Low demand and sluggish growth is causing the Fogelman Collegeof Business and Economics to consider dissolving or consolidatingits electronic commerce degree, department officials said.
"We hope to use our resources in the best way possible," saidRonald Wilkes, chair of the e-commerce program, referring to thetapering budget at The U of M.
The Tennessee Board of Regents released a list of low-performingprograms in fall 2002, recommending some programs, including somein the business college, be consolidated or phased out. However,the e-commerce program was not one of these listed programs.
The e-commerce program, which is a joint venture between theCollege of Arts and Sciences and the Fogelman College of Business,was also the subject of internal discussion from members of boththe Computer Science Department and Management Information Systems(MIS) Department.
The recommendations came after reviewing the number of graduatesof the programs and their relevance at The University and theMemphis area.
Business degrees at The U of M that were on the list and are inthe process of being consolidated are the BBA in business economicsand the BA in economics, and the BBA in real estate and the BBA inrisk management and insurance. TBR recommended consolidating thefour degrees into two, which The U of M is in the process ofdoing.
If the e-commerce program is terminated, it will also be phasedout, probably over two years.
"If we do decide to end the program, all students currentlyenrolled will be allowed to graduate," said U of M Provost RalphFaudree.
Wilkes, a 30-year veteran of the MIS Department, said he is justhoping to deliver a product Memphis businesses need and want.
"The suggestion to end the program is because of a lack ofgraduates, but (the program) is still in its infancy," said JohnPepin, dean of the college of business.
Although questions were raised by both the Computer ScienceDepartment and MIS, the shelf life of the three-year old programwill ultimately be placed in the hands of Faudree.
Pepin said he believes the debate will come to a head and adecision will be made in late May.
The recommendations for the possible termination of the programhave affected both U of M students and faculty.
One U of M professor said he views the recommendations as acatalyst for change, rather than a means to an end.
"I don't believe the program will end," said e-commerceprofessor Max Garzon. "It (e-commerce) is a rapidly growing andchanging field that must be refined and refocused."
Garzon also attributes the lack of wide success at The U of M tothe slumping success of the e-commerce field in the area.
"We (The University of Memphis) are obligated to the students tocomplete their education in their chosen field," said Pepin. "Wewill find a way to graduate the students."
