Weber State University   

Bachelor of Integrated Studies

Results of Assessment

2006-2007 (submitted 06/26/07)

Submitted by: Dr. Judy Elsley BIS Coordinator

This end of year program assessment begins May 8th 2006, and end May 9th 2007.

The BIS program went through a seven year review this academic year, so this annual report will be a brief addendum to that more extensive self-assessment. Program statistics will be the focus of this report.

Students in the program:
According to Crystal Report, 120 students are currently declared as BIS majors. Last year, we had 114, and in 2005, we had 111.

Incoming students:
From May 21st 2006 to May 8th 2007, 62 students were admitted to the BIS program. (See enclosed list for names, date admitted to the program, and areas of emphasis.) Last year, we admitted 65, and in 2005, our number was 51.

Distribution of academic disciplines:
The following information is attached to this report:

• Areas of concentration for incoming BIS student in 2006-2007.
• Areas of concentration for exiting BIS students in 2006-2007.

The departments are listed in order of greatest to least number of participating BIS students.

Graduating students:
From May 21st 2006 to May 8th 2007, 42 students were cleared for graduation. (See the enclosed list for names, date of dean's sign-off, and areas of emphasis.)
Last year, we cleared 35 students and in 2005, 30 students.

Prospective students:
251 student attended a bi-weekly information session over the course of the year.
Last year, 259 students attended an information session and in 2005, we saw 204 students.

I estimate that 1 in 4 students who investigate the BIS program by attending an information session actually follow through by applying to the program. There are many legitimate reasons why students don't become BIS students. For example:

• They've just started Gen Ed and I encourage them to wait a year until they have a better sense of what they want to choose as a major.
• They want three areas in the same department; e.g. HPHP, in which case I send them to the HPHP advisor.
• They're hoping for a quick way to graduate, and are disappointed to discover the BIS program won't provide a short cut to their goal.
• They want a BIS-unfriendly area of emphasis such as Business (which requires 31 hours), so the program is not practical for them.

We often advise students about General Education in these sessions, so I view these sessions as an advising service to the university rather than merely a recruiting opportunity for BIS.

Faculty honorarium:
Faculty committee members are offered a $100 honorarium for each capstone they work on ($300 for each capstone) to show our appreciation for the extra work involved with mentoring a BIS student through the capstone process. Faculty only receive the honorarium if they fulfill the requirements of the capstone contract (attending the prospectus meeting and oral defense, and giving timely feedback). The honorarium is awarded when the student completes the project and a grade is posted.

This year, with the generous help of Academic Affairs, 118 honorariums were awarded. 64 (54%) went to individual faculty members and 54 (46%) were returned to the university in the form of contributions to a scholarship or other charitable funds.

Almost half the honorariums are returned to the university in the form of donations to scholarships and other Weber funds, so the whole university benefits from the BIS honorariums.

Note: I'd like to thank Pam Jones, the BIS secretary, who gathered most of the information in this report.

Areas of Concentration
Incoming BIS Students
2006-2007

Areas of Concentration
Existing BIS Students
2006-2007

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