PROPOSAL TITLE : Suspension of the Recreation Resource Management (RRM) Undergraduate Program

PROPOSAL TITLE : Suspension of the Recreation Resource Management (RRM) Undergraduate Program

PROPOSAL TITLE : Suspension of the Recreation Resource Management (RRM) Undergraduate Program

OregonStateUniversity

College of Forestry

Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society/Recreation Resource Management Undergraduate Program

[CIP* Number from the Office of Institutional Research] = 31

April 5, 2011

June 1, 2011

Provide the following information:

(write "not applicable" if the question does not apply):

  1. Title of the proposed instructional, research, or public service unit. For name changes, give both the current and proposed names. Describe the reason(s) for the proposed change.

NA

  1. Location within the institution's organizational structure. Include "before" and "after" organizational charts (show reporting lines all the way up to the Provost).

Before: The Recreation Resource Management (RRM) undergraduate program is currently administered within the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry

After: Students wishing to gain knowledge regarding natural resource based recreation and related disciplines (e.g., ecotourism) will do so through an already approved specialty option within the Natural Resources undergraduate program.

  1. Objectives, functions (e.g., instruction, research, public service), and activities of the proposed unit.
  2. Explain how the program or unit's current objectives, functions, and/or activities will be changed. Where applicable, address issues such as course offerings, program requirements, admission requirements, student learning outcomes and experiences, and advising structure and availability. How will the reorganized program be stronger than the existing program?

We not offer a BS in RRM. Instead we will offer a BS in Natural Resources (NR) with a specialty option in Recreation and Tourism Management. One of the major rationales / drivers behind this decision was to comply with the University’s Advisory Council on Budget and Strategic Priorities (ACBSP) guidelines for undergraduate enrollment and degree completion (e.g., must graduate minimum of 20 students per year for 3 year average). The RRM major was under these guidelines (albeit slightly with 17-18 graduates per year) so a College and faculty decision was made to suspend the program.

  1. Explain how outcomes in the newly organized program or unit will be assessed.

Recreation-related learning outcomes will now be assessed by the NR program

  1. Resources needed, if any: personnel, FTE academic, FTE classified, facilities and equipment.
  2. Identify the staffing and resource needs for the proposed program or unit. Note any impact on the budgets of affected programs or units. Provide an analysis of how the resulting programs or units will be adequately staffed and funded.

Staffing formerly committed to offering the RRM degree will be diverted to support the NR degree program which includes an approvedoption in Recreation and Tourism Management.

Budget implications: Advising responsibilities will be assumed by the Natural Resources (NR) Program, withfunds once devoted to an RRM faculty advisor.Some time cost will be incurred in notifying current students of changes in degree options and we will need to change our web pages and catalog descriptions.

b) Several courses devoted solely to RRM majors will no longer be offered, so this should result in some cost savings.

c) Some continuing courses from the original RRM curriculum will now serve larger student populations, probably not changing the cost of instruction, but making it more cost effective (higher student to teacher ratios).

  1. Explain the extent to which affected faculty and personnel support this change.

The RRM-affiliated faculty from the Corvallis campus and the Tourism and Outdoor Leadership (TOL) Program leader from Bend worked together to design the specialty option in NR, and agreed to suspend the RRM program.

  1. Funding sources: state sources (institutional funds - state general fund, tuition and fees, indirect cost recoveries), federal funds, other funds as specified.
  2. Identify the revenue and funding sources for the proposed program or unit (i.e., federal, state, other funding sources).

NA– no additional funds are needed, and there should be a net savings.

  1. If new resources will be required (e.g., for new faculty positions, graduate research/teaching assistants, facilities, equipment), explain where these resources will be coming from. Specify whether internal reallocation, college, institution, federal, state, private, or other funding sources. [Note: Deans/chairs/heads/directors of units committed to providing additional resources will be required to sign the proposal.]

No new resources are needed.

  1. Provide an estimated annual budget for the proposed program or unit (see Appendices).

The initial changes to the degree offering will cost approximately $200 in time to change our web pages and notify current and potential future students of the changes.

  1. Relationship of the proposed unit to the institutional mission.
  2. How will the proposed program or unit support OSU's mission and goals?

The change will more closely align our degree offerings with both the Healthy Planet and Healthy People areas of emphasis.

  1. Describe potential positive and negative impact of the proposed change on the program(s) or unit(s) involved. Identify other OSU programs or units which may be affected, and describe the potential positive and negative impact on their mission and activities.

The possible negative impact is a modest decrease in enrollment in the College of Forestry should incoming students wish to pursue a BS in Recreation Resource Management but not find it available, and also not wish to pursue a BS in Natural Resources. The degree to which such a reduction may be realized is unknown and presumed small since advisers will direct students to the Recreation and Tourism Management specialty option in NR.

  1. Long-range goals and plans for the unit (including a statement as to anticipated funding sources for any projected growth in funding needs).

We anticipate a growth in on-campus and eCampus enrollment in the NR program, including within the new NR specialty option in Recreation and Tourism Management.

  1. Relationship of the proposed unit to programs at other institutions in the state.
  2. What is the current relationship of the proposed program or unit to OUS and other higher education institutions in the state? Describe how this relationship might be altered based on the proposed change.

The only unit possibly affected by this change is the Tourism and Outdoor Leadership (TOL) Program at Cascades Campus. Since Dr. Kreg Lindberg was a part of the discussions to suspend RRM and add the Recreation and Tourism Management specialty option, we foresee no major issues with this or other units. This action will terminate Society of American Foresters(SAF) accreditation for the Recreation Resource Management program at OSU, but will not affect the SAF accreditation of other COF programs.

  1. Describe how the proposed change will affect other constituencies outside of OUS.

Students wishing an undergraduate degree in RRM would seek that degree from other institutions. The University of Idaho, Penn State, Indiana University, Colorado State University, Utah State University, and the University of Minnesota, among others, offer this or a related / similar degree.

  1. If the program is professionally accredited, identify the accrediting body and discuss how the proposed change may affect accreditation.

This major is accredited by the Society of American Foresters. It is one of several accredited majors. Suspension of this degree program, however, would not influence future accreditation of the other majors.

Appendices:

  • Transmittal Sheet(attached)
  • Budget Table (attach current budget and proposed budget)

The budget would not change because we would be offering the same courses from the same faculty in the NR Recreation and Tourism Management specialty option.

  • Library Evaluation (attach library evaluation if the proposal involves an academic program that is substantially changed or expanded)

NA

  • Liaison (attach all liaison correspondence, both internal to the college/school and with all affected, or potentially affected, academic units and institutions within or outside of OSU)
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