Binghamton University’s fast-track progression MBA (PMBA) program, located in New York City, allows students to receive a master’s in business administration in one year. However, after a recent Faculty Senate decision to deactivate the program by 2020, students may no longer be able to participate.

On Feb. 26, the Faculty Senate unanimously voted to deactivate the fast-track PMBA program to make room for a revision of the University’s executive MBA (EMBA) program at SUNY College of Optometry, where the PMBA program is currently housed. Although the Faculty Senate vote does not necessarily mean the deactivation will take place, it could push University officials to take action on the matter.

According to the resolution, once the EMBA program is relocated, University administration would begin to look for a new location for the PMBA program.

The fast-track program is designed for accounting and business undergraduates at BU who want to pursue an MBA degree, and offers six career tracks: business analytics, finance, marketing, management information systems, leadership and consulting and supply chain management. Sara Reiter, a professor in the School of Management, wrote in an email that the deactivation of programs by the Faculty Senate is not out of the ordinary.

“Deactivations and discontinuances come before the Faculty Senate at almost every meeting,” Reiter wrote. “SUNY requires that when there are no students in a program, that it is deactivated and then has three years to either reactivate or be formally discontinued.”

George Bobinski, director of the EMBA program and associate dean of the School of Management, wrote in an email that, although the fast-track PMBA program could be deactivated, there are currently other options for students seeking an MBA.

“As many students are aware, the School of Management currently offers a one-year MBA program option on campus,” Bobinski wrote. “This option allows students without a bachelor’s degree in business or accounting to earn their MBA in just one calendar year, [or] three semesters, similar to the professional MBA program.”

Bobinski also wrote that the decision to deactivate the PMBA program was a result of the success of the one-year, on-campus MBA program, and a need to improve the PMBA program, which had become somewhat obsolete. The newly revised EMBA program will be similar to the PMBA program, according to Bobinski, but with fewer restrictions.

“The new program, with the exception of the first class, will be held at the SUNY College of Optometry campus with courses held Saturdays only,” Bobinski wrote. “This new program will also remove the time and accreditation restrictions required for the fast-track professional MBA.”

Bobinski wrote that the EMBA program will create more opportunities for students pursuing higher education.

“The introduction of our new program option will expand the pool of those qualified to earn an MBA from Binghamton University, while continuing to work full-time in the greater NYC area, lifting the several restrictions that the fast-track professional MBA program imposes,” Bobinski wrote.