What is the Public Health Program?

Transcription

1 Council on Education for Public Health Adopted on June 23, 2012 REVIEW FOR ACCREDITATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM AT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH SITE VISIT DATES: January 23-24, 2012 SITE VISIT TEAM: Cynthia M. Harris, PhD, DABT, Chair Cynthia Kenyon, MPH SITE VISIT COORDINATOR: Kristen S. Force, MPH, CHES

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 1 Characteristics of a Public Health Program THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM Mission Evaluation and Planning Institutional Environment Organization and Administration Governance Resources INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS Master of Public Health Degree Program Length Public Health Core Knowledge Practical Skills Culminating Experience Required Competencies Assessment Procedures Academic Degrees Doctoral Degrees Joint Degrees Distance Education or Executive Degree Programs CREATION, APPLICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE Research Service Workforce Development FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS Faculty Qualifications Faculty Policies and Procedures Faculty and Staff Diversity Student Recruitment and Admissions Student Diversity Advising and Career Counseling Agenda... 28

3 Introduction This report presents the findings of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) regarding the Public Health Program at Westminster College. The report assesses the program s compliance with the Accreditation Criteria for Programs of Public Health, amended June This accreditation review included the conduct of a self-study process by program constituents, the preparation of a document describing the program and its features in relation to the criteria for accreditation and a visit in January 2012 by a team of external peer reviewers. During the visit, the team had an opportunity to interview program and university officials, administrators, teaching faculty, students, alumni and community representatives, and to verify information in the self-study document by reviewing materials provided on site in a resource file. The team was afforded full cooperation in its efforts to assess the program and verify the self-study document. Westminster College was founded in 1875 as the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, a preparatory school under the auspices of the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City. In 1897, it began offering college classes under the name Sheldon Jackson College, in honor of its primary benefactor. The college operated for many years on the institute s campus in downtown Salt Lake City until the institute officially became identified as the college s preparatory department. High school classes continued to be an integral part of the curriculum until College trustees adopted the name Westminster College to reflect a more generic Protestant orientation. Westminster refers to the Westminster Confession of Faith, an exposition of Presbyterian theology produced at Westminster, a borough of London, in the seventeenth century. In 1949, the college became a four-year liberal arts institution offering baccalaureate degrees in the arts and sciences. Westminster College ended its legal relationship with the Presbyterian Church in 1974 and is now a private, non-denominational liberal arts institution. Degrees are administered by four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business, the School of Education and the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. The college offers 42 undergraduate majors as well as graduate degrees in public health, nursing, business administration, technology management, education, professional communication and psychology. Westminster College began developing a public health program in fall 2007 in response to an increasing demand for health professionals in the workforce. The program markets itself as a convenient option for working professionals: core courses are offered every two weeks on Friday and Saturday throughout the semester, and elective courses are available on weekday evenings. The program has enrolled a total of 48 students since its launch in fall At the time of the site visit, 27 students had graduated. This is the program s first accreditation review. 1

4 Characteristics of a Public Health Program To be considered eligible for accreditation review by CEPH, a public health program shall demonstrate the following characteristics: a. The program shall be a part of an institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education. b. The program and its faculty shall have the same rights, privileges and status as other professional preparation programs that are components of its parent institution. c. The program shall function as a collaboration of disciplines, addressing the health of populations and the community through instruction, research, and service. Using an ecological perspective, the public health program should provide a special learning environment that supports interdisciplinary communication, promotes a broad intellectual framework for problem-solving, and fosters the development of professional public health concepts and values. d. The public health program shall maintain an organizational culture that embraces the vision, goals and values common to public health. The program shall maintain this organizational culture through leadership, institutional rewards, and dedication of resources in order to infuse public health values and goals into all aspects of the program s activities. e. The program shall have faculty and other human, physical, financial and learning resources to provide both breadth and depth of educational opportunity in the areas of knowledge basic to public health. As a minimum, the program shall offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. f. The program shall plan, develop and evaluate its instructional, research and service activities in ways that assure sensitivity to the perceptions and needs of its students and that combines educational excellence with applicability to the world of public health practice. These characteristics are evident in the public health program at Westminster College. The program is located in a regionally accredited college, and program faculty have the same rights, privileges and status as other professional programs at Westminster College. The program s emphasis on public health practice in the 21 st century and the college s tight-knit community of faculty and staff create many opportunities for interdisciplinary work, which can be seen in the program s teaching, research and service efforts. Resources are sufficient for the program to offer a generalist MPH degree at its current size and scope. The program has developed evaluation mechanisms to ensure that instruction aligns with public health practice needs, though the program s recent inception means that data are limited, and measures of program efficacy will be easier to assess after the program has been operating for a longer period of time. 2

5 1.0 THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM. 1.1 Mission. The program shall have a clearly formulated and publicly stated mission with supporting goals and objectives. The program shall foster the development of professional public health values, concepts and ethical practice. This criterion is met. The program has a mission statement that complements the college s mission and it is appropriate for a generalist MPH degree. The development of the mission statement involved program faculty and staff submitting input to the Advisory Board, which provided additional comments and final approval. Input was also solicited from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, CEPH criteria guidelines and other similar MPH programs. The program s mission is as follows: The Public Health Program at Westminster College prepares health professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote health and prevent illness in Utah, the Intermountain West, the United States, and the world. The program is guided by five goal statements in the areas of teaching, education, service, research and administration. Each goal is supported by two to 10 objectives and each objective is associated with multiple measures and targets. The program developed the goals and objectives in the same manner as the mission statement. In addition, regular input from community members is important to maintain the relevance of the goals and objectives. The objectives were revised in 2010 based on feedback offered by external stakeholders. The mission, goals and objectives are reviewed annually at the program s faculty retreat and at subsequent faculty meetings, as needed. Program leaders review data to determine whether objectives are being met. When objectives are not met, the program creates an action plan that is monitored throughout the following year and assessed at the next faculty retreat. Revisions to the mission, goals and objectives are submitted to the Advisory Board for review. Faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders can access the program s mission, goals and objectives on its website. The program uses the college s core values as a framework to guide its efforts. These values recognize impassioned teaching and active learning, respect for diverse people and perspectives, collaboration and teamwork, personal and social responsibility and high ethical standards. This statement of values was considered during the determination of the program s mission, goals and objectives and is used to administer the program on a daily basis. The program s values are reinforced to students through didactic coursework and as part of the practicum and culminating experiences. 3

6 1.2 Evaluation and Planning. The program shall have an explicit process for evaluating and monitoring its overall efforts against its mission, goals and objectives; for assessing the program s effectiveness in serving its various constituencies; and for planning to achieve its mission in the future. This criterion is met with commentary. The program has evaluation procedures and planning processes in place to realize its mission, goals and objectives. Stakeholders are involved in these processes during faculty meetings, program retreats, meetings at the school level, dean s meetings, Advisory Board meetings, faculty course evaluation meetings and faculty contract reviews. A number of evaluation tools are used to monitor program performance including student grades, average GPA at graduation, course evaluations, faculty portfolios, faculty workload, student and alumni surveys and public health workforce/employer surveys. Long-term evaluation and planning occurs during the annual faculty retreat and at Advisory Board meetings. Action items from those meetings are monitored and discussed during the regular program faculty meetings that occur one to two times each month. Key program stakeholders are actively involved in evaluating and monitoring the program s efforts against its mission, goals and objectives. In its short history, the program has already implemented changes as a result of its evaluation processes. For example, the program now allows students with at least three years of public health work experience to waive the Principles of Public Health course and replace it with a more advanced course. This introductory course had been required without exception until students with a background in public health expressed concerns about its usefulness given their previous practical experience. The commentary relates to the program s early stage of data collection for many monitoring tools and the large number of indicators focused on the evaluation of processes rather than outcomes. The program has established specific mechanisms for the collection, monitoring and evaluation of data and the selfstudy acknowledged that program leaders are still reviewing the appropriateness of the goals and objectives and will be able to make better informed assessments when more data are available. Site visitors deemed the process-based measures to be acceptable for a new program, but note the benefits of transitioning to outcomes-based measures as the program becomes more established. The program developed a self-study document that provides a candid assessment of its strengths and weaknesses relative to its performance against the accreditation criteria and its own program benchmarks. Despite the document s inclusion of information about the contributions of many stakeholder groups, few of the individuals who met with site visitors had any awareness of or familiarity with the self-study process and resulting document. The program made the final self-study available and publicized the third-party comment period on its website. 4

7 1.3 Institutional Environment. The program shall be an integral part of an accredited institution of higher education. This criterion is met. The program is housed in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Westminster College. Westminster College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences reports to the provost/vice president for academic affairs, who reports to the college president. Westminster College has a Board of Trustees whose primary functions are policy making and management of the college s resources. The president ensures that the college s standards and procedures conform to the policies established by the Board of Trustees. Figure 1 shows the organizational structure of the college. The School of Nursing and Health Sciences is organized around two divisions: nursing and health sciences. The Division of Nursing includes a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), a master of science in nursing education (MNE) and a family nurse practitioner program (MSN). The Division of Health Sciences includes a bachelor of public health program and graduate programs in public health (MPH) and nurse anesthesia (MSNA). The dean serves as the conduit between the program and college administrators and provides leadership related to curriculum development and educational innovations. The organizational structure of the school is shown in Figure 2. The dean seeks input from program faculty regarding their budgetary needs and then submits a proposed budget to the provost each fall. After budgetary issues are negotiated, the college administration reviews and approves the budget and then submits it to the Board of Trustees for final approval in March. The dean also organizes search committees when a faculty position is open. The search committee makes recommendations to the dean and provost and the final hiring position rests with the president. The college establishes academic standards and policies. Programs are expected to enforce these policies and may increase the standards and/or add policies as necessary. The public health program has supplemented the college s standards by requiring a practice experience as part of the curriculum and by developing expectations for professional conduct in the practice setting. 5

8 Figure 1. Westminster College Organizational Structure 6

9 Figure 2. Westminster College School of Nursing and Health Sciences Organizational Structure 1.4 Organization and Administration. The program shall provide an organizational setting conducive to teaching and learning, research and service. The organizational setting shall facilitate interdisciplinary communication, cooperation and collaboration. The organizational structure shall effectively support the work of the program s constituents. This criterion is met. The program has an organizational setting that is conducive to fulfilling the stated mission, goals and objectives. The administrative structure allows the program to carry out its teaching, research and service functions. The program director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program, which include convening the program faculty, presiding over meetings, ensuring accurate records, developing course schedules and maintaining quality in teaching and research efforts. The assistant director supports the director in all roles and responsibilities. A graduate programs coordinator supports the four graduate programs in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. This coordinator advises students and serves as a liaison between students and faculty. The dean of the school is ultimately responsible for the administration of the program and connects program leaders to college administrators. Figure 3 presents the program s organization. 7

10 Figure 3. Westminster College Public Health Program Organizational Structure The program collaborates with other programs within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences as well as with graduate programs in other schools. Faculty noted the small size of the college as a strength and said faculty from a range of disciplines contribute to their courses and service-learning projects. MPH faculty are encouraged to teach across disciplines, which further facilitates interdisciplinary coordination and collaboration. For example, one faculty member teaches an undergraduate honors science course with a faculty member from the philosophy department and a graduate nursing research course with a member of the nursing faculty. Westminster College complies with all laws and regulations related to fair dealings and ethical conduct. Its faculty and staff policies state that the college s trustees, officers and all employees are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the spirit and letter of the law and to refrain from any illegal, dishonest or unethical conduct. The Public Health Program Student Handbook includes the American Public Health Association s (APHA) Principles of Ethical Practice of Public Health. Students must sign a professional conduct guidelines form when they matriculate into the program. The college s academic grievance procedure is outlined in the Graduate Academic Catalog and in the program s student handbook. If a grievance arises, students are advised to attempt resolution with the 8

11 professor involved. If the issue cannot be resolved, the student may file a written appeal to the dean. If the dean is unable to resolve the grievance, the issue is referred to a School of Nursing and Health Sciences Appeals Committee. The program has not had any student grievances since its inception. 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 conduct of program evaluation procedures, policy-setting and decisionmaking. This criterion is met. The program has a clearly defined governance structure that is well understood and is inclusive of program faculty, staff, students and an external Advisory Committee. The program s governance structure involves leadership from the public health faculty, staff and students. Given its relatively small size, the program uses the resources of the school to support its governance efforts. The dean, program director and assistant director meet monthly to review programmatic issues such as budget, student issues and curriculum. Primary faculty and the program coordinator also meet monthly to review student issues, the curriculum and evaluation data and assessments. The program also has an Advisory Board that provides feedback and guidance related to the program s continued development, implementation and evaluation of key processes. The 12 members of the Advisory Board include past and present health department directors, a former director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a senior attorney with an insurance provider and community representatives. The self-study provides links to documents that include policies and procedures by which the program is governed. These documents include the Graduate Academic Catalog, the Manual for Faculty and the Public Health Program Student Handbook. The program adheres to college policies related to student recruitment, admissions, awarding of degrees and faculty recruitment, retention and promotion. Strategic planning is the responsibility of the program director with input from the dean, the faculty and the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board s recommendations are reviewed at the program s annual faculty retreat or more frequently, as needed. The dean determines the MPH program s budget and approves all programmatic expenses. The senior administrative assistant to the dean is responsible for overseeing and maintaining all program budgets within the school. This staff person provides balance updates to the dean and faculty to ensure that programs do not exceed their budgets. The dean reviews program expenses during her monthly meeting with the director and assistant director of the public health program. Faculty and staff may make budgetary recommendations as needed. These requests are submitted directly to the program director. 9

12 Staff from the college s Admissions Office meet regularly with program administrators to discuss admissions processes for the program. The college also employs a recruiter to oversee recruitment for the program. The graduate recruiter is a professional counselor who works directly with all prospective applicants, provides tours of the campus, markets the program at relevant conferences and coordinates with applicants to ensure all required documents are submitted. When faculty positions are open, the dean organizes a Search Committee to recruit and interview candidates. The Search Committee makes recommendations to the dean and provost of the college. The college does not offer tenure; instead, faculty receive two-, three- or five-year contracts based on a performance evaluation. Program faculty establish curricular requirements during monthly faculty meetings. Curricular changes must be reviewed and approved by all faculty within the school and then by the college s Curriculum Committee. Final approval is determined by the Faculty Senate or by the full faculty as determined by the Faculty Senate. Research and service expectations are set by the dean. While research is not as high a priority as teaching and service at Westminster College, the percent effort toward research is negotiated with the dean on an individual basis and that expectation may or may not contribute to promotion. The college also expects that faculty members engage in professional and community service with a focus on the poor and underserved (or those from medically underserved areas). All faculty members are required to sit on college-wide committees after one year of employment. Two of the program s primary faculty members have worked at the college for more than one year, and their service to the college includes membership on the Institutional Review Board, the Graduate Program Directors Committee, the Ad-hoc College-wide Common Ground Committee and the Internationalism Task Force. The Public Health Activities Team (phat) is a student organization composed of five class officers. The president is invited to the program s faculty meetings to discuss student-related issues and to provide input on programmatic issues. All students are encouraged to evaluate the program and offer feedback to their faculty advisors and to the phat president. Students take an active role in identifying a yearly service project for the program as well as other social events. During the site visit, all program constituents expressed interest in and support for the program. They said program administrators actively solicit input and consider many perspectives before making decisions. 10

13 1.6 Resources. The program shall have resources adequate to fulfill its stated mission and goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives. This criterion is met with commentary. The program generally has sufficient resources for its instructional, research and service objectives and is supported predominantly by student tuition and fees. The program director and assistant director meet with the dean to discuss upcoming needs and a budget is established annually. The dean submits budget requests to the college administration for final approval. In 2007, $300,000 was given as a philanthropic donation to initiate the program. The program established a Public Health Endowment Fund in 2009 to enhance service learning activities. Hard money is used to support faculty salaries, and funded research is not reflected in the program budget, which is shown in Table 1. Table 1. Sources of Funds and Expenditures, Fiscal Years 2008 to Source of Funds Tuition & Fees $279,216 $603,124 $659,730 TOTAL $279,216 $603,124 $659,730 Expenditures Faculty Salaries & Benefits $278,972 $304,302 $424,834 Staff Salaries & Benefits $30,713 $31,273 $28,188 Operations $5,752 $6,119 $8,823 Travel $2,691 $631 $5,393 Tuition Remission $0 $71,657 $37,245 TOTAL $318, $413, $504, The program meets the minimum required critical mass of primary faculty with three individuals. Adjunct faculty augment the primary faculty complement. The student-faculty ratio (SFR) is 12:1 for primary faculty and 10:1 for total (primary and adjunct) faculty. The ratio that accounts for the total faculty complement meets CEPH expectations and the program s target (ie, not to exceed 10:1). The program does not have designated staff FTE specifically for the program alone. The program is supported by three full-time and two part-time staff members who also support the activities of other graduate programs, the dean and students within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. The commentary pertains to the minimal adequacy of the number of primary faculty members. Two of the three primary faculty members are administrators of the program (ie, the director and assistant director) with significant administrative responsibilities. Primary faculty also carry heavy teaching loads, lead funded research initiatives and are responsible for advising and counseling students. In addition, these faculty also teach courses in public health for undergraduate students and advise and counsel students in 11

14 the graduate-level public health certificate program. Teaching in the undergraduate program constitutes an overload for faculty. While primary faculty contribute a total of 3.0 FTE to the program, their collective responsibilities constitute a tremendous workload. During the site visit, workload was discussed by faculty, students and community representatives. All constituent groups recognized the work ethic and commitment of the faculty; however, concerns about the potential for burnout were also acknowledged. Site visitors were told that the size of the program has been limited until accreditation is granted. Although the program may technically meet the criterion based on SFR, additional faculty are needed to support the teaching and service responsibilities of the program. In addition, greater staff support is needed to assist with career counseling, recruitment and other administrative duties. The program has sufficient computing, physical space, library and field experience resources to support its operation. Teaching facilities are available to the program on the third floor of the Center for Nursing and Health Sciences. Four technology-rich, wireless classrooms have adequate space to accommodate between 30 and 60 students. In addition, a large lounge with a kitchen, lockers, tables and chairs, refreshments machines and three computers is available. All full-time faculty members have private office space with a computer, telephone, cubical-style desk, guest chairs and bookcases. Program staff have sufficient office space, a reception area and a locked storage space (for program records) to carry out their responsibilities. A 28-unit computer laboratory is available for MPH students and the computers are equipped with the requisite statistical software for MPH courses requiring the use of SAS and SPSS. The computer laboratory is also equipped with teaching technology. Internet access is available in the computer labs, libraries and kiosks. Wireless access is also available in classrooms and in the library. A virtual MS Windows desktop gives students, faculty and administrators access to licensed software. Faculty and staff have access to the college computer network through their individual desktop or laptop computers. Each student has a college account and technical support is available. Students have access to library resources through the college s Giovale Library and can access resources remotely through the college s website. This library has more than 175,000 volumes (nearly half are e-books), 15,000 periodicals and access to 80 full-text databases. The Giovale Library is open more than 90 hours per week during the regular semester and assistance is readily available. The library houses the Writing Center, a computer lab and technology desk, a café and group and individual study spaces. Public health students also have access to the University of Utah Medical School Library and national library holdings. In addition, the Eccles Health Sciences Library is in close proximity to Westminster College. This library hosts the National Training Center and Clearinghouse, which is funded by the National Library of Medicine. 12

15 Community resources are readily available and agreements have been established. The majority of these resources serve as sites for public health student practica. The Utah Indicator-Based Information System (IBIS) is a community resource that program faculty and students use for research. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an additional resource, and the program has a formal agreement with the state of Utah to use IBIS and BRFSS data. In-kind resources consist of public health professionals who serve as preceptors for student practica and the contributions of the Advisory Board. Community members collaborate with faculty and students on various public health initiatives, and employed and retired public health professionals serve as guest lecturers. 2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. 2.1 Master of Public Health Degree. The program shall offer instructional programs reflecting its stated mission and goals, leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent professional masters degree. The program may offer a generalist MPH degree or an MPH with areas of specialization. The program, depending upon how it defines the unit of accreditation, may offer other degrees, professional and academic, if consistent with its mission and resources. This criterion is met. Table 2 presents the program s degree offering: a generalist MPH degree. The MPH degree includes 15 credits of core coursework, 12 credits of required concentration-specific coursework, a practicum, a culminating experience and six credits of electives. Table 2. Degree Offered Masters Degrees Generalist Academic Professional MPH The program of study covers core public health knowledge and gives students additional skills in the areas of ethics and leadership, applied epidemiology and biostatistics and program planning and evaluation. Students choose two courses from the five approved electives about global health, health policy and management, SAS programming, nutrition and infectious disease epidemiology. 2.2 Program Length. An MPH degree program or equivalent professional masters degree must be at least 42 semester credit units in length. This criterion is met. The MPH degree requires 45 credit hours and the program has not awarded any degrees for fewer than 42 credit hours since its inception. One semester credit hour is equal to one 50- minute class each week for 14 weeks. Non-traditional courses, such as the practicum, are assigned one credit hour for every 30 contact hours. 13

16 Students may transfer a maximum of nine credits if they earned comparable MPH credits at a CEPHaccredited institution. Also, students who can document at least three years of public health experience may waive the Principles of Public Health Practice course, which is intended to provide an introduction to the field. These students must take an additional elective to fulfill the 45 credit-hour program requirement. 2.3 Public Health Core Knowledge. All professional degree students must demonstrate an understanding of the public health core knowledge. This criterion is met. The program requires coursework in the five core disciplines of public health. These courses are prescribed and include Social and Behavioral Sciences in Health (MPH 510), Environmental Health (MPH 520), Principles of Epidemiology (MPH 530), Healthcare Management (MPH 540) and Statistical Methods in Public Health (MPH 630). Site visitors reviewed the syllabi for all core courses and found that each covers an appropriate breadth and depth of the subject matter. 2.4 Practical Skills. All professional 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 the students areas of specialization. This criterion is met. All MPH students are required to complete six credit hours of practicum coursework, which is equivalent to 180 contact hours. Waivers are not permitted for the practicum. The practicum experience is meant to give students direct, hands-on experience comparable to a career position suitable for someone with an advanced public health degree. Placements represent the kinds of settings in which public health practice is conducted and include local and state health departments, federal agencies, non-profit organizations and managed care and health maintenance organizations. Students are expected to have completed the five core courses prior to enrolling in the practicum; however, due to scheduling issues and new opportunities, students often take their last core course in the same semester as the practicum. Specific learning objectives associated with the practicum include the ability to integrate foundational public health knowledge with a concrete experience of public health practice; identify and report cultural competence issues relevant to a specific practicum site and how they play out in real public health practice; identify growth edges in public health practice; and broaden knowledge and skills in public health practice. Two primary faculty members serve as practicum coordinators. Students initiate the practicum with guidance from the faculty practicum coordinator and the hosting organization. A practicum handbook is 14

17 available to students and provides clear guidance about each step of the process. Practicum experiences must be approved by the assigned practicum coordinator and approval is based on a completed practicum site application; availability of a qualified site preceptor; appropriateness and relevance of experiences offered to the student; availability of resources at the site to support a student; and the compatibility of student and site needs. The program defines a qualified preceptor as someone with substantial experience in public health or a related discipline who is willing and able to spend time with the student and to provide constructive feedback and guidance. Students are encouraged to select a site other than their regular place of work. If this is not feasible, they can complete a practicum at their place of employment if the defined tasks extend beyond regular job responsibilities and apply the knowledge and skills being learned in the public health program. Students are expected to submit a monthly practicum experience log and to complete a midpoint practicum progress report. At the end of the practicum, the student is expected to submit an evaluation of the experience, a practicum summary report and a PowerPoint presentation. Students may be asked to present their work to their host agency. This presentation is viewed as an additional skill-building opportunity, but is not graded. Student performance is based on the faculty practicum coordinator s evaluation of the proposal, practicum logs, practicum summary report and PowerPoint presentation, as well as the preceptor s evaluation of the student using a standard form designed by the program. Through discussions with preceptors and students, site visitors determined that the practicum is a strong element of the program. The program has several adjunct faculty who have served as preceptors and who are also a resource for finding practicum experiences. Faculty practicum coordinators are well networked within the community and are constantly looking for opportunities for their students. 2.5 Culminating Experience. All professional degree programs identified in the instructional matrix shall assure that each student demonstrates skills and integration of knowledge through a culminating experience. This criterion is met. The program s required capstone project allows students to demonstrate skills and integration of knowledge gained through previous coursework and practical learning experiences. The project is conducted in conjunction with a course offered during the last semester of the program. However, students and alumni told site visitors that faculty encourage students to begin thinking about their capstone projects early in the program. Students work in groups and decide on a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Capstone experiences may be related to the practicum experience; however, students cannot receive credit for work done during the practicum for the capstone experience. A group format was chosen to 15

18 best prepare students for the collaborative work that is expected in the professional public health work environment. Class lectures provide information on topics such as statistical analysis, scientific writing, literature searches, data management, IRB submissions and presentation skills. Each group submits intermediate assignments, generates a submission-quality research paper and creates a conferencequality poster. The course culminates with a group-based presentation of the research project at a seminar and at a poster presentation. At this time, a final version of the research paper is also submitted. Students are evaluated individually and as a group by faculty and classmates. Students are graded on assignments, class participation, the paper, the seminar presentation and the poster presentation. Although these pieces are developed as a group, students are expected to be prepared to independently answer detailed questions about any and all aspects of the project. Students who met with site visitors said they saw the value in the group format and that sufficient measures are in place to ensure that all students contribute fairly to the final products. Students who do not pass in the group format are required to complete the assignments and projects alone. To date, only one student has failed the group format and had to work alone. 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 educational programs. This criterion is met. The program has identified 16 competencies for the MPH degree based on competency sets developed by the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health (COL) and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH). The competencies used by the program address the five core public health knowledge areas as well as cross-cutting areas such as communication, leadership, ethics and cultural competence. The self-study includes a matrix of the program s competencies mapped to the core, concentration-specific and elective MPH degree coursework. The program has also identified whether each course addresses a specific competency at a more in-depth (secondary) or basic (primary) level. All of the competencies are covered at a secondary level through multiple learning experiences. To develop the program s required competencies, the faculty considered those promulgated by COL and ASPH and modified them to reflect the priorities of the program and the public health community in the state of Utah and in the Intermountain West. Specifically, the published competencies were modified to reflect the mix of urban and rural areas in the Intermountain West, the liberal arts environment of Westminster College and the program s mission to target adult learners and working professionals. The program s competencies were also tailored to meet the college-wide learning objectives, which consist of 1) critical, analytical and integrative thinking skills, 2) creative and reflective capacities, 3) strong 16

19 leadership, collaboration and teamwork skills, 4) excellent writing and other key communication skills and 5) global consciousness, social responsibility and ethical awareness. Program leaders held a series of meetings in 2009 and 2010 to solicit input from program faculty, students, the Advisory Board, college administrators and external stakeholders. The competencies were finalized and approved in Program leaders evaluate the appropriateness of the competencies on an ongoing basis through annual meetings with the Advisory Board, participation in state and local public health conferences, participation of faculty in public health activities and organizations, periodic review of faculty teaching portfolios and surveys of public health officials. The full faculty considers the feedback during annual reviews of the curriculum and at monthly faculty meetings. The program s curriculum was developed using the agreed-upon competencies as a framework. Syllabi reviewed on site clearly list specific competencies that are addressed through the course s learning experiences. In addition, the program s competencies provide a basis for the practicum; a competency rubric is used to evaluate the experience. Students also use the rubric to self-assess the experience. Students receive a list of program competencies during orientation and are asked to self-assess their familiarity with and confidence in demonstrating the competencies on a Likert-type scale. At the end of the program, students will be asked to complete the questionnaire again; however, no students have completed the program since the pre/post assessment was launched. Review of the pre-assessment survey showed that students rate themselves most competent in skills related to communication and leadership and least competent in the ability to use proper statistical and epidemiologic tools. The competencies are easily accessible on the program s website for students and other stakeholders. Students and alumni who met with site visitors were familiar with the program s competencies and said they provide the necessary skills to enter and/or advance in the workforce. It was clear to site visitors that competencies are used in the development of the program and in the assessment of student learning, as indicated through many discussions with stakeholders and review of meeting minutes, syllabi and other program documentation. 2.7 Assessment Procedures. There shall be procedures for assessing and documenting the extent to which each student has demonstrated competence in the required areas of performance. This criterion is met with commentary. The program has robust student assessment tools that include individual learning experiences, grades in required coursework, successful completion of practicum and culminating experiences, student self-assessments and alumni and employer surveys. 17

20 The program assesses students ability to demonstrate competence through coursework such as assignments, problem sets, projects, papers, presentations, in-class discussions and exams. Students must achieve a B or better to earn credit for the course, and two course grades below a B result in dismissal from the program. In addition, students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. The commentary relates to the program s potential difficulty assessing individual student achievement of program competencies through the group-based culminating experience. The program identified this as an area for improvement and has two approaches to strengthen student assessment. First, the program is revising the capstone course to include an assignment that addresses each competency. Students who do not demonstrate appropriate attainment of a particular competency will be given readings and assignments followed by an oral exam. This change is expected to be implemented in the spring 2012 semester. Second, the program is pilot testing an e-portfolio system. This online tool would allow students to document how they have met each competency by submitting artifacts (eg, projects, assignments, papers, certifications) mapped to specific competencies. Site visitors reviewed the template for the e-portfolio and encourage the program to pursue the implementation of this tool as an additional way to assure competency achievement. The program administered its first employer survey in December 2011, and though responses were limited, they reflected high satisfaction with program graduates who now serve as employees. Employers are asked to assess their employees on each program competency and to respond to open-ended questions about whether the graduate is meeting expectations, strengths of the program and areas in which there could be improvement. On a five-point scale, all employer responses averaged between 4.3 and 5.0 for each competency. Employers indicated through the survey and during the site visit that program graduates tend to be enthusiastic and have a solid knowledge base to be successful public health practitioners. The program achieved a 90% graduation rate for its first cohort. Sixty-two percent of the second cohort has graduated so far and four additional students are expected to graduate in spring These students have not yet reached their maximum allowable time to graduation, so the program is expected to surpass its degree completion rate target of 80%. The program has been successful in reaching alumni one year after graduation. Of the 13 graduates in 2010 and 14 graduates in 2011, only one could not be located in each class. Responses to the alumni survey show high self-confidence in alums ability to perform the program competencies. On a five-point scale, nearly all competencies were rated as either a 4 or 5. Alumni primarily report employment in government and health care facility settings. The program reported a 92% job placement rate for the first cohort of students and a 77% rate for the second cohort; however, the latter class has not yet had a full 18

21 year to report its job placement status. Site visitors were confident that the program will meet or exceed CEPH s expectation of an 80% job placement rate, but noted that the program has set a target of 75%. Targets may be more stringent that CEPH requirements but should not be lower than the specific expectations included in the criteria. 2.8 Academic Degrees. If the program also offers curricula for 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. This criterion is not applicable. 2.9 Doctoral Degrees. The program may offer doctoral degree programs, if consistent with its mission and resources. This criterion is 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. This criterion is 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 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 teaching and learning methodologies and to systematically use this information to stimulate program improvements. This criterion is not applicable. 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. 19

22 This criterion is met with commentary. Westminster College is primarily a teaching institution; thus teaching and service are emphasized. The Manual for Faculty articulates the college s position regarding research: Westminster College recognizes that both teaching and research are essential to vigorous instruction and sound curriculum. As a teaching institution, Westminster places greater emphasis on teaching than research. However, research is a desirable and important responsibility. Primary faculty have been successful in receiving extramural funding; however these awards are few, and nearly all involve partnerships with other universities that can serve as the fiscal agent. From 2008 to 2011, the program was involved in four research projects: all were community-based and two involved MPH student participation. Program grants are processed in the accounting office of the college. Although not robust, resources are available for research (eg, college-wide grants for sabbatical and merit leaves), and faculty can focus on research endeavors during the summer months given the college s nine-month contract format. All three primary faculty members have published at least two articles in refereed journals in the last year. Students obtain research training primarily through didactic teaching and learning. All MPH students conduct research as part of their required capstone project. These projects primarily use secondary data from community data sets, and students have presented their research findings at local and national conferences. Students are encouraged to submit their findings in refereed journals and several have successfully published their work. MPH students, as supervised by program faculty, have participated in local research projects with the Utah Department of Health and the Veteran s Administration Hospital as part of their capstone project. Formal agreements are to be finalized late in Community assessments are also conducted in collaboration with local health departments and one faculty member has extramural research funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The commentary is based on the limited opportunities for research funding and collaboration due to the small size of the faculty and the lack of a defined and supportive research infrastructure (eg, an Office of Sponsored Programs) at the college. While research is considered in faculty performance reviews to a limited extent, the practical implication is that time dedicated to scholarship is not consistently counted as part of effort to the program. 20