DEAN’S RESPONSE
Planning and Review Committee
Program: M.S. Information and Communication Technologies
College: STEM
Year: 2012
Recommendations for the Program Director/Department Chair (currently the same person):
Issue/Concern:
Work with the dean to provide additional faculty to support the distance learning students and develop an
on-campus option.
Work with the dean to provide funds to obtain cutting edge technologies for distance course delivery and
ongoing training of the staff to become adept at using them.
Response from Program Director/Department Chair:
The Program Director/Department Chair has had ongoing dialogue with the Dean's Office about
additional positions and was successful funding two additional academic staff, instructional positions to
support the ICT MS in the ICT BS through customized instruction funds. As additional funds are
available the program, department and college will attempt to fund additional positions.
The Program Director/Department Chair has attempted to run on campus cohorts, but this is been set back
by the new interpretation of the customized instruction funding model.
The customized instruction budget has been adequate to fund the necessary technology to deliver courses
in a reasonable fashion. The Department Chair is continually working with faculty/staff to improve the
delivery of classes. Moving to delivery methods beyond what we are using may restrict some students
from participating in classes, as they do not have adequate technology on their end.
Recommendations for the Dean:
Issue/Concern:
Work with the program director/department chair to provide additional faculty to support the distance
learning students and develop an on-campus option.
Work with the program director/department chair to provide funds to obtain cutting edge technologies for
distance course delivery and ongoing training of the staff to become adept at using them.
Response from Dean:
A plan for college customized instruction budgets was developed last fall, which includes projections for
funding additional positions for ICT MS and ICT BS programs with anticipated programs revenue
growth.
There are currently both on-campus and online options for the ICT BS program. If there is some
allowable manner of doing similarly for the ICT MS program, with adequate demand from students, this
can certainly be pursued.
The Program Director/Department Chair will continue to be consulted for choices of appropriate
technologies, supporting programmatic needs and corresponding technology available to remote site
students. Identified needs for upgrades and additional staff training will be provided. Funding is
available through program revenues.