University Catalog 2006-2007

University Catalog > College of Health and Human Services

College of Health and Human Services

Phone: 703-993-1901
Web: chhs.gmu.edu

The mission of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) is to equip professionals to provide leadership, care, and services related to health promotion, wellness, disease prevention, and quality of life through the promotion of physical, social, and environmental health practices. Graduates practice in a variety of roles in settings that are complex, multicultural, and dynamic. The college is a resource for health promotion to the university as well as to citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the State Board of Nursing approved the baccalaureate nursing program in 1974. Since then, the program has grown from a department of nursing to a school of nursing. In 1993, the school was reformulated as the College of Nursing and Health Science. In 2006, the college was reorganized as the College of Health and Human Services to provide the breadth needed to respond to dramatic and dynamic fundamental changes occurring in healthcare and social work. The expanded, multidisciplinary CHHS offers degree programs and research opportunities that include health administration, health policy, health information systems, health services research, nursing, nutrition, rehabilitation science, senior care, and social work.

Administration

Shirley Travis, Dean

Christena Langley, Acting Associate Dean and Director, School of Nursing

J. Goodlett McDaniel, Associate Dean, Practice, Marketing, and Finance

James Vail, Acting Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

Rosemarie C. Brenkus, Assistant Dean, Student Academic Affairs

Lisa Pawloski, Chair, Global and Community Health

P. J. Maddox, Chair, Health Administration and Policy

Sunny Harris Rome, Chair, Social Work

Faculty

Professors: Butler, Carty, Gerber, Johnson-Brown, Maddox, Meiners, Metcalf, Raskin, Ritchie, Rose, Silva, Sorrell, Travis, Wakefield

Associate professors: Alemi, Baghi, Chong, Davidson, Davis, Douglas, Gaffney, Langley, McDaniel, Mahon, Moore, Panniers, Pawloski, Redmond, Harris Rome, Vail, Wolf-Branigin, Wu

Assistant professors: Boland, Boyd, Brenkus, Carle, Cangelosi, Cofer, Holaday, Kiernan-Stern, Kodadek, Normile, Ritter, Roberts, Rudowski, Smoczynski, Tompkins, Willis, Young

Research professors: Ailinger, Palsbo, Sluzki

Instructors:Blasser, Davis, Dickman, Durham, Gillette, Hall, Liss, Maradiegue, McClean, Merritt, Middle, Miklancie, Moss, O’Donnell, Stoehr, Thomas, Urban, Venske, Welsh

Lecturers:Brown, Heddleston, Henry, McGihon, Morton, Sharp

Course Work

CHHS offers all course work designated NURS, HSCI, and SOCW in the “Course Descriptions” chapter of this catalog.

Academic Programs

School of Nursing

Global and Community Health

Health Administration and Policy

Social Work

Professional Development

Continuing education is a commitment of CHHS and Mason. Activities are planned to meet the special needs of individuals and groups in the community. CHHS offers opportunities for credit and noncredit courses. Contract courses are offered in a variety of agencies in the Northern Virginia area. Comments and suggestions for programming from the healthcare community are welcomed. For information about specific activities, call 703-993-1910.

Professional Conduct Policy

CHHS reserves the right to place on probation, suspend, or dismiss any student from the program who does not demonstrate professional conduct. This includes verbal abuse and insubordination as well as behavior that threatens the safety of a client, another student, a faculty member, or other healthcare provider when the behavior occurs within the context of the academic program. The student has the right to appeal. The process for implementation of this Professional Conduct Policy is documented in the School of Nursing handbook.

Student Academic Affairs

The Office of Student Academic Affairs maintains student records and verifies degree completion, acts on all student issues with the exception of grade appeals (which are filed according to the university policy described in the “Academic Policies” chapter of this catalog), and processes all academic actions for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the college. Student health and immunization records, copies of active licenses, and copies of current CPR certification are maintained in student files. All students will be assigned an academic advisor and are expected to meet with the advisor at least one time per semester.

Clinical agencies mandate that all students have a criminal background check. Information obtained from the background check is confidential and may result in a student’s inability to perform clinical activities and, therefore, will disqualify the student from entering or continuing in the academic program. Students must pay a fee for the background check. Students also are responsible for notifying the assistant dean of student academic affairs of any arrests, regardless of adjudication, that occur after acceptance and during enrollment in the program. Failure to promptly notify the assistant dean of student academic affairs may be grounds for dismissal from the nursing program.

All students are required to have an active Mason e-mail account. Students are responsible for their own uniforms and transportation. Student liability insurance is provided by the university. Students are strongly advised to maintain health insurance coverage at all times. An accident and health insurance plan is available through Mason. Students are responsible for their own healthcare, including emergency care. CHHS assumes no financial responsibility for the healthcare of students