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UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS ARD OF TRUST RE T10 Purpose: To Drop the Banking and Finance Associate in Arts Degree Program From the Curriculum of the University WHEREAS, the University of the Virgin Islands established an internal process of academic program review for the systematic evaluation of the quality of the academic degree programs, and WHEREAS, a systematic review of the Banking and Finance Associate in Arts Degree Program was conducted in spring 1992, and WHEREAS, the results of the review show that: This program has not been taught since 1985-86. No student ever graduated from the program. The needs of the students and the community are being adequately met through other Business Administration programs, and WHEREAS, on the basis of these findings it was recommended that the program be discontinued, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Banking and Finance Associate Degree Program be dropped from the Curriculum of the University and removed from the catalog listings. CERTIFICATION The undersigned does hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of a resolution of the Board of Trustees of the University of the Virgin Islands adopted at its meeting on Saturday, October 16, 1993, recorded in the minutes of said meeting. NE ne ae Det.Sb, 1942 Secretary of the Board Date BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR RECOMMENDATION TO DISCONTINUE BANKING AND FINANCE. ASSOCIATE IN ARTS PROGRAM Denis F. Paul, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs On October 1, 1992, the Curriculum Committee accepted the recommendation that the Banking and Finance Associate in Arts Degree Program be terminated. | agree with that decision and recommend that the program be dropped from the University curriculum and from the catalog. This program was designed to meet the manpower needs of the Banking and Finance industry in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean, and was designed to complement training programs offered by that industry. When the program was initiated in the 1975-76 academic year it had the support of the American Institute of Banking (AIB), which participated in the development of the curriculum and supplied banking professionals as instructors. For the most part students were employees of local banks. The program never worked as a degree program. Banking employees enrolled in the banking courses to earn AIB certificates which led to promotion. They did not take the other courses required to graduate from the program; in fact, _none of the matriculated students ever completed the program. Another facet of the program that made it unattractive to students was that the banking courses, which were a principal part of the program, were not applicable to the bachelor's degree. Many students who study for associate degrees continue on for the bachelor's degree in Business Administration. The highest number of students majoring in the program at any time was eight in 1978-79; in other years the number varied between one and three. The program has not been offered since the 1985-86 school year. The needs of the banking community for qualified graduates are being met by the concentrations in accounting, management, finance and computer applications, as well as the accounting major.