Intended Major versus Accepted Major for Undergraduate Students

At Baruch, on the undergraduate level (Career = 'UGRD'), there is only one program through which a degree can be earned. That program is 'UGRD' (same as the career). There are two other undergraduate programs, 'NDEGU' and 'CBUIS', but students cannot earn a degree through them. Actually, Baruch College does not issue degrees. Instead, the three schools or, in CUNYfirst terms, the three academic groups issue degrees. 'SPA' – School of Public Affairs, 'WEISS' – Weissman Arts and Sciences and 'ZICK' – Zicklin School of Business are the three academic groups which are the topic of this article.
When undergraduate students enter Baruch with a declared major, those students are considered to be in their 'intended' major until they are formerly 'accepted' into one of the three academic groups. Because the undergraduate career has but one degree-seeking program, there needs to be a means of distinguishing those students who are 'intended' from those who are 'accepted'. This is done through the means of service indicators and student groups.
All undergraduate students who enter Baruch have a negative service indicator assigned. This indicator, 'APS' (Academic Plan Status) is accompanied by a service indicator reason of 'INTND' (Intended Plan: must apply). When students apply and are accepted into one of the three academic groups, the 'APS' service indicator is removed and is replaced by the positive service indicator, 'ACP' (Accepted in Official Major) with one of the following three service indicator reasons. For those students accepted in the School of Public Affairs, the service indicator reason is 'SPAF' (Admitted to SPAF); for those students accepted in the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, the service indicator reason is 'WEISS' (Admitted to Weissman School); for those students accepted in the Zicklin School of Business, the service indicator reason is 'ZICKL' (Admitted to the Zicklin School). These service indicator reasons are mutually exclusive, meaning that the same 'ACP' service indicator should not be assigned with more than one service indicator reason.
There is one exception to the above policy. Certain students, who have been officially accepted in their major, may have to meet additional requirements. Accounting majors come to mind. For those students, the 'APS' negative service indicator is reapplied but the service indicator reason is 'ADDRQ' (Must satisfy additional req). These students and only these students would have the negative service indicator of 'APS' with the service indicator reason of 'ADDRQ' as well as the positive service indicator of 'ACP' with the service indicator reason of 'ZICKL' (this is a Zicklin issue).
In addition to the service indicators, those students, who are officially accepted into one of the three academic groups, must be activated in one of the following student groups; 'SPAF' (Admitted to SPA); 'WEISS' (Accepted to Weissman School); 'ZICK' (Admitted to Zicklin). Adding a student group to the students' records allows for registration restrictions.
Proposal: Create new programs and eliminate the service indicators and student groups. For example, create a program 'UGWS' (undergraduate Weissman), with the owning academic group of Weissman, not Baruch. By default, the 'UGRD' program would mean 'intended'. When students are officially 'accepted' into the Weissman School, change their program to 'UGWS'. Then use the program, 'UGWS', to identify students officially 'accepted' into Weissman and to restrict registration to Weissman courses.