Office of Grants & Institutional Research PresentationOctober 9, 2015

Presented by: Andrea Hall-Cuccia, Research Analyst

Merced College Program Investigation:Mechatronics

1

Policy

• Title 5, Section 51022, “...The governing board shall adopt and carry out its policies for the establishment, modification, or discontinuance of courses or programs.”

• Merced College Administrative Policy 4021 (AP 4021), “...There are three potential outcomes of the Program Discontinuance process. A program may be recommended to continue, to continue with qualification, or to discontinue” (emphasis added). Discussion of program discontinuance must include all parties potentially affected by the decision.

2

Methodology• Quantitative statistics were provided for the following courses required for a degree

or certificate in Mechatronics/Automated Systems Technology:

– ELCT-56 Introduction to Mechatronics

– ELCT-57 Advanced Topics in Mechatronics/Automated Systems

– ELCT-71AD Introductory to Mechatronics 1: (Fall 2012, Spring 2013)

• Courses may fulfill breadth requirements or requirements for other degrees.

• The date range for the report was Fall 2012 through Spring 2015.

3

FTEF• Total FTEF for Mechatronics classes is shown below.

• ELCT-71AD was offered in Spring 2013 but cancelled.

• Mechatronics classes were taught by a full-time professor.

Source: MCCD/SharePoint –Office of Grants and Institutional Research

4

Table 1: Mechatronics-FTEF

Term ELCT-56 ELCT-57 ELCT-71AD

Fall 2012 - - .27

Spring 2013 - - -

Fall 2013 .40 - -

Spring 2014 - .47 -

Fall 2014 - - -

Spring 2015 .40 - -

FTES• Over the reporting period, Mechatronics had an FTES of 9.67.

• Average FTES per section for Mechatronics courses was 2.42.

Source: MCCD/SharePoint –Office of Grants and Institutional Research

5

Table 2: Mechatronics-FTES

Term ELCT-56 ELCT-57 ELCT-71AD Total

Fall 2012 - - 2.50 2.50

Spring 2013 - - - -

Fall 2013 .73 - - .73

Spring 2014 - .82 - .82

Fall 2014 - - - -

Spring 2015 5.62 - - 5.62

Total 6.35 .82 2.50 9.67

Enrollment by Class• There were 55 total enrollments representing 47 unique students across the

reporting period.

• ELCT-56 in Spring 2015 (21) had the highest enrollment.

• ELCT-57 in Spring 2014 (8) had the lowest enrollment. ELCT-57 is the advanced course. This may suggest that students may be less likely to enroll in the advanced course.

• Average enrollment was 13.75.

Source: MCCD Ellucian

6

Table 3: Mechatronics-Enrollment

Term ELCT-56 ELCT-57 ELCT-71AD Total

Fall 2012 - - 15 15

Spring 2013 - - - -

Fall 2013 11 - - 11

Spring 2014 - 8 - 8

Fall 2014 - - - -

Spring 2015 21 - - 21

Total 32 8 15 55

Completion• Mechatronics courses had an overall completion rate of 90.91%.

• All students who enrolled in ELCT-57 in Spring 2014 completed.

•

• ELCT-71AD had the lowest completion rate (86.67%).

• The course completion rate for the college as a whole over the reporting period was 84.20%. The completion rate for Mechatronics was higher than the college as a whole.

Source: MCCD Ellucian

7

Table 4: Mechatronics-Completion

Term ELCT-56 ELCT-57 ELCT-71AD Total

Fall 2012 - - 86.67% 86.67%

Spring 2013 - - - -

Fall 2013 90.91% - - 90.91%

Spring 2014 - 100.00% - 100.00%

Fall 2014 - - - -

Spring 2015 90.48% - - 90.48%

Total 90.63% 100.00% 86.67% 90.91%

Success• All students who completed a Mechatronics course succeeded.

• The success rate for the college as a whole for the reporting period was 68.58%. The success rate for Mechatronics was considerably higher than the college as a whole.

Source: MCCD Ellucian

8

Table 5: Mechatronics-Success

Term ELCT-56 ELCT-57 ELCT-71AD Total

Fall 2012 - - 86.67% 86.67%

Spring 2013 - - - -

Fall 2013 90.91% - - 90.91%

Spring 2014 - 100.00% - 100.00%

Fall 2014 - - - -

Spring 2015 90.48% - - 90.48%

Total 90.63% 100.00% 86.67% 90.91%

Program Persistence, Frequency of Course Offerings

and Program Graduates• 8 (17.02%) of the 47 unique students who enrolled in any Mechatronics course

enrolled in both ELCT-56 or ELCT-71AD and ELCT-57 during the reporting period.

• 4 sections of Mechatronics courses were offered at Merced. ELCT-56 was offered in Fall 2013 and Spring 2015. ELCT-71AD was offered in Fall 2012. ELCT-57 was offered in Spring 2014.

• Eight certificates in Mechatronics were awarded in 2013-2014.

• All students who enrolled in both Mechatronics courses received a degree.

• This suggests that students who complete the requirements may be highly likely to earn a certificate.

Source: MCCD/SharePoint –Office of Grants and Institutional Research, MCCD Ellucian

9

Demographics• Mechatronics students were most likely to be 20-24 (40.00%), Hispanic (41.82%),

and male (98.18%).

• Merced College students as a whole in Fall 2014 were most likely to be 20-24 (37.40%), Hispanic (55.70%), and female (56.59%).

• Mechatronics students were less likely to be Hispanic and considerably more likely to be male. ELCT courses are historically taken predominantly by male students.

Source: MCCD Ellucian

10

19 or under14.55%

20-2440.00%25-29

12.73%

30-3412.73%

35-395.45%

40-4910.91%

50 or over3.64%

Graph 1: Mechatronics-Age Fall 2012-Spring 2015 (N=55)

African-American1.82%

Asian16.36%

Hispanic41.82%

Multi-ethnic9.09%

White, Non-Hispanic30.91%

Graph 2: Mechatronics- Ethnicity Fall 2012-Spring 2015 (N=55)

Male98.18%

Female1.82%

Graph 3: Mechatronics-Gender Fall 2012-Spring 2015 (N=55)

Labor Market: Growth• California ranks second as the state with the highest employment levels for Electrical and

Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment.

• Employment in California is expected to increase 9.20% for this occupation.

• Employment in Modesto is expected to double.

• Employment in Stockton is expected to remain flat. Employment in Fresno is expected to increase 16.70%.

• This suggests that there may be job opportunities for students with degrees in Mechatronics. However, this is a very broad category, and persons with other degrees may also be able to find work in this category.

Source: BLS, EDD 11

9.20%

16.70%

100.00%

0.00%0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

California Fresno Modesto Stockton

Graph 6: Employment Projections 2012-2022

Labor Market: Salaries

Source: BLS, EDD,

• Salaries for Electrical and Electronics repairers in California had higher average salaries than nationally.

• Persons in this occupation in Fresno, Modesto, and Stockton MSAs had lower salaries than nationally.

• Salaries in Fresno were lower than for the other two MSAs.

12

$55,610

$60,486

$46,571

$51,522 $51,002

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

National California Fresno Modesto Stockton

Graph 7: Average Annual Salary

State and National Examinations, Credentials, Certifications, and

Associations• A variety of certifications are available but not required. Programs include the

Siemens Mechatronics Certification Program and the PMMI (the Association for Processing and Packaging Technologies) Mechatronics certificates.

• There are no state or national associations dedicated specifically to Mechatronics, although as noted above PMMI offers Mechatronics certificates.

13

Alternatives• Continue: Data indicate this program has been fairly successful with a high

completion and success rate and awards granted to all students completing all requirements (i.e., all students who took ELCT-57 earned a certificate).

• Continue with Qualification: Merced College could examine similar programs at other institutions, using them as a framework to improve the program.

• Discontinue: The program is small, with few sections offered and fairly low enrollment, especially in the advanced course.

14

The final determination as to the viability of the Mechatronics Program at Merced College lies with the Program Investigation committee. Discussion of program discontinuance must include all parties potentially affected by the decision including faculty, staff, administrators, students, potential employers, and the community.

15

Merced College Program Investigation:Mechatronics

Questions? Comments?

16

Merced College Program Investigation:Mechatronics

Thank you!

The Office of Grants and Institutional Research will be available for any follow-up as needed.

Contact: Andrea Hall-Cuccia, Research Analyst phone (209) 384-6370, e-mail, andrea.hall-cuccia@mccd.edu

©2015 Merced College Office of Grants and Institutional Research, Merced College, 3600 M Street, Merced, CA 95348Telephone (209) 386-6786; Internet address: http://www.mccd.edu.

Bibliography available upon request.17