NC State Board of Trustees - University Affairs Committee Meeting July 15, 2021 Winslow Hall
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NC State Board of Trustees
University Affairs Committee Meeting
July 15, 2021
Winslow Hall
Pullen Road
Winslow Conference Room
Raleigh, NC 27607
Zoom link: https://ncsu.zoom.us/s/96746835887
July 15, 2021 University Affairs Committee Meeting
Meeting Agenda
9:00am 1. Call to Order, Public Meeting Notice, Reading of
Ethics Statement
Dewayne Washington, Chair
2. Roll Call
Dewayne Washington, Chair
3. Consent Agenda
Dewayne Washington, Chair
A. Approval of Minutes
a. UAC Minutes 4/15/21 OPEN SESSION
B. Center and Institute Requests
a. Disestablishment - Keck Center for Behavioral
Biology (CBB)
b. Disestablishment - North Carolina Japan
Center (NCJC)
c. Continuation - Center for Human Health and
the Environment (CHHE)
d. Continuation - Center for Nuclear Energy
Facilities and Structures (CNEFS)
e. Continuation - Genetic Engineering and
Society Center (GES)
f. Continuation - Golden Leaf Biomanufacturing
Training and Education Center (BTEC)
g. Continuation - Nuclear Reactor Program (NRP)
C. Designation of Time Limited Option for
Distinguished Professorships
a. Designation of Time Limited Option for
Distinguished Professorships
D. Conferral of Academic Tenure Requests
a. Conferral of Academic Tenure Title Page.pdf
4. Provost Update
Warwick Arden, Executive Vice Chancellor and
Provost
A. Academic Programs
a. Academic Programs Update 7/15/21
B. Faculty Salary Ranges
a. Faculty Salary Ranges 2021-2022
C. Update on Current Initiatives
5. Closed Session
6. Reconvene in Open Session
7. Adjourn
OPEN SESSION MINUTES
University Affairs Committee
Board of Trustees
North Carolina State University
April 15, 2021
The University Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees of North Carolina State University held a
meeting in-person at Park Alumni Center and via Zoom teleconferencing on April 15, 2021.
Members Present: Dewayne Washington, Committee Chair
Melanie Flowers
Jim Harrell
Stan Kelly
Perry Safran
Tom Cabaniss, Board Chair
Absent: Ven Poole
Chair Washington called the meeting to order at 1:15 p.m. The roll was called and a quorum was present.
Chair Washington reminded all attendees that this is a public meeting but not a meeting for public
comment and read the State Government Ethics Act to remind all members of their duty to report conflicts
of interest or appearances of conflict.
Consent Agenda
Chair Washington reviewed the list of items on the consent agenda.
A motion was made by Mr. Safran, and seconded by Mr. Harrell, to approve the consent agenda items
which included approval of the February 25, 2021 open and closed session minutes and conferral of tenure
to a new faculty member and to 47 faculty members who were reviewed during the annual campus
Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure process. Chair Washington called for a vote by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Requested Action
Endorsement of the 2021-2030 Strategic Plan
As a follow-up to the deep-dive presentation that was given by the Chancellor, the Provost and Dr.
Margery Overton on the 2011-2020 strategic plan and its planning process, Provost Arden presented NC
State’s 2021-2030 Strategic Plan for endorsement. He remarked that this plan is a great carry forward
from the last plan and highlights areas to prioritize over the next several years to help propel the
university forward. Chair Washington acknowledged Provost Arden and his staff for the work it took to get
this accomplished, especially during the pandemic. A motion to approve endorsement of the 2021-2030
Strategic Plan for recommendation to the full board was made by Mr. Kelly and seconded by Ms. Flowers.
Discussion focused on the Board’s engagement in developing the plan resulting in a substitute motion
being proposed by Mr. Safran to hold the matter in committee in order to allow more time for the Board to
review the plan. Discussion focused on what timeline would be appropriate should the substitute motion
be approved. Provost Arden responded that over the last 18 months leadership has tried to understand
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North Carolina State University
Board of Trustees
April 15, 2021
Page 2
the priorities of many constituents and is ready to get started with the implementation plan. Mr. Kelly
noted that there will be more time to engage with the plan during the implementation phase. The
committee was reminded of the substitute motion that was on the floor. The substitute motion was
seconded by Chair Washington. A question was raised about whether changes could be made to the plan
during the implementation phase. Provost Arden explained that we handle this process differently than
some universities by separating out the implementation part of the plan. The strategic plan establishes
the overarching goals. The details, strategies and metrics are handled in the implementation phase which
is how the university proceeded with the strategic planning process ten years ago. Chancellor Woodson
reminded the committee that the Board has been sent all of the planning documents, Task Force reports
and websites and has been encouraged to participate as they deemed appropriate. After additional
discussion, Mr. Safran withdrew the substitute motion. Chair Washington called for a vote on the original
motion -to approve endorsement of the 2021-2030 Strategic Plan for recommendation to the full board-
by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Salary Ranges for Senior Academic and Administrative Officers Tier II
Marie Williams, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, presented the proposed salary ranges
for Senior Academic and Administrative Officer (SAAO) Tier II positions for Fiscal Year 2021-22. She
explained the purpose is to establish competitive ranges based on current market data to allow the
university to attract and retain highly qualified executive talent. In addition, the ranges are used to inform
and support sound and equitable salary decisions and to facilitate appropriate stewardship of financial
resources. She reviewed the methodology for establishing the ranges which is consistent with the UNC
System Office methodology. Ms. Flowers made a motion, seconded by Mr. Harrell, to approve the salary
ranges.
Chair Washington called for a vote by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Renewal of Wake STEM Early College High School MOA
Provost Arden presented a request to renew the Wake STEM Early College High School Memorandum of
Agreement executed between NC State and Wake County Board of Education setting forth the
parameters for the continued operation of the early college high school. This is the third 5-year
agreement and is effective until June 30, 2026. Per the agreement, enrollment will not exceed 285
students at its full capacity. These students earn high school degrees and two years of transferable
University Affairs Committee
North Carolina State University
Board of Trustees
April 15, 2021
Page 3
college credit. NC State provides selected university courses taught by NC State faculty. The current
location for the early college high school is in the Cherry Building located on NC State’s Centennial
Campus; however, effective January 1, 2022 the early college high school will move to School Board
property. Mr. Kelly made a motion, seconded by Ms. Flowers, to approve the Wake STEM Early College
High School MOA for recommendation to the full board.
Chair Washington called for a vote by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Reports
Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report
Vice Provost Sheri Schwab delivered the Annual Diversity and Inclusion Report for Fiscal Year 2019-
2020. This new report is a requirement under UNC Policy 300.8.5 on Diversity and Inclusion in the UNC
System, which passed in September 2019. The UNC Policy provides a statement of commitment to
diversity and inclusion for all UNC institutions and defines "Diversity and Inclusion" as "the intentional
efforts undertaken to create an institutional culture and a working and learning environment that offers
acceptance, support, and respect for a diversity of individuals as they pursue their academic, research,
and professional ambitions and interests”. Elements of the report included progress towards strategic
plan goals relating to diversity and inclusion; identification of the number of FTE dedicated to Diversity &
Inclusion; salary and operating investments of both state and non-state funds; and select signature
programs and outcomes in this realm across the university. Before closing, Vice Provost Schwab noted
that the university has seen a steady and notable increase in philanthropy supporting Diversity &
Inclusion activities - from scholarships to programmatic funding across colleges and divisions, and
increased programmatic support for the activities in Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity- additional
evidence that this work is supported both internally and externally.
Residency for Full Scholarship Undergraduate Students
Ms. Krista Ringler, Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid, provided an annual report on the list of
recognized entities awarding full scholarships to undergraduates and the number of students receiving full
scholarships from each entity. Per North Carolina General Statutes, students who receive full
scholarships from the list of recognized entities are considered residents of North Carolina and will
receive the resident tuition benefit. There are 65 new and continuing students benefitting from this
provision. Of these 65 students, 58 are Park Scholars.
Students Requiring Special Consideration
Next, Dr. Louis Hunt, Senior Vice Provost and University Registrar, gave the required annual report on
the special consideration process of undergraduate admissions and the performance of students
previously admitted through that process. He explained the purpose of the process is to provide a
mechanism to admit students with exceptional talents in areas important to the university community.
The overriding criterion in all admissions decisions is the potential for academic success. He concluded
by sharing the success stories of two students who were admitted through this process.
University Affairs Committee North Carolina State University Board of Trustees April 15, 2021 Page 4 Faculty Senate Report Chair of the Faculty Hans Kellner began his report by sharing that it has been a difficult time for faculty but despite the inability to meet face-to-face, faculty governance at NC State has remained vital during the pandemic. He continued by sharing recent and upcoming Senate meeting topics and actions, including reporting that the Faculty Senate sent a letter to the Chair of the Board of Governors and UNC System President affirming the UNC Racial Equity Task Force report and applauding the efforts being made in this regard. He also reported that an upcoming Senate meeting led by the Chair-Elect and the Associate Chair will focus on campus culture. As his second term as Chair of the Faculty concludes, Chair Kellner expressed his desire that going forward the Board and faculty will draw closer in meaningful and appropriate ways and that collaborations in support of university governance will continue in various aspects after the pandemic. Staff Senate Report In her report, Staff Senate Chair Pat Gaddy outlined ways in which, despite the pandemic, the Staff Senate has worked together in unity and collaborated with campus partners to meet and exceed its mission. Examples include helping the campus promote Covid-19 vaccinations among the staff and university community; representing staff on university committees; and pursuing professional development and continuing education opportunities for Staff Senators. Chair Gaddy concluded by noting while COVID‐19 has made this year particularly challenging, Staff Senate continues to amplify the voices of staff and encourage a sense of community and engagement among all university staff employees. Chair Washington expressed his appreciation to Chairs Kellner and Gaddy for their service and leadership as their terms as Chair conclude. He also recognized Senior Vice Provost Louis Hunt for his leadership and service to the university as his retirement date draws near. Commencement Update Chancellor Woodson began his commencement update by thanking Dr. Louis Hunt and his team for the efforts undertaken to hold an in-person ceremony this year. The university is hosting two commencement ceremonies this spring – one on the evening of Friday, May 14 and one on the morning of Saturday, May 15. Two Honorary Degrees will be awarded at this ceremony. Jeff Williams, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, will receive the Honorary Doctor of Sciences at the commencement ceremony on Friday, May 14. Ashley Christensen, award-winning chef and Raleigh Restaurateur will receive the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 15. Chancellor Woodson announced that this year’s commencement speaker for both ceremonies will be Russell Wilson. The Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from NC State in 2010 and played for the University of Wisconsin-Madison for one year after graduating from NC State. Finally, Chancellor Woodson noted that preliminary plans are underway to hold an in-person event this fall to recognize the 2020 graduates. Provost Update In his report, Provost Arden informed the committee of leadership updates, delivered the annual nepotism report and provided an update on distinguished professorships. In terms of leadership updates, he noted that Senior Vice Provost Dr. Tom Miller is stepping back from his leadership role with DELTA and his oversight of the McKimmon Center for Extension and Continuing Education to focus on leading the NC State Entrepreneurship Program effective July 1, 2021. An announcement regarding leadership plans for DELTA and the McKimmon Center is forthcoming. Provost Arden also expressed his gratitude to Barbara Mulkey for her leadership as Director of the Shelton Leadership Center for the last five years. Ms. Mulkey has announced her retirement effective May 1, 2021; an announcement will be made soon about the future leadership of the Shelton Leadership Center. He reported that the search for the Senior Vice Provost of Enrollment Management and Services has yielded three finalists for virtual campus interviews occurring throughout this month. Provost Arden reported that in accordance with the UNC Policy on the Employment
University Affairs Committee
North Carolina State University
Board of Trustees
April 15, 2021
Page 5
of Related Persons (Anti-Nepotism Policy), NC State did not have any reported employees out of
compliance with the policy for calendar year 2020. Finally, he referenced the list of 5 Distinguished
Professorships awarded since April 2020 in the meeting materials and noted the positive impact these
professorships have on our ability to hire and retain top talent.
Closed Session
With no further business in open session, at 2:42 p.m. Mr. Harrell made the motion, seconded by Mr. Kelly
to go into closed session to establish the material terms of an employment contract and to consider the
qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment or conditions of
initial employment of an employee or prospective employees.
Chair Washington called for a vote by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Reconvene in Open Session
After coming out of closed session, Chair Washington announced the meeting in open session.
Mr. Harrell made a motion to approve the Head Football Coach Employment Agreement. Ms. Flowers
seconded the motion. Chair Washington called for a vote by roll call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
Mr. Safran made a motion to approve the appointment and initial salary of the Dean of the College of
Humanities and Social Sciences. Mr. Kelly seconded the motion. Chair Washington called for a vote by roll
call.
Flowers AYE
Harrell AYE
Kelly AYE
Poole ABSENT
Safran AYE
Washington AYE
The motion passed.
University Affairs Committee
North Carolina State University
Board of Trustees
April 15, 2021
Page 6
With no further business, Chair Washington announced the meeting adjourned at 3:02 p.m.
Submitted by ___________________________________
Secretary to the Committee
Approved by _____________________________________
Chair of the Committee
Designation of Time Limited Option for Distinguished Professorships
Background: Donors who endow a distinguished professorship at NC State University may elect to
pursue matching funds available through the state’s Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund
(DPETF). In accordance with state statutes, as well as University of North Carolina system and NC State
University policies, the NC State University Board of Trustees is authorized to designate that endowed
distinguished professorships seeking DPETF matching funds may be time limited.
We request this designation from the BOT when a donor agreement indicates intent that a distinguished
professorship be awarded, or potentially awarded, at a rank other than professor (i.e. assistant, associate
professor) and/or for a period other than an individual’s full career.
This designation provides the University with the maximum flexibility in awarding the distinguished
professorship over time. Still, the overwhelming majority of NC State’s distinguished professorships are
offered to professors for the duration of their career at NC State.
Recommended Action: We request designation of the following distinguished professorships which may
be time limited:
1. Jake and Jennifer Hooks Distinguished Professorship in Materials Science and Engineering,
College of Engineering, $1M endowment
2. Dr. Hassan A. Hassan Distinguished Professorship in Aerospace Engineering, College of
Engineering, $1M endowment
3. Dr. Charles W. Stuber, Sr. and Dr. Marilyn M. Stuber Distinguished Professorship in Plant
Breeding, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, $1M endowment
4. Randall B. Terry, Jr. Distinguished Professorship in Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary
Medicine, $1.5M endowment
Policy References:
UNC Policy 600.2.3 - Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund
NCSU Policy 01.05.01 – Board of Trustees Bylaws
NCSU Regulation 05.20.17 – Professorships of DistinctionConferral of Academic Tenure: The information regarding conferral of academic tenure is included in the Closed Session Materials.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
REQUEST TO DELIVER
EXISTING DEGREE PROGRAM – NEW DELIVERY MODE OR SITE
Date: December 17, 2020
Constituent Institution: North Carolina State University
Is the program a joint degree program? Yes No _X_
Joint Partner campus N/A
Title of Authorized Program: Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science
Degree Abbreviation: B.S
CIP Code (6-digit): 02.0101 Level: B _X____ M I D
CIP Code Title: Agriculture/Agricultural Sciences, General
Proposed term to enroll students in alternate delivery method: term Fall year 2021
Provide a brief statement from the university SACSCOC liaison regarding whether the new
delivery mode does or does not constitute a substantive change.
Identify the objective of this request (select one or more of the following)
☐ Add on campus delivery
☒ Add online delivery; Maximum percent offered online _____100%______
☒ Program will be listed in UNC Online
☐ One or more online courses in the program will be listed in UNC Online
☐ Add site-based delivery (list new sites below; add lines as needed)
☐ Instructor present (off-campus delivery)
☐ Instructor remote (site-based distance education)
Site #1
(address, city, county, state)Site #2
(address, city, county, state)
Site #3
(address, city, county, state)
Supply basic program information needed for UNC Academic Program Inventory (API), UNC
Online
Minimum credit hours required _______
Expected number of full-time terms to completion _______
I. Justification for New Delivery Mode
1. Description and Purpose.
a. Provide a 250-word or less description of the proposed program, including
target audience, delivery method, hours required, program core and
concentrations (if applicable), opportunities for which graduates will be prepared,
and other special features. For online programs, describe whether the delivery is
synchronous with an on-campus course, partially synchronous, asynchronous,
other, and using what platform(s).
An online (DE) version of the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science
(11AGESBS) is proposed. Students could enter the program as freshmen or as
transfer students. An online degree would provide an outstanding undergraduate
education and professional development opportunities for a growing industry.
The BS in Ag Science degree builds human capacity and knowledge in
agriculture essential to sustaining communities and the nation. Because ofdiversity in students and their educational needs, a DE degree program would enable the development of individualized programs of study and substantially enhance access to educational opportunities for place-bound students. The proposed DE version of this existing degree program will be available to any interested student throughout the U.S. The BS in Agricultural Science degree has three major components: (1) a strong general education preparation, (2) preparation in agricultural disciplines provided by courses across agricultural disciplines followed by study in two specific agricultural disciplines, (3) agricultural leadership skills that lead to success in working in teams and within agricultural organizations. This revised delivery of the degree program is targeted toward students with diverse agricultural interests. Many agricultural careers expect graduates to have some level of expertise within a specific discipline, but require that they have a broad background in agriculture in order to work effectively with a diverse clientele of agriculturists. For example, most of today’s grand challenges in agriculture are multidisciplinary and intradisciplinary in nature. The proposed online version of this degree utilizes courses already offered at North Carolina State University (NC State). Courses that contribute to this DE program will be a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous distance education, all offered via Moodle. b. How does the proposed delivery mode align with system, institutional and unit missions and strategic plans? Student Success is a primary goal of NC State’s strategic plan, and the proposed program can offer success to a distinct population of students that we have been previously unable to serve: students who are unable to relocate to Raleigh in order to conduct their studies (place-bound students). Students may be place- bound due to work commitments, family commitments, or for financial reasons. Because of increasing difficulty in accessing traditional on-campus programs, higher education institutions have broadened the use of learning technologies to enable maximum access and effectively serve the educational needs of an increasingly diverse clientele. The proposed addition of the DE delivery mode to the existing Agricultural Science BS degree substantially enhances access to education and professional development opportunities in agriculture and related sciences. The proposed program is consistent with both the College and University mission of promoting an integrated approach to problem solving that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, economic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world. Land-grant universities were created, in part, to provide educational programs to fuel the economy of the state and of the nation. This proposed expansion of this existing degree program not only serves an important component of North Carolina’s economy, agriculture, it also provides
an educational program that meets the needs of many of the rural, agricultural-
based students in North Carolina.
By instituting DE delivery of the BS in Agricultural Science at NC State, a more
diverse student population will be served, especially with respect to expanding
rural diversity among our student population. This proposed opportunity will
further the University’s mission of serving all of the people of the state.
2. Student demand. Provide documentation of student demand for the new delivery
mode. Directly address the extent to which students will be drawn from a pool of
students not previously served by the existing program.
A feasibility study, prepared by The University Professional and Continuing Education
Association (UPCEA) Center for Research and Strategy, is attached to this submission.
One of the key findings of this study was that the proposed creation of the DE version of
the Agricultural Science degree has a unique delivery that aligns to a place-bound
audience within the workforce including college freshmen, those with associate’s
degrees, or those who paused college studies and wish to return.
Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry, employing over 20% of the total work
force in the state. Approximately 27 cents of every dollar earned in the state comes from
agriculture. Yet there is a state and national shortage of graduates with agricultural
degrees who are prepared to enter the agricultural industry. Students with agricultural
degrees at NC State have no trouble finding employment in agriculture. Across the
nation, some 59,400 agriculture career placements that require a college degree will
open annually for the 36,100 annual graduates of colleges of agriculture (Fernandez,
Goecker, Smith, Moran, & Wilson, 2020). The net deficit of available graduates is
23,100. Fernandez et al. (2020) anticipate 2.6% annual growth of careers in the
agriculture sector between 2020 and 2025, based upon US Bureau of Labor and
Statistics data. Within NC, the demand for agriculture graduates is similarly high. At
graduation (Spring, 2019), 53% of NC State graduates in agriculture majors reported full-
time jobs and 29% of graduates in agriculture majors were pursuing graduate or
professional school.
Increasing the number of agricultural graduates from NC State is critical to the economy
of this state. Many careers in agriculture do not require the highly specialized training
that students receive within a single agricultural discipline. Instead, these positions are
best suited for graduates that understand the broad spectrum of agricultural disciplines
and have specialized study in one or more specific disciplines. For example, agricultural
sales, agricultural finance, agricultural marketing positions require a 4-year degree in
agriculture, but within today’s diversified agriculture, good knowledge across the
spectrum of plants, animals, and the environment often enables employees to more
effectively solve on-farm challenges with products and services.In addition, the agricultural industry is asking for graduates who can lead – not only those who possess personal leadership skills, but also have the ability to work in teams effectively and understand principles of organizational leadership, creative problem- solving, and critical thinking. Employers add to these skills the ability to communicate orally and in writing within the context of agriculture. The proposed degree program is designed to provide exactly this type of preparation for students. Oregon State University, Murray State University (KY), and Texas Tech University all offer a general agricultural science degree via distance education. The Murray State program is approximately two years old and pulls students predominantly from Illinois community colleges due to its close proximity to Illinois. Admission criteria for this distance-delivered program are consistent with on-campus admissions. At present, the program enrolls 40 students, all of whom pay in-state tuition, and offers a flexible curriculum. The Associate Dean at Murray State stated they have had high numbers of enrolled students in the program since its inception. The Oregon State University distance-delivered agricultural science program is about 25 years old and enrolls over 280-300 students annually. Admission criteria for this distance-delivered program are consistent with on-campus admissions. Students from across Oregon and California enroll in the program so that they can live at home and work on their farms or family businesses. Oregon State has developed an introductory course to specifically help students learn effectively and manage their time and assignments in the online environment. Oregon State’s program has grown such that the offering department has leveraged funds from the additional distance education students to hire one full time advisor/coordinator and fund three graduate students to assist with teaching courses. Current enrollment in the NC State Agricultural Science BS is 96 students. Annually, 43- 50 students are admitted to the major, yet the yield averages 59% or 24-35 students. Essentially, there are about 20 students annually who do not attend NC State to pursue agricultural sciences. Anecdotally, we have information from agriculture teachers, guidance counselors, and parents that some students decline admission to NC State in order to remain near home. We anticipate that the distance-delivered degree format will entice these students to pursue and complete an NC State degree in Agricultural Science. 3. Unnecessary duplication. List similar programs offered by other North Carolina institutions (public or private), including enrollments and delivery method. In cases where other UNC institutions provide similar online, site-based distance education, or off- campus programs, include evidence regarding how the proposed program meets unmet need. Discuss collaborative opportunities with these programs. There are currently no fully online Agricultural Science BS degrees offered at any North Carolina institutions. Other NC institutions of higher education offer agriculture degrees,
but none provide the breadth of agricultural science studies or the focus on in-demand industry preparation in leadership, let alone delivery in a distance-delivered format. Online courses for the DE version of the Agricultural Science degree already exist. Other niche, face-to-face, agricultural science BS degrees offered in North Carolina include: Appalachian State: Sustainable Development - Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Brevard College: Sustainable Agriculture NC A&T: Agricultural and Environmental Systems BS (108 students) UMO: BS Agricultural Production Systems BS UMO: BS Agricultural Production Systems: Outreach and Extension BS Twenty-seven NC community colleges offer agricultural 2-year degrees (see below). While these degrees are useful for lower-end, entry level agricultural jobs, a 4-year bachelor’s degree is critical for a successful and progressive career in agriculture. Here, students may start their agriculture studies, but because no distance-delivered option exists in the state to finish their 4-year bachelor’s degree, they are educationally deprived of career advancement. The online version of the Agricultural Science BS degree proposed herein could meet the needs of students wishing to advance their studies and careers without relocation to Raleigh and/or giving up their regional employment. CALS has a long history of close cooperation with NC Community Colleges and this degree would further that relationship. Ashev.-Bunc. Tech CC Haywood CC Pitt CC Brunswick CC Isothermal CC Rockingham CC Cape Fear CC James Sprunt CC Sampson CC Carteret CC Lenoir CC Sandhills CC Catawba Valley CC Martin CC Surry CC Central Carolina CC Mayland CC Wake Tech CC Cumberland Tech CC Mitchell CC Wayne CC Forsyth Tech CC Montgomery CC Western Piedmont CC Guilford Tech CC Pamlico CC Wilkes CC 4. Enrollment. Estimate the total number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the first year of operation and in each delivery mode (campus, online, site - add lines as needed): Delivery Mode__DE__Full-Time ___10____ Part-Time ___5______ Estimate the total number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the fourth year of operation and in each delivery mode (campus, online, site - add lines as needed): Delivery Mode__DE___Full-Time ___30____ Part-Time ___7____
5. Resources.
a. Are new faculty, staff, library, facility/equipment, or other resources required
to deliver the program? If so, explain the need and, using the template provided,
estimate the costs and sources of funds to provide resources needed.
No new faculty, courses, or resources would be required. Enrollment change
funding will be used to fund any additional teaching or advising resources
needed as the program grows in the home department, Agricultural and Human
Sciences, and in departments providing electives.
b. Discuss how the new delivery mode will impact the workload of existing
faculty.
All courses included in the BS in Agricultural Science degree program are
currently delivered online via distance technology in both synchronous and
asynchronous formats. Additional students will add three to five students per
AEE course per semester, representing minimal impact to DE sections of the
courses. Additional advising will likely be required with the new delivery format. It
is anticipated that one faculty member would take on advising the DE students in
Agricultural Sciences with a reduction in advising of on-campus, face-to-face
students. Overall, the impact would be an additional five to seven advisees per
faculty member.
c. (Site-based distance education and off-campus delivery only) If the institution
has not previously delivered a degree program at this site, briefly describe the
facilities, infrastructure, and arrangements and how they meet the needs of the
program.
N/A
6. Delivery Considerations. Provide assurances of the following (not to exceed 250
words per lettered item):
a) Access (all programs). Students have access to academic support
services comparable to services provided to on-campus students and
appropriate to support the program, including admissions, financial aid, academic
advising, delivery of course materials, and placement and counseling.
NC State Faculty currently deliver courses in an online format, so they are
accustomed to providing both access and vibrant interactions with students.
Currently, all AEE courses and enough courses from other CALS departmentsare distance-delivered to complete the Agricultural Science major remotely. Students also have sufficient choices among the menu of distance-delivered CALS courses in the degree plan. GEP courses may be completed locally at a community college and/or completed through distance-delivered NC State courses. Advising has similarly been delivered via Zoom and other video conferencing formats with much success. Students in this program will be assigned an Undergraduate Advisor in Agricultural and Human Sciences upon their acceptance into the program. Students in this program will benefit from advisors who are connected to the agriculture industries in North Carolina. The Director of Undergraduate Programs in Agricultural and Human Sciences will coordinate advising. One of the required courses is AEE 103 (which is interchangeable for ALS 103 for freshmen or ALS 303 for transfer students), which provides an overview of campus resources and support services and discusses expectations for academic and career success including professionalism, diversity, and inclusiveness; each of these courses already has or will have a separate DE section. Additionally, we anticipate providing a website with resources specific to learning success in an online environment. b) Curriculum delivery (online and site-based distance education only). The distance education technology to be used is appropriate to the nature and objectives of the program. The content, methods and technology for each online course provide for adequate interaction between instructor and students and among students. In the previous five years, sufficient quantities of courses have been delivered using distance learning technology for students to complete the degree with full integrity to the major. Courses will be delivered via Moodle or other university- supported learning management system (LMS). One unintended benefit of COVID-19, the University move to all online courses, and delivery of those courses is that faculty have adapted, learned, and implemented effective online learning tools and strategies such as Zoom, Moodle, the Google suite, NearPod, PlayPosit, various discussion boards, and other interactive and collaborative online apps. Most students have responded well to these technologies and learned effectively in their courses. c) Faculty development (online and site-based distance education only). Faculty engaged in program delivery receive training appropriate to the distance education technologies and techniques used.
Faculty members have access to, and are encouraged to pursue, DE- enhancement courses offered by DELTA and their respective professional organizations. On a weekly basis, current faculty in Agricultural and Human Sciences participate in one to three hours of professional development designed to enhance their online delivery of instruction. We anticipate these to continue as new graduate students and faculty are added to the department. Dr. Kim Allen, the Assistant Director for CALS Academic Programs, will continue to work with CALS faculty and staff to develop DE courses and programs across the college. Webinar, roundtable discussions, and guest speaker professional development opportunities, along with a compendium of resources (https://cals.ncsu.edu/intranet/cals-distance-education-resources/), will be offered and updated by CALS AP. d) Security (online and site-based distance education only). The institution authenticates and verifies the identity of students and their work to assure academic honesty/integrity. The institution assures the security of personal/private information of students enrolled in online courses. As part of the admissions, financial aid, enrollment, and registration processes at NC State students may provide their social security number, citizenship status, visa information, birthdate, test scores (SAT, ACT, AP, GRE, etc.), high school and/or post-secondary transcripts, and immunization documentation. This information is utilized collectively to establish and confirm the identity of students. These procedures apply to all students at NC State, including those who intend to enroll only in distance education programs or courses. The identity of students who participate in distance education courses and programs at NC State is verified by the following: a secure login and passcode, proctored examinations, and new technology and practices that are effective in student identity verification. All NC State students, including distance education students, are uniquely identified with a student ID number, along with an associated Unity computing account with unique login name and secure password. The university uses the new practice of two-factor authentication and its associated technology to maintain account integrity. Distance education students retain the same privileges and remain subject to the same policies and regulations impacting on-campus students, which include Policy 11.35.01, “Code of Student Conduct”. The university regulates student computer use through Policy 08.00.01, “Computer Use Policy”; and Regulation 08.00.02, “Computer Use Regulation.” The Office of Information Technology’s director of security and compliance assumes responsibility for the implementation of and compliance with computer use policies and regulations.
7. Contact. Provide the name, title, email address, and phone number of the person(s)
responsible for planning this proposed program.
Dr. Travis Park
Director of Undergraduate Programs, Agricultural and Human Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
NC State University
tdpark@ncsu.edu
t: 919.515.9441
This request to establish a new distance education degree program (or program site) has been
reviewed and approved by the appropriate institutional committees and authorities.
Chief Academic Officer: ________________________________________________________
Chief Academic Officer (Joint Partner Campus): ___________________________________________Request to Deliver
Last updated 1/12/16
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
REQUEST TO DELIVER
EXISTING DEGREE PROGRAM – NEW DELIVERY MODE OR SITE
Date: 14 April 2021
Constituent Institution: North Carolina State University
Is the program a joint degree program? Yes No
Joint Partner campus
Title of Authorized Program: Master of Operations Research Degree Abbreviation: MOR
CIP Code (6-digit): 14.3701 Level: B M __X ____I D
CIP Code Title: Operations Research (link)
Proposed term to enroll students in alternate delivery method: term Fall year 2021
Provide a brief statement from the university SACSCOC liaison regarding whether the new delivery
mode does or does not constitute a substantive change.
Identify the objective of this request (select one or more of the following)
☐ Add on campus delivery
X Add online delivery; Maximum percent offered online ___100%________
X Program will be listed in UNC Online
☐ One or more online courses in the program will be listed in UNC Online
☐ Add site-based delivery (list new sites below; add lines as needed)
☐ Instructor present (off-campus delivery)
☐ Instructor remote (site-based distance education)
Site #1
(address, city, county, state)
Site #2
(address, city, county, state)
Site #3
(address, city, county, state)
Supply basic program information needed for UNC Academic Program Inventory (API), UNC Online
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Minimum credit hours required __30_____
Expected number of full-time terms to completion ____4___
I. Justification for New Delivery Mode
Description and Purpose.
a. Provide a 250-word or less description of the proposed program, including target
audience, delivery method, hours required, program core and concentrations (if
applicable), opportunities for which graduates will be prepared, and other special
features. For online programs, describe whether the delivery is synchronous with an on-
campus course, partially synchronous, asynchronous, other, and using what platform(s).
The Master of Operations Research (MOR) online program is designed to meet the needs
of professionals by both deepening their mathematical modelling abilities while
broadening key analytical and problem-solving skills. An Operations Research degree
provides graduates a wide range of relevant skills to succeed in today’s technical and
data-intensive work environments. The program will target working professionals
currently not served by the full-time resident MOR program. These individuals are in the
local, national, and global community and are looking to advance their education, but,
due to family or employment commitments, are unable to participate in a full-time
resident program. The online program will provide schedule flexibility and remote access
so students can earn a MOR from a nationally recognized program in two to three years.
The majority of the courses in the online program will be delivered by capturing live
campus courses and delivering them in an asynchronous online format. Further, each
class will include dedicated online “office hours” where students can interface directly
with the faculty member and graders in both synchronous and asynchronous formats.
Similar to the full-time resident program, the online program will require 30 credit hours
to complete and will have a core curriculum with a directed but flexible elective course
set in keeping with the discipline’s breadth and core skills.
b. How does the proposed delivery mode align with system, institutional and unit missions
and strategic plans?
The program supports the goals of NC State’s, the College of Science’s, and the College
of Engineering’s strategic plan:
1. Enhance student success. The online format will provide access and flexibility to earn
a degree from a nationally recognized program that will enable graduates to advance their
professional opportunities. Our faculty are already well-versed in online education and
can deliver a quality graduate education experience online.
2. Invest in faculty. Expanded opportunities to engage with graduate students will allow
us to attract and retain faculty interested in current industrial problem sets.
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3. Support interdisciplinary scholarship. OR is inherently interdisciplinary as a field of
study. At NC State, the OR program is exceptionally interdisciplinary with participating
faculty from 6 separate colleges and 17 academic departments.
4. Pursue organizational excellence. The courses are already offered online. Offering
the degree online will provide students flexibility to complete either online and/or
campus course format. Using the existing courses already offered online, the program
maximizes efficiencies in the delivery of graduate courses.
5. Engage locally and globally. An online program will allow access to working
professionals in the Research Triangle, the U.S. Armed Forces (each of which maintains
career fields for both uniformed and civilian operations research analysts), national and
global community who are looking to advance their education while continuing
employment, which should be valuable to many regional, national, and global companies.
The OR program is well-positioned to leverage existing strategic partnerships with local
companies like SAS as well as strategic relationships within the Department of Defense.
1. Student demand. Provide documentation of student demand for the new delivery mode. Directly
address the extent to which students will be drawn from a pool of students not previously served
by the existing program.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook,
“employment of operations research analysts is projected to grow 25% from 2019 to 2029, much
faster than the average for all occupations;” this is a total of 25k jobs nationally. With the pace of
technological advances, ubiquity of data collection and storage, and companies seeking efficiency
and cost savings, demand for operations research analysts will continue to grow. O*Net data
shows a graduate OR degree is highly valued in this field as 70% of OR analysts have a masters
degree.
According to the most recent BLS Occupational Employment and Wage data, North Carolina
boasts the 10th highest concentration of OR jobs (Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC) and the 8th
highest paying metropolitan area for OR (Winston-Salem, NC). Without the online degree, we
can not adequately serve these working professionals seeking masters degrees to enter and/or
advance in this field if they are unable to attend campus courses.
In addition to the BLS data, the College of Engineering Military & Veteran Recruiting
Coordinator reports that every branch of the Department of Defense and many other federal
agencies (e.g., Internal Revenue Service, Coast Guard, and others) have OR career fields. Many
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of these active duty servicemembers and civilians are unable to attend a resident graduate
program. Offering this degree online allows us to directly target, recruit, and serve this
population.
2. Unnecessary duplication. List similar programs offered by other North Carolina institutions
(public or private), including enrollments and delivery method. In cases where other UNC
institutions provide similar online, site-based distance education, or off-campus programs,
include evidence regarding how the proposed program meets unmet need. Discuss collaborative
opportunities with these programs.
In the state of North Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill offers a masters degree in Data Science and
Analytics which replaced the previous degree in Statistics and OR; the UNC-Chapel Hill masters
degree is on campus only. UNC-Charlotte offers a graduate minor (but not a degree) in OR.
Based on the lack of distance education options and the Student Demand data above, there is
currently unmet demand and we expect this demand to continue through 2029 and beyond. In
support of inter-university partnership, the OR Director of Graduate Programs will consider
transfer credit from UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Charlotte on a case by case basis so that NC
State students could take a course offered by those institutions that is not offered by NC State.
3. Enrollment. Estimate the total number of students that would be enrolled in the program during
the first year of operation and in each delivery mode (campus, online, site - add lines as needed):
Numbers provided are for OR masters students only. PhD students excluded.
Delivery Mode__Campus_____Full-Time ___21_____ Part-Time ____0______
Delivery Mode ___Online_____ Full-Time____0______Part-Time____5_______
Estimate the total number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the fourth year
of operation and in each delivery mode (campus, online, site - add lines as needed):
Delivery Mode__Campus_____Full-Time ___24______ Part-Time ___0_____
Delivery Mode__Online______Full-Time___1______ Part-Time___15______
9.Resources.
a. Are new faculty, staff, library, facility/equipment, or other resources required to deliver
the program? If so, explain the need and, using the template provided, estimate the costs
and sources of funds to provide resources needed.
The courses in the OR curriculum required to support a healthy online degree program
are already being offered online through Engineering Online and the College of Sciences
using classroom capture technology for the existing campus courses that already have
distance education sections. This approach has been very successful for existing online
NC State programs for many years. Delivering the OR degree online will require no
additional course to also go online or consume any new resources.
b. Discuss how the new delivery mode will impact the workload of existing faculty.
As mentioned above, the courses in the OR curriculum required for to sustain a strong
online program are already offered via distance education through Engineering Online
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and the College of Sciences with the additional compensation and cost of resources
already covered.
c. (site-based distance education and off-campus delivery only) If the institution has not
previously delivered a degree program at this site, briefly describe the facilities,
infrastructure, and arrangements and how they meet the needs of the program.
N/A
Delivery Considerations. Provide assurances of the following (not to exceed 250 words per lettered
item):
a) Access (all programs). Students have access to academic support services comparable to
services provided to on-campus students and appropriate to support the program,
including admissions, financial aid, academic advising, delivery of course materials, and
placement and counseling.
Similar to the campus program the online program will support admissions, academic
advising, and delivery of course materials. Services will be provided through multiple
mediums including email, phone calls, in-person and virtual technology (e.g., Zoom,
Google Meet, etc). The existing infrastructure will be used as a platform to provide these
services. The events of 2020–2021 have served as a training and validation for this type
of online student services within the program. Due to the differences in fees, DE students
do not have access to all of the services available to on-campus students; this is consistent
with other DE programs at NC State.
As a professional masters program, the MOR online degree will not be considered for
assistantships by the program, similar to the campus MOR degree, though online students
will have normal access to NC State financial aid services as they are eligible for various
types of federal financial aid.
b) Curriculum delivery (online and site-based distance education only). The distance
education technology to be used is appropriate to the nature and objectives of the
program. The content, methods and technology for each online course provide for
adequate interaction between instructor and students and among students.
For the engineering courses in the curriculum, Engineering Online has a long history of
delivering high quality captured video streamed to students in the class. Similarly,
DELTA provides for the delivery of non-engineering courses that are available for OR
students to take as electives. The online MOR degree plans to leverage the existing
course and faculty experiences with online education. Faculty will engage with students
using the features of this technology including discussion forums, synchronous help
sessions, and virtual communication methods. Online students are already afforded
identical access to the course webpages in Wolfware (powered by Moodle) as on campus
students. Additionally, faculty will be available for in person meetings, phone calls, and
email exchange similar to our current full-time resident program.
Page 5 of 6Request to Deliver
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c) Faculty development (online and site-based distance education only). Faculty engaged in
program delivery receive training appropriate to the distance education technologies and
techniques used.
The courses necessary for the online MOR degree and the faculty offering them already
have a history of offering distance education sections. The Engineering Online program
provides support to faculty developing and offering online engineering and computer
science courses.
d) Security (online and site-based distance education only). The institution authenticates and
verifies the identity of students and their work to assure academic honesty/integrity. The
institution assures the security of personal/private information of students enrolled in
online courses.
NC State University’s information technology provides state-of-the-art infrastructure to
protect the privacy and confidentiality of student and faculty information. Secure web-
based, two-factor Duo authentication is mandatory to access NC State’s internet services
available to students and faculty. Password updates are mandatory every 12 months. All
students and faculty are required to use their campus user name (Unity ID) and password
to log into Moodle to verify their identities. A wide range of tools and approaches will be
adopted to ensure the integrity of the online course offerings including:
- Using proctoring services to ensure the integrity of class assignments, especially
exams;
- Using software tools such as Lockdown browser to limit students’ access to
supporting materials and extra resources during the exams; and
- Educating students about the academic integrity policies and the consequences if
academic integrity is violated.
Contact. Provide the name, title, email address, and phone number of the person(s) responsible for
planning this proposed program.
Name: Michael G. Kay, PhD
Title: Director, Operations Research Graduate Program
Email: kay@ncsu.edu
Phone: 919-515-2008
This request to establish a new distance education degree program (or program site) has been reviewed
and approved by the appropriate institutional committees and authorities.
Chief Academic Officer: ________________________________________________________
Chief Academic Officer (Joint Partner Campus): _____________________________________________
Page 6 of 6Campus Box 7906
915 Partners Way, Room 4121
Raleigh, NC 27695-7906
www.ise.ncsu.edu
919.515.2362
MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD
SUBJECT: Consultations for the Request to Deliver for the Operations Research graduate program
9 April 2021
1. The purpose of this memo is to document the consultations to date in support of the Request to Deliver proposal for the
Operations Research (OR) graduate program to offer the degree via distance education (DE).
2. The proposal is supported by the
Data Science Academy Launch Director (26 March 2021);
Computer Science (CSC) DGP (26 March 2021);
Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) Director of Graduate Programs (DGP) (26 March 2021);
Industrial & Systems Engineering Department Head (26 March 2021);
Master of Engineering DGP (26 March 2021);
Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute (IMSEI) DGP (29 March 2021);
Textile Engineering, Chemistry, and Science Department Head (29 March 2021);
Statistics Department Head (30 March 2021); and the
Math DGP (9 April 2021).
Please see enclosure statements of support.
3. The proposal requires no external resources, reserved seats, or new online course offerings.
4. The point of contact for this memo is the undersigned at mcconnell@ncsu.edu .
//----- original signed ------//
Brandon McConnell
Research Assistant Professor
Enclosure(s)
Statements of supportYou can also read
