Proposal

Name:

Integration of Excel certification exams into ISM 3011 (Management Information Systems)

FiscalYear:

2018

Audience:

Business, College of

Submitter:

Dinev, Tamara

Budget Manager:

DeAquino, Donald Carmen

Project Manager:

Huang, Chiang-Sheng D.

Proposal Approvers

Dept. Chair:

Dinev, Tamara

Local IT:

N/A

Dean:

De Aquino, Donald C

Facilities:

N/A

OIT:

Bagdonas, Joseph A.

Proposal Funding

Year 1:

$ 0.00

Year 2:

$ 0.00

Year 3:

$ 0.00

Total:

$ 0.00

Proposal Funding versus Average

Questionnaire

Narrative
The College of Business seeks to improve the employability of its undergraduate majors by integrating two Excel certification exams (Core and Expert) into the required course of Management Information Systems (ISM 3011) offered by the Department of Information Technology and Operations Management. The exams will provide external validation of a high Excel competency to prospective employers. This Tech Fee proposal is a request to cover the cost for the vouchers necessary to take the exams which are administered by a third party contracted by Microsoft, and for the practice exams. This initiative supports the Board of Governor’s Performance Based Funding Metrics. Metric 1: Percent of Bachelor’s Graduates Employed and/or Continuing their Education Further One Year after Graduation. Students who are successful in passing the exams can document the certifications on their resumes and LinkedIn profiles to improve their future employment opportunities. Metric 2: Median Average Wages of Undergraduates Employed One Year after Graduation. Success in passing both exams validates a high level of competency in Excel skills, which are highly valued by the business community as well as non-profit and government organizations. This level of competency should increase the starting salaries of business majors. Metric 3: Net Tuition and Fees per 120 Credit Hours. By covering the cost of the exam vouchers and practice exams, students would not incur additional fees to take and successfully pass the exams. Metric 4: Four-Year Graduation Rates (Full-time FTIC). By properly structuring the assessment of the exams in the course syllabi, students who do not pass the exams on their first attempt or with one retake opportunity will be deducted points. The number of points deducted will not prevent students from passing the course, assuming success on other course assessments. Thus, the certification exam requirements should not negatively affect graduation rates.
Facilities
Hardware Requirements
None
Software Requirements
We need to purchase Excel practice exams in order for students to successfully pass the exams. The campus license is $3,500 for unlimited use by 500 students for one year. Total cost for 3 years is $28,700.00
Personnel Costs
None
Other Costs
We anticipate that each calendar year (i.e., spring, summer, and fall semesters) approximately 1,803 (3,606/2 = 1,803) students will take two certification exams when the Excel initiative is fully implemented and ISM 3011 will become a required course for Accounting majors, currently it is not. The number of exam vouchers required is 4,797 for two exams and retakes for each exam at an estimated rate of 33%. With a discount rate of 25% on five or more blocks of 500 vouchers purchased together, the total cost per calendar year will be $33,750. The Excel initiative will be fully implemented in the Fall 2020 semester, voucher cost for the calendar year of 2019 and the Spring 2020 semester will be lower than the cost for the Fall 2020 semester and each subsequent semester. The numbers for the subsequent semesters are as follows: Spring 2019, 300 students to volunteer to take the Core exam, 399 exam vouchers will be needed Summer 2019 semester – no budgeting. Fall 2019 semester, 644 students required to take the Core exam, 857 exam vouches needed (which includes retakes at a rate of 33%). Thus, total cost for 1256 exam vouchers for the 2019 calendar year will be $11,475. Spring 2020 semester, 691 students will be required to take the Core exam, 400 students will also take the Expert exam. Thus, 1,452 exam vouchers will be needed (which includes retakes at a rate of 33%). Summer 2020 semester, 465 students will take the Core exam, 100 students will volunteer to take the Expert exam, so 735 vouchers will be needed. Fall 2020 semester, 1,263 students will take both the Core and the Expert exams, and 1,680 vouchers will be needed. Thus, total cost for the exam vouchers for the 2020 calendar year will be $27,000. Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters of 2021, when all students are taking both the Core and the Expert exams, 4,796 exam vouchers will be needed. The cost of the exam vouchers for the 2121 calendar year will be $33,750.
Timeline
The exams will be taken Spring and Fall 2019, and Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters of 2020 and 2021
Sustainability
We will reevaluate after implementation of the first phase that spans the three academic years.
Resource Matching
None
Implementing Organization
College of Business

Proposal Budget

Fiscal Year 1 Fiscal Year 2 Fiscal Year 3 Total
Hardware One-Time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Hardware Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Software One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Software Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Personnel One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Personnel Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Totals $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00

Supporting Documentation

Filename Size Description
Tech Fee Proposal -- November 2018.docx 17,970b
Technology Fee Proposal MOS Certification -- November 20, 2018.xlsx 25,131b