40 Review Team: What are program weaknesses/potential threats?
- Accreditation: not the fault of the program that the college’s accreditation status is under threat. Potential threat is that you lose accreditation and subsequently funding streams, prestige of having a nationally independent program accredit the college (difficult to market the program now without that backing). Continue to work for retaining NCAE accreditation.
- Low pay for instructors. Negotiations begin at $43,000-$67,000 for 12 months. Hard to attract industry professionals with this wage. Computer technology already a high-paying industry, potential teachers are not willing to take the pay cut to come teach even if they want to. Adjuncts may be a solution, but hiring several people to teach one class each is not feasible.
- Lack of funding for equipment needed for the program. Suggestion: rotation of computer labs, need to create a set schedule of when they are recycled and/or replaced. Revisit opportunities for internal support, utilize existing equipment resources. Meet with IT. Cannot rely on the donations of industry partners, and cannot charge the students. Reusing old equipment that can be rebuilt is the best course of action.