Graduate Program Prioritization Criteria and Questions/Elements Ed.D. in Nursing Education. 1. History, Development and Expectations of the Program

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1 Graduate Program Prioritization Criteria and Questions/Elements Ed.D. in Nursing Education 1. History, Development and Expectations of the Program a. Provide, to the best of your ability, a brief description of the program s history including the evolution of the program over the years. Describe specific changes that have been made to the program curriculum, changes to student demographics and the impact of these changes on the program, and efforts to recruit students to the program. If this is a new program, describe efforts to build the program and the progress of these efforts to date. (550 words) The Ed.D. in Nursing Education was developed to address a welldocumented shortage of nurse faculty. State and national data indicate that there is a critical and growing shortage of nursing faculty which, if not addressed, threatens the future viability of the nursing profession. To address this growing workforce problem in nursing education, nursing faculty and administrators at SCSU and WCSU collaboratively conceptualized and planned a doctoral program in nursing education in The Ed.D. in Nursing Education curriculum, authored by SCSU and WCSU nursing faculty, responds to the national call for better preparation of nurse faculty as the focus of the program is on developing expertise in teaching, learning, and evaluation and conducting research and scholarship that will add to the science of nursing education and enhance the use of evidence-based nursing education practices. Through a series of meetings and conversations, the program was enthusiastically supported by the administration at campuses, as well as the CSUS leadership and governing board. The program was reviewed and approved by the appropriate curriculum bodies at both institutions, the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State University System, and the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. The substantive change proposal was approved by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in March of 2012, and an on-site evaluation visit was conducted in November of The program is collaboratively offered by SCSU and WCSU. The two institutions share courses, teaching responsibilities, and student advisement for the program. s advance through the program as a cohort, and students are admitted every other year into the program. This program received approval to enroll its first cohort of students on March 12, To date, the first cohort of students have completed nine

2 courses, two residencies, comprehensive exams, and are currently enrolled in two spring 2014 courses. They will begin their dissertation course work in the fall of The present cohort of students has been enthusiastic in their praise of the program and its ability to meet their learning goals as developing Academic Nurse Educators. The faculty teaching in the program has been intellectually stimulated by the caliber of the students in the program and in the quality of the course work submitted by the students. Faculty at SCSU and WCSU are committed to achieving program outcomes and are in the process of collecting data to evaluate these outcomes. Interest in the program has grown over the last two years, as our students share their experiences with other potential students in the region and the need for nurses who are prepared to assume a faculty role increases. The Ed.D. Program Committee has recently completed its review of applications for the cohort beginning in the Fall 2014 semester. Twenty five new students have been accepted to the program. b. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (Issues you might choose to discuss could include visibility of the program, relationships the program has external to the university, changes in the economic support for the program, staffing, etc.) (150 words) We were fortunate to receive a Federal Appropriation Grant of $300,000 to launch this program. In addition to program development, this grant enabled us to market our program extensively throughout the state of Connecticut and nationally, provide faculty development opportunities in distance learning pedagogy, and acquire technology equipment necessary for a fully online doctoral program. We will need additional resources to market our program outside of the state in the future and to provide on-going support for new and existing faculty in their development related to distance learning, dissertation advisement, and research/scholarship endeavors. 2. External Demand for the Program a. Using the data provided, review and explain the relationship between the program and external factors that impact the: i. number of applicants and percentage of applicants accepted ii. 5-year enrollment trends (450 words)

3 i. Number of applicants/percentage of applicants accepted: Academic Year Program Applications Accepted Acceptance % EDD-NUR EDD-NUR EDD-NUR EDD-NUR EDD-NUR % ii. 5- year enrollment trends Fa 08 Sp 09 Fa 09 Sp 10 Fa 10 Sp 11 Fa 11 Sp 12 Fa 12 Sp 13 Fa Avg Sp Avg Female Male Total FT PT The above application/percentage data is somewhat misleading in that it reflects only the students admitted into the program from SCSU. Since this is a collaborative program, half of the cohort of students who matriculated in 2012 were from WCSU. In fact, there were 18 applications at SCSU and 17 applications at WCSU. Because of necessary state authorizations are required for online programs, we were unable to accept 3 applications at SCSU and WCSU was unable to accept 6. We did not meet our targeted enrollment goal of a full cohort of 25 students in Two issues posed impediments to achieving this goal. First, final approval for the program was received on March 2, This gave the Coordinators, Graduate Office, and the Ed.D. in Nursing Education Program Committee a relatively short time to recruit for the program as we were not allowed to advertise the program until approvals were granted. The second issue which impacted the ability to enroll the projected full cohort was the lack of authorization approval for online programs offered to residents from other states. While we received qualified applicants from Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Texas, we were unable to accept these students due to regulatory program authorization issues. Therefore, the initial cohort fell short of the target goal by 7 students. As previously mentioned, the EdD Program Committee has just admitted the full cohort of 25 students beginning in the Fall 2014 semester. b. Which employers, institutions and/or communities benefit from this program? Describe how the program meets the needs of the state (e.g., economic, cultural, civic, etc.)? (150 words)

4 The 51-credit program, unlike other doctoral programs available in the state and region, specifically prepares nurses for the academic faculty role. It is anticipated that the addition of the Ed.D. in Nursing Education will enhance the institution s ability to serve its community and effectively respond to the workforce needs for professional nurses prepared at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. The addition of this new doctoral program will continue to provide opportunities for greater collaborations across academic departments and schools for the benefit of students and faculty. Given the expectations for scholarly engagement by doctoral faculty and students, the program also will have a positive impact on the scholarly contributions made by faculty and students to the field of nursing education. It is anticipated that the addition of the doctoral program will enhance the institution s and nursing program s visibility and attract highly qualified students to this needed program. c. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (Issues you might choose to discuss could include competition from local, regional, and other institutions.) (100 words) The Ed.D. in Nursing Education is the first and only doctoral program specially designed to prepare nurses for the faculty role in Connecticut. Other doctoral programs in the state (Ph.D.) focus on research and theory development in nursing or advanced practice roles (DNP) and typically do not include requisite course work related to teaching in nursing. Graduates of the Ed.D. in Nursing Education will assume positions in institutions of higher education with the requisite knowledge and skills that will facilitate success and promote satisfaction in the nursing faculty role while advancing the science of nursing education research. 3. Internal Demand for the Program a. Using the data provided, please describe how courses in your program serve students in other programs. What percentage of students in your courses come from other programs? Please provide enrollment data for graduate courses offered by your department that are required for other graduate programs. (Some of your discussion in this section may be repetitive, but is important in understanding the internal demand for the program.) (100 words) The courses in the Ed.D. in Nursing Education do not service any other graduate programs. s from other graduate programs are not currently enrolled in any of our courses due to the unique nature of our program which are specifically designed to prepare academic nurse educators. Requirements for the program include a Masters Degree in Nursing.

5 b. How is enrollment for your graduate program influenced by enrollment in your undergraduate program? Is there potential for a formal pathway between the two programs? (100 words) Currently the Department of Nursing at SCSU offers a traditional, accelerated, RN to BSN completion program in Nursing, and an MSN with tracks in Nursing Education and Family Nurse Practitioner. Many of our graduates from the undergraduate programs are currently enrolled in our MSN programs. There is currently no formal pathway between our undergraduate programs, graduate programs and our Ed.D. in Nursing Education Program, although this is a possibility for the future. Currently there are two students in our Ed.D. in Nursing Education Program who were graduates of our nurse educator track in the MSN program. c. How reliant are you on non-program students taking your courses? (100 words) We are not reliant on non-program students taking our courses. d. Does the program produce services needed by other parts of the campus (e.g. clinics, testing services)? (100 words) Not currently e. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (100 words) The Ed.D. in Nursing Education is the first distance learning doctoral program at the University. It may serve as a model for other departments considering similar programs. The Department was recently awarded a $98,720 Federal grant from the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. This program allows enrolled doctoral students to have a portion of their tuition, fees, and books paid through the loan. Most of the loan is forgiven if students work in an academic setting following graduation. We have applied for additional funding for the year (current in review by HRSA). 4. Quality of Program Inputs and Processes a. Please provide a narrative of how the qualifications and assignments of your full- and part-time faculty align with and support the program. Please include a discussion of the challenges and successes the department faces in providing qualified faculty to meet the needs of the program. In those

6 programs where it is appropriate, please discuss the integration of adjuncts into the program s curriculum. (450 words) The program is collaboratively taught by faculty from SCSU and WCSU. Collaboratively, both institutions currently have approximately 22 faculty members who are qualified to teach and provide dissertation advisement in this new program. Doctorally-prepared faculty who are, or will be, teaching in the program are educationally and experientially prepared to teach in this type of doctoral level program. All courses have been collaborative developed by a core team of SCSU and WCSU faculty and reflect contemporary issues and concepts related to teaching and learning in nursing education. Teaching responsibilities are evenly shared by faculty from both departments of nursing. All students, regardless of their home institution, are taught by faculty from both universities. The administrations at both institutions have made a commitment to ensuring that the doctoral program has sufficient faculty resources by either hiring new faculty or redeploying faculty as appropriate at each institution to address the needs of the doctoral program while at the same time maintaining the integrity and quality of existing programs. For example, one full-time faculty position has already been redeployed at SCSU and three faculty searches are underway. The institutions have planned accordingly so that current programs at both institutions remain at an acceptable level of quality. New faculty hired or redeployed will be expected to meet the following minimal criteria: earned doctorate (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) in nursing or related field (e.g. education), experience teaching in graduate nursing programs, evidence of scholarship in nursing and/or nursing education, experience supervising doctoral dissertations, experience teaching online or willingness to participate in professional development program. In addition to meeting minimum criteria, faculty who teach in the program are expected to demonstrate ongoing expertise and scholarship productivity by engagement in activities such as, publishing in refereed journals, authoring books or chapters in books, delivering presentations at professional conferences, and writing grants. The dissertation committee will consist of three faculty members: two faculty from within the department(s) of nursing (one of whom is considered the lead dissertation advisor) and one additional faculty member who will be selected based on his/her academic/professional expertise with respect to the dissertation topic, research methodology or theoretical expertise. The third committee member may be from nursing or other discipline and be employed at SCSU, WCSU, or another accredited institution of higher education. To date, only FT faculty have taught courses in the Ed.D. program. We anticipate qualified adjunct faculty with specialized knowledge and skills

7 may be hired to teach some courses in the future. Faculty from other accredited institutions may serve as a third dissertation committee member on some students dissertation committees. Other SCSU or WCSU qualified faculty may teach some of the courses in our curriculum (e.g. advanced statistics). b. Briefly describe the merits and logic of your curriculum. (250 words) The doctoral curriculum responds to the national call for better preparation of nurse faculty as the focus of the program is on developing expertise in teaching, learning, and evaluation and conducting research and scholarship that will add to the science of nursing education and advance evidence-based teaching practices. The curriculum is based upon profession standards such as the Core Competencies of Nurse Educators (NLN, 2005). Additionally, the curriculum reflects the work of the Carnegie Foundation s Report (2009) titled Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. The 51-credit program consists of five major components taken in the following sequence: Foundations of Teaching in Higher Education (9 credits) provides students with broad foundational knowledge needed to be effective faculty members in institutions of higher education. Specialization in Nursing Education (9 credits) addresses the specific knowledge/skills necessary to teach in nursing programs, including program development, implementation and evaluation in nursing education; the role of faculty; classroom and clinical teaching and evaluation in nursing education. Leadership in Nursing Education (9 credits) focuses on general leadership theories and concepts, leadership in nursing education, and development/enhancement of leadership capabilities through a role synthesis experience. Research Methods (12 credits) provides students with advanced knowledge and skills to plan and conduct research focusing on nursing education in order to advance the state of the science. Dissertation Phase (12 credits) provides students with guidance and mentoring to complete a dissertation in a chosen topic of interest related to nursing education. c. How dynamic is your program? Please identify and describe what procedures are in place to provide continued, regular evaluation and review

8 (include formal and informal activities). Describe the impact of the review on the program and curriculum (e.g., FAAR data may be used as evidence, as well as other documentation of changes to the curriculum). (300 words) Program Evaluation at University Level At SCSU, all graduate programs are reviewed on 17 criteria every seven years according to the Procedures for Graduate Program Evaluation document published by the Academic Standards Committee of the Graduate Council. The review is scheduled for Course Evaluation at the Department Level All courses are reviewed each year during nursing department curricular meetings. Course summaries are prepared by course faculty and include: 1) course objectives, 2) links to standards and program outcomes 3) teaching strategies and evaluation methods, 3) what went well in the course 4) recommendations for improvement. Program Evaluation at the Committee Level Program effectiveness in meeting the stated objectives and the achievement of student learning outcomes will be assessed through a student portfolio of work produced over the course of the doctoral program, reflecting achievement of the National League for Nursing s Nurse Educator Core Competencies (2005). Comprehensive Examination Doctoral students are required to complete and pass the comprehensive exam during the intercession between the fall and spring semester of the 2 nd year in the program. The three exam questions focus on the core components of the program completed prior to the comprehensive exam. The first comprehensive exams were given in December 2013 and all students achieved a successful passing grade. Program Satisfaction Representatives on Program Committee Level input during residency meetings written evaluations of satisfaction with residencies Alumnae and Employer Program satisfaction surveys

9 Teaching Effectiveness and Satisfaction with On-line Course Delivery The Ed.D. Program Committee evaluates on-line courses using the approved online course evaluation tool at SCSU/WCSU. This tool is specifically designed to provide insight related teacher ability to facilitate learning, teacher accessibility, interactive components of online learning (threaded discussions, interactive assignments) technological components of online learning (design, graphics, navigation) and assistance (help desk, support services). d. Is there anything else you would like us to know? (Issues you might discuss could include the quality of your incoming students, or a comparison of your curriculum, courses, assessments, experiences to similar programs. How does your program better serve students than similar programs offered elsewhere?) (200 words) The program is unique in that it is designed to encourage student and faculty engagement in an online learning environment. Online courses are delivered using asynchronous learning to enhance access for students who work full-time. However, synchronous learning activities occur frequently in each course. s engage during weekly Vidyo conferences, online chat rooms, or in wikis. Three (3 day) on-ground residencies provide further opportunities for student and faculty interaction and team building activities. Residency One includes an orientation to the instructional technology utilized in on-line courses and the range of campus and online support/academic services available to doctoral students. s engage in team-building activities with other students and faculty and attend workshops on academic writing and electronic and campus-based library resources. Residency Two occurs at the end of Year 1. s begin to discuss a number of topics related to the scholarship of teaching/learning, designing and conducting scientific research, review the dissertation process, and discuss how to identify possible committee members. Residency Three occurs at the end of Year 2. This residency focuses on qualitative and quantitative research proposal development (students present their own work), writing for publication, grant writing, along with individual meetings with potential advisors.

10 5. Quality of Program Outcomes a. How does your program use assessment data to ensure quality of student outcomes? Describe the quality of your program outcomes. (e.g., G.P.A., Opinion Surveys, course evaluations, alumni surveys, professional assessment/evaluation, other assessments, participation in groups or organizations that focus on pedagogy or andragogy. Insert a table listing your program outcomes. Note that the table does not count in the word limit). (900 words) Program Outcomes The overall purpose of this program is to prepare individuals for the faculty role in nursing education. At the end of the program, learners will be able to: Synthesize concepts and theories from nursing, higher education, and related disciplines as a foundation to enact the nurse educator role Demonstrate expertise in designing, implementing, evaluating, and improving nursing education to reflect trends in higher education, healthcare, and nursing practice Use knowledge of ethical, social, global, cultural, political, and economic issues affecting nursing education to provide effective leadership Contribute to the advancement of the science of nursing education through intellectual inquiry and creative scholarship Provide professional leadership to affect change in nursing education through service to the profession Function collaboratively in the faculty role within a community of scholars

11 Because the EdD in Nursing Education program was just recently implemented, specific program outcome data is not yet available. In order to demonstrate the Department s plan for assessing quality program outcomes, plans for data collection and analysis are presented in the Table below. Timeline for Program Evaluation Type of evaluation Mechanism Time frame How data is used to improve program satisfaction with courses and program representatives From SCSU/WCSU bring concerns/suggesti ons to Ed.D. Program meetings Monthly during fall/spring semester Year 1, 2, and 3 concerns/suggestions brought to Ed.D. Program Committee for discussion and action satisfaction with residency 1,2,3 s complete written satisfaction survey of end of Residency 1,2, 3 Yearly during residency 1, 2,3 concerns/suggestions brought to program coordinators and Ed.D. Program committee for discussion and action cohort meeting with representatives satisfaction with courses and program representatives meet with students during residency 2 and 3 and discuss report including students satisfaction with Yearly during residency 2, 3 reports read by Program Coordinators, suggestions for program improvement enacted

12 program to date s write report summarizing meeting satisfaction with on-line course delivery and faculty teaching effectiveness Course surveys sent out by Blackboard Learn at end of course Fall, intercession, spring, summer Year 1,2,3 Course survey results read by course faculty Aggregate data brought to Ed.D. Program Committee for discussion and action satisfaction with on-line course delivery Quality Matters Scoring Rubric ( ) Sent to students via Blackboard Learn Yearly in spring semester Beginning in spring 2014 Faculty reads report Aggregate data brought to Ed.D. Program Committee for discussion/action s submit responses anonymously Alumnae satisfaction On-line survey sent to alumnae at program end and one year post graduation Beginning in spring of 2015 for first cohort Review by QIC committee and Ed.D. Committee for discussion/action Employer satisfaction On-line survey sent to employers (with alumnae approval) one year post Beginning in spring of 2016 for first cohort Review by QIC Committee an d Ed.D. Program Coordinators for discussion/action

13 graduation Achievement Of Program Outcomes s submit major papers to e- portfolio in Blackboard Learn Papers evaluated by faculty for quality and assessment of student learning at program end Major papers submitted to e-portfolio at end of every course E-portfolio evaluation at cohort end Beginning in spring of 2016 Review by committee of WCSU/SCSU faculty and QIC Committee Recommendations for assignments made to Ed.D. Program Committee for discussion/action Achievement of Program Outcomes s will be required to write and pass comprehensive exams consisting of three questions Intercession Between year 2 and 3 Aggregate data on student performance will be brought to Ed.D. Program Committee for discussion/action Achievement of Program Outcomes Completion of Dissertation Completion of Program Aggregate data brought to Ed.D. Program Committee. Discussion/ action brought back to for course improvement/changes Available data to date is summarized below. GPA The first cohort of students in the Ed.D. in Nursing Education Program from SCSU are doing well as indicated by their cumulative GPA of a 3.98 (year one). EDD NUR Fa 08 Sp 09 Fa 09 Sp 10 Fa 10 Sp 11 Fa 11 Sp 12 Fa12 Sp13 Fa Avg Sp Avg s Overall GPA

14 Enrollment and Progression Total Percent Retention s accepted into program % s enrolled Fall % s enrolled Spring % s enrolled Fall % Opinion Surveys Below are some of the comments made by students on course evaluations from the first year of the program. Sometimes, numerical data does not tell the whole truth about students perceptions of a new program. As someone who has taught in university settings since 1996, I was truly impressed by the amount of work that was not only put into the construction of this course, but the time spent providing individual feedback for every

15 assignment. This semester, I also was teaching an on line course, and am well aware of the time it takes to read and respond to the assignments and discussions the way you did. I have to tell you, I described you to a PhD friend of mine, that you were an educator s educator. Someone who not only lived and understood the content you were presenting, but also someone who wanted the student to understand and apply it to their own teaching. My practice has already been affected by the knowledge learned in this course. I believe I am better able to fully comprehend some of the practices we do in academia that relate to theory. In clinical situations, many of the theories we learned have had great impact. For example, even though I have been using reflection as a tool, I have improved the assignment based on other students suggestions. Since I do teach an online course, I took a great interest in these discussions/articles. I learned a great deal when we discussed web based learning and strategies to assist students with distance learning. Overall, I found the class very interesting and applicable to practice. One of the reasons I entered an EdD program specific to nursing education was that it would enhance my practice and I do believe with the both courses I took this semester, it will do just that! The instructors teaching style was very helpful in enabling me to meet my educational goals. Her comments always provided me the encouragement that I needed when I was feeling overwhelmed. This was a class course. I felt that all of the content was very appropriate and explained many aspects of academic life. I think this course could help all academics. Satisfaction with Residencies To date, students have completed two residencies. s have provided positive feedback regarding the quality of the residencies and how they have contributed to their success in the program. 6) Size, scope and productivity of the program a. How many credit hours does the program generate? (table generated by OMIR) Data not provided by OMIR.

16 b. What degrees or certificates are awarded? (This is a simple list of degrees and will list only one degree or certificate unless you are one of the programs approved to report your data in combination)(in table form with item c) An Ed.D. in Nursing Education will be awarded following successful completion of the program. The first graduates of the program are anticipated in August c. How many degrees or certificates have been awarded (five year data)? None to date. We anticipate awarding our first degrees in August d. Using the data provided, present and discuss the record of the graduate faculty in research/creative activity. (200 words) Type of Publication Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New Book, Scholarly-Revised Journal Article, Academic Journal Journal Article, Professional Journal Other a. Professional Presentations Presentation Type Keynote/Plenary Address Oral Presentation Poster

17 b. Professional Conference Participation Role Attendee Other c. Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research Type Grant Sponsored Research The above data does not appear to be complete. Unfortunately, faculty compliance in accurately completing the FAAR has been low. Faculty members have consistently delivered presentations and published on pedagogical strategies, such as simulation and cumulative capstone experience, and associated learning outcomes. An internal audit of productivity (via faculty CV s) reveals that during the academic years, 23 publications were produced by the faculty in the Department of Nursing. Faculty presented 28 papers or posters at local, regional, and national conferences. During the timeframe, a sum total of $69, was awarded in internal grants and $347, was awarded in external grants. All faculty have actively served in professional organizations and have engaged in productive service at both the Departmental and University levels. Several faculty have been presented with research and scholarship excellence awards, such as the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing and various research awards. e. What types of student or student/faculty research or creative activity have been developed and or produced (e.g., include theses, dissertations, special projects)? (100 words) s begin dissertation work in the fall s have written major papers in their courses: adult theory critique paper, concept analysis paper, a teaching effectiveness evaluation paper, a curriculum evaluation paper, a teaching philosophy, and a literature review (to name a few). Many of these papers could be considered for publication. One of the current EdD students has recently had her abstract accepted for podium

18 presentation at the upcoming National League for Nursing Education Summit in September in Phoenix, AZ. Also, students will attend a Publication Workshop during Residency 3; we are encouraging students to consider publishing these manuscripts. f. In your narrative discuss how all these data impact or have impacted the size, scope or productivity of your program. (200 words) Outcome data is not yet available as this is a new program. g. Is there anything else you would like us to know (this might include a discussion of equipment purchased solely for the purposes of the graduate program). (100 words) In order to conduct synchronous learning sessions, the Department purchased access to the Vidyo conferencing system. The Vidyo system is hosted by the Office of Information Technology at WCSU. All instructional EdD faculty have a Vidyo account and are able to conduct videoconferencing from their desktops and/or laptops. Additionally, we have retrofitted one of our existing rooms in the Nursing Classroom Building into a videoconference room using this technology. Collaborative EdD Program and Curriculum Committee meetings with SCSU and WCSU are often conducted in this space. 7) Revenue and other resources generated by the program a. What are the sources and how much revenue does the program generate through student enrollments? There were no revenue reports provided. The program began in fall See the attached Appendix for a resource summary prepared for our NEASC substantive change report. b. What are the sources and how much additional revenue does the program generate through fees such as laboratory or special user fees? (50 words) s pay $900/residency (three required residencies) c. What are the sources and how much revenue does the program generate by services (e.g., external or to other programs)? (50 words) None are generated

19 d. In the narrative on this section discuss how the revenues and other resources impact the size, scope and productivity of your program? (100 words) e. Is there anything else you need us to know? (You may wish to discuss grant activity, gifts to the University, etc.) (100 words) The program has received federal funding through the Nurse Faculty Loan Payment. This grant funding has allowed students to receive loan forgiveness for up to 85% of their education if they practice as nurse educators for 4 years following graduation. To date, $98,000 has been received. An additional application for funding for the next Academic Year has been submitted and is currently under review by the US Department of Health and Human Services HRSA. 8) Costs and other expenses a. What are the total costs of the program? (table) Data not provided. Tuition and fee costs are higher for the EdD in Nursing Education program as compared to graduate tuition and fees for other programs. In fact, the tuition costs for this academic year are $ per credit ($2, for a 3-credit course). b. What is the ratio of costs to revenues? (table) Data not provided. c. What investment in new resources does the program require? (200 words) In order to continue to build upon a successful new doctoral program, continued investment in faculty development is required. Due to the availability of faculty development funding received via the federal appropriation grant, three SCSU nursing faculty completed the iteach Essentials course designed to prepare faculty for online instruction. Additional funds are necessary to support faculty in taking this course (or similar types of courses on online instruction) in order to build a cadre of well-qualified online instructors. d. What demonstrable efficiencies exist in the way the program is operated (e.g., summer courses; cross-listed courses, etc.)? (100 words) The ability to collaborate with the Department of Nursing at WCSU has provided the program with opportunities for efficiencies. We are able to

20 build upon the expertise and experience of faculty at each institution. Although two courses are usually offered per semester, the Department teaching responsibilities here for include one of the courses. Also, in order to facilitate timely program completion, the program is designed to include coursework during summer and intersessions. 9) Impact, justification, and overall essentiality of the program a. How does this program connect to the University s mission statement and/or the Graduate School s mission statement? (100 words) Goal One (SCSU Strategic Plan) is to strengthen undergraduate and graduate programs. Clearly the launch of a new doctoral program in nursing education strengthens the graduate education programs here, providing a model for further growth at SCSU. Goal Four (SCSU Strategic Plan) is to become a regional leader in the use of technology to support learning. The Ed.D. in Nursing Education is the first distance learning doctoral program in the system. Faculty at SCSU spend considerable time learning how to incorporate best practices in online pedagogy and how to support student success in a distance learning format. b. How does this program respond to societal needs that the institution values? (e.g., producing a critical thinking, educated citizenry; improving the state s workforce; meeting health care needs of the community, etc.)? (100 words) The Ed.D. in Nursing Education Program is the only one of its kind in the State of Connecticut and one of very few across the country uniquely designed to prepare nurses for academic faculty roles. The Ed.D. in Nursing Education was developed to address a well-documented local and national shortage of nurse faculty. If not addressed, a shortage of threatens the future viability of the nursing profession. c. To what extent does this program help the institution differentiate itself from similar programs at peer institutions? (100 words) In keeping with the universities mission to provide exemplary education in the liberal arts and professional disciplines and to meet the workforce needs of the State of Connecticut, the Ed.D. in Nursing Education program builds on SCSU s long standing tradition of excellence in preparing educators and nurses for beginning and advanced roles and combines content