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

21 and/or to refuse to answer such questions according to her/his best judgment. The Faculty Association Secretary shall address questions in writing to persons not present or who decline to reply from the floor, and shall append all written responses to the minutes as responses are received (Faculty Association Bylaws; Questions can also be directed via channels of authority or directly to the higher administration in cases that warrant such a direct approach. The MPH PD and faculty can meet with the DPH Chair as well as BCH Dean and Associate Dean. The PD serves as the communication channel between the program faculty and administrators. c. Description of the program s involvement and role in the following: budgeting and resource allocation, including budget negotiations, indirect cost recoveries, distribution of tuition and fees and support for fund-raising Budget & Tuition/Fees Allocation: The BOT, by the delegation of the Board of Governors, sets tuition and fees for resident and non-resident graduate students. Tuition and fees are deposited in the State s Education and General Student and Other Fees Trust Fund. Universities are granted budget authority in the General Appropriations Act to spend tuition and fees, collected during the fiscal year or carried forward from the prior fiscal year and that are appropriated into local accounts. The expenditure of tuition and fee revenues from local accounts by each University may not exceed the authority provided by the specific appropriations, unless approved by the Legislative Budget Commission. Budgeting is influenced by the unique considerations of the University, by social and economic factors that affect funding, and by position and policy actions of the Legislature, the SUS Board of Governors, and the UNF BOT. For the Florida SUS as a whole, state support per student FTE has dropped from 68% in to 44% in State support per student FTE in varies by university, ranging from 69% to 39%, depending largely on recent unfunded enrollment growth. As a system, Education & General revenue for main operations (not including medical schools or the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) was flat between and with a 20% decrease in state funds offset by a 42% increase in tuition. Since there has been a 39% ($830 million) decrease in state funds. UNF has experienced a 16% decline in support from state funds since offset by a 46% increase in revenue from tuition. UNF submits its legislative budget request on an annual basis. State universities prepare an annual operating budget and expenditure plan using an incremental approach, primarily based on planned enrollment. The UNF internal budget allocation process dictates the administrative procedures involved in determining budgetary allocation to the MPH Program. Indirect Cost Recoveries: Facilities and administrative costs greater than $10,000 are shared as follows: 60% to Division of Research and Sponsored Programs, 19% to deans, 10% to the Page 20

22 principal investigator, 6% to general administration, and 5% into the research reserve. The BCH Dean currently shares a portion of indirect costs with the principal investigator s department. Support for Fund Raising: The Office of Institutional Advancement ( is responsible for University-wide efforts in fund raising and is the external relations division of the University, and includes Marketing and Publications, Media Relations & Events, Alumni Services, Advancement Services, and Development (fundraising). BCH works with the Office of Institutional Advancement through a development officer, housed in the Dean s Office. This person is directly responsible for coordinating all fund raising for the College. personnel recruitment, selection and advancement, including faculty and staff Faculty Recruitment & Selection: The process and procedures for faculty appointments are described by the UNF Policy and Regulations Office of Academic Affairs. This information is available at: AcademicAffairs/Faculty/2_0310P.aspx. Programs request new faculty positions through the department. A matrix listing departmental hiring priorities is presented to the Dean as part of the yearly budgeting process. BCH prioritizes faculty line requests prior to requesting lines from Academic Affairs. Permission of the DPH, BCH and Office of Academic Affairs is needed to search vacant positions. Search committees are selected by the PD with approval from the DPH Chair and BCH Dean. Committee composition is approved by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (EOD). The recruitment process is initiated by completing an online request to advertise the position. This request, completed by the department and program, details the specifics of the job. The search committee determines the candidate required/preferred qualifications and job responsibilities (e.g., teaching and research areas). It also determines the recruitment plan, including text for print and website ads, a list of publications or websites in which the advertisement will be placed, and a proposed search schedule. After advertisement, the search committee has an initial meeting with EOD to discuss the search process in terms of equal opportunity. The candidate pools must be approved by EOD prior to interview. The search committee reviews all candidates, meets to discuss and rank the applicants, and then must gain approval from the DPH Chair and BCH Dean to interview the selected candidates. Typically phone interviews are conducted first and after further discussion by the search committee, top candidates are invited for an on-campus interview. All meetings must be posted in advance and are open to the public (including faculty). The search committee s hiring recommendations are forwarded to the DPH Chair and BCH Dean who, along with the provost, make the final decision. The dean works with the Office of Academic Affairs to prepare a letter of offer. The search committee completes a form at the end of each search which specifies the reasons that candidates for faculty positions were either not hired or not interviewed. Page 21

23 Staff Recruitment & Selection: A complete description of the hiring procedure is available at: Requests for new staff lines or recruitment for open lines originate in the department and are forwarded to the Dean s office, who must obtain approval from Administration and Finance. Once a position is approved, the department completes an online request to advertise the position through Human Resources. Hiring for staff does not require the use of a search committee. Faculty Advancement: The UNF BOT-United Faculty of Florida (UFF) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) sets the criteria for promotion and tenure. Each department also develops a set of bylaws that include promotion and tenure, and annual evaluation criteria which are based upon University-wide standards. (See Resource File for both documents.) The departmental bylaws are developed and ratified by 2/3 majority of all faculty within the department. Academic administrators are prohibited from taking part in the development of the department s bylaws. After a faculty initiates applying for tenure and/or promotion, a tenure and promotion committee consisting of program/department faculty is convened. According to DPH Bylaws, the promotion and tenure committee will review the dossier and vote on the tenure and promotion of every faculty member in the department. All faculty may provide letters of support for the candidate by the set deadline. For promotion from associate to full professor only full professors may be on the committee. The dossier is then reviewed as follows: Department Chair, College Dean, UNF Promotion and Tenure Committee (which any faculty may be elected to serve on), UNF VPAA, UNF President and UNF BOT. academic standards and policies, including establishment and oversight of curricula The MPH Program follows academic standards and policies of the University for graduate programs as delineated by the Graduate School ( The UNF Graduate Catalog outlines university policies with regard to student academic performance such as satisfactory academic progress, good academic standing, grade reporting, course credits, and credit validation for coursework completed more than five years ago, credit transfers, and post-baccalaureate credit. Graduate faculty may serve on the Graduate Council which holds responsibility for developing and revising Graduate School policies. The MPH PD currently serves on this council. The MPH faculty may also develop program specific policies that follow and meet UNF Graduate School Policy minimums (e.g., the Graduate School admissions policy is that applicants must have a 3.0 upper division GPA; individual programs can decide if they also want to require standardized tests and the minimum scores or other additional admission materials). Program specific policies and procedures, as well as those delineated by the Graduate School, Page 22

24 are outlined in the MPH Student Handbook available on the MPH website, MPH Bb site and Graduate School website ( c_health.aspx). The program of study, course descriptions, admission standards and other substantial curriculum issues are established and overseen by the MPH faculty and PD. Some policies must be approved by the Graduate School (e.g., admission standards). Changes to the program of study or course descriptions must be approved through the Academic Programs Committee (APC) process. Through this process, the changes are approved by the Department Chair, the Dean of the College, Dean of the Graduate School, the APC, and the Faculty Association. d. If a collaborative program, descriptions of all participating institutions and delineation of their relationships to the program. The UNF MPH Program is not a collaborative program. e. If a collaborative program, a copy of the formal written agreement that establishes the rights and obligations of the participating universities in regard to the program s operation. The UNF MPH Program is not a collaborative program. f. 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 1.3 is met. Strengths: The MPH Program is housed in the BCH DPH, a main academic division of UNF. UNF is a comprehensive Florida University that is accredited by SACS, a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The MPH Program is sponsored entirely by UNF. UNF has a well-organized chain of command and ultimately answers to the state legislature as part of the Florida SUS. UNF has well established policies and procedures, and academic and non-academic units to carry out its mission. Budgetary processes are well developed. The MPH Program is fully integrated into the governing, academic, educational and service structure of the DPH, and hence BCH and UNF. The MPH faculty and PD are directly involved in hiring new faculty and determining MPH policies and curriculum. The MPH Program is fully compliant with the University s standards and policies for graduate programs. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 23

25 1.4 Organization and Administration. The program shall provide an organizational setting conducive to public health learning, research and service. The organizational setting shall facilitate interdisciplinary communication, cooperation and collaboration that contribute to achieving the program s public health mission. The organizational structure shall effectively support the work of the program s constituents. a. One or more organizational charts delineating the administrative organization of the program, indicating relationships among its internal components. See section 1.3.b for BCH organizational chart. b. Description of the manner in which interdisciplinary coordination, cooperation and collaboration occur and support public health learning, research and service. The University: The UNF Strategic Plan addresses interdisciplinary collaboration through an emphasis on Community Engagement. The Plan s Institutional Goal #4 to Affirm the University s Public Responsibility through Civic Engagement and Community-Based Learning and Research lists the following strategies to accomplish this endeavor: Enhance the University s capacity for community-based learning Integrate community-based pedagogies in academic disciplines, general education, and extracurricular programs Reward participation in community engagement activities by students, faculty, and staff Advance the University as a resource in the local, regional, and global communities. Page 24

26 The College: The BCH has adopted several Values and Goals that necessitate interdisciplinary collaboration; three that specifically address such commitment include: Values: Collegiality: We support a culture characterized by open communications, collaboration, and cooperation. Service: We provide service to our university, communities, and professions. Goals: Enhance and expand outreach initiatives and partnerships providing opportunities for the BCH faculty, staff and students to impact health issues and provide service. MPH Program: The MGOs of the MPH Program are consistent with the strategic plans of the University and College. The program is committed to cooperation and collaboration with other programs in the College and University as well as with community-based programs. The MPH faculty members have a diverse background and approach the curriculum in an interdisciplinary manner. Core area and specialization faculty members work together to manage the program. The MPH Program is part of DPH. DPH has programs in Geriatric Management, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and Health Administration allowing MPH Program faculty members opportunities for collaboration with many disciplines. Likewise, BCH houses a School of Nursing, Department of Clinical & Applied Movement Sciences, and Department of Nutrition and Dietetics which provide further opportunities for collaboration across disciplines. The BCH s organizational structure allows for many interdisciplinary teaching, research and service activities. The program has used instructors in other programs (Health Administration & Nutrition). MPH students are encouraged to take elective classes through other programs and colleges. College-wide committees address many aspects of academic life and increase faculty collaboration. Chairs and PDs meet on a regular basis. Twice yearly collegewide meetings and other programs promote interdisciplinary collaborations. The MPH Program and College have strong ties with Florida s public health and medical communities, and the program was developed in collaboration with Duval County Health Department. During the first few years of the program, members of the Duval County Health Department taught core and elective courses. The program maintains strong ties to Duval County, neighboring health departments, and other state and local public health agencies. MPH practice experiences and the Public Health Advisory Committee foster these collaborations. c. 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 1.4 is met. Page 25

27 Strengths: The MPH Program is a formally organized academic unit within the DPH, BCH. The program is well situated to realize its stated mission and goals. The administrative structure allows the program to carry out its teaching, research and service functions in a collaborative manner. Due to the BCH structure and UNF s focus on community-based learning, the MPH faculty have ample opportunity to collaborate with faculty and the community to support public health learning, research and service. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 26

28 Page 27

29 1.5 Governance. The program administration and faculty shall have clearly defined rights and responsibilities concerning program governance and academic policies. Students shall, where appropriate, have participatory roles in the conduct of program evaluation procedures, policy setting and decision making. a. A list of standing and important ad hoc committees, with a statement of charge, composition and current membership for each. The governance of the program involves the MPH faculty members under the leadership of the PD with oversight by the DPH Chair and BCH Dean. Although the program faculty previously attempted to support various committees among themselves, being a small faculty lends its self to better collaborate on necessary issues as a group; sometimes referred to as the MPH Program Committee. Currently the only sub-committee is the MPH Capstone Committee. The Capstone Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving appropriate internship sites and addressing internship issues that arise. The following faculty are members of the Capstone Committee: Michele Moore, MPH PD; Elissa Barr, CH PD; and Julie Merten, CH Internship Coordinator. There are no students on this committee for obvious reasons. MPH Program faculty responsibilities concerning program governance and policies are directed by the PD and include: Developing and revising the MPH curriculum Developing and revising program policies and procedures (e.g., admissions, good standing, etc.) Developing, revising and monitoring -program evaluation plans (e.g., surveys) Developing, revising, collecting and analyzing Graduate Academic Learning Compacts Developing, revising and monitoring the Comprehensive Examination Participating in program accreditation activities, annual and interim reports, and statemandated 5-year reviews Participating in strategic planning for the program and department Participating in programmatic, departmental, college, and university governance Collaborating with the BCH Advising Office and the Dean s Office on matters pertaining to students and the development and dissemination of program materials The Public Health Advisory Board: The purposes of the Advisory Board are to (1) promote the programs among various constituencies both on and off campus, (2) give advice to the program s faculty regarding curriculum and program activities such as internships and field experiences, and to students regarding their professional needs, and (3) assist with identifying and acquiring external program resources. Potential members are nominated by faculty and invited to participate. Currently seven community members, three faculty, and two current students serve as Board members. (See Resource File for list of Advisory Board Members.) Community members represent various public health core areas and practice settings, and have demonstrated interest and commitment to community/public health education and training. These core areas include: Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Health Behavior; Health Policy Page 28

30 and Management; and Biostatistics/Research. The practice settings include: community/public health agencies, health care, schools, and worksites. The CH and MPH PDs and one additional program faculty serve as academic members of the Board. At least one alumnus and two student representatives are appointed by the PDs. The student representatives consist of one undergraduate and one graduate student. The MPH Student Advisory Board: The MPH SAB is open to all current MPH students. An is sent out via the MPH Bb site to let students know about the meeting and purpose. If students cannot attend the meeting but are interested in participating, a list of questions and topics to be discussed is ed to them so they can respond in writing. This ensures that all students are given the opportunity to participate, if they wish. (See Resource File for participating students names in the minutes.) b. Identification of how the following functions are addressed within the program s committees and organizational structure: Again, due to the small number of faculty, most issues related to the following topics are discussed and voted on during regular faculty meetings. General program policy development In areas not covered by UNF guidelines, new policies or changes in policies are drafted by program faculty and/or the PD. Faculty must approve the policy. Substantive policy changes are brought to the DPH Chair and BCH Dean for input prior to faculty vote. Changes are incorporated into the MPH Student Handbook, website and Bb for the following year, and if necessary are added to or modified on the official Degree Evaluation (formerly called the Program of Study). Degree modifications are typically initiated by program faculty or PD, and must be approved by the faculty, PD, DPH Chair, departmental curriculum committee, BCH Dean, Graduate School, University APC, and the Faculty Association (vote of the faculty at a regular monthly Faculty Association meeting). Planning and evaluation Program strategic planning and evaluation is undertaken by the program faculty led by the PD. Faculty discuss the MPH MGOs and program evaluation in reference to CEPH guidelines and BCH and DPH strategic plans at the summer retreat. The PDs share any faculty suggestions or changes with the DPH Chair and other department PDs at the DPH PD meetings (See Resource File for meeting minutes.) The department strategic plan is revised regularly to reflect faculty suggestions. Thus, strategic plans for the program are incorporated into the department strategic plan. The department s plan is incorporated into the BCH s strategic plan. A collegewide strategic planning committee, the Executive Board, advises the BCH Dean. Members consist of all department chairs in the BCH (See Resource File for meeting minutes.) Page 29

31 Budget and resource allocation Fiscal planning for the program is conducted by the DPH Chair in consultation with the PD, who discusses needs with the program faculty. Budgets are submitted annually to the BCH Dean for the fiscal year. Faculty members are apprised of the budget at regular departmental and college meetings. Student recruitment, admission and award of degrees General student recruitment, admission and graduation policies and procedures are set by the Graduate School. The MPH PD and faculty discuss and vote on issues related to MPH specific recruitment plans and strategies, admissions issues and student progress toward graduation. Faculty recruitment, retention, promotion and tenure The Program adheres to the UNF BOT-UFF CBA that contains rules and regulations regarding faculty recruitment, retention, promotion and tenure described above (Section 1.3) and clarified by the DPH Bylaws (See Resource File for both documents.) Decisions about faculty recruitment are made first by the program faculty, and then a search committee consisting of program faculty is developed for recruitment. The search committee abides by UNF rules and regulations for hiring, overseen by the Office of EOD ( described in Section 1.3.c. The UNF BOT-UFF CBA sets the criteria for promotion and tenure. Faculty in each department also develop a set of bylaws that include promotion and tenure and annual evaluation criteria which are based upon University-wide standards. The departmental bylaws are developed and ratified by 2/3 majority of all faculty within the Department. After a faculty initiates applying for tenure and/or promotion, a tenure and promotion committee consisting of program/department faculty will be convened. The promotion and tenure committee reviews the dossier and votes on the tenure and promotion of the candidate. All faculty may provide letters of support for the candidate by the set deadline. For promotion from associate to full professor only full professors may be on the committee. Then the dossier is reviewed as follows: Department Chair, College Dean, UNF Promotion and Tenure Committee (which any faculty may be elected to serve on), UNF VPAA, UNF President and UNF BOT. Academic standards and policies, including curriculum development General academic standards and policies are developed by the Graduate Dean and Graduate Council, and are included in the Graduate Catalog and Student Handbooks. Specific MPH academic standards, policies and changes to existing program curriculum are developed and approved by the program faculty and PD. Curriculum changes and development of new Page 30

32 programs/concentrations must also be reviewed and approved by the Chair, Dean and the APC, reviewed and voted on by Faculty Association, and then forwarded to the Provost, and finally to the University President for review and a decision. Research and service expectations and policies These expectations and policies are set forth in the UNF BOT-UFF CBA. Faculty in each department determine department-specific expectations and policies, in line with the contract, as part of the department bylaws promotion and tenure criteria. Program faculty members participate in the development of these criteria by serving on the Bylaws Committee and also during general debate and ratification of the UNF contract. Program faculty may be members of the BCH Research and Scholarly Activity Committee. Its function is to report annually to the BCH Faculty on: the status of research in the College, and progress of the University in general and the College in particular in providing research incentives and minimizing disincentives. The committee facilitates faculty and student research, and research collaborations with other members of the University and the community, through dissemination of information, research forums, consultation, and development of incentives and rewards. c. A copy of the bylaws or other policy document that determines the rights and obligations of administrators, faculty and students in governance of the program, if applicable. The UNF Constitution, Article V ( covers organization and administration of academic units. It states: Faculty shall play an active and responsible role in the collegial governance of the academic units to which they are assigned. The work of the faculty of academic units shall include, but need not be limited to, development, presentation, and evaluation of curricula and academic programs; requirements for admission and graduation of students; academic freedom and responsibility; affirmative action and nondiscrimination; assignment and evaluation of teaching, research and service; leaves and sabbaticals; recruitment, evaluation, retention, tenure and promotion of faculty; recruitment, evaluation and recommendation on retention of academic administrators; assignment of courses and the development of course schedules; development of criteria for awarding merit pay and procedures for equitable allocation of Summer supplemental assignments; selection of instructional and library materials; preparation of budget requests and implementation of budget priorities; symbolic recognition of the achievements of faculty and students; fund raising; and other matters of professional concern. The rights and obligations of administrators and faculty in terms of program governance are addressed in the following documents. (See Resource File for copies of documents.) The UNF BOT-UFF CBA ( UNF Constitution ( Page 31

33 UNF Bylaws ( DPH Bylaws d. Identification of program faculty who hold membership on university committees, through which faculty contribute to the activities of the university. Table Faculty Service on University Committees Faculty Member University Committees E. Barr UNF Support Services Committee, Faculty Association BCH Distance Learning Committee DPH Associate Professor Promotion & Tenure Committee DPH Faculty Search Committee K. Clark DPH Faculty Search Committee T. Johnson UNF Research Committee BCH Research & Scholarly Activity Committee E. Largo-Wight UNF Teaching Online Seminar Contributor/Presenter UNF Distance Learning Strategic Planning Committee UNF Sustainability Committee UNF Executive Board Member & BCH Representative, Environmental Center BCH Chair, Distance Learning Committee M. Moore UNF Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award Committee UNF Graduate Council UNF BCH Library Liaison UNF Campus Technology Committee BCH Promotion to Professor Committee BCH Research & Scholarly Activity Committee DPH Faculty Search Committee, Chair S. Wilburn Spring 2013: Family Medical Leave, withdrew from university committees. Fall 2012: Search Committee for Educational Leadership UNF Promotion and Tenure DPH Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program Committee DPH Clinical Mental Health Counseling Admissions Committee e. Description of student roles in governance, including any formal student organizations. Although most MPH students are employed full time outside of the university, several still find time to serve in governance and as members of the program s student chapter of ESG. Currently an MPH student serves as the ESG Chapter Advisor and another serves as the AmeriCorps & Volunteer Coordinator at the UNF On-Campus Transition Program. Students can also be members of the Graduate Student Organization whose purpose is to facilitate and enhance the graduate student experience, to advance the reputation and assist in the expansion of graduate programs, and to promote quality teaching and research at UNF. Additionally, students contribute to program evaluation by completing annual program evaluation surveys and exit surveys, participating on the Student Advisory Board, and serving on the Public Health Advisory Board. Results of the student surveys provide the data to Page 32

34 measure many program objectives and hence have an obvious importance. The Student Advisory Board meets annually and is open to all current MPH students. They meet with the MPH PD to discuss program strengths and areas that need improvement. Students are invited to share feedback regarding all aspects of the MPH program at this meeting and throughout the year. Examples of SAB recommendations that have been incorporated include: 1) developing a new health policy and management course specifically for MPH students; 2) working with the graduate school to add a more in depth orientation for new graduate students; 3) adding an internship overview presentation into a required class the semester before Capstone; 4) incorporating SAS into the Biostatistics course; and 5) several initiatives now being explored - an Epidemiology concentration, a clinical trials elective, and an alumni group. The Public Health Advisory Board has a standing position for one current MPH student. The student is nominated by the MPH faculty. The purposes of the Board are to (1) promote the programs among various constituencies both on and off campus, (2) give advice to the program s faculty regarding curriculum and program activities such as internships and field experiences, and to students regarding their professional needs, and (3) assist with identifying and acquiring external program resources. f. 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 1.5 is met. Strengths: The MPH Program administration and faculty have clearly defined rights and responsibilities concerning program governance and academic policies. Within the framework of the University rules and regulations, the PD and faculty have sufficient oversight to assure program integrity and to allow accomplishment of the program s stated MGOs. Program faculty members have formal opportunities for input in decisions affecting student recruitment, admissions and progress, resource allocation, faculty recruitment and promotion, curriculum design and evaluation, research and service activities, and degree requirements. Program faculty members have representation on the Graduate Council as members of the graduate faculty, and thereby represent the program s views and interests in the Graduate School policysetting and decision-making. Several MPH students are members of the program s ESG chapter, and one currently serves as the ESG Chapter Advisor. Students are active members of both the Student Advisory Board and the Public Health Advisory Board. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 33

35 1.6 Fiscal Resources. The program shall have financial resources adequate to fulfill its stated mission and goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives. a. Description of the budgetary and allocation processes, including all sources of funding supportive of the instruction, research and service activities. This description should include, as appropriate, discussion about legislative appropriations, formula for funds distribution, tuition generation and retention, gifts, grants and contracts, indirect cost recovery, taxes or levies imposed by the university or other entity within the university, and other policies that impact the fiscal resources available to the program. The UNF internal budget allocation process dictates the administrative procedures involved in budgetary allocation to programs. Decisions related to budget request and planning for appropriations occur at the college level with faculty input as well as that of department chairs and PDs. Funds are based on a combination of FTE figures and individual program needs. Before the end of each academic year, DPH establishes a proposed budget for the ensuing year. At this time, the DPH Chair reviews with the PDs both the base budget and any projected adjustments to take place during the year. Programs submit operating budget requests to the Chair to be incorporated into the Department budget. Proposed budgets must contain the current-year budget, expenditures to date and projected adjustments, and prioritized new budgetary additions. It is the responsibility of the chair to present the unit's proposed budget to higher administrative levels and to report to the faculty the disposition of the unit's proposal. The College budget is submitted to the VPAA who ultimately makes budget requests to the President for state dollars. College budget forms are provided by the Office of Academic Affairs and include a request for the following information: 1) amounts and justifications for positions and 2) amounts and justifications for expenses to include categories such as materials and supplies, operating expenses, travel, printing, licenses, furniture and equipment, audiovisual technology, and library resources. Resources to fund University-wide operations are classified into the following principal areas referred to as budget entities. These entities are further divided into sub-groups or trust funds as follows: [1] Education & General (E&G) consists of the General Revenue Trust Fund (primarily Florida's Sales Tax), Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (receipts from Lottery sales), and Incidental/Student Fees Trust Fund (primarily student tuition and fees). [2] Auxiliary Enterprises are self-supporting activities such as University housing, food service, bookstore, parking services, printing and duplicating, continuing education, telephone and telecommunications, etc. [3] Contract & Grants (C&G) consists of Grants and Donations Trust Fund and Sponsored Research Trust Fund. Resources in these funds come from federal, state, local government, and other private sources to conduct research projects and to provide specific services. [4] Local Funds Budget Entities consist of Student Activities (primarily student activity and service fees), Intercollegiate Athletics (primarily student athletic fees and ticket sales), Concession (vending machines revenue used to fund activities that directly benefit the University) and Financial Aid Page 34

36 (resources used for scholarships, grants and other student financial aid expenditures). [5] Nonoperating funds are dedicated to facilities planning, construction of buildings, equipment and repair, and renovations of campus facilities. The two primary sources of capital improvement funding are (a) the Capital Improvement Trust Fund (CITF) generated from building and capital improvement fees paid by students, and (b) the Public Education Capital Outlay Trust Fund (PECO) generated from the 2.5% levy on the gross receipts of electric, gas and telecommunications utilities. The Dean is responsible for overall fiscal management working with the Associate Dean, Department Chairs and PDs. The DPH Chair is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the department budget and other accounts (endowments and gifts). Individual faculty members are responsible for day-to-day management of their contracts and grants in conjunction with the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects. Travel/ Professional Development funds are allotted separately from the general budgeting process and are given to BCH as an amount calculated on a specified dollar amount per tenured/tenure-earning faculty member. Funds allocated to the individual Colleges are disbursed in accordance with detailed department budgets. b. A clearly formulated program budget statement, showing sources of all available funds and expenditures by major categories, since the last accreditation visit or for the last five years, whichever is longer. If the program does not have a separate budget, it must present an estimate of available funds and expenditures by major category and explain the basis of the estimate. Page 35

37 Table Sources of Funds and Expenditures by Major Category, to Source of Funds Cost per Credit Hour (1) $ $ $ $ $ Tuition & Fees (2) $265,186 $234,425 $176,737 $217,957 $277,760 University Funds (3) $338,633 $348,388 $366,141 $363,712 $273,985 Grants/Contracts (4) $366,488 $193,235 $255,637 $67,000 $44,166 Indirect Cost Recovery $9,330 $58,532 $52,546 $3,100 $119 Gifts (6) $2,556 $7,545 $2,856 $3,981 $3,287 Other (travel funds, 7) $9,000 $9,000 $9,000 $9,000 $7,500 Other (grad assistant, 8) $7,000 $7,000 $7,000 $7,000 $13,000 Total $998,473 $858,443 $870,286 $672,179 $621,800 Expenditures Faculty Salaries & Benefits (9) $319,310 $328,957 $346,700 $343,597 $254,775 Staff Salaries & Benefits (10) $12,657 $12,765 $12,775 $13,449 $12,544 Operations (11) $6,666 $6,666 $6,666 $6,666 $6,666 Travel (12) $9,000 $5,683 $6,083 $10,727 $9,359 Student Support (13) $7000 $7000 $7000 $7,000 $13,000 Total $354,633 $361,071 $379,224 $381,439 $296,344 Key: (1) Cost per Graduate Credit Hour (2) Tuition & Fees generated by MPH courses (Fundable credit hour x cost per credit hour); Fundable credit hours per academic year: 08-09: 945; 09-10: 737; 10-11: 479; 11-12: 514; 12-13: 575 (3) University Funds include the MPH Program budget as a % of DPH budget (=$6,666) + Faculty Salaries and Benefits for their MPH FTE + Staff salaries and benefits as a % of the total staff for the DPH; *Numbers differ slightly from annual report due to recalculation of faculty FTE (4) Grants/Contract = total direct funds from research funding (5) Indirect Cost Recovery (facilities and administrative) costs from research funding (6) Gifts: Awarded to Foundation accounts (7) Other: Travel Funds represents total amount allotted for MPH Program faculty (6 $1500 each; $1500 each) (8) Other: Graduate Research Assistant funds to support students ($7000 per Research Assistant, 1 per academic year ; $1500 per course taught by Teaching Assistant, 2 courses each ) (9) Faculty salaries and benefits combined (only FTE associated with MPH); *Numbers differ slightly from annual report due to recalculation of faculty FTE (10) Staff Salaries and benefits as a % of the total staff for the DPH Page 36

38 (11) Operations as a % of total funds for DPH (12) Travel represents travel funds awarded to MPH Program Faculty (13) Graduate Research Assistants salaries per academic year Notes: Any excess funds resulting from the difference between the total amount of available funds and the total amount of expenditures are returned to the general university account for distribution or re-distribution as deemed appropriate. However, there are two caveats to the data reflecting excess funds in Table First, the lines for tuition and fees and university funds are counting a lot of the same monies. Both amounts are correct, and reflect what is requested, but the structure of the table results in double-counting. Second, whereas the sources of funds shown in the table includes all funding sources, including grant/contracts, the expenditures summary only includes operational expenses, and not necessarily certain grant activity expenses. In short, expenditures are being under-estimated, while funds are being over-estimated; there are not excess funds available. The decrease in University Funds was due in part to not including one faculty member s salary and benefits in as she was on FMLA and not included in MPH faculty counts (see calculation description under Table ). Additionally, tuition increased over the five-year period. Grants also decreased significantly since 2008; however this has not affected the program s ability to fulfill its MGOs. c. If the program is a collaborative one sponsored by two or more universities, the budget statement must make clear the financial contributions of each sponsoring university to the overall program budget. This should be accompanied by a description of how tuition and other income is shared, including indirect cost returns for research generated by public health program faculty who may have their primary appointment elsewhere. Not applicable. Page 37

39 d. Identification of measurable objectives by which the program assesses the adequacy of its fiscal resources, along with data regarding the program s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. Table Outcome Measures for Fiscal Resource Availability Outcome Measure Target Year All faculty members will receive annual travel support 100% of 100% for conference travel. faculty At least 1 graduate research assistant will be funded each year. At least 2 graduate teaching assistants will be funded each year (starting 2012/2013). 1 1 Year % 1 Year % 1 2 Not applicable Not applicable 2 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 1.6 is met. Strengths: The MPH program has had funding to support faculty travel, necessary equipment, and one graduate research assistant each year. Additionally, the MPH program has recently been allowed to support two graduate teaching assistants during the academic year. This will continue, and hopefully grow in upcoming years allowing more MPH students the opportunity to work as graduate teaching assistants, if desired. We have also requested a second graduate research assistant; this should take place next academic year. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 38

40 Page 39

41 1.7 Faculty and Other Resources. The program shall have personnel and other resources adequate to fulfill its stated mission and goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives. a. A concise statement or chart defining the number (headcount) of primary faculty employed by the program for each of the last three years, organized by concentration. Table Headcount of Primary Faculty Core Area Year Year Year Health Promotion/Health Education (HPHE) Concentration Six full-time, tenured/tenure track faculty members serve in both the graduate MPH and undergraduate CH Programs. The number who were considered primary faculty (>.50 FTE) has varied from four to five over the past three years, depending on teaching, administration and research assignments as shown in Table In places where we report on MPH faculty, we refer to the number of full-time, tenured/tenure track faculty who contribute to the MPH Program, although not always.5 or more. For the past three years, there were 6, 5, and 6 MPH faculty although not all consistently met the.50 FTE criteria (the lower headcounts in year two are due to a faculty needing to take FMLA and another taking maternity leave). b. A table delineating the number of faculty, students and SFRs, organized by concentration, for each of the last three years (calendar years or academic years) prior to the site visit. Data must be presented in a table format (see CEPH Data Template 1.7.2) and include at least the following information: a) headcount of primary faculty, b) FTE conversion of faculty based on % time devoted to public health instruction, research and service, c) headcount of other faculty involved in the program (adjunct, part-time, secondary appointments, etc.), d) FTE conversion of other faculty based on estimate of % time commitment, e) total headcount of primary faculty plus other (non-primary) faculty, f) total FTE of primary and other (nonprimary) faculty, g) headcount of students by department or program area, h) FTE conversion of students, based on definition of full-time as nine or more credits per semester, i) student FTE divided by primary faculty FTE and j) student FTE divided by total faculty FTE, including other faculty. All programs must provide data for a), b) and i) and may provide data for c), d) and j) depending on whether the program intends to include the contributions of other faculty in its FTE calculations. Page 40

42 Table Faculty, Students and Student/Faculty Ratios in HPHE Specialization HC Primary Faculty FTE Primary Faculty HC Other Faculty FTE Other Faculty HC Total Faculty FTE Total Faculty HC Students FTE Students SFR by Primary Faculty FTE SFR by Total Faculty FTE * *Estimate for year based on fall 2013 data. Key & Notes: Explanation of UNF MPH method for calculating numbers in Table HC = Head Count; FTE= Full Time Equivalent; UNF s typical faculty load (1.0) for fall and spring is 3 3- credit courses/semester; 6 3-credit courses/year (each course=.25 FTE/semester or.125 FTE/year),.20 FTE for research, and.05 FTE for service; Primary Faculty= Full-time faculty who contribute (teaching, research, service) at least.5 FTE to the MPH Program during the fall/spring academic year. Other Faculty = All others who contribute to MPH teaching, secondary faculty and adjuncts; Total = Primary + Other; HC Students = Head count as of the fall of each year for all MPH students, obtained from UNF Institutional Research; FTE Student = Derived from the head count by the following formula: full-time students = 1.0 FTE and parttime students = 0.33 FTE (either 1 or 2 courses per semester); SFR = Student/Faculty Ratio. c. A concise statement or chart concerning the headcount and FTE of non-faculty, non-student personnel (administration and staff) who support the program. Table Department Staff Support DPH Staff Headcount FTE Effort for MPH Program Administrative/Secretarial Staff [email protected] FTE; [email protected] FTE 0.25 BCH Staff Advising Office [email protected] FTE each 0.31 Dean s Office [email protected] FTE; [email protected] FTE 0.35 Computer Support Staff [email protected] FTE 0.06 Department Staff Support: There are two secretaries assigned to the department who assist the five programs and DPH chair. They assist with various programmatic tasks and facilitate faculty activities related to instruction. They are responsible for helping the PDs and faculty with various support tasks such as submitting schedules and book orders, duplication services, processing travel authorizations and reimbursements, and receiving and relaying telephone inquiries. Page 41

43 BCH Advising Office: They prepare and maintain individual graduate student files, handle referrals for student admissions, and perform degree audits for graduations among other functions. These staff members assist all 16 programs in the BCH. Dean s Office/ College Support: The BCH s development officer is responsible for working on the College s fundraising goals and works with faculty to secure funds for student scholarships and other initiatives supporting the programs. The Dean s Office has support personnel that occasionally assist College faculty with specific administrative, fiscal and personnel matters. These staff members assist all 16 BCH programs and the Dean and Associate Dean. BCH Computer Support: BCH has one computer technologist to assist all BCH faculty and staff. A few student assistants are assigned to the DPH computer laboratory, which is used by MPH students. d. Description of the space available to the program for various purposes (offices, classrooms, common space for student use, etc.), by location. Class Room Space: Rooms for all classes at UNF are assigned by the University Scheduler in Enrollment Services. Most MPH classes meet in the BCH building (#39), where program faculty offices and other program space are located. However, some classes are scheduled in other buildings, for example building 39A, adjacent to the BCH. Most classrooms will accommodate up to 40 students. Smaller classes are sometimes scheduled in smaller meeting rooms if desired and available (e.g., the student study-lounge on the fourth floor of building 39). All classrooms are equipped with computers, digital projectors, and other standard equipment utilized in modern classrooms. Adequate and appropriate classroom space has always been available for the MPH Program. Offices (39/3 rd and 4 th Floor): The program utilizes six offices for MPH faculty. There are two shared offices for use by adjuncts (39/4041, 4037). The program secretarial office (39/4033) is connected to the Department Chair office (4034). All offices are equipped with the appropriate furniture and computer/printer connected to UNF servers and loaded with necessary software. DPH Faculty/Staff Conference Space: The DPH has a conference room (39/4032) connected to the secretary s office and equipped with a conference table and chairs, sofa, storage and computer screen and computer. There is also a break room (39/4046) with refrigerator, sink, microwave, coffee maker and table/chairs. The work space (39/4045, 4048) has faculty mail boxes, printer and copiers (color and black/white). Environmental Epidemiology Research Lab (39/3002): See description in 1.7.e. Public Health Storage (39/4035, 4047, 4043, 4021, 4022, 4023): The DPH also has ample room for general storage and items which need to be kept in locked/secure locations. Page 42

44 Public Health Student Lab (39/4024): This office space is equipped with computers and desks, a conference table with chairs, lockable storage closet and computer/overhead projector/screen. It is utilized by undergraduate and graduate students working on research projects with faculty, and as office space to the program student teaching assistants and graduate research assistants. It is also available to student ESG members. BCH Computer Lab (39/3064): Students have access to these computers that have various word and data processing programs. The computer lab can be reserved for computer or webbased instruction. The lab has routine software plus specific software such as SPSS, EPI INFO (a program from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that has tutorials for disease outbreak investigation; and tools for questionnaire development, mapping, and some statistical analyses), nutrition specific software, and Reading the Medical Record software among others. It is equipped with 26 computers linked to the UNF server and to printers. DPH Student Lounge (39/4042): This space has tables, chairs and a sofa. It is used as a student lounge, classroom and DPH/program events (e.g., adjunct luncheon, DPH meetings, graduation celebrations, MPH Meet and Greet, etc.). It is equipped with a computer screen and a portable computer/projector can be brought in if needed. e. A concise description of the laboratory space and description of the kind, quantity and special features or special equipment. Drs. Clark and Battie share laboratory research space in the BCH building including a 450 sq. ft. lab for microbiology and molecular research, and an adjacent, but separate 380 sq. ft. lab for bacterial culture, and other applications. Other dedicated research areas include a 65 sq. ft. cell culture clean room. This lab contains state of the art equipment for microbiological and molecular biological experiments, including BSL-Class II safety hoods, tissue/cell culture incubators, multiple centrifuges, PCR thermal cyclers including a real-time gradient cycler, PCR cabinets, and electrophoresis apparatus. Applications supported by the lab include bacterial culture, DNA extraction, amplification, and analysis, antibody testing, and DNA and protein electrophoresis. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty in their laboratory research activities. f. A concise statement concerning the amount, location and types of computer facilities and resources for students, faculty, administration and staff. Information Technology Services (ITS) ( ITS supports the academic and administrative activities of UNF by providing customer focused, effective, and innovative information technology services to the campus community. ITS, located in Hicks Hall, Building 53, Suite 2500, provides computer, networking, information systems, and telecommunication services and offers students and faculty technical assistance in the use of Page 43

45 computing and telecommunication equipment and systems, local and long distance services, and cable services. ITS manages and supports , web, and file storage systems for students, faculty, and staff. OspreyNet is a high speed internet and service for students living in the Residence Halls. The ITS Support Center provides students, faculty, and staff with a centralized point of contact for all supported products and services and provides faculty with service and support of University classroom technology. These services are accessible in a variety of ways: walk-up (15/2106), ([email protected]), and phone (620-HELP or ). There are computer classrooms throughout campus managed by ITS. The main General Purpose Computer Lab is located on the second floor of the John E. Mathews Computer Building (15/2102), has 120 computers, and is open extended hours, 7 days a week. The Computer Center is accessible to faculty and students. The library also has 328 computers for student use, as well as laptops for checkout by students. Center for Instruction and Research Technology (CIRT) ( CIRT provides faculty assistance with the development of computer-based instructional materials. All faculty members are encouraged to use the Bb platform for course support. This platform is used for both distance learning (DL) and face-to-face courses. Moreover, the program uses Bb as a way to communicate with its students. Important information about the program, updates and announcements are ed through/posted on this site along with employment, volunteer and other opportunities. Department of Public Health: MPH students have access to the BCH computer laboratory computers that have various word and data processing programs. See description in 1.7.d. A faculty workroom is equipped with a range of equipment (e.g., copiers, scanners, etc.) designed to facilitate instruction. The BCH building is wireless so that students, staff, and faculty can access the internet from any location within the building. Each faculty member has up-to-date computers, connected to the UNF server with basic programs. Additionally, the University has limited site licenses for a wide-variety of software programs. Laptops can be checked out from BCH or CIRT. g. A concise description of library/information resources available for program use, including a description of library capacity to provide digital (electronic) content, access mechanisms, training opportunities and document-delivery services. The University s Thomas Glenn Carpenter library ( is a four story, 199,000 square feet space. It has a seating capacity of 2,000 with 37 carrels, 18 group study rooms and 328 computer workstations available for student use. The entire building is wireless. The holdings are comprised of 864,706 volumes, 23,942 audio (CD/LP) units, 11,321 video (Cassettes, Discs), Page 44

46 37,128 electronic journals, 781 print journals, 58,497 electronic books purchased, 71,000 electronic books leased, 12,008 maps, and 1.5 million microform units. There are 20 library faculty and 24.5 library support staff. Renovations on this building were completed in late Extensive online resources are available to students, faculty and staff. This includes popular guides, library basics, citation guides and research guides. Additionally, an online resource entitled UNF Library - Ask a Question! is available. Interlibrary loan services are offered to current UNF students, faculty, and staff; most are delivered free of charge and quickly through as PDF files. Reference librarians are available for consultation Monday-Thursday from 9 am 9 pm, Friday from 9 am 5 pm, Saturday from 9 am 6 pm and Sundays from 1 9 pm. Electronic resources include library catalogs, research databases and citation searches, article and citation linker, E-journals (e.g., science direct) that are available to students both on and off campus. (See Resource File for a list of databases or and x for a list of journals.) Additionally a reference manager (Refworks ) is available at no cost for students, faculty and staff. The UNF Library offers many opportunities to faculty and students to learn more about the library and its resources. Faculty can schedule In-Library Orientations tailored to their class needs. These sessions may include an overview of the library website, library catalog and subject database searching techniques, Interlibrary Loan services, and an overview of RefWorks. Library staff will tailor the session for the type of research students are doing, including help with specific research topics and projects. Individual research assistance appointments for faculty and students are also available upon request. The library offers Open Tours of the library facilities and services in the first few weeks of each semester, and occasional Workshops to introduce and orient users to new library resources. Lastly, the library offers new faculty personal orientations to the library upon request. h. A concise statement of any other resources not mentioned above, if applicable. One Stop Student Services Center ( This Center provides a single point of communication for issues ranging from admissions, academic records, registration, financial aid, and veteran's affairs. Staffed by cross-trained professionals, the One Stop is located in Hicks Hall, Building 53, Suite My Wings is a portal to the banner system with centralized records including instructor information such as class lists and grade input, employee information, and financial information and transactions. This portal provides a secure connection for student, faculty and staff to access personal information while providing the flexibility to customize it to meet individual needs. Office of Institutional Research ( This office provides official data administration for UNF ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and consistency of all official data files and reports submitted to state, federal, and regional agencies. Page 45

47 A campus map is included in the Resource File. i. Identification of measurable objectives through which the program assesses the adequacy of its resources, along with data regarding the program s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. See CEPH Outcome Measures Template. 1. Each concentration in the MPH program will consistently have a minimum of three faculty who have 50% of their time dedicated to the program. 2. The MPH student to faculty ratio will be equal to or less than 10:1 each academic year. 3. At least a one half-time (.5) staff support person will be solely dedicated to the MPH program each academic year. 4. The MPH PD will receive a minimum of 25% assigned time for program coordination. Table Outcome Measures for Fiscal Resources to Support the MPH Program Outcome Measure Target Year Minimum faculty At least 3 per 5 Faculty per concentration concentration Year Faculty Year Faculty 2. Student to Primary Equal to or less than Faculty Ratio (SFR) 10:1 3. Support Staff At least 1 half-time person 4. Assigned time for PD role At least 25% time full time person for 6 programs. Not 1 course release per semester full & a ½ time person for 6 programs Not 1 course release per semester 11.6 Not 1 full & a ½ time person for 6 programs Not 1.5 course release per semester Key: FTE= Full Time Equivalent; UNF s typical faculty load (1.0) for fall and spring is 3 3-credit courses/semester; 6 3-credit courses/year (each course=.25 FTE/semester or.125 FTE/year),.20 FTE for research, and.05 FTE for service; Primary Faculty= Full-time faculty who contribute (teaching, research, service) at least.5 FTE to the MPH Program during the fall/spring academic year. FTE Student = Derived from the head count by the following formula: full-time students = 1.0 FTE and part-time students = 0.33 FTE (either 1 or 2 courses per semester); SFR = Student/Faculty Ratio based on FTE Students divided by FTE Primary Faculty. j. 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 1.7 is met with commentary. Strengths: The program has adequate office, classroom, meeting, student and laboratory space, computer facilities, and library resources. Almost all of the MPH Program courses are taught by full-time, tenure-track faculty. Page 46

48 Weaknesses and Plans: Although faculty have been able to cover the required MPH courses, having two faculty on retirement plans has impacted the program. Once these two lines are searched and filled, the MPH Program will be in a much better position by having two additional primary faculty. The program has responded to the limited faculty resources by prioritizing faculty teaching responsibilities in the MPH Program. Efforts have focused on ensuring that most faculty teach at least two MPH courses each year (thereby ensuring they meet the qualifications for Primary Faculty at 0.5 FTE to the MPH Program when their research and service are also included). This prioritization has resulted in a much higher than desirable proportion of the undergraduate program courses being taught by adjuncts. The program is currently searching to replace one of the retiring faculty lines with a start date of fall There are plans to search the other line in fall 2014 with a start date of fall The MPH program has not consistently had enough support staff to assist with necessary administrative duties. The Program PDs and faculty have continuously lobbied for additional faculty and staff, including presenting data and needs to the DPH Chair, the BCH Dean and the UNF Provost. As a result of these efforts the program secured a new line on which a faculty started this fall (2013); however, the program still has fewer MPH faculty than it did at the time of last accreditation due to retirements and losing lines to budget cuts and other programs. Page 47

49 1.8 Diversity. The program shall demonstrate a commitment to diversity and shall evidence an ongoing practice of cultural competence in learning, research and service practices. a. A written plan and/or policies demonstrating systematic incorporation of diversity within the program. Required elements include the following: i. Description of the program s under-represented populations, including a rationale for the designation. In 2012/2013, the MPH Program had 76% female students and 24% male students. There are also five female faculty and one male faculty in the program. Males are underrepresented among both the students and faculty. More female students have traditionally applied to the UNF MPH program, and more females have traditionally applied to faculty positions in the MPH program. In addition, approximately 21% of students in the program during 2012/2013 selfdescribed as non-white, while the majority, 79% self-described as White. Among faculty, five identify as White and one as Black. Other ethnic groups (e.g., minority groups) are underrepresented among both the students and faculty. More White students have traditionally applied to the UNF MPH program, and significantly more Whites have applied to faculty positions in the MPH program. These trends mirror those in the BCH (Fall 2012 students = 72% female; 76% White), and the University as a whole (Fall 2012 students = 62% female; 72% White). ii. A list of goals for achieving diversity and cultural competence within the program, and a description of how diversity-related goals are consistent with the university s mission, strategic plan and other initiatives on diversity, as applicable. The MPH faculty are committed to achieving diversity and cultural competence within the program. Four diversity goals have been developed by the MPH faculty. These goals are consistent with UNF s commitment to diversity as demonstrated through the University mission, vision, goals, strategies and values; the UNF Office of EOD s mission and policies; UNF s commitment to community-based learning, and the BCH goals and values. The MPH Diversity goals are: 1. At least 25% of new student admits to the MPH program each fall will identify as minority (other than White, non-hispanic White). 2. At least 30% of new student admits to the MPH program each fall will be male. 3. The UNF MPH faculty will consist of at least 25% male. 4. The staff serving the MPH Program will be comprised of at least 10% minority (other than white, non-hispanic). Page 48

50 University of North Florida Strategic Plan ( Mission Statement The University of North Florida fosters the intellectual and cultural growth and civic awareness of its students, preparing them to make significant contributions to their communities in the region and beyond. At UNF, students and faculty engage together and individually in the discovery and application of knowledge. UNF faculty and staff maintain an unreserved commitment to student success within a diverse, supportive campus culture. Vision Statement The University of North Florida aspires to be a preeminent public institution of higher learning that will serve the North Florida region at a level of national quality. The institution of choice for a diverse and talented student body, UNF will provide distinctive programs in the arts and sciences and professional fields. UNF faculty will excel in teaching and scholarship, sharing with students their passion for discovery. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors will enjoy a campus noteworthy for its communal spirit, cultural richness, and environmental beauty. Goals Goal 2: Recruit and support a diverse community of students, faculty, and staff Strategies Increase the diversity of faculty, staff, and students to reflect or exceed the diversity within appropriate recruitment populations. Create and implement strategies to foster retention of students, faculty, and staff from underrepresented populations. Provide opportunities for intercultural and educational experiences that improve the climate for less represented groups, and ultimately prepare all members of the UNF community to be global citizens of our diverse world. University Values the pursuit of truth and knowledge carried out in the spirit of intellectual and artistic freedom; ethical conduct; community engagement; diversity; responsibility to the natural environment; and mutual respect and civility. University of North Florida Resources: UNF also provides numerous resources to help colleges, departments, programs and faculty achieve their goals related to diversity and cultural competence. These include: Disability Resource Center Page 49

51 Office of ADA Compliance Office of Human Resources The Center for Professional Development and Training The Intercultural Center for P.E.A.C.E. The Women's Center Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (EOD) ( EOD is committed to fostering non-discrimination and non-harassment in the workplace and the educational environment by ensuring compliance with all federal and state laws, local ordinances, and agency requirements that are related to equity and compliance for universities. EOD provides leadership and support toward developing a comprehensive and institution-wide approach to achieving and sustaining a diverse and pluralistic community of students, faculty and staff. Community Engagement ( Wide_CBTL_Learning_Outcomes.aspx): UNF is awarded the Carnegie Foundation "Community Engagement" designation. UNF is committed to fostering the intellectual and cultural growth and civic awareness of our students, preparing them to make significant contributions to their communities in the region and beyond. The Public Health Program is designated as a Community Engaged Department. Integral to this designation is the achievement of learning outcomes; one of the five university-wide community-based transformational learning outcomes for students includes Intercultural Competence: Demonstrable cognitive, affective and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts. Brooks College of Health: One of the BCH values is Diversity: We treat everyone in our diverse community with consideration, dignity and mutual respect. One of the five goals of the BCH is to: Recruit and support a diverse community of students, faculty and staff, who will contribute to and benefit from the College s mission. iii. Policies that support a climate free of harassment and discrimination and that value the contributions of all forms of diversity; the program should also document its commitment to maintaining/using these policies. UNF Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Statement ( Discrimination,_Equal_Opportunity_and_Diversity_Statement.aspx): UNF is equally committed to ensuring that educational and employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, admission, hiring, compensation and promotion, are based on the qualifications, skills and abilities of those desiring to work, study, and participate in our community. Page 50

52 To accomplish this intent, UNF shall not commit or permit discrimination or harassment on the basis of genetic information, race, color, religion, age, sex, disability, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin or veteran status in any educational, employment, social or recreational program or activity it offers. Similarly, UNF will not commit or permit retaliation against an individual who complains of discrimination or harassment or an individual who cooperates in an investigation of an alleged violation of University Regulation. In exercising these standards, the University will not abridge either free speech or academic freedom based on its context. The UNF President has delegated to the Office of EOD the authority and responsibility to receive, investigate, and, where appropriate, attempt to conciliate complaints, or investigate situations or conduct alleged to be in violation of the University s Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Regulation and Sexual Misconduct Regulation. Accordingly, any member of the UNF community who believes that they have been subjected to discrimination, discriminatory harassment, retaliation, or sexual misconduct may seek guidance, counseling and/or file a complaint. The MPH program supports and is committed to following these University regulations and policies. Program commitment to diversity is communicated in both the new MPH Student Orientation and the MPH Student Handbook (See Resource File for both documents). iv. Policies that support a climate for working and learning in a diverse setting. Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Regulation ( The purpose of this regulation is to set forth the university s expectations by fostering and maintaining an environment of inclusiveness and equity for all who interact in our university community; and to reinforce the university s commitment to diversity in the recruitment, selection and retention of students, faculty and staff; and to provide procedures to file a complaint alleging discrimination, retaliation, discriminatory harassment. Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Statement ( Discrimination,_Equal_Opportunity_and_Diversity_Statement.aspx): UNF is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In building this environment, we strive to attract students, faculty and staff from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences. In furtherance of the university s diversity initiatives and focus toward inclusiveness, it is expected that all in the university community will appreciate and respect the dignity, individuality, and the uniqueness of our individual community members. It is also expected that we will maintain an environment conducive to the pursuit of educational, scholarly, and career interests, where both the distinctiveness of each person s experience and the common humanity that unites us all will be recognized. This Page 51

53 will allow us to take full educational advantage of the variety of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives of those who study and work at the university. v. Policies and plans to develop, review and maintain curricula and other opportunities including service learning that address and build competency in diversity and cultural considerations. The MPH Program maintains a broad range of internship and field experience sites to provide students with opportunities to build cultural competency while working in diverse settings. Examples of current internship sites that offer such experiences include: regional county health departments, YMCAs, homeless shelters, non-profit health agencies, and hospitals that provide indigent care. These sites often provide services for populations disproportionately affected by various health issues, often due to factors such as socioeconomic status or race/ethnicity. Furthermore, these experiential learning opportunities allow students to enhance their knowledge and skills in developing culturally sensitive health promotion programming. Faculty most recently reviewed required MPH courses and objectives at the fall 2013 retreat to identify to what extent diversity was being addressed. Many MPH courses require completion of projects in conjunction with community-based public health agencies or existing public health data bases; such community collaborations warrant culturally sensitive approaches. A number of the required MPH courses have modules that specifically address cultural competency and these will continue to be included. (See Resource File for HSC 6585 and 6587 course syllabi.) Finally, faculty plan to add an annual standing item to the faculty retreat and Student and Public Health Advisory Board agendas to review syllabi to identify where cultural competency is being included. Approaches to enhance exposure to diversity through classes and other opportunities to ensure all students have exposure to public health needs in different cultural environments will be also discussed. vi. Policies and plans to recruit, develop, promote and retain a diverse faculty. The UNF MPH Program is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty. When faculty positions become available, EOD recruitment plans and policies are closely followed by the search committee and hiring official. EOD is involved in the search process at the following points: 1) after the recruitment request is created, it is sent to EOD for approval; 2) EOD guidelines for search committees are followed - must include 5 members and a diverse representation; 3) the search committee must meet with an EOD representative for training on equal employment related information; 4) at the close of the application review date, EOD reviews and approves the applicant pool; 5) once candidates have been selected for the interview pool, EOD must review and approve the pool. Page 52

54 Specific guidelines to recruit and retain a diverse faculty include: Policies & Regulations: Full and Part-Time Faculty Recruitment and Appointment ( AcademicAffairs/Faculty/2_0310P.aspx): Four main objectives central to the University s Administrative (A&P) recruitment and appointment policy: Two of four main objectives focus on diversity: to recruit and appoint the best qualified persons in a nondiscriminatory manner with respect to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, veteran s status, sexual orientation, and/or disability; to ensure diversity in areas where underutilization of women and minorities is found. General Recruitment Requirements: EOD policies require among other things, that the hiring official documents the diversity initiatives utilized in all stages of the hiring process including the selection and appointment of search committee members. Appointing a Search Committee: Along with the chair, the committee members are usually appointed by the hiring official. A good faith effort should be made to appoint women and underrepresented group members to a search committee. Committees should include a minimum of five (5) individuals with an academic background, discipline, and/or level of expertise pertinent to the field. If the unit conducting the search cannot identify a diverse pool of candidates to serve on the committee, it should look externally to the campus for individuals with the expertise and time to serve. Policies & Regulations: Diversity Statement ( Objective & Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to reinforce the University s commitment to diversity in the recruitment, selection and retention of faculty and staff and further to create an environment of inclusiveness for all who interact in our community. Statement of Policy: The University community consists of students, faculty and staff from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences that are devoted to learning in a climate that is inclusive for all who interact here. The University is committed to attracting students of diverse backgrounds and experiences and is similarly committed to recruit, hire and retain employees who bring a diversity of viewpoints, cultures and a broad range of human experiences to the University. Such efforts enrich the quality and texture of our community and provide an environment where individuals and groups learn with and from each other. Legal Reminders and Recommendations: ( Consistent with UNF's EOD Policy and Affirmative Action Plan, the employment process must be administered in a manner designed to meet the following specific objectives: To recruit, hire, train and promote the best qualified persons in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, veteran status, and/or disability. Page 53

55 To make decisions at all stages of the employment process that will further the University s commitment to equal employment opportunity and diversity. To ensure that the criteria utilized for all employment decisions, e.g., hires, promotions, transfers, training, compensation and other employment benefits, are job related. To vigorously apply the principles of affirmative action to correct problems and ensure equal opportunity in areas where underrepresentation of women and minorities is found. As well as following the policies and procedures described above, the program advertises positions in a variety of avenues (both online and in print) to reach as many potential candidates as possible, including the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Chronicle of Higher Education, etc. The most recent faculty search position also included a preference for someone with a research focus on health disparities. The fall 2014 search will also include a preference for faculty with expertise in underserved populations/health disparities or diversity/cultural competence. In addition to the policies described in 1.8.a.ii that seek to create a supportive environment, the University supports various groups and resource centers on campus to help retain a diverse faculty. Examples include a number of clubs (e.g., American Sign Language, Asian Students in Alliance, Chinese Culture Club, Jewish Student Union, and the International Student Association), campus-wide organizations (e.g., African American Faculty and Staff Association, Indian Culture Association, InterFaith Center, and UNF Hispanic Council), and resource centers (e.g., Disability Resource Center, LGBT Resource Center, Office of ADA Compliance, Intercultural Center for PEACE, Women s Center) that support diversity. vii. Policies and plans to recruit, develop, promote and retain a diverse staff. The UNF MPH Program and DPH are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse staff. When staff positions become available, EOD recruitment plans and policies are closely followed by the hiring official. The objectives for recruitment and appointment, general recruitment polices, diversity statement, and legal reminders described in 1.8.a.vi above guide searches for staff as well. Hiring guidelines also specify that: The hiring official should seek guidance from Human Resources for assistance in ensuring a diverse pool of applicants is recruited and that interviewees are exposed to diverse segments of the University and that advertisements should include: UNF is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Institution. Search committees are not required for hiring staff positions. In addition to the policies described in 1.8.a.iii that seek to create a supportive environment, the University supports various groups and resource centers on campus to help retain a diverse staff. See 1.8.a.vi above for specific examples. Page 54

56 viii. Policies and plans to recruit, admit, retain and graduate a diverse student body. Policies & Regulations: Non-Discrimination, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Regulation ( Objective & Purpose: The purpose of this regulation is to set forth the university s expectations by fostering and maintaining an environment of inclusiveness and equity for all who interact in our university community; and to reinforce the university s commitment to diversity in the recruitment, selection and retention of students, faculty and staff; Statement of Regulation: The University of North Florida is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In building this environment, we strive to attract students, faculty and staff from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences. In furtherance of the university s diversity initiatives and focus toward inclusiveness, it is expected that all in the university community will appreciate and respect the dignity, individuality, and the uniqueness of our individual community members. It is also expected that we will maintain an environment conducive to the pursuit of educational, scholarly, and career interests, where both the distinctiveness of each person s experience and the common humanity that unites us all will be recognized. This will allow us to take full educational advantage of the variety of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives of those who study and work at the university. The university is equally committed to ensuring that educational and employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, admission, hiring, compensation and promotion, are based on the qualifications, skills and abilities of those desiring to work, study and participate in our university community. To accomplish the intent of this regulation, the university shall not commit or permit discrimination or discriminatory harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex (inclusive of Title IX), disability, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin or veteran status in any educational, employment, social or recreational program or activity offered by the university. Similarly, the university will not commit or permit retaliation against an individual who complains of discrimination or harassment or an individual who cooperates in an investigation of an alleged violation of this regulation. The university understands that only by eliminating discrimination, discriminatory harassment and retaliation can we ensure that all community members, especially our students, have the opportunity to work and achieve excellence. Accordingly, the university expects that all community members including students, faculty, staff, vendors, contractors, visitors or others who interact at the university will observe and comply with these equal opportunity and diversity principles. Page 55

57 UNF Commission on Diversity and Inclusion ( Their mission is to advise the University of North Florida President on diversity, inclusion and racial equality pertaining, but not limited, to: 1. strategies, policies, and praxis for new, revised, and modified initiatives in support of our vision; 2. recruitment, retention and/or admission of faculty, staff and students of color as outlined in the University s strategic plan; 3. inequities based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status and other group categories designated by law, ordinance and university policy; and 4. communication and awareness across campus constituencies (faculty, staff, students, and the many publics). In fulfilling this mission, the Commission proactively engages the UNF community to embrace and accept diversity and inclusion as an institutional core value. The Commission cultivates a shared commitment to diverse and inclusive perspectives and a culturally competent and inclusive University environment that values and respects the human differences, dignity, and well-being of every community member students, faculty, employees, visitors, customers, research partners, and vendors. MPH Program: The UNF MPH Program is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse student body. In addition to following the above policies and regulations, the MPH Program specifically recruits potential MPH students from Universities with predominantly minority students such as FAMU and Edward Waters College. Students are sent s from the PD encouraging them to consider the UNF MPH program. Recruitment s are also sent to regional health agencies that employ diverse staff. The program also recently modified its admission criteria to promote accepting a more diverse student body. Rather than emphasizing only GRE and GPA, a letter of intent, resume and recommendation letters are also required. For students who did not do well on one of the objective measures, more consideration was given to their public health experience and commitment to earning an MPH. A number of trial students have also been admitted. Once admitted to the program, all students receive advising, are communicated with regularly through Bb MPH group s, are encouraged to participate in a variety of volunteer opportunities, and are encouraged to become involved on campus. Collectively, these efforts strive to keep students engaged and provide a sense of community and belonging while in the program. If a student is struggling in a particular course or just in general, faculty are committed to reaching out to the student to help address issues early on to ensure that they have the opportunity to be successful. Finally, students are made aware of campus resources to support diverse populations through the MPH Orientation, MPH Student Handbook and MPH Bb s. Examples of these include the UNF International Center ( the Disability Resource Center, the Intercultural Center for P.E.A.C.E. and the Women's Center. Student organizations include clubs for specific ethnicities, religions, political affiliations, disabilities, sexual orientation and parents. Page 56

58 ix. Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the above-listed measures. The program collects data to assess the achievement of the diversity objectives delineated in 1.8.a.ii. These objectives align with Program plans to increase the diversity of MPH faculty, staff and students. The faculty members discuss the results of these recruitment efforts at faculty meetings to determine success and additional strategies if necessary. For example, the faculty search process and student admissions were discussed at program meetings regularly this past spring semester as both processes were underway. As noted above, going forward, course syllabi will be reviewed annually at the program faculty retreat to monitor and ensure that diversity is being addressed in a thoughtful manner throughout the program. As with other objective data, the program also plans to review all diversity plan objective results at the annual faculty retreat. b. Evidence that shows that the plan or policies are being implemented. Examples may include mission/goals/objectives that reference diversity or cultural competence, syllabi and other course materials, lists of student experiences demonstrating diverse settings, records and statistics on faculty, staff and student recruitment, admission and retention. Diversity and cultural competence are central to the MGOs of the UNF MPH Program. Along with a commitment to diversity included in the program mission statement, this is evidenced through the newly adopted program objectives: Teaching: At least 50% of required MPH courses will include information on the appreciation of diversity relevant to course content; Research: At least 25% of faculty will address the impact of diversity within at least one research project per year; Service: At least one MPH faculty member will participate with a public health agency that addresses underrepresented populations.; and BCH/Program Values: Mutual Respect: We treat each individual in our diverse community with consideration and dignity. Commitment to diversity and cultural competence is also evident throughout the program curriculum. For example, HSC 6603: Theory of Health Behavior is a core course and focuses on the social and behavioral core of public health. HSC 6603 has six modules and the first and fourth include a focus on diversity. The description of module one from the syllabus states, This module is focused on the social and behavioral core of public health. You will explore the field and study of health education and promotion within the broader context of public health. This course is the first of four MPH courses in health education and health promotion. This course, and especially this module, lays an important foundation for these subsequent courses. You will study the foundations of the field such as professional opportunities and credentialing, basic theory and assumptions, scope of health issues, and social determinants of health and health disparities. Page 57

59 One assignment s purpose is: Eliminating health disparities, or differences in health status of an individual based on sociodemographic factors, has been a centerpiece of public health for over a decade. Here, you will demonstrate systemic relationships among social determinants (or causes) of health and health outcomes and disparities. You will illustrate these relationships visually. You will also locate and evaluate current public health disparities initiatives. Peer interaction and discussion will be central this assignment. Note: This assignment will serve as a general introduction to health disparities and social determinants of health. Module 4 will further explore health disparities. (Quiz 4 will address health disparities). Module 4 also includes a focus on diversity, cultural diversity, and health disparities. The description of this module states: Health behavior theories are an important component of evidence-based practice. Without health behavior theories, the practice of promoting health is random and unstructured and likely unsuccessful. Learning the components of the theories is an important first step in evidence-based effective practice, but ultimately one needs to understand how to apply theories to practice. This is an important focus of this course. This module will focus on application examples in public health. One of the required related resources is CDC s Tuskegee Study (timeline, research implications, photographs). Another example is a module on Eliminating Health Disparities in the HSC 6587 course. (See Resource File for both syllabi and sample PPT.) As described in 1.8.a.v. Internship and field experience sites that offer opportunities to build competency in diversity and cultural considerations include: regional county health departments, YMCAs, homeless shelters, non-profit health agencies, and hospitals that provide indigent care. These sites often provide services for populations disproportionately affected by various health issues often due to factors such as socioeconomic status or race/ethnicity. Additionally, many MPH courses require completion of projects in conjunction with communitybased public health agencies or existing public health data bases; by the nature of public health, many of these projects require the use of culturally sensitive approaches. For example, the PHC 6050 Biostats course discusses methods to measure health prevalence/incidence/risk estimates and determine differences between groups, which include geographic, age, income, race/ethnic, and gender groups. HSC 6735 Research hods discusses how to conduct literature reviews and analyze data to draw conclusions about various populations, including geographic, age, income, race/ethnic, and gender differences/disparities. In both classes, health disparities between populations by person, place, and time form the foundation for teaching. Finally, program faculty applied to conduct a study abroad course in Thailand with funding through the Center for Community Engaged Learning to promote student Transformational Learning Opportunities. The application was not funded, but other faculty members are planning to apply for another study abroad opportunity. To recruit a more diverse student body, recruitment s were sent to historically Black colleges (HBC) and other venues with diverse audiences. The admissions criteria were also revised to promote accepting a more diverse student body who would not have been admitted Page 58

60 on traditional criteria. Preliminary numbers for the fall MPH cohort show an increase in both race/ethnic diversity and gender diversity over past years. Finally, the most recent faculty search took a number of steps to recruit a diverse faculty member. These included: advertising in a wide variety of venues including the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education; requiring the search committee to complete training with EOD to ensure compliance with equity policies throughout the search; and advertising a research focus on health disparities as one of the preferred qualifications. We successfully recruited an ethnic minority for the position. c. Description of how the diversity plan or policies were developed, including an explanation of the constituent groups involved. All of the UNF policies cited throughout section 1.8 have been in existence at UNF for years. Program incorporation of diversity has been ongoing, but was not put into a formalized plan with objectives until recently. Throughout the self-study process faculty reviewed existing diversity goals and policies. They also worked on identifying activities already ongoing and the rationale behind it (e.g., the basis for the diversity objectives), as well as enhancing or adding new activities to formalize the plan. Examples of ongoing activities included recruiting potential students from HBCs, modifying admit criteria to recruit a more diverse student body, advertising for faculty in minority venues and seeking faculty with a health disparities research focus, and including diversity issues throughout the MPH curriculum. The Public Health Advisory Board reviewed and made suggestions for incorporating diversity into the program mission in fall An example of a new strategy is that faculty realized program commitment to diversity was not being communicated to students. The MPH Student Orientation and MPH Handbook now include information about program commitment to diversity. Faculty also realized there was not meaningful input from public health constituents, so added that into the plan to monitor and evaluate the diversity plan, described below. The plan was finally completed at the most recent fall program retreat. In summary, the plan includes: 1) supporting UNF policies related to promoting diversity; 2) promoting UNF, BCH and MPH goals and policies related to diversity to MPH students and constituents; 3) monitoring success in achieving program objectives related to increasing diversity among MPH faculty, staff and students; 4) monitoring MPH curriculum to ensure class and other opportunities to build cultural competency among students; and 5) making necessary revisions if objectives are not reached, or to enhance the plan as needed. d. Description of how the plan or policies are monitored, how the plan is used by the program and how often the plan is reviewed. Data to assess achieving diversity objectives will be collected by the MPH PD at the end of each academic year. These results and the strategies undertaken to increase faculty, staff and student diversity will be reviewed with faculty at the summer retreat. Also at this time, a review of curriculum and opportunities to build student competency in diversity will be conducted. Discussion to enhance the diversity plan, particularly if objectives are not met, will Page 59

61 also take place and necessary revisions made. The plan and results will be presented for discussion and suggestions annually at both the MPH Student Advisory Board and Public Health Advisory Board meetings. e. Identification of measurable objectives by which the program may evaluate its success in achieving a diverse complement of faculty, staff and students, along with data regarding the performance of the program against those measures for each of the last three years. See CEPH Data Template At a minimum, the program must include four objectives, at least two of which relate to race/ethnicity. For non-us-based institutions of higher education, matters regarding the feasibility of race/ethnicity reporting will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Measurable objectives must align with the program s definition of under-represented populations in Criterion 1.8.a. Table Summary Data for Faculty, Students and/or Staff Category/Definition STUDENTS: Minority (other than White, non-hispanic) hod of Collection Self-Report Data Source Target Year Graduate School Institutional Research STUDENTS: Male Self-Report Admissions Form FACULTY: Male Self-Report Human Resources STAFF (to include advising, DPH administrative support): Minority (other than White, non-hispanic) Self-Report Departmental Data 25% 17% (3/18) Not met 30% 39% (7/18) 25% 17% (1/6) Not met 10% 20% (1/5) Year % (3/27) Not met 33% (9/27) 17% (1/6) Not met 14% (1/7) Year % (7/33) Not met 24% (8/33) Not met 20% (1/5) Not met 14% (1/7) *STUDENTS: Based upon total number of students who reported ethnicity/gender *STAFF: 2 administrative support staff, 4 student advisors Year % (18/42) 33% (14/42) Not 17% (1/6) 14% (1/7) f. 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 1.8 is met with commentary. Strengths: UNF embraces the importance of a diverse faculty, staff and student population as is indicated by the UNF strategic plan and documented policies and procedures. The MPH Program is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty, staff and student body as well. Faculty have taken steps to ensure this through compliance with University policies and procedures, and active recruitment of diverse students and faculty. Diversity plan objectives Page 60

62 and evaluation will help to monitor success in this area. Cultural competency is addressed throughout the MPH Program in classes and practice experiences. The program successfully recruited a new minority faculty member and recently significantly increased the percent of minority and male students. Weaknesses and Plans: Although the program is committed to diversity and has taken specific and deliberate steps to improve the diversity of students and staff, the formal written plan was just finalized. The program will begin an annual review of the diversity plan starting this year. Additionally, public health constituent input has not been sought meaningfully in the past. The program will begin an annual review of this plan with the Student and Public Health Advisory Boards this year. Page 61

63 2.0 Instructional Programs 2.1 Degree Offerings. The program shall offer instructional programs reflecting its stated mission and goals, leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent professional master s degree. The program may offer a generalist MPH degree and/or an MPH with areas of specialization. The program, depending on how it defines the unit of accreditation, may offer other degrees, if consistent with its mission and resources. a. An instructional matrix presenting all of the program s degree programs and areas of specialization, including bachelor s, master s and doctoral degrees, as appropriate. If multiple areas of specialization are available, these should be included. The matrix should distinguish between professional and academic degrees for all graduate degrees offered and should identify any programs that are offered in distance learning or other formats. Non-degree programs, such as certificates or continuing education, should not be included in the matrix. Table Instructional Matrix Degrees & Specializations Academic Masters Degrees Health Promotion & Health Education (HPHE) Degree Professional MPH b. The bulletin or other official publication, which describes all degree programs listed in the instructional matrix, including a list of required courses and their course descriptions. The bulletin or other official publication may be online, with appropriate links noted. UNF Graduate School: Overview of Master of Public Health (See Resource File.) Program Overview The MPH degree is the most widely recognized professional credential for leadership positions in public health. This degree is appropriate for those who wish to pursue careers in developing, planning, managing, or evaluating health promotion and disease prevention programs, or in conducting public health related research. The University of North Florida (UNF) MPH Program prepares students with a broad understanding of the core areas of public health combined with a focus on competencies specific to the HPHE concentration area. MPH graduates will be able to integrate and apply their knowledge to address public health problems, and will possess skills and competencies necessary for public health practice in a wide range of public and private institutions. Graduates are typically employed in governmental or non-profit health agencies, health care facilities, work site wellness programs or school settings. UNF Catalog: Master of Public Health Program Requirements (See Resource File.) Page 62

64 UNF Catalog: Master of Public Health Course Descriptions (See Resource File.) c. 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 2.1 is met. Strengths: The UNF Graduate School and Graduate Catalog describe the MPH program, list the required courses and provide a description of each course. This information is also available on the UNF BCH MPH website. The UNF MPH Program is a professional degree program that provides broad mastery of relevant material in the public health core areas as well as the concentration area of HPHE. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 63

65 2.2 Program Length. An MPH degree program or equivalent professional master s degree must be at least 42 semester-credit units in length. a. Definition of a credit with regard to classroom/contact hours. The University allots credit hours based on direction given by the Florida Administrative Code. Fifteen fifty-minute class periods or equivalent time of classroom instruction is equated to one college credit. All MPH courses are three credit hours (150 minutes per week for a 15 week semester). b. Information about the minimum degree requirements for all professional public health master s degree curricula shown in the instructional matrix. If the program or university uses a unit of academic credit or an academic term different from the standard semester or quarter, this difference should be explained and an equivalency presented in a table or narrative. All MPH students are required to complete 45 credit hours to earn the MPH degree at UNF. The program includes 21 core required courses covering the five core public health areas; 15 concentration required courses addressing health education and promotion (Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Educators) and the internship experience; and nine elective hours that support the MPH degree. c. Information about the number of professional public health master s degrees awarded for fewer than 42 semester credit units, or equivalent, over each of the last three years. A summary of the reasons should be included. Not applicable. There were no MPH degrees awarded with fewer than 42 credit hours. d. 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 2.2 is met. Strengths: The MPH Program conforms to commonly accepted standards regarding program length and content. The program consists of 45 semester credit hours and takes approximately two years (6 semesters) of full-time study or three years (9 semesters) of part-time study to complete. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 64

66 Page 65

67 2.3 Public Health Core Knowledge. All graduate professional public health degree students must complete sufficient coursework to attain depth and breadth in the five core areas of public health knowledge. a. Identification of the means by which the program assures that all graduate professional public health degree students have fundamental competence in the areas of knowledge basic to public health. If this means is common across the program, it need be described only once. If it varies by degree or specialty area, sufficient information must be provided to assess compliance by each. Table Required Courses Addressing Public Health Core Knowledge Areas for MPH Degree Core Knowledge Area Course Number & Title Credits Biostatistics PHC 6050: Public Health Biostatistics I HSC 6735: Health Science Research 3 3 Epidemiology HSC 6505: Epidemiology & Disease Control 3 Environmental Health Sciences HSC 6215: Environmental Health 3 Social & Behavioral Sciences HSC 6603: Theory of Health Behavior 3 Health Services Administration HSA 6114: Health Organization & Delivery PHC 6103: Essentials of Public Health 3 3 The UNF MPH Program requires the necessary depth and breadth of public health core training for graduates to have successful careers in public health. The required seven core courses comprise 21 hours of coursework in the five core areas of public health. The concentration area courses address the core area of social and behavioral sciences including competencies related to community health needs assessment, program planning, implementation, and evaluation. The program does not allow waivers of any of these classes. See required course descriptions at (See Resource File for course syllabi and course descriptions.) b. 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 2.3 is met. Strengths: The program has developed a curriculum that assures all graduates have a broad understanding of the five core areas of public health. All students are required to complete at least one course in each of the five core areas of public health. These courses were developed in agreement with and support of the program mission and objectives. The core courses address the content of the five core areas along with multiple crosscutting areas necessary to meet the program s core area competencies. Students are also required to complete courses in the HPHE specialization to help reinforce core competency material. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 66

68 Page 67

69 2.4 Practical Skills. All graduate professional public health degree students must develop skills in basic public health concepts and demonstrate the application of these concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to students areas of specialization. a. Description of the program s policies and procedures regarding practice placements, including the following: Overview: The UNF MPH practice experience takes place over two semesters. Students select a site, set up the internship project and complete 25 internship hours in the PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone course. They carry out the planned project (150 internship hours) in the PHC 6945 Public Health Internship course. The UNF MPH Program is cohort-based with all students starting in fall semester and following a sequenced course program; all courses are offered only once per year. During the last spring semester, students take the Capstone course, along with the final one or two courses (based on part-time or full-time status). During the last summer semester, students take only the Internship course. Students must complete all other required courses before being allowed to enroll in these courses so that they are academically prepared to practice the program competencies during the internship experience. (See Resource File for more information on all of the subsections in 2.4.a - PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone syllabus, PHC 6945 Public Health Internship syllabus, MPH Internship Handbook, Internship Forms.) - Selection of Sites The UNF MPH Program has affiliation agreements with approximately 80 public health related sites throughout northeast Florida. In order to help students select potential internship sites with which to interview during the PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone course, they are asked to review the MPH Internship list and gather more information via the web about sites in which they are interested. Students also submit the health topics, populations, and setting types in which they are most interested to the course instructor. This information is used to plan an internship preceptor panel presentation in class; students bring their resumes and are given time to meet with the preceptors after the panel presentation. Finally, students meet with the instructor individually (if needed) to gain more guidance on sites that may be a good fit based on internship interests and goals. Students submit to the instructor a list of at least three sites for which they would like to interview. The instructor reviews the list for appropriateness, duplication with other students, and current affiliation agreement. Most students are then given permission to set up interviews with their three chosen sites. If there are a number of students interested in the same site(s), then the instructor meets with the student for further guidance as only one intern is allowed per preceptor. If a student proposes an appropriate public health site that has not been used before, the paperwork process is initiated to have it set up as an official internship site. If the site appropriateness is not clear, more information is gathered and the site is brought to the MPH Capstone Committee for approval. Based on the committee s decision, the paperwork process is initiated or the student is asked to identify another internship option. Page 68

70 Students are prepared for the site interviews through PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone course assignments. These assignments include: attending a resume and interview workshop conducted by the UNF Career Services Center; preparing a resume, professional statement and portfolio to show case their MPH and related accomplishments; reviewing and providing written responses to a set of common interview questions and public health specific interview questions; conducting a mock job interview; conducting a job search and preparing a mock cover letter for a chosen job announcement; and receiving instructor and peer feedback on their prepared materials. After interviewing with the sites, the student selects the site that they feel is the best match among those sites who offered them an internship. Sites considered appropriate for hosting a student intern include organizations which employ public health professionals and/or health educators such as: Local, state and federal public health agencies, Non-profit or voluntary health prevention, promotion, and advocacy organizations, Professional public health organizations, Select private, for-profit organizations conducting community health related work Hospitals (research projects, health education programming, community outreach, etc.), Health research institutions (health program evaluation, health surveillance, epidemiological investigations, data analysis, etc.), Worksite health promotion/wellness settings such as hospitals/clinics, corporate wellness centers, and schools. The policy of the MPH Program only allows students to intern at their current public healthrelated place of employment in rare circumstances. In order for students to complete the internship experience at their current place of employment, they must complete the required minimum 175 hours in addition to their regular employment hours and report to someone other than their current supervisor. The duties completed must extend beyond, or be something other than his/her regular work duties and allow application of the knowledge and skills learned during the student s degree program. A Dual Place of Employment and Internship Site Agreement Form must be signed by the student and site preceptor prior to internship approval. If the proposed internship meets the guidelines above, the instructor approves the application. - hods for Approving Preceptors Many of the internship preceptors have worked with the UNF MPH Program for years; and many are graduates of the program. When a new site is identified, or an existing site has a change in preceptor, the agency must designate a qualified member of the staff to serve as the site preceptor during the internship semester. The potential preceptor submits a resume to the instructor for review. The resume is reviewed to ensure that the preceptor meets the following criteria: Page 69

71 Academically prepared to provide direction to the student preferably with a master s degree or higher in public health or a closely related field, OR extensive public health work experience and a position title indicative of a career in public health or health education/promotion. Expert in the field of concentration that they are working in with adequate experience in the present setting. Knowledgeable about the agency, its function, clientele and organizational structure. Available for student and faculty consultation, and interested in supervising students. Once the preceptor s qualifications have been established, the instructor communicates with them to ensure their willingness to engage in the following minimum responsibilities: Meet with the intern to familiarize them with the site (philosophy, goals, equipment, resources, departments, policies, etc.) and to arrange the internship experience and make sure all expectations, site policies, etc. are clear (e.g., guide them in completing the Internship Application, Internship Project Proposal and Work Schedule, and sign when finalized). Facilitate achievement of student objectives throughout the internship experience by identifying appropriate learning experiences, conferring with the intern at regular intervals to assess progress and needs, providing guidance and consultation, informing the intern of relevant meetings in the practice setting, and facilitating intern interaction and consultation with other appropriate individuals within the agency and/or in other related community health agencies. Confer with the Faculty Internship Coordinator at the site visit (or more often if needed) regarding intern progress toward achieving objectives, and other issues that may arise. Advise the Faculty Internship Coordinator no later than mid-semester of any serious deficiencies noted in the ability of the assigned student to progress toward achievement of the stated objectives of the internship experience. Complete a mid-term and final evaluation of the intern s performance (e.g., completion of objectives, professional behavior, etc.), review the evaluation with the intern, and submit a copy to the Faculty Internship Coordinator via the intern. Attend the Internship Poster Presentation if possible. - Opportunities for Orientation and Support for Preceptors Many of the preceptors have worked with the UNF Public Health Programs for years. However, faculty regularly meet new public health professionals and receive requests from public health professionals in the region who have heard about the program, and would like to work with our interns. Potential new sites and preceptors are provided with an overview of the program and the needs/expectations of new sites and preceptors verbally and/or through . They are also provided with a copy of the MPH Internship Handbook. Once sites are affiliated with the program, when students interview with the preceptors, they are instructed to go over important information about the internship experience such as the expectations for and Page 70

72 process of the internship semester. Preceptors are given the instructor s contact information to answer questions via phone/ or in-person. The instructor also meets with the preceptor at the site visit to act as a liaison for the program, assess intern progress and answer questions. Finally, preceptors are always invited to the end of the semester internship poster session where they are able to meet and talk with program faculty and administration. - Approaches for Faculty Supervision of Students The course instructor is the liaison for the student, the site preceptor and the UNF MPH Program. Since the instructor has all interns in a designated course to plan (PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone) and to carry out the internship (PHC 6945 Public Health Internship), student supervision is clearly delineated in the respective course syllabi. The instructor is responsible for: Overall coordination of the internship program Ensuring the expeditious processing of written documentation (e.g., affiliation agreements, required student forms such as background checks, etc.) Assisting students with selection of an approved and affiliated site Advising students on their Internship Project Proposal Communicating with interns and/or preceptors as needed (via , phone or face-to-face) throughout the planning and implementation phase of the internship Conducting site visits, or a conference call if a site visit is not possible Coordinating an Internship Poster Presentation session for interns to display poster presentations Facilitating issues that may arise throughout completion of the internship. - Means of Evaluating Student Performance The final grade for the internship is determined by the instructor based on the course syllabus requirements. The grade is evaluated on the extent of accomplishment of the Internship Project Proposal, the number of internship hours completed, and the preceptor evaluations of the intern. Other criteria taken into consideration in the Internship course grade are more fully described in the syllabus and include: class attendance, the site visit, four progress updates, the internship poster and presentation, and final paper work. The course requires that the site preceptor complete a mid-term and final evaluation of the intern (e.g., at 75 and 150 hours). The goal of the evaluation process is to provide the intern with honest feedback and to identify areas of strength as well as areas to target for improvement. The program encourages the evaluation be completed with the student so the items of interest can be discussed. The outcome of the evaluations has a direct impact on the student s final grade. Students also complete an assessment of their perceived level of competency in each of the UNF MPH student learning competencies on the MPH Exit Survey. Page 71

73 - Means of Evaluating Practice Placement Sites and Preceptor Qualifications Students complete site updates throughout the internship to keep the instructor apprised of internship progress and site/preceptor issues, such as adequate preceptor supervision time, expectations, and communication; their perceptions of being valued by the organization; the overall quality of the site and experience; etc. Interns are also required to complete an evaluation of their preceptor and site at the end of the semester. This feedback is reviewed by the instructor. Results are discussed with the student, preceptor and/or program faculty if warranted. Feedback about the quality and appropriateness of preceptors and sites is used to guide future internship placements. Both interns and preceptors are asked to immediately contact the instructor in the event that there are communication, performance, or other issues between the two. These situations are handled on a case-by-case basis. The basic procedure is that after being contacted by the intern/preceptor about an issue, the instructor contacts the other party to discuss and assess their interpretation of the situation brought to attention. Then feedback is provided to the person who reported the issue. In most cases, the situations are resolved at this point. If not the next step would be to meet with both the preceptor and intern to discuss the situation. The final step would be to remove the student from the internship and find them another site (if it was a site/preceptor issue) or to have them withdraw and re-register for another semester (if it was a student issue). Fortunately, we have not yet had to move to either of the last two scenarios. - Criteria for Waiving, Altering or Reducing the Experience, if Applicable Not applicable. The UNF MPH Program does not allow waiving, altering or reducing the internship requirement. b. Identification of agencies and preceptors used for practice experiences for students, by specialty area, for the last two academic years. Page 72

74 Table Agencies & Preceptors for MPH Internships Sites Summer 2012 Baptist Health, Employee Health & Wellness Baptist Medical Center CDC Dengue Branch, Puerto Rico Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology Health Federation of Philadelphia, National Health Corps Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida St. Vincent s Wellness Center University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF-CARES) Summer 2013 Daniel Memorial, Inc. Duval County Health Department, Center for Health Statistics Duval County Health Department, Clinical Quality Improvement & Quality Assurance Department Duval County Health Department, Florida Bureau of Public Health Laboratories Florida Blue, Better You from Blue Employee Wellness Jacksonville Weight Loss Center National Multiple Sclerosis Society, North Florida Chapter Northeast Florida Area Health Education Center St. Vincent s Health Care, Associate Wellness University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF-CARES) University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF-CARES) University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF-CARES) University of North Florida, Department of Health Promotion Volusia County Health Department, Community Health Division Karen Coleman, MS, MCHES Director Karla Walsh, RN, MSN, CIC Nurse Epidemiologist Dr. Roberto Barrera Chief, Entomology and Ecology Activity Aaron Kite-Powell, MS Surveillance Epidemiologist; ESSENCE-FL System Coordinator Corrine Lagermasini, MPH Program Director Virginia Holland, MPH Valerie Feinberg, AICP Director of Urban Planning Jennifer Stein, MPH, CPH Associate Wellness Coordinator Mobeen Rathore, MD Director Melissa Witmeier Project Coordinator Katryne Lukens-Bull, MPH Coordinator Samuel Frimpong, MD, MPH Marie-Claire Rowlinson, PhD Stephanie Germaine, MMS, CSCS, CPT Robert Cywes, MD, PhD Corrina Steiger Director Vicki Evans, BSMT Tobacco Program Manager Jennifer Stein, MPH, CPH Jevetta Stanford, EdD Assistant in Community Research Associate Ann Usitalo, PhD, MPH Mobeen Rathore, MD Director Michael Kennedy, MEd Assistant Director Swain Strickland, MPH Director Page 73

75 c. Data on the number of students receiving a waiver of the practice experience for each of the last three years. Not applicable. All students completed a practice experience. d. Data on the number of preventive medicine, occupational medicine, aerospace medicine and general preventive medicine and public health residents completing the academic program for each of the last three years, along with information on their practicum rotations. Not applicable. No residents completed the program. 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 2.4 is met. Strengths: The MPH Program provides planned, supervised, and evaluated practice experiences whereby students apply the knowledge and skills learned in their coursework and aligned with program competencies. The internship process takes place over two concurrent semesters and an MPH faculty member leads the two courses. The program has written policies and procedures for becoming an affiliated internship site and preceptor, as well as expectations for their role in the internship experience. Students have completed internships in a diverse array of health agencies, and new affiliations are developed each year. The program has collaborative relationships with numerous qualified preceptors in local and state public health agencies, nonprofit organizations, and health care facilities, and there is a well-designed, structured system for evaluating practice placement sites and preceptors. The program has a well-structured process for assisting students in locating sites for the internship, developing objectives and work plans, monitoring their performance, and evaluating their experiences. The program does not allow waivers and has strict criteria for allowing students to conduct the internship in their place of regular employment. The program has data regarding the individual practice experience agencies and preceptors. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 74

76 Page 75

77 2.5 Culminating Experience. All graduate professional degree programs identified in the instructional matrix shall assure that each student demonstrates skills and integration of knowledge through a culminating experience. a. Identification of the culminating experience required for each professional public health degree program. If this is common across the program s professional degree programs, it need be described only once. If it varies by degree or specialty area, sufficient information must be provided to assess compliance by each. Overview: The PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone course and PHC 6945 Public Health Internship course also encompass the culminating experiences for the MPH Program students. The UNF MPH Program is a cohort based program with all students starting in fall semester and following a sequenced course program; all courses are offered only once per year. During the last spring semester, students take the Capstone course, along with the final one or two courses (based on part-time or full-time status). During the last summer semester, students take only the Internship course. Students must complete all other required courses before being allowed to enroll in these courses so that they are academically prepared to practice the program competencies during the internship experience and to demonstrate knowledge of program competencies on the comprehensive exam. In addition to assessing program competencies, another significant component of the culminating experience is the development of professional skills which is assessed through the Capstone course. (See Resource File for both course syllabi.) Capstone Course: The Capstone course is required before the internship as it consists of three pieces that serve as culminating experiences while preparing students for the internship and comprehensive exam. First, there is a professionalism piece of the class; students develop a resume, professional statement, and portfolio, and prepare for and practice interviewing skills. This piece helps prepare them for both internship and job seeking. Second, students set up the internship experience; this includes identifying potential sites, interviewing, developing an internship project proposal, and completing required paperwork (e.g., affiliation agreement, background check, release forms, etc.). The internship project proposal is first presented in class and then submitted as a research paper. It includes an overview of the agency, health issue and target population rationale, program/project development and proposed outcomes of the project. As students are in the end part of their final courses at this point, this development process, along the presentation and paper, utilize and reinforce core competencies they have learned throughout the program. They also complete some internship hours to ensure they are ready to begin the project at the start of the semester; this includes internship site required trainings, clearances, IRB paperwork if required, etc. Finally, students prepare for the comprehensive examination that is given during the following summer term including taking practice quizzes. This work also prepares them for the Certified in Public Health (CPH) and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exams if they choose to take them. Since this takes place at the end of the semester students have almost completed their Page 76

78 last one or two courses. These assignments are all based on the Capstone course objectives outlined in the syllabus and each is assigned a grade. Students must complete each assignment in order to pass the course. Internship: The Internship course is more than just completing hours at a public health agency. Students spend significant time and effort planning a project during the Capstone class that they will take the lead on implementing during their internship experience. This project gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from across the MPH curriculum, practice essential public health competencies and to develop professional skills necessary for employment as a public health practitioner in one of a number of community health settings. Students reflect on their experience during the semester through regular required site updates and the internship site visit. Additionally, students must prepare and present a poster summarizing their entire internship experience, including the results and implications of their project. This process utilizes knowledge and skills gained throughout their MPH curriculum, while broadening and honing their skill proficiency through a meaningful internship experience. Students are able to view first-hand the expertise and leadership skills necessary to the practice of public health by working with their field preceptor. For these reasons, we consider the internship to be part of the culminating experience. Comprehensive Examination: The comprehensive exam is given over the final summer semester so that students have completed all required courses and have ample time to prepare for the exam. The exam is housed within the internship class for management purposes. The exam is threefold in purpose: 1) to assess student proficiency in program competencies; 2) to help prepare students for the national CPH exam; and 3) to help prepare students for the national CHES exam. Since the program competencies are aligned with nationally identified public health core areas and competencies (e.g., ASPH Core Competencies) on which the CPH exam in based, and with the Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Education Specialists on which the CHES exam is based, the exam allows the program to assess learning outcomes as well as helps to prepare students for national certification. The exam includes questions addressing the five core areas of public health: Biostatistics & Research, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management & Policy, and Social & Behavioral Health. The exam also includes questions addressing the seven responsibilities for health educators: Assessing, Planning, Implementing & Evaluating Health Programs, Acting as a Resource Person in Health Education, and Communicating and Advocating for Health Education. (See Resource File for sample comp exams.) Questions for each of the areas are developed by the faculty teaching in those areas. Faculty are familiar with the CPH and CHES review materials and exam question content/format; hence they are able to align the questions. All questions are subject to review by the PD and program faculty. The exam is set up as six tests on Bb (five core and specialization). All questions are multiple choice. There are 150 questions; 20 per core area and 50 for the specialization. Students take the exam in an on-campus computer lab on a day/time designated in the Page 77

79 syllabus. The instructor proctors the exam and students have three hours to complete it. The exams are graded through Bb. Students are able to see their scores immediately after completing each section. (See Resource File for Comp Exam Directions.) Through summer 2013, students have had to receive a passing score on the entire exam. Students not passing the overall exam were required to retake all sections they failed and bring the overall score up to a passing grade. Starting summer 2014, students will have to pass each of the six sections of the exam. If a student does not pass a section, they will have to retake that section(s). If they do not pass the section on the second attempt, the results will be brought to the Capstone Committee for review and to make a decision on next steps. As of yet, we have not had this situation occur. b. 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 2.5 is met with commentary. Strengths: The UNF MPH Program requires a culminating experience that includes development of professional skills, proposal and completion of a public health project during students practice experience, and passing a comprehensive exam. During the Capstone course students hone professional skills and prepare for both the internship and the comprehensive exam. Students are required to demonstrate skills and integration of knowledge through required course assignments. During the Internship course students carry out their internship and complete the comprehensive exam. These components of the culminating experience allow multiple means for evaluating student s mastery of competencies via knowledge acquisition and integration, and practical skills applied via actual public health work experience. Students take great responsibility in setting up, developing, and evaluating their internship. MPH program faculty and site preceptors collaborate in evaluating students performance and demonstration of knowledge and skills related to the program s competencies. The documentation required throughout the internship provides a means to assess the process and student knowledge and experiences, as well as the program s performance in preparing the next generation of professional public health practitioners. The comprehensive exam results allow faculty to examine specific content areas in need of more thorough instruction in order to assure all students master the program competencies. Weaknesses & Plans: Some students do not pass each section of the comprehensive exam in the first attempt and are thus required to retake those sections. Several steps have been taken and more are planned for the upcoming year to improve this process, including improvement of exam questions and coverage, and ensuring all required courses are taught by tenure-track UNF faculty or well-qualified adjuncts. Page 78

80 Page 79

81 2.6 Required Competencies. For each degree program and area of specialization within each program identified in the instructional matrix, there shall be clearly stated competencies that guide the development of degree programs. The program must identify competencies for graduate professional, academic and baccalaureate public health degree programs. Additionally, the program must identify competencies for specializations within the degree programs at all levels (bachelor s, master s and doctoral). a. Identification of a set of competencies that all graduate professional public health degree students and baccalaureate public health degree students, regardless of concentration, major or specialty area, must attain. There should be one set for each graduate professional public health degree and baccalaureate public health degree offered by the program (eg, one set each for BSPH, MPH and DrPH). UNF MPH Program Core Competencies: Graduates will be able to demonstrate: 1. understanding and skills in applying biostatistics and research methodology for effective collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of health related scientific data. 2. knowledge and applied skills for studying, understanding and analyzing the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in human populations in order to provide information for public health decision-making and action. 3. understanding and skills to address complex issues involved in the ecology of public health problems related to aspects of the environment for purposes of identification, investigation and mitigation of environmental risk factors. 4. understanding of the areas of policy, economics, finance, marketing, quality, and accessibility that are necessary to effectively manage public health care organizations and services. 5. ability to search, identify, organize, critically appraise, and understand peer-reviewed research findings relevant to specific public health topics. 6. ability to develop and complete an independent public health practice or research project focused on a specific health related program or problem. 7. skills related to effectively communicate public health issues, data, and information. b. Identification of a set of competencies for each concentration, major or specialization (depending on the terminology used by the program) identified in the instructional matrix, including professional and academic graduate degree curricula and baccalaureate public health degree curricula. UNF MPH Health Promotion/Health Education Concentration Competencies: Graduates will be able to demonstrate: 1. knowledge and skills necessary to plan and implement an evidence-based health program that reflects social, economic, cultural, and behavioral factors of the community. 2. knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement theoretically-based, and developmentally and culturally appropriate learning strategies. 3. knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate a public health program. Page 80

82 c. A matrix that identifies the learning experiences (eg, specific course or activity within a course, practicum, culminating experience or other degree requirement) by which the competencies defined in Criteria 2.6.a and 2.6.b are met. If these are common across the program, a single matrix for each degree will suffice. If they vary, sufficient information must be provided to assess compliance by each degree or specialty area. Table a. Core Courses by Which Competencies Are (Primary (P) & Reinforcing (R)) Core Competencies PHC 6103: Ess of PH PHC 6050: Biostats I HSC 6505: Epi HSA 6114: Hlth Orgl HSC 6215: Env Health HSC 6735: Research HSC 6603: Theory 1. understanding/skills in applying biostatistics and research methodology for effective collection, management, analysis, and P R P interpretation of health related scientific data. 2. knowledge/applied skills for studying, understanding and analyzing the distribution and determinants of health related P states or events in human populations in order to provide information for public health decision-making and action. 3. understanding/skills to address complex issues involved in the ecology of public health problems related to aspects of the P environment for purposes of identification, investigation and mitigation of environmental risk factors. 4. understanding of the areas of policy, economics, finance, marketing, quality, and accessibility that are necessary to P P effectively manage public health care organizations, services. 5. ability to search, identify, organize, critically appraise, and understand peer-reviewed research findings relevant to specific P P P public health topics. 6. ability to develop/complete independent public health practice/ research project focused on specific health program or problem. 7. skills related to effectively communicate public health issues, data, and information. P P P UNF MPH Program Concentration: HPHE 1. knowledge and skills necessary to plan and implement an evidence-based health program that reflects social, economic, P cultural, and behavioral factors of the community 2. knowledge/skills necessary to design and implement theoretically-based, and developmentally and culturally P appropriate learning strategies. 3. knowledge/skills necessary to evaluate a public health program. Page 81

83 Table b. Concentration Courses by Which Competencies Are (Primary (P) & Reinforcing (R)) Concentration Competencies HSC 6587: Program Planning in Health HSC 6585: Health Promotion/Ed Strategies 1. understanding and skills in applying biostatistics and research methodology for effective collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of health related scientific data. 2. knowledge and applied skills for studying, understanding and analyzing the distribution and determinants of health related states or events in human populations in order to provide information for public health decision-making and action. 3. understanding and skills to address complex issues involved in the ecology of public health problems related to aspects of the environment for purposes of identification, investigation and mitigation of environmental risk factors. 4. understanding of the areas of policy, economics, finance, marketing, quality, and accessibility that are necessary to effectively manage public health care organizations and services. 5. ability to search, identify, organize, critically appraise, and understand peer-reviewed research findings relevant to specific P public health topics. 6. ability to develop and complete an independent public health practice or research project focused on a specific health related program or problem. HSC 6716: Health Program Evaluation PHC 6940: Public Health Capstone R PHC 6945: Public Health Internship R R R R R R 7. skills related to effectively communicate public health issues, data, and information. P P P P P UNF MPH Program Concentration: HPHE 1. knowledge and skills necessary to plan and implement an evidencebased health program that reflects social, economic, cultural, and P R R R behavioral factors of the community 2. knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement theoretically-based, and developmentally and culturally appropriate P R R learning strategies. 3. knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate a public health program. R P R R R P P R R P Page 82

84 d. Analysis of the completed matrix included in Criterion 2.6.c. If changes have been made in the curricula as a result of the observations and analysis, such changes should be described. Faculty members meet regularly to discuss core and specialization area content; in particular they discuss alignment with program competencies and coverage of competencies. Revisions to the curriculum are based on faculty member expertise and continuing education on public health education training trends, feedback from student surveys (current students, graduating students and alumni), as well as advisory board input. Competency outcome data as measured by GALCs and comprehensive examination results are also considered. Course syllabi are regularly reviewed and discussed at program meetings and yearly summer retreats to ensure inclusion of the important and current core and specialization area competencies and to enhance integration across the curriculum. In 2009, the first year the UNF MPH Program was accredited, the program was 48 credit hours. Effective for the fall 2010 MPH cohort, faculty voted to remove three required courses and allowed students to instead take three elective courses. The courses removed were: PHC 6412 Culture and Health, PHC 6450 Community Organization in Public Health, and HSC 6706 Grantsmanship. It was determined that information in these courses was either adequately covered in other required courses and/or not directly linked to the program competencies. It was also agreed that it was more important to give students the option to choose courses specific to their career goals, and that these courses would still be available to be taken as electives. At this time it was also decided to divide the six credit hour PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone course into two three credit courses: PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone and PHC 6945 Public Health Internship. The Capstone course was divided to allow students a longer time to more meaningfully prepare for and carry out the internship. These decisions were made at a faculty retreat taking into consideration recommendations of an external reviewer, as well as the above listed means of program self-assessment. Effective for the fall 2012 MPH cohort, faculty voted to remove the required PHC 5370 Biological Foundations of Public Health course reducing the required credits to 45. This course was removed for the same reasons given above for the other courses, and also to bring the program down to 45 credit hours to be more in line with other accredited MPH programs. e. Description of the manner in which competencies are developed, used and made available to students. Development: MPH Program competencies were developed using a deliberate process that began in Fall Faculty members worked on: 1) development of core competencies and 2) development of HPHE concentration competencies. The core faculty members evaluated core areas, objectives, and competencies elucidated in several sources, including Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, ASPH MPH Core Competency Development Project, and Institute of Medicine recommendations related to cross-cutting areas of knowledge and skills. The HPHE faculty members examined the Responsibilities and Page 83

85 Competencies for Health Education Specialists delineated by NCHEC as the primary guideline for the development of competencies for the HPHE concentration. Both groups developed a set of competencies and sub-competencies. The Core Committee created unique competencies and sub-competencies using the documents listed above. The HPHE Committee used the NCHEC Responsibilities. The committee sought feedback from community partners such as advisory board members and preceptors. Faculty were then each asked to review the grids and indicate which of the competencies and sub-competencies were addressed in their courses and to what extent (primary or reinforcing). Faculty discussed the completed grids to identify overlap and areas needing to be addressed. (See Resource File for Core and HPHE Competency grids). The competencies have since been reviewed on a regular basis and revised as needed. Use of Competencies: The competencies are used to guide course development and objectives, the development of site selection and project development for internships, and the development of the comprehensive examination. After initial development of the competencies, critical examination of required courses revealed the need to modify some course objectives to ensure all competencies were being addressed and to prevent unnecessary duplication. The competencies are thus used to validate the content of the MPH core and HPHE concentration courses and to make appropriate changes to bring all course objectives in line. The competencies are also used as the GALCs that UNF requires each graduate program to delineate. UNF requires GALC outcome data to be reported on an annual basis. Availability to Students: The competencies are made available to students in the following ways: 1) during orientation of new students, 2) through inclusion in and distribution of the MPH Student Handbook, 3) through course syllabi, 4) on the MPH website and Bb site, and 4) as part of the documentation used for student self-assessment on the exit and alumni surveys. (See Resource File for MPH Student Orientation PPT, MPH Student Handbook, and Student Self- Assessment data). f. Description of the manner in which the program periodically assesses changing practice or research needs and uses this information to establish the competencies for its educational programs. The MPH Program uses numerous methods to periodically assess the changing needs of public health practice. MPH faculty members keep apprised of changes in educational needs by monitoring publications and discussion boards of various national organizations. MPH faculty members participate in numerous professional and community-based organizations and conferences through which they learn of changing educational and practice trends. The UNF Public Health Advisory Board provides feedback at meetings and through surveys to faculty concerning trends and changing priorities in the field of public health practice locally and nationally, as well as needed research. Page 84

86 The program has relationships with numerous public health sites throughout the region. Many professionals from these agencies serve as internship preceptors for MPH interns and/or teach courses for the program. These professionals provide feedback formally through the internship process and informally in communications with program faculty about competency needs and trends. Alumni surveys supply information about how well the program prepares graduates for employment in public health. Student evaluations of the practice experience help to guide the program faculty regarding needs for training in specific areas. The information gained from the above sources is reported and discussed at monthly program faculty meetings and the annual retreat. The faculty review and discuss these results/feedback and act on it accordingly, incorporating it into courses and/or communicating the findings to instructors not on the MPH faculty but teaching required MPH courses so that they may make appropriate changes. The process for this change is primarily at the individual faculty level. However, because these findings are shared and discussed in faculty meetings, the responsible faculty will discuss proposed changes to his/her respective course(s) and receive feedback and suggestions from colleagues. 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 2.6 is met with commentary. Strengths: The MPH Program has well defined and measurable learning competencies relevant to the core areas of public health and the concentration area of HPHE that are in agreement with the program s stated mission. These competencies were developed and adopted through a rigorous analysis of widely-used sources relevant to basic core public health knowledge and skills. All students are required to take courses that address the competencies. The program has procedures for continual evaluation and modification of the competencies based upon feedback from all program faculty, external constituents, and students. Program faculty members are committed to a systematic process related to developing, updating, and disseminating this information. Weaknesses and Plans: Through the self-study process, it was discovered that the competencies were not being disseminated to students as originally planned. The competencies were not included in the New Student Orientation, the MPH Student Handbook or all course syllabi. They have since been added to these student resources and are now in place to be continued in future years. Page 85

87 2.7 Assessment Procedures. There shall be procedures for assessing and documenting the extent to which each student has demonstrated achievement of the competencies defined for his or her degree program and area of concentration. a. Description of the procedures used for monitoring and evaluating student progress in achieving the expected competencies, including procedures for identifying competency attainment in practice and culminating experiences. Student progress in achieving the MPH Competencies is monitored and evaluated using the procedures described below: course sequencing, course work, GALCs, comprehensive exam, internship success, preceptor evaluations of interns, the exit survey, and graduation requirements. The PD collects GALC data from MPH faculty, advises students regarding course sequencing, and monitors student course success each semester. The Capstone/Internship course instructor oversees the internship process, reviews preceptor midterm/final intern evaluations, and implements the comprehensive exam and MPH Exit Survey. The results of all these measures are reviewed by program faculty at monthly program meetings and/or the annual retreat to make curriculum changes as necessary. Course Sequencing: UNF MPH students are on a cohort system. Students follow a prescribed sequence of courses that is reviewed with them before they begin the program and is available in their degree evaluation through UNF s online MyWings program for the duration of the program. The cohort sequence allows for optimal learning and application of the program competencies. Each semester students are advised of the next semester s prescribed courses to help keep them on track. Course Work: All required MPH courses require a variety of assignments that allow students to demonstrate successive development of competency achievement over the course of a semester. Learning strategies include exams, research projects and presentations, in class group activities, homework assignments, case studies, online discussion forums, etc. The PD is notified when a student receives a C or lower in a course and confers with that student. Per MPH Program policy, students may not receive more than two Cs or they will be dismissed from the program. UNF Graduate School policy states that students must maintain a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher to remain in good standing. If a student s GPA falls below 3.0 overall or for any semester, they are placed on probation. Semester-end computerized audits flag these occurrences, and alert advising office personnel and PDs when action/responses are indicated. UNF GALCs: According to the UNF Graduate School, GALCs must address, at a minimum, content/discipline-specific knowledge, knowledge of the literature of the discipline, and ability to engage in independent learning or scholarship, and demonstration of intermediate to advanced level professional skills. Additional outcomes should be considered in areas such as communication, independent learning, and critical thinking skills. Measures for each GALC are identified by the program. GALC data are collected from instructors of the class in which they Page 86

88 are addressed each year. GALC results are submitted to the university reporting system and reviewed by the Department Chair, College Dean, Graduate School Dean and other university officials. Comprehensive Examination: Students must pass the comprehensive examination in the final semester of their program (>70% on overall exam) in order to graduate. The comprehensive exam is modeled after the CPH and CHES exams. Since the program competencies are aligned with nationally identified public health core areas and competencies (e.g., ASPH Core Competencies) on which the CPH exam in based, and with the Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Education Specialists on which the CHES exam is based, the exam allows for assessment of program competencies. The exam includes questions addressing the five core areas of public health: Biostatistics & Research, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management & Policy, and Social & Behavioral Health. The exam also includes questions addressing the seven responsibilities for health educators: Assessing, Planning, Implementing & Evaluating Health Programs, Acting as a Resource Person in Health Education, and Communicating and Advocating for Health Education. Questions for each of the areas are developed by the faculty teaching in those areas. All questions are subject to review by the PD and program faculty. (See Resource File for sample comp exams.) Preceptor Mid- and Final-Evaluations of Interns: Internship preceptors complete a midsemester and end of semester evaluation of the intern. This evaluation form includes assessing the intern s proficiency in each of the competencies. The faculty internship coordinator meets with each preceptor at a mid-semester site visit. The results of the intern evaluations show that the preceptors overwhelmingly strongly/agree that students demonstrate proficiency in the program competencies they observe. Verbal feedback at the site visits is consistent with the survey results. Feedback about skills that interns are lacking is shared at program faculty meetings to discuss how the particular skills can be addressed in classes. (See Resource File for sample completed internship forms.) Successful Completion of Internship & Project: Students must successfully complete their internship hours and proposed project. Internship Preceptors evaluate the student s performance at midterm and the end of the semester. The form asks preceptors to rate students on their professionalism, teamwork, communication, professional skills and competencies, and quality of work, and has open ended questions about areas of needed improvement and what the Program could do to improve student s public health skills. This feedback is shared with the student and is factored into their internship grade. This process enables faculty to monitor students ability to apply the concepts learned throughout the program. The Internship instructor also evaluates the student s success based on the plan developed in the Capstone course. MPH Student Exit Survey: Students complete this exit survey the week of graduation. The survey asks students to rate their proficiency in each of the program competencies among Page 87

89 other items. The survey is delivered using an online survey program that allows for anonymity and a reminder system. Data and reports are then downloaded from the secure online server. Graduation Requirements: The awarding of graduate degrees is based upon the Graduate School criteria regarding grade point average, good standing, and completion of program of study requirements developed by individual programs. The MPH PD in conjunction with BCH academic advisors perform degree audits to confirm that graduation requirements have been met by individual students. The MPH Handbook states the following regarding the awarding of the MPH degree: The MPH degree will be awarded when the student: Completes all course requirements within prescribed time limits. Maintains a grade average of B or better in all work attempted on the program of study. Meets all other academic and professional qualifications as published by the appropriate governing bodies of the University. Satisfactorily completes the Capstone requirements including practice experience and comprehensive examination. Page 88

90 b. Identification of outcomes that serve as measures by which the program will evaluate student achievement in each program, and presentation of data assessing the program s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. Outcome measures must include degree completion and job placement rates for all degrees included in the unit of accreditation (including bachelor s, master s and doctoral degrees) for each of the last three years. See CEPH Data Templates and If degree completion rates in the maximum time period allowed for degree completion are less than the thresholds defined in this criterion s interpretive language, an explanation must be provided. If job placement (including pursuit of additional education), within 12 months following award of the degree, includes fewer than 80% of graduates at any level who can be located, an explanation must be provided. Table 2.7.b.1. Outcome Measures for Student Achievement: GALCs Outcome Measure* Target Year ** Biostatistics & PHC6050 project grade 80% Research 1 st year students Epidemiology HSC6505 final exam grade 80% 1 st year students Environmental Health Health Administration Critical Review of Research Health Practice Communication Skills HSC6215 risk assessment project grade 80% 1 st year students HSA6114 project grade 80% 1 st year students HSC6735 project lit review grade 80% 1 st year students PHC6945 internship project presentation grade 80% 2 nd year students HSC6585 public health advocacy project grade 80% 2 nd year students HSC6587 project grade 80% 2 nd year students Planning Health Programs Behavioral Theory HSC6603 project grade 80% 2 nd year students Evaluation of Health HSC6716 project grade 80% Programs 2 nd year students Year Not Available (Adjunct) 73% (11/15) 100% (17/17) 100% (14/14) 100% (14/14) 100% (9/9) 91% (10/11) 100% (7/7) 88% (7/8) 100% (13/13) Year % (12/15) 67% (10/15) 92% (12/13) 100% (13/13) 100% (13/13) 100% (14/14) 100% (15/15) 80% (12/15) 100% (17/17) 100% (12/12) *See Table for complete GALC description. **Data not available. The University changed the student learning assessment during this time frame from Graduate Learning Outcomes to GALCs, and the measurement of them. Programs submitted GALCs and an assessment plan in the academic year. Calendar year 2012 represents the first time this data was collected. Previous to this, data from the comprehensive exam was reported which is reported in the next table. Page 89

91 GALC Outcomes: Most of these indicators demonstrated students were progressing well in their program of study. However, faculty noticed that first year students in 2012 did not do as well on the Epidemiology indicator. This may have been because six students were admitted on a trial program that year. We were attempting to broaden our admission criteria and not put as much weight on standardized tests. We unfortunately had to dismiss two students and a third dropped out of the program. This type of data and constant monitoring allow us to get prompt feedback when we try various new approaches within the program. Table 2.7.b.2. Outcome Measures for Student Achievement: Comprehensive Examination Outcome Measure* Target Year Year Biostatistics & Biostat section of comp exam grade 70% 10% 44% Research (1/10) (4/9) Epidemiology Epi section of comp exam grade 70% 50% 66% (5/10) (6/9) Environmental Env section of comp exam grade 70% 60% 89% Health (6/10) (8/9) Health Hlth Adm section of comp exam grade 70% 70% 89% Administration (7/10) (8/9) Planning Health HPHE section of comp exam grade 70% 100% 100% Programs (10/10) (9/9) Behavioral Theory Soc Beh section of comp exam grade 70% 80% 100% (8/10) (9/9) Evaluation of HPHE section of comp exam grade 70% 100% 100% Health Programs (10/10) (9/9) Overall Exam 100% have overall exam grade 70% 60% 100% (6/10) (9/9) Year % (3/14) 43% (6/14) 79% (11/14) 64% (9/14) 100% (14/14) 93% (13/14) 100% (14/14) 100% (14/14) *See Table for complete GALC description. Note: Critical Review of Research, Health Practice, and Communication Skills are not measured on the Comprehensive Examination. Comprehensive Examination Outcomes: Previous to 2009, the comprehensive examination consisted of questions requiring essay answers with each encompassing a number of competencies. In 2009, the exam was changed to a multiple choice format to be more consistent with the format used by CPH and CHES, as well as other MPH programs. Results of the first few exams indicated that the exam needed to be improved to be a better indicator of student competencies. The questions were developed by individual faculty for the associated class they taught. Some students had a faculty other than the one writing the exam questions, some of these being adjuncts. The most recent exam will hopefully be the last year that students will have had adjuncts for core courses. Additionally, students do not traditionally perform as well on Epidemiology and Biostatistics. The analytic and application nature of the material is more challenging for some students. Students also take these two courses the first semester in the program as a foundation for other classes; so retention of the material may be an issue. Page 90

92 This coming academic year, program faculty will make a concerted effort to ensure that exam questions reflect the program competencies and align with the CPH and CHES study guides and questions, thus helping ensure a broader and more consistent coverage of the material on the exam. It is anticipated scores will improve as tenure track UNF faculty are now teaching all but one required program course, particularly the biostatistics course which has been the most difficult for students, and a comprehensive exam review and revision will take place this academic year. Table 2.7.b.3. Outcome Measures for Student Achievement: MPH Student Exit Survey Outcome Measure* Target Year Year Year Biostatistics & Research 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 83% (5/6) 69% (9/13) Epidemiology 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 100% (6/6) 100% (13/13) Environmental Health 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 100% (6/6) 92% (12/13) Health Administration 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 67% (4/6) 77% (10/13) Critical Review of Research** NA NA NA 100% (13/13) Health Practice** NA NA NA 100% (13/13) Communication Skills 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 100% (6/6) 100% (13/13) Planning Health Programs 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 83% (5/6) 100% (13/13) Behavioral Theory 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 100% (7/7) 100% (6/6) 100% (13/13) Evaluation of Health Programs 80% strongly/agree they are able to demonstrate the competency 72% (5/7) 83% (5/6) 85% (11/13) *See Table for complete GALC description. **Not measured on the Exit Survey; Added in Student Exit Survey Outcomes: Results from this survey have for the most part shown that students feel well prepared to demonstrate each of the MPH competencies. In areas they have not felt prepared, student feedback has provided faculty with direction to improve it. For example, with the move toward aligning the UNF MPH exam with the CPH and CHES, students were required to review the CPH study materials. Feedback showed that they felt health policy was lacking in the UNF course that covers that competency; this course was taught by a health administration faculty and did not specifically address the public health perspective. As a result a new instructor will be teaching this class specifically for public health students, using an appropriate text and aligning it with ASPH competencies. Additionally, a full-time MPH faculty Page 91

93 started teaching the Biostatistics course and we expect to see perceived student competency improve with the next graduating class. Table Students in MPH Degree, By Cohorts Entering Between and Cohort of Students # Students entered 31 # Students withdrew, dropped, etc. 0 # Students graduated 0 Cumulative graduation rate 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc. 4 0 # Students graduated 13 0 Cumulative graduation rate 41.9% 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc # Students graduated Cumulative graduation rate 61.3% 71.4% 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc # Students graduated Cumulative graduation rate 71.0% 71.4% 58.3% 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc # Students graduated Cumulative graduation rate 71.0% 71.4% 75.0% 46.2% 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc # Students graduated Cumulative graduation rate 71.0% 71.4% 75.0% 61.5% 73.3% 0.0% # Students continuing at beginning of this school year # Students withdrew, dropped, etc # Students graduated Cumulative graduation rate 71.0% 71.4% 75.0% 61.5% 73.3% 0.0% 0.0% Graduation Rates: Cohorts from the past five years have maintained the minimum 70% graduation rate expected by CEPH. The 2010 cohort is at a 62% graduation rate, but there are two remaining part-time students who are dual majors and will graduate this year. This will bring the rate to 77%. For the 2011 cohort, there are 3 students continuing who are scheduled Page 92

94 to graduate summer 2014; this will bring the graduation rate to 93%. Thirteen of the cohort are continuing in the program this year. UNF allows six years for graduate students to complete their degree. However, the MPH program follows a 2-year full time cohort and a 3- year part-time cohort. The majority of students complete the program within three years. Table a. Destination of Graduates by Employment Type 2010 (n=18) 2011 (n=10) 2012 (n=9) Employed 50% (9) 50% (5) 78% (7) Continuing education/training (not employed) 17% (3) 20% (2) 22% (2) Actively seeking employment Not seeking employment (not employed and not continuing education/training, by choice) Unknown 33% (6) 30% (3) Total 100% (18) 100% (10) 100% (9) Note: n = the number of students who graduated that year. Numbers for those completing the survey in 2010 and 2012 are 2 and 1 higher (respectively) in Table a. because these 3 students started before the 2007/2008 start date indicated on Table Table b. Destination of Graduates by Employment Type: UNF MPH Alumni Survey 2011 (n=42) Employed 79% (33) Continuing education/training (not employed) 12% (5) Actively seeking employment Not seeking employment (not employed and not continuing education/training, by choice) 10% (4) Unknown Total 100% (42) Job Placement Results: Of the students we were able to locate for the last three graduating classes, 100% are either employed or continuing their education. We are not able to definitely say whether the approximately one-third from 2010 and 2011 whose whereabouts are unknown are working, continuing education or otherwise. Also, our most recent Alumni Survey shows that 91% of alumni were working or pursing continuing education. c. An explanation of the methods used to collect job placement data and of graduates response rates to these data collection efforts. The program must list the number of graduates from each degree program and the number of respondents to the graduate survey or other means of collecting employment data. Job placement information is collected in the MPH Student Exit Survey during the final week of class in the last semester of the program. This survey is administered by the Internship course instructor. Response rates were 2010=9/18, 2011=7/10, 2012=6/9. At this point most students have not found employment yet. However, many of our students faculty to let us know when they do get a position. We keep an excel file of graduates contact info and job positions. Data from these two sources was used to complete Table a. Page 93

95 In our original evaluation plan developed five years ago, we decided to perform an alumni survey every three years. The PD is responsible for administration of the Alumni Survey. Data from the most recent Alumni Survey is presented in Table b. Through the self-study process, we have realized that we may be able to get in contact with more alumni and may get more meaningful information if we implement the alumni survey annually. Summer 2014 we will survey the past three years graduates, and then begin an annual alumni survey in summer (See Resource File for MPH Exit Surveys and results.) d. In fields for which there is certification of professional competence and data are available from the certifying agency, data on the performance of the program s graduates on these national examinations for each of the last three years. Table Outcome Measures for CPH & CHES Certification Outcome Measure Target Certified in Public 100% passage rate 100% (2/2) NA (0) NA (0) 100% (1/1) Health Certification Passage Rates: The UNF MPH Program does not require students to take national certification exams. Students are, however, encouraged and prepared to become both the CPH and CHES certified. Unfortunately, not many students seek the certification. Most often the reasons given are the cost of the exam/continuing education, and it not being required for the field or position. One student took the CPH exam this year (2013) and passed. Although the PD gets a report on the number of UNF graduates who take CHES, it does not specify graduate versus undergraduate students. However, of those who have told us they have taken CHES, they have all passed (e.g., the PD has to write a letter certifying their eligibility for the exam). e. Data and analysis regarding the ability of the program s graduates to perform competencies in an employment setting, including information from periodic assessments of alumni, employers and other relevant stakeholders. hods for such assessment may include key informant interviews, surveys, focus groups and documented discussions. MPH Alumni Survey: This survey is sent to alumni every three years. The survey asks graduates to rate their proficiency in each of the program competencies. Table shows the results of this set of questions. At least 80% of alumni strongly/agree that they can demonstrate understanding and/or skills in all the program competencies. Another question on the survey assesses how often graduates use each competency area in their current work. Naturally, they report only using some of the competencies regularly which explains why all do not report perceived understanding/skill in every competency. The survey also asks students for their employment status. Table included above shows that 91% of the responding alumni were employed/continuing education at the time of the survey, over the 80% minimum required by Page 94

96 CEPH. Holding a public health position supports the documentation of the graduates being proficient in the program competencies. Program faculty have realized through the self-study process that it would be more beneficial to collect alumni survey on an annual basis rather than every three years. As described in section 2.7.c. we plan to implement this upcoming years. Table Outcome Measures for Graduates Competencies: UNF MPH Alumni Survey Outcome Measure* Target 2011 Biostatistics & Research 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 78% (29/37) 86% (32/37) Epidemiology 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 95% (35/37) 92% (34/37) Environmental Health 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 89% (33/37) 76% (28/37) Health Administration 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 86% (32/37) 68% (25/37) Communication Skills 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 94% (34/37) Planning Health Programs 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 94% (34/37) 95% (35/37) Behavioral Theory 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 88% (34/36) 89% (33/37) Evaluation of Health Programs *See Table for complete GALC description. 80% strongly/agree they understand competency 80% strongly/agree they have skills in competency 89% (33/37) 84% (34/37) f. 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 2.7. is met with commentary. Strengths: The MPH Program uses a comprehensive variety of methods to assess student mastery of competencies at various points throughout the program and after graduation. Required coursework and a practice experience addressing these competencies are the first steps to assuring students are proficient in program competencies. Program courses are sequenced and use a variety of teaching methods to assess student learning. Student grades are monitored each semester; students must remain in good academic standing to graduate. GALCs are direct measures of student proficiency in the competencies, using student academic performance during both their first and second years in the program. The Comprehensive Examination is another direct measure of students ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills in the competencies. Preceptor mid-term and final intern evaluation surveys allow input from public health professionals on the perceived proficiency of student competencies. The MPH Student Exit and Alumni surveys allow for an indirect measure of the competencies by asking Page 95

97 graduating students and alumni for their perceived proficiency in each competency. Finally, graduation rates and job placement rates demonstrate further proficiency in the competencies. Being able to secure and maintain employment in the public health field attests to graduates having the necessary knowledge and skills in the field. The MPH faculty regularly review the results of these assessment measures to make appropriate revisions to help improve student achievement. Weaknesses and Plans: Through the self-study process it was determined that it would be more beneficial to implement the Alumni Survey every year rather than every three years. This would help to improve the job data we have on our alumni and to better determine graduates ability to perform competencies in a job setting. We have developed a plan to implement this change. Page 96

98 Page 97

99 2.8 Bachelor s Degrees in Public Health. Not Applicable. 2.9 Academic Degrees. If the program also offers curricula for graduate academic degrees, students pursuing them shall obtain a broad introduction to public health, as well as an understanding about how their discipline-based specialization contributes to achieving the goals of public health. Not applicable Doctoral Degrees. The program may offer doctoral degree programs, if consistent with its mission and resources Not applicable Joint Degrees. If the program offers joint degree programs, the required curriculum for the professional public health degree shall be equivalent to that required for a separate public health degree. Not applicable Distance Education or Executive Degree Programs. If the program offers degree programs using formats or methods other than students attending regular on-site course sessions spread over a standard term, these degree programs must a) be consistent with the mission of the program and within the program s established areas of expertise; b) be guided by clearly articulated student learning outcomes that are rigorously evaluated; c) be subject to the same quality control processes that other degree programs in the university are; and d) provide planned and evaluated learning experiences that take into consideration and are responsive to the characteristics and needs of adult learners. If the program offers distance education or executive degree programs, it must provide needed support for these programs, including administrative, travel, communication and student services. The program must have an ongoing program to evaluate the academic effectiveness of the format, to assess learning methods and to systematically use this information to stimulate program improvements. The program must have processes in place through which it establishes that the student who registers in a distance education or correspondence education course or degree is the same student who participates in and completes the course or degree and receives the academic credit. Not applicable. Page 98

100 Page 99

101 3.0 Creation, Application and Advancement of Knowledge 3.1. Research. The program shall pursue an active research program, consistent with its mission, through which its faculty and students contribute to the knowledge base of the public health disciplines, including research directed at improving the practice of public health. a. Description of the program s research activities, including policies, procedures and practices that support research and scholarly activities. Research Activities: The MPH Program faculty are involved in a variety of funded and nonfunded research projects in the area of public health. The public health-related research areas include both applied and non-applied research and addresses diverse topics. In the area of health education/promotion, investigations focus on prevention of adolescent addictive behaviors, sexuality education, reproductive health, physical activity, stress reduction, and nature contact. Additional areas of research include chronic disease, infectious disease detection, epidemiology, and ecology. Research results are published in peer-reviewed professional journals and presented at professional public health conferences. (See Resource File for faculty vitae, sample publications and a list of publications, presentation and funding in the past three academic years.) University Policies: UNF supports research as outlined in the UNF Strategic Plan ( In particular, Goal 3 focuses on research: Support and recognize research, community-based inquiry, and creative endeavors. UNF faculty members are required to pursue scholarly activities. Research accomplishments are necessary for promotion and tenure and merit raises. The requirements for scholarship are described in the BOT-UFF CBA ( UNF BOT-UFF CBA: Article 19.5 Tenure (Relevant to Research): (b) University Tenure Criteria. Judgments of academic excellence are complex. They cannot easily be reduced to a quantitative formula, nor can the considerations that must be applied in each individual case be completely described in general terms. However, in all cases to be awarded tenure, a candidate must be excellent in teaching, must be excellent in scholarship, and must demonstrate continuing meaningful contributions in service. (2) Excellence in scholarship is evidenced by an agenda of inquiry that has resulted in published scholarly or creative works of high quality. Excellence in scholarship is also evidenced by a record of works involving the scholarship of discovery, the scholarship of integration and interpretation, and the scholarship of application and artistic creativity. (c) Department Interpretations/Clarifications of University Tenure Criteria. (3) With respect to research/scholarship/creative activity, each department shall Page 100

102 develop interpretations/clarifications of the standard of excellence that are consistent with the University s publicly articulated mission. These interpretations/clarifications must also a. address the relative value of different categories of research/scholarly/creative activity and the outlets in which candidates might be reasonably expected to publish, exhibit, or perform; and b. provide a general range of the number of publications, exhibitions, or performances that candidates might be reasonably expected to publish, exhibit, or perform in the various outlets that the department specifies in a. above. It should be understood that merely having accomplishments within the qualifying general range without the required standard of excellence shall not guarantee that the faculty member will receive tenure. Conversely, a faculty member may qualify for tenure with accomplishments that fall below the qualifying general range but are of extraordinary quality. UNF BOT-UFF CBA: Article 20.3 Promotions for Tenure-Earning And Tenured Faculty (Relevant to Research): (b) Promotion Criteria. (1) The criteria for promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor are the same as the criteria for tenure and are contained in Article 19 Tenure. However, a faculty member may be initially employed as an Associate Professor and not be granted tenure. In that event, tenure will be granted only upon satisfaction of the criteria contained in Article 19, Tenure. (2) Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor requires that the candidate be an outstanding teacher, be an outstanding scholar, and demonstrate continuing meaningful contributions in service. b. Outstanding scholarship is evidenced by an ongoing agenda of inquiry that has resulted in a body of published scholarly or creative works of high quality. This body of works must be significantly greater than the body of works that resulted in the faculty member s promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. DPH Policies: The DPH monitors faculty engagement in research through annual faculty evaluations and annual tenure appraisals for untenured faculty conducted by the Department Chair. The DPH Bylaws specify procedures for annual evaluation including a list of the number of points awarded for acceptable forms of scholarship and the rating scale for points earned. Faculty must earn the rating specified in the BOT-UFF CBA (excerpted above) to be considered for promotion and/or tenure. Merit raises, when given are typically only for those earning an exemplary in the given category. (See Resource File for DPH Bylaws.) A mid-tenure review is also conducted by the elected DPH Promotion and Tenure Committee midway through the tenure process for tenure-track faculty per the UNF BOT-UFF CBA ( and DPH Bylaws. DPH Bylaws, Section 1: Section 1: Procedures for Evaluation (adopted from BOT-UFF contract). Page 101

103 1.1 Faculty Annual Report. [1.1.1] Each faculty member shall submit to the Chair a report of annual activities in teaching, research/scholarship/creative activities, service, and other University duties consistent with the UNF BOT-UFF CBA. The format and minimum content of the faculty activity report is included in these bylaws and can be amended as specified for amendments. [1.1.2] The faculty annual report shall include any interpretive comments and/or supporting data that the faculty member deems appropriate in evaluating performance. [1.1.3] The annual report will contain tentative indicator points based upon the values outlined below. Appendix B clarifies and interprets UNF s criteria for annual evaluation. Yearly evaluation of these criteria may be undertaken but will be voted on per bylaw amendments. Each submitted annual evaluation will contain evidence to support the chosen indicator points. 1.2 The Chair s Evaluation [1.2.1] The Chair will complete the annual evaluation including the rating in teaching, scholarship and service, of each faculty member taking into account the faculty member s annual report and other sources of evaluative information referenced in BOT-UFF Contract Sections 18.2 through 18.4, the University s criteria for annual evaluations, and the department s interpretations/clarifications referenced in BOT-UFF Contract Sections 18.6 and [1.2.2] When finalizing the annual evaluation including rating teaching, research and service, the Department Chair will consider a. faculty annual reports (with indicator points) and supporting material, [The Chair reserves the right to modify indicator points after discussion with the affected faculty member if the Chair deems the points are incorrectly assigned (no evidence to support points)]. b. information from the following sources: peers, students, faculty member/self, other university officials who have responsibility for supervision of the faculty member, and individuals to whom the faculty member may be responsible in the course of a service or research assignment. c. the quality of the faculty member s research/scholarship and other creative programs and contributions for that year, and d. recognition by the academic or professional community of what has been accomplished. University Practices: Typically, regular faculty members receive 0.2 FTE each semester for scholarship and are allowed course releases if externally-funded. The University supports research activity through a variety of opportunities and initiatives: Center for Instruction & Research Technology ( The Center offers expertise, resources, and training to assist faculty in ways that enable them to develop greater capacities for using technology for teaching and research. Centers: UNF is committed to the development of centers that bring together faculty for research, such as BCH s Center for Global Health and Medical Diplomacy. Faculty Research Committee: This Committee recommends policies to the Faculty Association, with respect to research activities, facilities, personnel, allocation of monies, and intellectual property. Page 102

104 Grant Programs: The Office of Academic Affairs provides support for faculty through the following grant programs: summer scholarship grants, summer teaching grants, summer proposal development grants, and an undergraduate research award program. Other grants described on the Academic Affairs website ( include: the Terry Presidential Professor grant, faculty scholarship release program, and Foundation Board Proposals. Still others include the President s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion s Inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Research Award, and Community Engaged Department grants. Office of Faculty Enhancement ( Its mission is to support UNF faculty members in teaching, research, and service, and facilitate growth of a University culture that champions innovation, the use of technology, cooperation, and ongoing professional development and research. Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) ( The mission of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is to serve as the University's central administrative unit responsible for securing external resources through grants and contracts and providing financial and contractual stewardship of awards. ORSP provides dynamic and proactive services to cultivate and maximize external resources for relevant research, scholarly and creative pursuits. ORSP provides guidance and support to the university community in an environment that fosters the creative process and the enrichment of teaching and learning, while ensuring the fulfillment of the university's financial, contractual, and regulatory obligations as well as accountability to external funding sources. Research Awards: UNF honors outstanding researchers with the following awards: Outstanding Faculty Scholarship (2 per year), Outstanding Faculty Community Engaged Scholarship (1), and Distinguished Professor (1) awards. Recipients are chosen by Faculty Association committees. Sabbaticals: Competitive sabbaticals are granted to increase a faculty member's value to the University through enhanced opportunities for research, writing or other experience of professional value. UNF Flagship Program: This initiative allows stellar programs to receive funding which in part supports research. BCH Practices: BCH supports research by offering: 1) competitive Brooks Professorship grants ($18,000 or 20,000 per year for 3 years); 2) course releases for new faculty for research; 3) competitive summer research grants; 4) startup funds for new faculty; and 5) yearly equipment and software purchases. At least once a year, the BCH Research and Scholarly Activity Committee reports the status of research and the climate for research in BCH to faculty. The Committee facilitates faculty and student research in the BCH and promotes collaboration with other members of the University and the community through dissemination of information, research forums, consultation, and development of incentives and rewards. Each spring a BCH graduate student research day is held with prizes awarded to the top Page 103

105 student research posters. Finally, tenure-track and tenured faculty each receive development funds (~$1500 per year) which may be used to support research related travel or other development activities. Program Practices: The MPH Program supports research through a strong commitment to its program research goal and associated objectives (1.1d). The program routinely reviews the success of its research efforts by examining the outcome measures related to each objective. Following University tenure and promotion policies, the program expects MPH faculty to produce scholarly work as indicated by peer-reviewed publications and presentations in fields related to public health. Faculty are encouraged to obtain external and internal funding for scholarship taking into account that UNF s primary mission is instruction. The program promotes students understanding of public health research through course work, individual research opportunities, and practice experiences. Research methodology is integrated throughout the curriculum. Importantly, one course (HSC6735 Health Science Research) is focused on research methodology and requires students to demonstrate application of this methodology. b. Description of current research activities undertaken in collaboration with local, state, national or international health agencies and community-based organizations. Formal research agreements with such agencies should be identified. Members of the MPH faculty conduct research in collaboration with community organizations (also in table 3.1.d). These collaborations include: Dr. Apatu has worked outside of the continental United States in American Samoa examining household characteristics as situational impediments or facilitators to evacuation after the 2009 earthquakes in that area. Dr. Apatu has worked outside of the continental United States in American Samoa with the American Samoa Food Policy Council to conduct a healthy food assessment for American Samoa youth in Dr. Barr conducts research and community outreach with the Florida Department of Education Coordinated School Health Program. ( Get Real About AIDS Program Evaluation; Beyond the Birds and the Bees Program Evaluation; Finding Common Ground in Sexuality Education Program Evaluation) Dr. Barr & Dr. Moore serve on the Duval County School Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey Advisory Team as a research advisor and collaborator (2011 and 2013 data collection process and review) to disseminate results at local, state and national levels. Dr. Barr & Dr. Moore serve as consultants on a CDC funded grant project awarded Duval County Public Schools to Promote Adolescent Health Through School-Based HIV/STD Prevention and School-Based Surveillance. Dr. Clark conducts research and community outreach with the Northeast Florida Lyme Disease Association. He also collaborates with Lyme disease support groups in Georgia and North Carolina to provide research testing of ticks from human patients in those states. Page 104

106 Dr. Johnson conducts research in collaboration with two entities within the Florida Department of Health -- the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program and the Chronic Disease Epidemiology Section -- examining chronic disease-related outcomes using state and national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Dr. Johnson has worked on a national level evaluating proximal indicators for the CDC, Division of Diabetes Translation as part of a National Expert Panel. Dr. Erin Largo-Wight collaborates with Florida Medical Association and UNF Environmental Center on environmental health promotion research. Dr. Wilburn collaborates with 3 school districts, 2 state colleges, 3 community agencies and the UNF School of Nursing s community-based flagship program providing program evaluation with an emphasis on Community-based Participatory Evaluation. c. A list of current research activity of all primary and secondary faculty identified in Criteria 4.1.a and 4.1.b., including amount and source of funds, for each of the last three years. These data must be presented in table format and include at least the following: a) principal investigator and faculty member s role (if not PI), b) project name, c) period of funding, d) source of funding, e) amount of total award, f) amount of current year s award, g) whether research is community based and h) whether research provides for student involvement. Distinguish projects attributed to primary faculty from those attributed to other faculty by using bold text, color or shading. Only research funding should be reported here; extramural funding for service or training grants should be reported in Template (funded service) and Template (funded training/workforce development). Page 105

107 Table Research Activity from Project Name Principal Investigator & Concentration Funding Source Funding Period Start/End Amount Total Award Amount Amount Amount Community- Based Y/N Student Participation Y/N Lyme disease and other tick borne infections in human patients in the southern US Clark Community Foundation of Jacksonville, Henry & Lucy Gooding Endowment 5/11- present $15,000 $7,500 $7,500 Y Y Lyme disease and other tick borne infections in human patients in the southern US Clark Northeast Florida Lyme Disease Association 1/12- present $20,000 10,000 $10,000 Y Y Isolation and characterization of Lyme disease spirochetes from human patients in southern US Clark UNF BCH Summer Scholarship Grant 6/10-8/10 $5,000 $5,000 N N Epidemiology, Data Analysis: Services for the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Johnson Florida Department of Health 12/10-4/11 $24,000 $24,000 N N Refugee/Medicaid/High Risk Lead Poisoning Screening Reports Johnson Florida Department of Health 5/11-7/11 $15,100 $15,100 N N The Cost Impact of Occupationally-Related Illness and Injury in FL Johnson Florida Department of Health 1/12-7/12 $8,526 $8,526 N N The Role of Co-Morbidities on the Costs of Occupationally- Related Illness and Injury in FL Johnson Florida Department of Health 1/12-7/12 $15,474 $15,474 N N Mapping Projects Describing County- and Region-Specific Costs Associated with Work- Related Illness and Injury in FL Johnson Florida Department of Health 12/12-7/13 $9,666 $3,000 N N Page 106

108 Project Name Principal Investigator & Concentration Funding Source Funding Period Start/End Amount Total Award Amount Amount Amount Community- Based Y/N Student Participation Y/N Constructing Proxy Measures for abolic Syndrome Using Cross-Sectional, Population- Based Survey Data Johnson (Churilla co-pi) UNF BCH, Dean's Professorship Grant 7/12-6/15 $54,000 $18,200 N Y Environmental Intervention for Stress Reduction at Work: Environmental Booster Break Pilot Study Largo-Wight UNF Faculty Research Grant 6/11-8/11 $7,500 $7,500 N Y Development of an Evidence- Based Sexual Risk Reduction Program for College Students Moore, Barr Brooks Research Professorship 8/10 - present $56,000 $18,000 $18,000 On hold until Y Y Development of a Federally Funded Proposal to Reduce Alcohol Abuse and Sexual Risk Taking among College Students. Moore BCH Summer Scholarship Grant 6/10-8/10 $4,000 $4,000 N N We Care Project Wilburn United Way current $38,500 $38,500 Y Y rotown Institute: A Multicultural Training Program for Youth Wilburn UNF President s Commission on Diversity & Inclusion s Inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Research Award current $5,000 $5,000 Y N We Care Project Wilburn (Evaluation collaborator) UNF Office of the President and Office of Dean BCH current $5,000 $2,500 $2,500 Y N Totals $282,766 $33,000 $58,074 $93,226 Page 107

109 d. Identification of measures by which the program may evaluate the success of its research activities, along with data regarding the program s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. For example, programs may track dollar amounts of research funding, significance of findings (eg, citation references), extent of research translation (eg, adoption by policy or statute), dissemination (eg, publications in peer-reviewed publications, presentations at professional meetings) and other indicators. Table Outcome Measures for Faculty Research Outcome Measure Peer-reviewed publications Peer-reviewed presentations External and internal funding Communitybased research projects Target Year % of MPH Program faculty will have at least 83% 1 peer-reviewed article published each year. (5/6) 50% of MPH Program faculty will have at least 1 peer-reviewed presentation each year. 50% of MPH Program faculty will have at least one active (external or internal) grant and/or contract during the year. (in 3.1.c) 75% of the MPH faculty will be involved with community based research projects ( in 3.1.b) 100% (6/6) 100% (6/6) 67% (4/6) Not met Year % (6/6) 83% (5/6) 100% (6/6) 67% (4/6) Not met Year % (4/5) 80% (4/5) 100% (5/5) 60% (3/5) Not met The data indicate that the MPH Program has fully met objectives 1-3, and has not met objective 4. The MPH Program is committed to increasing and encouraging community-based research among faculty and students. (See Resource File for list of faculty publications, presentations and grant funding, and sample publications.) Faculty routinely seek opportunities to increase community-based research. For example, at the last faculty retreat, each faculty identified at least one community-based initiative with which to collaborate. Some examples of current community-based research includes Dr. Barr's work with the Florida Department of Education, Dr.s Barr and Moore s work with the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey Advisory Team, Dr. Clark's work with the Northeast Florida Lyme Disease Association, and Dr. Largo-Wight's work with the Florida Medical Association. These and other community-based research projects are described in Section 3.1.b. e. Description of student involvement in research. The importance of research to the practice of public health is stressed throughout the program s curriculum. All students are required to take HSC 6735 Health Science Research which focuses on research methodology pertinent to public health. Students also apply research methodology to public health issues in other classes such as Evaluating Health Programs. During the PHC 6945 Public Health Internship, many students conduct research projects as part of the field experience. Examples of these types of projects are described in the Page 108

110 table below. The comprehensive examination tests student knowledge of research practices and application at the end of the program. Additionally, many students work with faculty on research projects. A selected list of outcomes from these faculty-student research collaborations is also shown in a table below. Student names are in bold in Table Table MPH Student Research Projects Internship Examples Student Agency Project Year Student 1 Duval County Health Department, AIDS Program Analyzed STD co-infection with HIV/AIDS data to find out how early STD co-infection with HIV/AIDS occur after HIV/AIDS diagnosis Student 2 Student 3 Student 4 Student 5 Student 6 University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF CARES) CDC Dengue Branch, Puerto Rico University of Florida Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education, and Service (UF CARES) Institute for Public Health Informatics, Duval County Health Department Jacksonville Weight Loss Center Designed a comprehensive health care status and needs assessment survey for older patients with HIV. Held focus group to review survey and revised based on feedback. Implemented pilot study of survey. Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance In Puerto Rico: Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Dirofilaria immitis Prevalence Rates in Canines: Implications for Public Health and the U.S. Military Applying the One Health Concept Measuring Retention In Care Of HIV-Infected Pregnant Women At UF Cares: A Quality Improvement Project Development of the 2013 Duval County Health Statistic Report for Cancer Child/Adolescent Obesity and Undiagnosed Comorbidities: A Case Series Approach Page 109

111 Table MPH Student Research Outcomes Authors Title Publication, Presentation, Grant Barr, E. Richards, J., Anderson, T, Kovalevich ING Run for Something Better School Awards Program. (under review) National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), $2,500 to support Jacksonville s Global Outreach Charter Academy K-8. Barr, E., Moore, M. J., Howard, A. Boyer W, Richardson MR, Johnson TM, Churilla JR Clark, K. L., Leydet, B., Hartman, S Largo-Wight, E., Cuvelier, E., Chen, W.W., Howard, M.M. Largo-Wight, E., Wludyka, P.S., Cuvelier, E., Chen, W.W. Richardson MR, Boyer W, Johnson TM, Churilla JR A pilot project to increase parent comfort communicating with their children about sexual health. Association of Muscle Strengthening Activity with Glycosylated Hemoglobin Lyme borreliosis in human patients in Florida and Georgia, USA. The feasibility and practicality of an environmental intervention for stress reduction at work: The environmental booster break. The effectiveness of a stress reduction intervention during the existing work break: Environmental booster break versus standard work break pilot test. Associations between High Sensitivity C- Reactive Protein and Self-Reported Screen Time in U.S. Adults: a Cross-Sectional Analysis American Journal of Sexuality Education, 7(3), , 2012 Presented at the 10th Annual World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, and CVD International Journal of Medical Science [Accepted] American Academy of Health Behavior. Hilton Head, SC. March 2011 American Academy of Health Behavior. Austin, TX. March 2012 Presented at the 10th Annual World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes, and CVD f. 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 3.1 is met with commentary. Strengths: The program s research accomplishments are consistent with the stated mission of UNF, BCH and the MPH. UNF and DPH have well developed policies delineating research expectations and monitoring faculty progress in achieving them. Most of the stated measurements for the program s research objectives were met or exceeded. Given UNF s primary mission of teaching (typical load is three courses each fall and spring semesters), the program s productivity is excellent. Weaknesses and Plans: Although the program encourages student participation in research projects outside of course requirements, most students hold full-time employment that does not allow for participation in research projects. The program has been lobbying to get more Research Assistant positions to promote student research. The faculty will continue to infuse research projects through the curriculum and to work with MPH students on research projects and outcomes when possible. The faculty have also recently identified at least one communitybased health organization to work with in order to increase service and research collaboration. Page 110

112 Page 111

113 3.2 Service. The program shall pursue active service activities, consistent with its mission, through which faculty and students contribute to the advancement of public health practice. a. Description of the program s service activities, including policies, procedures and practices that support service. If the program has formal contracts or agreements with external agencies, these should be noted. University Policies, Procedures and Practices: UNF defines service as faculty activities for the Program, Department, College and University level and for organizations and agencies external to the University. Service external to the University includes activity that extends professional or discipline-related contributions to local, state, national and/or international communities. UNF requires service as part of faculty assignments. Typical faculty loads include 0.05 FTE for service. An assessment of individual faculty service is part of the annual evaluation, which in turn is used in promotion and tenure decisions (described in 3.2.b). Program reviews at the University level completed every five years also assess faculty service. Service Awards: UNF recognizes two faculty per year for Outstanding Faculty Service one for Outstanding International Service. Center for Community-Based Learning (CCBL) ( UNF has a longstanding and ongoing commitment to active community engagement as expressed in its mission: UNF will prepare students to make significant contributions to their communities in the region and beyond." It also serves as the focal point of UNF s institutional goal to affirm the University's public responsibility through civic engagement and communitybased learning and research. Additionally, UNF received the 2010 Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in recognition of the University s exceptional commitment to community engagement. The CCBL helps achieve these goals. CBL is the collaborative engagement of students, faculty, UNF administration and community experts designed to provide students with rich, real world opportunities that enhance student learning, personal development and civic involvement while also contributing to the enrichment and well-being of the greater Jacksonville community and beyond. The nature of CBL is to provide service to the local community by both faculty and students. CCBL provides support for faculty wishing to engage in CBL, and offers three types of funding: 1) Community Engaged Department Grant Program (supports departments to develop or enhance community-based learning); 2) Community Scholars Program (supports faculty in the practice of Community-Based Transformational Learning); and 3) STEM Service Learning Fellows Program (supports integration of service-learning into courses). Program Policies, Procedures and Practices: The MPH Program supports service through a Page 112

114 commitment to the program service goal and objectives (1.1.d). The program routinely reviews the success of its service efforts by examining the outcome measures related to each objective. Recently, each faculty member was asked to select at least one community-based public health agency with which to work. Following University tenure and promotion policies, the program has an expectation for MPH faculty to have a meaningful contribution to service. The program also encourages students to become involved in community service. The program maintains an online site (UNF Bb site) where service opportunities are routinely posted by faculty and others and a Facebook page that also posts updates, information, photos, events, etc. ( In the last year, this social media mode for communication has gone from 75 likes to near 150 likes. The program also encourages student memberships in professional organizations such as Florida Public Health Association and Eta Sigma Gamma. In addition, the public health internship and field experience give students a structured opportunity to provide service to a regional public health agency. The internship offers opportunities for students to cultivate professionalism and conscious responsibility toward the profession. Moreover, many of the interns work with underserved populations, thus developing social responsibility. Affiliation agreements with regional public and private public health agencies support these activities. Some examples of recent internship sites are: Duval County Health Department, Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and UF/Shands Hospital. Students are also highly active in community service through program efforts, coursework, and volunteer experiences. See Criterion 3.2.e for a description. The public health community s major contribution to the MPH Program comes in the form of internship sites. Of particular note are the many hours of service provided by the internship preceptors. Additionally, the community contributes to the program by serving as members on the Public Health Advisory Board. Many local public health professionals have contributed to the program s development and have served as instructors of and/or presenters in courses. The program values the role of community-based public health private and public agencies and organizations in the development and continuation of the program. b. Description of the emphasis given to community and professional service activities in the promotion and tenure process. Service is part of the promotion and tenure criteria for the University. The requirements for service are described in the UNF BOT-UFF Contract ( UNF BOT-UFF Contract: 19.5 Criteria for Tenure and Basis for Tenure Decision (Relevant to Service). (b) University Tenure Criteria. Judgments of academic excellence are complex. They Page 113

115 cannot easily be reduced to a quantitative formula, nor can the considerations that must be applied in each individual case be completely described in general terms. However, in all cases to be awarded tenure, a candidate must be excellent in teaching, must be excellent in scholarship, and must demonstrate continuing meaningful contributions in service. (3) Making continuing meaningful contributions in service is evidenced by a record of active participation in University governance through committees and otherwise, as well as a record of active service to one s professional discipline and the broader public which may occur at the local, state, national, and international levels. DPH Bylaws: The bylaws relevant to annual evaluations are described in 3.1.a and are included in the Resource File. Annual faculty evaluations are an important factor in promotion and tenure decisions and other merit-based decisions. Annual evaluations procedures at UNF are driven by each department s bylaws and conducted by the department chairperson. Service activity is quantified by completing the Faculty Annual Evaluation Worksheet set forth in the DPH Bylaws. Categories of internal and external service activities are listed on the worksheet with associated point allocations. For example, active participation in community organization has three associated points. All service activity is listed and associated points are tallied. A quantitate rating scale is used to determine the evaluation (e.g., Exemplary Service is service that is greater than 8 points). If a faculty member does not meet the service standards, he or she will earn unsatisfactory evaluation for service on the annual evaluation, which has implications for promotion and tenure and merit-based decisions. c. A list of the program s current service activities, including identification of the c ommunity, organization, agency or body for which the service was provided and the nature of the activity, over the last three years. See CEPH Data Template Projects presented in Criterion 3.1 should not be replicated here without distinction. Funded service activities may be reported in a separate table; see CEPH Template Extramural funding for research or training/continuing education grants should be reported in Template (research) or Template (funded workforce development), respectively. The UNF MPH faculty have conducted numerous invited presentations, lectures, seminars and interviews throughout Duval County and the state, and are active members of national Public Health Professional Organizations (i.e. APHA, ASHA, SOPHE, ESG, etc.). The table below outlines additional non-university service activities of the MPH faculty for the last three academic years. Secondary and adjunct faculty are successful public health practitioners, primarily employed outside of UNF. They are active in their respective community-based committees, coalitions, and initiatives. Page 114

116 Table Faculty Service from Faculty Role Organization Activity or Project Year Apatu Manuscript Reviewer Health Promotion Practice Review Manuscripts present Faculty Advisor Eta Sigma Gamma UNF Chapter Provide guidance, mentorship to student members present Member Jax 2025 Attend monthly meetings related to strengthening financial literacy, and wellbeing among families in priority neighborhoods present Barr Member Florida Department of Education (FDOE), AIDS Education Advisory Council Member FDOE, HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Training Cadre Member Member Member Member Member Duval County Public Schools, YRBS Advisory Team Future of Sex Ed (FoSE), Review Committee FoSE, Professional Standards for Teaching Sex Ed Advisory Committee FDOE, Health Education Standards Committee FDOE, Coordinated School Health Materials Review Committee Attend two state trainings annually, participate in state efforts to reduce STD/HIV rates among Florida youth Provide a minimum of two training sessions annually to Florida sexuality educators and/or teachers, serve as a resource person, participate in conference call trainings Advise and assist team on issues related to YRBS survey development, implementation, and disseminating results to community Review and edit the National Guidelines to teach sexuality education 1 of 10 selected to develop national guidelines in teacher preparation programs to teach human sexuality Review, revise Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Health Education, participate in conference calls, approve final drafts Review, provide feedback on a minimum of 3 educational materials per year to be considered as recommended educational materials present present present present Manuscript Reviewer The Journal of School Health Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer Am Journal of Health Education Review manuscripts present Manuscript The Health Education Monograph Review manuscripts Reviewer Series Clark Member Northeast Florida Lyme Association Scientific advisor and leadership present Member Landford Foundation- Lifelyme Scientific advisor present Manuscript Reviewer Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer Journal of Medical Entomology Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer Journal of Parasitology Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Diseases Journal Review manuscripts present Page 115

117 Faculty Role Organization Activity or Project Year Johnson Technical Advisor Diabetes Advisory Council Provide diabetes-related data to guide council recommendations present Exec. Board, Vice-chair Florida Diabetes Alliance Provide leadership to develop and maintain membership and guide improvements to the present diabetes health system Member Chronic Disease Prevention Action Team Participate in meetings and provide researchbased input to the team 2012 Largo- Wight Reviewer CDC Expert Review Committee - Division of Diabetes Translation's Proximal Indicators Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Executive Environmental Center * Board Member Member Associate Editor Board Member Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Manuscript Reviewer Reviewed national diabetes proximal indicators for priority and feasibility ESG Student Monograph Review manuscripts BMC Public Health Review manuscripts present Evaluation Review Review manuscripts present Biweekly meetings, review research seed grants yearly, partner with NEFAEP and present review scholarship applications yearly, host campus events, partner with community on environmental / sustainability seminars, initiatives, projects, etc. Healthy Jacksonville Obesity Prevention Coalition Health Behavior and Policy Review Moore Member Duval County Public Schools, YRBS Advisory Team Member Recently joined, attend meetings and hosted community events, will support healthy places initiatives present Review manuscripts present Environment and Behavior Review manuscripts present Landscape and Urban Planning Review manuscripts present American Journal of Health Review manuscripts Behavior present Int J of Environmental Health Review manuscripts Research present The Health Education Monograph Review manuscripts Series present Int Electronic Journal of Health Review manuscripts Education present Journal of School Health Review manuscripts present Advise and assist team on issues related to YRBS survey development, implementation, present and disseminating results to community Duval County Public Schools, School Health Advisory Committee Review issues brought to committee, for example review health curricula present Page 116

118 Faculty Role Organization Activity or Project Year Moore Guest 2012 Eta Sigma Gamma Student Called for, managed peer review and final Editor Monograph editing of manuscripts Reviewer American School Health Review conference presentation submissions Association, National Convention Research Council Program Proposals Manuscript Reviewer Journal of School Health Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer Journal of American College Health Review manuscripts present Manuscript Reviewer American Journal of Health Education Review manuscripts present Wilburn Reviewer National Review of Effective Reviewed 2 programs in 2006; 1 in 2007; 2 in Programs & Practices (NREPP) 2008; 3 in 2009; 1 in 2010; 3 in 2011; 6 in 2012 Board of Directors Cathedral Foundation Education committee; working on community mental wellness project present Committee Member Solutions Aimed and Growth and Empowerment of Seniors (SAGES) Senior suicide prevention taskforce present Executive Board Senior Roundtable Founding member; program development Present Member Duval County Public Schools, Health Advisory Council Wellness Council and Health Education subcommittee Present Member YRBS Advisory Team, Duval County Public Schools Not currently active; worked on ATOD and bullying initiatives in past Member Leadership Jacksonville Youth selection committee and multicultural education day *Note: Center housed within the University that focuses on environmental and sustainability education, campaigns, and funding research in the community and on campus. Page 117

119 d. Identification of the measures by which the program may evaluate the success of its service efforts, along with data regarding the program s performance against those measures for each of the last three years. Table Outcome Measures for Faculty Service Outcome Measure Participation in Professional Organizations Participation in Community Partnerships Departmental Service * University/College Service * Target Year % of MPH Program faculty participate in 100% professional organizations (6/6) 75% of MPH Program faculty participate in community partnerships which support teaching, research, or service All MPH faculty participate in governance at the Program or Department level All MPH faculty participate in governance at the University or college level 100% (6/6) 100% (6/6) 83% (5/6) Not Year % (6/6) 100% (6/6) 100% (6/6) 83% (5/6) Not Year % (5/5) 100% (5/5) 100% (5/5) 100% (5/5) *Note: Internal service is listed here because it is a UNF faculty expectation. Hence it is important in faculty annual evaluations, promotion and tenure, and merit-raises, all of which are critical to CEPH. In addition, many of UNF s internal service initiatives are focused on improving the Jacksonville community and may be representative of CEPH conceptualization of community service. For example, the UNF Environmental Center operates as a central facilitating unit in the community to foster environmental and sustainability initiatives across NE Florida (e.g., International Beach Clean-Up, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Marsh Preservation Society, etc.). e. Description of student involvement in service, outside of those activities associated with the required practice experience and previously described in Criterion 2.4. The MPH Program has developed a service goal and related objective regarding students and service (Criterion 1.1.c). The program: 1) promotes student participation in local, state, national, and/or international public health-related organizations and efforts; 2) encourages student participation in community partnerships and efforts for the advancement of public health; and 3) encourages student participation in the governance of the program. Students are also encouraged to join the UNF campus Eta Sigma Gamma chapter and the Florida Public Health Association. Information on these opportunities is provided on the MPH Bb site and through announcements, UNF Public Health Facebook page ( in the MPH Handbook, classes and orientations. An MPH student currently leads ESG and the group performed a number of community service projects. One MPH student serves on the MPH Advisory Board and several serve on the MPH Student Advisory Board. Page 118

120 In addition, service opportunities and perspectives from the field of practice are integrated into classes and offered throughout the duration of the program as described in selected examples below: Many classes partner with local agencies to have students complete class projects. o HSC 6585 Health Promotion & Education Strategies: students partnered with Health Planning Council, Florida Medical Association, WeCare, Vistakon Wellness, and Duval County Health Department to develop health promotion and education materials o HSC 6712 Evaluation of Health Programs: students partner with local health agencies to develop an evaluation plan o HSC 6735 Health Science Research: students analyze existing secondary data sets and prepare and present a poster for the college research day Students are highly active in community-based public health service through volunteering. MPH students participate in community coalitions, regularly volunteer to support public health events, etc. Some examples include: Participating and attending Duval County Health Department s Healthy Jacksonville Obesity Prevention Coalition monthly meetings. Volunteering for Marsh Preservation Society to facilitate a MarshFest 5K Race and 1 mile fun run. Volunteering for the City of Atlantic Beach s Mid-Week Farmer s Market to bring healthy foods to communities. Serving as a student Board Member and BCH Representative for the Environmental Center, housed within UNF but partnerships and outreach take place primarily in the community. f. 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 3.2 is met with commentary. Strengths: UNF offers support for faculty and student service to the local community through the CCBL, and recognizes three faculty annually with awards for their service efforts. The program s service activities over the last three years have successfully fulfilled the stated program mission and goals. The service goal and objectives were designed to support the overall mission of the MPH Program and to complement teaching objectives. The program values its community partners who supply the students with internship sites and preceptors and serve on the Public Health Advisory Board. Through the self-study process and encouragement by BCH administration, the faculty made a commitment to increase their community service activities. Each faculty member identified a new community agency they would begin to work with academic year. The Public Health Program has also been designated as a community engaged program. MPH students are offered numerous opportunities for service through various communication methods, as course requirements, and field experience Page 119

121 and internship courses. The program is committed to serving at the local, state and national levels. Weaknesses and Plans: Faculty contracts stipulate that faculty spend.05 FTE on service. Since this two hour per week allotment is split between university, college, department, professional and community service, it does not allow faculty much time to devote to community service. Many MPH students hold full-time employment and/or have other obligations that do not allow for participation in service projects outside courses. UNF has been designated as a Carnegie community engaged university and the university as a whole is now recognizing community based endeavors more; whether or not this will translate into expectations for the tenure and promotion process is yet to be seen. The program faculty have made a commitment to increasing their community based service and research efforts. Faculty will continue to offer and encourage service opportunities to the MPH students. Page 120

122 Page 121

123 3.3 Workforce Development. The program shall engage in activities other than its offering of degree programs that support the professional development of the public health workforce. a. Description of the ways in which the program periodically assesses the continuing education needs of the community or communities it intends to serve. The assessment may include primary or secondary data collection or data sources. In 2009 the Program conducted a needs assessment of community public health professionals to determine priority areas for continuing education efforts (See Resource File for survey and results). The results from the survey were very broad with respondents indicating need for education in a variety of skills, topic areas and formats, and need for CEUs. Based on the findings of this survey, faculty decided to hold a one-day conference at UNF. The purpose of this first conference was kept broad: to provide an opportunity for people working in public health and related areas to present and review public health goals, progress, and new initiatives in the Jacksonville and northeast Florida region. Well recognized speakers were selected such as the Director of the Duval County Health Department, the Florida Surgeon General, and representatives from well know local agencies such as the NEFL Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Jacksonville Community Coalition, Inc. CEUS were offered. The program saw this as an initiative to help Jacksonville public health professionals to form and strengthen partnerships, provide direction for public health education needs, link public health practice organizations with new graduates, and meet community continuing education and workforce development needs. Due to the results of the first needs assessment being so broad, faculty decided to utilize their knowledge of priority regional health issues (pulling from local health data sources), along with input from program community partners including internship preceptors, the Public Health Advisory Board, adjuncts and alumni working in the field. Through these informal discussions, faculty learned of continuing education needs of local professionals. Additionally, a survey was conducted at the end of each conference asking for topics to be addressed at the next conference. Faculty discussed conference evaluation results at Program meetings to hone in on the major themes in the evaluations. For example, the theme of the second annual UNF public health conference was Balancing our Community s Mental Wellness. This topic was chosen using: 1) the evaluation results; 2) statistics showing Jacksonville ranks high in areas such as youth suicide and mental health issues, lacks adequate services for people dealing with these issues, and has a significant military presence who often suffers from PTSD; and 3) results of faculty discussions with local professionals showing a desire for a program on this topic area. For the third annual conference, the Public Health Advisory Board was instrumental in developing a conference theme, Future Trends in Public Health, and specific session topics/skills (e.g., the Affordable Care Act, Progress toward Healthy People 2020, social media, grant writing), and in identifying prominent speakers from throughout the state for the conference (e.g., Deputy Secretary for the Florida Department of Health). Page 122

124 Finally, over the past two years many site preceptors, current graduates, and members of the Advisory Board have expressed the need for a certification in Health Coaching. As a result, means to offer a Health Coaching Certificate have been explored in conjunction with Mayo Clinic, and plans are underway to offer such certificate to enhance regional public health workforce development in the near future. Questions will be added to the summer 2014 alumni survey to identify future workforce development needs. b. A list of the continuing education programs, other than certificate programs, offered by the program, including number of participants served, for each of the last three years. Those programs offered in a distance-learning format should be identified. Funded training/ continuing education activities may be reported in a separate table. See CEPH Data Template (ie, optional template for funded workforce development activities). Only funded training/continuing education should be reported in Template Extramural funding for research or service education grants should be reported in Template (research) or Template (funded service), respectively. During summers 2010, 2011 and 2012, the MPH Program Faculty planned and facilitated a daylong summer Public Health Conference. (See Resource File for conference agendas.) Approximately 100 participants attended each conference, including local and regional public health professionals and students. All three of these conferences, along with CEUs, were available to participants for free or minimal cost. The conferences offered a variety of public health topics, and had breakout sessions throughout the day. The conferences were planned in conjunction with the Suwannee River AHEC. They sent out advertisements to their list of state and regional public health professionals, managed conference registration and sign-in, conducted and tabulated conference evaluation, and managed CEUs. s were also sent to all program community partners (e.g., preceptors, advisory board, alumni, adjuncts etc.). The BCH and DPH provided some financial support for all three of the conferences. For the second annual conference, funds from a Community Foundation Military Grant were able to be used to help support the program ($3360). Program faculty worked with the BCH development officers to plan the third annual conference. As a result, $2000 was raised to help cover the costs of delivering the conference. Although the participant evaluations consistently documented a successful conference, faculty agreed that with limited program resources (faculty/staff to plan and implement it; funds to support it), continuing with an activity of this magnitude was not feasible. The faculty had a very limited budget for this initiative, faculty only receive.05 FTE for service, and the faculty are on 9-month lines making it difficult to commit to the time needed to successfully plan and facilitate a conference each summer. In lieu of this activity, a health coaching certificate is being explored with Mayo Clinic based on need expressed by local public health professionals. Additionally, the graduate PHC was started, described in 3.3.c. Page 123

125 Faculty also respond to requests for public health training from state and local public health agencies. For example, in 2011, Dr. Clark helped organize and hosted the Northeast Florida Lyme (Disease) Summit. This two-day event was held at UNF November 11-12, and consisted of a fundraiser party, documentary film showing, and medical conference. Over 100 participants attended. The medical conference targeted primarily health care professionals that evaluate and treat Lyme disease patients. The conference speakers included Dr. Clark, and three Florida physicians with experience diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. The conference was jointly sponsored and funded by the Northeast Florida Lyme Disease Association (Dr. Clark serves on their Board of Directors), the UNF DPH, and the Florida AHEC. This event was advertised via and online to health care organizations in AHEC s contact list and through several regional Lyme disease associations. The AHEC partnership allowed the conference to provide health education and some health care practice CEUs. Drs. Barr and Moore were asked to conduct continuing education programs for the Duval County Public School health teachers in summer 2014 to help them prepare for teaching evidence-based sexuality education as part of a grant the school system was awarded. In 2010, Dr. Barr developed and presented a 2-hour interactive, theory-based program, "Beyond the Birds and the Bees: Communicating about Sexuality " to 80 parents in Liberty City, Florida. The program was designed to facilitate parent communication with their children about sexuality to reduce unintended pregnancy and STDs/HIV. This program was supported by the Florida Department of Education and the Urban League of Miami, and has been presented throughout the state by various health educators. Dr. Barr also led a 2-day training for 50 Duval County School teachers in 2013, and a 1-day training for 30 Pinellas County school teachers in 2012: Sexuality Education: Effective Tools for Middle School and High School Teachers. c. Description of certificate programs or other non-degree offerings of the program, including enrollment data for each of the last three years. The PHC is relatively new, first being offered fall Due to the program not being able to be advertised until late summer, only one student started the program fall In fall 2013, nine students were accepted and three students began the certificate. The following information is provided on the PHC website ( The program consists of five required core public health courses and prepares participants with a broad understanding of public health and skills necessary for public health practice in a wide range of public and private institutions. This 15 hour certificate is ideal for those students who are working on a Master s degree in another field, but have an interest in or plan to work in a public health setting, or for professionals who are working in the field but do not have a degree in public health. The PHC is offered through the MPH program. MPH faculty teach the required PHC courses, and students take courses with MPH students. Page 124

126 The following 3-credit courses comprise the PHC: HSC 6215 Environmental Health HSC 6503 Epidemiology HSC 6603 Theory of Health Behavior PHC 6103 Essentials of Public Health Practice One of the following: o PHC 6050 Public Health Biostatistics 1 o HSC 6735 Health Science Research Students can take 1-2 classes per semester and complete the PHC in 3 to 5 semesters. The PHC courses are offered in a manner that is accessible to working professionals. Students enrolled in any UNF graduate program may earn the PHC, but students are not required to be admitted to a UNF graduate program. There are no pre-requisite courses required; individuals with a bachelor s degree in any field with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours may be accepted into the PHC Program. Acceptance into the PHC Program is dependent on student eligibility and space in the program. Students who have graduated from the MPH program or are enrolled in the MPH Program are not eligible to earn the PHC. All courses for the PHC must be completed at UNF. Applications are accepted for fall term only. Interested persons must apply for the PHC through the UNF graduate school and submit their official transcripts. No application fee is required for currently enrolled UNF students. Questions about the Admission Process can be directed to The Graduate School at UNF: (904) Recently, new eligibility criteria for the CPH exam were published; one eligibility category includes having taken a course in each of the five core public health areas from a CEPH accredited program. Based on these criteria the faculty voted to make minor changes to the PHC so that those earning the certificate would be eligible to sit for the exam. These changes include removing PHC 6103 Essentials of Public Health Practice, requiring PHC6XXXIntroduction to Public Health Management & Policy, and removing HSC 6735 Health Science Research. It is hoped these changes will make the PHC more appealing to public health professionals. Finally, discussions are plann1ed with the Doctorate of Nursing Practice PD to explore offering the PHC as part of its program. d. Description of the program s practices, policies, procedures and evaluation that support continuing education and workforce development strategies. Program Procedures: Throughout the year, and more specifically at the annual summer retreat, faculty discuss workforce development strategies to include current efforts and potential initiatives for the future. Providing continuing education is one of the program service objectives. As such, data will be collected and present each year at the retreat to ensure the Page 125

127 objective is being met. Faculty are committed to serving the local community with their continuing education and workforce development needs. The PHC is open to anyone with a 3.0 GPA in their upper division course work as described in 3.3.b. Students who complete the PHC with all A and B grades may transfer into the MPH program and apply all credits earned. PHC courses are not evaluated beyond the overall standardized course evaluation. The faculty will review PHC student performance at the end of this academic year. University Procedures: The UNF Division of Continuing Education ( is committed to providing continuing education and workforce development through various programs. They offer non-credit course and certificate programs. For-credit courses, and certain professional certification and recertification courses, are offered through the UNF s Brooks College of Health, Coggin College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Computing, Engineering and Construction, and College of Education and Human Services. As mentioned in 3.3.a and b, the faculty are working on developing a health coaching certificate. This program would be offered through UNF Continuing Education. e. A list of other educational institutions or public health practice organizations, if any, with which the program collaborates to offer continuing education. The MPH Program is currently exploring a Health Coaching Certificate with Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. This collaboration will address the current need for a certificate in this area. f. 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 3.3 is met. Strengths: The Program uses both primary and secondary, and quantitative and qualitative data to assess the continuing workforce needs of the local public health community. The program held three successful public health conferences during summers 2010, 2011 and The PHC was developed and offered for the first time in ; planning is underway to improve the certificate s marketability and increase enrollment. Individual faculty respond to requests to deliver training to public health agencies. A Health Coaching Certificate is being explored with Mayo Clinic, and will hopefully be offered within the next two academic years. The faculty review service related objectives annually to ensure continuing education is being addressed. Public health training needs are discussed regularly at faculty meetings and potential programs to address needs are explored when feasible. Page 126

128 Weaknesses: Faculty only have.05 FTE for service; this presents a challenge to schedule workforce development efforts. Page 127

129 4.0 Faculty, Staff and Students 4.1 Faculty Qualifications. The program shall have a clearly defined faculty which, by virtue of its distribution, multidisciplinary nature, educational preparation, practice experience and research and instructional competence, is able to fully support the program s mission, goals and objectives. a. A table showing primary faculty who support the degree programs offered by the program. It should present data effective at the beginning of the academic year in which the self-study is submitted to CEPH and should be updated at the beginning of the site visit. This information must be presented in table format and include at least the following: a) name, b) title/academic rank, c) FTE or % time, d) tenure status or classification*, g) graduate degrees earned, h) discipline in which degrees were earned, i) institutions from which degrees were earned, j) current instructional areas and k) current research interests. Page 128

130 Table Primary Faculty who Support Degree Offerings of the Program Academic Year Area Name Title/ Academic Rank Core/ HPHE HPHE Core/ Epi Core/ Epi Core/ HPHE Apatu, Emma Barr, Elissa Clark, Kerry Johnson, Tammie Largo- Wight, Erin Assistant Professor Associate Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor Associate Professor Tenure Status Tenure Track FTE or % Time to program Graduate Degrees Earned.5 DrPH (2013) MPH Tenured.5 PhD MS Tenured.5 PhD Tenure Track MPH.5 DrPH MPH Tenured.5 PhD MS Institution where degrees were earned East Tennessee State Un Emory Un Un of Florida Southern Illinois Un Un of South Carolina Un of Alabama, Birmingha m FAMU FAMU Un of Florida Un of Delaware Discipline in which degrees were earned Public Health Public Health Health Behavior Public Health Epi Epi Biostats Health Behavior Health Promotn Teaching Area Core (Research) HPHE (Evaluatn) HPHE (Program Planning; Sexuality Education) Core (Epi; Env Health) Core (Research, Biostats; Epi) Core (Social & Behavioral Sciences) Research Interest Community engagement, underserved populations, natural hazard resilience Sexuality education; program planning & evaluation Tickborne diseases Chronic diseases and related behaviors; complex survey data analysis Healthy places, healthy communities HPHE Moore, Michele Professor Tenured.75 PhD MHSE Un of Florida Un of Florida Health Behavior Health Promotn HPHE (Strategies) HPHE (Capstone; Internship) *Note: Two full professors are on retirement plans and not currently supporting the MPH program. Replacements will be hired for those faculty during academic years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. The new faculty will be hired as tenure track, assistant professors. One will be in the core (Epidemiology/Epi) and one will be in the specialization HPHE; both will contribute.5 FTE to the MPH program. Adolescent health (sexuality, ATOD prevention) Page 129

131 b. Summary data on the qualifications of other program faculty (adjunct, part-time, secondary appointments, etc.). Data should be provided in table format and include at least the following: a) name, b) title/academic rank, c) title and current employment, d) FTE or % time allocated to the program, e) gender, f) race, g) highest degree earned (optional: programs may also list all graduate degrees earned to more accurately reflect faculty expertise), h) disciplines in which listed degrees were earned and i) contributions to the program. Table Other Faculty Used to Support Teaching Programs Academic Year Specialty Area Health Management & Policy Public Health Name Bilello, Lori Kalynych, Colleen Title/ Academic Rank Adjunct Adjunct Title & Current Employer Associate Director, Center for Health Equity and Quality Research, UF College of Medicine/ Jacksonville Director of Research and Educational Development UF College of Medicine/ Jacksonville Dept of Emergency Medicine FTE or % Time Graduate Degrees Earned.125 MHS - Un of Florida MBA Un of Florida PhD Un of Florida.125 MSH- Un of North Florida EdD- Un of North Florida Discipline for earned graduate degrees Healthcare Administration Business Administration Health Services Research Masters of Science in Health Education & Educational Leadership Teaching Areas Health Management & Policy Essentials of Public Health c. Description of the manner in which the faculty complement integrates perspectives from the field of practice, including information on appointment tracks for practitioners, if used by the program. Faculty with significant practice experience outside of that which is typically associated with an academic career should also be identified. The MPH faculty has expertise in disciplines that contribute substantially to public health and in particular, health promotion and health education. All current MPH faculty have experience in practice through their service activities. They all are engaged in public health research that has a practice focus. Thus, faculty are well prepared to incorporate public health practice perspectives into their teaching. (See Resource File for faculty vitae with examples of practice experiences and affiliations.) The program regularly integrates perspectives from the field of practice throughout the duration of the program. Examples of resulting student-community participations are described in Criterion 3.2.e. Additionally, the majority of members of the Public Health Advisory Board are public health practitioners and they provide regular and meaningful feedback on the MPH courses and content. Page 130

132 A few of the faculty have more extensive public health practice experience. Dr. Tammie Johnson worked at the Florida Department of Public Health from initially as a data analyst, then a program administrator, and finally a chronic disease epidemiologist. Dr. Colleen Kalynych is Director of Research for the University of Florida Jacksonville Department of Emergency Medicine and works extensively with Community-based organizations and academic health centers to address public health concerns. Examples of organizations and programs include the Center for Health Equity and Quality Research, Duval County Health Department, Suwannee River AHEC, Jacksonville System of Care Initiative, Riverside Hospital Foundation, UF Jacksonville Department of Pediatrics, Society of Academic Emergency Medicine Research Interest Group, and American Academy of Pediatrics Florida Chapter. Dr. Lori Bilello is currently with the University of Florida, College of Medicine Jacksonville and has previously served as the Executive Director of the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida, a community based health planning and development organization serving seven counties in NE Florida. She also was the Director of Planning for a large teaching hospital for 10 years. d. Identification of measurable objectives by which the program assesses the qualifications of its faculty complement, along with data regarding the performance of the program against those measures for each of the last three years. Table Outcome Measures for Faculty Qualifications Objectives Outcome Measure Target % MPH faculty with doctoral degrees in PH related disciplines 100% 100% (5/5) 100% (5/5) 100% (6/6) % Other faculty with doctoral degrees in PH related disciplines % MPH faculty with public health degrees % MPH faculty with health education degrees 50% 50% (2/4) 50% 40% (2/5) Not 50% 60% (3/5) % MPH faculty tenured >60% 60% (3/5) % Other faculty out of the total # MPH faculty SB/HPHE(Concentration) <25% 44% (4/9) Not 3 3 # MPH Faculty EPI 1 2 # MPH Faculty HMP 1 0 Not # MPH Faculty ENV 1 2 # MPH Faculty STA % (2/4) 40% (2/5) Not 60% (3/5) 60% (3/5) 44% (4/9) Not Not % (1/2) 50% (3/6) 50% (3/6) 67% (4/6) 25% (2/8) Not 2 1 Note: # of faculty in each core area based on degree and/or experience; SB/HPHE=Social Behavioral/Health Promotion Health Education; EPI=Epidemiology; HMP=Health Management & Policy; ENV=Environmental; STA=Biostatistics Page 131

133 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 4.1 is met. Strengths: The MPH faculty has six dedicated public health professionals with doctoral degrees in public health or health education. The program is currently searching for a seventh MPH faculty to replace a faculty member who is retiring; the position will start fall The program has recently identified two public health professionals with extensive practice experience to teach in the program; in particular, one has a degree in public health management, which has been an area of need for the program. Faculty bring to the program complementary and appropriate backgrounds and expertise in the core areas of public health that allow the Program to achieve its MGOs. These backgrounds are based on educational preparation, research, teaching and practice experiences. Faculty teach and supervise student research and practice experiences in areas of knowledge with which they are thoroughly familiar and qualified by education and/or experience. The HPHE specialization is supported by a group of faculty with state of the art background in this field. The program involves public health practitioners as adjuncts, internship preceptors and advisory board members. Public health perspectives are brought into classes throughout the duration of the MPH program. Program faculty have also recently made a commitment to increase involvement with local and state public health initiatives to further strengthen these linkages. Weaknesses: None identified. Page 132

134 Page 133

135 4.2 Faculty Policies and Procedures. The program shall have well-defined policies and procedures to recruit, appoint and promote qualified faculty, to evaluate competence and performance of faculty, and to support the professional development and advancement of faculty. a. A faculty handbook or other written document that outlines faculty rules and regulations. Faculty Rules and Regulations are outlined in the following documents (See Resource File.): UNF BOT-UFF CBA ( ) UNF Bylaws ( UNF Constitution ( UNF Faculty Handbook ( DPH Bylaws (faculty approved 12/06; Academic Affairs approved 3/07; UFF approved 4/07). Office of EOD ( b. Description of provisions for faculty development, including identification of support for faculty categories other than regular full-time appointments. UNF offers individual and group mentoring services to support faculty development. The UNF Faculty Handbook discusses the UNF Statement of Philosophy on faculty development and lists some of the resources available to faculty (included below) in Chapter 7: Faculty Development ( See Resource File). With the exception of leaves/sabbatical, grants and developmental funds, these resources are available to faculty other than those on full-time appointments. The program encourages faculty to utilize these support services, but there is no requirement to use these services and there is no formal monitoring of such services. The more senior program faculty also informally mentor newer faculty and support faculty development. Center for Instruction & Research Technology ( The Center offers expertise, resources, and training to assist faculty in ways that enable them to develop greater capacities for using technology for teaching and research. CIRT also disseminates ideas, frameworks, and materials that apply pedagogical knowledge to the teaching and learning process. In particular, they offer Teaching Online (TOL) events and courses designed to educate faculty/adjuncts on the most effective practices in designing, developing, and distributing online course content. One of the TOL courses is offered exclusively to adjuncts. The TOL courses include incentives for completion. Center for Professional Development and Training (CPDT) ( The mission of the CPDT is to provide learning opportunities to University employees to develop the knowledge and skills needed to perform in their diverse roles of serving students and supporting the learning process. By partnering with departments at the University, CPDT offers expertise, resources and training to assist them in developing consistent and effective delivery of employee learning programs. DPH Faculty Development Funds: Full-time and part-time, tenure-track and tenured faculty each receive development funds (~$1500 per year per DPH full time faculty) which may be used to support travel-related or other development activities. Page 134

136 Faculty Development Committees ( Faculty development is supported through committees at the University (e.g., adjunct affairs, faculty affairs, faculty enhancement, research and support services committees) and College levels (e.g., research committee). Committees focus on academic and faculty needs, which are principal to effective teaching and research. These issues are central to faculty development. For example, the BCH Distance Learning Committee charter is: Facilitate effective distance learning (DL) education in the college by reducing DL instructional barriers, promoting campus-wide and community DL opportunities, and developing a college DL strategic plan that ensures consistency with and progress towards the University DL Strategic Plan. Grant Programs: The Office of Academic Affairs provides support for faculty through the following grant programs: summer scholarship grants, summer teaching grants, summer proposal development grants, and undergraduate research award program. Other grants described on the Academic Affairs website ( include: the Terry Presidential Professor grant, faculty scholarship release program, and Foundation Board Proposals. Still others include: BCH research grants, the President s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion s Inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Research Award, and Community Engaged Department grants. Information Technology Services ( The mission of ITS is to acquire, implement and support information technology that enhances the educational, research, service, and administrative activities of students, faculty, and staff. Office of Faculty Enhancement ( The goal of the Office of Faculty Enhancement (OFE), established in 2000, is to support all UNF faculty members in teaching, research, and service. The mission includes the goals of supporting innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. OFE along with its university program partners have worked toward this mission by offering workshops, consultation, resources, and programs that support faculty members in their continual growth and professional development. Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) ( The mission of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is to serve as the University's central administrative unit responsible for securing external resources through grants and contracts and providing financial and contractual stewardship of awards. ORSP provides dynamic and proactive services to cultivate and maximize external resources for relevant research, scholarly and creative pursuits. ORSP provides guidance and support to the university community in an environment that fosters the creative process and the enrichment of teaching and learning, while ensuring the fulfillment of the university's financial, contractual, and regulatory obligations as well as accountability to external funding sources. Sabbaticals and Professional Development Leave: Leaves are granted to increase a faculty member's value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, educational travel, study, formal education, research, writing or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service. c. Description of formal procedures for evaluating faculty competence and performance. Page 135

137 UNF Faculty Appointment Policy (BOT-UFF CBA, Articles 8 and 9; See Resource File.): New faculty members sign the offer letter and yearly contract provided by the Dean s office. The regular faculty appointment is for fall and spring terms. When first employed, each faculty member is apprised of expectations, generally, in terms of teaching, research, other creative activities, and service; and, specifically, if there are requirements and/or other duties involved. If any of these expectations change during the period of service of the employee, he/she will be apprised in writing prior to the change. Annual Evaluations: Per the UNF BOT-UFF CBA and the DPH Bylaws (See Resource File), faculty competence and performance is evaluated yearly through the annual evaluation process that assesses teaching, research, service, and administration (if applicable). Each faculty completes an Annual Evaluation form (See Resource File.) and then the DPH Chair provides each faculty member with a written evaluation. Terms used to evaluate work per the CBA are exemplary, above satisfactory, satisfactory, below satisfactory, and unsatisfactory. Evaluation for the purposes of determining merit is based on merit criteria developed and approved by Departmental faculty included in DPH Bylaws. Annual Tenure Letter: The DPH Chair completes the appraisal annually for each nontenured faculty. This letter provides the faculty member with an assessment of progress toward tenure in the areas of instruction, research/scholarship, and service. Pre-Tenure Appraisal: The elected DPH Promotion and Tenure Committee provides a tenure appraisal midway through the tenure process for tenure-track faculty per the CBA and DPH Bylaws. Promotion and Tenure: The UNF BOT-UFF CBA, Articles 19 and 20, and the DPH Bylaws detail the policies and procedures that govern the granting of promotion and tenure. Criteria for advancement are presented under the categories of teaching, scholarship, and service. Annual Evaluations and Tenure Appraisals are considered in tenure and promotion. The process involves review of the candidate s dossier, and then voting and input by the department promotion and tenure committee, the department chair, the dean, the university promotion and tenure committee, and the VPAA. Tenure decisions also involve a vote of department faculty members. The UNF President makes the final decision about faculty promotion while the UNF President and BOT make the final two decisions about tenure. Page 136

138 d. Description of the processes used for student course evaluation and evaluation of instructional effectiveness. All faculty members are required to conduct student instructor evaluations each term per the UNF BOT-UFF CBA. UNF has a standard student instructor evaluation instrument (ISQ) (See Resource File.) which enables the student to evaluate both the course and the instructor. It has been given as a hard copy survey in face-to-face classes and online for DL classes. The questions are the same for both versions. Results of the item Overall rating of faculty for each course taught in the past seven years are available to students and the public by clicking on a faculty s name in the course schedule ( (See Resource File for ratings.) Certain classes do not give ISQs (e.g., internships); the faculty member may create an evaluation method and work with the chair to confirm its validity and administration. Additionally, individual faculty members may, and often do, conduct evaluations of their courses throughout the semester. Faculty may also request that the Department Chair evaluate teaching. Other faculty may conduct peer review of classroom teaching, course content, learning assessment methods, and/or other student evaluations. The program also solicits information from students regarding teaching effectiveness through annual and exit surveys. (See Resource File.) 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 4.2 is met. Strengths: Policies, procedures, and operational guidelines related to conditions of employment are well established and available to all faculty members through the UNF BOT- UFF CBA, the UNF Constitution, the UNF Faculty Handbook, the DPH Bylaws and the Office of EOD. Procedures are provided for fair and equitable treatment of faculty and are consistently applied. Procedures for evaluating faculty competence and performance, particularly in the area of teaching, are in place as outlined in the aforementioned documents. Students have adequate opportunity for evaluating course and instructor effectiveness. Criteria for faculty advancement reflect the program s mission and goals in part because the Department faculty develops the criteria. The University provides opportunities to enhance the teaching and research capabilities of faculty and otherwise support their professional growth and development through many different mechanisms. Weaknesses: None were identified. Page 137

139 4.3 Student Recruitment and Admissions. The program shall have student recruitment and admissions policies and procedures designed to locate and select qualified individuals capable of taking advantage of the program s various learning activities, which will enable each of them to develop competence for a career in public health. a. Description of the program s recruitment policies and procedures. If these differ by degree (eg, bachelor s vs. graduate degrees), a description should be provided for each. The UNF Graduate School PD Handbook provides guidance for program recruitment ( ok/chapter_05.aspx). The UNF MPH Program has a recruitment plan that takes into consideration strategies to best attract a diverse student body that will help to achieve the Program MGOs. The following are procedures used to recruit students: Website ( The MPH website is found through the UNF homepage, BCH, DPH. The PD has made extensive improvements to the website in the past two years. UNF data show that 75% of applicants indicate the MPH website as the market source that helped them find out about the program. Information on the MPH site includes: program overview, CEPH accreditation, curriculum, program of study, course descriptions, course sequence, electives, admission standards, faculty profiles, student handbook, program newsletter, scholarships and assistantships, student club and contact information. This information is kept current and is linked to or pulls from the original source material to maintain consistency across the UNF website (e.g., the admissions tab takes one to the graduate school page; the course descriptions and search tabs take one to those sites; the program of study is pulled in from the graduate school website). Social Media ( ( The faculty recently started a UNF Public Health Facebook page and twitter account to let current/potential students, public health professionals and others interested in the accomplishments of our program s faculty and students, local events, and job postings. Printed Materials: Current handouts are kept next to the program bulletin board, available to be taken to recruitment sessions and available in the BCH Advising Office and Graduate School. These include the program fact sheet, a student perspectives sheet, a flyer on What is Public Health? and more. (See Resource File.) Program Newsletter: Faculty started a bi-annual program newsletter two years ago to highlight program faculty, students and alumni. It also includes information about the MPH Program and contacts for those interested in applying. The PD s an electronic copy to the advisory board, community public health partners/preceptors, and students. Printed copies are available by the program bulletin board and taken to community partner visit. (See Resource File.) Information Sessions: Faculty who teach senior classes in majors that typically are feeders to the MPH programs and present information sessions for their students (e.g., community health, psychology, nutrition, sociology, biology, etc.) are contacted spring semester to Page 138

140 arrange information sessions. The PD also holds open information sessions that are advertised on the weekly student update that is ed to all UNF students. (See Resource File for PPT.) Recruitment Expos: UNF holds four graduate program open house events annually, one in downtown Jacksonville and one each semester on campus. Each program has a table with displays, flyers and faculty available to answer questions. Graduate school staff also travel throughout the state to attend graduate expos at other universities. A faculty typically also sets up a booth at the Florida Public Health Association Annual Meeting. (See Resource File for flyers.) Recruitment: Students - Florida universities have access to a database of all seniors graduating from Florida universities. PDs are able to select criteria (e.g., major, GPA, etc.) and receive a database of those students s. The PD then sends tailored recruitment s out to a selected pool of students each spring semester. Community Partners Each spring the PD sends the MPH Program fact sheet to all community partners asking them to share the flyer with colleagues/ groups who might be interested in the MPH Program. (See Resource File for s.) Gradschool.com: UNF has a membership to this website. The PD sends a recruitment letter to all students that submit an inquiry about the UNF MPH Program. b. Statement of admissions policies and procedures. If these differ by degree (eg, bachelor s vs. graduate degrees), a description should be provided for each. UNF Graduate School Admissions Policy ( AcademicAffairs/GraduateSchool/2_0630P.aspx): The policy sets forth the minimum requirements for admission to graduate programs at UNF. This includes a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a grade point average of 3.00 (B) or higher in all work attempted as an upper-division student, normally the 60 semester hours taken during the last two years of baccalaureate study, or an earned graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution. The policy also describes other standards for individual program requirements, doctoral programs, exceptions to the policies, TOEFL/IELTS scores, and materials required for application. UNF Graduate School PD Handbook ( book/chapter_06.aspx; See Resource File.): Chapter 6 of the handbook describes the admissions procedures carried out by the graduate school and the PD. This includes: graduate school admissions functions, graduate admissions processing, directions for PDs to process referrals, and admission of graduate students. In short, applicants submit all required materials to the graduate school; the graduate school notifies the PD to review the completed application online; after the PD enters an admit decision, the graduate school sends the applicant a letter notifying them of the decision and requesting they contact the Program PD for advisement if accepted. The PD admits applicants meeting the program requirements as they are received. Faculty have set minimum criteria for students to be admitted on a trial program, space permitting (trial = must earn at least a B in the first full- Page 139

141 time semester or first two part-time semesters in order to be fully admitted). The PD reviews applicants not meeting all criteria for full admission for eligibility in the trial program after the final application deadline. UNF Graduate School Website ( spx ): This website provides detailed directions for applicants to apply to graduate school. o Step One: Application and Application Fee o Step Two: Official College Transcripts o Step Three: GRE and GMAT Test Scores o Step Four: Supplemental Materials o Step Five: Submitting your Application Materials o Step Six: Financial aid o Frequently Asked Questions UNF MPH Admission Requirements ( : o The following admission requirements are posted on the UNF Graduate School website and can be accessed through the MPH website. The faculty recently voted to add the notes after the requirements to allow more flexibility in attracting a qualified, yet diverse student body in the qualifications and experiences that they bring to the program. Application Information Applications are accepted for fall admission only. Application Deadlines Fall Term August 1 Admits during fall term only. The review process for admissions each fall term will begin July 1st. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications and required documents before the August 1st deadline to ensure admittance pending application review by the program director. Admission Requirements/ University requirements: 1.A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or its equivalent from a foreign institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in all work attempted in the last 60 credit hours of undergraduate study. Additional program requirements: 1. Official transcripts from all attended institutions 2. GRE test scores: Prior to July 1, 2011: 1000 combined verbal and quantitative scores with no lower than 400 on either section After July 1, 2011: 153 verbal and 144 quantitative 3. Letter of intent describing: reasons for seeking an MPH degree Page 140

142 short and long-term goals 4. Resume 5. Two letters of recommendations Applicants not meeting the GRE or 3.0 minimum requirement may contact the Master of Public Health Program Director (Dr. Moore, for additional admission criteria options. For additional tools to determine GPA, please visit Calculating Your GPA. Students should be aware that admission into any graduate program is granted on a competitive basis. Students meeting minimum requirements may be denied admission based on such factors as program capacity or academic discretion. Likewise, students may be considered for admission as an exception if stated admissions criteria are not met. Other Admission Policies ( Public_Health.aspx; See Resource File.): Policies related to a second master s degree and transfer/post baccalaureate credits can be found in the UNF Graduate Student and MPH Handbooks. o Course Validation for Course Work Completed More than Five Years Ago UNF requires that a student who has taken courses at UNF or elsewhere more than five years prior to the completion of a graduate degree program or admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree must petition his or her graduate PD to validate these courses before the Graduate School will apply them toward the student s fulfillment of degree requirements. Graduate PDs have the authority to require the student to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the material covered in those courses. o Credit Transfers Up to Nine Hours The residency requirement at UNF is 24 semester credit hours; 18 of which must be taken at the 6000 level. (Residency requirement refers to the number of credit hours students must take at UNF.) With approval of the PD and the MPH Program faculty, a student may transfer up to nine (9) semester hours of course work from another regionally accredited graduate program at an approved institution if those courses are determined to have met the necessary MPH Program competencies. Students wishing to enroll in courses at another institution while also enrolled at UNF for the purpose of transferring credits into their UNF graduate program of study must complete a Concurrent Enrollment form and have prior approval from the PD. 1. The student must have completed the course work subject to the time limits applicable to his or her current graduate program. 2. The student must have earned grades of 3.0 or higher in the courses. 3. The student is not entitled to apply transfer credits toward the 18-hour minimum of 6000-level courses at UNF required for all master s degrees. 4. The student is not entitled to transfer credit for correspondence courses, courses included in a completed degree program, or portfolio-based experiential learning that has taken place prior to admission to the current graduate program. Page 141

143 Students are strongly advised not to enroll in courses at another institution during their last semester at UNF. Graduation will most likely be delayed for students who do attempt concurrent enrollment in their last semester. o Credit Earned as a Post-Baccalaureate Up to 10 Hours A student may transfer up to 10 hours of graduate course work taken at UNF as a postbaccalaureate if that coursework is relevant to the MPH degree program. Such transfer credits will not be included in the student s UNF graduate GPA. The student must receive the approval of the PD, who will so inform One Stop Student Services. Students who transfer 10 hours of coursework as a post-baccalaureate may not transfer any additional hours from another accredited institution. c. Examples of recruitment materials and other publications and advertising that describe, at a minimum, academic calendars, grading and the academic offerings of the program. If a program does not have a printed bulletin/catalog, it must provide a printed web page that indicates the degree requirements as the official representation of the program. In addition, references to website addresses may be included. Recruitment Materials: The main recruitment materials were described in 3.3.a including the UNF MPH website, social media tools (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), print materials, a semiannual program newsletter, information sessions, graduate expos and recruitment letters. (See Resource File for examples of these materials.) Academic Calendar ( UNF One Stop Student Services website lists an overview of important dates and deadlines for the current semester, and provides a student calendar (online only) for the upcoming academic year (e.g., currently through August 2014). The calendar can also be accessed from the University Catalog. Grading ( The University Catalog (online only) describes how students can access their grades (online through the MyWings system) and the grading scale. Also included is information on auditing and withdrawing from classes, incomplete grades, and calculating graduate GPA. Academic Offerings ( Students have access to the program offerings through a variety of online starting points. From the MPH website, the course catalog website, the current student website and more, students can access a catalog search by subject, department, DL, or off-campus location codes. Students can then select the term they want to search to see which courses are offered including, time, day(s), instructor, and location. Students can also access course descriptions and the Program of Study/Degree Requirements through these same means. (See Resource File for course schedules, course descriptions, program curriculum.) Academic Integrity ( Expectations for student academic integrity can be found in the University Catalog, the Graduate Student Handbook, and the MPH Student Handbook. (See Resource File for handbooks.) Degree Completion ( raduate_school_student_handbook/5-policies_and_procedures.aspx; Page 142

144 blic_health/3 Program Degree_Requirements.aspx): Degree completion policies and standards are described in both the Graduate Student and MPH Student handbooks (See Resource File for handbooks.) d. Quantitative information on the number of applicants, acceptances and enrollment, by concentration, for each degree, for each of the last three years. Data must be presented in table format. Table Quantitative Information on Applicants, Acceptances, and Enrollments, Year Year Year Year HPHE Specialization Applied Accepted Enrolled Applied = number of completed applications Accepted = number to whom the school/program offered admissions in the designated year Enrolled = number of first-time enrollees in the designated year e. Quantitative information on the number of students enrolled in each specialty area of each degree identified in the instructional matrix, including headcounts of full- and part-time students and an FTE conversion, for each of the last three years. Non-degree students, such as those enrolled in continuing education or certificate programs, should not be included. Explain any important trends or patterns, including a persistent absence of students in any degree or specialization. Data must be presented in table format. Table Student Enrollment Data from Year Year Year Year HC FTE HC FTE HC FTE HC FTE HPHE Specialization * *Estimated based on fall 2013 enrollment. NOTE: Definitions match those in Templates and Each year s enrollment should include both newly matriculating students and continuing students. The HC and FTE should NOT include non-degree students (e.g., certificate students). If data on non-degree students are germane, the school or program should provide a supplemental table and/or narrative. Page 143

145 f. Identification of measurable objectives by which the program may evaluate its success in enrolling a qualified student body, along with data regarding the performance of the program against those measures for each of the last three years. Table Objectives for Student Qualifications Outcome Measure Target Year Year Year Undergraduate GPA (last 60 > hrs) for matriculating students GRE Scores for matriculating students Prior to 7/1/11: 1000 combined verbal/ quantitative scores with no lower than 400 on either section After 7/1/11: 153 verbal and 144 quantitative; 297 combined 496v/583q 482v/582q 479v/553q 148v/146q Letter of intent, resume, 2 letters of support demonstrating interest/ motivation for pursuing an MPH, and/or public health experience 100% Not required Not required 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 4.3 is met. Strengths: Program recruitment policies and procedures are comprehensive and well planned in order to attract a qualified and diverse student population using multiple mediums of communication. The methods used have been broadened over the past few years as UNF as a whole experienced a decrease in the number of graduate student applicants and enrollees. Some of the methods used to recruit and communicate with incoming students include: enhanced website and program materials, tabling at student events on campus, PD presentations to interested undergraduates on campus, Facebook, Twitter, and PD mass s to seniors majoring in public health-related majors from other state universities. UNF has well defined admissions policies and procedures for PDs and student applicants. The admission policies and procedures, and academic calendars and offerings are widely published and accessible through the UNF website. There is current, consistent and accessible information on admission criteria, the application process, degree requirements, grading policies, and academic integrity standards. Although the number of applicants and enrollees is down from the previous accreditation period, we have been slowly rebuilding the numbers with enhanced recruitment efforts. The admission criteria are well defined and include both quantitative (GPA/GRE) as well as qualitative (letter of intent, resume, recommendation letters) indicators. The supporting documents were recently added to allow consideration of other important criteria in the admissions process. The faculty voted in fall 2012 to admit some students on a trial program (e.g., those not meeting quantitative requirements, but showing promise through supporting documents). This fall faculty voted to change the criteria to add even more flexibility by admitting students who meet either the GRE or GPA if their supporting documents indicate 100% Page 144

146 the interest/motivation and experience of a well-rounded applicant. The program hopes this change will continue to attract a well-qualified student body and will help increase enrollments. Weaknesses: None were identified. Page 145

147 4.4 Advising and Career Counseling. There shall be available a clearly explained and accessible academic advising system for students, as well as readily available career and placement advice. a. Description of the program s advising services for students in all degrees and concentrations, including sample materials such as student handbooks. Include an explanation of how faculty are selected for and oriented to their advising responsibilities. Program Director (PD): The PD is the academic advisor of record for all MPH students. She is available to meet with students by appointment at any time throughout the program of study (face to face, by or by phone). The PD sends an initial July/August before classes start that includes information on registration, course scheduling, student orientation, etc. She also sends out an through the MPH Bb site (official communication mode for UNF) several weeks before each registration period with a reminder of the courses for which each cohort should register. (See Resource File for sample letters.) MPH Cohort Program: The UNF MPH Program is cohort-based. Students are admitted fall semester only and have a sequence they follow based on whether they are full or part time. The sequences are posted on the MPH website, Bb site and student handbook. All classes are offered only once per year so following the cohort sequence is rather straightforward. There is also a list of approved electives on the MPH website and Bb site with a note that students may contact the PD to get approval for electives that are not on the list. BCH Advising: The College advising office supports the PD and helps students with general advising and registration issues (e.g., overrides, blocks, graduation checks, records, etc.). MPH Student Handbook ( ublic_health.aspx; See Resource File for Handbook.): The handbook is available via the graduate school and MPH websites. It includes: program MGOs, learning objectives, values, commitment to diversity, ethical and professional conduct, advisement, student involvement, program of study, course sequence, internship, comprehensive examination, program communication, graduate school/mph policies and procedures related to academic progress (e.g., transfer of credit, graduation application, satisfactory academic progress, withdrawals, repeating courses, incomplete grades, academic integrity, grade/term forgiveness, etc.); student resources (e.g., professional, career, UNF), and the PHC. MPH New Student Orientation: On the first night of fall classes, a new student social is held with faculty and current students. Following that, the PD presents an orientation session to all new students during a course required for all first semester students. The session provides an overview of the BCH, introduces faculty and BCH advising, the MPH Bb site and goes over the information included in the Handbook (described above). s are sent out through the MPH Bb site inviting new and current students, and faculty to attend the social, and new students to attend the orientation. The orientation presentation is also posted on Bb for student reference. (See Resource File for orientation PPT slides.) Page 146

148 b. Description of the program s career counseling services for students in all degree programs. Include an explanation of efforts to tailor services to meet specific needs in the program s student population. MPH PD: The PD often provides career counseling along with academic advising but also meets upon student request to discuss specific career questions starting before students are even admitted to the program and continue until graduation. MPH Program Faculty: All faculty provide career advising to MPH students on an ad hoc basis. Faculty often take time to talk with students in class about career related issues that arise. Students also seek out faculty who have similar areas of interest to solicit specific advice on careers and continuing education. UNF Career Services & BCH Career Services Liaison: UNF has a Career Services Center that provides a variety of resources to students. These include: Career Wings (an online job posting system exclusively available for UNF students/graduates), job search resources, and The Edge (an online resource targeted to each college that provides cover letter and resume writing guidance), among others. The program works closely with the centralized Career Services office to plan an annual career fair specific to health. The program shares community partner employer contact information with Career Services and over 500 local organizations are invited to participate in the interactive career fair. Additionally, students receive instruction in the nuances of professional networking and have the opportunity to network exclusively with employers and preceptors looking to mentor and hire emerging public health leaders. MPH Capstone Course: Taken in the second to last semester, one aspect of this course focuses on professionalism. This piece includes: 1) a guest speaker from Career Services to discuss: interviewing skills, resume/cover letter preparation, professional statements, and general professionalism; 2) class assignments and activities: a self-assessment of public health essential skills; development of a portfolio including a resume, professional statement and sample work; a practice online interview and feedback; and selection of a public health job advertisement and completion of a letter of application; 3) a panel of public health professionals to discuss internship and career options, and a panel of MPH graduates to discuss making the most of the internship and finding a job; and 4) individual meetings with the instructor to discuss internship and career goals and fit. c. Information about student satisfaction with advising and career counseling services. Student feedback on the past three years MPH Current Student Survey shows that the majority of students agree or strongly agree that academic and career advising is adequate (See Resource File for a summary of data collected on advising). However, based on written comments, students seemed confused about some advising services. This may have been due in part to the way the wording of the survey questions and in part due to many of the respondents being first year students and not having received some of the advising that comes at the end of the MPH Program. The advising questions were revised on the Exit Survey given this past summer (11/13 strongly/agreed that they were satisfied with program advising). Additionally, the process of advising was revised and more clearly delineated in the fall 2013 MPH Student Handbook and Student Orientation. Page 147

149 d. Description of the procedures by which students may communicate their concerns to program officials, including information about how these procedures are publicized and about the aggregate number of complaints and/or student grievances submitted for each of the last three years. The following information is provided in the MPH Student Handbook ( c_health/4 Policies Procedures.aspx): Student concerns or questions regarding courses should first be discussed with the instructor. If differences are unable to be resolved, then appeals may be made to the PD. Other concerns about the MPH Program should be directed first to the MPH PD, then to the DPH Chair, and finally to the BCH Dean. The DPH Chair and the BCH Dean subsequently review all complaints and concerns in a timely manner. Students retain the right to file a grievance with the University in the event the issue is not satisfactorily addressed at the Program/Department/College level. During the past three years, there have been no formal complaints or grievances submitted to the PD, department chair or dean. 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 4.4 is met. Strengths: Each MPH student has access, from time of enrollment through graduation, to advisors who are knowledgeable about the program s curriculum overall and about specific courses and program of study. An orientation and handbook are provided for all new and current students. Career and placement counseling is available to the students. Overall, MPH students appear satisfied with these services. Weaknesses & Plans: Since the PD is responsible for all academic advising, it is quite time consuming. Discussion has been initiated with BCH advising to see if its staff can help with this role; discussion also is planned about MPH faculty roles in advising. Page 148

150 Page 149

151 List of Abbreviations AHEC = Area Health Education Center APC = Academic Program Committee ASPH = Association for Schools of Public Health Bb = Blackboard BCH = Brooks College of Health BOT = Board of Trustees CBA = UNF BOT-UFF Collective Bargaining Agreement CEPH = Council on Education for Public Health CH = Community Health CHES = Certified Health Education Specialist CPH = Certified in Public Health CIRT = Center for Instructional Research & Technology DL = Distance Learning DPH = Department of Public Health EOD = Equal Opportunity & Diversity HP/HE = Health Promotion/Health Education GALC = Graduate Academic Learning Outcome ISQ = Instructional Satisfaction Questionnaire ITS = Information Technology Services MGO = Mission, Goals, Objectives MPH = Master of Public Health NCHEC = National Commission for Health Education Credentialing PD = Program Director PHC = Public Health Certificate (Note: This program acronym is different from the PHC prefix used to denote Public Health Courses, e.g., PHC 6945 Public Health Capstone.) SUS = State University System UFF = United Faculty of Florida UNF = University of North Florida VPAA = Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs Page 150

152 Page 151

153 University of North Florida, Master of Public Health Program CEPH Self-Study Electronic Resource File Table of Contents Advising - Academic & Career Documentation of Program Advising ( s sent to students) MPH Approved Electives (Posted on MPH website and Bb) MPH Course Sequence 2012 & 2013 Cohorts (Posted on MPH website, Bb and handbook) MPH Program Orientation 2013 (Presented to new students and posted on MPH Bb) New MPH Student Advising PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone Course Career Advising Activities Scholarships Table (Posted on MPH website and Bb) Student Satisfaction with Advising (Current Student Survey question/results-past 3 yrs.) Advisory Boards - Public Health & Student Public Health Program Advisory Board Bylaws, Agendas, Minutes & Members Student Advisory Board Meeting Members & Minutes Bylaws & Evaluation Guidelines/Form DPH Annual Evaluation Worksheet 2013 DPH Bylaws & Evaluation Form UNF Constitution UNF BOT-UFF Bargaining Agreement UNF-UFF Bylaws Capstone & Internship Comprehensive Examination Directions Summer 2013 Internship Handbook Spring-Summer 2013 Forms Internship Handbook Spring-Summer 2013 MPH Potential Internship Sites PHC 6940 Public Health Capstone Course Syllabus PHC 6945 Public Health Internship Course Syllabus PHC 6945 Public Health Internship Sample Completed Forms (Preceptor Evaluation of Intern, Intern Evaluation of Preceptor, Hours Completed Log, Internship Plan of Action, Internship Work Schedule) Table Agencies & Preceptors UNF Comprehensive Examination Questions (Biostats, CHES, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Administration, Social/Behavioral) CEPH Annual & Interim Reports Annual Reports 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Interim Reports Spring 2009, Fall 2009, 2010, 2012 Competencies 2008 Core Sub-Competencies List & Matrix 2008 HPHE Sub-Competencies List & Matrix 2013 Competency Matrix (CEPH Table 2.6.1) Student Self-Assessment of Program Competencies (CEPH 2.7a&b data; Student Exit Survey & Alumni Survey self-assessment results) Page 152

154 Course Evaluations Instructional Satisfaction Questionnaire (ISQ) results for each MPH course by semester Fall 2010 Spring 2013 ISQ Form Course Schedules Department of Public Health Course Offerings Fall 2010-Fall 2013 Course Syllabi Academic Year Concentration Classes Core Classes Elective Classes Curriculum/Program of Study UNF DPH Graduate Course Descriptions UNF MPH Required Course Descriptions UNF Graduate School MPH (from Grad School website) UNF MPH Curriculum (from Catalog and MPH websites) Faculty Research Faculty Publications UNF MPH Faculty Research (List of faculty publications, presentations, grants academic years) Faculty Vitae Handbooks BCH Part-time Faculty Handbook Graduate Program Director Handbook MPH Student Handbook UNF Faculty Handbook UNF Graduate School Student Handbook Meeting Agendas & Minutes Academic Year BCH Executive Committee Meeting Minutes DPH Program Director Meeting Agendas & Minutes PH Program Meeting Agendas & Minutes Opportunity for Third Party Comment MPH Bb Request for Review of CEPH (Screen shot of post on MPH Bb) Opportunity for 3rd Party Comment ( s sent to MPH students, UNF administrators and Public Health Advisory Board Members) Organizational Charts UNF-BCH-DPH-MPH Organization Charts (Word doc) UNF Campus Map UNF Organizational Chart (21 pgs.) Other Accrediting Bodies Strategic Plans UNF Strategic Plan Student Public Health Organization Eta Sigma Gamma ESG Chapter Reports Student Recruitment MPH Overview for Students (Handout for advising office and recruitment events) Page 153

155 MPH Program Fact Sheet (Posted on MPH website; Handout for advising office and recruitment events) MPH Program Info Session (PPT used in class and club meeting recruitment efforts) Recruitment s (Sent to large database of selected Florida University seniors) Top 10 Reasons to Choose UNF (Posted on MPH website; Handout for advising office and recruitment events) UNF Graduate School Open House Flyer (Sent to local health agencies) UNF Public Health Newsletter Spring 2012, Fall 2012, & Spring 2013 (Posted on MPH website; ed to students, BCH, advisory board, local health partners/agencies) Student Work Selected student assignments from core and concentration classes Surveys & Program Evaluation MPH Alumni Survey 2011 Results (Frequency; Pie Charts & Comments) MPH Alumni Survey 2011 MPH Current Student Survey 2011, 2012, 2013 MPH Current Student Survey Results 2011, 2012, 2013 (Frequency; Pie Charts & Comments) MPH Exit Survey Results 2011, 2012, 2013 (Frequency; Pie Charts & Comments) MPH Exit Survey Summer 2011, 2012, 2013 Parts 1 & 2 Templates CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table CEPH Table UNF Library Databases Workforce Development 1st Annual UNF Public Health Conference Flyer 2nd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Flyer 2nd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Program 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Flyer 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Poster 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Program 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Sponsor Sheet 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Sponsor Slides 3rd Annual UNF Public Health Conference Student Posters Insert NEFL Lyme Disease Summit UNF Public Health Certificate (from website) UNF Public Health Certificate Course Sequence (Posted on PHC website and MPH Bb) UNF Public Health Certificate Fact Sheet (Posted on PHC website; Handout for advising office and recruitment events) Workforce Development Needs Assessment Results Workforce Development Needs Assessment Survey Page 154