmaterialsperceivedtobeverypositive.

In general, the chart and evaluation breakdown information show a high level of satisfactionoverall.Thiscanbeattributedtothechangesmadefromthepreviousyear’sevaluations,aswellasongoingdevelopmentsmadewithinthecurriculum.Thecourseswereextendedfromsixtoeight weeks, to allow for sufficient time to complete assignments, as well as improving thedevelopmentofknowledge inordertomastercoursecontentsbytheendofthecourse. Thetextbookswerereviewedandupdated,inordertomaintainrelevantandappropriatebusinesscontentdelivery.IncreasedLMStrainingwasincorporatedintonewfacultyorientation.Overall,when looking at the qualitative data for the following twomid-course questions andtwoend-of-coursequestions,studentsprovidedhelpfulfeedbackandcommentsregardingthecourseandtheirinstructors:Mid-courseSofar,hasthiscoursecontributedtoyourknowledgeoftheconcepts,subjectmatter,andissuesofthiscourse?Pleaseexplain.

• Yes,Ineverknewthebasicsofbusinessbefore.IlikethewaytheclassisstructuredandtheinteractionsIhavewithotherstudentsandprofessor.(spring,2015)

• YesIhavelearnedinformationthatIneverthoughtitexists,anditisveryusefulforme,and I am applying it to my work, I feel I am be coming more complete with theknowledge Iamreceivingfromthissourcesandtheexperiencethat Ihaveinbusinessfield.(summer,2015)

• Ifeltthatbeingabletousethetextbookwasveryhelpfulandinformative.It isnicetohaveavisualonwhatisneededtobecompleted.(fall,2014)


• Schedule and assignments need to bemore organized so thatwe don't have a lot ofmiscommunications.(Fall,2014)

• Further outlines and study guides to review and prepare for upcoming quizzes.(summer,2015)

• Maybespecificsonwhataretherequirements.(summer,2015)End-of-courseWhatwerethebestfeaturesofthecourse?

• Theonlineclass,thereadingsandthecriticalthinking.(summer,2015)• Knowingwhattheassignmentsweregoingtobeinadvance.(summer,2015)• Lovebeingabletosubmitmyassignmentatmyowntimeonline.Veryconvenient.Ialso

likenothavingtoattendclassesoncampusmorethanonceaweek.(spring2015)Howcouldweimprovethiscourse?

28

• Traininstructorsalittlemoreonhowtonavigatethesystem,havethemmoreinformedaboutsyllabusonthestructureofthecourseanddeadlines.(spring,2015)

• Receiving copies of professor's slides on my first business class has been the mosthelpfulideafromateachersofar,butIdounderstandthateveryprofessorhasitsownteachingstyle,soIdon'texpectatreatlikethateverytime.(spring,2015)

• Overallitwasgood.Itwouldbehelpfulandlessoverwhelmingtohavesomuchdueinoneweek.Asaworkingadult Icanseehowpeoplecouldpossiblyfallbehindwiththeamountofreadings,papers,VCS,andquizaddedon. I think if there isaquizduethatweek then possibly not to have a paper due in the same week. It can be a bitoverwhelmingtohaveboth.Theamountoftimeittakestogetfeedbackforhomeworkorpaperscouldbeimprovedaswell.(spring,2015)

2015-2016AcademicYearSurveysection Mid-course End-of-course AveragePart1:CourseContentandSequence

4.11(82%) 4.07(81%) 4.09(82%)

Part2:QualityofInstructor’sActivities

4.10(82%) 4.08(82%) 4.09(82%)

Part3:SelfAssessment

4.19(84%) 4.21(84%) 4.2(84%)

Part4:QualityofLearningEnvironment

4.08(82%) 4.07(81%) 4.07(81%)

Part5:OverallEvaluationofCourseQuality

4.10(82%) 4.92(98%) 4.51(90%

(Mid-CourseEvaluation)

• Part I - With an average rating of 82%, the responders believed that the quality ofcourse and sequence to be positive. However, compared to last year’s data, thepercentagedecreasedbyonepercent.Thiscouldbeattributedtoanoverall increasedreturnrate.





• PartI-Thequalityofcoursecontentandsequencewerehighlyregardedbythestudentrespondersbygivinganaverageratingof81%.Thereisadecreasefromthemid-courseto end-of-course evaluations by 1%. Nevertheless, it is still above the self-imposedthresholdof80%anditisconsideredverypositive.

29

• Part II - The quality of instructor’s activitieswas also positivewith an overall averagescoreof82%.


• Part IV -With anoverall average ratingof 81%, the studentsperceived thequality oflearningenvironmentandmaterialsperceivedtobepositive.

In general, the chart and evaluation breakdown information showa high level of satisfactionoverall.Thiscanbeattributedtothechangesmadefromthepreviousyears’evaluations,aswellas ongoing developments made within the curriculum. This year, professional developmentsessionsonfacultyexpectationsandtimelinesswereheldforallfaculty.Additionally,discussionquestionswere reviewed andmodified, leading to opportunities to apply course concepts topracticalexamplesandsituations.Acomprehensivelearningassessmentpreparationdiscussionquestionwasaddedtotheweekfivecontentinordertohelpstudentsmanagethetime,startworking on their final assignments, and help alleviate the stress and low quality submissionsthatareusuallyaresultofinadequatepreparationandtimemanagement.Overall,when looking at the qualitative data for the following twomid-course questions andtwoend-of-coursequestions,studentsprovidedhelpfulfeedbackandcommentsregardingthecourseandtheirinstructors:Mid-courseSofar,hasthiscoursecontributedtoyourknowledgeoftheconcepts,subjectmatter,andissuesofthiscourse?Pleaseexplain.

• Yes,thiscoursehasincreasedmyknowledgeonthebasicviewonthebusinessaspects.Theoverviewoftheeconomy,managementofthecompany,motivationofemployeesandotherslearnttillnow.Despiteprovidingallthetopics,everythinginthebookisnotdescribedtoclearthequeriesthatariseswhilestudyingthebook.(spring,2016)

• Ithashelpedmeto improvemyknowledgeabout leadershipandthequalitiesthataneffectiveshouldpossess.(spring,2016)


• Morenumbershomework,butnotpaper.(fall,2015)• Feedbackondiscussionboards.(spring,2016)• The instructor for our course is an experienced professor so he always gives us clear

concepts about different topics by differentways.More he can do some practical sothat it will be helpful for all students. Practical like taking tour to some industry andinteractingwithmanagersandknowmoreaboutoperationmanagement.(spring,2016)

Doyouhaveanyconcernsaboutthiscoursethatyouwouldlikefortheinstructortoaddressinclass?

• Sometimes the PA and the CLAs are kind of mind boggling, somaybe going throughthembeforealittlewillhelpprepareit.(spring,2016)

• Timelyfeedbackshouldbegiven,sothatthestudentswillimprovethemistakesassoonaspossible.(spring,2016)

• Iliketosaytoprovidesomerealexamplesandpracticalknowledge.(spring,2016)

30


• I like that the professor knew a lot about the subject and he interacted with thestudentsbygivingus feedback immediatelyafterweanswered thequestions.Healsoansweredthequestionsonthevirtualclass.(fall,2015)

• Theexperienceoftheprofessor. Hereallydemonstratedhisknowledgebecausehe isanentrepreneurhimself.Hegavealotofsuggestionofhowtoobtainfunding,theupsanddownsof startingabusinessandwhat strategies to implement to stayabove thecompetition. Also,we talkedabout the staminaneeded to stay inbusiness andwhateventsandhappeningcancauseanewbusinessnottoachieveitsobjective.(fall,2015)

Howcouldweimprovethiscourse?• ThisprofessorhasdiscussionquestionsforCLA1and2.Onceagainit'sconfusing-you

wantustowriteafourtofivepagepapertoanswerthesequestions?!ThesearesimplequestionsandIcan'tseehowIcanextendittobefivepages.SameproblemIhadwithCLA 1 I got a lower grade because it was short on pages but I answered all of thequestions.IfyouwantustowriteapaperIthinkit'sbetterforyoutogiveusatopictowriteaboutthenIcanwriteyouamultiplepagesofpapers.Thanks!(fall,2015)

• More videos on examples of different types of entrepreneurs and their experiences(spring,2016)

• The due date for the questions should be moved to Friday, to give more change torespond. Mon – Fri. I have to work and on Friday I can stay up late to answer thequestions(summer,2016)

• Morelocalexamples.(summer,2016)2016-2017AcademicYearSurveysection Mid-course End-of-course AveragePart1:CourseContentandSequence

4.31(86%) 4.28(86%) 4.3(86%)

Part2:QualityofInstructor’sActivities

4.45(89%) 4.28(86%) 4.4(88%)

Part3:SelfAssessment

4.31(86%) 4.29(86%) 4.3(86%)

Part4:QualityofLearningEnvironment

4.37(87%) 4.22(84%) 4.3(86%)

Part5:OverallEvaluationofCourseQuality

4.45(89%) 4.78(96%) 4.6(92%)

(Mid-CourseEvaluation)• Part I - With an average rating of 86%, the responders believed that the quality of

course and sequence to be positive. Compared to last year’s data, the percentageincreasebyfourpercent.Thiscouldbeattributedtoanoverallincreasedreturnrate.

31





• PartI-Thequalityofcoursecontentandsequencewerehighlyregardedbythestudentrespondersbygivinganaverageratingof86%.

• Part II - The quality of instructor’s activitieswas also positivewith an overall averagescoreof86%.


• Part IV -With anoverall average ratingof 84%, the studentsperceived thequality oflearningenvironmentandmaterialsperceivedtobepositive.

In general, the chart and evaluation breakdown information showa high level of satisfactionoverall.Thiscanbeattributedtothechangesmadefromthepreviousyears’evaluations,aswellasongoingdevelopmentsmadewithinthecurriculum.Asaresultofthisinformation,resourcesandtextbookshavebeenreviewed,andarecontinuallyreviewed.Newfacultyorientationandnewstudentorientationshavebeenexpandedupontofocusinonsomeareasofparticipationandexpectations.Also,aparticipationrubrichasbeendevelopedforvirtualoron-campusclasssessions.Domestic students were required to complete theMid-Course Evaluation and End-of-CourseEvaluationstartinginFallof2016(Session1of2016-2017).Ifthestudentsdidnotcompletetheevaluations,theywereblockedfromGlobalAcademicPortalandwouldnotbeallowedtofinishtheirassignments.However,studentswereabletoworkaroundthissystembyclickingthelinkonGAP.Thisisinanefforttoincreasethefeedbackthatisreceivedfromstudents,inordertoensurethatstudentneedsarebeingmetandtomaintainandimproveuponthequalityoftheprogram.Overall,when looking at the qualitative data for the following twomid-course questions andtwoend-of-coursequestions,studentsprovidedhelpfulfeedbackandcommentsregardingthecourseandtheirinstructors:Mid-courseSofar,hasthiscoursecontributedtoyourknowledgeoftheconcepts,subjectmatter,andissuesofthiscourse?Pleaseexplain.

• Absolutely.Icanseehowitrelatestomyjobandmyoverallcareer.WhenIretireIwanttogointobusinessformyself(spring,2017)

• So far, this course has contributed tomy knowledge of the concepts, subjectmatter,andissuesofthiscourse.Becausecatchingtheprimarycontentinmicroeconomicshelpmeunderstandmoreabout theeconomicmarketand I canapply them inmy featureprofessionalcareer.(fall,2016)

32


• Everythingisgood.However,Ihavesomesuggestionsthatcanhelptheinstructor:-weshould focus more on the concept of the subject. Instead of watching video, theprofessor shoulddirect thediscussionquestions and clarify to the studentsabout theassignmentswhatweneedtodo.(fall,2016)

• Iwouldrecommendmoresupplementalreadingsandsamplevideos.(fall,2016)• The course can be more interesting if instructor add effort on real life cases and

examplesofthedomesticnationaswell.(spring,2017)Doyouhaveanyconcernsaboutthiscoursethatyouwouldlikefortheinstructortoaddressinclass?Howcouldweimprovethiscourse?

• Yes.TherearesomeassignmentssuchasAPAorCLA,Iwanttoknowhowtodothembest.(fall,2016)

• Ithinkattheendofclassprofessorshouldsummarizewhereyouhavebeen.(fall,2016)• Byprovidingmoreauthenticexamplesofthetopicandvideos.(fall,2016)


• The best things about this course are our professor really enthusiastic.When I haveproblemorquestion related to the lessonor someassignment, I justneed toaskandthenprofessoriswillingtohelpmesolve.Everyoneinmyclassallengageinthelessons,paytheirattentionandcontributeeffectivelytotheobjectivesofthecourse.(fall,2016)

• TheinstructorandDQs.(spring,2017)• External resources included to help students fully understand the concepts,

eg. YouTube videos, Professor's personal / professional experiences, guest speaker.(spring,2017)

Howcouldweimprovethiscourse?

• Morestudentparticipationwillbenice.(fall,2016)• Weshouldclarifyabout theassignments,presentations.Theprofessor shouldgoover

thecasestudyinclasstomakesureallstudentsunderstandthecontent.(fall,2016)• Thiscourseshouldgivemoretimetodoassignments(spring,2017)

Basedon thedata reviewedand implementationsmadeover thepast fouracademicyears, itcanbeseenthattheBBAprogramadministrationisconstantlystrivingtoprovideanexcellentlearning environment for students. The following bullet points pertain to the discussion ofoverall student satisfaction. Modifications that will be implemented and evaluated over thenextyeararedividedinfocusbetweenfacultyandstudents.FacultySupportandTraining

• Participationrubrics• Facultygradingcalibrationsessions• Facultyexpectationtraining• Facultyfeedbacktraining• Continuedobservationsandfeedback

33

• Onlineteachingpedagogy/technicaltrainingforallfaculty• Onlineteachingpedagogy/technicaltrainingintegratedintonewfacultyorientation

StudentSupport

• Increasedco-curricularopportunities• Universityexpectationsandtechnicaltrainingintegratedintonewstudentorientation.• Writingcentermodificationstoincludelivesupport

Enrollment,retention,andgraduationTheBBAenrollmentchartshowstheenrollmentnumbersfrom2008to2016.Thedatashowsaconsiderableincreaseinthenumberofstudentsenrollinginandenrolledintheprogramsince2008.Thereisahighpercentageofstudentswhotransferredtotheprogram.Enrollment

EnrollmentData2008-2009to2016-2017AcademicYearsAcademicYear #ofNewStudentsin

BBAProgram#ofNewTransfer-InStudentsinBBA

Program

%ofTransfer-InStudentsinBBA

Program2005-2006 2 0 0%2006-2007 0 0 0%2007-2008 0 0 0%2008-2009 8 4 50%2009-2010 1 0 0%2010-2011 1 0 0%2011-2012 4 0 0%2012-2013 4 0 0%2013-2014 7 4 57%2014-2015 18 15 83%2015-2016 474 362 76%2016-2017 194 4 2%Total#of

Students2008-2009to2016-

2017AY

713 389 55%

Note:“%ofTransfer-InStudentsinBBAProgram”istheproportionoftransferstudentsfromthetotalnumberofnewstudentsenrolledintheBBAprogramperacademicyear.GraduationRatesforAllStudentsThegraduationandretentiondatawasgatheredbythefollowingmeans:100%GraduationRate:# !" !"#$%&"! !!! !"#$%#&'$ !"#!!" ! !" ! !"!#$%&" !"#$%

# !" !"#$%&"! !" !!! !"#$" !" !"!!"#

150%GraduationRate:# !" !"#$%&"� !!! !"#$%#&'$ !"#!!" ! !" ! !"!#$%&" !"#$%

# !" !"#$%&"! !" !!! !"#$" !" !"!!"#

34

RetentionRate:# !" !"#$%&"! !!! !"#" !"#$%&"' !!"#$ ! !" ! !"!#$%&" !"#$%

# !" !"#$%&"! !" !!! !"#$" !" !"!!"#

GraduationRateCY 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012TotalStudents 2 3 2 1 1WithdrewfromProgram 0 1 2 1 1Graduatedwithin0-4Years 2 0 0 0 0Graduatedwithin0-6Years 2 2 0 0 0%GraduatedfromEnteringCohort

100% 67% 0% 0% 0%

“Graduatedwithin0-4Years”indicatesthenumberofstudentswhocompletedtheirprogramwithin0to4years.“Graduatedwithin0-6Years”indicatesthenumberofstudentswhocompletedtheirprogramwithin0to6years.First-YearRetentionRateCY 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016#StudentsinCohort 2 3 2 1 1 1 4 12 481

BBA(4yearprogram) 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 6 231

Retained 2 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 201

RetentionRate 100% 67% 0% 100% 0% 100% 100% 17% 87%

BBA(3yearprogram–transferstudent)

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 88

Retained N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1 2 85RetentionRate N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 50% 67% 97%

BBA(2yearprogram–transferstudent)

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 161

Retained N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1 2 160

RetentionRate N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 100% 67% 99%

TotalRetained 2 2 0 1 0 1 3 5 446

TotalRetentionRate 100% 67% 0% 100% 0% 100% 75% 42% 93%*BBA3yearprogramarestudentswhotransferredinandawardedbetween31and60transfercredits*BBA2yearprogramarestudentswhotransferredinandawardedbetween61and90credits.Overall, itwasfoundthatmanyofthestudentsareshowntograduateafteronetotwoyears,however,thesestudentsaretransferstudentswhobegantheirstudieselsewhere.

35

SeeAppendix15:GraduationRatesandRetentionDataInstructorFeedbackandEvaluationCurriculum review and improvement is continuous. Prior to each course, the instructor has achance to review the syllabus and curriculum. During this time, if there are any changesneeded, the instructor indicates the desired changes via a syllabus review form, which issubmitted to the program chair prior to the course start. Further review of the course takesplacewhenstudentsand instructorsreceiveacourseevaluationmid-courseandattheendofthecourseaswell. Studentsare instructed tocomplete the review formthatconsistsofbothnumericalratingsandopen-endedquestions.Additionally,instructorscompleteasurveyattheend of the course, consisting of questions about the course, curriculum, and support. Thisfeedback is reviewed by both the program chair and dean, who make note of any specificcommentsregardingcurriculumoranylowscoretrendsthatmaysuggesttheneedforrevision.Ifandwhenthereisneedforrevision,theappropriatechangesaremadeamongthecollegeofbusiness faculty and then taken to the Curriculum Committee of the faculty senate forapproval.Onceapproved,thesechangesareimplementedthenexttimethecourseisoffered.This continual academic review process ensures that the content is current, relevant, andengaging. See Appendix 16: Syllabus Review Form, Appendix 17: End-of-Course InstructorSurveyTextbooksandJournalArticlesEachcourseusesbothtextbooksandsupplementaryjournalarticlestoaddressanddeveloptheconcepts cited in the program and course learning outcomes. Textbooks and articles areregularlyreviewedtoensurethattheyarerecentandrelevant.

5. StudentSuccessAnalysis

StudentSuccessAcademicsuccessofeachstudentistheultimatepriorityoftheuniversity.WestcliffUniversityhas awide variety of classroom activities for students to demonstratemastery of knowledgethroughgrades.Theseactivitiesandgradingcriteriaaredescribedbelow.

1.DetailedDescriptionofEachGradingCriteriaOnedirectmeasureforassessingstudentsuccessisgrades.GradesarenottheonlymeasureofstudentsuccessthatWestcliffUniversityusestoassessastudent,butadetaileddescriptionofeach grading criteria will be provided within this section. See Appendix 14 AcademicEngagementandGrading2.GradingCriteriaforClassParticipationForstudentsparticipatinginanonlinecourse,studentsreceivetworegular,weeklyparticipationgrades,separatefromtheirwrittenassignmentandquiz;oneforvirtualclasssessionsandoneforonlinediscussions.VirtualClassSession(VCS):Onlinestudentswillparticipateinatwo-hourvirtualclasssessionheldeachweek.Attendanceisrecorded, and students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of the weekly session.Studentsmayearncreditforvirtualclasssessions:

36

1. Students who attend the live session will receive a grade corresponding to theirparticipationlevelduringthesession.

2. Students who do not attend the session are required to give advance notice to theinstructorregardingtheirabsence.Uponapproval,studentswillbeaskedtowatchtheposted recording of the virtual class session. Studentsmust then turn in a one-pagesummaryofthetopicscoveredintheclassbySundayat11:59pmofthesameweek.Itisup to the discretion of the professor to approve an excused absence. Unexcusedabsencescountnegativelytowardthestudent’sattendance.

Students are expected to prepare for and attend their class session eachweek,whether on-campusorvirtually.Preparationforclassinvolvesstudentimmersioninthetextbookchapters,discussionquestions,andsupplementarymaterialspriortotheweeklyclasssession,allowingfora consuming of lecture materials at a pace the student sets. This type of learner-centeredinstructionalstrategyassiststheuniversityincreatingmeaningfullearningopportunitiesforthestudent,and increased thechances for improvedgrades.Theuniversityhasnoticed thatwiththisflippedclassroomapproach,studentparticipationinclassroomdiscussionsreachesahigherlevelofquality,compoundedwhenstudentsconnectwiththeirpeers.Because of the high value that the university places on this classroom structure, a classparticipationrubricwasalsoadded.SeeAppendix11b:ParticipationRubricOnlineDiscussions:In order to promote empowering, enriching, and high-quality academic debates that fosterreflective teaching, critical thinking, inquiry, equity, contextualization, and applicability ineducation as a means of professional development, weekly discussion questions related tocourse content are required. See Appendix 14 Academic Engagement and Grading,Requirements,Appendix11:Rubrics3.ProfessionalAssignments(PAs)andComprehensiveLearningAssessments(CLAs)During each 8-week course, students are to submit oneof two types ofwritten assignments;professional assignments and comprehensive learning assessments. Each has a specific set ofcriteriawhichstudentsmustfollowinordertoachievehighmarks.Thecriteriaaredetailed inthe syllabus, and further clarified in the corresponding rubric, also found in the syllabus. Allassignmentsareexpectedtobeclear,wellorganized,research-based,andspecific.Professionalassignmentsandcomprehensivelearningassessmentsmaymaterializeasresearchpapers,reflectionpapers,casestudies,andbusinessplans.Assignmentdescriptions,alongwiththe rubrics, are provided to students so that expectations and assessment criteria aretransparent.SeeAppendix14AcademicEngagementandGrading4.GradingCriteriaforProfessionalAssignments(PAs)

Professional assignments enable students to demonstrate their mastery of content and BBAprogram educational goals. Students are expected to connect research to practice inprofessionalassignments, taking into consideration theirowncurrentordesired target careergoals.SeeAppendix11:Rubrics

5.CriteriaforComprehensiveLearningAssessments(CLAs)

37

Comprehensive assignments provide evidence of the level of understanding a student hasreached in course specific content. Utilized as a type of assessment, CLAs assist faculty andprogram administrator in checking to make sure that a student has moved past rotememorization,ensuringabettergaugeofcoursecontentmastery.SeeAppendix11:RubricsGradingCriteriaforQuizStudentstakeaquizintheseventhweekofthecourse.Thisquizcoversthechaptersassignedanddiscussedduringthepreviousweeks.Thequizisacumulativeassessmentofthecontentprovidedinthecourseuptotheweekthequizisgiven.AccesstothequizbeginsonFridayandclosesonSundayatmidnight.Studentsareadvisedthatquizzesareclosednote,closedbookassessments.SeeAppendix18:SampleQuiz6.OngoingAssessmentandMonitoringofStudentSuccess

• Formative and summative assessments allow faculty tomonitor andmeasure studentlearning. Moreover, these assessments provide faculty with opportunities to givestudents immediate feedback. Additionally, teachers are able to immediately modifytheir instructionwhen assessments indicate that a particular lesson or strategy is noteffective for specific students, or to offer new challenges for students who havemasteredaconceptorskill.

• The BBA program makes use of grading rubrics for scoring all assignments. Gradingrubrics are used as a tool to delineate criteria and expectations pertaining toassignments and to establish objective consistency in grading. Typically, rubrics aredivided into separate components so as to allow for more direct and precisemeasurement and interpretation of students’ strengths and weaknesses in specificareas. In addition, the final grading of all assignments includes the instructor’sinterpretations,judgments,andconstructivefeedbacksothatstudentscanmoreeasilyunderstand their grade and make improvements on revisions or subsequentassignments.

• By using rubrics, the BBA program uses a range of assessment criteria and expectedperformancestandards.Professorsevaluatestudentperformanceagainsttheserubrics,rather than assigning a single subjective score. The rubrics are available for studentsprior to the start of each session and are generally similar to the rubrics provided inothercourses,sostudentsareawareofallexpectationsrelatedtotheassignmentsandwhatisrequiredtomeetorexceedexpectations.Rubricsalsohelpstudentsreflectuponand evaluate their own work as it progresses. Finally, rubrics, undoubtedly, helpteachers apply consistent standards when assessing qualitative tasks, and promoteconsistencyingrading.

Westcliff University recognizes that course grades alone are not a satisfactory measure ofstudent learning. While they are an important source of information about studentachievement,theyarenotacomprehensiveassessmentoftheuniversity’soverall institutionalactivitiesforaligningitsmissionandobjectiveswiththeprogramoutcomesandstudentlearningoutcomes.7.AnalysisofAssignments

38

Each comprehensive learning assessment is considered a signature assignment and used toanalyze the overall performance of enrolled students. These comprehensive learningassessments are mapped to the corresponding program and course learning outcomes. Forthoseassignments,studentsneedtorespondtoaresearchandreflectionprompt,andalsoputintopractice the theoretical andempirical research reviewedduring the relevant course. Thisprojectmirrors theotherprogramsatWestcliffUniversity,whichhaveexperiencedsuccess inidentifyingwhereachievementgapslie.SeeAppendix19:ILO/PLOAssessmentCycleComprehensivelearningassessments(CLAs)andprofessionalassignments(PAs)arecloselytiedin with the corresponding Course Learning Outcomes. If students receive high marks onassignments,itisanindicationofsuccessfulmasteryofcourselearningoutcomes.Sincecourselearningoutcomesareconnectedtoprogramlearningoutcomes,successontheseassignmentsindicatessuccessfulachievementofbothcourseandprogramlearningoutcomesforgraduatingstudents. Since it was recognized that unintentional grade inflation does take place, bothtrainingandcalibrationactivitiesforfacultyareunderwayforWestcliffUniversityprograms.OutcomesAssessmentStudent outcomes assessment is a formative process designed to enable alignment ofinstructional activities with academic standards and values and to inform faculty andadministrationaboutanyneededchangesorimprovements.WestcliffUniversityhasdevelopedan outcomes assessment plan focused on continuous improvement, which also provides anongoing reviewofstudentachievementandsatisfaction.ThepurposeofWestcliffUniversity’soutcomesassessment istocollectdataandfeedbackonstudentachievementandsatisfactionand utilize this information in decision-making processes for the university tomake programimprovements.Westcliff University’s student outcomes assessment plan serves as a framework for a morecomprehensiveandstructuredapproachtoevaluatestudentachievementandsatisfactionandbegins with the faculty senate president and committee chair. The chair provides overallleadershipfortheassessmentplanandactivities.Theplanisreviewedannuallyorasneededbythe faculty senate performance assessment committee, which is comprised of a committeechair and two additional senators, all current, active faculty members from the colleges ofbusiness andeducation.Any changesproposedare sent to the Faculty Senate for reviewandapproval,andthentotheBoardofTrusteesforfinalreview.Mid-CourseSurveyThe mid-course survey is offered and completed by students during the fourth week ofclass. Thesurveymeasuresstudentsuccessbyaskingaseriesofquestions(refertoquestions16-21 of the mid-course survey) regarding self-learning using a Likert scale and open-endedquestions (refer to questions six and nine of themid-course survey). The results of themid-coursesurveyarereviewedeachtermandspecificactionsaretakentoimproveeachcourseandstudent learning. After the student surveys are completed, the program chair compiles theinformation and provides a feedback summary to each instructor. Within this summary,commendationsandrecommendationsaremade,andinstructorshaveachancetorespondtoandmayberequiredtomeetabouttheirsummarycontents.SeeAppendix20ExampleMid-CourseEvaluation,Appendix20a:SummaryofFeedbackEnd-of-CourseSurvey

39

Duringthefinalweekofeachcourse,studentscompletetheend-of-coursesurvey.Inquestion16through22ofthesurvey,studentself-directedlearningskillsaremeasured,whilequestions23-26ofthesurveymeasuretheeffectivenessofmaterialsandsupportservices.Question27requeststhatthestudentgiveasummativeindicationontheachievementoftheirownpersonallearninggoalsforthecourse.Theresultsoftheend-of-coursesurveyarereviewedeachtermand,often,anactionplaniscreatedtoenhanceeachcoursebasedontheseresults.Justaswiththemid-coursesurveys,theprogramchaircompilesthestudentsurveyresultsandprovidesafeedbacksummarytoeachinstructor.Withinthissummary,commendationsandrecommendationsaremade,andinstructorshaveachancetorespondorarerequiredtomeetabouttheirsummarycontents.SeeAppendix21:SampleEnd-of-CourseEvaluation,Appendix21a:FacultySummarySample

6. FacultyAnalysis

The college of business faculty atWestcliff University have a wide range of experiences andexpertise.Ofthe102facultymembers,62haveaterminaldegreeofaPh.D.,orEd.D.100%ofthedegreescome fromaccrediteduniversitiesandallnew facultymusthave their transcriptsevaluated to attest to this requirement. The teaching faculty has an average of 11 years ofteachingexperienceand18yearsofprofessionalexperience.The teaching facultyatWestcliffUniversityhasawiderangeofteachingspecialties,whichcontributestoafullydevelopedstaff,uniqueandvariedinterestsandskills,andappropriatelymatchedfacultyandcourses.Faculty Participation in Development Opportunities Related to Teaching, Learning and/orAssessmentThe college of business faculty are required to summarize their professional developmentperiodically.Facultyareaskedtosummarizetheseactivitieswithinaprofessionaldevelopmentdocument, which is housed in their personnel file. Faulty are advised that professionaldevelopment activities may consist of attending conferences, workshops, webinars, ormeetings, reading industry related periodicals/books, preparing publications or research,consulting, university activities, presenting, speaking engagements, event coordinating,community service/volunteering, committeememberships, and elected positions. Faculty areencouraged toengage inprofessionaldevelopmentactivities to remain relevant in their field.SeeAppendix22:FacultyProfessionalDevelopment/ScholarshipSpreadsheetWestcliffUniversitycontinuouslyencouragesfacultytoengageinprofessionaldevelopment,butan area for improvement is in the number of faculty who are proactive in their professionaldevelopment. The document that the college of business currently uses for documentingprofessional development activities is lengthy and has been described an inconvenience forinstructorstocomplete.Thisformhasbeenintheprocessofbeingrevised,formattingittobeaGoogle Form that can be updated regularly. It is still in the review stages and will beimplementedin2018.SeeAppendix23:FacultyGoogleFormFacultyRolesThe college consists of full-time and part-time faculty whose duties include teaching,counseling,research,andparticipationinuniversitygovernanceactivities.Responsibilities:

• Provideahighlevelofeducationalrigorwithintheclass(bothon-siteandonline)thatisrelevanttothelevelofthecourseandprogram

40

• Prepareanddeliverlecturesrelevanttocoursecontent• Provideahighlevelofacademicallystimulatingclassdiscussions• Create,administer,evaluate,analyze,andgradeexaminationsandassignments• Direct other teachers or graduate students working for advanced academic

degrees• Conductresearchintheirfieldandpublishfindingsinprofessionaljournals• Advisestudentsonacademicandvocationalcurricula• Actasadvisertostudentorganizations• Serveonuniversityandcampuscommittees;andprovideservicestothecommunity,

government,andindustryReferences tospecific rolescanbe found in theFacultyHandbook. SeeAppendix 25: FacultyHandbookFacultySpecialtiesDuringthehiringprocess,newfacultyareaskedtocompleteaspecialtyform.Thisformasksforboth fieldandeducationexperiencewithin thedifferentcourse topics. Collecting informationrelating to expertise helps with scheduling the proper faculty member into the appropriatecourse,andensuresthatstudentscontinuetoreceive instructionfromhighlyexperiencedandqualified faculty members. Once the information is collected, the program chair and deanreview the information in order to make sure the faculty is qualified for the course. SeeAppendix24:FacultyResumes,Appendix24a:FacultySpecialtyForm,Appendix24b:FacultyAvailabilityTeachingQualityQualityFacultyFaculty within the business field have varied and broad contexts, needs, and challenges. Inorder to engage appropriately and professionally within the desired context, faculty need tohave and continue to sharpen their skills within the theoretical and practical aspects of thefield. TheBBAprogramhires trained, dedicated, and specialized instructors that have a solidfoundationinbusinessprofessionalstandards.SeeAppendix25:FacultyHandbook(HiringandEvaluationPolicy)CriteriaAs the term “quality faculty” is subjective,Westcliff University uses a triangular approach todefine quality. The following is factored in to make a determination on faculty work andperformance:

• Peerandprogramchairobservations• Continuedprofessionaldevelopment• Resume• Administrativeduties(grades,timeliness,responses)• Abilitytousetechnology• Evaluationsconductedbystudentsonfaculty

Studentswho submitted their evaluations indicated that faculty for current courses providedboth relevant, useful knowledge and timely, constructive feedback on assignments. Studentsalsoindicatedahighrateoffacultyencouragementinasafelearningenvironment.Thistypeoffeedback can be interpreted as faculty commitment to student progress and a promotion of

41

criticalthinking,enquiry,andprofessionalisminstudents.Thecomprehensivequalityoffacultywas highly rated, and students expressed an appreciation for the support and guidancedemonstratedbyfaculty.DiversityofFacultyWestcliff University celebrates diversity. The daily life of the university is made rich by thediversityof individuals,groupsandcultures. The interplayof thediversestimulatescreativityand achievement in all facets of the existence of the university. Respect, tolerance, andgoodwillarethekeystonestoenjoyingthediversityoftheworld.Wearelinkedtoeachotherinaworldcreatedforallofustoshareandenjoy.Eachmemberofhumanityhasapotentialcontributiontomaketothewhole.Itisourdutytoencourageandpromotethatcontribution.WestcliffUniversitypromotestheacceptanceandappreciationofeveryindividualregardlessofrace, gender, age, ethnicity, ability or disability, sexual orientation, socio-economic status,religious affiliation, or national origin. We encourage appropriate activities and events thatfosterlearningaboutthediversityofourworld.Theuniversitystrivestobeamodelinstitution,exemplifyingthatahumancommunitycanexistwhichcelebratesdiversity,enjoystherichnesswhichdiversitybringstoourlives,andgrowsstrongerwitheverynewmember.Inparticular,theBBAprogramincludesfacultyteachinginvariouscountriesaroundtheglobe,whoalsocomewithavarietyoffirstlanguagesanddiversebackgroundsandexperiences.SeeAppendix25:FacultyHandbook(DiversityStatement)

7. StudentServicesAnalysis

StudentServices

Westcliff University offers high quality resources and assistance to its students and alumni.Onlineandhybridcoursesoffer studentsa convenient scheduleandacurriculumthat isbothchallengingandrigorous.Toassiststudentswithadjustingtotheonlineclassroomenvironment,the university sees to it that assistance is made available through the Student ServicesdepartmentfromMondaythroughFriday,eightamtosevenpm.Newinitiativesareaddedperiodically,oftenastheresultofstudentfeedbackandfacultyinput.The university has staff dedicated to providing students with sound academic advising,knowledgeable career counseling, andabroad rangeof library services. Throughout theyear,WestcliffUniversityprovidesseveralworkshopsandwebinarsthataimtohelpstudentssucceedacademicallyandprofessionally.

WestcliffUniversityStudentLife

ManyofthestudentsatWestcliffUniversityareworkingadults,balancingthedemandsoftheirjobsandfamilieswiththoseoftheirstudies.WestcliffUniversityunderstandsthecommitmentstudentsmakeinordertofurthertheireducationisasignificantone,whichiswhytheuniversityoffers affordable education and the convenience of online and hybrid courses. WestcliffUniversity aims to be supportive to students throughout the entire process, and encouragesstudentstonetworkbyattendingeventsandmeetingwithfacultyandstaff.

InformationSessions

42

Westcliff University encourages prospective students, current students, and alumni to attendinformationsessionsheldbytheadmissionsdepartmenteverysemester. Informationsessionsare a chance for prospective students, current students, alumni, faculty, and staff to interactwith each other and ask questions about the programs and classes offered at WestcliffUniversity.SeeAppendix26:Flyer

NewStudentOrientationThe campus community is committed to making new students’ transition into WestcliffUniversity asmeaningfully and smoothly as possible.New student orientation (NSO) providesnewlyacceptedstudentswiththeopportunitytobecomefamiliarwiththecampusandobtainvaluable informationonhowtosucceedacademically.Studentsaregivenaformaltourofthecampus and introduced to key staff members while revisiting academic requirements andexpectations.Duringthisorientation,studentsarealso introducedtotheonlineportalusedintheircourses.SeeAppendix27:NewStudentOrientationScheduleStudentResourceCenter(SRC)Studentshaveaccesstoonline/onsitesupportviatheStudentResourceCenter.BelowisalistofassistancetheSRCprovides:1.APAFormattingandPlagiarismTutorial(Required)

• Located in theGAP student resource centerundernew student resources -> requiredtrainings

• DirectURL:https://versal.com/c/qwliqv/apa-formatting-tutorial2.AcademicIntegrityPolicyTutorial(Required)

• Located in theGAP student resource centerundernew student resources -> requiredtrainings

• DirectURL:https://voicethread.com/share/7613864/3.SampleAPAPaper

• LocatedintheGAPstudentresourcecenterundernewstudentresources->additionalresources

4.WritingCenter• Locatedoncampus• Studentscanrequestadetailedreviewoftheirdeliverableforacourse• Writingspecialistswillcheckforformatting,grammar,andspelling

5. ProfessorStudentSupportExchange(PSSE)• LocatedinGAPandlistedasacourse• Studentscanmeetfacultyhereatpre-arrangedtimes,liveviazoomteleconferencefor

one-on-oneguidanceforassignmentcompletion.

InternationalStudentsWestcliff University provides a welcoming environment to students from other countries.Admissions staff works with applicants to ensure all necessary paperwork is completed.Recognized as a global institution, Westcliff University is proud of its rich diversity ofinternationalstudents.InternationalstudentsatWestcliffUniversityhavebuiltastrongstudentcommunity focused on mutual success, peer support, and continual growth towards globalcitizenship. Additionally, the admissions staff is committed to developing professionally by

43

takingTESOLCertificatecourses inorder tobetterserveandmeettheneedsofstudents.Theuniversityprovidesthisprofessionaldevelopmenttoitsstaff.

ConvocationConvocationmarks theendof the fall semesteraswell as theendof the calendaryear.Heldeach December, this event is an enjoyable way for Westcliff University students, staff, andfacultytosocializeandacknowledgeeachother’sachievements.Awardsaregiventorecognizestudents, faculty, and staff while refreshments are served and prizes donated by localbusinessesareraffled.

CommencementCommencementisanhonoredtraditionthatWestcliffUniversityholdseveryyear.Eachspring,Westcliff University’s graduating students make the transition from scholars to alumni, andfamily, friends, and classmates join the university’s faculty and staff to recognize thisachievement. Students are presented on stage and high student achievement is recognized.Community heroes and leaders are invited to speak at these events. Past commencementspeakershaveincludedjudges,businessleaders,andelectedofficials.

AcademicAdvisingWestcliffUniversitypridesitselfonprovidingsupportive,personalizededucation.Theuniversityrecognizes that academic support to students is imperative for student success. AcademicconsultationismadeavailabletoallWestcliffUniversitystudentsandiscontinuouslyprovidedbythedeansorotheradministrativestaff.Academicadvisingincludesbutisnotlimitedtothefollowing:

• Guidestudentswithcourseselections• Directstudentsonacademicrequirementsbasedonevaluatedtranscripts• Advisestudentsonapplyingforfieldpositionsandinternships• Discussacademicpoliciesandcourseschedulingconcerns• Counselstudentsonacademicprobation

Thedeansevaluatetranscriptsfortransfercredit.Theregistrarprovidesdegreeevaluationsforcurrent students. Student services provides academic advising related to academic probationstatus,schedulingconcerns,generalsupport,motivation,etc.Allstudentsareencouragedtomeetwiththedeanoftheircollegeregularly,andarerequiredtoscheduleatleastoneadvisingsessionwiththemannually.Studentsareadditionallyrequiredtohaveat leastthreeacademicadvisingsessionswithstudentservices;onesessionisheldwhentheymatriculate into their program, one session to select their concentration, and one finalsessionattheconclusionoftheirprogram.Registrar

The main purpose of the registrar’s office is to maintain academic records for WestcliffUniversityandprovideacademicsupport.Theregistrarcollectsandacceptsstudenttranscriptsand related documents, verifies enrollment, evaluates student records, monitors satisfactory

44

academic progress, processes student graduation petitions, and monitors grades andattendance. SeeAppendix 28: Application for Diploma, Appendix 29: Diploma Order FormChecklist,Appendix30:ApplicationforEvaluationforGraduation.CareerDevelopmentWestcliffUniversity admissions staff discuss career aspirationswithprospective students, andencourageall studentstodiscussthesegoals indepthwiththeirdeansandprofessorstogainadditional informationabouttheir fieldsof interest. It isrecommendedthatstudentscarefullyresearchtheirdesiredcareerpathattheoutsetoftheirstudiesinordertoformasolidplanfortheir journeyaftergraduation.All facultyand staffencourage students to signup forone-on-oneassistancewithresumeandcoverletterwriting,andtoattendthevariousworkshopsthatthe university holds periodically which cover these topics. See Appendix 31: Career PathSessionLibraryServicesWestcliffUniversity has a research andquiet study center, equippedwithdesktop computerswherestudentshaveaccesstoavirtuallibrary.HoursofoperationareMondaythroughFriday,9:00amto7:00pm,withtheexceptionofholidaysandothercampusclosuredates.Students have access to the Library and Information Resources Network (LIRN). LIRN is anonline librarycollectionofmore than80millionscholarly journals,articles,periodicals,books,encyclopedias,newspapers,magazines,andaudioandvideoclips.LIRNalsoincludesdatabasesfrom Gale/InfoTrac with Informe, ProQuest, eLibrary, Credo, RCL, web, and books inprint. Students arenot only encouraged, butmany times required touse LIRNwhen seekingsourcestocompletetheircoursedeliverables.

TechnicalHelp&ResourcesTechnical Support is available to students at (888) 491-8686 onMonday through Friday fromnineamtosixpm.TechnicalSupportisalsoavailableduringalternatehoursforurgenttechnicalneeds. The director of technology primarily assists with troubleshooting and/or technicalquestions.Tutorialsarepostedtotheglobalacademicportalforstudentsandfacultytoreviewpriortobeginningtheironlineexperience.Onlineorientationsessionsarealsoheldforstudentsandfacultywhoneedstep-by-stepassistancewiththee-portalplatform.WorkshopsandWebinarsWestcliff University offers other workshops to augment the student learning experience.Workshops led by faculty members in topics such as study skills, college-level research andwriting skills, test taking skills, and time management combine presentations with groupdiscussionsandactivities.Theseworkshopsweredevelopedasa resultof studentand facultyfeedback and requests, and are carefully developedbynoting trends in the fieldsof businessandeducation.Theseworkshopsareopentocurrentstudentsandalumni,andthenpostedontheuniversity’sYouTubechannel.Theseco-curricularactivitiesservetocomplementclassroominstructionandbroadentherangeofskillsinparticipants.SeeAppendix32a:WorkLifeBalanceWorkshop,Appendix32b:TakingCareofBusiness,Appendix32c:APALabStaffServicesWestcliffUniversityalsorealizestheimportanceoffacultyandstaffsupport.IntheLMS,facultyhaveaccess toavarietyof resources to support training,provide tutorialsand resources,and

45

other faculty related documents and information. Faculty are encouraged to participate inmultipleprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities,conductresearch,andpublishtheir findings.The university provides links for valuable academic resources, professional developmentopportunities,andsomefundingtoparticipateinprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities.FacultyGAPPortal1.MoodleandGlobalOnlinePortalTutorials

• LocatedintheGlobalOnlinePortalunderFacultyGAPPortal• Providestutorialsforgrading,technology,andAPA.

2.FacultyDocumentsandHandbook• LocatedintheGlobalOnlinePortalunderFacultyGAPPortal• Providesexpectations,professionaldevelopment,andcoursepreparationforms

C.Reflections

1. ProgramHighimpactpracticesevidencedintheProgram:

Discussion Question Matrix- Type and Frequency: The syllabi have similar structure fordiscussion questions across disciplines to elicit both content rich and professional businessresponses and to engage the student in dynamic learning through the application of courseconceptslearnedduringthecourse.Thediscussionquestionsarerepresentedinaneight-weekmatrix per course for the business colleges to organize the discussion question type andfrequencygivenperweek.Thequestiontypesare:thestandardquestionforcontentinquiriesrelatedtothelessonoutcomes,theappliedconceptquestiongiveninweeksoneandthree;theCLA 2 preparation question given in week five to prepare an outline for the week eightassignment);andthesummaryandcriticalthinkingquestion(giveninweekeight).The summaryand critical thinkingquestion is givenduring the lastweekof the course (weekeight)and involves logicalargumentsaboutthe learningoutcomesthestudentexperienced inthecourse.Thesequestiontypesandfrequencyarerepeatedineachbusinesscourse.TheneedforimprovedquestionscopeandfrequencywasidentifiedintheProgramReviewanalysisandimplementationhasbegun.DiscussionQuestionRubric:ThediscussionquestionsrelatetotheDiscussionQuestionRubric,which allocates total grade points for each discussion question assignment and is completedbasedoneachresponseinthediscussionevaluatedbytheinstructor.Therubricincludesqualityofresponsetothequestion,responsetopeer(s),preparationwithoutsidesourcematerial,andcriticalthinking,aswellasaccountabilityortimelyresponse. TheDiscussionRubricisfoundineachcoursesyllabus.

46

Verbal Feedback: Theprofessormay choose touse a verbal feedbackprogram in addition towrittencommentswiththegradeandthegradingrubricevaluation,viaTurnitin.Thedictationservice isavailablewithinthecoursefor the instructortoverballyprovidefeedbackaswellaswrittencommentsaboutthequalityoftheworkanditsrelevancetothedisciplineunderstudy.TheFacultyDiscussionResponseMatrix:Thefrequencyofdiscussionquestionresponse(s)fromthe instructor regarding feedback and follow up questions (open ended) to the students toencourage critical thinking is shown in a faculty response matrix. All students in the courseshouldberespondedtoeachweekinthediscussionforumbytheinstructor,whichisbasedonthenumberofstudentsenrolledinthecourse.WestcliffUniversityprovidesamatrixtodepictthefacultyexpectedresponsequantityforbothhybridandonlinecourses.Thecoveragemodelshowninthematrixhasbeendesignedtoensurethateachstudentreceivesfacultyfeedbackor“touch”within the online discussion forumweekly. This practicewas implemented based onpreviousprogramreviewdataandconfirmedduringthiscurrentWSCUCprogramreview.

Faculty TrainingProgram:TheDeanof theCollegeofBusinessandtheProgramChairsof theCollegeofBusinessconductafacultytrainingatthestartofeachsessiontoemphasizethekeyupdates and new initiatives as well as to confirm the Westcliff University courseworkexpectations related to faculty. The agenda for the training session is distributedprior to themeetingandallfacultywillbeinvitedtoattendthissynchronousonlinemeetingontheZOOMplatform from theUniversityheadquarters. Theuniquenessof themeeting is that it is in realtime, synchronous on our ZOOM platform including faculty across business disciplines, andclassroomenvironmentsofonlineorhybridaswellasdomesticandinternationallocations.Ifitisnotpossibletoattendthemeeting,thesessionisrecordedontheUniversity’sZOOMplatformforfacultytoaccessanytime.

Weaknesses/challenges identified in the program. Recommended strategies to address theweaknesses/challenges.Professional Development- Currently, not all faculty are involved in regular professionaldevelopment. Factors that may deter faculty to attend professional development activitiesincludecost,paid time,andavailability. In thepast,WestcliffUniversityhas triedtoencourageprofessionaldevelopmentattendancebyholdingprofessionaldevelopmentsessionsforfaculty,byfaculty.Westcliff provides an environment that promotes continual professional development. Theuniversity has a $30,000/year budget available to help defray costs of attending professionaldevelopmentconventionsandconferences.Facultyareable to submit requests for funding forprofessionaldevelopmentactivities.GradingCalibrationisananticipatorysolutiontogradinginconsistencyandinflation.Thecollegeof business can incorporate calibration activities in the new faculty orientation content. Inaddition, the dean and program chair can do periodic calibration activities with faculty aftercourse evaluations or observations. Lastly, college of business faculty can hold professionaldevelopment sessions to support professors working together on some grading calibrationprojects.Byworkingtogether,facultycangainmorepractice,focusonthegradingcomponents,and continue to provide fair, accurate, and more consistent inter-program grading for allstudents.

47

Thegradingcalibrationprotocolconsistsofthefollowingprocess:

1. Reviewtherubrictobeused2. Askanyclarificationquestions3. Readanassignmentandscoreaccordingtotherubric4. Groupscoresharing(recordingallgradesonaspreadsheet)5. Discussareasofdifferenceorsimilarity.

a. Groupmembersjustifytheirscoreb. Decideifthedifferencesareduetorubricclarity/unclarityc. Discussuntilageneralgradingconsensusismet

6.Reflectuponimplications,taskclarity,andrubricfeaturesHuman Error- TheWestcliff University Global Academic Portal (GAP) is a useful tool to keepstudents and faculty organized and scheduled. Eachweek, the students are able to view theirassigned work, write and respond to discussion questions, and watch narrated Voicethreadlectures.It is importanttokeeptheonlinecomponentofeachcourserunningsmoothlyandupto date. If not, the disarray can lead to lower student and faculty satisfaction, as well as astrugglefortimemanagementandworkcompletion.Overthepastyear,therehavebeenissueswithmaterialandcontentbeinguploadedbehindschedule,incorrectrubricsbeinguploadedintotheportal, andquizzesmissing fromtheportal. Thesecancause frustration forboth studentsandstaff,andleadtoabreakdowninsatisfactionandtrustintheGAPsystem/university.To counter someof the aforementioned issues, the new faculty orientation can provide someinformationonwhattodoifanerrorisfoundwithinthecourse.Theprogramchairandassignedinstructorcanalsoscanthecoursetogethertoensureallcomponentsareaccurate,up-to-date,andreadyforstudentstoaccess.Regardless,theultimategoaloftheuniversityisfortheentirecoursetobefullypreparedandfreefromerrorbythestartofthesession.CapstoneProject/Portfolio-Currently,thefinalportfolioconsistsofmovingcompletedCLAstoafinalportfolio.Thereislittlereflectionorthoughtinthisassessment.Movingforward,aportfolioproject will be considered as a means of outcome measurement, student and programmarketability,andmaintenanceofstandards.Researchwillbedoneononlineportfoliosaswellaswaystomeasureprogramandinstitutionallearningoutcomesviaaportfolio.

Howtheprogrammeetssocietalandprofessionalneeds?BBA programdesignerswere cognizant that all courses and course content needed tomeet ahighsetofprofessionalstandards.Programdesignersensuredthatstudentswhounderwenttheprogramweregiventheproperfoundationofbecomingaprofessional,contributingmemberofthebusinesscommunity,andthattheprogrammetbothandmeetprofessionalandeducationalneedsinthefollowingways:Timelinessandself-directedmanagement-Studentshaveduedatesforallassignments,butit istheirresponsibilitytosubmiteachdeliverablewithinthegiventimeframe.Thisentailsusingtimemanagementskillstoplanahead,oftentakingintoconsiderationtheadditionaltimeneededtoutilize thewriting center. Aside from budgeting time for schooling, students have to continuemeeting thedemandsofprofessionalandpersonal roles. This skill set feeds intobothsocietalandprofessionalneeds.

48

Professionalism-StudentsaretosubmitallassignmentswritteninAPAformat,useaprofessionalwriting tone for assignments anddiscussion forumposts, and attend theweekly class session,readytomakecontributionstothegiventopic.Development- Throughout the program, students are actively creating business plans andbusinessanalysesthatcanbeusedandreferredtointheirprofessionalcareers.Allassignmentsarepracticalandapplicabletoamyriadofcontexts.Knowledge base- The courses offered in the program are directly in line with other programofferingsandthedemandsofthefield.Thisisdeterminedbythebenchmarkingassessment.Presentations-Severalcoursesintheprogramhaveapresentationcomponent.Thecomponentis either a theoretical presentation, or it asks students to conduct a marketing/business planexplanation. Both types of presentations require professional skills, the ability to plan for anaudience,leadagroup,integratetechnology,andmanagetime.To understand societal needs, BBA program administrators meet annually with a programadvisory council, consisting of seven active members in the business field, as well as hiringmanagers in different English language learning institutions from the community. The councilreviewstheprogramoutcomes,materials,andcurriculumtocheckforandensurerelevancy.Anyrecommendations that come from the council are then reviewedwith the college of businessfacultysothattheycanalsorespondtotheserecommendations.TheCurriculumCommitteereferencesthecurriculumhandbook,adocumentwhichhelpsguidethe design and development of appropriate educational and training programs. The planarticulates thegoalsofeachdegreeprogram, theprogressmade towards thesegoals,and thechangesnecessary to fullyachieve them.Allprogramsundergoacomprehensiveevaluationbyan independent evaluator every five years. The committee takes into account the learningoutcomesofthedegreeprogram,studentfeedbackofcoursesandfacultyteaching,andfacultyobservations of academic and developmental needs. At the heart of developing courses,curricula, learningmaterialsandresources,studentassessmenttoolsandteachingmethodsliestheneedtomeasureandimprovestudentlearning.Theadministrativeandacademicstaffresponsibleformanagingandmonitoringtheassessmentprocesshavesufficientexpertiseandexperienceinplanningprocesses.Theadministrativeandacademicstaffresponsibleformanagingandmonitoringtheassessmentprocessconsistofcollegeofbusinessdean,programchair,andassessmentcoordinator.Allhavesufficient expertise and experience that is demonstrated through their resumes and previousworkexperience.MoreinformationcanbefoundinthestakeholderInvolvementsectionofthedocument.

2. Curriculum

ProgramQualityAssessmenta. How has the program used assessment findings to impact program

developmentdecisions?

49

AllprogramsatWUstrivetohaveclearconnectionsbetweenthecorecompetencies,institutionallearningoutcomes,programlearningoutcomes,andcourselearningoutcomes.Whilecompletingthemappingassessment,alackofclearconnectioninquantitativereasoningskillswithinthecourseandprogramlearningoutcomeswasnoted.Inresponse,anewprogramlearningoutcomeforquantitativereasoningwasdrafted,approved,andimplemented.CoursesandmappingshavebeenupdatedtoreflecttheadditionSomeofthecourselearningoutcomeswerenotcoveredasufficientnumberoftimestoallowenough opportunities for students to be introduced to, develop, andmaster course learningoutcomes.Consequently,anadditionalnumberofopportunitiesfordevelopmentandmasterywereaddedtoeachcourse for thosecourse learningoutcomesthathadnotbeenadequatelyelaborateduponpreviously.During the assessment of program and institutional learning outcomes achievement, it wasfound that quantitative reasoning was weak in attainment. Comprehensive learningassessments will be reviewed to see if the issue lies in the assignment prompt or withinstudents’ inability to achieve theoutcomedue to insufficientdevelopmentor participation inclass.Curriculumstructureassessment

a. Shouldtheprocessbemodifiedtoensuretheprogramismorecompetitiveandcurrent?

Currently, theprocessused forcurriculummodificationsconsistsof facultyandstudent input,subjectmatterexpertinput,andreviewfromtheadvisorycouncilandfacultysenatecurriculumcommittee.Prior toeach session,professors receive the syllabus. Theyare to review the content, dates,and informationon the syllabusand completea syllabus checklist. If there is something thattheywouldliketochangeorupdate,itneedstoberequestedonthechecklist.Sometimesthechangemay consist of a coursebookor discussionquestion. In this case, aweekbefore theclassstartsitisnotfeasibletomakemajorchangestoacourse.Toimproveuponthisaspectofcoursemodification,moreadvancenoticeofchangesarenecessaryinordertoprovidetimetogothroughtheprocessofrequestingthecurriculumcommitteeforapprovalandthentoupdatethesyllabus.

Instructorsprovidefeedbackattheendofeachcourse;however,iftheadviceorfeedbackisnotreviewed ina timelymanner, the feedbackmaynotbe consideredprior to thenext time thecourse runs. By holding periodic end-of-course faculty interviews or focus groups, with theexplicitintentionofassessingthecurriculumandcoursecontent,andworkingtogetherwiththeinstructorstomakeupdatesandstarttheapprovalprocess.Thiswouldhelpmaintainarelevantandcurrentcurriculumwithtimelyarticlesandcontent.

Additionally, course learningoutcomes, professional assignments and comprehensive learningassessments must be revised periodically so as to guarantee the program is current andrelevant.Experts indifferentareasofbusinesscouldbeencouragedto join the facultysenatecurriculum committee on special occasions, program advisory council, or towork as external

50

consultantstoreviewsuggestedchangesandinnovationstomakesurethatthesechangesmeetthecurrentandevolvingneedsofgraduatesinthefield.The assessment process is being modified for impact improvement by modifying theprofessional assignments and comprehensive learning assessments (adding collaborativeassignments and increasing the technology involved), and making revisions on the finalportfolio.Within theseadjustmentsandchanges, theability toassessstudentachievementoflearningoutcomeswillbecomeincreasinglyevident.Additionally,thecollegeofbusinessfacultywillbeabletointervenesoonerintheacademiccareerifastudentfallsbehind.Finally,thesechangeswillallowforabilitytomeasuretheefficacyoftheprogram.Curriculumdiversityassessment

a. How does the program intentionally embed diversity-related issues in thecurriculum?

Inmostgeneraleducationcourses,thereislikewiseanemphasisontheappreciationofdiversity,such as in Art History 100,where almostweekly there is a discussion question or assignment(suchasCLA2)whichhasasafocuscomparingthedifferencesandsimilaritiesoftheartoftwodifferent cultures. Similarly, in the College of Business, the course BUS 367 TheNecessities ofInternational Marketing and Culture has a primary focus on diversity and culture. diversitypermeates throughout the entire curricula, in discussion forums, as well as professionalassignmentsandcomprehensivelearningassessments.Educationaleffectivenessassessment

a. Changestomakethatcanimprovestudentlearning• Implement recommendations basedoff course evaluations, ensuring their viability via

regularmonitoringandreview.• Provideadditionalprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforfacultysothattheymay

take newfound skills and experiences back into the classroom and so that they stayabreastofthenewesttheories,philosophies,andtrendsinteaching.

• Offer additional Moodle and online application training to new and current faculty;theseenhancedskillscanassistthemwithrespondingtostudentsmoreefficiently

• Integrate the three online platforms (GAP, SIS, and ZOOM) to reduce the number ofloginsandmakebetteruseofstudenttime.

3. Students

a. Whatarethestrengthsinstudentengagement?The BBA program offers various possibilities for students to engage at their own pace andavailability.Withinthemid-courseandend-of-courseevaluations,thereisasectiondevotedtostudentselfassessment.Theself-assessmentportionconsistsofthefollowingquestions:

1. Ishowedrespectforotherstudentsandtheprofessor.2. Ifrequentlyengagedininteractionswiththeinstructorandotherstudents.3. Iwaschallengedtothinkcriticallyaboutthesubjectmatterofthiscourse.4. Icommittedmyselftowardsmylearningprogress.5. Iachievedtheintendedlearningoutcomesforthiscourse.6. IappliedwhatIlearnedinthiscoursetomyworkorprofessionalactivities.

51

7. As a result of what I learned from this course, I believe my value as a professionalincreased.

Basedonthequantitativefindingshighlightedinthebelowchart,studentsintheBBAprogramhaveconsistentlyratedthemselveshighly intheself-assessmentportionofthestudentcourseevaluations. Thechartsshowanoverallaverageof4.35(Likertscale)forfouracademicyears,andmaintainedorincreasedachievementperceptionsoftheabovestatements.SelfAssessment2013-2013

4.48 4.43 4.45

SelfAssessment2014-2015

4.26 4.62 4.44


4.19 4.21 4.2


4.31 4.29 4.3

Basedon thequalitative findingshighlighted in the followingsection,Thecommentsmadebythe students enrolled in the different courses in the BBA program express a high level ofmotivation from what they have learned and progressed in their education while enhancingtheir competence to successfullyperform in thebusiness field.Theaforementionedcreatesapositive feedback loop,whichalso leadstostudentsatisfactionwiththeprogram,asreportedthroughstudentfeedbackandself-assessments.Studentquotes:Theinstructorhastheadequateknowledgeofthecoursemattersandknowshowtoengagestudentstobringthemostoutofthem,theiroriginalinsights,hasmadeustothinkcriticallyandlogical.So,overalltheinstructorisbest.Idon'tseemtherearemorethingstoaddtothiscourseandtheteachingstyle.(spring,2016)(Bestfeaturesofthiscourse)Ilikethatit'sonlineandthestudents'interactionwithoneanother.(summer,2015)IthinkallmaterialwasusefulandIneedtousthemonadailybasisinmybusiness(fall,2015)Ihaveabetterviewpointontheprocessofsellingandrelationshipbuildingwhichmybusinessdependson.Iseethe importanceoftheapplicationofCRMtoimprovecustomerservice. Ialsoenjoyedthecasestudiesastheyprovidereallifesituationsthatneedstobehandled.Bysolvingtheproblemsinthecasestudy,wearebecomingmorecompetentandconfidencetofacesimilarcaseinreallife.(fall,2016)Thebestpartsweretherelevancetoeverydaylifeandtheworkplaceandhowitincreasedmyability to understand how and why people act the way they do at work from my level ofemploymentallthewayuptoleadership.Thiscoursewillbewithmetherestofmylife.(spring,2014)

b. Whataretheweaknessesinstudentengagement?

52

WestcliffUniversityunderstandsthatstudentengagementlevelsareaffectedbyvariousfactors,includinglocationandtimedifferencesintheonlineprogram.Whenvirtualclasssessionstakeplacelateintheevening,studentattentionspanisnotatitshighestlevels,leadingtolowlevelsof participation. Though one could make the same case for on-site courses, factoring inremotenessofonlinecoursesplacesanadditionalstrainonstudentengagement.Thesefactorsare magnified when coupled with students who might be reticent to engage in onlinesynchronousdiscussionswithpeerstheyhavenotyetmet inperson.TheBBAprogramusesaflipped classroom approach to overcome these factors, creating a more dynamic, interactivelearningenvironmentthatdemandsstudentengagementandmeaningfulparticipationtomakeitwork.Studentsarerequiredtohavereadallreadingmaterialsforthegivenweek,andarrivetothedynamic,interactiveclasssessionwellprepared.

Another issue thatmight affect student engagement in both online and on campus format isthat all courses are mandatory, with no elective courses offered. Students who are given avariety of course optionsmight be engaged andmotivated at a higher rate, as these courseoptions would coincide with their professional and personal interests. Westcliff University’scollegeofbusinessadministratorswilldiscuss the feasibilityofadditional courseoptionsoncethestudentbodygrows.

It has been stated by a large number of educational theorists that factors affecting levels ofstudent engagement also include work status, parental status, and other obligations in andoutsidethehome.Theseobligationsplaceadditionalpressureonthestudents’alreadylimitedtime,makingfulldedicationtoschoolinganddeliverabledeadlinesdifficult.WestcliffUniversityiscurrentlyundergoingaprocessthatidentifiesthecharacteristicsandfactors,whichcomprisethe student body, indicators of student success, engagement, at at-risk elements. A largenumber of demographic variableswhich include but are not limited to first generation, race,ethnicity,income,maritalstatus,numberofchildren,andgradepointaverageareallpotentialvariablesbeinganalyzedinhopesofbetterunderstandingthestudentmakeupandbetterassistthosestudentswhomaylikelyrequirespecialassistanceand/orearlyintervention.Thistypeofanalysisshouldbeputinplaceby2018.

c. Whataretherelatedstrategiestocountertheseweaknesses?

TheuniversitycanprovidefacultymemberswithspecializedtrainingintheuseofMoodleandZoomasinteractiveplatforms,soastomaximizestudentengagementandinterestduringVCSandonlineparticipation.Currently, thedeanof thecollegeconductsannual feedbacksessionswithstudents.This isanopportunity for the dean to listen to student body feedback in a one-on-one meeting. Inaddition, the dean discusses future academic and career planswith the student during thesemeetings.Thisclearlydemonstratestostudentsthattheadministrationvaluesstudentopinions,satisfaction,andsuccess.Nevertheless, itmightbeagoodinitiativetoalsoassignamentortoeachstudent.Thenstudentscouldreceivemorecontinuouscoachingontheircurrentacademicpursuitsaswellasfuturecareerplans.

d. Cantheinvolvementofstudentsintheprogramreviewprocessbeenhanced?

53

Thereareacoupleof ideas forenhancing the involvementof students in theprogramreviewprocess. To begin, the university currently incorporates student evaluation feedback into theprogramreviewprocess,andcangoastepfurtherbyfollowingupwithstudentswhoprovidedfeedback,askingthemtoassessthechangesandevaluatethesuccessoftheseinitiatives.Portfolios and Capstones: In the bachelor programs, students complete a final portfolio todemonstratetheirachievementoftheprogramlearningoutcomes.Reflectivediscussionquestions:Reflectivediscussionquestionsareembeddedintoeachcourse,consistingofopportunities toselfassessoncourse learningoutcomes, field-basedknowledge,andpracticalapplications.Selfassessment:usingprogramlearningoutcomerubrics:Certaincoursesincludeopportunitiesfor students to self assess using the same rubrics that are used for the signature assignmentassessments. Students complete the rubric, write a rationale, and reflect upon their ownachievementofdifferentprogramlearningoutcomesovertheperiodofthecourse.Focus groups: When programmodifications are necessary or implemented, staff and facultymaymakeuseofstudentfocusgroupstogetfeedbackonnewly implementedelementsortoget informationon studentperceptionsof new ideas. (This hasnot been implemented in theBBAprogram,butisonatrialinanotherprogram.Ifsuccessful,itwillbeimplemented.)Course evaluations: Every course provides two opportunities for course feedback fromstudents. Included in the mid-course and end-of-course evaluations, is a self-assessmentportion,wherestudentsmayself-assesstheirownlearningandcourseparticipation.

4. Graduates/Alumnia. Definitionofasatisfiedandsuccessfulgraduate

WestcliffUniversity’sdefinitionofa successfulgraduatestudent isa studentwhoexhibits theidealqualitiesofbeinggoal-oriented,independent,efficient,critical,self-disciplined,motivated,andawell-roundedlearnerwhogetsasmuchoutoftheprocessofstudiesaspossible,onewhois able to adequately equilibrate work with studies with personal life. The institution canascertain these qualities through the reflection questions in mid-course and end-of-courseevaluations. These questions specifically ask if students are satisfied with the quality andsupportofthelearningexperiencegainedatWestcliffUniversity.Thesurveysalsoaskstudentstocontextualize,relate,andimplementwhattheyhavelearnedduringtheBBAprogramtotheircurrentwork.

b. SuggestionsforAlumniCommunications

Westcliff University aims to provide invaluable, lifelong support to its graduates throughnetworking and strong communication. Some suggestions to enhance contact with WestcliffUniversityalumniare:

● Organize online and on-campus events such as reunions, guest speakers, professionaldevelopment,orathleticevents.

● Provideopportunities for successful alumni tomentor current students and/or recentalumniwhomightneedadditionalsupport,creatingasenseofbelongingtotherapidlygrowingWestcliffUniversitycommunity.

● Provideopportunitiesforalumnitoreturnasguestspeakersonatacademicevents

54

● Provideadditionalprofessionalandpersonalsupporttoincludeprofessionalnetworkingeventsforalumniandadditionalcontinuingeducationopportunities

● Solicit feedback from alumni and incorporate alumni suggestions into developmentstrategies:listeningmorecloselytoalumniwillallowWestcliffUniversitytounderstandwhoalumniwanttoconnectwith,howtheywanttocommunicate,andwhattheywanttogainfromtheirrelationshipwiththeinstitution.

● Maintain an updated alumni address book alongwith detailed information about thestudentsuchlevelofpriorschoolinvolvementandprofessionalprofile

● Connect with alumni via an alumni dedicated newsletter, Facebook page, LinkedIngroup, Twitter posts, etc. containing communications which keep alumni updated oncampusnews,research,activities,andhelptostrengthentheconnection

5. Facultya. Comments,perceptionsandrecurringthemesfromfacultyreviews

The BBA program has received a great deal of positive feedback from faculty in the end-of-course reviews. These reviews inquire about strong and weak points of courses, whethermaterialswerehelpful,andwhat,ifany,issueswerefacedbyprofessorsaswellastheproblem-solving process for these issues. Commonalities in the feedback received were on studentEnglish levels,weekeightcontent,technical issues/easeofuseofGAPandZoom,andstudentparticipationandbehaviorduringon-campusoronlineclasssessions.SeeAppendix33:FacultyFeedbackForm

• English level:Allstudentshaveaccesstoawritingcenter,butrarelydotheyuseit.Itcould certainly be beneficial to professors to be informed and trained on thewritingcenter procedures, and then encourage students to use it prior to any assignmentsubmissions.

• Week eight content: Thishasbeen revealed in the I,D,Mmapsaswell, itwouldbehelpfultomakethefinaldiscussionquestionmorespecific.Rightnow,thereisnonewcontentbeingintroducedinweekeight,butsomesimpleexpansionactivitiesorspecificreflectiveactivitieswouldbeaneasywaytostrengthenthefinalweekofeachcourse.

• Technicalissues/GAPeaseofuse:Asaresult,newfacultyorientationisbeingrevisedtoincludemoretechnologyandonlinepedagogicalinformationandtraining.Inthefuture,itwouldbehelpfultohaveperiodictechnologyandMoodletrainingstoactasasupportto instructors and to provide themwith solutions to easier technical issues theymayencounter.

• Student participation: As a result of these comments, the curriculum committeewastaskedwith creating a rubric for class participation. SeeAppendix 11a: ParticipationRubric

b. FacultyTrainingandexperiencesinobservations

Facultyfeedbackisgivenbythedeanortheprogramchair,bothofwhicharetrainedandhaveexperienceinreflectiveandnon-prescriptivefeedback.Boththedeanandprogramchairhaveaconsiderable amount of staff training experience and work closely together to maintainconsistencyanddiscussanyissuesastheyarise.

55

Opportunities for feedback primarily occur after synchronous (live classes) and asynchronous(recorded sessions) observations,mid-term summaries, and end-of-course summaries. Basedontheresultsofsaidevents,thefeedbackistailoredtotheprofessor.Thereisagoodamountof positive and constructive feedback based information. After each observation, thedean/programchairmeetwiththefacultymembertodiscussthe lesson;facultymembersareencouragedtoreflectonthedifferentteachingmethodsusedandlookforareasthatthefacultymemberwould liketo improveupon. Atthemid-termandend-of-courseevaluationpointsofeachcourse,theinformationissummarizedandthefacultymemberreceivesasummaryform.This form also includes a section on graded work, course interaction, feedback, respect forstudents and timeliness. Based on a combination of area review, the dean/program chairdecidesifanyoftheinformationwarrantsameetingwiththefacultymember.Ameetingmayberecommendedif:

• Studentsareunsatisfiedwiththecourse• Theinstructorhasnotgradedworkinatimelymanner• Thereislittletonofacultyinteractioninthediscussionboards• Followupoccursregularlywithobservedfacultyinthemiddleoftheircourse.Thefirst

half of the course and observation is discussed; the program chair monitors forcomplianceorfurtherissuesthatarise.

c. Effectivefacultyuseoffeedbacktoimprovethelearningexperiencequality

Opportunitiesforfeedbackprimarilyoccurafterobservations,mid-termsummaries,andend-of-course summaries. Based on the results of said events, the feedback is tailored to theprofessor.Thereisalwaysagoodamountofpositiveandconstructiveinformation.At the end of these discussions, the dean/program chair creates an action plan for futurecourses. The action plan and steps are discussed and agreed upon and reviewed at the nextmeeting opportunity. The action plan should consist of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable,Achievable,Realistic,andTime-bound)inordertoeffectivelyseehowthechangesorgoalstakeplace and to be able to ensure their resolution. A deadline for implementation of necessarychanges by professorswill be added tomake sure those changes take place and the studentlearningexperienceisenhanced.Inaddition,allteachingfacultyaregivenanobservationorevaluationsheetthatgivesspecificreferencetostrengthsandweaknesses.Afterallclassobservations,instructorsareabletomeetwiththeprogramchairtogoovertheobservationsheet.Aftermid-courseandend-of-courseevaluations,instructorsaresentanevaluationsummarywithanonymousstudentcomments.Inbothforms,thereismentionofareasofstrength,aswellasareasforimprovement.SeeAppendix34:ObservationForm

d. Changesthatcouldleadtomoreeffectiveinstruction

Westcliff University faculty members teach with a student-first mentality, implementing asmany effective teachingmethods as possible into their courses. Despite the success of theirteaching,thereisalwaysroomforimprovement.

56

Noted changes that BBA program administration can implement to lead to more desirableteachingeffectivenessinclude:

1. Mandatory trainings on grading expectations and the importance of feedback. Someprofessors provide solid and helpful feedback to students in a timely manner. Otherprofessorsstrugglewiththis.Byholdingtrainingsonefficientwaystograde,facultycanprovideanimprovedlearningspaceforstudents.

2. TheBBAprogram chair can keep current on faculty observations, and provide facultywithusefulfeedbackregardingtheirteaching.

3. Revisethenewfacultyorientationtoincludemorepedagogicaltrainings.4. Providingfacultywithaself-reflectiondocumentwheretheycanidentifyareastheyfeel

thattheycouldusemoresupportin,aswellasareasthattheyfeelconfidentin.5. Ensurethatthedeanand/orprogramchair isquestioningfaculty interviewcandidates

onhowtheyrespondtoandimplementfeedbackintheirclassrooms,ensuringthatallfacultycandidatesarecognizantofthepowerofstudentfeedback.

6. Increase thenumberofpeerobservations,afterwhich faculty receivepeermentoringand feedback on their teaching methods. Supportive and constructive feedback onfacultyteachingmethodscanalsobuildacommunityoftrustamongstfacultymembers.SeeAppendix35:PeerReviewTeachingObservationForm

7. Participation in a minimum number of professional development opportunitiessurrounding effective teaching methods can be made mandatory for faculty,enforceable by either Westcliff University administration and/or college of businessadministration.

In addition to a continuation of observations and evaluation summaries, each of the abovementionedsuggestionscouldleadtoareflective,collaborative,andunitedteachingfacultythatstrivetoworktogether,despitedistance,tosupportstudentsandoneanother.

6. SupportServices

a. Additional technologies that could enhance the effectiveness of the learningexperience?

WestcliffUniversitycanprovidebothfacultyandstudentswithspecializedtrainingintheuseofMoodle and Zoom as interactive platforms, so as tomaximize student engagement, learningexperienceandinterest.Itwouldbeagoodpracticetoorganizemonthlyco-curriculareventsandwebinarsforstudentstofurtherdiscusscurrenteventsandissuesinbusiness.Thiscanincludeinformalconversationsabout career options, and other professional development opportunities.Westcliff University could also exploit the potential that social media provides by creating aFacebookgroup,LinkedIngroup,andTwitterforBBAstudentsinwhichresources,researchandupcoming academic events are shared. This might enhance the sense of community andbelonging among students, at the same time give a sense of enhancement of the learningexperience.

57

Finally, college of business instructors could include cutting edge applications or currentbusiness technology tools that promote practical use and collaboration in their classes. Thiswould have the potential to lead to interactive anduseful classroomapplications in both on-ground and virtual class sessions, and also provide and stimulate new ideas to take intostudents’individualcontexts.

b. Servicesthatcouldstrengthentheuniversity’ssupportforthestudents

Currently,Westcliff University has an onlinewriting center that allows students to submit anassignmentandreceivemechanicalandgrammaticalfeedback.Whilethisishelpful,thewritingcenter does not provide support on the organization or focus of the deliverable. Thewritingcenterismissingawritingsupportteachserviceandonlineplatformthatcouldallowforadual-wayapproach.Ifstudentswereabletosignupforaspecifiedperiodoftimewheretheycouldmeetvirtuallywithawritingsupportstaffmember,thenthestudentcouldimproveupontheirwritingdeliverables.

c. Sufficientextra-curricularandco-curricularactivitiesplannedforthestudents

Westcliff University is committed to providing co-curricular activities, program and learningexperiences that complement, in some way, what students are learning in their courses butseparate from theacademic coursework. Theactivities arenot graded, studentsdonotearnextracredit,theymaytakeplaceoutsideofregularschoolhours,andtheymaybeoperatedbyoutside organizations. Co-curricular activities can bring pleasant and fulfilling experiences tostudentsandcancontributetothestudent’slife.

EducationalWorkshops andWebinars:WestcliffUniversityofferseducationalworkshopsandWebinarstoaugmentthestudentlearningexperience.Theseeventsareledbyfacultymembersand combine formalpresentationswithgroupdiscussionsandhands-onactivities.Workshopsareplannedinresponsetostudentrequests,facultyrecommendations,andnotedtrendsinthebusinessfield.Opentoalumniaswellasstudents,workshopsservetocomplementclassroomeducationandtobroadenthestudents’rangeofskills.Pastworkshopshavecoveredtopicssuchas study skills, exam-taking techniques, and time management. The University encouragescurrent and incoming students to attend the APA, Writing, and Research Workshop held atWestcliffUniversityeachsemester.

• Summer 2017. Series: Tips for Publishing and Presenting. Webinars recordedanduploaded toGoogle+, YouTube, andGAP. PresentedbyDr. LukePlonsky,ProfessorforCollegeofEducation.

• April21,2017.APAtheRightWay:WritersWorkshop.PresentedbyProfessorJoseTrujillo

WritingCenter:Studentswhoareworkingonassignments foracoursecanrequestaone-on-onereviewoftheirwork.Writingspecialistswillreviewassignmentsspecificallyforformatting,grammar, and spelling. Areas of Support: Clarification of assignment, grammar and syntax,performing research, citation of references, guidance on how to approach answeringassignment,definingterms,andAPAformattingCareerDevelopment:StudentsdiscusstheircareergoalswithanAdmissionsstaffmemberpriortoenrollingatWestcliffUniversityandareencouragedtomeetwiththeirrespectiveDeansand

58

professorstogainadditional informationabouttheirfieldsof interest. It isrecommendedthatstudentscarefullyresearchtheirdesiredcareerpathattheoutsetoftheirstudies.

AcademicAdvising:WestcliffUniversityprovidesasupportiveandpersonalizededucationwhereacademicconsultationismadeavailabletoallstudentsandisprovidedbytheDeansand/oradesignatedmemberoftheAdministration.Eachterm,thereisaneventcalledTheInsideScoop.Livesessionsconsistofspecialguestspeakerswhoareindustryleaders.Thegueststalkabouttheirjourney,whatittakestogetaheadintheirfield,andanswerquestions.ProfessorStudentSupportExchange(PSSE):Zoombasedcommunicationforprofessorsandstudentsaboutclassroomassignmentsbyappointment.ProfessionalWorkshopSeries:

• Activity Title: Layering Your Life,Wednesday,March 9, 2016. In this presentationDr.Flores introduces experience-basedways to set priorities,maintain effectiveness, andhelpstudentstoorganize.

• ActivityTitle:WaystoWinatBusinessSchool,StrategiesforSuccess,March16,2016.InthispresentationDr.Floresreviewedherfavoritestrategiesforsuccesstowritebetterpapers,completeprojectsandfinishassignmentsontime.

• ActivityTitle:[email protected],2016.WorkshopswillbepresentedonhowtoapplyforCPT;waystopreparingforaninterview;howtosearchforjobsorinternships;and,howtoprepareeffectiveresumes.One-on-oneresumereviewsareavailable.

VolunteerandCommunityService:Studentsandstaffvolunteerinacommunityefforttohelpdevelopsocialresponsibility.Eventsconsistoffarmwork,kitchenwork,andtoydrives.

• ActivityTitle:SpiritDaywithChick-fil-A,September13,2016.VisitChick-fil-AneartheUniversitylocationwithflyerandthecompanywilldonatetoWestcliff’sChildren’sHospitalofOrangeCounty(CHOC)fundraisingteamwitheachpurchase.Thisispartofanefforttoraisefundstosupportthecare,servicesandresearchofCHOCforchildreninthecommunity.

SocialActivities• BookClub-Toptrendingbooksthathelpstudentsandstaffreflectonacademicand

professionalinterests.Thebooksaregeneralandapplicabletobothstudentsinthecollegeofbusinessaswellasthoseinthecollegeofeducation.

• HikingClub-Onceeveryothermonth,studentsandstaffhikevarioustrailslocatedinOrangeCounty.

• PeerMentorship-studentsmeet,mentor,andsocializeduringmentorsessions.• Otheractivitiesconsistofvisitinglocalfestivalsandfairs,cookingclass,sportingevents,

holidaycelebrations,movienights,andpicnics.Newsletters:Theschoolnewsletterconsistsofupdates,WestcliffUniversityeventrecaps,shoutouts,andupcomingeventsandactivities.Co-curricularActivitiesonaGlobalScale

59

Inordertounitetheentireglobalstudentbody,onlineandhybrid,twoco-curricularactivitiesareintheplanningstages.Activitiessuchastheseprovideopportunitiesforinternationalcollaboration,incorporateinterculturalcommunication,andfacilitateprofessionalconnectionsonaglobalscale.

1. Onetimepersemester,aforumwilltakeplace.StudentsintheU.S.andotheronlinestudentsinthebusinessprograms(54nationsrepresented)willmakepresentationsontheircountry,andtherewillbeatimeforthesharingofperspectivesonaglobalscale.Topicspresentedonanddiscussedwillencompasspolitics,religion,education,ethics,andbusiness.Anactivitysuchasthisnotonlyreinforcesthecommunityofeachprogram,butalsounitesstudentsonaglobalbasis.

2. AcollaborativeentrepreneurialfocuswillunitestudentsandfacultyastheypracticetheconceptofHeuristicideationtechnique(HIT).FacultyandstudentswillbecomeHITengineersandcreatenewproductsorservices(includingamarketplan),participatinginaglobalcompetition.

Extra-curricularActivities:WestcliffUniversitybeganasportsprogramasofJuly2017andtheuniversityisbringingbasketballandtrackandfieldforthefirstyearbeginningoftheprogram,duringthescholasticyear2017to2018.TeamshavebeenorganizedandwehaveMenandWomen’sTrackandMen’sbasketballatthistime.

• Basketball:HomebasketballgamesarescheduledaspartofasmallPAC6ConferencetakingplaceintheMistyMaySportsComplexlocatedinIrvine,CA.TheawaygameswillbeplayedagainstteamsfromNorthernCalifornia,NewMexico,andUtah,etc.,andthesearestrongcompetitors.

• TrackandField:TrackmeetsarealloverSouthernCaliforniaandscheduledfortheSpring.EveryweekendwillbefullofeventsforopenteamcompetitionandevenincludesOlympians!

d. Improveduseofthecommunityprofessionalswhoworkintheindustriesrelated

totheprogrambeingreviewed?TheUniversityhasanestablishedProgramAdvisoryCouncil(PAC)asthegroupthatreviewsthecoursecontentand returns theassignment for inclusion in thesyllabus.Changesmade to thecurriculumby thePACmemberswillbe reviewedby theprofessorandcurriculumcommitteeforapproval.Throughthevalidationofthecourseassignmentsasrelevanttocurrentbusinesspractices or ‘Industry Validated as Relevant’ (IVR) by business leaders, innovative and timelybusiness content will be implemented to motivate student engagement. PAC members canprovide updated and relevant information to modify course assignments by introducing realworldbusinessprogramsviaindustryrelevantassignments.

e. Availableresourcestodelivertheacademicprograminaqualityway

Thecollegeofbusinessusesthematerialresourcesnecessarytodeliverahighquality,engaging program, but there is an on-going need for continued training of faculty inordertoworkmoreefficientlyandeffectively.

60

Duringthegrowthprocessoftheprogram,thereisademandformoretechnicalstafftobe available to set up courses, monitor servers, and handle any troubleshootingactivitiesstudentsandstaffmayencounter.

7. Feedbacka. FacultySenate

The Curriculum Committee, one of four standing committees of the Faculty Senate, reviewslearning outcomes of each program, student feedback regarding courses and facultyperformance, and faculty observations of students academic and development needs. SeeAppendix25:FacultyHandbook(RolesofFacultySenateCommittees)

1. Curriculum Committee- The committee shall have oversight of all curricular itemsrelatedtocoursesandprogramsofstudy.

2. PerformanceAssessmentCommittee-Thecommitteeisrequiredtoevaluateprogram’sstudent learning outcomes, annual assessment findings, benchmarking results,subsequent changes, and evidence concerning the impact of these changes. Thecommittee isalso topresent to theSenatecomments regarding theplan for thenextcycleofassessmentstudies.

3. Academic Standards, Policies and Procedures Committee- The committee shall studypolicy areas and make recommendations affecting admissions, curriculum, generaleducation,andacademicstandards.

4. Faculty Affairs Committee- The committee shall study policy areas and makerecommendations affecting those matters, which pertain primarily to theresponsibilities, rights,privileges,opportunities,andwelfareof the faculty,collectivelyandasindividuals.

5. FullSenate-Thefullsenatemeetsquarterlytoreviewwhatthefacultyandcommitteeshavebeenreviewingandworkingon.Atthistime,theentireSenatereviewsandvotesuponanychanges.

Appendix 9.04

Sample Annual Program Evaluation - BBA Program

Annual Program Evaluation

Fall 2018-Summer 2019

Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA)

(Onsite and Online)

Prepared By:

BBA Program Review Committee

Dr. George Sayegh, Dean, College of Business Dr. Diana Siganoff, Associate Dean, College of Business Jennifer Hirashiki, Assessment Coordinator & Director of the LITE Center Jim Lipot, Undergraduate Program Chair, College of Business Alex Dilworth, Faculty Support Specialist, College of Business Amy Tieu, Research Analyst, Institutional Research Visal Dam, Research Analyst, Institutional Research Giang Do, Research Analyst, Institutional Research

College of Business Westcliff University

Table of Contents

Introduction

Program Overview

Purpose of Program Review

Assessment Methodology: Direct and Indirect Measures

Student Success

1. Detailed Description of Each Grading Criteria

2. Grading Criteria for Class Participation

Virtual Class Session (VCS) Discussions: Students will also participate in a two-hour virtual class session held each week. Attendance is taken, and students are required to attend 75% of the course. Students may earn credit for virtual class session discussions in one of two ways:

Online Discussions: In order to promote empowering, enriching, and high-quality academic debates that foster reflective teaching, critical thinking, inquiry, equity, contextualization, and applicability in business as a means of professional development, the BBA faculty is highly committed to interacting with students through an array of weekly discussion questions related to each course. Appendix 4: Specific Discussion Question Requirements

3. Professional Assignments (PAs) and Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs)

4. Grading Criteria for Professional Assignments (PAs)

5. Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs)

6. Ongoing Assessment and Monitoring of Student Success

7. Analysis of Signature Assignments

Outcomes Assessment

Mid-Course Survey

End-of-Course Survey

Program Academic and Professional Trends

Analyses

SWOT Analysis for BBA

1

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Achievement of Previous Program Review Intended Actions

Mapping – University Mission, Program Mission, ILOs, PLOs, CLOs

Student Satisfaction Rates

Retention, Enrollment and Graduation Rates

Planning

Program Redirections

Reflections

Curriculum

Appendices (will include as needed)

Introduction Program Overview

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Program is offered through Westcliff University’s College of Business. It is offered in online and hybrid formats, similar to the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs and other programs provided by the University. The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree is the only undergraduate degree program offered in the College of Business. The purpose of the program is to prepare undergraduates to seek employment in entry-level positions in various industries of budgeting, accounting, payroll, personnel, computer

2

systems, risk management, facilities planning and management. Westcliff University aims to produce capable and knowledgeable students who manifest an understanding of work and careers and an ability to adapt quickly to the expectations of employers and the work environment. The performance outcomes which are required for the completion of the program include class participation, response to discussion questions, writing research papers, presentations, case study analyses, quizzes, mid-term and final examinations, known as Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs). The BBA program consists of both domestic and international students. The program caters to the flexibility that distance education offers so that students may work and study simultaneously. When the program is in a hybrid format, the onsite class components are scheduled with the students’ schedules in mind. When it is in the online format, care is taken to ensure that the virtual class sessions (VCS) meet the scheduling needs of its students, by keeping consistent times and considering student and professor time zones. The BBA program consists of a program requirement of 120 credit hours, including 60 credits of core business courses and 60 credits of general education courses. Students may complete their entire 120 credit BBA program by taking all 60 general education and 60 core course credits at Westcliff University. Alternatively, students may transfer up to 60 general education credit hours to Westcliff from another accredited school. Additionally, students may be granted course waivers for up to 30 credit hours of the required core courses. Through program and course review, as well as Program Advisory Council (PAC) involvement, it has developed into a comprehensive program with an emphasis on both theory and pedagogy. The online program consists of international and domestic students, catering to the flexibility that distance education affords students who choose to work and study simultaneously, without compromising its quality and rigor. Synchronous online class components are scheduled with the various time zones and student/instructor availability in mind. Currently, the hybrid program consists of five F-1 visa students studying in the United States. The Westcliff University admissions team is currently focusing on domestic student recruitment now that the University has Title IV authorization, granting loans and grants to those domestic students wishing to defray the costs of higher education. The athletics program development has also contributed to means of growth for the BBA program.

Purpose of Program Review

The purpose of Westcliff University’s BBA program review is to gain insight and collectively examine the effectiveness of the program. Program review provides a continuous platform on which to internally and externally audit program consistency, encourage excellence, and identify areas for improvement that can result in making evidence-based decisions for strengthening programs and improving student learning, curriculum, and faculty effectiveness. The intention of the university is to establish a clear, honest, accurate, and unbiased assessment of the program under review.

3

The program review is facilitated by the collection and analysis of available data and information pertaining to learning and teaching activities from various perspectives that will identify program strengths and areas of improvement. Using these findings, actionable data items will be determined. The program review will culminate with a clear strategic direction that will guide the university towards improving, augmenting, and enhancing the overall quality of the BBA program. This will facilitate student learning, progress and success in the program and ultimately provide an opportunity to ethically enhance student’s professional careers.

This process is a critical tool for change, evaluation, and reflection. Through consistent and careful documentation, and internal and external examination, this review process can result in a detailed analysis of a program, expose the quality of education being offered to students, exhibit program demand, and factor maintenance costs for the current program. The review results will be used for strategic planning, program enhancements, and benchmarks to help achieve these adjustments. Program improvements and enhancements made based upon review of the results will ultimately assist the University in serving its students at a higher standard, a standard that is as rigorous and relevant as it is complete. Appendix 1: BBA Program Review Outline The analysis and review will take into consideration similar and emulated programs and requirements, industry standards, and employment requirements. Market analysis and information from outside sources, such as business and educational trends references, as well as external reviewers, such as the program advisory council (PAC), and external reviewers, will enable Westcliff University to complete a thorough and informative review of the current program. Additionally, the collected information and industry requirements will play a role in the changes and improvements of the program. Program analysis will allow for College of Business faculty to reflect upon strengths and weaknesses in the program, and create an action plan based on findings. Any concerns or challenges that arise can also be addressed immediately; ensuring that information that comes from this process will be useful, applicable, and all encompassing. The program review process for Westcliff University consists of forming a team of expert reviewers, preparing a self-study document, collecting feedback from outside reviewers, preparing a response to the review team, and finalizing action plans which will be consolidated in a memorandum of understanding (MOU), a document used to express and indicate a common line of action between the College of Business and the University.

Assessment Methodology: Direct and Indirect Measures

All direct and indirect measures of student learning are analyzed to evaluate student gains while earning their degree. Direct measures include student grades on all written assignments: professional assignments (PAs), comprehensive learning assessments (CLAs), discussion questions (DQs), and quizzes. Indirect measures include student surveys that evaluate both teaching and course effectiveness along with a self-assessment component, all of which are administered in the middle and at the end of each course. The survey instruments themselves are also regularly evaluated to ascertain Program strength.

4

Facilitated and guided by faculty, each course has 15-18 discussion questions, one professional assessment (PA), two comprehensive learning assessments (CLA), a presentation component (theoretical presentation or teaching demonstration), and a quiz. The course format is consistent throughout the Program, depending on the complexity of the assignments, and the time needed by students to successfully complete them. The weekly discussion questions consist of standard questions, applied learning concept questions, and applied learning assignments. The focus of each type of question varies and adds to a comprehensive look at the weekly content. The first professional assignment takes place in the second or third week of the course, comprehensive learning assessment one is in the forth or fifth week of the course, the quiz is week seven (7), and the comprehensive learning assessment two, along with the oral presentation (Courses that have presentations are:--------------------) is due week eight (8). This spacing of assignments allows for sufficient preparation time, course instruction, feedback and revisions, and solid pacing of information. This structure and the consistent format also help students to acclimate to the program quickly, despite the rapid succession of courses.

Student Success Student success is Westcliff University’s top priority. The demands in any potential career a student is aspiring to be in require not only a solid grasp of industry content, but also application, reflection, and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in the business field. This is why the BBA Program is undergoing constant revision and enhancement.

1. Detailed Description of Each Grading Criteria One direct measure for assessing student success is earned grades. Grades are not the only measure of student success that Westcliff University uses to assess students, but a detailed description of each grading criteria will be provided within this section. Appendix 1: Grading Policy

2. Grading Criteria for Class Participation For students participating in an online course, students will receive two weekly participation grades: one for virtual class sessions and one for online discussions. Rubrics are used to accurately assess active, effective, and ongoing class participation during all tasks and activities carried out every week. Faculty and students are trained in the use of these rubrics. This allows everyone involved to be familiar with the criteria used and therefore aim for accuracy and fairness in grading.

Virtual Class Session (VCS) Discussions: Students will also participate in a two-hour virtual class session held each week. Attendance is taken, and students are required to attend 75% of the course. Students may earn credit for virtual class session discussions in one of two ways:

1. Students who attend the live session will receive a grade for their participation during the class. For this, a rubric to assess active and engaging student participation during virtual class sessions (VCS) has been designed and is included in the syllabus for students to get familiar with the criteria. Appendix 2: VCS participation rubric

2. Online modality students who do not attend the session will be required to give advance notice to the instructor regarding their absence. Upon approval, students will be asked to watch the posted

5

recording of the virtual class session. Students must then turn in a one-page summary of the topics covered in the class by Sunday at 11:59pm PST of the same week. It is up to the discretion of the professor to approve an excused absence. Unexcused absences count negatively toward the student’s attendance.

Students are expected to prepare for and attend their class sessions each week (on-campus or virtual class sessions). Preparation for class involves reading the materials and attempting to make sense of the weekly topic in advance. As such students prepare themselves for upcoming “flipped classroom” discussions. Consequently, student participation in classroom discussions corresponds with higher quality and rigor. Appendix 3: Evidence of Student Perceptions of VCS

Online Discussions: In order to promote empowering, enriching, and high-quality academic debates that foster reflective teaching, critical thinking, inquiry, equity, contextualization, and applicability in business as a means of professional development, the BBA faculty is highly committed to interacting with students through an array of weekly discussion questions related to each course. Appendix 4: Specific Discussion Question Requirements Examples of weekly academic discussion posts in the links below demonstrate the high degree of engagement and student contributions to the dialogue taking place in Westcliff University’s BBA courses. Students contributed and shared their expertise in business while defending their ideas with examples from their own experience and the latest research from the field. As shown in the following exhibits, students demonstrate their ability to reflect upon the content studied and its applicability to their own students and teaching contexts. Appendix 5: Student Quality Example 1, Appendix 6: Student Quality Example 2, Appendix 7: Weekly Discussion Rubric, Appendix 8: All Rubrics With the purpose of increasing students’ motivation and engagement, the BBA courses have started to be revised so as to incorporate different types of discussion questions in which students have to find relevant journal articles to support their findings, review current events for applicability, and connect learning outcomes to what they have learned thus far. These are done to help students reflect and analyze all the weekly materials they need to read while enhancing their engagement and critical thinking. It is also a helpful way to integrate current events and work with students to improve their ability to read extensively, synthesize information, and apply content to experience. Appendix 9: Syllabus, Appendix 10: Syllabus, Appendix 11: Syllabus, Appendix 12: Syllabus

3. Professional Assignments (PAs) and Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) During each 8-week course, students are to submit one of two types of written assignments; professional assignments and comprehensive learning assessments. Each has a specific set of criteria that students must follow in order to achieve high marks. The criteria are detailed in the syllabus and further clarified in the corresponding rubric, also found in the syllabus. All assignments are expected to be clear, well organized, research-based, and specific. Professional assignments and comprehensive learning assessments may materialize as research papers, reflection papers, case studies, and business plans. Assignment descriptions, along with the rubrics, are provided to students so that expectations and assessment criteria are transparent. Appendix 13:

6

Assessment Details (Assignment Details). Comprehensive assignments provide evidence of the level of understanding a student has reached in course-specific content. Utilized as a type of assessment, CLAs assist faculty and program administrator in checking to make sure that a student has moved past rote memorization, ensuring a better gauge of course content mastery. See Appendix 11: Rubrics Students are also provided with the following in their syllabus:

● Formatting requirements for written assignments ● Expectations (page length, required components, and templates, as needed) ● Grading rubrics

Late assignments receive a 10% deduction for the first day they are submitted past the due date, and 5% after that for 3 days. Assignments that are more than three days late, are not accepted. Extensions are given on a case-by-case basis for emergencies and must be approved by the professor.

4. Grading Criteria for Professional Assignments (PAs)

Professional assignments enable students to demonstrate their mastery of content and BBA Program educational goals. Students are required to connect research to practice in business professional assignments, taking into consideration their own current or desired target teaching context. Overall when analyzing PA 1 and PA 2 grades, in the majority of 2017-2018 courses, there was improvement between the professional assignments. This is as a result of the continuous detailed feedback from professors as well as increased scaffolding and assignment description details. Also, faculty have been trained in the use of the rubrics in the assessment of PAs. Due to this, grades are more reliable and not only professors but also students, understand the importance and the use of rubrics and their criteria to improve the assignments. Appendix 8: All Rubrics, Appendix 15: PA grades

7

This chart shows the scores obtained on the 57 submissions of PA 1 and PA 2 during the 15 courses offered in 2017-2018. The scores are homogeneous in each course, showing consistency in the use of the rubrics as guidelines for submission. The 0 score found in TSL 592 was due to the student failing to submit the assignment. The scores also demonstrate that students are able to successfully address the topic they need to research and reflect on while coherently and accurately present a convincing argument.

PA 1 and PA 2 grades, in the majority of 2016-2017 courses, there was improvement between the professional assignments. This is as a result of detailed feedback from professors as well as increased scaffolding and assignment description details. Appendix 8: All Rubrics, Appendix 15: PA grades

2016-2017 PA 1 and PA 2 comparisons

8

This chart shows the PA 1 and PA 2 grades for all (26) BBA courses offered in the 2016-2017 academic year. There were 78 assignment submission opportunities for both assessment submission periods. PA 1 had an average of 87.75% for all 78 assignments. For PA 2, 72 assignments were submitted, with an average of 89.6%.

9

This chart shows the average grade for PA 1 and PA 2 grades for all (15) BBA courses offered in the 2017-2018 academic year. There were 57 assignment submission opportunities for both assessment submission periods. PA 1 had an average of 84.56%, including 2 students who failed to submit. For PA 2, the assignments assessed revealed an average of 80.54%, including 5 students who did not submit. Both average scores indicate that students were able to write papers that were well organized and developed, using clearly appropriate explanations, examples, and/or details. The PAs also contained at least 4 different reliable sources.

5. Criteria for Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLAs) Comprehensive assignments provide evidence of what degree students have mastered course content and also assess students on all course learning outcomes. Comprehensive learning assessments measure student achievement of outcomes in a way that goes beyond rote memorization and gauges true understanding and mastery of course content.

Average comprehensive learning assessment grade data obtained during Fall 2014 through summer 2017 indicates that expectations and requirements were met satisfactorily. It should be noted that some students did not submit assignments and are being carefully monitored while on academic probation. The majority of students were able to successfully complete CLAs, and improve their grades based on professor feedback. During the Fall of 2016, many assignments were revised and new rubrics were added, attributing to the increased rigor of the courses. Faculty has been undergoing extensive training during new faculty orientation and bi-annual grading calibration sessions in order to ensure meticulous grading and adherence to University teaching methods and expectations. As a result, grades had slight decreases from academic years 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, to 2016-2017. Decreased grades were also attributed to the revision of comprehensive assessments to make them more challenging, and the expansion of the

10

course length from six weeks to eight weeks. Once the revisions were made, and extra attention along with more explicit feedback was provided, grades stabilized and will be continued to be monitored. Appendix 8: All Rubrics, Appendix 16: CLA and Quiz grades

11

This chart shows the scores obtained on the 57 submissions of CLA 1 and CLA 2 during the 15 courses offered in 2017-2018. The scores are homogeneous in each course, showing consistency in the use of the rubrics as guidelines for submission. It also demonstrates that students are able to successfully address the topic they need to research and reflect on while coherently and accurately present a convincing argument while displaying consistent facility in

12

the use of language, spelling, and punctuation.

This chart shows the average grade for CLA 1 and CLA 2 grades for all (15) BBA courses offered in the 2017-2018 academic year. There were 57 assignment submission opportunities for both assessment submission periods. Both average scores indicate that students were able to write papers that were well organized and developed, using clearly appropriate explanations, examples, and/or details. The PAs also contained at least 4 different reliable sources. In terms of teaching, both average scores indicate professors are using the rubrics to achieve reliability and

validity in the assessments carried out in the BBA Program.

13

Grading Criteria for Quiz Students take a quiz in the seventh week of the course. This quiz covers the chapters assigned and

discussed during the previous weeks. The quiz is a cumulative assessment of the content provided in the

course up to the week the quiz is given. Access to the quiz begins on Friday and closes on Sunday at

midnight. Students are advised that quizzes are closed notes, closed book assessments, and might be

proctored. Per the proctor policy, 25% of the courses are proctored for the BBA Program. The quizzes

14

within the Program are undergoing a review to ensure sufficient distribution of course content. Appendix

16: CLA and Quiz grades. Appendix 17: Graded Quiz, Appendix 18: Quiz updates and actions

The graphic above shows the scores obtained by students on the quiz in the 15 courses offered in 2017-2018. As displayed, the scores vary due to the nature of the knowledge of the different courses which range from practical to theoretical.

15

Overall, as proven in the chart above, most students demonstrated proficiency in the assessments carried out during 2017-2018 which included research papers, reflection papers, teaching demonstrations, oral presentations, among other types of assessments. Students were able to demonstrate the ability to search for reliable sources to support their ideas while recognizing when information and/or analysis is needed. They also showed they mastered skills to find, appraise, and effectively synthesize and compose needed information and content. while contextualizing new and pre-existing knowledge in their own teaching context. They were also able to use appropriate language use while exhibiting good principles of language pedagogy and of current best practices in teaching English to speakers of other languages.

16

6. Ongoing Assessment and Monitoring of Student Success

● Formative and summative assessments allow faculty to monitor and measure student learning.

Moreover, these assessments provide faculty with opportunities to give students immediate

feedback. Additionally, teachers are able to immediately modify their instruction when

assessments indicate that a particular lesson or strategy is not effective for specific students, or to

offer new challenges for students who have mastered a concept or skill.

● The BBA Program makes use of grading rubrics for scoring all assignments. Grading rubrics are

used as a tool to delineate criteria and expectations pertaining to assignments and to establish

objective consistency in grading. Typically, rubrics are divided into separate components so as to

allow for more direct and precise measurement and interpretation of students’ strengths and

weaknesses in specific areas. In addition, the final grading of all assignments includes the

instructor’s interpretations, judgments, and constructive feedback so that students can more

easily understand their grade and make improvements on revisions or subsequent assignments.

● By using rubrics, the BBA Program uses a range of assessment criteria and expected performance

standards. Professors evaluate student performance against these rubrics, rather than assigning a

single subjective score. The rubrics are available for students prior to the start of each session and

are generally similar to the rubrics provided in other courses, so students are aware of all

expectations related to the assignments and what is required to meet or exceed expectations.

Rubrics also help students reflect upon and evaluate their own work as it progresses. Finally,

rubrics, undoubtedly, help teachers apply consistent standards when assessing qualitative tasks

17

and promote consistency in grading.

● Due to the small number of students per course, the BBA Program provides a 1 to 1 support

system for those students who require extra help to achieve their learning goals. For that, faculty

members are in constant contact via email, Zoom, and even Facebook so as to make sure students

feel guided throughout the whole Program.

● Also, to monitor students’ success, the BBA Program offers office hours to support students

learning according to their needs and goals.

Westcliff University recognizes that course grades alone are not a satisfactory measure of student

learning. While they are an important source of information about student achievement, they are not a comprehensive assessment of the University’s overall institutional activities for aligning its mission and

objectives with the Program outcomes and student learning outcomes.

7. Analysis of Signature Assignments

Eight assignments from the BBA Program were selected in order to analyze the overall performance and

engagement of currently enrolled and graduate students. For those assignments, students needed not

only to write research and reflection papers but also to design activities, tasks, syllabi and lesson plans and

put in practice the theoretical and empirical research reviewed during the course. See Appendix 19:

Signature Assignments Description In 2018, these selected assignments were assessed for student achievement of program and institutional

learning outcomes. The outcomes of these findings are highlighted in the Achievement of Previous

Program Review Intended Actions section in this report.

Outcomes Assessment

Student outcomes assessment is a formative process designed to enable alignment of instructional

activities with academic standards and values and to inform faculty and administration about any needed

changes or improvements. Westcliff University has developed an outcomes assessment plan focused on

continuous improvement, which also provides an ongoing review of student achievement and satisfaction.

The purpose of Westcliff University’s outcomes assessment is to collect data and feedback on student

achievement and satisfaction and utilize this information in decision-making processes for the University

to make program improvements. Westcliff University’s outcomes assessment plan serves as a framework for a more comprehensive and

structured approach to evaluate student achievement and satisfaction and begins with the Faculty Senate

President and the Performance Assessment Committee Chair. The Chair provides overall leadership for the

week assessment plan and activities. The plan is reviewed annually or as needed by the Faculty Senate

Performance Assessment Committee.

18

Mid-Course Survey

The mid-course survey is offered and completed by students during the fourth week of class. The survey

measures student success by asking a series of questions (refer to questions 6 and 7 on part III of the

mid-course survey) regarding self-learning using a likert scale. The results of the mid-course survey are

reviewed each term and specific actions are taken to improve each course and student learning. After the

student surveys are completed, the Program Chair or Dean of the College of Business compiles the

information and provides a feedback summary to each instructor. Within this summary, commendations

and recommendations are made, and instructors have a chance to respond to and may be required to

meet about their summary contents. Appendix 20: Completed Mid-Course Evaluation

End-of-Course Survey

During the final week of each course, students complete the end-of-course survey. In questions 1 to 7,

students are asked about the quality of the course, its content, and sequence. Questions 8 to 17 focus on

the quality of instructor’s activities In question 18 through 24 of the survey, student self-directed learning

skills are measured, while questions 25-31 of the survey measure the quality of the learning environment

and support services. Questions 32-34 ask students to reconfirm their overall satisfaction with the course

quality, and their contentment with Westcliff University while also requesting that the student give a

summative indication on the achievement of their own personal learning goals for the course. At the end

of the survey, there is an open question (36) which allows students to give recommendations to improve

future offerings of the same course. The results of the end-of-course survey are reviewed each term and,

often, an action plan is created to enhance each course based on these results. Just as with the

mid-course surveys, the Program Chair or Dean of the College of Business compiles the student survey

results and provides a feedback summary to each instructor. Within this summary, commendations and

recommendations are made, and instructors have a chance to respond or are required to meet about their

summary contents. Appendix 21: Completed End-of-Course Evaluation, Appendix 22: Example of Faculty Summary

Program Academic and Professional Trends

ESL refers to the teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages in countries in which English is the main language of communication. EFL refers to English as a Foreign Language or, the teaching of English to speakers of other languages in countries in which English is not the main language of communication. The BBA Program is designed to meet the needs of English teachers in K-12 classrooms as well as adult and college-level ESL/EFL teaching in the United States and abroad. In addressing viability, Westcliff University would be the ideal choice for many students as students learn from professors who have experience teaching in multiple countries and business contexts. Students are also able to take advantage of smaller, intimate class sizes, allowing for a personalization of the learning process, supportive and committed faculty and staff, flexibility to attend school while employed, professors (teacher educators) with real-world experience, and financial assistance such as veteran’s affairs (VA) benefits and the Title IV Program for federal financial aid. WU also offers year-round

19

registration so that students can continue their studies uninterrupted and/or join into an upcoming session almost immediately. Westcliff University is sensitive to the continued growth of the ELL population in the United States. According to recent research, the enrollment of English language learners (ELLs) in US public schools in 2015 was above five million and it is predicted that one in four students will be an ELL by the year 2025 (Ragan and Jones, 2013). The rapid growth of this community has created a high demand for experts in the field of business. Westcliff University has responded to current research and expected trends by establishing a BBA Program that prepares ESL teachers to help English language learners acquire and develop the necessary skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in addition to providing vast knowledge in the use of different technologies, research, and the understanding of culture and diversity. These skills are relevant to the success of English language learners in this 21st century. A concentration in educational technology has also been created in order to ensure that current and future teachers are gaining the skills necessary for the tech-equipped classroom. In order to meet these needs, as well as to analyze the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental implications that need to be included in a cutting-edge BBA Program, a PESTLE analysis was carried out, and the pertinent course revisions and additions were made. Appendix: 23 PESTLE Westcliff University also prepares students to become EFL teachers who can go overseas and establish a career in many countries. As English establishes dominance as a global language (Robson, 2013), the need in Australia, UK, Vietnam, Nepal, and many other countries for highly qualified ESL/EFL teachers with a diploma will continue to increase (Ragan & Jones, 2013, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). Westcliff University has developed a comprehensive curriculum that prepares ESL/EFL teachers to work in careers such as a school teacher, University professor, researcher, curriculum developer, author, and in hospitality. Business professionals may also choose the BBA Program to further their careers and earn better wages. In 2017, the Program Chair created a teacher survey to collect information on overseas and domestic job opportunities, pay, and requirements. The results concluded that there is value in the BBA degree in both ESL and EFL contexts, as well as private and public context. An BBA degree is a contributing factor to receiving a promotion, earning a higher salary, and is a job requirement for certain institutions. The demand for services survey located in the Appendix assists in providing information on the demand for professionals with master’s degrees who live in both in the United States and abroad. Expected salary ranges for business professionals in the US and abroad were also reviewed. Appendix 24: Complete Demand for Services

Various research strategies were implemented to collect information about teaching salaries from around

the world. Research includes websites (resources provided) and conducting a survey for the following

countries: Japan, China, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Chile, Argentina, Honduras, Brazil,

Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, México, Nicaragua, Perú, Panamá, Uruguay, Venezuela, Russia, Spain,

France, and Italy. The survey asked 21 participants to identify their context, country of workplace,

native/non-native speaker of English, salary, degree type, the value of a Master's degree in their context,

salary difference for those who hold a master's degree, and amount of salary increase for holding a

Master's degree. This research will continue in order to gather more salary data within various contexts,

specifically with a master's degree.

20

Analyses

SWOT Analysis for BBA

Strengths ● One of the few offered both online, onsite, and in asynchronous format (if needed)

● Faculty consists of experienced business experts with diverse teaching backgrounds. Faculty are

committed to students, provide expansion based on their expertise, and guide students through

feedback, support, and instruction

● Small class size allows the instructor to spend more time working with students individually

● The online Program eliminates geographic boundaries, without compromising quality and rigor of

the Program

● Can take advantage of new technology to assist students

● DEAC Accreditation (increased credibility)

● Economical for students. They do not need expensive supplies for this Program. Tuition costs are

very affordable.

● Offers accessible education at convenient times

● Does not have any restrictive requirement for admissions to the Program

● Practical emphasis considering various business contexts

● Uses a continuous improvement process aimed at improving student learning outcomes,

objectives, and assessments

● Online, synchronous courses in a fast-paced setting

● Westcliff University price per unit = $475. The average price per unit in other institutions is $588.

● Internships offered to students

● An I-20 granting institution, accepting F-1 Visa transfer students

● Title IV Federal Student Aid eligible

● Multiple start dates per year

● The administration is very demanding with faculty performance.

● Constant mandatory PD activities for faculty are offered in order to enhance the learning

experience

● Culminating experience combines teaching practice and reflective portfolio.

Weaknesses ● Students may prefer the social aspects of attending school, which online may not be able to

provide with such low enrollment numbers or universities that have a campus and campus life

● Currently, not all faculty are involved in regular professional development. The administration has

been working with providing mandatory PD opportunities though.

● Talent Paradox- many faculty leave for other positions due to low salaries, high demands,

21

availability, or convenience issues.

● It is difficult to find qualified faculty to teach in the Program, especially on campus, as the pay is

not equivalent to what they could earn elsewhere in the field.

● Class sizes can be very small, it does not allow for enough exchange of peer

thoughts/experiences/networking

● Budget restraints for faculty salary, due to low enrollment

Opportunities ● Create concentrations

● TPACK integration

● WSCUC Accreditation (increased credibility)

● Deeper connections with the community

● Integrate assessment contents (creating assessments/assessment tools/assessment plans) into all

skills based courses.

● Consider adding electives

● LMS plans and adaptations for future

● Continue to partner with international universities to further the global business perspective and

academic rigor for students

Threats ● Economy- Recently the economy has been sluggish in many countries. This could be a deterrent

for enrollment figures.

● Competitive giants with larger budgets

● Aggressive marketing by competitors

● Teacher salaries in many countries are low; therefore, they have a low ROI for pursuing this

degree Program.

● Government changes and new regulations

● Low flow of student inquiries/leads

● Not all countries provide strong internet connection. This could prevent potential students to

enroll in the online Program

Marketplace Analysis

Comparative Analysis

The purpose of this comparative analysis, is to help in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Westcliff University’s BBA program, benchmark the program against other universities offering similar programs, and introduce continuous improvement changes for the next cycle of assessment studies. The comparison of the program in this cycle was accomplished by benchmarking and comparing institutions with similar programs using a purposeful sample of 14 universities; 7 of which are emulated programs and 7 of which

22

are peer schools. Additionally, 7 of the programs included in this research are part of domestic institutions, while the other 7 include international institutions. The intent is to provide a wide representation of the programs accredited by the same organizations or equivalent. The chosen institutions are serving students within the same market.

The universities included are:

● Domestic Emulated o Saint Leo University o Florida International University o Arizona State University - Online

● Domestic Peer o Southern New Hampshire University o Western Governors University o Quinnipiac University- Online o Columbia Southern University

● International Emulated o Nilai University o United Int'l Business Schools o SP Jain Global School of Management

● International Peer o Canadian University - Dubai o Wisconsin Int'l Univ - Ukraine o National University of Singapore o Barcelona Business School

Westcliff University’s Comparative Program Westcliff University is a for-profit university, nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and WSCUC, offering an on-site/hybrid as well as online BBA Program. The Program seeks to produce graduates with the skills to train teaching faculty who excel in their roles as educators, creative scholars, and researchers. This Program will prepare teachers for a wide variety of positions both in the United States and abroad. Students will be equipped with the specialized knowledge and field skills for using technology in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Upon graduation, they will be competent professional educators with demonstrable leadership and technological skills. The program is composed of 40 courses, which are three credits each, for a total of 120 credits. The fee per credit hour for domestic online students is $290, and the fee per credit hour for international F1 students is $415. The program total costs are $34,800 and $49,800, respectively. The Bachelor of Business Administration program serves the educational needs of working adults, military veterans who receive a military discount, traditional students, and international I-20 students. Students can complete their program in approximately three years and a half, depending on the number of courses taken per session.

Credit Requirement

23

Westcliff University’s BBA program has a 120 credit unit requirement, with 60 credits required from General Education and another 60 core credits required. Similar and emulated programs also reflected a strong similarity to this credit hour requirement. Average credits for all four institution categories can be found in the chart below.

Credit Requirement Averages

Westcliff University BBA

Domestic, Peer

Domestic, Emulated

Int’l, Peer*

Int’l, Emulated*

Core Units 60 34 41 60 71

General Education Units

60 86 79 85 55

Total Units 120 120 120 145 126

Program Duration Westcliff University BBA program lasts approx. 3.5 years, while it might take longer for students to complete their degree at other institutions.

Program Duration: Averages in Years


Domestic, Peer

Domestic, Emulated

Int’l, Peer Int’l, Emulated

3.5 4.15 No info available 3.62 3.33

Accreditation Type Westcliff University is approved by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) and is nationally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The institution holds WASC Senior College and University Commission candidacy and is currently seeking accreditation.

24

Accreditation Held by Domestic Similar and Emulated Programs

DEAC: 1 of 7 AACSB: 2 of 7 NEASC: 2 of 7

ABA: 1 of 7 CAEP: 1 of 7 SACS: 1 of 7

ACBSP: 1 of 7 NWCCU: 1 of 7

Course Modality The BBA program offers courses in two modalities; online and hybrid formats. Although similar and emulated programs varied in their learning formats, the majority of them included an online learning format. The learning modality details for all four institution categories can be found in the chart below.

Learning Modalities


Domestic, Peer

Domestic, Emulated

Int’l, Peer

Int’l, Emulated

Online Yes 4 of 4 3 of 3 1 of 4 0 of 3

Hybrid Yes 0 of 4 0 of 3 1 of 4 0 of 3

Onsite (100%)

No 0 of 4 0 of 3 4 of 4 3 of 3

Cost The cost per credit unit at Westcliff University is $290/credit hour. The total cost for the BBA program is $34,800, for the entire 120 credit units. The cost details for all four institution categories can be found in the chart below.

Cost Per Credit Hour


Domestic, Peer

Domestic, Emulated

Int’l, Peer

Int’l, Emulated

25

in US Dollars

$290/credit hour $346 $397 $370 $500.10

Summary In this comparison summary, the ranges, breakdowns, and prices for each of the Programs are addressed. This strategic sampling of Programs was based on course offerings, credit requirements, Program duration, accreditation, location/delivery system, and cost.

1. Program offerings: Within the six Programs in the comparison, all had a similarity of course type of above 50%, with comparable areas of study. This demonstrates that Westcliff University’s BBA Program course offerings are current, applicable, and consistent with other Programs on the market.

2. Three of the six Programs compared offer elective courses, an opportunity for improvement for Westcliff University to expand upon.

3. Credit Requirements: Credit requirement for the institutions was between 30 and 48 credit units. Westcliff University's BBA Program is slightly above this average at 36 credit units.

4. Program Duration: The average Program length of this sampling is 15 months. This data is based on a full-time student with no time off. Westcliff University students are given flexibility in course load and offered the chance to assume a full time or part-time schedule. Westcliff University’s BBA Program can be completed in 12 to 24 months, depending on the number of courses taken at a time and whether the students opt-in to the accelerated option of two courses per term.

5. Accreditation: Four of five universities are regionally accredited. Two of five are an international University under a different accrediting system. The courses Westcliff University offers are aligned with regionally accredited Programs and have similarities in duration.

6. Location/Delivery System: Comparative institutions offer solely online courses, strictly on-campus courses, or both. Two of five in the sampling offer both online and on-campus Programs, aligning with Westcliff University, which offers both online and on-campus.

7. Cost: The average cost per credit unit within the sampling is $1,054, with the range being between $625-$1,388 per credit. Westcliff University’s BBA costs $475 per credit or $17,100 in total.

Westcliff University’s BBA Program is comparable to other Programs but offers advantages to students that other institutions do not currently offer. This is what makes the University an ideal institution for many students, especially once granted regional accreditation. It would be expected that the course-by-course comparison would differ between Westcliff University and the different University Programs sampled. However, there should also be points of parity or commonality between the BBA degree offerings. Based on the review of the types of courses offered in the core Programs, Westcliff University’s BBA Program curriculum is aligned and consistent with other competing degree Programs. Appendix 25: Benchmarking Schools, Appendix 26: Capstone Analysis

A. Achievement of Previous Program Review Intended Actions Keeping up with the needs of the industry, Westcliff University’s College of education strives to maintain the ambitious mission of the University. Taking into consideration the 5-year analysis and reflections, the

26

College of education has been working on the first two years of a five-year strategic plan in order to improve the Program, ensure that students are prepared for the workplace, and to maintain the standards of the business field. The strategic plan is broken up into larger SMART outcomes (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound), and then gives specific components and plans for the attainment of these SMART outcomes.

First Years BBA Initiatives; Status and Evidence of Implementation:

Strategic Goal 1: Revise specific BBA Program components to satisfy the current and evolving needs of

graduates in the field by reviewing, revising, and modifying, if necessary, the current Program Learning

Outcomes (PLOs), Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs), and assessments (DQs, CLAs, and PAs) to assure that

they are in alignment with WU Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).

Objective and Timeline Accountable

Lead(s)

Resources Required

Resources Spent

Target Metric to Meet Objective in 2017 and 2018

Status on Objectives

Status

A) Create Program Mission

Statement. Dean and

Program

Chair

$300 $275 Program Mission Statements

completed for all Programs

Completed

B) Align Program

components with Learning

Outcomes through a pre

and post comparison chart.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

$600 $600 100% of courses have alignment

with Learning Outcomes

Completed

C) Review and revise

courses to include newly

added WU Core

Competencies

(interpersonal skills, ethics,

and quantitative reasoning).

Dean and

Program

Chairs

$1000 $1,200 100% of all courses have been

updated to ensure CLOs, PAs, and

CLAs include newly added Core

Competencies

Completed

D) Include emphasis on the

technological pedagogical

content knowledge (TPACK)

in all courses that involve

the design of lesson plans

and instructional materials.

Dean and

Program

Chair, BBA

Faculty

$150 $200 Over 50% of assignments include

TPACK

Completed

E) Review and update

textbooks and materials

used in each of the BBA

courses based on current

best practices.

Dean and

Program

Chair,

Faculty

$500 $375 Books are in alignment with current industry standards

Completed/

Ongoing

F) Create assignment

expectations to include in

the syllabus.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$200 $150 Descriptions included in the syllabus

Completed

27

G) Revise the Discussion

Question guidelines by

decreasing the number of

questions and increasing the

amount of content to be

posted and checking that

the rigor is consistent with

the Program level.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$300 $150 Improved rubric created to incorporate increased rigor. Two Discussion Questions per week.

Completed

H) Revise rubrics to align

with all aforementioned

assignment changes (PAs,

CLAs, DQs).

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Faculty

$600 $650 Revised rubrics created Completed

I) Increase the overall

mid-course and

end-of-course student

evaluation return rates

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Faculty

n/a n/a More than 90% return rate Completed

J) Design a portfolio to

provide students with

similar Program level

assessment as provided in

other BBA Programs. Use

the AAC&U Value Portfolio

rubric as a guide for

portfolio development.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Core

Faculty

$1000 $1500 Portfolio completed in the final course

Implemented but being revised

K) Monitor changes made

from new implementations

to evaluate the

effectiveness based on

direct and indirect

measures.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

$500 $500 Changes have been made, mapped, and measured for effectiveness

Completed/ Ongoing

L) Implement feedback from

the accreditation process.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

$1000 $2000 Changes have been made, mapped, and measured for effectiveness

Ongoing

M) Review the Portfolio by

having external reviewer

(Program Advisory Council

(PAC) member, core faculty

members who were not

involved in the

development, or Program

alumni) assess the quality

and effectiveness of the

Portfolio based on the

AAC&U Value Portfolio

rubric.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Core

Faculty

PAC

$200 $175 External assessment completed using the AAC&U Value Portfolio rubric

BBA Progressing

N) Include a rubric for one

of the seven competencies

(Quantitative Literacy,

Dean and

Program

$200 $50 All seven competency rubrics are included in various courses.

BBA

Progressing(3

of 7 included)

28

Information Literacy, Critical

Thinking, Ethics,

Interpersonal Skills) into the

week 8 discussion questions

of different courses. Over

the course of 2 years

Chairs

BBA

Faculty

TSL 527, TSL

542, TSL 600

O) Review all courses for the

inclusion of assessment

content topic and skills of

assessment. Incorporate

assessment-related

assignments in more

courses.

Dean and

Program

Chairs:

BA Ed,

BBA

Faculty

$500 $200 Assessment content is included in all skills based courses

Completed

P) Insert Institutional Learning Outcomes into

BBA syllabi

Program

Chairs $100 $50 Institutional Learning Outcomes

are included in syllabus Completed

Q) Create and implement

rubrics to grade and track

PLO development

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Core

Faculty

Faculty

$5000 $5000 Assess 1-2 PLOs/ILO per year Completed

100% ILO and

PLO

R) Implement Portfolio

Capstone project in final

courses. Use AAC&U Value

Portfolio Rubric to assess

effectiveness each course

offering.

Dean and

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$250 $150 Portfolio is completed in the final course. After each offering, the portfolio is assessed

Ongoing

S) Develop and offer BBA

concentrations

Dean and

Program

Chair: BBA

Core

Faculty

$2,000 + $10,000

$2,500 Specialists used to help guide

development.

Faculty hired to teach courses

(Developers can also teach these

courses).

Approvals obtained for Program in

2018.

Completed (Courses designed)

T) Add industry specialists

to College of Education

Advisory Council

Dean and

Program

Chair

$100 $50 Two members added to PAC with expertise related to new Programs

Completed

U) Monitor changes from

Fall 2016 and 2017

implementations- monitor

effectiveness

Dean,

Program

Chair, Core

Faculty

$500 $450 Use EOC evals and faculty feedback

Completed

V) Implement the full

portfolio in TSL 600

Program

Chair, Core

Faculty

$500 $400 Use AAC&U Value rubric to assess effectiveness. Show PAC members and get feedback

29

TOTAL: $23,500 $16,625

Strategic Goal 2: Develop and implement a learners’ enhancement plan that results in the increment of

student learning and satisfaction by training faculty in specialized areas of business including technology,

mentoring, assessment, and curriculum development and providing students with a robust support

service.

Objective and Timeline Accounta

ble

Lead(s)

Resources

Required

Resources

Spent

Target Metric to Meet Objective

in 2017

Status on

Objectives

Status

A) Provide new faculty

members with specialized

training in the use of all the

functions of Moodle and

Zoom.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$300 $150 Moodle and Zoom training included

in new faculty orientation

Completed/On

going

B) Create and implement

participation rubric for all

courses

Dean and

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$1000 $400 Participation graded with a rubric Completed

C) Assign a faculty or student

mentor to all students for

academic encouragement

and/or career coaching.

Dean and

Program

Chairs:

BA Ed,

BBA

Core

Faculty

Faculty

$2000 $500 Each student has a mentor assigned

and meets two times/year

Completed/On

going

D) Organize a calendar of

monthly webinars and set up

an email list for students to

further discuss field-related

issues.

Program

Chair

$1500 $1500 Professional Development Google

calendar maintained and shared

with COE faculty

Completed/On

going

E) Set up a weekly

correspondence email as an

extension of the work done in

all courses.

Dean and

Program

Chair,

Faculty

$1000 $500 Weekly correspondence email sent

by each professor

BBA

Progressing

(50% of faculty

currently send

this email)

F) Complete a needs analysis

to verify that the BBA

Programs are continuing to

prepare successful workforce

candidates.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$500 $300 Needs analysis regularly collects

and analyzes data

Ongoing

30

G) Design a Pre-Course

Assessment to measure prior

student knowledge, ability to

meet course learning goals,

self-learning skills, ability to

access library resources, and

competency in academic and

study skills.

Dean and

Program

Chairs

Core

Faculty

Faculty

$2500 $150 Pre-course assessment tool used

for each new student

Progressing

Total: $8,800 $3,500

Strategic Goal 3: Enhance teaching effectiveness by developing and conducting an ongoing training

Program to support professional development assessment and reflective practice for faculty members.

Objective and Timeline Accountab

le Lead(s)

Resources

Required

Resources

spent

Target Metric to Meet Objective Status on

Objectives

Status

A) Add interview question for

candidates on how they

respond to and implement

feedback in their classrooms.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$10 $10 Feedback interview question

included on interview question list

Completed

B) Create a shared professional

Facebook page with resources,

articles, forums, etc.

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$1500 $1500 Facebook account updated and

maintained regularly

Completed

C) Implement

recommendations from

students’ MC and EOC

evaluations.

Dean and

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$2000 $2500 Recommendations from student

evaluations are tracked,

monitored, and used to direct

changes

Completed

/Ongoing

D) Chart the implementations

made to courses (based on

student evaluations) and track

the outcomes.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$2000 $2500 Implementations based on

student evaluations are monitored

and outcomes are tracked to

ensure effectiveness

Completed/

Ongoing

E) Organize a calendar of

monthly synchronous and

asynchronous workshops to

help teachers identify their

needs for professional

development.

Program

Chair

$360 $200 A calendar of professional

development activities is

maintained and shared with all

faculty

Completed

F) Faculty must participate in a

minimum number of

professional development

opportunities surrounding

effective teaching methods.

Dean and

Program

Chair

Faculty

$1000 $1500 All regularly teaching faculty have

attended one professional

development opportunity per

quarter taught (3 times/year)

Completed

31

G) Organize faculty meetings

once per session to discuss

common issues with courses,

common student issues that

have arisen, and ways to

support student learning.

Program

Chair

Faculty

$1500 $2000 Faculty meetings take place three

times/ year all College of

education faculty meet

Completed/

Ongoing

H) Have faculty complete a

strengths and weaknesses form

to identify the areas of support

needed as well as areas of

confidence

Program

Chair

Faculty

Included

above

Included

above

All faculty have completed a

strengths and weaknesses form.

Information is used to guide PD

and peer observations

Completed

I) Provide two professional

development and training

sessions per year on grading

calibration

Program

Chair

Included

above

Included

above

Two grading calibration sessions

have been provided

Completed

J) Create 5-10 short tutorial

videos for ongoing faculty

support.

Program

Chair

$500 $250 5-10 short video tutorial are

created and accessible to faculty

Completed

K) Conduct a survey with

professors to check if the

monthly professional

development trainings and

session specific faculty

reflection meetings have been

helpful.

Program

Chair

Faculty

$100 $50 Biannual survey sent to all faculty

to collect feedback on helpfulness

of PD trainings and support

Ongoing

L) Have three teaching faculty

create professional

development opportunities for

WU colleagues and interested

students (if appropriate).

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

Faculty

$300 $375 Three teaching faculty create and

offer professional development

session

Ongoing

M) Encourage graduate

academic culture through

faculty scholarship

opportunities.

Dean and

Program

Chair Core

Faculty

Faculty

$500 $600 Ensure at least 2 faculty members

publish in the first issue of the

Westcliff International Journal of

Applied Research (6/2)

Ensure at least 1 faculty members

present in the first annual

Symposium of Business and

Education Research (1/1)

Have two publications in by

faculty (2/2)

Completed

Total: $9,770 $11,485

32

Strategic Goal 4: Design and employ a marketing strategy to recruit potential students interested in the

BBA degree Program in order to increase Program enrollment numbers.

Objective and Timeline Accountable

Lead(s)

Resources Required

Resources Spent



Status

A) Development of a massive

online open course (MOOC) as

a lead in to Program.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$5000- $10000

$7000 MOOC developed and rolled out

Proposal was not accepted

Will not complete

B) Yearly, reach out to five

well-known English language

schools that hire ESL/EFL

teachers to assist with job

placement upon graduation

and increase word-of-mouth

advertising.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$200 $50 Have reached out to five well-known English language schools

Ongoing

C) Try a one-time paid

advertising campaign to

Promote WU on the business

International Website

www.tesol.org and IATEFL

website www.iatefl.org

Dean and

Program

Chair

$2000- $5000

$75 Advertised on business International and IATEFL websites. Languages magazine delivered at business

Ongoing

D) Create a quarterly e-flyer

containing graduates, faculty,

and student academic success

stories.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$1000 $1300 Send out four e-newsletters Completed

E) Post the above-mentioned

flyer, two video testimonials,

and ten photos on WU social

media accounts quarterly.

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$100 $100 Post four newsletters on social media accounts

Completed

F) Create relevant

content/articles/blog posts

that are sent out monthly via

LinkedIn.

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

$500 $300 Write articles and post on Linkedin (as well as other social media)

Completed

G) Have one student from each

country represented in the COE

Programs and alumni to act as

an ambassador to post on WU

social media sites.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$100 $0 One representative from each county selected as an ambassador. Posts regularly on social media

not completed

H) Offer WU Program and

services to Ministries of

Education and other public

entities domestically and in

countries which offer their

English language teachers

Dean and

Program

Chair

$2000 $1000 Offered Program and services to Ministries of Education and other public entities domestically and in countries which offer their English

Ongoing

33

scholarships/financial aid to

get a masters degree.

language teachers scholarships/financial aid to get a masters degree

I) Complete a market analysis

on non-native speaking teacher

salaries and create an

infographic to post on WU

social media.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$300 $300 Market analysis completed and results analyzed

J) Create partnerships with

universities/institutions abroad

Dean and

Program

Chair

$4480 $5000 Create partnerships with three

universities/institutions around

the world to offer the BBA

Program as a joint degree and to

develop international

cooperation through joint

research projects by the end of

summer 2021

Completed

K) Increase student enrollment Dean and

Program

Chair

$5,000 $2,000 Increase student enrollment in

BBA by 10 students to 38

students by 2019

L) Meet with colleagues

overseas and promote Program

Program

Chair and

Dean

$1,000 $500 Meet with Japan contacts, send

fliers to faculty to distribute.

Toral: $29,680 $10,625

Strategic Goal 5: Support and enhance relationships between WU and alumni by having in place and

administering an alumni communication plan to reach out and maintain contact with graduates in order to

provide valuable, lifelong support from Westcliff University as well as to have better data on their current

job placement, satisfaction, and salaries.

Objective and Timeline Accountable Lead(s)

Resources Required

Resources Spent



Status

A) Reach out to 1-2 stellar

alumni for WU faculty positions

yearly

Dean and

Program

Chair

$100 $75 One to two alumni interviewed and considered for faculty positions

Completed/ Ongoing

B) Include alumni (and current

students) in outreach project

proposals.

Dean and

Program

Chair

$500 $500 Alumni and current students included in outreach project proposals

Completed/ Ongoing

C) Reach out to alumni to

co-present at local conferences

Dean and

Program

Chair

Core

Faculty

Faculty

$100 $200 Alumni and current students asked to submit proposals (individually or with faculty) to conferences or University research initiatives

Completed/ Ongoing

34

D) Increase WU presence on

social networking sites such as

Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs and

Twitter.

Program

Chairs:

BA Ed, BBA

Core

Faculty

$300 $350 Regular updates and maintenance on social media

Completed/ Ongoing

E) Strengthen the WU alumni

organization by giving it more

online presence and

involvement in University

activities and events.

Dean and

Program

Chairs:

BA Ed, BBA

$500 $250 Alumni are involved in WU activities and newsletter updates

Completed/ Ongoing

F) Solicit feedback from alumni

and incorporate alumni

suggestions into development

strategies.

Dean and

Program

Chairs:

BA Ed, BBA

$100 $150 Have reached out to alumni to get feedback (or for focus groups) for Program development

Completed/ Ongoing

G) Organize on campus or

online events, inviting alumni,

faculty, students (athletics, PD,

reunion)

Dean,

Program

Chair,

Faculty

$1,000 $600 Faculty and students attend

events together (conferences,

sporting events, etc)

Completed/ Ongoing

Total: $2,600 $2,125

Main Total (2016-2017) $75,350 $44,360

Below, in narrative form, is an overview of changes made based on data and evidence. The sections

consist of curriculum, materials, professional development, and outcomes assessment.

Curriculum

1. Quizzes

a. Created TSL 592 quiz based on new course offering.

b. Reviewed and revised TSL 527, to check course alignment, to confirm equal distribution of

course contents, to correspond with textbook updates.

i. One caveat lies in the majority of DQs consist of multiple choice and T/F

questions. Some contents do not lend themselves to those types of quiz

questions. Will most likely test out some other question types within the quizzes.

2. Assessment

a. As noticed in the benchmark analysis, many peer and emulated programs for BBA include

a course on assessment. The Program Chair and core faculty members reviewed the

curriculum for assessment and found that 3 of 12 courses had assessment related content

included. Only 1 assignment was related to assessment. (2016)

b. After some minor curriculum revisions, 6 of 12 courses include assessment-related

content (readings, videos, discussion questions), and 9 courses emphasize assessment in

professional assignments and/or comprehensive learning assessments (peer editing,

needs assessment, quiz/test creation, test analysis) (2017)

35

3. TPACK

a. Increased emphasis on the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in all courses that involve the design of lesson plans and instructional materials. Emphasis can include teaching students how to create their own digital resources using free softwares and Programs, but also instruct them on how to evaluate which ones are useful, feasible, and accessible for their students. Demonstrated by showing the increase in assignments involving TPACK from previous assignments (prior to Fall 1 2016) to current assignments. However, this chart does not take into account the changes made to include more technological assignments in late 2015 for the TSL 552 Special Topics in business course (3 technology adaptations made), nor the changes that were made in TSL 600 Practicum (3 technology adaptations made) in early 2016.

b. Of the 60 CLAs and PAs in the BBA Program, prior to mid 2015, 57% (34/60) of CLAs and PAs had TPACK content included. As of mid 2016, 45% (22/48) of CLAs and PAs had TPACK integrated. As of Fall 2016, 54% (26/48) of CLAs and PAs had TPACK integrated. As of Summer 2017, TPACK elements were integrated into the TSL 512, TSL 542, TSL 552, TSL 520, TSL 591, TSL 592, and TSL 593 course discussion forums. These tasks ranged from recording teaching demos, creating virtual presentations, responses using VT, Google Forms, and a Google educator certificate. The BBA Program is continually adding TPACK to the PAs and CLAs. Appendix 14: TPACK chart

c. TSL 532 recently underwent a DQ transformation by adding in interactive technology (edpuzzle, flipgrid, voicethread, etc). All questions are written in a way to give students to not only demonstrate their knowledge, but to familiarize themselves with the logistics and technology needed for today’s classroom. Changes and student perceptions will be monitored as the course is offered. (2018)

4. Discussion Questions a. With the purpose of increasing students’ motivation and engagement, the BBA courses

have started to be revised so as to incorporate different types of discussion questions in which students have to create different materials such as Voicethreads to explain a specific business situation, create a short oral presentation for VCS, get together in groups to research and answer a specific DQ, carry out small-scale classroom research.

b. This is done to help students reflect and analyse all the weekly materials they need to read, while enhancing their engagement and creativity. It is also a helpful way to integrate current teaching technology tools and teach students how to use them alongside an opportunity for demonstration of knowledge.

c. TSL 512 Writing Instruction i. Spring 2017= 66% satisfaction n=5 , Summer and Fall 2018 (after new DQ change)

100% n=9 ii. A third DQ was introduced into each week. This DQ is assigned to one student

each week. iii. Assigned Student Only: Find a writing activity and prepare to teach it to the class.

Post your activity here with a reflective post on what went well and what you would do differently next time (post due Friday). This will replace your question 1 response this week

iv. Professor comments: DQ3 was a nice addition to get a class of students with very little teaching experience up and teaching.

36

https://gap.westcliff.edu/course/view.php?id=1917&sesskey=TVqwblDdW3#section-4

v. Student comments:(Best Features of the course) “Writing a lesson plan and demo teaching.” “I really enjoyed and found useful the DQ3 mini lessons each of us taught in lieu of one of the other DQs.” “The practical assignments and teaching demo to try and use the theories in real classroom.”

d. TSL 592 Digital Assessment was created and run for the first time. Content included weekly teaching demos using digital assessment tools.

5. VCS

a. TSL600 now holds 4 VCS instead of 8 to give more time for the final portfolio, teaching and observation hours, and to stay in line with the appropriate rigor for a three-credit course

Materials and resources

1. Textbooks

a. All textbooks were reviewed and put on a staggered review schedule.

b. TSL 600 incorporated more up-to-date journal articles in order to strengthen and support

the teaching practice students undertake during this course.

c. 1 of the 2 TSL 532 books was changed to a more recent one. Along with this change, new

up-to-date journal articles were incorporated to accompany the 2 textbooks which are a

mandatory read during this course.

2. Writing Center

The Writing Center specialists help to support students by reviewing the formatting, mechanics,

and structure of any paper, project, or reflection for any of their classes. Students simply submit

their assignments via the Writing Center page in the WU global academic portal (GAP) and receive

feedback in less than 48 hours. Currently, 24.8% of all submissions came from BBA students, which

equates to 124.25 submissions. These submissions primarily consist of PA, CLA, and Portfolio

assignments. BBA students generally seek feedback regarding mechanics, clarity, and APA format.

37

This chart shows the percentage of submissions to the Writing Center per Program for 2017-2018.

As shown, 24.8% of the 501 submissions for the academic year came from the BBA Program.

Specifically for the College of Education, the Writing Center has designed very important and

useful tutorials that cover an array of topics such as:

1. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

a. Avoiding Plagiarism: Part 1 (TESOL)

b. Avoiding Plagiarism: Part 2 (TESOL)

2. THE WRITING PROCESS (TESOL)

a. Pre-Writing Stage 1: Brainstorming

b. The Writing Process Stage 2: Outlining (TESOL)

c. Following a Rubric

3. DISCUSSION BOARDS

a. Responding to Discussion Questions, Part 1 (TESOL)

b. Responding to Discussion Questions, Part 2 (TESOL)

4. CREATING A LESSON PLAN

a. Creating a Lesson Plan, Part 1: Structure

b. Creating a Lesson Plan, Part 2: Objectives

c. Creating a Lesson Plan, Part 3: Context

d. Creating a Lesson Plan, Part 4: Rationale

e. Creating a Lesson Plan, Part 5: Procedure

5. TSL 600 Practicum Resources

a. Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement: Part 1

b. Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement: Part 2

38

c. Writing a Reflection Paper: Part 1

d. Writing a Reflection Paper: Part 2

e. Giving Quality Feedback to Peers

f. Online Portfolio: Rationales vs. Teaching Implications, Part 1

g. Online Portfolio: Rationales vs. Teaching Implications, Part 2

Students and faculty can also submit a request to the Writing Center for tutorials that need to be

developed. This allows the WC to meet the needs of the WU community.

3. business Quarterly

a. The BBA Program subscribed to TESOL Quarterly. Faculty were struggling to find

appropriate supplementary materials to use for class and share with students. In Spring

2017, students evaluated the course with an overall satisfaction of 75%, citing issues of

finding articles for their course assignments. (3 students)

b. In Fall of 2017, accessible articles were included in the course content (LIRN/TESOL

Quarterly/CATESOL). In addition, course assignment descriptions were reviewed and

clarified. Overall satisfaction 100% (2 students)

c. California TESOL has a free quarterly journal with peer reviewed articles. They are all free

and have also been used for course readings and assignments. (2018)

Professional Development

1. College of education quarterly trainings

a. Quarterly meetings are held in two time zones, four times per year.

b. April 11, 2017 faculty members attended a session on strengths and weaknesses for

teachers. All faculty shared their own professional strengths and weaknesses, as well as

professional interests. This information was used internally with the Program Chair and

Dean to schedule peer observations. The information was also used among faculty to

promote professional collaboration.

c. October 15, 2017 faculty members attended a session on formative assessment. Online

tools (edpuzzle, formative) were introduced to faculty as options to include in their

courses. 100% of the attendees said yes to an anonymous survey question: This COE

meeting has been a useful opportunity for professional development.

d. January 20, 2018, 11 faculty members attended a session on teaching and grading with

rubrics in mind. The meeting was facilitated by Prof. Evelin Suij-Ojeda and focused on the

benefits and challenges of using rubrics. The session had a call for revisions to rubrics and

interested faculty could work on a small rubric revision task.

e. April 21, 2018, faculty took part in an asynchronous grading calibration, culminating with a

reflective developmental session for the quarterly meeting.

f. July 21, 2018, the session was led by Dr. Corwin as an action project to professional

development funding. She attended the IATEFL conference in Brighton and created a

presentation including tips, resources, and her overall experience.

39

g. October 20, 2018 included the faculty from the general education Program. As a result of

an increase of new faculty, the meeting had faculty introductions, reviewed the plagiarism

policy, reviewed the peer review protocol, and had a fun teaching tool introduced

(flipgrid) as a tool to consider trying in a class.

h. November 10, 2018, the session was conducted by BBA new faculty professor Sulaiman

Jenkins and it dealt with academic honesty. The session started by working definition of

plagiarism, examining the prevalence of plagiarism in higher education and analyzing the

unintentional/ intentional underlying reasons for plagiarism (superficial level). Then, the

intercultural rhetoric and language learners (deeper level) reasons for plagiarism were

discussed to open the room for more reflection on the types of plagiarism committed by

students as well as some plagiarism detection strategies (digital & physical).

2. Team Teaching and NFO

a. New Faculty Orientation has been taken over by the LITE Center. All faculty undergo a 1.5

hour synchronous training, take part in a peer observation, complete and APA and

Plagiarism tutorial, and are observed by the LITE Center in their first course taught.

b. Team teaching has been introduced in some courses and has been well received by both

faculty and students.

i. Team teaching by weeks. In Spring 3, 2018, TSL 552 was taught by three

professors. Two of the professors were new and had the chance to observe the

main professor prior to teaching their weeks. Also, their second week teaching in

the class (each taught 2 weeks) was observed. DQs and feedback was monitored.

The new faculty who taught with the experienced faculty member had an easy

transition into teaching other courses afterwards.

ii. Team teaching by tasks. Some courses have been trialing a different type of team

teaching. One professor does all the DQ, while the other professor teaches the

course, grades all assignments, and interfaces with the students. This has been

trialed in TSL 512 online and hybrid courses with positive comments from

students.

Outcomes Assessment

1. Quantitative Reasoning- has been weak in the Program, showing in the final portfolio. This is a

focus for the 2018-19 academic year.

2. Quantitative Reasoning and Ethics- TSL 542 (AY 2017-18)

a. In TSL 542 PA2: Should include a section on ethical implications and get more out of the

quantitative aspects of scoring and assumptions that can be made. This would help the

strengthen the assignment and correlation

i. As a result, the assignment description and information provided to the students

was changed to specifically include ethics and quantitative analysis for the

assignment. The professor went over expectations.

ii. Based on a four- point rubric scale, the following information was gleaned:

40

1. Quantitative reasoning institutional learning outcome: 1.88 increased to

4.0

2. Quantitative reasoning Program learning outcome: 1.81 increased to 3.63

3. Ethics institutional learning outcome: 1.69 increased to 2.38

4. Ethics Program learning outcome: 1.88 increased to 2.89

iii. Quantitative reasoning saw significant increases as a result of the modifications.

While ethics did increase, this learning outcome will continue to be monitored.

iv. It should be noted that the sampling size was quite small, consisting of 21

students

3. Oral and Written Communication (AY 2017-18)

a. A comparison between earlier courses and the portfolio showed an increase in written

and oral communication.

b. BBA courses (minus TSL 600) (27 students) written communication = 3.09; oral

communication = 3.33

c. TSL 600 Portfolio averages (14 students): written communication: PLO 2.1 = 3.67; oral

communication: PLO 2.2 = 3.7

d. While more data is needed to confirm the trend, there is sufficient data to show there is

an improvement in oral and written competency by the final course of the Program.

4. Information Literacy (AY 2016-17, 18-19)

a. Student achievement of Information Literacy shows general and consistent increased

achievement as students progress through the Program. In 2015 and early 2016, student

achievements of the PLOs and ILOs were quite low as compared to later courses in their

Program.

b. This could be due to the roll out of rubrics with increased rigor expectations and faculty

trainings on grading. The new rubrics required students to include sources from searches

for external resources as one way to increase the presence of information literacy in the

courses. Nevertheless, the measures do indicate steady progression in achieving PLOs and

ILOs across student academic careers at the University.

c. in the 2017-18 academic year, 26 student samples were assessed for information literacy

(n=10) with 70% (PLO) and 75% (ILO) These are static scores that show student work in the

first and second thirds of their Program. The final data point is the TSL 600 Portfolio.

5. Interpersonal Communication

1. Interpersonal communication will be assessed in 2019.

Appendix 27: Evidence-based Decisions Tracking

B. Program Review Rubric Self Analysis Program Review Rubric

1. Required elements of self study a. Highly developed- Program learning outcomes have been in revision to make sure they are

in line with updated core competencies, higher level thinking, and overall course content.

41

Rubrics for assessing student attainment of outcomes have been developed and an assessment cycle has been implemented.

2. Process of review a. Highly developed- The College of education not only uses internal feedback from qualified

instructors, but from outside professionals who make up the Program advisory council. This council meets two times a year and the feedback collected from these meetings is used to modify or improve the Program. Internally, all changes go through the faculty senate curriculum committee and are provided with additional feedback or requests for modifications.

3. Planning and Budgeting a. Emerging/Developed- Program specific budgeting and tracking has been implemented,

bringing some autonomy to each Program. As for larger scale planning and budgeting, that is done at a higher level

4. Annual feedback on assessment efforts a. Highly Developed- The performance assessment committee is required to evaluate the

Program’s student learning outcomes, annual assessment findings, benchmarking results, subsequent changes, and evidence concerning the impact of these changes. The committee must also present the faculty senate with plans for the next cycle of assessment studies. Additionally, the academic leadership team oversees the different assessment initiatives throughout the year.

5. The student experience a. Developed- Self-assessment rubrics have been added to discussion questions. The

portfolio ties directly in with Program learning outcomes. Discussion question and portfolio focus groups have been held on different assignments and students are encouraged to self-assess throughout the Program. Appendix 28: Program Review Rubric

C. Mapping – University Mission, Program Mission, ILOs, PLOs, CLOs

The mapping matrix presented shows the connection between:

● Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

● Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

● Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

● Core Competencies (CC)

● Chart of Introduce-Develop-Master of outcomes for each course offered in the BBA Program.

42

It can be stated that the map exhibits a solid representation of the seven core competencies (CC) in all

courses of the BBA Program. On one hand, the matrix shows that the BBA Program emphasizes the

development of core competencies, such as critical thinking, oral communication, and information

literacy, which are present in most of the courses. Over the past year, the curriculum has been developing

to include more coverage of CCs such as quantitative reasoning, interpersonal skills, and ethics in the

courses. This has will be updated and implemented as a result of curriculum mapping, institutional and

Program learning outcomes assessment, and curriculum review.

The oral communications competency and its subcategories are also present in all BBA courses (exception

TSL 501). Measures have been undertaken to look for additional opportunities for students to orally

communicate, employ speech, utilize visual aids, body language, intonation, and other nonverbal elements

to convey meaning, as presented in speeches, presentations, dialogues, and other forms of interpersonal

communication found in and outside academic settings.

Also, the core competencies of interpersonal skills, ethics, and quantitative reasoning were previously

underrepresented in almost all courses. For instance, courses such as TSL 501, TSL 512, TSL 532, TSL 552,

and TSL 600 included one or two outcome assessment categories for interpersonal skills. Similarly, TSL

512, TSL 515, TSL 520, and TSL 590 contained one or two outcome assessment categories for ethics. This

did not provide students with enough exposure to these competencies, thus more opportunities to

develop them accordingly have been given. Revising some assignments to include more specific

requirements for quantitative reasoning and assessment was done in TSL 542, TSL 520, TSL 527, TSL 552,

and TSL 532. Surveys (quantitative and qualitative/with classmates and with in-service teachers), analysis

of data, and journal findings summaries were added to fill out the missing components in the curriculum.

Core faculty members helped to revamp some of the discussion questions and assignments in order to

meet the needs.

43

All the findings are continually reviewed by the College of Education Dean, the Program Chair, and faculty

members in order to consider review and adjustments to CLOs and PLOs to cover all 7 core competencies

in ways that they can be properly developed by the end of the Program. Appendix 29: Curriculum Maps

D. Student Satisfaction Rates

2017-2018

Student Satisfaction for BBA (n=50)

Student Satisfaction for all Programs (n=9717)

As shown in the graphic, responses to each of the Student Satisfaction Questions (Likert scale) are positive, and are in

line with or above the average scores for all Programs offered at Westcliff University. All students are satisfied with

their studies and, almost all of them think they will achieve all the goals they set when they started their learning

experience at WU. The aforementioned is a solid proof of how pleased students are and, how much WU has invested

on achieving high levels of student's satisfaction at the BBA Program.

44

As shown in the graphic, responses to the each of the Student Satisfaction Questions (Likert scale) are

positive, and are in line with or above the average scores for all Programs offered at Westcliff University.

Students are satisfied with the quality of the instructor’s activities, which has the highest score overall.

This section corresponds to questions 8 – 17 on both the MCE and EOC. Part II was the highest rated

section of Parts I – IV receiving an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on the EOC. The instructors of the BBA

Program were often cited as the best feature of the courses offered because they were able to enrich their

teaching with their personal experiences and provided supplemental resources and activities.

45

2016-2017

In addition, there are three questions asked on the end-of-course evaluation that correspond to the

overall perceived goal achievement, recommendations, and overall satisfaction. All three sections

consisted of an 80% or higher. The data collected shows that overall students are satisfied, but the

recommendation falls a little below the self-imposed benchmark of 80% and appears that the students in

the TESOL Program do not respond in in the same number as is reflected in the school wide averages. The

46

number of students might have something to do with this variance as a lower n might reflect higher rates

of volatility.

In regards to this final chart on student evaluation data, 82% of BBA students spend 14 or more hours on

their weekly coursework tasks and assignments. This is the time spent taking exams, reading, reflecting,

researching, writing, communicating with their mentor or other learners, participating in discussion

forums, study groups, or other study activities, each week. This reaffirms that the students are spending

adequate time on course content per the academic engagement and preparation based on the course

rigor. Appendix 30: Student End-of-course Evaluation Averages

Academic Engagement

Direct Teacher Instruction and Discussions (On-Campus Lectures) 16 hours

47

Indirect Teacher Instruction (Online Viewing of PowerPoint Presentations and Videos)

10 hours

Contributing to Online Discussions 18 hours

Taking Quiz 1 hours

Total: 45 hours

Preparation

Reading Required Texts 30 hours

Reviewing PowerPoint Presentations and Lecture Notes 17 hours

Completing Professional Assignments 13 hours

Comprehensive Learning Assessments (CLA 1 and 2) 24 hours

Studying for Quiz 2 hours

Preparing for CLA Presentation 4 hours

Total: 90 hours

Total Hours of Academic Engagement and Preparation: 135 hours

E. Retention, Enrollment and Graduation Rates Retention rates are another measure Westcliff University uses to analyze student success. Retention rates

are calculated four times a year; fall, winter, spring, and summer terms. Retention rates are used to

quantify the continuation of students in their studies.

Graduation rates are lower due, in part, to students who did not expect an online Program to be so

demanding, and were unable to keep up with the demands and rigor of the Program. The BBA Program

Chair and the College of education Dean intervene with all at-risk students (as well as all other students).

Appendix 31: Graduation and Retention Rates

Westcliff University’s BBA Program retention rates for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 are included in the links

below. The percentage of students who dropped from the Program is consistently low. The data also take

into consideration the two students (making up roughly 9%) who were administrative drops, students who

were put on academic probation and did not satisfactorily increase their GPA according to their agreement

with the University. The University believes that continuous monitoring of student achievement along with

48

the ongoing revision and assessment of curriculum helps keep students engaged and committed to their

professional education and development. Appendix 32: Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Total Student Enrollments by Program

(2015-2017) 2015 2016 2017

ALL ProgramS # of students # of students # of students

% Growth in

Enrollment

2015-2016

% Growth in

Enrollment

2016-2017

Total 232 1079 1368 365% 27%

Online 175 777 701 344% -10%

Hybrid 57 302 667 430% 121%

% Growth % Growth

BBA Total 28 27 21 -4% -22%

Hybrid 0 5 4 500% 500%

Online 28 22 17 -21% -23%

The BBA enrollment chart shows the enrollment numbers from 2015 to 2017. The data shows the

enrollments have been relatively consistent with a slight decline in the last year. The Dean, Dr. Julie

Ciancio has been traveling, presenting, and attending recruitment fairs. This will hopefully contribute to an

increased enrollment rate in 2018.

I. Planning

A. Program Redirections

By the end of Summer 2019: 1) BBA Program

a. Use AAC&U Value Portfolio Rubric to assess effectiveness of the Portfolio each TSL 600 course

offering. Implement necessary changes.

b. Invite 4-6 guest speakers per year (5 of 6) c. Assess LOs (information Literacy, quantitative reasoning, interpersonal) d. Start COE Instagram account e. Start Linkedin COE page

49

2) STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND SATISFACTION

a. Create a student support group to meet once each session to empower and help linguistically and culturally diverse students to adjust to WU academic settings, use of academic language, and different expectations, as a viable strategy for those students to gain confidence and specific course-related help they need; ensure the strengthening and support of these students to increase the chances of academic success. Create a feedback form to monitor effectiveness.

b. Provide students with an improved writing center which includes a writing support team that can focus on both mechanical and content writing issues, and a platform to allow for dual-way and personalized collaboration.

c. Complete Assessment of learning outcomes BBA d. Use assessment, Program review, and evaluation findings to improve the Program BBA

e. Add 3 new tutorials to the writing center each month. f. Writing center to give tutorials for new students on APA

3) BBA FACULTY

a. Yearly, have one to two published articles by professors as a means of professional development. b. Yearly, have one to two researched-based course investigations completed by faculty (TSL 507)

(TSL 520) c. Yearly, have five faculty presentations at regional, national, and/or international professional

conferences. g. Continue in-service trainings and tutorials (from years 2016 and 2017) h. Continue to support faculty development (from years 2016 and 2017)

4) ENROLLMENT AND RECRUITMENT

a. Yearly, advertise BBA Program to to one or two educational toy companies, or other types of educational product companies or institutions, whose staff may be interested in continuing their education, at a subsidized rate via their employer

b. Find 1-2 pathway partners from large TESOL Cert Programs per year) (Bridge, Via lingua)

5) ALUMNI a. Start Linkedin COE page b. Include more alum updates on newsletter c. Monitor and gauge effectiveness of alumni relations implementations by activity levels on social

media, at WU events, and referrals. d. Reach out to faculty to get updates for the COE newsletter

6) OTHER

a. Help BAEd Program with credentialing research b. Attend Accreditation 101 for credential Program

c. Work on market research for EDD Program d. Assess Gen Ed ILOs e. Start curriculum for Credential Program (doing more research on other state credential Programs)

50

By the end of Summer 2020: 1) BBA Program

a. Use AAC&U Value Portfolio Rubric to assess effectiveness of the Portfolio each TSL 600 course


b. Create a chart and analysis of emphasis in culturally responsive teaching across all courses within

the Program

c. Revise all courses to add equity, diversity and inclusion components.


a. Create a student support group to meet once each session to empower and help linguistically and culturally diverse students to adjust to WU academic settings, use of academic language, and different expectations, as a viable strategy for those students to gain confidence and specific course-related help they need; ensure the strengthening and support of these students to increase the chances of academic success. Create a feedback form to monitor effectiveness.

b. Increase the number of students using the Writing Center services as supplementary academic support for their assessments.

c. Engage students in COE social media so as to interact outside academic settings.

3) BBA FACULTY a. Yearly, have one to two published articles by professors as a means of professional development. b. Yearly, have one to two researched-based course investigations completed by faculty c. Yearly, have five faculty presentations at regional, national, and/or international professional

conferences. d. Yearly, have 3 faculty presenting at LITE Center PD webinars


a. Yearly, advertise BBA Program to to one or two educational toy companies, or other types of educational product companies or institutions, whose staff may be interested in continuing their education, at a subsidized rate via their employer

5) ALUMNI a. Monitor and gauge effectiveness of alumni relations implementations by activity levels on social

media, at WU events, and referrals.

Proposed Action Plan for Year 5

By the end of Summer 2021:

1) BBA Program

a. Offer one to two elective courses that meet the needs of the TESOL market. To be done if

enrollment numbers allow for economically viable class sizes.

b. Create partnerships with three universities around the world to offer the BBA Program as

a joint degree and to develop international cooperation through joint research projects.

c. Use AAC&U Value Portfolio Rubric to assess effectiveness of Portfolio each TSL 600 course


51


a. Form opportunities and relationships with five local institutions to create a path for Westcliff

University internships/student teaching.

b. Improve student retention from 83% (as calculated for the years 2007-2016) to 90% by

continued Program improvements and reflection.

c. Enhance student engagement by participating in two charitable community fundraising events

per year.

3) BBA FACULTY

a. Organize a BBA research committee, supported by Westcliff University, to help plan,

produce and publish academic research and innovations from faculty members.

b. Organize a BBA Professional Development committee in charge of planning and

facilitating ongoing training events in order to engage faculty in a continuous cycle of business

professional development that is informed by their instructional reflections and analysis.


a. Increase domestic enrollment by 50%

II. Reflections

Curriculum Providing students with an up-to-date curriculum is one of the institution’s main goals. This means that the BBA curriculum is carefully revised and assessed every term in order to make sure this Program meets its learners’ professional needs, while addressing the demanding situations faced in the different contexts where business takes place. Currently, the process used for curriculum modifications consists of faculty and student input, business specialist input, and review from the PAC and faculty senate curriculum committee. Every voice is heard, and that is why everyone involved has been working together to enhance the overall learning experience of the BBA Program: These different input from diverse assessment tools, along with meetings happening between professors, learners, business experts and committees, have allowed room for curriculum improvements that satisfy students’ expectations, while strengthening the curriculum offered From the sessions offered in the 2017 to 2018 academic year, the MCE and EOC surveys results demonstrated that students are satisfied with the quality of course content and sequence. This part of the survey analyzes how the students feel about the discussion questions, learning objectives, activities and how they contribute to their development. This section corresponds to questions 1 – 7 on both the MCE and EOC. Part I with a 4.6 on the EOC (increasing from 4.3 in the 2016-17 AY). This number demonstrates that most students feel the curriculum offered meets their needs and helps them achieve their professional goals. Student and faculty feedback will continue to be monitored to further increase the overall satisfaction of the BBA course curriculum.

52

The students believe interacting with their fellow students enriches their learning experience. Many of the students in the hybrid modality have very little teaching experience and need more practice. As a result, some of the courses (TSL 592, TSL 512) have experimented with a special DQ 3 focusing on teaching demonstration. In week one, students select a week that they will teach a mini lesson, focusing on the courses content). The students will not have to respond to DQ 1, but they will post an overview of their lesson, as well as a reflective post about their teaching experience. This has had very positive response as the changes are rolled out. There have been some changes to courses in the BBA Program since during the 2016-2017 academic year. These changes were intended to address the concerns of the students and to improve the overall quality of the learning environment. Some examples are given below: The TSL 527 course had some minor changes consisting of restructuring the first assignment in terms of description. It was unclear and the rubric was not not sufficient for the grading. In addition, some DQs were cleaned up and tailored to the course a bit more directly. The PA 1 prompt had been someehat confusing and had a disconnect from the rubric. Those have been updated. A project on information literacy assessment was started by the assessment coordinator and education and business faculty in the summer of 2018. Select courses were reviewed for elements of information literacy achievement within student sample work. The next phase will consist of changes to the prompt, the syllabus, and the curriculum to facilitate the scaffolding of information literacy skills in the curriculum. Breadth and Depth Course Sequencing The BBA curriculum consists of 36 credit hours completed over 12 courses. The Program allows students to enter at one of six sessions offered per year (fall I, II, winter I, II, or spring I, II). Each term is divided into two eight-week sessions. The Program ideally begins with students joining one of the entry point courses (TSL 527 Methods of Teaching ESL/EFL or TSL 515 Second Language Acquisition). These two courses lay the theoretical foundations for the skills-based courses, which comprise the core of the Program. The core courses focus on teaching the discrete skills of TESOL (TSL 502 Vocabulary Instruction, TSL 507 Pronunciation Instruction, TSL 512 Writing Instruction, TSL 520 Grammar Instruction, TSL 532 Listening and Speaking Instruction, and TSL 545 Reading Instruction). The final four courses students are enrolled in are TSL 590 Curriculum Development, in which they learn how to develop full course curricula, followed by TSL 542 English Language in Society, in which they critically analyze the concepts of World Englishes and the importance of non-native speakers of English teachers, and then TSL 552 Special Topics of TESOL, where the students review conference presentation skills and methods for involving themselves in professional associations. Finally, the BBA Program offers not one, but two culminating experiences for students: First, in the practicum course, students put their skills together to enable them gain real experience as teachers of English to speakers of other languages. The Program requires fieldwork assignments, which includes 16 hours of classroom observation with a participating school or educational organization and creating lesson plans to teach (and record) ten-hours of lessons that incorporate theories and teaching methodologies

53

learned over the course of the degree Program and via independent research. Also, this course requires students to prepare two micro-lessons and to compile an extensive reflection and critical analysis of the different teaching techniques observed in the classroom. Students present their lesson plans and constructively evaluate them online, sharing their practicum experience with peers through an individual presentation. Second, during weeks one to three they start developing a showcase online portfolio which is a student-selected portfolio of best and outcome rationalized work developed during the BBA Program. This portfolio draws upon the comprehensive learning assessments (CLAs) and professional Assignments (PAs) learners created in previous courses, all of which are connected to Program learning outcomes (PLOs) of this Program This sequence is ideal, but it is not always possible because low enrollment in the Program does not yet allow for a greater variety of courses to be offered each session. Therefore, the sequence for each student varies according to the courses offered each session. Typically, students only take one course per session so that they have the ability to focus on one topic at a time, being that the classes are fairly intensive due to the eight-week session. However, some students choose to take two courses per session if they would like to finish their studies sooner. Delivery Modalities The BBA Program offers both online and hybrid curricula that encompass the mission as well as the institutional learning outcomes of the University. The courses in the Program and the assignments in the courses close the loop with the University’s mission and outcomes to significantly increase the academic rigor and attractiveness of the Program to potential students. The curriculum is based on the course learning outcomes, which are tied to the Program learning outcomes. The flipped classroom is a pedagogical model in which the typical lecture and homework/preparation elements of a course are reversed. Short Voicethread lectures, which take the place of the typical, teacher-centered Powerpoint lecture, are viewed by students at home before the class session. The Voicethread lectures and the readings assigned every week introduce the course learning outcomes (CLOs) for that week, while the in-class time is devoted to further introducing, developing, and mastering the CLOs through exercises, projects, group work, pair work, presentations, and discussions. This model is based on the idea that students can read the course material and Powerpoint lecture on their own, but they need the expert facilitation of the faculty member to actually work on applying the concepts to their teaching practice. This dynamic gives students an opportunity for authentic engagement, development, and mastery of course learning outcomes through challenging team building activities.

Appendices (will include as needed) Appendix 33: Faculty Resumes Appendix 34: Faculty Specialty Charts Appendix 35: Faculty Professional Development

54

Appendix 9.05a

Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - MBA

9/21/2020 MBA Internship Performance Evaluation Form

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18r8utkJafGuitXm69JQkLeNgMJIgB5NyUSKJ6mIRVB0/edit 1/11

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MBA Internship Pe�ormance EvaluationFormDear Employer,

You are receiving this email because a Westcliff University student is completing an internship at your organization. This performance evaluation is sent out regularly to ensure that the confidential appraisal of knowledge and skills demonstrated by interns is taken into consideration when guiding students in their academics. Westcliff University strives to create prepared minds and produce highly-prepared employees needed by industry. Your feedback serves as both evidence of the degree to which students are meeting university course outcome goals, and as a gauge of your level of satisfaction with students attending Westcliff University.

We appreciate your valuable time in completing this short survey.* Required

Employee Name *

Employee Position *

Supervisor Name *

Supervisor Position *

Supervisor Contact Information *Please note that the University may call/email you for verification information regarding the intern.



6.

Section A: Professional Performance Review

Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability. If the question is not relevant to the student's experience or responsibilities, please select "N/A."

7.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations

Exceeds Expectations

Excellent

N/A

8.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Company Name *

Maintains a professional appearance (dress, grooming, etc.) *

Seeks responsibility and takes initiative *



9.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

10.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

11.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Responds well to constructive criticism *

Exhibits growth and maturity *

Completes assigned duties thoroughly *



12.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

13.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

14.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Completes assigned duties accurately *

Shows an understanding of client needs *

Shows an understanding of company goals *



Section A: Professional Performance Review (cont.)


15.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

16.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Reliability *

Adaptability *



17.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

18.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

19.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Productivity *

Leadership *

Oral Communication *



20.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

21.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

22.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Writing Skills *

Interaction with Clients *

Problem Solving Skills *



23.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

24.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

25.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Ability to Work Independently *

Planning, Organization & Time Management *

Knowledge of Field *



26.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Section B:AlignmentwithLearningOutcomes

Westcliff University is allowed to grant work authorization provided that the employment/internship is an integral component of the student/intern's field of study. Please review and identify to what degree the intern’s experience with your company has improved his/her growth towards the following Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs).

Scale: 1- Unsatisfactory 2- Needs Improvement 3- Meets Expectations 4- Exceeds Expectations 5- Exceptional

27.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

Overall Rating of Intern Performance *

CLO 1: Explore various career possibilities. *



28.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

29.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

30.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

CLO 2: Combine classroom knowledge with an opportunity to learn thosedisciplines, skills and attitudes which can best be learned on the job, such as: self-discipline, teamwork, responsibility, and initiative. *

CLO 3: Develop Practical Skills in a real-world context. *

CLO 4: Enhance a portfolio or resume with practical experience and projects. *



31.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

32.

33.

This content is neither created nor endorsed by Google.

CLO 5: Cultivate a learning experience, which can lead to entry level jobopportunities within the workforce. *

Please write 3-5 sentences explaining how the employee’s work experiencecontributed to the employee's Learning Outcomes. Thank you for describing theintegral role this work experience had in the employee’s academic development. *

By typing your name in the box below, you are effectively providing your signature,indicating that you are the intern's supervisor and all the information on this form istrue and accurate, to the best of your knowledge. *

Forms

https://www.google.com/forms/about/?utm_source=product&utm_medium=forms_logo&utm_campaign=forms

Appendix 9.05b

Student Employment Outcomes and Performance Evaluation Form - DBA

9/21/2020 DBA Internship Performance Evaluation Form

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y3zyH7eQa2C3ZrMBJqIeDB1ma-hpA0UlEviqPefGn-k/edit 1/12

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

DBA Internship Pe�ormance EvaluationFormDear Employer,

You are receiving this email because a Westcliff University student is completing an internship at your organization. This performance evaluation is sent out regularly to ensure that the confidential appraisal of knowledge and skills demonstrated by interns is taken into consideration when guiding students in their academics. Westcliff University strives to create prepared minds and produce highly-prepared employees needed by industry. Your feedback serves as both evidence of the degree to which students are meeting university course outcome goals, and as a gauge of your level of satisfaction with students attending Westcliff University.

We appreciate your valuable time in completing this short survey.* Required

Employee Name *

Employee Position *

Supervisor Name *

Supervisor Position *

Supervisor Contact Information *Please note that the University may call/email you for verification information regarding the intern.



6.

Section A: Professional Performance Review


7.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

N/A

8.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

N/A

Company Name *

Maintains a professional appearance (dress, grooming, etc.) *

Seeks responsibility and takes initiative *



9.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

10.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

11.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Responds well to constructive criticism *

Exhibits growth and maturity *

Completes assigned duties thoroughly *



12.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

13.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

14.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Completes assigned duties accurately *

Shows an understanding of client needs *

Shows an understanding of company goals *



Section A: Professional Performance Review (cont.)


15.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

16.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Reliability *

Adaptability *



17.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

18.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

19.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Productivity *

Leadership *

Oral Communication *



20.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

21.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

22.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Writing Skills *

Interaction with Clients *

Problem Solving Skills *



23.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

24.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

25.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Ability to Work Independently *

Planning, Organization & Time Management *

Knowledge of Field *



26.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Excellent

N/A

Section B:AlignmentwithLearningOutcomes

Westcliff University is allowed to grant work authorization provided that the employment/internship is an integral component of the student/intern's field of study. Please review and identify to what degree the intern’s experience with your company has improved his/her growth towards the following Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs).

Scale: 1- Unsatisfactory 2- Needs Improvement 3- Meets Expectations 4- Exceeds Expectations 5- Exceptional

27.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

Overall Rating of Intern Performance *

CLO 1: Develop organizational diagnostic skills, framing problems and solutions. *



28.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

29.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

CLO 2. Apply the latest theory and practice, research and leadership thinkingwithin the field of management. *

CLO 3: Conduct research into current and emerging competitors in support ofstrategies and business development efforts. *



30.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

31.

Mark only one oval.

Unsatisfactory

Needs Improvement

Meets Expectations


Exceptional

Not Applicable

CLO 4: Utilize theoretical concepts and practical methodologies of critical actionresearch as well as management research for strategic and tactical approaches tobusiness operations and ventures. *

CLO 5: Develop actionable research within management settings and providesupport, analyses, evaluations, and advising to senior business professionals whileundertaking significant research to support their fields, discipline or industry. *



32.

33.


Please write 3-5 sentences explaining how the employee’s work experiencecontributed to the employee's Learning Outcomes. Thank you for describing theintegral role this work experience had in the employee’s academic development. *

By typing your name in the box below, you are effectively providing your signature,indicating that you are the intern's supervisor and all the information on this form istrue and accurate, to the best of your knowledge. *

Forms


Appendix 9.06

Graduate Satisfaction

At the end ofstudents' last

semesterCareer

Services

Conduct GraduationExit Interview with

Candidate forGraduation

3 months aftergraduation

6 months afteralumni

graduation

One year afteralumni

graduation

Candidatefor

Graduation

Complete the GraduationExit Interview Form as partof graduation requirements Institutional

Research

Collect employmentdata from GraduationExit Interview Form

Update Alumnidatabase

CareerServices

Send out AlumniSurvey to Alumni Alumni Complete Alumni Survey

InstitutionalResearch

Collect employmentdata from Alumni

Survey Responses


CareerServices




Survey Responses


Prepare summaryreport of Alumni

Employment 6 monthafter graduation

Director ofInstitutionalResearch

PresidentInstitutionalResearch

Share report withstakeholders

including students,faculty, staff, etc

CareerServices




Survey Responses


Prepare summaryreport of AlumniEmployment 12

month aftergraduation

Director ofInstitutionalResearch

PresidentInstitutionalResearch

Share report withstakeholders

including students,faculty, staff, etc

Notes:Focus group: alumniwho don't hold aposition at the timeof graduation

Notes:Focus group: alumniwho don't respondto the previoussurvey

Notes:Focus group: alumniwho don't respondto the previoussurvey

Alumni Survey Process

Appendix 9.07

Graduate Exit Interview

1.

2.

3.

Mark only one oval.

BBA

BA Ed

MBA

DBA

MA TESOL

Graduate TESOL Certificate

Graduate Certificate in Marketing

Graduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership

Graduate Certificate in Executive Management

Graduation Exit SurveyWestcliff University respects your privacy and takes reasonable measures to protect information collected on this form against unauthorized access. The University may combine your data with that of others, avoiding exposure of personally identifiable information, for such uses as accreditation reporting and enhancing institutional effectiveness. * Required

Your Name *

Student ID

Program *

4.

Mark only one oval.

Submitted an application for another academic program at another accredited institution

Submitted an application for another academic program at Westcliff University

Choosing to continue to work/look for employment opportunities

Other

5.

Mark only one oval.

Employed in 1 position at a company Skip to question 7

Self-employed (Entrepreneurship) Skip to question 20

Self-employed (Freelance) Skip to question 30

Offer Letter Received - Pending OPT Card to Start Skip to question 7

Unemployed Skip to question 36

6.

Files submitted:

EmploymentQuestions in this section pertain to the primary company you were employed in after graduation. The data you provide is required by our accrediting body and will be kept confidential.

7.

8.

9.

Example: January 7, 2019

Please describe your future Education goals (Within 6 months of graduation):

Please describe your current employment status. *

Please upload your resume *

Company's name *

Job title *

Employment Start Date (Month/Day/Year) *

10.

11.

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

12.

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

Does not apply to me (Did not engage in an "internship" during my studies at Westcliff)

13.

Mark only one oval.

I was promoted

I received an increase in my salary

I was promoted and received an increase in salary

Not applicable

14.

15.

Employment End Date (Month/Day/Year). If still employed write "Present." *

Did you do an internship while at Westcliff University? (Had an internship/intern title when youapplied)

Did you get hired through your internship?

If employed during your program, please choose the statement that best describes yoursituation after graduation: *

Company's location (City, State, Country) *

Supervisor's contact number? *

16.

17.

Mark only one oval.

Accountancy

Administrative

Advertising

Business Services

Data Science/ Big Data/ Data Warehousing/ Data Mining

Engineering

Education

Entertainment & Mass Media

Finance

Hospitality

Healthcare

Insurance & Banking

Investment Industry/ Stock Broker

Marketing & Sales

Manufacturing

Non- Profit

Pharmaceutical

Retail

Tech/ Internet

Telecommunication

Writing & Editing

Transportation / Logistics

Other

Your employer's contact email address (ex. HR, Supervisor, etc.) *

What industry does your job fall under? *

18.

Mark only one oval.

$0 - $10,000

$10,001 - $20,000

$20001 - $25000

$25001 - $30000

$30001 - $35000

$35001 - $40000

$40001 - $45000

$45001 - 50000

$50001 - $55000

$55001 - 60000

$60001 - $65000

$65001 - 70000

$75001 - $80000

$80001 - $85000

$85001 - $90000

$90001 - $95000

$95001 - $100000

$100000 - $125000

Over $125000

19.

Mark only one oval.

0 to 19 hours Skip to question 35



40 hours and above Skip to question 36

Entrepreneurship

Questions in this section pertain to the primary company you were employed in after graduation. The data you provide is required by our accrediting body and will be kept confidential.

Annual Salary *

Number of hours of work per week: *

20.

21.

Example: January 7, 2019

22.

23.

24.

Your start-up company's name? *

When did you start working on establishing your company? *

The company's location (City, State, Country) Ex. Irvine, CA, USA *

The company phone number *

The company email? *

25.

Mark only one oval.

Accountancy

Administrative

Advertising

Business Services

Data Science/ Big Data/ Data Warehousing/ Data Mining

Engineering

Education

Entertainment & Mass Media

Finance

Hospitality

Healthcare

Insurance & Banking

Investment Industry/ Stock Broker

Marketing & Sales

Manufacturing

Non- Profit

Pharmaceutical

Retail

Tech/ Internet

Telecommunication

Writing & Editing

Transportation / Logistics

Other

What industry does your start-up fall under? *

26.

Mark only one oval.

$0 - $10,000

$10,001 - $20,000

$20001 - $25000

$25001 - $30000

$30001 - $35000

$35001 - $40000

$40001 - $45000

$45001 - 50000

$50001 - $55000

$55001 - 60000

$60001 - $65000

$65001 - 70000

$75001 - $80000

$80001 - $85000

$85001 - $90000

$90001 - $95000

$95001 - $100000

$100000 - $125000

Over $125000

27.

Please fill in your website page in the blank space above and upload other documents below.

28.

Files submitted:

Annual Salary *

Because you chose to be self-employed, please submit at least two of the following:business license, fictitious business name statement, advertising (that is not business cards),website link, or business receipts or some evidence of income from the business. *

Please upload the supporting documents here: *

29.

Mark only one oval.





FreelanceQuestions in this section pertain to the primary company you were employed in after graduation. The data you provide is required by our accrediting body and will be kept confidential.

30.

Number of hours work per week: *

Please list the type of freelance work: *

31.

Mark only one oval.

$0 - $10,000

$10,001 - $20,000

$20001 - $25000

$25001 - $30000

$30001 - $35000

$35001 - $40000

$40001 - $45000

$45001 - 50000

$50001 - $55000

$55001 - 60000

$60001 - $65000

$65001 - 70000

$75001 - $80000

$80001 - $85000

$85001 - $90000

$90001 - $95000

$95001 - $100000

$100000 - $125000

Over $125000

32.

33.

Files submitted:

Estimated Annual Salary *

Because you chose to do freelancing work, please submit at least two of the following:business license, fictitious business name statement, advertising (that is not business cards),website link, or business receipts or some evidence of income from business. *

Please upload the supporting documents here:

34.

Mark only one oval.





Statement for part-time

35.

Mark only one oval.

I chose to work part-time after graduation

Currently looking for a full-time position

Not Applicable

Satisfaction with Westcliff University academic goals:

Do you think your experiences at Westcliff University prepared you:

36.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Number of hours work per week: *

If you work 30 hours a week or less, please choose why: *

To write clearly and effectively? *

37.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

38.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

39.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

To work effectively as a member of a team? *

To acquire new skills and knowledge on your own? *

To be an effective leader? *

40.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

41.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

42.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

To apply quantitative skills to solve problems? *

To think analytically and logically? *

To develop global awareness? *

43.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

44.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

45.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

To gain in-depth knowledge of your field of study? *

To develop career or work related knowledge and skills? *

To evaluate information critically? *

46.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Satisfaction with quality of instruction in your program

47.

Mark only one oval.

1 2 3 4 5

48.

Mark only one oval.

1 2 3 4 5

49.

Mark only one oval.

1 2 3 4 5

Overall Experience

To apply digital technology in your current/future jobs *

How was the overall quality of instruction during your course of study *

How was your interaction with faculty outside the classroom? *

How was the support from faculty in finding employment? *

50.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly Dissatisfied

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Satisfied

51.

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

52.

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

53.

Check all that apply.

Graduate School

Current or most recent position

Future position

Everyday life

Contributing to society

Life-long learning

Were you satisfied with your overall education experience at Westcliff University? *

Would you recommend Westcliff University to your friends? *

If you had to make a college choice all over again would you choose Westcliff University? *

Westcliff University prepared you for the following (please check all that applies): *

54.

Mark only one oval.

Strongly prepared

Somewhat prepared

I feel unprepared

55.

Check all that apply.

Not active enough on your search

Visa regulations

Not enough resources

Not getting interviews

Not advancing through the interview process

Not receiving offers

Not sure

56.

57.

Mark only one oval.

Yes

No

Do you feel prepared to find a job or move up in your existing position? *

If you have not found employment, what do you find as the most difficult obstacle in yourjourney (please check all that applies)? *

What kind of advice would you give to new students which would help them get through theprogram? *

As a recent graduate would you consider becoming an active member of our future AlumniAssociation? *


Forms


References

Birnbaum, L. & Farrow, J. (March 2018). The Impact of Technological Change on Ontario’s Workforce. Brookfield Institute.


Colson, E. (2019, December 18). The Baby Boom Shift: The Impact of An Aging Workforce, the Projected Big Business Transfers and the Millennial Changeover. Devry Smith Frank LLP Lawyers & Mediators

https://devrylaw.ca/the-baby-boom-shift-the-impact-of-an-aging-workforce-the-projected -big-business-transfers-and-the-millennial-changeover/?utm_source=Mondaq&utm_medi um=syndication&utm_campaign=LinkedIn-integration

CompTIA. (2020). Cyberprovinces 2020: The definitive province-by-province analysis of the Canada tech industry and tech workforce. The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

Crossman, E., Choi, Y., & Hou, F. (2021, July 28). International students as a source of labour supply: The growing number of international students and their changing sociodemographic characteristics. Statistics Canada.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2021007/article/00005-eng.htm.

El-Assal, K. (2020, February 20). CIC News.

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/02/642000-international-students-canada-now-ranks-3rdglobally-in-foreign-student-attraction-0213763.html#gs.5d5z03

Government of Ontario. (2021, June 8). About Ontario. Ontario.ca.


Government of Ontario. (2021, March 24). 2021 Ontario Budget. Ontario.ca. https://budget.ontario.ca/2021/chapter-2.html

Government of Canada. (2021, August 31). Temporary Residents: Study Permit Holders – Monthly IRCC Updates.


Gupta, A. (2018, April 28). Talent Development for the Tech Sector – Transition Briefing. https://on360.ca/30-30/talent-development-for-the-tech-sector-transition-briefing/

Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. (n.d.). Quick Stats. Section 2: Enrollment. https://heqco.ca/data-and-resources/quick-stats/


https://devrylaw.ca/the-baby-boom-shift-the-impact-of-an-aging-workforce-the-projected



https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/36-28-0001/2021007/article/00005-eng.htm

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/02/642000-international-students-canada-now-ranks-3rd

https://www.cicnews.com/2020/02/642000-international-students-canada-now-ranks-3rd


https://budget.ontario.ca/2021/chapter-2.html


https://on360.ca/30-30/talent-development-for-the-tech-sector-transition-briefing/

https://heqco.ca/data-and-resources/quick-stats/

Hodnett, S. (2021 February 20). How to solve the skills gap in Canada. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-can ada.html

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2016). Digital talent: road to 2020 and beyond. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2020). 2020 - Annual Review. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Information and Communications Technology Council. (2020). The Digital-led new normal: revised labour market outlook for 2022. https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/research/forecasts/

Invest Ontario. (n.d.). Information Technology. Ontario Canada.


Invest Ontario. (2021, August 3). Three Ontario markets drive tech talent acceleration across North America. Ontario Canada.

https://www.investontario.ca/spotlights/three-ontario-markets-drive-tech-talent-acceleration-acro ss-north-america

Job Bank Canada. (2020, November 16). Outlooks for COVID-19 Impacted Occupations in Ontario.

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis/job-market-reports/ontario/prospects-report

Job Bank Canada. (2021, October 5). Career Planning: Master’s Degree Information Technology. Government of Canada. https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/studentdashboard/11.0103/LOS07

Kepka, A. (2020, August 26). Business Startup Statistics Canada (2021 Update). Fundsquire. https://fundsquire.ca/startup-statistics-canada/

Livingcost.org. (n.d.). Cost of Living in Ontario, Canada. https://livingcost.org/cost/canada/on

McIntyre, F. & Malczak, E. (2020). Teacher Shortages Mean More Jobs for New Graduates. Professionally Speaking.


Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. (n.d.). Ontario’s labor market: job profiles. https://www.services.labour.gov.on.ca/labourmarket/search.xhtml?lang=en

Ontario Ministry of Finance. Government of Ontario. (2020). Ontario's Long-term report on the Economy. Ontario Ministry of Finance. https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/ltr/.

Ontario Ministry of Finance. (2021, June 9). Ontario population projections. Ontario.ca. https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-population-projections

https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-can

https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/02/20/how-to-solve-the-skills-gap-in-can





https://www.investontario.ca/spotlights/three-ontario-markets-drive-tech-talent-acceleration-acro

https://www.investontario.ca/spotlights/three-ontario-markets-drive-tech-talent-acceleration-acro

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/studentdashboard/11.0103/LOS07

https://fundsquire.ca/startup-statistics-canada/


https://www.services.labour.gov.on.ca/labourmarket/search.xhtml?lang=en

https://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/ltr

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-population-projections

Reid, N. & Cranston, J. (2021, March 15). Provinces should act fast to avert a teacher shortage now and after COVID-19. The Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-an d-after-covid-19-154930

Richards, B. J. (June 2020). The Canada consulting market in 2020. Market trends programme. Source Global Research.


Sigelman, M., Bittle, S., Markow, W. & Francis, B. (2019). The Hybrid Job Economy. How New Skills Are Rewriting the DNA of the Job Market. Burning Glass Technologies.

Small Business Accelerator Program. (2019, Jul 16). Industry Overview: Management Consulting in Canada. The University of British Columbia.


Startup Genome. (n.d.). Toronto-Waterloo Highlights.


Statistics Canada. (2021, January 27). Employee wages by occupation, annual. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034001&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1 .7&pickMembers%5B1%5D=2.2&pickMembers%5B2%5D=3.1&pickMembers%5B3% 5D=5.1&pickMembers%5B4%5D=6.1&cubeTimeFrame.startYear=2016&cubeTimeFra me.endYear=2020&referencePeriods=20160101%2C20200101

Statistics Canada. (2021, May 03). Gross domestic product (GDP) at basic prices, by industry, provinces and territories (x 1,000,000).


Statistics Canada. (2019, August 9). Census Profile, 2016 Census - Ontario [Province] and Canada [Country].


Statistics Canada. (2021, October 8). Labour Force Survey, September 2021. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211008/dq211008a-eng.htm

Shortt, D., Robson, B., & Sabat, M. (January 2020). Bridging the Digital Skills Gap: Alternative Pathways. https://technationcanada.ca/

Teach Online Canada. (2021, August 3). A Look Back to Better Understand the Future – Ten Online Learning Trends and Patterns Before COVID – Five Small Items to Clarify.

https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-an

https://theconversation.com/provinces-should-act-fast-to-avert-a-teacher-shortage-now-an





https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1410034001&pickMembers%5B0%5D=1






https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/211008/dq211008a-eng.htm

https://technationcanada.ca/

https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning -trends-and-patterns-covid-five-small-items

Wilheim, A. & Heim, A. (2021, July 22). Canada’s startup market booms alongside hot global VC investment. Techcrunch.

https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global vc-investment/

WOWA. (n.d.). Cost of living across Canada. WOWA.ca. https://wowa.ca/cost-of-living-canada

https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning

https://teachonline.ca/tools-trends/look-back-better-understand-future-ten-online-learning

https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global

https://techcrunch.com/2021/07/22/canadas-startup-market-booms-alongside-hot-global

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology - WESTCLIFF ...

Documents

Transcript of Bachelor of Science in Information Technology - WESTCLIFF ...