Program Review (AY 2011-2012)

COM-FSM Pohnpei Campus
Program Evaluation

Associate of Science Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM)
December 2010

This program evaluation examined the associate of science degree in hospitality and tourism management. It has been prepared with data input from the COM-FSM office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRPO), the Student Information System (SIS), internal HTM division data, COM-FSM General Catalog 2009-2011, and the COM-FSM Academic Year 2009-2010 Fact book.

1. Program Goals
1. Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
   Source: General Catalog 2009-2011 (page 63)
• PLO(1):Explain the interdependent components of the international hospitality and tourism industry including transportation, customer service, food service, lodging, attraction management, roles of national and state visitors authorities, marketing and sales.
• PLO(2):Demonstrate professional lodging specific technical skills, supervisory techniques and management skills.
• PLO(3):Explain the types and elements of food service operations.
• PLO(4):Demonstrate front of the house technical and supervision techniques.
• PLO(5):Describe tourism attraction support services and related business opportunities.
• PLO(6):Describe the importance of developing the FSM as a sustainable tourism destination.
• PLO(7):Communicate in basic Japanese for lodging, food service and tourism provider guest service.
2. Assesment Matrix
   I =introduced, D = developed and practiced, M= demonstrated mastery

 

Course	PLO 1		PLO 2	PLO 3	PLO 4	PLO 5	PLO 6	PLO 7
	HTM110	I		I	I	I	I	I
	HTM120	I					D	I
	HTM150	D		D				D
	HTM165	D			D	D
	HTM170	D		D
	HTM220	D
	HTM230	M
	HTM250	M		M	M	M	M	M
	FL120								I
	FL160								M
	AC131	I		I
	BU101	I		I			I

2. Program History

During the academic year 1996-1997, the program was developed and implemented to fulfill the need for qualified tourism providers as put forth by the FSM National and State governments. It officially started in the fall semester of 1998 as the Hotel Restaurant Management (HRM) program, focusing mainly on hospitality practices for hotels and restaurants. Eventually, it was modified to Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) program expanding the scope to include tourism. Key players of the program’s inception are HTM instructor Howard Rice and Campus Director Penny Weilbacher.

From the fall of 1998 to the spring of 2010, Howard Rice served as division chair for the program. In the summer of 2010, the division was reorganized to merge with Business and Computer division and Secretarial Science and Bookkeeping certificate programs to support the College’s efforts towards streamlining. The division is now called the HTM/BU Division and chaired by Debra Perman.

3. Program Description
   Source: General Catalog 2009-2011 (page 63)

This program is designed to enable students to become productive workers, owners and managers in the growing fields of hospitality and tourism within the FSM and internationally. The program provides students with the basic skills needed to succeed as supervisors, manager or business owners in the food service, lodging, airline, travel provider and general tourism industries. Students will learn the importance of building a sustainable tourism economy in the Nation and abroad. They will have the opportunity to examine how the nation fits into the international travel system and the importance of providing top quality service as a foundation for developing a vibrant industry. Specific subject areas cover all aspects of the lodging, food service and travel industries.

4. Program Admission Requirements
   

   Admission to the HTM AS degree program is per the COM-FSM admissions policy.

5. Program Certificate/Degree Requirements
   Source: General Catalog 2009-2011 (page 64)

In addition to the COM-FSM general education core requirements (29 credits), students are required to successfully complete the following major courses: (37 credits).

• HTM 110 Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Management
• HTM 120Introduction to World Tourism
• HTM 150Hospitality Supervision
• HTM 165Food Fundamentals and Quantity Cooking
• HTM 170Front Office Management
• HTM 220Food and Beverage Management
• HTM 230Hospitality Marketing
• HTM250Facilities Management and Practicum
• AC 131Accounting I *
• BU101Introduction to Business
• FL120Basic Japanese for HTM
• FL160Situational Japanese for HTM

3 credits each; *As of F’09 modified to 4 credits.

6. Program Courses and Enrollment

		Course			F2009	Sp2010	Su2010	F2010			Course			F2009	Sp2010	Su2010	F2010
		HTM 110			43	n/a	n/a	25			HTM 230			n/a	10	n/a	n/a
		HTM 120			19	24	10	23			HTM 250			11	1	7	n/a
		HTM 150			13	10	n/a	10			AC 131			n/a	21	16	n/a
		HTM 165			9	n/a	n/a	14			BU 101			15	21	n/a	23
		HTM 170			n/a	9	n/a	n/a			FL 120			24	16	n/a	22
		HTM 220			13	8	n/a	n/a			FL 160			17	8	n/a	17




Source: IRPO Statistics Spreadsheet: Pohnpei Campus Class Sizes

7. Program Faculty

Full Time Faculty:

1. Howard Rice
   B.A., Michigan State University
   (Division Chair F2009 to Sp2010)
2. Sheila Santos-Macaraig
   M.S., Adventist University of the Philippines
   
3. Debra Perman
   M.B.A., Walden University
   (Division Chair F2010)
4. Anna Dela Cruz
   B.S., St. Paul University, Manila
   
5. Joyce Roby
   A.S., College of Micronesia-FSM
   Teaching Assistant

*Contracts ended: End of Fall 2010 (H.Rice) and end of Spring 2010 (S. Macaraig).

8. Program Outcome Analysis
1. Program Enrollment: This is based on the number of students enrolled per semester majoring in HTM. Source: COM-FSM AY 2009/10 Fact Book.

Fall 2009	Spring 2010	Summer 2010	Fall 2010
51	53	37	62

2. Graduation Rate: The percentage is based on the number of HTM graduates divided by total number of graduates per semester. The total number of graduates in Fall 2009 was 162; Spring 2010 was 118; Summer 2010 was 40; and Fall 2010 was 160. Source: COM-FSM AY 2009/10 Fact Book.

	Fall 2009	Spring 2010	Summer 2010	Fall 2010
#	5	5	1	1
%	3%	4%	3%	<1%

3. Average Class size: Head count.

   Class			F09			Sp10			Su10			F10			Average
   																23
   	HTM110		*43			-			-			25
   																19
   	HTM120		19			24			10			23
   																11
   	HTM150		13			10			-			10
   																12
   	HTM165		9			-			-			14
   																9
   	HTM170		-			9			-			-
   	HTM220		13			8			-			-				11
   																10
   	HTM230		-			10			-			-
   																6
   	HTM250		11			1			7			-
   																21
   	FL120		24			16			-			22
   																14
   	FL160		17			8			-			17
   																19
   	AC131		-			21			16			-
   																20
   	BU101		15			21			-			23
   	Average			18			13			11			19

4. Student Seat Cost: Factors used to determine seat cost per course is as follows:
• 3 credit course x $105/credit = $315 student seat cost
• HTM165 and 220 have an additional $25 each (lab fee) = $340 student seat cost
5. Course Completion Rate: (%)

   Class			F09			Sp10			Su10			F10
   	HTM110		73			-			-			91
   	HTM120		89			68			100			95
   	HTM150		100			63			-			100
   	HTM165		88			-			-			92
   	HTM170		-			100			-			-
   	HTM220		100			88			-			-
   	HTM230		-			100			-			-
   	HTM250		100			-			100			-
   	FL120		80			75			-			43
   	FL160		100			100			-			69
   	AC131		-			69			35			-
   	BU101		93			58			-			82

6. Student Satisfactions Rate: Figures are based on averages, with scale of 1 to 5; 1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest.

   F09	Sp10	Su10	F10
   4.7	4.8	n/a	4.8

7. Employment Data: Of the 12 graduates from fall 2009 to fall 2010, two are in the U.S mainland working for restaurants (unknown), one is working as a ticketing agent at Continental Airlines and stationed in Pohnpei, one at Sea Breeze Hotel, and another at the Bank of the FSM. Two of these graduates are currently attending universities in Guam and Hawaii and one attending COM-FSM pursuing 3rd year certificate. Another two are housewives and the rest, we are not able to attain any information.
8. Transfer Rate: not available
9. Program’s Student Learning Outcomes: please refer to pg 1.
10. Students’ Learning Outcomes for Program Courses: Each of the required courses for this program has 4-6 measurable SLOs with specific learning objectives which are too many to list for this program review.
9. Conclusion
1. Findings
1. The program was established based on the nation’s tourism industry’s need for qualified individuals to serve as hospitality services providers.
2. To date, the COM-FSM HTM Program has not yet fulfilled the National and State mandates of developing a competent hospitality and tourism workforce for each state through certificate training and apprenticeship opportunities.
3. Although the HTM AS degree program general education requirements are of an academic nature and a few of the core courses require hands on applications, there is a lack of clarity as to whether the program is indeed an AS degree program or more of an AAS degree program.
4. Much of the courses were originally designed to train students for employment opportunities at the supervisory or management level. However, most program graduates lack the work experience except for practicum 150 hours (one semester) when completing HTM250 and therefore majority of graduates entering the workforce do so at the entry level instead.
5. Under the program’s major course requirements, there is an Open Elective (3cr) option for students to take any course of their choice but the requirement listing lacks a much more needed course in either basic or business communication.
6. The course, HTM165-Food Fundamentals and Quantity Cooking requires more than 3 contact hours as stated in the current course outline. The course is described as a semester length course designed to introduce students to all facets of the quantity preparation and service of foods and restaurant menu items. Basic production facility management and supervision skills will be taught from a systems perspective. Basic food service skills including hygiene, laboratory conduct, food borne diseases, safety, cooking techniques, food group preparation techniques, standardized recipe use, food service equipment use, basic portioning, handling, food group identification, production and service skills will be presented. Based on past experience of instructors who have taught the course and also the Division Chair’s observations throughout this past year, both students and instructor(s) spend more than the stated 3 contact hours per week. On average, it requires an additional 1 to 2 hour(s) for preparation, demonstration, and wrap or clean-up.
7. The teaching kitchen and restaurant facilities are in dire need of upgrading to meet specific environmental and health codes. Much of the equipment donated by the Japanese Government more than 10 years ago such as the ovens and stoves are in need of repair or replacement to avoid fatal gas leaks and hazardous fire accidents.
8. Enrollment has steadily increased by 18% with 51 students in the fall of 2009 and 62 in the following year.
9. The program has managed to produce 12 graduates from fall 2009 to fall 2010.
10. The given data for the above health indicators conclude that the program is effective and is generally meeting its goals and objectives primarily in Pohnpei but it does not meet the stated need for HTM educational opportunities for the other FSM states.
2. Recommendations
1. Establish HTM Certificate and Apprenticeship Programs
2. Modify program degree from AS to AAS
3. Seek funding to improve or rebuild Teaching Lab facilities (HTM Kitchen, Blue Plate Café, and Purple Inn)
4. Merge HTM 150 and 170 into one course; replace EN/BU121 with Open Elective course; modify HTM165 and HTM250 into 4 credit courses.
5. Create and maintain a student tracking system preferably through social or professional networking media.
6. Develop marketing and recruitment strategies targeting both traditional and non-traditional students throughout the four states.
7. Conduct follow-up review within a year.