PLAN 2010 for College of Health and Human Services
Introduction
On July 1, 2006 the College of Nursing and Health Science transitioned to the new College of Health and Human Services. The organizational structure of the new college included a School of Nursing, the Department of Global and Community Health, the Department of Health Administration and Policy, and the Department of Social Work. These programs created the foundation on which to implement the recommendations of the 2005 Provost's Health Commission for expanded health and human service offerings on the Mason campuses. The plan focuses on introducing programs that build on strengths of the new college and creates synergistic opportunities both within the college and across other academic units at the university.
Goals and Objectives for 2010
- International Initiatives
GOAL: The College will be part of at least three new international GMU-wide educational programs. The College has developed over the years a range of international programs that include both international students participating in our programs and our faculty and students engaging in educational activities abroad. To forward its educational mission, the College will develop an active collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), with the participation of faculty and students in the Department of Global and Community Health, in at least two PAHO-sponsored international programs. The College will also particpate in the opening of the Mason campus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). - Interdisciplinary University
Initiatives
GOAL: The College will initiate, and/or actively participate in six new University-wide collaborative projects (degree programs or research initiatives) with other units in the University, as recommended by the findings of the 2005 Provost's Health Commission. - College-based Initiatives
- Student Enrollment
GOAL: The College will show a 20% increase in student enrollment, especially at the graduate level.
In order to forward the mission of the College and the University and to achieve maximum impact with available resources, the College will target specific programs for growth, consolidation, and possible elimination. If the full set of recommendations in the 2005 Provost's Health Commission report are implemented, the college is expected to double in size and grow to approximately 3,000 students by 2010. - Curricular Evaluation and
Expansion
GOAL: Expanded programs and academic units detailed in the Health Commission report include: (a) MS degree in Health Behaviors, (b) PhD in Social Work, (c) MS and PhD degrees in Rehabilitation Sciences, (d) a new Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Safety, (e) a new School of Social Work, and (f) a new School of Public Health.
Programs that were previously all under the umbrella of "health sciences" will be unbundled and developed into distinct programs of study at the undergraduate and graduate levels including degrees in nutrition, gerontology, international health, care coordination, health administration, health policy, and electronic health records management. New programs to emerge from these new academic units include degrees in Public Health and a PhD in Health Services Research and Policy. The Nursing and Social Work programs will continue to explore new, innovative, and desirable concentrations in order for these professional programs to remain vital and current. - Assessment of Learning Outcomes
GOAL: Refine the Program Evaluation process for the College.
The College currently collects a large amount of data on faculty, students, and alumni to meet accreditation standards across all academic units. This includes data on student and alumni satisfaction with specific elements of their programs, as well as employee satisfaction with graduates of the College. It also includes in-depth outcome data on students’ skills in critical thinking, oral and written communication. These data are shared with SCHEV, as well as accrediting bodies. As the College has expanded in size and programs, it has become increasingly clear that a Director of Program Evaluation is needed to gather and analyze data needed for assessment of learning outcomes. This Director will refine the Program Evaluation process for the College, so that the data are reviewed regularly and used for program improvement. - Faculty Diversity
GOAL: The College will elevate the diversity enrollment of faculty by no
less than 3%.
The College currently shows an ll.3% of minority fulltime faculty, almost coinciding with the 12.7% overall figure for the University. In terms of the student body, the College shows a 39% minority enrollment, which exceed the 34% overall figure of minority students in the University. All college search committees will target minority candidates for new positions. - Distance
Learning
GOAL: The College will have developed no less than three new distance
learning programs.
The College has substantially enhanced its faculty expertise in distance learning, and is currently in an optimal position to develop this new frontier in undergraduate and graduate education, expanding the sphere of influence of the University. There are markets for these initiatives in relation to career ladders for nurses, health information managers, and others who desire baccalaureate and advanced degrees. - Preparation
of Nurse Educators
GOAL: Focus on Excellence in Clinical Nursing Education.
There is currently not only an acute shortage of nurses, but also a corresponding shortage of nurse educators. In order to increase enrollment in schools of nursing nationally, it is essential to prepare sufficient numbers of nurse educators. In Summer, 2006 the Mason School of Nursing will implement a F.I.N.E. Program (Fast Forward Initiatives in Nursing Education) to address an array of educational needs for the next generation of nurse educators. This program will include an intense week long summer academy and ongoing precepted experiences for masters and doctorally prepared nurses who are interested in careers in education. - Center
for Health Care Policy, Research, and Ethics
GOAL: The Center for Health Care Policy Research and Ethics will be
self-sustaining on the basis of externally supported research grants and
contracts.
The new Director of the Center for Health Care Policy, Research, and Ethics will develop and implement a strategic plan for the center that will provide focus and a research agenda for faculty in the center and collaborators in the college. In 2007, a health care ethicist will join the center faculty in order to address the many emerging issues in health care ethics across the Mason campus and the region. - Center for Study of Chronic
Illness and Disability
GOAL: The Center will be chartered in early 2006 and will have as its
primary mission to imporve the lives of those with disabilities.
Studies of maintenance and restoration of function and the prevention of disability among those afflicted with chronic illness create the scientific platform for the work of the center faculty and students on which future programs in rehabilitation sciences will be built. - Overall Research Agenda
GOAL: External funding for research will be doubled.
The research agenda of the College is expanding. An infrastructure is needed within the College to facilitate development of grantsmanship for faculty. Development of an Office of Research and Program Evaluation to be led by a new Associate Dean by Fall, 2007 is planned. This office will coodinate activities of all current research centers in the college and provide leadership for the development of new centers that support defined research foci in the college.
- Student Enrollment
Resource needs to meet these 2010 goals
In order to accomplish the goals
detailed above, we anticipate need for the
following resources:
- Faculty positions
In order to carry out the College’s Strategic Plan, it is essential that specific faculty areas of expertise be targeted for clinical, field, teaching, and research positions.. Senior faculty are needed to forward the research agenda for the College and to support doctoral programs. - Space
Although additional space has been gained in the College when new faculty has been hired, this has not kept up with the College’s needs. An assessment of space for CHHS faculty and administrators indicates that the College currently has 15,000 square feet. College representatives will have active involvement in the design of a model facility (currently defined as the Thompson Building) to provide space for College expansion as the new College of Health and Human Services, as detailed by the 2005 Provost's Health Commission. - Technology
Continuous updates for emerging technology in such areas as simulation and computer labs will be needed. Faculty knowledge updates must also keep pace with developing technology for such initiatives as expansion of distance education and sophisticated programs of clinical research.