The Flexible Organizational Management Program was launched in 1990 to address declining business and management course enrollment, low graduation rates and student dissatisfaction with career and academic advisement. This program supports attainment of the following Estrella Mountain goals.

Workforce Development: 375 Persons have earned an Organizational Leadership Certificate. 92% say they are employed in a job related to the program.

General Education: 225 Persons have completed an Organizational Management Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree.

Transfer Education: 45% of these AAS Degree holders transferred to a university baccalaureate degree program.

Many Organizational Leadership students are already managers. However most lack advanced academic skills, work full-time and support families. Interestingly, according to an Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Survey, 82% have in-home Internet access. Management Core Courses are web-enhanced and delivered via an easy to master Internet based learning system.

Five forms of outcomes assessment data were collected and analyzed:

*The Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness surveyed graduates. 100% indicated they "Would recommend the program to a friend." The Organizational Leadership Program is growing faster than is overall college enrollment.

*A Graduate Focus Group enthusiastically endorsed web-enhanced instruction, relevance of course content, way in which courses were taught and value of in-class career and academic advisement.

*Student Evaluation of Instruction Surveys were completed in four Management Core Courses. There is enthusiastic student endorsement of the way in which courses were taught, relevance of course content and in-class advisement. There were no repeated negative comments.

Student Ability to Perform was assessed with an enhanced version of the MGT251 Final Examination. All program competencies were attained by at least 70% of the assessment cohort.

Percent demonstrating this competency

Competency 1: Describe the function of social, organizational, economic and technological systems. 83%
Competency 2: Acquire and evaluate data and interpret information. 90%
Competency 3: Describe organizational structures and the functions of planning, directing and evaluating in a business setting. 38%
Competency 4: Demonstrate skills in leading, negotiating and working  in harmony with others in a business setting. 81%
Competency 5: Communicate effectively in business situations. 58%
Competency 6: Percent demonstrating ability to use a computer to complete complex tasks. 100%

87% of the assessment cohort demonstrated mastery of the Estrella Mountain Critical Thinking Ability Mastery of the Estrella Mountain Communication Ability was demonstrated by 79% of the assessment cohort.

Strengths: 1) The Flexible Organizational Management Program does what it was designed to do. 2) Attracts large numbers of students who overwhelmingly support the web-enhanced Management Core Courses as they are taught. 3) Graduates adamantly say that this program prepares them for managerial success.

Weaknesses: 1) Estrella Mountain faculty had to make major enhancements to the Management Core Course competency lists to attain official program goals. 2) There is a lack of symbiotic relationships with some job-training programs.

Opportunities: 1) Development of enhanced external and internal marketing. 2) On-line delivery of Management Core courses. 3) Implement to be identified student retention strategies.

Threats 1) All Management Core courses are offered at sister colleges and on-line by Rio Salado College. 2) Competition from Arizona State University West for academically gifted high school graduates appears to have reduced the number of such students at Estrella Mountain. 3) The University of Phoenix, and Everest College, have both launched Associate Degree programs that compete directly with programs offered by The Maricopa Community Colleges.

 Recommendations: Combined results of all five forms of assessment data establish solid support for continued delivery of this program as it is currently offered. Things that can be improved include…

Enhancing relationships with related job training feeder programs.
Using alumni good will to expand external marketing processes.
Continuously improving ability to deliver student friendly web-enhanced courses in which less than academically gifted students can succeed.
Officially offer on-line Management Core Courses in parallel with existing in-class courses.
Identifying "champions" who will actively promote courses and programs.