Question

Discuss the following short case.

You are the newly appointed Dean of the Business Department at Polk State College. One of the decision areas that must be addressed at the start of each semester is whether there are a sufficient number of students enrolled in a class to warrant delivering that class. The present policy is that there must be 10 or more students enrolled or the class will be cancelled.

The traditional student tuition is $12,000 for a semester that is about to begin. This covers a student's enrollment in 12 to 17 hours of coursework. The average number of credit hours per enrolled student is16 each semester for the past five years. For each additional hour over 17, a student is charged an additional $1,000 per credit hour. Students not enrolled in the traditional day program pay for each class at the same $1,000 per credit hour rate.

The average full-time professor earns $65,000 per year. Each professor teaches four classes per semester as part of the contract load. Benefits are about 20% of annual salary.

For a class in marketing the following appears on the Registrar's enrollment report:

Call number: BUSI 3702. Days the class meets: MWF. Credit hours: 3. Time: 9:00 to 9:50 a.m. Enrolled: 5.

You have recently completed your MBA and intend to use your newly gained knowledge and status when reviewing this list of classes and their enrollment numbers.

First, prepare a list of any additional information you feel is needed in order to make this cancel or not cancel a class decision.

Second, you may ask your boss for additional information related to this decision, but each request over one will cause your boss to question your readiness for the position you hold.

Using the information you gather, make your decision and support it with any information you deem appropriate.

Would your decision differ if this was a summer course offering taught by an adjunct instructor who is paid $2,000 and populated with student paying $1,000 per credit hour?

Answer 1

I would prefer to cancel the conduct of the class due to following reasons:

• Policy to conduct the class is breached.
• Expenses are more than Income. Furthur salary of the full time professor along with the benefits are more than the tuition fees received on enrollment of 5 Students. Thus is to better not to conduct the class.

Yes my decesion is going to change if adjunct teacher is appointed in place of full time Professor as because total income on enrolment of 5 Students is $15000 i.e. (5X3X $1000)whereas expenses incurred on paying to the teacher is $2000. Thus income are more than expenses thus it is better to conduct the class in such a situation.