M E M O R A N D U M

									June 12, 2012


To:	           Members of the Board of Trustees

From:		Nancy L. Zimpher, Chancellor

Subject:	Degree Authorization for the State University of New York 
Empire State College
	

	I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:

Resolved that the Chancellor be, and hereby is, directed to seek the authorization of the Board of Regents for the State University of New York Empire State College to confer the degree of Master of Science (M.S.).

Background

	Approval of this resolution will authorize the State University of New York Empire State College to confer the Master of Science (M.S.) degree, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents.  Degree authorization is necessary as the award represents the College’s first use of the Master of Science degree. 

      The Master of Science degree is consistent with the mission of Empire State College to provide flexible programs of study that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees. The College currently offers graduate programs leading to the M.A., M.B.A., and M.A.T. Approval of the M.S. in Nursing—the College’s first proposed M.S. degree program—with concentrations in Education, Administration and Informatics supports The Power of SUNY by providing access to high-need programs through innovative delivery strategies.  This flexible, online M.S. in Nursing will increase access to affordable graduate study in nursing. 
      
      In 2008, Empire State College established an R.N.-to-B.S.N. completion program which earned full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education in 2010.  The M.S. in Nursing is a logical extension of that program; it will expand the College’s capacity to meet the well-documented need 


for nurses with advanced degrees to serve as nurse educators and in other leadership positions.  The M.S. program is designed for part-time, online study to 
accommodate the responsibilities of adult learners. Enrollment is projected to be start with 50 students in the first year, growing to 220 within 5 years.  The College also seeks to offer a combined B.S.N. and M.S. for qualified students. 
      
      The 33- to 39-credit M.S. curriculum is modeled on the 2011 Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing delineated by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).  After completing 24 core credits, students will choose an area of specialization in education (15 credits), administration (9 credits), or informatics (9 credits).  The proposed M.S. curriculum, including the three areas of specialization, was positively reviewed by a panel of external evaluators.
      
      Empire State College offers a robust online course management system and extensive learning resources and supports. Applicants to the M.S. program must hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field, as well as an active, unencumbered Registered Nurse (R.N.) license. The program will give preference to candidates residing within New York State, as well as those who demonstrate strong academic and professional preparation. In support of SUNY and a Healthier New York, the College will vigorously recruit students across the state, especially in its urban centers, thereby serving working registered nurses who seek further education and career advancement.  

	The M.S. in Nursing meets a critical need for nurses with advanced degrees who can help train the next generation of nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of RNs is expected to grow much faster than average, with 581,500 new jobs anticipated from 2008-2018—the largest number of new jobs for any occupation.  Furthermore, according to AACN, U.S. nursing schools turned away more 67,000 qualified applicants in 2010, and two-thirds of the schools responding to their survey pointed to faculty shortages as a reason for not accepting qualified applicants. 
      
      Given the acute need for nursing professionals, New York’s public institutions of higher education must offer new and expanded programs that complement one another. Empire State College’s proposed M.S. in Nursing will help address this critical need.  
      
      A SUNY financial review of the proposed program indicated that Empire State College has sufficient financial and institutional resources to ensure quality. As SUNY’s leading online education provider, the College has the technical expertise to deliver the program. A new dean of nursing is in place and the College plans to hire additional faculty and staff to support the proposed program.  
      
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Board Resolution	-2-	June 12, 2012