Board of Regents approve new major for Tippie College of Business

A new major in entrepreneurship from the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business was approved Wednesday at the Board of Regents’ meeting. The Management and Entrepreneurship Department at Tippie proposed a Bachelor of Business Administration to replace the entrepreneurial management track in the current management major, which would add three required courses that provide aspects of entrepreneurship beyond those that are management-focused. These electives will allow students to have an emphasis area within the major, said associate provost for Undergraduate Education and dean of the University College Tanya Uden-Holman, and will include technology entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurial leadership and new ventures. “Looking at the need for the program, the state of Iowa’s economy is driven, in large part, by entrepreneurial ventures and small businesses, with 99% of Iowa businesses considered small,” said Dr. Uden-Holman, adding that small businesses account for almost 47% of Iowa employees, with the data being similar for contiguous states. “For these Midwestern states to prosper, they need a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and access to educated talent,” she said. The major would have an experiential graduation requirement called RISE, which stands for research, internship, study abroad or experiential ventures. Core courses will be taught by a combination of existing tenure track and instructional track faculty, funded by the Tippie Budget. David Hensley, former Iowa John Pappajohn Entreprenuerial Center (JPEC) director and program co-developer, said the curriculum was developed in consultation with members of the Iowa JPEC Advisory Council and other alumni entrepreneurs, according to a news release. “Their message was clear,” said Mr. Hensely. “To prepare Tippie students to build and lead entrepreneurial ventures in the future, it was critical to develop an interdisciplinary program that focused on teaching technology commercialization, finance, strategy, sales, leadership, and innovation.” The course will begin Fall 2024.

Online EMHA course approved

The University of Iowa was also approved to add an online learning center to the executive Master of Public Health Program in the College of Public Health. EMHA provides working professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in health care leadership and focuses on skills necessary to assess and administer complex health care operations in an industry that experiences critical labor shortage, said Amanda Haertling Thein, associate provost for Graduate and Professional Education and dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at UI.

“Shortage of qualified professionals in the industry keeps demand high,” said Ms. Thein. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in this area will grow 32% from 2019-2029, much faster than other professions.” There are students in the EMHA willing to meet that high demand, but many are working professionals that find it difficult to carve out time to attend classes, making the online degree program much more attractive for its ability to be flexible with students’ work schedules. “Interest in the face-to-face program like the EMHA, which are geared toward working professionals, has declined since the pandemic,” said Ms. Thein. The online program will be identical to the in-person instruction, and will undergo accreditation review by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Management Education at the same time as the EMHA and MHA programs, scheduled for 2026. The online program will set a tuition structure that will be “highly competitive with other CAHME Accredited online program offerings while providing sufficient revenue to support the program,” said Ms. Thein.

Regents agree to shutter UI satellite locations

Three UI satellite locations were approved for closure, citing decreasing enrollment in face-to-face instruction and an increase in demand for online programs. UI’s MSW program has experienced a decline in applications to the Scott Community College Learning Center, located at 500 Belmont Rd. in Bettendorf, while at the same time experiencing an increase in demand for the online program. Operating on a cohort model, the Learning Center admitted 25 students every three years, but was unable to meet the target during the previous cohort and received only 10 applications in 2022. Officials blame enrollment decline with the shuttering of Marycrest University’s Social Work BA program, which typically fed into UI’s MSW program, and the launch of St. Ambrose’s MSW program, resulting in greater competition for students and practicum locations. There are no students currently enrolled in the Scott Community College Learning Center. “Closing this Learning Center will allow the School of Social Work staff and faculty to focus on the growth of the online program,” said Ms. Thein, and UI will save money on personnel transportation and facility rental costs. Professional MBA and MSBA Birchwood Learning Center, at 4620 E. 53rd St. in Davenport, and the professional MBA and MSBA Tippie College of Business Cedar Rapids Center (TCOB) at 221 2nd. Ave., have also experienced a decrease in face-to-face enrollment and an increase in online applications. “Offering in-person and online has become an inefficient use of funds,” said Ms. Thein, citing costs of faculty transportation and leasing. Current students at both centers will be able to complete their coursework online, and the building leases expire at the end of Spring 2024.