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Cost of higher education in Puerto Rico: Toward a cost analysis model to develop new academic programs and determine the viability of its implementation (Spanish text)

Posted on:2006-08-22Degree:Ed.DType:Dissertation
University:University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico)Candidate:Moscoso-Alvarez, Jose RafaelFull Text:PDF
GTID:1457390008469281Subject:Education
Abstract/Summary:
Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are organizations committed to providing educational services and subject to the economic, social and cultural changes in affecting its internal and external environments. As with any other enterprise, it is necessary for the HEI to use managerial strategies or models to analyze costs in a manner that allows the organizations to establish the viability of implementing or continuing the availability of their academic programs. Many accrediting agencies, in Puerto Rico and in the United States, require viability studies from the HEI when submitting new offerings proposals. Nonetheless, there are no standard models which allow for comparison between programs or for a weighted cost analysis.; After presenting an overview of the costs incurred in the education field, a model for determining the viability of the implementation of a new program is proposed. The model presented in this paper arises from the literature review, and from information provided by financial officers of HEI in Puerto Rico, recognized by the Puerto Rico Council of Higher Education and obtained through a survey and a series of personal interviews.; The following model takes into consideration such aspects as: number of students admitted per year; retention rates; continuing students per year; academic level of the offering; number of years proposed for the program; number of concentration and service courses included in the curricular design; total credits offered per year; credit costs; fixed increases in credit costs; regular, adjunct and part-time faculty members required to offer the proposed program; applicable salaries, compensations and other faculty benefits; fixed increase in faculty compensations; administrative costs of the program; rate of operative and indirect costs applicable to the program; physical space utilized by the program, and annual cost inflation rates. Hopefully, this effort will result in an alternative to be discussed and implemented by private HEI similar to those that participated in the present research.
Keywords/Search Tags:Higher education, HEI, Puerto rico, Program, Cost, Viability, Model, New
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