MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM CEPH ACCREDITATION SELF-STUDY

Transcription

1 MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM CEPH ACCREDITATION SELF-STUDY Prepared for the Council on Education for Public Health SUBMITTED October 21, 2013 SITE VISIT November 21-22, 2013 Page 0

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS CRITERION 1.0: The Public Health Program 1.1. Mission Evaluation Institutional Environment Organization & Administration Governance Fiscal Resources Faculty and Other Resources Diversity CRITERION 2.0: Instructional Programs 2.1. Degree Offerings Program Length Public Health Core Knowledge Practical Skills Culminating Experience Required Competencies Assessment Procedures : Not Applicable CRITERION 3.0: Creation, Application and Advancement of Knowledge 3.1. Research Service Workforce Development CRITERION 4.0: Faculty, Staff and Students 4.1. Faculty Qualifications Faculty Policies & Procedures Student Recruitment & Advancement Advising and Career Counseling List of Abbreviations 150 Resource File Table of Contents 152 Page 1

3 1.0 The Public Health Program 1.1 Mission. The program shall have a clearly formulated and publicly stated mission with supporting goals, objectives and values. a. A clear and concise mission statement for the program as a whole. The mission of the University of North Florida (UNF) Master of Public Health (MPH) Program is to prepare public health professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to improve population health. This mission is accomplished through excellence and innovation in graduate teaching and public health research with a commitment to diversity, community involvement and professional service. b. A statement of values that guides the program. The MPH Program provides a positive learning environment that supports quality teaching, research and service through its commitment to the following values: Mutual Respect: We treat each individual in our diverse community with consideration and dignity. Service: We provide service to the University, communities and professions and promote public health through knowledge and training. Accountability: We are responsible for our attitudes and actions. Innovation: We encourage and support creativity in our teaching, research and service. Cooperation: We support a culture characterized by open communication, collaboration and collegiality. Excellence: We strive for the highest standard of performance by continually monitoring, evaluating and reviewing the Program s goals, objectives, and outcomes. Well-Being: We promote physical, emotional and social well-being of the community. Fulfillment of Potential: We are committed to professional development through lifelong learning. Ethical Behavior: We support fair, just and equitable treatment of individuals, families and communities. c. One or more goal statements for each major function through which the program intends to attain its mission, including at a minimum, instruction, research and service. Instructional Goal: The MPH Program s instructional goal is to provide a relevant and highquality educational program that prepares graduates for successful careers in public health. Research Goal: The MPH Program s research goal is to engage in innovative research leading to new discoveries and practices that impact public health and prevention of disease. Page 2

4 Service Goal: The MPH Program s service goal is to provide service that improves the health of individuals and groups within the communities we serve. d. A set of measurable objectives with quantifiable indicators related to each goal statement as provided in Criterion 1.1.c. In some cases, qualitative indicators may be used as appropriate. Instructional Objectives: 1) Each academic year, at least 80% of required MPH courses will receive a UNF student Instructional Satisfaction Questionnaires (ISQ) item average of very good to excellent for overall rating of instructor. 2) Each academic year, at least 80% of graduating MPH students will report agree or strongly agree when reporting their overall satisfaction with the internship experience on the exit survey. 3) Each academic year, at least 80% of graduating MPH students will report agree or strongly agree when reporting their overall satisfaction with the MPH program on the exit survey. 4) On the Alumni Survey given every three years, at least 80% of alumni will report agree or strongly agree when asked if the UNF MPH program adequately prepared them to practice as a public health professional. 5) The MPH program faculty will annually review and incorporate feedback as necessary from the Public Health Advisory board regarding the relevance of the program of study to current public health practice trends and issues. 6) Each academic year, at least 50% of required MPH courses will include information on the appreciation of diversity relevant to course content. Research Objectives: 1) Each faculty member will produce at least one scholarly work annually as indicated by peerreviewed publications, internal/external grants or contracts, or presentations in the public health field. 2) At least 25% of faculty will address the impact of diversity within at least one research project per year. 3) At least 20% of MPH students will collaborate with faculty in research activities. Service Objectives: 1) Each faculty member will participate in at least one local, state or national public health organization or community-based service effort annually. 2) At least one MPH faculty member per year will participate with a public health agency that addresses under-represented populations. 3) At least one MPH faculty member will facilitate a public health service or training event in the local community each year. Page 3

5 4) The UNF student health education honorary, Eta Sigma Gamma, will participate in at least two service projects annually. e. Description of the manner through which the mission, values, goals and objectives were developed, including a description of how various specific stakeholder groups were involved in their development. The MPH Program mission, goals and objectives (MGOs) were originally developed by the MPH faculty in academic years and The MGOs were based on faculty expertise, university expectations for faculty and educational programs, and national guidelines for public health education. Additionally, the former Director of the Duval County Health Department was instrumental in linking the development of program goals and objectives to the needs of the regional public health community at the inception of the program. The instructional objectives were developed using the CEPH core areas as the educational base, which were then supplemented by Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) competencies, Institute of Medicine reports, the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) competencies. Once completed, the MGOs were then reviewed by the Department of Public Health (DPH) Chair and Brooks College of Health (BCH) Dean. The MGOs were again reviewed by faculty during the CEPH self-study process in However, through the CEPH accreditation process in 2008, the program was notified that the instructional objectives were mistakenly written as learner objectives rather than program instructional objectives. Based on the feedback provided in the Review for Accreditation of the Public Health Program at UNF, the Program Director (PD) and faculty revised the MGOs. The report stated the original MGOs relate only to student learning outcomes, not what the program will do to ensure an excellent and innovative curriculum. Thus, revision began during the 2008 MPH Program annual summer retreat. Efforts focused on aligning the MPH program objectives with the five areas of excellence delineated in the University s strategic plan (See: These were submitted to CEPH in (See Resource File for Interim Report, September 2009.) Most recently, the MGOs were revised by the new MPH PD and the MPH Faculty. These revisions were initiated based on information learned by the MPH and CH PDs while attending the August 2012 CEPH meeting in Washington, DC. The PDs shared the MGO information with faculty at the first monthly fall 2012 meeting. Faculty reviewed and discussed the MGOs in light of the CEPH guidance, UNF expectations, knowledge of the public health profession, and review of other CEPH accredited MPH programs. In this process, it was also determined that many of the evaluation processes that had been put in place to measure program performance during the original self-study were not being utilized as they were intended. For example, the Current and Exit Student surveys and Alumni surveys were developed and implemented regularly to Page 4

6 provide feedback on the quality of the instructional program. This data was not being utilized as the objectives were written. The MGOs were thus edited to better use existing data, ensure all objectives were measurable and met current guidelines, and to bring the focus back to the three primary functions of faculty and educational programs - instruction, research, and service. These revisions were shared and discussed with the Department Chair and College Dean. Values were developed by BCH faculty and administrators and then adopted by the MPH Program faculty in The program values have remained consistent since they have not changed at the college level. f. Description of how the mission, values, goals and objectives are made available to the program s constituent groups, including the general public, and how they are routinely reviewed and revised to ensure relevance. Availability to Public: The MGOs and values are available on the UNF MPH website, the UNF MPH Student Handbook (See Resource File), and the MPH student Blackboard (Bb) site. The Handbook is posted on the MPH Program website, UNF Grad School website, and MPH Student Bb site. The MPH Student Handbook is thus available to all MPH students and faculty, BCH advisors and administrators, the Public Health Advisory Board and the community at large since UNF is an open website. A hard copy of the MPH Student Handbook is available to those who request one. Review and Revision: Under the direction of the PD, the MGOs are monitored and revised by the faculty in preparation for yearly catalog and handbook revisions, typically during the summer retreat. This includes sharing the success of meeting the objectives each year. g. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the program s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion. Criterion 1.1 is met with commentary. Strengths: The Program has developed a mission, values, goals and measurable objectives aligned with those of UNF, which is a regionally accredited institution in Florida s State University System (SUS). Through its MGOs and value statements, the Program shows commitment to professional public health values, concepts and ethical practices. The MGOs are also consistent with those of the BCH and DPH. The MPH Program has well-defined specific MGOs relating to instruction, research, and professional and community service that support the broad mission of public health, defined by CEPH as enhancing health in human populations through organized community effort. The MGOs were most recently revised based on information learned at the 2012 CEPH meeting in Washington, DC, as well as on UNF expectations, faculty knowledge of the public health professions and review of other CEPH accredited MPH programs. The MGOs reflect a free-standing Program housed in the DPH. The Page 5

7 program objectives are aligned with the university assigned duties for all tenure track faculty - teaching, research and service. The Program s MGOs and values are made public through a variety of mechanisms including the MPH Program website, the MPH Student Handbook, and the MPH student Bb site. Weaknesses and Plans: As a maturing program, the UNF MPH MGOs have gone through various stages of development and have not been regularly reviewed by faculty or stakeholders. The MPH Program first undertook a concerted effort during the 2007 CEPH selfstudy process to improve the MGOs. Attendance at the 2012 CEPH Summer meeting has been instrumental in the most recent revision of program goals and objectives. The program now has focused measurable objectives that will guide program priorities and allow for collection of valuable and meaningful results for continuous improvement. Through the self-study process, the program faculty also determined it was necessary to establish a set of standing faculty retreat and Public Health Advisory Board agenda items to ensure the review of the program MGOs on an annual basis, monitoring the success of meeting the objectives, and making revisions as necessary. These items will be added this academic year ( ). Page 6

8 Page 7

9 1.2 Evaluation. The program shall have an explicit process for monitoring and evaluating its overall efforts against its mission, goals and objectives; for assessing the program s effectiveness in serving its various constituencies; and for using evaluation results in ongoing planning and decision making to achieve its mission. As part of the evaluation process, the program must conduct an analytical self-study that analyzes performance against the accreditation criteria defined in this document. a. Description of the evaluation processes used to monitor progress against objectives defined in Criterion 1.1.d, including identification of the data systems and responsible parties associated with each objective and with the evaluation process as a whole. If these are common across all objectives, they need be described only once. If systems and responsible parties vary by objective or topic area, sufficient information must be provided to identify the systems and responsible party for each. Formal Plan to Assess Objectives: The MPH Program uses several evaluation and planning processes to assess achievement of program goals and objectives, and to ensure that the program is meeting the needs and requirements of students, faculty, DPH, BCH, UNF, and the greater community we serve. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used for evaluation. Program assessment results are used to modify the curriculum and program as needed. For the Instructional Objectives, the evaluation process involves UNF ISQ data (objective #1), the MPH Student Exit Survey (objectives #2 and #3), the MPH Alumni Survey (objective #4), Public Health Advisory Board meeting agendas and minutes (objective #5), and a review of course content to include the syllabus and course objectives (objective #6). (See Resource File for these documents.) The UNF ISQs are provided by the university and until this year, have been administered by a student following written instructions in each course near the end of the semester. Starting this fall 2013, all ISQs will be administered online. Once faculty receive their ISQ summary ratings from the University, they inform the PD if their rating is below very good for the question asking students to rate Overall rating of instructor. Faculty ratings for this item are now also publicly available on the UNF website. The PD records this information each semester. The MPH Student Exit Survey is administered through the UNF online survey system (Qualtrics) to all graduating students by the program s Internship faculty at the end of each summer. Since students are in a cohort and their last semester is summer, this survey is only administered once a year. Students are asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the MPH program and the internship experience. The faculty member records this information and discusses it with faculty at a future meeting. The MPH Alumni Survey is administered by the PD with the assistance of faculty every three years through the UNF online survey system (Qualtrics) to all alumni that have provided an address. MPH staff and faculty help locate alumni who do not have a valid Page 8

10 address. Alumni are asked whether the UNF MPH Program adequately prepared them to practice as a public health professional. The PD records this information and discusses it with faculty at a future meeting. The Public Health Advisory Board is facilitated by the PDs of the MPH and the CH Programs. The PDs develop meeting agendas and starting this year will ensure a review of the MPH MGOs and program of study occurs at least once a year. The MPH PD will record this information and discuss it with faculty at a future meeting. The faculty review course content minimally once a year, typically at the annual summer retreat. Faculty share their course syllabi and discuss course objectives. The PD records information related to the inclusion of diversity. For the Research Objectives, the evaluation process involves a review of faculty scholarship during annual faculty evaluations (objective #1), faculty self-report on addressing diversity (#2) and collaborating on research with MPH students (#3). (See Resource File for the Annual Evaluation Form.) Annual faculty evaluations are completed individually at the end of each academic year and are submitted to the Department Chair. A section on research productivity is included. Faculty are asked whether or not they included scholarly work on their self-evaluation, including publications, grants awarded and presentations. Additionally, faculty report their inclusion of the impact of diversity in their research and research collaboration with MPH students. The PD records information for all three objectives. For the Service Objectives, the evaluation process involves a review of faculty service during annual faculty evaluations (objective #1,2,3) and discussions with the ESG advisor (objective #4). (See Resource File for ESG Annual Reports.) Annual faculty evaluations are completed individually at the end of each year and are submitted to the Department Chair. A section on service is included. Faculty are asked to report whether or not they included: 1. participating with a public health organization, 2. participating with a public health agency that addressed underrepresented populations, and 3. facilitating a public health service event in the local community on their self-evaluation. The PD records this information. The PDs of the MPH and CH programs work closely with the ESG graduate student advisor. The MPH PD records ESG service projects completed each year. Additional Means of Self-Evaluation and Improvement: In addition to formally assessing our program objectives, the MPH Program conducts a variety of other self-evaluations including monthly faculty meetings, an annual faculty retreat, student surveys, advisory board meetings, feedback from internship preceptors, continual monitoring of UNF data provided by the graduate school or other administration, and annual/interim CEPH reports as required. Page 9

11 Information generated from these evaluations is continually used to improve the program. Examples include: Monthly Faculty Meetings: The program faculty, including the PD, have the primary role in planning the curriculum and students experiences, and in setting program policies and procedures. Faculty meet on a regular basis (approximately once monthly) throughout the academic year to evaluate and make necessary changes to the program including changes in curriculum, policies and procedures, and MGOs. Topics of discussion also include: the Public Health Certificate (PHC) program, the comprehensive exam, workforce education, advisory board meeting, etc. (See Resource File for meeting agendas and minutes.) Annual Retreat: Each summer, faculty meet to discuss and take action as needed on program objective data outcomes, student survey results, Graduate Academic Learning Compacts (GALCs) results, comprehensive exam results, and preceptor evaluations. Current, Exit, and Alumni Student Surveys: Every spring all MPH students are administered the Current Student Survey; each August, all graduating MPH students are administered the Exit Survey; and every three years MPH alumni are administered the Alumni Survey. The Current Student and Alumni Surveys are administered by the PD with assistance from faculty; the Exit Survey is administered by the Internship faculty. (See Resource File for surveys and results.) Public Health & Student Advisory Boards: The Public Health Advisory Board, comprised of local public health professionals, alumni and current students, meets twice a year. The Student Advisory Board, comprised of current students, meets at least once per year. These boards provide feedback on a variety of topics to include: program strengths and needed improvements, program MGOs, curriculum (e.g., electives, minors), additional resources/information needed, recruitment, etc. (See Resource File for minutes.) Internship Preceptors: Community public health professionals serve as preceptors of interns. The Internship faculty meets with them at least once each semester they serve as a preceptor and elicits feedback about student knowledge and skills, and solicits suggestions for MPH Program improvement. University Guidance: The DPH, BCH, Graduate School and Academic Affairs are involved in program planning by setting standards and goals during the UNF strategic planning process, establishing policies and procedures, allocating resources for the program, conducting the faculty annual review and program five year review processes. Regular Monitoring of UNF Data: The PD has access to data on all MPH applicants as well as aggregate data on each cohort. GALCs: The University requires GALCs from each graduate program. These were developed by the MPH faculty, measure student outcomes in specific courses, and are recorded annually and discussed at the summer retreat. CEPH Annual & Interim Reports: The Program reports to CEPH on results of graduation rates, job placement, and related issues. These reports are discussed at program meetings to monitor and act on findings. (See Resource File for reports.) Page 10

12 b. Description of how the results of the evaluation processes described in Criterion 1.2.a are monitored, analyzed, communicated and regularly used by managers responsible for enhancing the quality of programs and activities. The PD monitors the results of the evaluation processes. The PD requests information from faculty when needed, prepares the data documents, and then electronically shares them with the faculty for review and editing. The documents are discussed at faculty meetings, primarily during the summer annual retreat. Currently, all annual and interim reports are shared with faculty, administration, and the Advisory Board. All participants are invited to provide feedback and suggest revisions. c. Data regarding the program s performance on each measurable objective described in Criterion 1.1.d must be provided for each of the last three years. To the extent that these data duplicate those required under other criteria (eg, 1.6, 2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3, or 4.4), the program should parenthetically identify the criteria where the data also appear. Instructional Goal: The MPH Program s instructional goal is to provide a relevant and high quality educational program that prepares graduates for successful careers in public health. Page 11

13 Table Outcome Measures for Instructional Objectives Outcome Measure Target Year a rating of very good or excellent on the UNF ISQ for question Overall rating of instructor * 2. agree or strongly agree ratings on the Exit Survey regarding overall satisfaction with the internship experience** 3. agree or strongly agree ratings on the Exit Survey regarding overall satisfaction with the MPH program 4. agree or strongly agree ratings on the Alumni Survey regarding preparation to practice as a public health professional*** 5. faculty review and incorporation of feedback from PH Advisory Board regarding relevance of course content to current public health issues **** 6. the inclusion of information on the appreciation of diversity relevant to course content 80% of required MPH courses 80% of graduating MPH students 80% of graduating MPH students 80% of graduating MPH students review and incorporation of feedback at 1 faculty meeting annually at least 50% of required MPH courses 64% (7/11 courses) Not 100% (6/6 students responding) 100% (6/6 students responding) 78% (28/36 students responding) Not met Year % (7/11 courses) Not 83% (5/6 students responding) 83% (5/6 students responding) Not Administered Year % (10/11 courses) 92% (11/12 students responding) 100% (13/13 students responding) Not Administered Not met Not met Not met 58% (7/12 courses) 58% (7/12 courses) 58% (7/12 courses) Notes: *The low % of courses with high instructor ratings in years 1 and 2 was partially due to adjuncts (2 of the 4). **The overall number of graduating students responding to the Exit Survey was lower these 2 years because the survey was not given in class. In 2013, we began administering the survey through the internship class again.* **The Alumni Survey is only given every 3 years as per our evaluation plan. ****This objective was changed based on reviewer feedback on the UNF CEPH 2013 Preliminary Self-Study to make it more measurable and is addressed in the weaknesses for this section. Research Goal: The MPH Program s research goal is to engage in collaborative research leading to new discoveries and practices that impact health and prevention of disease. Page 12

14 Table Outcome Measures for Research Objectives Outcome Measure Target Year peer-reviewed publications, at least 1 per 100% (6/6) presentations or internal/ faculty annually external grants/contracts in the public health field 2. research projects to include at least 25% of 17% (1/6) the impact of diversity faculty Not met 3. student collaboration with faculty in research activities at least 20% of students 22% (4/18) Year % (6/6) 33% (2/6) 30% (8/27) Year % (5/5) 60% (3/5) 19% (6/32) Not met Service Goal: The MPH Program s service goal is to provide service that improves the health of individuals and groups within the communities we serve. Table Outcome Measures for Service Objectives Outcome Measure Target Year participation in local, state or national public health organizations or community based service (Table 3.3) 2. participation with a public health agency that addresses underrepresented populations 3. facilitation of a public health service event in the local community 4. participation of ESG in service projects* at least 1 a year by 100% of faculty at least 1 faculty member a year at least 1 faculty member a year at least 2 service projects a year 100% (6/6) projects Year % (6/6) project Not met Year % (5/5) projects Notes: *The participation in ESG service projects dropped during the year due to change in student leadership. The strength and ambition of the students on the Executive Board has a direct impact on the number of service projects; however, it is worth noting that the student leadership may emphasize 1 or 2 large service projects that require greater personnel and resources, rather than multiple service events. d. Description of the manner in which the self-study document was developed, including effective opportunities for input by important program constituents, including institutional officers, administrative staff, faculty, students, alumni and representatives of the public health community. The current MPH PD assumed the position in fall It was mutually decided by program faculty and administration that the MPH PD and the Undergraduate CH PD would take the lead roles in writing the CEPH self-study to begin in The process began at the 2012 Summer Program Retreat where the program faculty clarified policies and procedures for re- Page 13

15 accreditation and reviewed the program s MGOs and GALCs. The two PDs attended the CEPH Accreditation Orientation Workshop, August 2-3, 2012 in Washington, D.C. which included thoroughly reviewing the CEPH self-study criteria. During August 2012, the PDs reviewed the first UNF MPH self-study submitted in 2008 as well as the three interim reports and annual reports submitted to CEPH since that time. Next the process of drafting the self-study began. During the fall 2012 and spring 2013, the program faculty, Public Health Advisory Board, DPH Chair and BCH Dean all contributed to the development of the self-study document. Although the two PDs drafted the majority of the document, discussion with faculty about content took place regularly at program meetings. Faculty were given specific sections to review, add material to, and edit as needed. Faculty were also consistently asked to review sections and provide feedback throughout the writing process. This continual process of writing and reviewing was a collective effort over approximately ten months. At the same time as the faculty writing and reviewing process, the Advisory Board was electronically sent sections of the self-study to review and edit as they were completed by the faculty. Several Board members provided meaningful feedback. Other university personnel were involved with specific pieces (e.g., Institutional Research provided student numbers and demographic information; ORSP provided grant funding information; BCH staff and UNF Administration and Finance provided budget information; etc.). Once the document was in final draft form, it was also posted on the MPH Bb site and students were encouraged to read and provide feedback on the document. Individuals and groups met throughout the semesters to discuss various pieces of the document, to review entire sections of the document and to provide meaningful input, feedback and revisions. During May/June of 2013, the DPH Chair, BCH Dean, BCH Associate Dean and Graduate School Dean reviewed the document and suggested necessary revisions before the draft document was sent to CEPH. e. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met, and an analysis of the program s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion. Criterion 1.2 is met with commentary. Strengths: The UNF MPH Program has a well-developed evaluation plan that allows for monitoring its efforts, assessing program effectiveness and using results for ongoing decisionmaking. Development and data collected in the evaluation plan has included input from faculty, MPH students and alumni, local public health professionals and UNF administration. Most data are collected and shared with the faculty at least annually. The self-study document development process allowed for input from faculty and other constituents over a length of time that allowed for meaningful reflection and improvements to the program. Page 14

16 The program has consistently met half (3 of the 6) of its objectives related to the instructional goal (objectives 2, 3, and 6). Graduating students continue to report high satisfaction with their internship experience and their overall experience in the MPH program. Faculty incorporate appreciation of diversity into a number of required MPH courses. The program has met its research goal and related objectives most years. All faculty members are producing scholarly work and many are addressing the impact of diversity in research projects. Additionally, students continue to work with faculty and community organizations in various research activities. Finally, the program has met the service goal and related objectives most years. Faculty members are involved in professional organizations and community-based services whose missions are related to promoting public health. Several faculty are participating with public health agencies that address diversity and several are facilitating public health service events in the community. Finally, students are actively involved in ESG, assisting with the organization s service projects. Weaknesses and Plans: Several of the program objectives in Criterion 1.2.a have been revised and others have been developed to make them more relevant and measurable. Although assessment data was regularly gathered and available in the past, it has not been collectively compiled in a database and consistently presented to faculty and constituents as a consolidated report of program objectives and assessment. This is partly due to the change in leadership and the resulting learning curve associated with being a first time PD of an accredited program. Although the PD has been solely responsible for data collection, the program plans to explore delegating some of this work in the near future. The program has not consistently met half (3 of the 6) of its objectives related to the instructional goal (objectives 1, 4, and 5). During years and , the program needed to employ several adjunct faculty to teach required courses. As fewer adjuncts or more qualified adjuncts teach in the program, and as full time faculty incorporate student comments and feedback, ISQ ratings will increase (objective 1). Plans to improve the program evaluation process include: 1) conducting the MPH Alumni Survey annually in order to get higher response rates and more meaningful data (instructional objective 4); 2) implementing the MPH Student Exit Survey in class to ensure higher response rates; 3) creating a database to collect all program objective data on an annual basis and allow for easy dissemination of results to faculty, administration and constituents; and 4) adding standing agenda items to the faculty retreat and Public Health Advisory Board meetings to ensure targeting program objectives (such as review of MPH Program MGOs and curriculum; instructional objective 5) and reporting of evaluation results. Page 15

17 1.3 Institutional Environment. The program shall be an integral part of an accredited institution of higher education. a. A brief description of the institution in which the program is located, and the names of accrediting bodies (other than CEPH) to which the institution responds. Description: Established in 1972, UNF is a mid-sized, comprehensive, urban, public university, and is part of Florida s SUS. The University is located on 1,300 acres in Jacksonville, a city with a population of over one million. UNF has five Colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, Coggin College of Business, the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, the College of Education and Human Services, and the BCH. The University has just over 500 full-time faculty members, over 16,000 students and a comprehensive array of 55 undergraduate and 28 graduate degree programs, including three doctoral programs. The University provides graduate education in the fields that address regional needs. Since its founding, UNF has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and public and professional service. UNF s President has established focus, accountability, excellence and relevance as guiding principles of the University. Through the University s centers and institutes, continuing education programs, and faculty and staff volunteer activities, the University is a major contributor to Jacksonville and Florida. The Princeton Review recently named UNF as a Best Southeastern College. UNF is among 146 top colleges and universities in the Southeast receiving this designation. Accreditation: UNF is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees. The University was initially accredited in 1974 and was last reviewed and reaffirmed in The institution is scheduled to receive its next reaffirmation of accreditation review in Other accreditation bodies include: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) - Undergraduate and Graduate - Business, Accounting Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs - Graduate - Nurse Anesthetist Concentration American Chemical Society (ACS) - Undergraduate - Chemistry American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) - Undergraduate - Construction Management Association for University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) - Undergraduate - Health Administration Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) Page 16

18 Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education / American Physical Therapy Association Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) - Undergraduate and Graduate Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) - Candidacy - Undergraduate Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET Inc. - Undergraduate - Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Science, and Information Technology Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET Inc. - Undergraduate - Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering Florida Board of Nursing - Undergraduate - Nursing Florida Department of Education - Undergraduate and Graduate National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) - Undergraduate National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education - Undergraduate and Graduate b. One or more organizational charts of the university indicating the program s relationship to the other components of the institution, including reporting lines and clearly depicting how the program reports to or is supervised by other components of the institution. The relevant aspects of the chart are included below. (See Resource File for complete chart.) Page 17

19 Page 18

20 Direct Reporting Lines: Lines of accountability and roles of each entity are outlined in the UNF Constitution (See Resource File) and depicted in the charts above. The MPH Program is administered by the DPH within the BCH. There is a nine- month PD who also works part-time during the summer to administer the program. The PD (Dr. Michele Moore) works under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Harrison, DPH Chair, who reports to Dr. Pamela Chally, BCH Dean. Dean Chally reports to the Provost & Vice-President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), Dr. Earle Traynham. The Provost reports to the President, John Delaney, JD, the chief administrator, who reports to the UNF Board of Trustees (BOT). The BOT in turn reports to the Florida Board of Governors. BCH also houses a School of Nursing, Department of Clinical & Applied Movement Sciences, and Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. Other programs in DPH include CH (undergraduate), Health Administration (graduate and undergraduate), Geriatric Management (graduate), and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (graduate). MPH faculty members are tenure track faculty in the DPH, and are considered part of both the CH undergraduate program and the MPH graduate program. There are separate PDs for the MPH and CH Programs. Indirect Reporting Lines: The authority and governance responsibilities for graduate programs rest with the Graduate School Dean as delegated by the VPAA. The Dean works in collaboration with the Graduate Council, established by the Faculty Association as the governing body vested with the responsibility for the formation and enforcement of policies and procedures for graduate education. The Graduate Dean serves as Chair of the Graduate Council. The primary tasks of the Graduate School Dean and Graduate Council are to: 1. Articulate and recommend to the VPAA and the President those policies and procedures that bear on graduate standards and maintenance of quality programs, admissions requirements and policies, graduate completion requirements, graduate curriculum standards, graduate instruction standards, and graduate faculty standards; 2. Work with the VPAA and the President in planning and approving new graduate programs; 3. Provide administrative oversight of graduate programs; 4. Secure support for graduate students; 5. Set graduate standards and provide assurance of University-wide compliance with all graduate standards; and 6. Review changes to current programs. Accessibility to Higher-Level University Officials: The UNF Constitution (Article II) covers rights and responsibilities relating to accessibility. Faculty may question the University President, VPAA, and University officials through a formal Faculty Association process which allows for both identifiable and anonymous questioning with dissemination of questions and answers to all UNF faculty. For example, during monthly Faculty Association meetings, any Association member may question any member of the University community concerning the conduct of that person's assigned duties and responsibilities as they affect the Association's concerns. Questions may be submitted to the President but these become the President's questions and will appear as such in the minutes. The President has the right to modify anonymous questions Page 19