January
20-21, 2000
ITEM 106-202-R0300: Approval of Proposal to implement a Two-Year,
Farm/Ranch Business Management Certificate Program; Dawson Community College,
Glendive, Montana.
THAT: The Board of Regents of Higher Education authorizes Dawson Community
College to award a Certificate to any student who completed the two-year
curriculum in Farm/Ranch Business Management approved by the Board.
EXPLANATION: The on-going, economic plight of farmers and
ranchers throughout the United States requires supportive intervention on the
part of higher education. Farm/Ranch Business Management programs of a similar
nature in other states have helped to reduce the decline of
family-owned/operated farms and ranches and increase their economic viability.
The need to implement such a program in Montana is clear and should produce
similar results. According to the Montana Agricultural Statistics Service,
27,500 farms and ranches in the State produced sales of $1,000 or more in 1998.
This number has increased by one thousand since 1996. Subsequently, a
substantial need and enrollment potential for this program exists. The purpose
of the proposed program is to instruct farmers and ranchers how to use a
personal computer and a double-entry accounting software to computerize their
financial records. Being in immediate possession of up-to-date information on
the financial status of the farm/ranch will provide immeasurable benefits to
the owner/operator. Successful businesses are knowledgeable of their assets and
liabilities and are able to assess the impact of decisions on their financial
standing. This program will equip farmers/ranchers with the means to do
likewise.
ATTACHMENT
A
PROGRAM
PROPOSAL
"FARM/RANCH
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT"
TWO-YEAR
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
DAWSON
COMMUNITY COLLEGE
GLENDIVE,
MONTANA
I. PROPOSED
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
A. Introduction:
Dawson Community College – Glendive,
proposes to initiate a Farm/Ranch Business Management Program to instruct
farmers and ranchers how to use a personal computer and a double-entry
accounting software to computerize their financial records. Being in immediate
possession of up-to-date information on the financial status of the
agricultural enterprise will provide immeasurable benefits to the
owner/operator. Successful businesses are knowledgeable of their assets and
liabilities and are able to assess the impact of decisions on their financial
standing. This program will equip farmers and ranchers with the means to do
likewise.
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B. Proposed Program Title: |
Certificate in Farm/Ranch Business Management |
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C. Length of Program: |
Certificate – Two Years (Four Semesters) |
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D. Credit Hours: |
60 Credits |
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E. Contact Hours: |
1278 hours Total |
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Class Instruction 346 hours (based on 50-minute hour) |
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On-site Instruction 96 hours (based on 60-minute hour) |
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Co-Op Instruction 836 hours (based on 60-minute hour) |
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F. Proposed Implementation Date: |
Fall Semester 2000 |
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II. PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT AND DOCUMENTATION:
A. Brief Description of the Proposal:
Through this proposal, Dawson Community
College seeks to implement a two-year certificate program in Farm/Ranch
Business Management. The curriculum will provide farmers and ranchers with the
training to use a personal computer and a double-entry accounting software to
computerize their financial records. The certificate will consist of 60
semester credits: fifty-four credit hours in Farm/Ranch Business Management
courses and six credit hours in Agricultural Mathematics, Interpersonal
Communications, and Employer-Employee Relations (two semester credits each).
B. Appropriate Within Mission and Goals
Statement:
The addition of the two-year certificate
program in Farm/Ranch Business Management will enhance the institution’s
ability to achieve two of its major goals: "To provide training to
individuals in the community seeking to upgrade their job skills;" and
"To provide special occupational training and skill upgrading programs
responsive to the needs of local employers and service providers."
C. Need for the Program:
The on-going, economic plight of farmers and
ranchers throughout the United States requires supportive intervention on the
part of higher education. Farm/Ranch Business Management programs of a similar
nature in other states have helped to reduce the decline of
family-owned/operated farms and ranches and increase their economic viability.
The need to implement such a program in Montana is clear and should produce
similar results.
D. Student Demand for the Program:
According to the Montana Agricultural
Statistics Service, 27,500 farms and ranches in the State produced sales of
$1,000 or more in 1998. This number has increased by one thousand since 1996.
Since the program is intended for individuals currently engaged in an
agricultural production unit, substantial enrollment potential for this program
exists.
E. Advisory Committee:
An Advisory Committee has been formed to
provide input for the proposed program’s development and implementation.
Members of the Farm/Ranch Business Management Advisory Committee include:
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Steven Ohs – |
Community First Bank, Glendive, Montana |
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Bonnie Rieger – |
Family farm/ranch, 1055 Rd 244, Glendive, Montana |
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Mark Dreesen – |
Manager, Farmer’s Elevator, Circle, Montana |
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Jack Tidaback – |
Owner, J & S Feeds, Glendive, Montana |
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Jerry Cook - |
Attorney at Law, Glendive, Montana |
F. Articulation with Public Secondary
Schools:
Shortly after the program is initiated, a
secondary school counterpart will be proposed to local area school districts
offering agricultural education programs. As the lead, post-secondary
institution of the Eastern Montana Tech Prep Consortium, Dawson Community
College will be in the unique position to coordinate the creation of a
"Young Farmers and Ranchers" program for high school students. Such a
program will enhance the existing secondary agriculture curricula to emphasize
the importance of both computing and accounting knowledge for students
interested in agricultural careers.
G. Articulation with Higher Education
Institutions:
The Farm/Ranch Business Management courses
may be transferable to a four-year college or university offering similar
courses at the lower-division, undergraduate level or advanced courses at the
upper-division, undergraduate level. Since programs of a similar nature are
currently unavailable in Montana, articulated transfer agreements are not
warranted at this time.
H. Coordination with Other Work Force
Training Sources:
At present, Dawson Community College has
been unable to identify other work force training sources to complement the
development and delivery of this unique program.
I. Resources:
The curriculum for the proposed program
builds on the college’s tradition of serving Montana residents as an exemplary
provider of agricultural education at the lower-division, undergraduate level.
In the main, this new program addresses the needs of individuals already
engaged in the agricultural industries. Due to the unique nature of program
delivery (especially the co-op and on-site instructional components), several
resources needed for this program will be new to the institution.
Current resources in support of the
agriculture programs offered by Dawson Community College are appropriate for
the addition of this new certificate program. Again, it is important to point
out that substantial portions of the proposed program will be delivered to
program participants at their respective farms and ranches, not at the campus.
The courses to be taught at the campus (the three support courses and the large
group presentations) will not place a burden on the institution. The large
lecture hall in the Ullman Center and the existing microcomputer labs will
accommodate the needs for these on-campus sessions. Library resources for
agriculture programs are up-to-date and in ample number to meet an increased
student demand. In addition, Farm/Ranch Business Management students will be
taught the use of the Internet and how to maximize this resource for their own
educational benefit. In other words, access to current information on the
subject matter pertinent to this program will be readily available for all
interested students.
To initiate this program, one full-time
faculty member will be hired. Qualifications for this position will include:
educational preparation from an accredited institution (minimally, an Associate
Degree in Agri-Business; preferably a Bachelor’s Degree in the same field);
strong microcomputer skills; competence in accounting software (minimally
"Quicken;" preferably FMS Harvest "Perceptions"); teaching
experience (preferably at the community college level); farming and/or ranching
experience.
New instructional resources will include a
laptop computer, portable printer, and a vehicle for delivering on-site program
instruction. Additional start-up costs include fifteen (15) microcomputers and
printers for "loaners" to program students who currently do not own
such equipment.
J. Community Participation:
The DCC Farm/Ranch Business Management
Advisory Committee is representative of the constituencies that will benefit
most from the program – farmers and ranchers, members of lending institutions,
and agriculture service/product vendors. Each of these individuals will provide
unique viewpoints that will benefit the development and evolution of this
unique program.
K. Impact on other programs at DCC:
The addition of this program will have
minimal impact on the rest of the institution. However, it will be an
enhancement to the current agricultural programming at this institution. Once
the program has existed for a few years and produces the expected results, the
college could experience increased enrollment in other agricultural programs.
L. Evolution of the Program Concept:
The program concept was presented to the
Dawson Community College Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees
by the current President at separate meetings during the late summer and early
fall of 1999. Both the Academic Affairs Committee and the Board of Trustees
unanimously supported the creation of the program, and encouraged the
administration to pursue approval by the Montana Board of Regents. The program
concept was brought to Dawson Community College from Colorado where it has been
one of the more successful educational ventures for rural community colleges in
that state.
M. Program Costs:
The following costs are based on one (1)
full-time instructor and related expenses to initiate the program.
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Instructional Expenses: |
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Copies |
$ 300.00 |
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Computer Supplies |
$ 500.00 |
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Office Expense (Cell Phone, etc.) |
$ 1,500.00 |
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Cyclical Instructor Computing Replacement Fund |
$ 1,167.00 |
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Cyclical Student Loaner Computing Replacement Fund |
$ 6,500.00 |
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Total Instructional Expenses |
$ 9,967.00 |
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Travel: |
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Vehicle Mileage and Maintenance |
$10,000.00 |
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National Farm/Ranch Convention |
$ 1,500.00 |
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Total Travel |
$11,500.00 |
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Personnel Costs: |
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Instructor Salary & Benefits |
$ 36,000.00 |
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Annual Recruitment Expenses |
$ 1,000.00 |
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Total Personnel Costs |
$ 37,000.00 |
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Start-Up Costs: |
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Loaner Computers (15 @ $1,300 each) |
$ 19,500.00 |
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Loaner Printers (15 @ $225 each) |
$ 3,375.00 |
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Instructor Laptop and Portable Printer |
$ 4,000.00 |
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4-wheel drive Instructor Vehicle |
$ 25,000.00 |
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Total Start-Up Costs |
$ 51,875.00 |
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Total First Year Costs |
$110,642.00 |
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Annual
Program Cost for Years 2, 3, 4,
& 5 (based on one full-time instructor) |
$ 58,000 – 60,000 |
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NOTE: If program demand requires additional full-time instructors, program
costs will increase accordingly (faculty compensation, cell phone, laptop and
printer, 4-wheel drive vehicle, loaner microcomputers and printers, etc.)
N. Enrollment Impact and Expected Revenues:
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Enrollment Impact: |
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30.0 Annualized FTE minimum per full-time instructor |
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38.0 Annualized FTE maximum per full-time instructor |
Expected
Revenue (resulting
from one full-time instructor):
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Minimum: |
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Tuition and Fees (30 students) |
$ 55,500.00 |
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FTE Reimbursement |
$ 76,500.00 |
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Minimum Revenue |
$132,000.00 |
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Maximum: |
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Tuition and Fees (38 students) |
$ 70,300.00 |
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FTE Reimbursement |
$ 96,900.00 |
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Maximum Revenue |
$167,200.00 |
III. CURRICULUM
A. Curriculum Design:
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Farm/Ranch Business Management: 54 credits |
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AB 141 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management I |
13 |
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AB 142 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management II |
13 |
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AB 151 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management III |
13 |
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AB 152 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management IV |
15 |
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credits = 54 |
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*Mathematics: 3 credits |
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AB 105 |
Agricultural Mathematics |
3 |
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credits = 3 |
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*Communication: 3 credits |
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SD 105 |
Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
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credits = 3 |
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*Human Relations: |
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BU 175 |
Employer-Employee Relations |
3 |
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credits = 3 |
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_____________________
* All certificate programs are required by
the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Colleges to
contain "a recognizable body of instruction in three program-related
areas: (1) communication, (2) computation, and (3) human relations…"
Three of the four Agri-Business courses (AB
141, 142, and 151) are thirteen semester credit hours each. Each of these
courses consists of 192 hours of co-op instruction (5.12 credits), 64 hours of
classroom instruction (4.27 credits), and 24 hours of on-site instruction (3.84
credits). The fourth Agri-Business or capstone course (AG 152) is fifteen
semester credit hours: 260 hours of co-op instruction (6.93 credits), 64 hours
of classroom instruction (4.27 credits), and 24 hours of on-site instruction (3.84
credits).
Contact hours for on-site and co-op
components are based on a 60-minute hour, whereas the contact hours for the
lecture component are based on a 50-minute hour. The number of clock hours per
credit hour is 6.25 for on-site instruction and 37.5 for co-op.
Credit hours to be awarded will be supported
by a course syllabus indicating the time required for each phase of the course.
This will indicate the number of hours spent in class, in on-site instruction,
and in co-op. Each student will be required to document time spent in the co-op
phase; this can be in the form of a diary or daily log. The documentation by
the instructor will include class meeting times, attendance records,
one-to-one/on-site meeting dates and notes from the discussion.
For students successfully completing the
two-year curriculum and desiring professional renewal/upgrade in this field, a
four-credit course (AB 175 – Professional Renewal) will be offered each term
(after the first group completes the program). This latter course can be
repeated as needed by the students.
B. Program Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the Farm/Ranch
Business Management courses, students will be able to:
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1 |
establish and review family and farm/ranch goals; |
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2 |
understand the use of a personal computer; |
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3 |
understand computer terminology; |
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4 |
understand the basic functions of a double-entry accounting software; |
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5 |
enter monthly records on a personal computer; |
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6 |
post transactions and check for accuracy; |
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7 |
utilize balance sheets, income statements, and cash flows; |
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8 |
review and update family and farm/ranch goals; |
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9 |
comprehend and apply basic marketing principles; |
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10 |
enter a budget in the double-entry accounting software program; |
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11 |
complete end-of-year closing of financial records on the computer; |
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12 |
update the unit’s financial records on the double-entry accounting software program on a regular basis; |
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13 |
use a cash flow in a decision-making process; |
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14 |
complete a cash flow projection based on Farm Financial Standards (FFS); |
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15 |
understand ratios and trends; |
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16 |
comprehend the advantages and limitations of major reorganization alternatives; |
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17 |
continue the implementation of appropriate Farm Financial Standards (FFS); |
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18 |
identify the organization best suited to the client’s farm/ranch; and |
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19 |
develop a three- to five-year marketing plan for the unit. |
Upon successful completion of the three
support courses (Agricultural Mathematics, Employer-Employee Relations, and
Interpersonal Communications), the student will be able to:
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1 |
assure the mastery of basic computational skills (whole numbers, fractions, and decimals); |
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2 |
demonstrate mathematical efficiency on the 10-key pad of a personal computer; |
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3 |
demonstrate problem-solving abilities applicable to agricultural concepts of production; |
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4 |
use mathematics to assure accurate daily financial management of the production unit; |
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5 |
understand various organizational designs and respective strengths and weaknesses; |
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6 |
comprehend changes in the modern workplace and the effects of such changes on the individual; |
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7 |
apply basic time management skills and stress management techniques; |
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8 |
develop the skills necessary to establish and maintain effective working relationship with employees; |
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9 |
demonstrate an understanding of communication skills, group behavior concepts, motivation techniques, leadership techniques, and management skills; |
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10 |
comprehend current changes in the workplace and their effects on individuals; |
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11 |
employ appropriate time management skills and stress management techniques; and |
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12 |
develop an understanding of effective decision-making skills and apply those skills in a variety of work environment situations. |
C. Course Descriptions:
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AB 105 |
Agricultural Mathematics |
2 credits |
Students will apply practical math skills
specifically to assure competency in maintaining accurate accounting records.
Topics will include the mathematics of buying and selling, calculation of
interest, banking, payroll, workman’s compensation, taxes, installment buying,
partial payments, and depreciation. In addition, students will learn to use the
10-key pad on a personal computer.
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AB 141 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management I |
13 credits |
The goal of the first year of the Farm/Ranch
Business Management program is to data enter farm/ranch records on a personal
computer using a double-entry accounting method and to continue adding
month-to-month records throughout the year. Students will gain familiarity with
the different financial statements and their use in making sound business
decisions. This course is the first of a two-course sequence constituting the
first year of the program.
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AB 142 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management II |
13 credits |
The goal of the first year of the Farm/Ranch
Business Management program is to data enter farm/ranch records on a personal
computer using a double-entry accounting method and to continue adding
month-to-month records throughout the year. Students will gain familiarity with
the different financial statements and their use in making sound business
decisions. Students will also become familiar with profitability and efficiency
analysis by enterprise. Interactions between enterprises are stressed. This
course is the second of a two-course sequence constituting the first year of
the program.
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AB 151 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management III |
13 credits |
The goals of the second year of the
Farm/Ranch Business Management program are a continuation of the computerized
record keeping process developed during the first year and consider changes to
assure future viability for the production unit. Competition for limiting
resources, resource improvement effects, and complimentary enterprises are
identified. Alternative combinations are considered and encouraged where
advantageous. This course will continue to include one-on-one work on the
client's farm or ranch. This course is the first of a two-course sequence
constituting the second year of the program.
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AB 152 |
Farm/Ranch Business Management IV |
15 credits |
The goals of the second year of the
Farm/Ranch Business Management program are a continuation of the computerized
record keeping process developed during the first year and consider changes to
assure future viability for the production unit. In addition to the topics
initiated in the first course of this sequence, students will develop a
comprehensive marketing plan for their production/business unit. This course
will continue to include one-on-one work on the client's farm or ranch. This
course is the second of a two-course sequence constituting the second year of
the program.
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AB 175 |
Professional Renewal |
4 credits |
Professional Renewal is a class for farmers
and ranchers who have successfully completed the two-year Farm/Ranch Business
Management certificate program and who desire to upgrade their knowledge and
skills in this rapidly-changing business environment. Topics will cover current
livestock and crop production practices, marketing techniques, new products and
processing procedures. Private on-site instruction will address individual
needs and accounting records.
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BU 175 |
Employer-Employee Relations |
2 credits |
The study of the interaction of people in
business is the focus of this course. Topics will include organizational
designs and issues, building and maintaining effective working relations with
employees, maximizing employee productivity, employer and employee rights.
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SD 105 |
Interpersonal Communication |
2 credits |
This course is a practical study of personal
communication between people. Discussions cover perception, the verbal and
nonverbal tools of communication, listening, personal disclosure, conflict
management, and relationship development. The overall goal of the course is to
increase the range of choices students can make in their personal and
professional interactions.