MONROE - Only four students have been impacted by a decision by Blackhawk Technical College to drop two second-year accounting courses on the Monroe campus, a school official said in response to some student complaints on The Monroe Times Web site.
BTC made the decision with input from Monroe campus staff, and the classes will be offered next fall as online courses.
"The college must consider the negative cost implications of holding courses with low enrollments as stewards of taxpayer dollars," said Len Walker, director of institutional advancement at Janesville's BTC main campus. "With diminishing resources as a result of decreasing state support for the Wisconsin technical colleges, it's the fiscally responsible position to take, with an estimated cost to the college of around $20,000 for someone to drive over to Monroe and teach."
BTC had been criticized in the past few weeks by some anonymous posters to www.themonroetimes.com. Those students say the class cancellations leave them with unfinished degrees, unless they are willing to travel to Janesville.
"I can't afford to drive back and forth to Janesville every day, try to keep up with my classes and hold my part-time job," one poster said March 7.
Another reader suggested the school is losing students because of similar problems. "There are many people that are choosing to go elsewhere because of disappointments such as yours," a poster said.
Walker said students who have met the pre-requisites can still move forward with the online courses next fall and be in sync for a timely graduation. The courses have extensive prerequisites and are not open to new students, transitioning workers or non-majors. The four impacted students are academically prepared to enroll in these online courses, Walker said.
Walker provided extra details about the college's plans for providing the courses next fall:
• At the request of the Dean of Business and Information Technology, the four individuals who are affected by this decision were provided with early notice (mid-February) of these plans so they would have ample time to make other arrangements that fit their individual needs.
The school denied advising any current accounting students to "just deal with it," as one poster claimed.
"They (the students) have chosen to dispute the decision instead of working collaboratively to find a solution," Walker added. "Current accounting students do have opportunities to make progress toward a degree in accounting at the Monroe campus next fall, contrary to comments posted on the blog."
• A coordinated plan, which does not require driving to Janesville, has been developed in collaboration with the Monroe campus staff, accounting faculty, and BIT division dean.
"We are recommending that the students participate in online courses that are currently scheduled for fall and do not require travel," Walker said.
• Campus staff have agreed to host a study group at the Monroe campus, where the students can work together as a learning cohort to better ensure their academic success.
"We have recommended that students contact the BTC Monroe Campus staff members for assistance with this plan and their possible next steps," Walker said.
• Other courses required for the accounting degree are scheduled for the Monroe campus next fall, and students can fulfill most financial aid requirements without these two courses.
• The Blackhawk Technical College Board, administration and BIT division leadership have had no discussion regarding plans to discontinue the Accounting Associate Degree program at the Monroe campus, Walker said.
• Additional business and accounting-related courses may be added to future schedules, based on adequate class sizes, locating qualified instructors, available budget resources, classroom availability including computers, and the ability of the college staff to provide instructional support.
"These decisions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis should the need develop in the future," Walker said.
A recent retirement announcement by an instructor in this program also will impact the college's future decision making, Walker said.
Walker said a "trade-off" in canceling the classes is that BTC "can accommodate dislocated workers and other new students who needed to start the accounting program this next summer and fall with the hope of having sufficient enrollment to continue the 2nd year courses a year from now."
BTC made the decision with input from Monroe campus staff, and the classes will be offered next fall as online courses.
"The college must consider the negative cost implications of holding courses with low enrollments as stewards of taxpayer dollars," said Len Walker, director of institutional advancement at Janesville's BTC main campus. "With diminishing resources as a result of decreasing state support for the Wisconsin technical colleges, it's the fiscally responsible position to take, with an estimated cost to the college of around $20,000 for someone to drive over to Monroe and teach."
BTC had been criticized in the past few weeks by some anonymous posters to www.themonroetimes.com. Those students say the class cancellations leave them with unfinished degrees, unless they are willing to travel to Janesville.
"I can't afford to drive back and forth to Janesville every day, try to keep up with my classes and hold my part-time job," one poster said March 7.
Another reader suggested the school is losing students because of similar problems. "There are many people that are choosing to go elsewhere because of disappointments such as yours," a poster said.
Walker said students who have met the pre-requisites can still move forward with the online courses next fall and be in sync for a timely graduation. The courses have extensive prerequisites and are not open to new students, transitioning workers or non-majors. The four impacted students are academically prepared to enroll in these online courses, Walker said.
Walker provided extra details about the college's plans for providing the courses next fall:
• At the request of the Dean of Business and Information Technology, the four individuals who are affected by this decision were provided with early notice (mid-February) of these plans so they would have ample time to make other arrangements that fit their individual needs.
The school denied advising any current accounting students to "just deal with it," as one poster claimed.
"They (the students) have chosen to dispute the decision instead of working collaboratively to find a solution," Walker added. "Current accounting students do have opportunities to make progress toward a degree in accounting at the Monroe campus next fall, contrary to comments posted on the blog."
• A coordinated plan, which does not require driving to Janesville, has been developed in collaboration with the Monroe campus staff, accounting faculty, and BIT division dean.
"We are recommending that the students participate in online courses that are currently scheduled for fall and do not require travel," Walker said.
• Campus staff have agreed to host a study group at the Monroe campus, where the students can work together as a learning cohort to better ensure their academic success.
"We have recommended that students contact the BTC Monroe Campus staff members for assistance with this plan and their possible next steps," Walker said.
• Other courses required for the accounting degree are scheduled for the Monroe campus next fall, and students can fulfill most financial aid requirements without these two courses.
• The Blackhawk Technical College Board, administration and BIT division leadership have had no discussion regarding plans to discontinue the Accounting Associate Degree program at the Monroe campus, Walker said.
• Additional business and accounting-related courses may be added to future schedules, based on adequate class sizes, locating qualified instructors, available budget resources, classroom availability including computers, and the ability of the college staff to provide instructional support.
"These decisions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis should the need develop in the future," Walker said.
A recent retirement announcement by an instructor in this program also will impact the college's future decision making, Walker said.
Walker said a "trade-off" in canceling the classes is that BTC "can accommodate dislocated workers and other new students who needed to start the accounting program this next summer and fall with the hope of having sufficient enrollment to continue the 2nd year courses a year from now."