Students. On average, there are five to seven graduates from the Business program each year at the associate level. Ninety-seven AAS degrees and 43 certificates have been conferred from 1978 through 2001. Graduates are a mixture of ages, gender, and ethnic origin.

The Business Department has adequate financial and human resources available to meet the goals and objectives of the department.Significant Changes
• The development of the new BAS program has been the major change.
• Through a departmental curriculum review in 2001/2002, the department gained a sharpened sense of necessary learning outcomes for graduates.
• The Weekend Business College was implemented within the last two years. The intent is to attract students who are working and unable to attend classes at traditional times. Internet, hybrid courses, and Friday night classes are outlined so that student may achieve their AAS-BA in three years.
• The Business Department regularly offers many business classes through live sections at most locations. Use of distance education, either through interactive video or online, allows student access throughout the large service area. Over thirty percent of the enrollments in the business program are located at distant sites.
• The department has been able to utilize the $25,000 book budget, provided through the BAS program, to purchase material for lower- and upper-division courses, a significant increase in the library resources for the department’s program.
• In 2001, under the direction of Dr. Larson, a Phi Beta Lambda business student organization was organized at GBC. While membership is still small, this organization has provided positive opportunities for leadership mentoring and other student involvement that was previously non-existent. Business

Analysis
As mentioned, this is a stable program—on average there are five to seven AAS graduates and two to five certificate graduates per year. The headcount and FTE have remained quite stable. The BAS program has added a significant potential for growth for the Business Department. The two new faculty have given the department more depth, particularly for management courses and programs.

Enrollment trends. A review of the Business Department statistics for the last six years indicates a stable pattern of students declaring business as their major. The average number of students for the six-year period is 100 students majoring in the AAS and a total number of 32 students in the two certificate programs combined. The number of students as a percent of GBC enrollment has remained constant, as well as the number of credits being taken by each student. FTE for the reporting period has had minor increases and decreases, but no significant trend in either direction.

It is also felt by the department that many students simply want to take certain individual courses without declaring a major. As an overall percentage of student body population at GBC, the business students average 3-4 percent of total headcount. These students account for 3-5 percent of the total FTE for the College. The smaller head count compared to larger FTE percentage indicates that more students are taking more classes—fewer students, but increasing FTE. Instructors are now seeing students in more than one class, probably because of the inauguration of the BAS.

Program review. A program review conducted in February 2000 by Dr. Ian Wilson from Utah Valley State College provided useful insights into the feasibility of a baccalaureate degree in business and the direction that it might take. These insights on curriculum, design, and implementation issues were carefully considered in the development of the current BAS program. In addition, the program review gave suggestions on advisory board functions, student advising, recruitment, and graduate follow-up. As noted, the business faculty members believe that progress has been made in some of these areas, but an active advisory board is not yet a reality, and no graduate follow-up and tracking is taking place.

Program assessment needs. There was a good deal of data gathered during 1998–2000 by the College and The Education Alliance in the volumes comprising the Bachelor’s Degree Feasibility Study. Surveys in this study showed strong interest in business programs. But there is a need in the department for gathering outcome data beyond course evaluations, faculty evaluation, and periodic program reviews.

The needs include the following:
• Alumni: Additional attention needs to be paid to the alumni. Questions regarding the program content and suggestions to improve the program could be asked; information about where the students are working could indicate the usefulness of the program. The faculty does have important contacts with alumni through the GBC Foundation. However, that needs to be formalized through a college-wide alumni association.
• Employer satisfaction: An advisory committee for the AAS-BA has been formed in the past to assist in the department focus. However, this committee has not been utilized in a very active manner. The department could use an advisory committee with business representation to assist faculty in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the programs.
• Employment data: There is no data on graduate employment, except for incidental cases.
• Outcome maps: The outcome maps, which are under development, will provide additional ways to measure the effectiveness of the department’s programs.
• Contribution to college mission: While the number of students served by the Business Department is not large, it is felt that the addition of the BAS program will provide a valuable link from the AAS. When people think of a college degree in business, a baccalaureate degree is what is generally assumed. Faculty members believe that part of the reason for historically small enrollments in the associate business program may have been the lack of even a single baccalaureate program in business in the entire area served by the College. To the extent this is true, the department could see an increase in the AAS program as a result of the new BAS program. While preliminary enrollment numbers at the lower level in the most recent semesters may tend to support this idea, it is still too early to tell.
• Student advising: The department is interested in the formal tracking of their students advisees through the Student Information System (SIS). The SIS is capable of assigning and tracking students and their advisors, but there is a dilemma in that this tracking would probably mandate advising before registration--a requirement that historically has reduced enrollment.

STRENGTHS
• The BAS as an opportunity for AAS business students to continue their education in BAS.
• Faculty members experienced as educators as well as successful business owners and consultants.
• Active BAS advisory committee, which meets three to four times per year.
• Qualified pool of adjunct faculty from the business community who are interested in teaching atGBC.
• The Business Department as an integral part of the BAS, having worked in the developmental
stages with other faculty to create the BAS program.

CHALLENGES
• Lack of formal process of tracking students, before or after graduation.
• Inactive Business Department advisory board.
• No measurable assessment tools exist other than testing.
• Lack of formal system of tracking of student advisees throughout the computer system.

RECOMMENDATIONS/ACTION ITEMS
• Establish a tracking system for students, including follow-up of graduates and completers.
• Establish an advisory committee of potential employers and business persons.
• Contact each of the declared business majors by letter encouraging them to visit with instructors for advising.