2. Industry-Relevant Specializations : The program will offer specializations and stackable certificates tailored to current industry needs, including Cybersecurity Management, Business Analytics, and Healthcare Administration to name a few. These areas reflect high-demand skills in the marketplace and prepare students for careers in sectors with strong job growth projections. 3. Flexible : To meet the diverse needs of learners, the MBA program will be offered online with in- person/hybrid professional development to foster networking. This makes the program accessible to place-bound learners and working professionals. This flexibility aligns with Central Washington University's mission to expand access and success for all students. 4. Alignment with Workforce Needs : The MBA program responds directly to current workforce demands. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth in fields such as financial and management analysis and healthcare administration with job growth rates exceeding national averages. The program will prepare graduates for roles in these expanding sectors, addressing both regional and national employment needs. 5. Competitive Advantage : The proposed MBA program is positioned to be competitive with other institutions in the Pacific Northwest. Its affordability, flexible delivery option, interdisciplinarity, and stackable certificates make it attractive to a broad range of learners, including CWU graduates, community college graduates offering a 4-year baccalaureate degrees, alumni, and learners from other diverse educational and professional backgrounds. 6. Contribution to CWU's Mission : The MBA program aligns with the university’s mission to foster equity, sustainability, and community partnerships. The program emphasizes ethical leadership, social responsibility, and the development of sustainable business solutions, ensuring graduates are equipped to make a positive societal impact. The MBA program will enhance CWU’s academic offerings, contribute to enrollment growth, and strengthen partnerships with local and global industries. During the February 20-21, 2025, Board meeting, Academic Affairs will provide program updates and a review of Graduate programs. Enrollment and Budget Update EVP Klucking gave an update on enrollment and budget. As of the tenth day freeze, we had fewer confirmations, but we had a slight increase in enrollment of first year students. Transfer students continue to decline slightly. Housing and Dining participation is approximately 100 over last year. Apartments are a bit ahead. Housing experimented with one-room apartments with a shared kitchen space in Carmody Munro this fall. Each apartment was equipped with a microwave and mini fridge, so students were not required to purchase a meal plan but could if they so choose. Every room was occupied this fall, so Housing will conduct student focus groups to see about doing this arrangement in other dorms in the future. Newly enrolled students are fairly stable and first time in college students have grown slightly for three straight years. Our planning target for total enrollment (degree seeking) for Fall 2024 was 8700 with a 200-student contingency. We came in at 8509, which impacted net tuition with $1M less. We are close to hitting the HSI percentage. Full time undergraduate Hispanic/Latinx is at 24%.
4 Board of Trustees Minutes October 17-18, 2024
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