2009-2010 University Catalog 
  
2009-2010 University Catalog

College of Health and Human Services


Phone: 703-993-1901
Web: chhs.gmu.edu
College Code:  HH

Academic Departments

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 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 reorganized into the College of  Nursing and Health Science, and in 2006, into the College of Health and Human Services to provide the breadth needed to respond to dramatic and dynamic fundamental changes occurring in health care and social work. The expanded, multidisciplinary CHHS offers degree programs and research opportunities in health administration, health policy, health information systems, health services research, nursing, public health, nutrition, global health, rehabilitation science, gerontology, and social work.

Administration

Shirley Travis, Dean
Keith Howell, Associate Dean, Research and Program Evaluation
J. Goodlett McDaniel, Associate Dean, Practice, Marketing, and Finance
Robin Remsburg, Associate Dean and Director, School of Nursing
Frank J. Whittington, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs
Susan J. Swett, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
P. J. Maddox
, Chair, Health Administration and Policy
Lisa Pawloski, Chair, Global and Community Health
Miriam Raskin, Acting Chair, Social Work

Faculty

Faculty emeriti: Ailinger, Boyd, Brenkus, Carty, Jenkins, Johnson-Brown, Langley, Parker-Smith, Redmond, Silva, Vail, Walker

Professors: Butler, Gaffney, Gerber, Hadley, Howell, Maddox, Meiners, Metcalf, Moore, Raskin, Remsburg, Ritchie, Rose, Sluzki, Sorrell, Travis, Whittington

Associate professors: Baghi, Cangelosi, Chong, Cuellar, Davidson, Davis, Douglas, Eckenwiler, Harris Rome, Keyser, Mahon, McDaniel, Moidu, Normile, Panniers, Pawloski, Ternus, Vakalahi, Wolf-Branigin, Wu

Assistant professors: Boland, Carle, Cartwright, Cleaveland, Gewa, Hahn, Ihara, Jacobsen, Kitsantas, Kodadek, Maradiegue, Miklancie, Moss, Oh, Perlin, Roberts, Rudowski, Smoczynski, Tompkins, Urban, Webster, Weinstein, Willis, Winter, Wojtusiak, Yang, Young, Zhou

Instructors: Almond, Blasser, Campo, Clark, Cox, Davis, Dickman, Durham, Freeborne, Gaston, Gillette, Henderson, Liss, Middle, Mulqueen, Shiver, Stoehr, Toulouse, Venske, Welsh

Course Work

CHHS offers all course work designated GCH, HAP, HHS, NURS, and SOCW in the Courses  chapter of this catalog.

Academic Programs

The College of Health and Human Services is dedicated to educating the next generation of health professionals, researchers, and educators. Our School of Nursing produces more new RNs each year than any other program in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and these graduates have one of the state’s highest pass-rates on the nursing licensure exam. Through the PhD program in nursing, CHHS is helping fill the need for nursing faculty and researchers. The College’s Department of Health Administration and Policy prepares students for careers as leaders and managers of health care organizations and as health policy-makers at both the state and national levels, while the Department of Global and Community Health trains public health practitioners with a global reach, who can intervene and improve the health of both local and international populations. The Department of Social Work educates both undergraduate and graduate students to be professional social workers able to work in either community organization or clinical settings. These academic units offer a variety of specializations within degree programs, including nutrition, gerontology, rehabilitation science, epidemiology and biostatistics, forensic nursing, health technology and informatics, data security, clinical social work, and conflict analysis and resolution.

Professional Conduct Policy

All CHHS students are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times. This means that certain behavior is prohibited, including verbal abuse, insubordination, and behavior that threatens the safety of a client, another student, faculty member, or other health care provider when the behavior occurs within the context of an academic program. CHHS reserves the right to place on probation, suspend, or dismiss any student in its programs who engages in such conduct. Students disciplined for such reasons have the right to appeal to their department chair or director.

Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs provides support to students, faculty and staff on a variety of admissions, academic, and policy issues.  The office is involved with recruiting new students; pre-admission advising; processing applications for graduate programs and Nursing BSN programs (junior-level admission to the BSN pathways, and the accelerated second-degree BSN); and conducting orientations for newly-admitted students.

Student Affairs maintains the college’s student records; reviews and recommends action on undergraduate and graduate student requests for exceptions to academic policy; processes standard academic actions; and approves student records for degree completion prior to graduation.  Student grade appeals fall under university policy, described in the Academic Policies  section of the catalog. 

Each student is assigned an academic advisor with whom he or she should meet at least once a semester to insure program graduation requirements are met.  The assigned advisor may be a faculty member, a departmental advisor, or an advisor in the Office of Student Affairs.

Student Responsibility

Students are required to have an active Mason e-mail account , and to update any change of address on-line through Patriotweb.  The college will not use personal (non- GMU) e-mail addresses to communicate with students.  Students are responsible for knowing the university academic policies and the policies governing their program as stated in the university catalog, and should regularly monitor their Mason transcript on-line and their degree progression through the degree evaluation tool on Patriotweb [link to https://patriotweb.gmu.edu/]. 

Background Checks

Many clinical agencies and practicum sites mandate that students working there have a criminal background check.  All students enrolled in the School of Nursing are required to complete a criminal background check prior to beginning the program.  Students enrolled in other CHHS programs may be required to complete background checks before entering a practicum environment.  Information obtained from the background check is strictly confidential but may result in a student’s inability to perform clinical or practicum activities and, therefore, will disqualify the student from entering or continuing in the program.  School of Nursing students are sent information regarding the criminal background check process, and associated fees, in their admission packets.  Other students are informed individually as they are placed in practicum activities requiring background checks.  Students are responsible for notifying the assistant dean of student  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 affairs may be grounds for dismissal from the program.

Health Records

To comply with the regulations established by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the agencies to which students are assigned and to minimize risks to student health, every student enrolled in a CHHS program requiring clinical or practicum coursework must document and submit evidence of good health and provide current immunization records to both the CHHS Office of Student Affairs and to the university’s Student Health Services at the time of admission to the college.  Immunizations may be obtained through Student Health Services on any of the Mason campuses.  

Students should keep copies of their health records should agencies require them for clinical and practicum assignments.  All costs associated with immunizations and certifications are the student’s responsibility.

Insurance and Liability

Students are strongly advised to maintain health insurance coverage at all times.  A student health insurance plan is available to eligible students through Mason.  Students are responsible for their own health care, including emergency care, and CHHS assumes no financial responsibility for the health care of students.  Enrolled students who are performing internships and similar experiential learning as a required part of their academic programs are also considered agents of the university.  They are covered by the Commonwealth of Virginia Risk Management Plan while engaged in their prescribed educational duties.

Academic Outreach

The mission of the Office of Academic Outreach is to provide off-campus graduate coursework that supports the continued professional development and competency of practicing health professionals. This purpose is accomplished through collaborative relationships with expert health and instructional resources–individual and organizational–both internal and external to the University.

Academic Policies

Students should become familiar with the university’s general academic policies in addition to those specific to each academic unit.  Please see the Academic Policies  section of this catalog.

■ School of Nursing

Phone: 703-993-1926 (Undergraduate programs)
Phone: 703-993-1947 (Master’s programs)
Phone: 703-993-1961 (Doctoral program)
Web:  nursing.gmu.edu

Faculty

Emeriti: Ailinger, Boyd, Brenkus, Carty, Jenkins, Johnson-Brown, Langley, Paker-Smith, Redmond, Silva, Vail, Walker

Professors: Gaffney (assistant dean, doctoral studies), Milligan, Moore (assistant dean, nursing research), Remsburg (associate dean/director), Sorrell, Travis (dean)

Associate Professors: Cangelosi, Chong, Davidson, Douglas, Mahon, McDaniel (associate dean, business development), Normile, Panniers, Ternus (academic outreach director), Wu

Assistant Professors: Boland, Hahn (assistant dean, masters/post masters division), Kodadek, Maradiegue, Miklanci, Moss, Oh, Roberts, Smoczynski, Urban (assistant dean, undergraduate division), Willis, Young, Zho

Instructors: Almond, Blasser, Campo, Cox, Davis, Dickman, Durham, Liss, Middle, Mulqueen, Stoehr, Toulouse, Venzke, Welsh


The School of Nursing is a teaching/learning organization with a national and international academic reputation, grounded in sound general education. It develops and supports a diverse faculty who are visionary and competent practitioners, scholars, and researchers, excellent in teaching in academic and practice settings, and responsive to the needs of students and the community. Specifically, the Nursing programs prepare graduates to function as providers, coordinators, and managers of care and for leadership, advanced practice, and nurse scholar roles, as well as members of the nursing profession. Graduates of the School of Nursing are prepared to function as interdisciplinary health professionals and citizens who provide leadership, care, and service to the community. The School promotes health and well being through its programs and centers, engaging in scholarly activities and research with the aim of maximum health for all people.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Dual Degree

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

Doctoral Degree

■ Global and Community Health

Phone: 703-993-3126
web:  chhs.gmu.edu/gch/

Faculty

Professors: Howell (associate dean for research and program evaluation), Butler, Metcalf, Sluzki, Gerber (chronic illness & disability center director), Whittington (associate dean for academic affairs)

Associate Professors: Baghi, Pawloski (chair), Keyser

Assistant Professors: Gewa, Jacobsen, Rudowski, Webster, Weinstein, Winter

Instructors: Freeborne, Gaston, Gillette
 

The Department of Global and Community Health (GCH) is an academic department within the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), and as such it echoes the college’s overall goals. Specifically, the educational mission of GCH is to provide undergraduate and advanced degrees in health-related disciplines centered in global and community issues. Its research mission is to promote and develop solid and meaningful research programs that help define and address health issues and the needs of affected populations at the regional and global level. Its service mission is to increase the awareness of these problems, enhance health-promoting information, and collaborate with other organizations toward enhancing community, national, and international health.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor's Level Certificate

Undergraduate Minor

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

■ Health Administration and Policy

Phone: 703-993-1929
web:  hap.gmu.edu/

Faculty

Professors: Hadley, Maddox (chair), Meiners,

Associate Professors: Eckenwiler, Moidu, Cuellar

Assistant Professors: Carle, Cartwright, Kitsantas, Perlin, Wojtusiak, Yang

Instructors: Henderson (director, outreach & education coordinator), Shiver
 

The mission of the Department of Health Administration and Policy (HAP) is to provide innovative education and research that contributes to improving health and human systems and the quality of life and health for those they serve across the life span. The Department prepares working professionals and those who aspire to careers in health systems and organizations to work as administrators, health technology officers, data security managers, and health policy analysts.

The research and scholarly activities of the department contribute to basic and applied knowledge about the organization and effective management, financing and performance of U.S. health systems and public health services to foster innovation and quality improvement and effective use of information technology by health services researchers, health/social system managers, and public health policy- makers.The Department works with consumers, stakeholders, students, faculty, alumni, research funders, and the community to ensure rigorous, relevant educational programs (including post-graduate professional development), service activities, and the development and timely dissemination of research.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Master's Degree

Master's Level Certificate

■ Social Work

Phone: 703-993-2030 (Undergraduate programs)
Phone: 703-993-4247 (Graduate programs)
web:  chhs.gmu.edu/sw/

Faculty

Professors: Raskin (interim chair), Ritchie, Rose

Associate Professors: Davis, Harris Rome, Vakalahi, Wolf-Branigin

Assistant Professors: Clark, Cleaveland, Ihara, Tompkins,


The mission of the BSW Program is to prepare entry level generalist social work professionals who will demonstrate ethical leadership in innovative multidisciplinary practice, social reform, and research in diverse communities. Students will be provided with a range of opportunities to develop a broad knowledge and skills base consistent with the systems and strengths perspectives. They are expected to practice using core social work values and to examine and resolve ethical dilemmas. Classroom and field experiences prepare students to be competent in the use of relevant new technologies and in culturally sensitive generalist social work practice.

The MSW Program seeks to prepare social workers for advanced professional practice who are innovative leaders bringing superior management, interpersonal, technological, research, and communication skills to the human service delivery system. Through a concentration in either social change or clinical practice, graduates will be prepared to empower individuals, strengthen families and communities, stimulate positive change through advocacy, social and political action, and help meet the local, national, and global challenges of the new century. The MSW Program builds upon a foundation of generalist social work knowledge and skills that integrates micro and macro theory and practice, and emphasizes empowerment and systems transformation. This foundation equips students to enhance human well-being and to promote social and economic justice through ethical professional practice with culturally diverse individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Programs

Undergraduate Degree

Undergraduate Minor

Dual Degree

Master's Degree