Submit your written policy proposal. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained thr
Running Head: MILESTONE TWO 1
Milestone Two
Deanna Buchanan
Southern New Hampshire University
Milestone Two
Policies help in both objective and subjective decision making. However, policies have both intended and unintended effects. Higher institutions of learning have several policies that govern the conduct of students. Admission policies are among these policies. They provide a guideline on a college’s admission procedure and any other information important for a student (Hoare, A., & Johnston, 2011). For milestone two, the goal is to develop a proposed admission policy for student attainment, retention, and completion outcomes for the faculty of business school.
Proposed Policy
This policy aims at providing an overarching framework for the faculty’s admission policies. It applies to the admission of all students to accredited programs of undergraduate and postgraduate study at the business school. The faculty is committed to consistent, fair, and transparent admission practices. The university’s strategies, code of practice, and policies will underpin this policy. The faculty is committed to equality in education, and the selection of students will be based on individual aptitudes, abilities, and merits. The faculty aims at increasing the diversity of the student population because diversity is socially and educationally desirable in civil society. Also, it enriches the educational experience for all students. Therefore, the faculty seeks to attract students from different cultural, social, and educational backgrounds who show the required skills and abilities to succeed in their field of study (Hoare, A., & Johnston, 2011). We encourage application from all students from under-represented groups in higher education. The school follows the university’s published terms and conditions for all undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Anyone who receives a place to study at the university is to adhere to these terms and conditions. The terms and conditions are a contract between the university and the student.
There is three admission decision; unconditional, conditional, and not accepted (The University of Edinburgh, 2015). The school’s admission staff will make admission decisions. The head of the school ensures these staffs are experienced and qualified. Also, ensure that the university maintains transparent admission procedures. Admission staff undergo regular training on issues admission and should follow university admission policies and procedures. Communication with successful applicants will be through the Admission Office.
Success at the business school depends on several factors from academic ability, practical knowledge, and motivation. The goal of the admission process is to identify students with the potential to complete the requirements of each degree successfully. The key objective is the successful completion of programs by students within the time. The school provides a variety of paths for enrolment; online, full-time, part-time, and international students (Hoare, A., & Johnston, 2011). Students may apply to the business school for Fall, Summer, or Spring term. Applicants will get full admission status if they hold a graduate degree in any discipline from any regionally accredited college in the United States or a foreign degree and are in good standing with the institution.
We encourage students with special needs or disabled applicants to apply for admission. We will assess their application against the university’s entry requirements as any other application. The applicants will be subject to the same selection process. Any adjustments that are required will be considered after the admission decision has been made (The University of Edinburgh, 2015). If there are safety and health concerns overriding practice requirements, a student will be involved in discussions to find alternative options and programs. The admission committee will annually review the application and admission processes.
Intended Outcomes
This policy intends to ensure the selection of students who meet the required conditions for the successful completion of their program. This will help ensure the retention of students in the university, which is both beneficial for students and the university. The goal is for student’s development to their potential. The persistence of students to complete their educational purpose is the measure of student success and institutional success (Danielson, 2002). This policy also intends to create a safe physical and psychological environment for all students through equal and fair admission. This will ensure diversity and inclusion in the faculty. The policy will be fairly and consistently applied. The policy works towards regular training and using experienced employees as this will help build the relationship between the students and members of the faculty. This will help in the retention rate of the faculty.
If this policy is not implemented, the institution risks inconsistency in admission because there will be no guidelines on the admission of applicants. Also, there could be biased admission of students, for example, failure to admit a student because he or she is from the minority group. The institution risks a low retention rate without the policy (Voigt & Hundrieser, 2008). The admission policy is one way of ensuring student retention in higher learning institutions. Implementing this policy will lead to the success of the institutional and increased retention rate of students. These will be beneficial for the university and its subsequent admissions.
Mission and vision
The mission and vision statement are an important element of any organization. Without a mission statement, an organization risks wasting resources, time, and wandering off. Most learning institutions focus on providing quality learning and teaching to their students. However, institutions use a unique approach to achieve this; for example, some institutions nurture and develop academic excellence while others focus on equipping students with vocational skills (Ozdem, 2011). The mission and vision statement act as a direction and guide for the institution. These two statements complement each other. An organization that lacks a vision statement has a less chance of improving, expanding, or growing since it lacks a logical idea of the direction. It becomes hard to prioritize decisions and resource allocations. Therefore, any approach or decision should move towards achieving the mission and vision statement. Decision-makers and policymakers should use the vision and mission statement as the guide (Ozdem, 2011).
The successful policy is one that factors the overall goals, mission, and vision of the institution. This policy has been prepared while considering the code of practice and ethics of the institution. It is also in line with the institution’s mission, which is “Southern New Hampshire University transforms the lives of learners. Our learners’ success defines our success. By relentlessly challenging the status quo and providing the best support in higher education, Southern New Hampshire University expands access to education by creating top-quality, affordable, and innovative pathways to meet the unique needs of every learner” (Southern New Hampshire University, n.d). The institution’s mission aims at the success of students. This policy is set towards the achievement of learners through fair and transparent admissions. It takes to account the needs of every student.
State and Federal Regulations
Historically, college admissions at highly selective institutions were based on policies that favored the wealthy and white, blocking access to low-income students of color. One main policy was the legacy preference that remains unchallenged legally. Every student should have access to education in prestigious institutions if they qualify academically without undergoing the cumbersome admission process. Higher education institution is working on conditions to improve student retention rates. They are trying to understand what makes students stay enrolled and focused on their studies. There are federal and state laws and regulations governing colleges and universities in the United States. This means all decisions and policies made in the institution must follow these regulations for them to be effective. This policy took to account some of the federal admission laws. These laws include the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (Higher Education Compliance Alliance, 2019). This Act prohibits discrimination based on age in admission activities. It also prohibits retaliation for filing a complaint about advocating for a right protected by the Act. Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disability in admission, recruitment, placement programs, and academic programs.
References
Danielson, C. (2002). Enhancing student achievement: A framework for school improvement. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), 1703 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311.
Higher Education Compliance Alliance. (2019, Oct 22). Compliance Matrix. Retrieved from: https://www.higheredcompliance.org/compliance-matrix/
Hoare, A., & Johnston, R. (2011). Widening participation through admissions policy–a British case study of school and university performance. Studies in Higher Education, 36(1), 21-41.
Ozdem, G. (2011, Sep). “An Analysis of the Mission and Vision Statements on the Strategic Plans of Higher Education Institutions.” Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297689291_An_Analysis_of_the_Mission_and_Vision_Statements_on_the_Strategic_Plans_of_Higher_Education_Institutions
The University of Edinburgh (2015). The University of Edinburgh Admissions Policy. Retrieved from: https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/2015_uoe_admissions_policy_-_final.pdf
Voigt, L., & Hundrieser, J. (2008). Student success, retention, and graduation: Definitions, theories, practices, patterns, and trends. Noel-Lewitz Retention Codifications. November, 1, 22.
Southern New Hampshire University. (n.d). About SNHU. Retrieved from: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us
