IT Programs in the 21st Century: Techniques to Survive and Thrive in the Changing Environment
Dewey Swanson, Purdue University
Purdue University offers its’ Computer and Information Program (CIT) at the main campus and at four regional campuses throughout the state of Indiana. Like many IT programs across the United States facing decreasing enrollments. This is especially true at the regional campuses. Students shy away from majoring in CIT because of outsourcing fears along with strong competition from the growing presence of the community college in Indiana. Ivy Tech Community College has increased it’s enrollments statewide with strong financial support from the state. In several locations Ivy Tech provides competition to Purdue in the same community. Ivy Tech offers Associate degree programs and in many cases they directly compete with the programs offered at the Purdue regional campus because only one program, provides the Bachelor of Science program. In this paper I will discuss what we are doing to survive and hopefully thrive by using technology and other techniques in delivering our programs statewide.
