The UNC Policy Manual
400.1.1.8[G]
Adopted 05/06/09
APPENDIX G
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH A NEW DISTANCE
EDUCATION DEGREE PROGRAM OR SITE
(THROUGH WHICH 50% OR MORE OF A DEGREE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED)
INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the appropriate blanks and expand the electronic version of this form as required
to include other more extensive information. Please submit three copies of the proposal to General
Administration. As of January 1, 2010 submission of proposals will be electronic.
Date: Draft 6-29-11
Constituent Institution East Carolina University
CIP Discipline Specialty Title: Medical Informatics
CIP Discipline Specialty Number: 51.2706 Level: M
Exact Title of the Proposed Program: Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information
Management
Degree Abbreviation: MS Proposed Date of Initiation: August 2013
Will this program be completely individual access (e.g., online, videocassette)? Yes
If “yes,” primary mode of delivery: Internet
If cohort-based, length of time to complete the program (e.g., 18 mos., 2 years) N/A
List any other UNC institutions that offer similar programs in the same location (if requesting a site-based
program) or a similar program online or by individual access (if requesting an individual access program):
No other UNC institution offers a similar online program.
For the following question, please consult "Guidelines for Alternative, Online, or Distance Education
Delivery of approved Degree Programs" from the UNC Policy Manual available on the UNC GA
Academic Planning website.
Which SACS COC substantive change procedure applies? (SACS policy on substantive change:
http://www.sacscoc.org/pdf/081705/Substantive%20change%20policy.pdf)
One N/A (prior authorization from SAC; both Appendix F and G should be submitted to COC of SACS by
the institution, if applicable)
Two N/A (prior notification to SACS; Appendix F should be submitted to COC of SACS by the institution,
if applicable)
Based on the SACS policy on substantive change, by what date should the campus be notified by UNC-GA
of authorization to establish? N/A
In 2002, ECU received this notification from SACS “Inasmuch as these degree programs are well
established at the institution and given the Commissions’ approval of technology-mediated instruction at
ECU, this delivery mode is included within the scope of the institution’s accreditation. No further
information is requested.”
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The following items conform to the information required for SACS Substantive Change Procedure One.
1.
Abstract (limit to one page or less)
Describe the proposed change; its location; initial date of implementation; projected number of
students; description of primary target audience; projected life of the program (single cohort [indicate
number of years] or ongoing); and instructional delivery methods.
The Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management (MS HIIM) is a transdisciplinary academic program at the intersection of the disciplines of computer and information
science and technology, health services administration and management, and more importantly the
dynamics between the two. The program is designed to prepare individuals to be informaticians as
well as information management professionals who can work proficiently with clinicians and health
services administrators to develop clear and effective health information strategies for their health
care institutions as well as carry out these strategies using a variety of applications. In addition to
learning the technical aspects of health care data management, students will learn how to develop
strong management skills crucial for planning, designing, implementing and evaluating a variety of
system-wide health information systems including electronic health records, clinical decision support
system as well as computerized provider order entry systems. The proposed MS in HIIM prepares
individuals for managerial, supervisory, executive as well as other leadership positions in health
information systems.
The program will be delivered via the Internet utilizing Blackboard as the course management system
beginning in August 2013. An initial cohort of 15 students is expected and the program will be
ongoing.
ECU is also committed to increasing access to its educational programs including academic courses,
degree programs, and certificate programs, for non-traditional students and lifelong learners. The
proposed MS in HIIM will offer two different tracks of study: an RHIA track for individuals who are
interested in fulfilling the curricular requirements of earning the RHIA credential and a non-RHIA
track for others who do not seek the RHIA credential. Both tracks should appeal to non-traditional
learners, including career changers. For example, the MS in HIIM should attract practicing health
care and IT professionals who want to acquire skills in health informatics and information
management. There will be built-in online components that allow the current workforce to upgrade
their knowledge without having to curtail their employment.
2. Background information
Provide a clear statement of the nature and purpose of the change in the context of the institution’s
mission, goals, and strategic plan; evidence of the legal authority for the change (to be provided by
UNC General Administration in authorization letter).
For more than sixty years, the mission of East Carolina University (ECU) has included support of
courses and degree programs for students located beyond the borders of the campus. Historically,
these off-campus programs were offered at specific sites and outreach centers, often involving the
placement of university support staff, teaching faculty, and resources at locations such as military
bases and community colleges. By 1995, with advances associated with rapidly improving
technologies, access to the Internet, and faculty experience in utilizing these resources, the university
began a migration from site-based instruction and student support services toward electronically
supported academic programs.
East Carolina University proactively engaged a variety of resources to establish direction, guiding
principles, and support systems required to appropriately respond to the state’s commitment to
improved access to higher education. Various campus committees actively pursued establishment of
policies, procedures, and practices designed to ensure the development and support of quality
programs.
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Membership of these committees included an appropriate mix of faculty and administrators. Surveys
and reviews were conducted to determine existing best practices as well as to determine demand for
critical academic programs. One obvious influence emerging from the planning and program
development process was the recognition of success in courses and programs that increasingly
integrated technology to support the educational process.
Major strategies emerging from these planning efforts included:
•Commitment to focus on delivery of complete degree and/or certificate programs instead of a
random selection of courses
•Commitment to use regular campus faculty, not adjuncts, to deliver most courses and student
support
•Investment in critical support services and faculty services to facilitate development and deployment
of academic programs
•Investment in critical infrastructure, desktop technologies, and support services to support
electronically offered courses
•Development of a planning process prior to approving programs to be offered in distance education
format
•Development of a funding model to provide appropriate support for sustaining ongoing programs
and resources to invest in expansion initiatives
The proposed Master of Science degree in health informatics and information management (MS
HIIM) aligns with the strategic plans of the university and the college. The mission of East
Carolina University (ECU) is to serve as a national model for public service and regional
transformation. Thus, ECU offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students to
compete and succeed in the 21st century and in the global economy. The proposed degree prepares
graduates to plan, design, implement, and evaluate health information technologies and systems of
the 21st century, in collaboration with fellow professionals with backgrounds either in health care or
in information technologies and systems. Moreover, the proposed degree addresses a specific aspect
of ECU’s mission: “Saving lives, curing diseases, and positively transforming health and health care”
and addresses a component of ECU’s Strategic Directions: “ECU will save lives, cure diseases, and
positively transform the quality of health care for the region and state.” Health informatics and
information management enhances the ability of health care systems to deliver quality health data and
information where and when practitioners need them; thus, supporting this vision and mission.
ECU is committed to producing more and better physicians, dentists, nurses and allied health
professionals to meet the expanding needs of North Carolina and beyond, lead in the research and
development of health care technologies and evidence-based therapies, and improve health care
access and outcomes. The proposed master’s degree program in HIIM will provide education and
training in the tools and principles necessary for sharing data and information among the fields of
biotechnology, medicine, and health care. For example, this includes the development and use of
decision support tools for improving decision making in health care delivery. Graduates will help
design health information systems that make health data/information available to appropriate users
while also ensuring its privacy and confidentiality. They will be advocates for high quality health
information as the cornerstone for improvements in health care delivery. In addition, the program
will meet the RHIA certification requirements as set forth by the Commission on Accreditation for
Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) of the American Health
Information Management Association (AHIMA).
The University is further committed to producing highly skilled professionals in education and health
care and to developing leaders for the business, nonprofit, and government sectors in order to address
the needs and challenges of the region. Additionally, ECU will produce more graduates in the science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to provide the workforce for a new regional economy
based on industry/university/government clusters, for example in bioscience, biotechnology, and
advanced manufacturing. The proposed master’s degree in HIIM offered by HSIM will target the
individual who is looking for formal training in health informatics and information management; this
can include practicing professionals from the fields of health care, information technology, and
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individuals who come from other disciplines and possess a variety of educational backgrounds. The
proposed MS in HIIM corresponds to the technology component of STEM fields. Graduates of this
program will be information specialists fluent in the application of health informatics and information
management principles towards the improvement of health and wellness in North Carolina. As a
result of the trans-disciplinary training they will receive, it is expected that they will join the workforce
and that some will go on to assume leadership roles in industry, academia, and government.
3. Assessment of need and program planning/approval
Discuss the rationale for the change, including intended audience and an assessment of need (include
results of surveys or special studies), evidence of inclusion of the change in the institution’s ongoing
planning and evaluation processes; and documentation that faculty and other groups were involved in
the review and approval of the new site or program.
Within the discipline at the national level, there is a progression to graduate education for
certification. AHIMA recognizes that the drive to adopt EHR systems requires HIIM professionals
who can plan, design, and analyze EHR systems across interlocking and partnering national health
care enterprises, state agencies, regional health information exchanges, and federal agencies. In
2007, AHIMA published Vision 2016: A Blueprint for Quality Education in Health Information
Management, which explicitly stipulated that the “transformation of HIM to a graduate level
profession by 2016” is one of its three key priorities. Concomitantly, the accrediting organization for
degree-granting programs in the discipline, the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics
and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), is in the process of adopting accreditation
standards for graduate health informatics programs (http://cahiim.org/initiatives.html) and has
adopted competencies and standards for graduate health information management programs
(http://cahiim.org/applyaccredgrad.html). Eligibility to sit for the national registration examination
is dependent upon being a graduate of an accredited program.
We expect the students in the program to come from five different sources:
1.
Professionals hold at least an undergraduate degree in health sciences or computer and
information technologies. Unemployed, underemployed, or working professionals with
these degrees may seek upgrades to their skills and knowledge and, thus, expanding their
job marketability by receiving a Master’s Degree in Health Informatics.
2. Individuals desiring entry-level positions in health information administration. Since
1968, the BS with a major in HIM has been offered at East Carolina University (formerly
medical records administration). Despite the program’s rigor, consistent student interest
in the major has resulted in an entering cohort between 15 to 20 students. Since the
initiation of the online HIM degree in 2005, entering cohorts have averaged 25 students.
The graduates of the program are eligible to take the national Registered Health
Information Administrator (RHIA) certification exam. The undergraduate program will
be terminated once the Master’s program is established. Therefore, for those students
who desire to get the RHIA credentials, the Master’s program, particularly the RHIA
option, will be available.
3. Individuals in the post-baccalaureate health informatics certificate at ECU. Since fall
2008, the HSIM department has offered a graduate certificate in health informatics and
since then has received more than 150 inquiries from prospective students interested in
pursuing this option for graduate study. Currently 41 students are registered in the
certificate program and many of them are interested in pursuing further study in this
field. A master’s degree program in HIIM would be a natural complement for the
certificate graduates. The certificate program graduates will be able to transfer 15 credit
hours from the certificate into the MS. Thus, a certain number of students can begin by
taking core courses in the certificate and then opt to transfer into the master’s degree
program.
4. Baccalaureate health services management (HSM) graduates at ECU. The Department
also has an undergraduate program in HSM that graduates approximately 60-70 students
annually. Given the transition of health care to a paperless environment, understanding
information technology and information systems becomes crucially important for the
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5.
graduates to be well rounded in their managerial practice. These graduates may desire the
Department’s internal educational progression.
Baccalaureate graduates in information technology and systems (IT&S). These graduates
may desire advanced education in health care that would expand their career possibilities.
The department is currently collaborating with the Department of Technology Systems to
offer a BS in Information Technology with a concentration in Health Care Information
Technology. The graduates from the program will also be recruited to the MS HIIM
program
At the national level, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a growth rate of 16% for “Medical
and Health Services Managers” through 2016 (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos014.htm). Separating out
the role of health information managers in this section, the BLS states that “Health information
managers are responsible for the maintenance and security of all patient records”. According to their
analysis of the HIMSS Analytics™ database, Hersh and Wright forecast that approximately 50,000
informatics professionals are needed by 2016 in order to meet the predicted growth in the adoption of
electronic health care information systems (http://www.billhersh.info/hit-workforce-hersh.pdf).
Recent regulations enacted by the Federal Government require that all health care providers maintain
electronic patient records and that these records be secure. As a result, health information managers
must keep up with current computer and software technology and with legislative requirements. In
addition, as patient data become more frequently used for quality management and in medical
research, health information managers ensure that databases are complete, accurate, and available
only to authorized personnel.
Events at the national level are further driving the need for HIIM graduates. The American
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $19 billion to promote the adoption and use
of health information technologies, particularly electronic health records. Federal efforts to promote
the adoption of EHRs include payment incentives that are tied to their meaningful use. For example,
the Obama administration’s emphasis on the national adoption of electronic health records has
resulted in the allocation of $110M for Health IT initiatives in the latest proposed federal budget
(http://bit.ly/cUDo9S). The deployment of electronic health records by physicians and hospitals in
the U.S will require the expertise of professionals trained in health informatics, information
management, and electronic health record implementation.
Using a portion of the ARRA funds, The Office of National Coordinator for Health Information
Technology (ONCHIT) has funded 62 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) nationwide with the
mission to assist primary care providers to adopt Electronic Health Records. North Carolina AHEC is
the only REC grantee in NC to support statewide EHR adoption. Professionals are needed and will
continue to be needed in order to support the operations of REC as well as individual providers. A
notable anecdote is that two Quality Improvement Specialists at eastern AHEC REC are graduates
from the ECU HIM program. We expect that REC sites will become valued sites where our students
can be placed for internship and employment.
Each of the University’s distance education programs begins in the academic department. Faculty
members work with staff from the Division of Continuing Studies to begin the planning process. Each
program has a coordinator that is a full time faculty member. They develop a program design that
includes both the instructional requirements and the academic resources available to meet the needs
of a widely dispersed group of students.
They work to insure that prospective students are made aware of the programs available to them and
student services to support these programs are incorporated into the planning process. The Office of
Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research insures that university surveys are made available to
distance education students and that their participation is encouraged.
The proposals are referred to the Academic Program Development Collaborative Team (APDC Team),
an advisory body to the Academic Council. The Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Institutional
Planning, Assessment and Research, Graduate School, Division of Continuing Studies, Division of
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Research and Graduate Studies, Division of Health Sciences, Undergraduate and Graduate
Curriculum Committees as well as the Faculty Senate Chair are represented. A unit proposing a new
degree program begins the on campus review process by presenting the appropriate planning and
establishing documents to the APDC Team, which will collaborate with the unit to strengthen the
proposal. The APDC Team advises the provost on all new academic program proposal submitted as
well as advises the Dean of the Graduate School on graduate programs under consideration. EPPC is
informed of those recommendations.
The proposal is then reviewed by the Educational Policies and Planning Committee (EPPC), a
standing committee of the faculty senate and then referred to the academic council. EPPC oversees
the adequacy, balance, and excellence of the University's overall undergraduate and graduate
programs; advises the Chancellor on educational policies and organizations, goals, standards and
procedures; reviews requests for permission to establish and plan new degree programs.
The Academic Council includes the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, the vice
chancellor for research and graduate studies, and the vice chancellor for health sciences. The
Academic Council considers the APDC Team’s and EPPC recommendations on new academic degree
program proposal and makes recommendations to the chancellor.
Provide projected annual headcount enrollment:
Individual access:
Years 1) 15 2) 35 3) 49 4) 60 5) 79
Projected total SCHs (all sites):
Year 1
Program Category
Category I
Category II
Category III
Category IV
Year 2
Program Category
Category I
Category II
Category III
Category IV
Year 3
Program Category
Category I
Category II
Category III
Category IV
Year 4
Program Category
Category I
Category II
Category III
Category IV
UG
Student Credit Hours
Master’s
Doctoral
UG
Student Credit Hours
Master’s
Doctoral
UG
Student Credit Hours
Master’s
Doctoral
UG
Student Credit Hours
Master’s
Doctoral
4. Description of the substantive change (as required by SACS)
Provide a description of the proposed change, including description of the proposed program, specific
outcomes and learning objectives and curriculum and schedule of proposed course offering.
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The proposed Master’s Degree in Health informatics and Information management (MS HIIM) is an
interdisciplinary program at the intersection of the disciplines of information science, computer
science, health care, and management. It will take advantage of existing strengths in the HSIM
department. The department offers two graduate certificate programs (health care administration and
health informatics). Therefore, the majority of the cognate courses for the master’s degree in health
informatics and information management (HIIM) curriculum will be modeled on courses offered by
the two existing graduate certificate programs. In addition, core courses in biostatistics, software
engineering and management of information systems will be included and taught by faculty from the
relevant departments.
Graduates of the program will be able to:
1.
Plan, develop, and manage health information systems consistent with the clinical, fiscal,
administrative, ethical, and legal requirements of health care institutions.
2. Analyze, design, implement, and evaluate health information systems.
3. Understand and apply principles of management and business functions to a variety of
health care settings including private and institutional practice.
4. Interact and communicate with other health care professionals, administrators, and staff
to provide health care data for patient care, research, quality improvement, strategic
planning, reimbursement, and related managerial functions.
5. Evaluate the strategic and operational relevance and robustness of clinical information
resources of the health care industry and of the public health sector.
6. Support research that advances the body of knowledge and standards associated with the
management of health information and information systems in the electronic health
environment.
Successfully pass the registration examination in order to become credentialed as a registered health
information administrator (RHIA) by the American Health Information Management Association
(AHIMA).
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Describe and provide rationale for any differences in admission, curriculum, or graduation
requirements for students enrolled online or at the new site(s), or any special arrangements for
grading, transcripts, or transfer policies. N/A
Describe administrative oversight to ensure the quality of the program or services to be offered.
Academically qualified persons participate in all decision making concerning curriculum and program
oversight. Permanent faculty members of ECU are responsible for presentation, management, and
assessment of all electronically- offered degree programs. A program coordinator is assigned for each
degree program, whether offered on campus or electronically. Each program coordinator is a fulltime ECU faculty member. An assessment team representative from the academic discipline
coordinates assessment of all on-campus and electronically offered degrees in the discipline.
Assessment of distance learning is fully integrated into the university-wide assessment program.
Faculty and administrators within academic units oversee all distance education programs to ensure
quality and content. Academically, there is no distinction between courses taught on campus and
those taught via distance education. All participants must meet the same course objectives and
demonstrate the same learning outcomes. The curriculum and evaluation of DE courses, however
delivered, are conducted under the same procedures and personnel as on-campus courses. The
academic unit establishes the intended learning outcomes, the means of assessment, and the criteria
for success, and carries out the assessment activities for both the campus and DE programs.
5.
Faculty and support staff
Please Provide:
Number of faculty expected to deliver instruction: full-time faculty 9 part-time faculty 0
A complete roster (using the SACS “Roster of Instructional Staff” form) of those faculty employed to
teach in the program, including a description of those faculty members’ academic qualifications and
course load in the proposed program, as well as course work taught in other programs currently
offered;
ROSTER OF INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF
Name
Most Advanced
Degree
Other
Degree
Dr. Xiaoming Zeng
PhD, Health
Information
Management,
University of
Pittsburgh, 2004
MD, Peking Union Medical College,
1997
Dr. Elizabeth Layman
PhD, Higher
Education, 1995,
Georgia State
University
Dr. Paul D. Bell
PhD,
Educational
Research and
Policy Analysis,
2006, NCSU
Ed. D,
Instructional
Design and
MA, Organizational leadership,1989,
College of St. Catherine
Post baccalaureate certificate in Health
Information Administration, 1989,
College of St. Scholastica
Post baccalaureate certificate in
Medical Record Administration, 1988,
College of Health Related Professions,
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Dr. Robert Campbell
Courses Taught
HIMA 6060
(formerly HIMA
5060)
COHE 6440
*COHE 6490
COHE 6000
COHE 6420
COHE 6000
M.L.S. Library and Information
COHE 6410
Science, 1989, University of Pittsburgh. COHE 6430
CEPHR, Certified professional in
*COHE 6470
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Dr. Tom Ross
Dr. Michael H. Kennedy
Dr. Robert Kulesher
Dr. Susie Harris
Dr. Leigh Cellucci
Dr. Patricia Royal
technology,
1999, University
of Pittsburgh
PhD, Economics,
1995, St. Louis
University
PhD, Decision
Sciences and
Engineering
Systems, 1992,
Rensselaer
Polytechnic
Institute
PhD, Urban
Affairs and
Public Policy,
2003, University
of Delaware
PhD,
Rehabilitation
Studies, 2008,
ECU
PhD, 1989,
Sociology,
University of
Virginia
EdD, 2006,
Administration
in Higher
Education, East
Carolina
University
electronic health record, 2008
*COHE 6480
MBA in Finance and Accounting,
University of Cincinnati, 1981
*COHE 6630
Master’s Health Administration, 1985,
Baylor University
COHE 6450
COHE 6310
Master’s Health Administration, 1977,
Washington University
COHE 6000
COHE 6600
MBA with Health Care Administration
option, 1997, ECU
BS, Health Information Management,
1989, ECU
MBA, 2002, Idaho State University
COHE 6000
*COHE 6460
MSW, 1998, Social Work, East
Carolina University
COHE 6000
COHE 6600
*COHE 6510
Evidence that adequate number of faculty members are assigned to support the program;
Impact of the initiative on faculty workload; and
The discontinuation of the HIM program will release 3.4 FTEs. Eight new courses are proposed for
the MS HIIM program. The termination of the undergraduate HIM program will release 7 courses.
We expect all faculty members will teach the same course load (credit hours) after the establishment
of the MS HIIM program. Our plans include recruiting adjunct faculty members to teach lower
division (undergraduate HSM program) courses.
Number and responsibilities of support staff (e.g., program coordinator).
The Department of Health Services and Information Management will be responsible for the
oversight, administrative and academic functions of the program. There will be a MS HIIM program
director that will be responsible for the program’s day-to-day operation. The program director reports
to the Chair of the Department of Health Services and Information Management.
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Describe means by which the institution will provide support services for students enrolled at the
site(s) or online (e.g., admissions, skills assessment, course registration, academic advising,
counseling, etc.).
From admission to graduation ECU provides a system of support services that acknowledge the
challenges students away from the campus have in meeting the responsibilities of their families and
careers in order to be successful in their academic endeavors. DE students are an integral part of the
mission of the university beginning with the university’s motto Servire, to serve. Rather than develop
alternative systems for DE students, ECU has developed web based processes that support all
students, both DE and campus. Careful planning and dedicated resources have permitted ECU to
move from paper-based processes to a system where all ECU students can interact with the university
in the same manner.
The University has made a commitment to provide an online interface for services that all students
can access anytime https://onestop.ecu.edu/onestop . The ECU OneStop portal allows users
(students, faculty, staff,) to personalize a single interface for access to internal campus resources.
Students log in to OneStop using a PirateID and passphrase.
Through the OneStop web portal, students can access advising and registration information, their
course schedule, grades, course catalog, course description, a GPA calculator, university events and
announcements, and a myriad of other services. Tools available in OneStop include student course
registration and tuition payment, faculty access to class rosters and submission end-of-semester
grades, and a campus-wide discussion board. Students can also access OneStop from a variety of
mobile devices.
The Division of Continuing Studies (DCS) serves as a bridge between the student at a distance and the
academic and administrative units of the university. The division respects and understands the
unique demands of distance learning and is committed to assuring quality, accessible programs and
services. The division conducts its activities in partnership with the academic and administrative units
of the university.
DCS is charged with assisting ECU students away from the campus by identifying the nature of their
concerns and marshalling the resources of multiple offices to bring that concern to a successful
conclusion. The needs and challenges of DE students are more complex and their expectations in
regard to service are at a professional level demanded each day in their career settings.
Successful distance education programs require commitment, collaboration and cooperation from all
facets of the university. Our mission guides us to assess each individual situation and not to simply
direct students elsewhere to address their needs, but to insure a successful resolution. These services
provide a safety net for DE students as they make progress in online programs.
The division provides a dedicated email address and a toll free number staffed by student service
specialists who can reassure students and assist in navigating the online resources available to them.
They can assist with general program information, procedural issues, as well as link them to resources
across the campus. They provide a single point of contact for ECU students who are unable to come
to the campus.
ECU has a comprehensive communication plan of email messages to students with information,
available services and reminders of important dates, registration reminders, and reassurances that we
are available to help.
Communication to prospective DE students begins with their initial inquiry in the Distance Education
PiratePort http://www.ecu.edu/admissions/Pirate_Port.cfm . A series of emails begin to provide
information regarding services and programs. Once admitted they continue to receive information to
assist them in beginning their academic career at ECU. New students receive a welcome “You’ve got
Mail” post card to direct them to our web resources and support services.
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The Options website www.options.ecu.edu provides a central repository for services and information
for DE students. Orientation and online tutorials are available to assist new and current DE students.
“Options for Adult Learners”, a semi-annual newspaper insert is distributed in newspapers across
North Carolina.
The undergraduate office of admissions and the graduate school have developed systems that allow
both campus and DE students the opportunity to apply, interact and monitor their progress via a web
based system. Registration, drops, withdrawals, graduation applications and transcripts can all be
accomplished online in the password protected environment housed in OneStop. CAPP Degree
Evaluation (Curriculum Advising Program Planning), ECU’s online degree evaluation, interactively
matches courses completed at East Carolina University and transfer courses with undergraduate or
graduate degree requirements. Students and advisors can assess degree evaluations from their Banner
Self Service account on OneStop. The CAPP evaluation lists the degree requirements, summarizes
progress based on your academic record, and assists in selecting courses. Students and advisors can
view an existing evaluation or generate a new evaluation.
The mission of the Office of Student Financial Aid is to offer a comprehensive financial aid program
that attempts to meet the total financial needs of all university students, utilizing aid programs from
all sources for which students are believed to be eligible, designing financial aid packages in ways
which assist students in achieving a quality education and support their academic objectives. Students
are encouraged to apply online and information, forms and access to key personnel is available at
http://www.ecu.edu/financial/
eBill notifications for tuition statements are sent to students and/or authorized user(s) by email.
Paper bills are no longer mailed. Students can set up authorized users to access their account
information, recent statements, and make payments. Students can log into ONESTOP at anytime to
view current account information, recent statements, and make payments. All registered students are
mailed an ECU Higher One Card (Debit MasterCard) for refund preference selection. Student refunds
can include Financial Aid or credits for dropping class. The Division of Continuing Studies also
maintains a Business office that can assist DE students with financial matters related to the
university.
The ECU DE Proctoring Center is an approved site in the UNC Online Proctoring Network. This site
serves distance education students who need to make an appointment to take proctored exams, and
faculty members who need to set up proctored exams for distance education courses. It serves faculty
and students throughout the UNC system. Information about the UNC Online Proctoring Network is
available at http://services.northcarolina.edu.
6. Library and learning resources
Describe library and information resources to support the program, including staffing and services in
place to support the initiative.
Describe cooperative agreements with other institutions and include a copy of such agreements in the
appendix.
Relative to electronic resources, describe how students and faculty will access information, training
for faculty and students in the use of online resources, and staffing and services available to students
and faculty.
The library houses and provides access to a physical collection of over 1.9 million volumes, over
48,000 serials (print and online), over 500,000 e-books, more than 24,000 items in its digital
collection and one million federal documents (print and online). The library provides access to more
than 400 electronic databases made available through several consortia and its own subscriptions. All
together, the electronic database collections provide access to over 76,000 full-text journal titles.
Resources can be access through the library web site at http://www.ecu.edu/lib.
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Other collection features include: a non-book media collection with over 32,000 items in various
formats, a teaching, resources and curriculum materials collection, a collection dedicated to North
Carolina materials, a Special Collections Department that houses over 11,000 linear feet of
manuscripts, university archival materials, and a rare book collection. The library has also
established an institutional repository which includes electronic theses and dissertations of ECU
students and the scholarly output of both ECU students and faculty members.
The library is open 111.5 service hours per week during the semester, with extended hours during the
final exam period and abbreviated schedules of approximately 83.5 hours during summer sessions
and 50 hours during breaks. Access to collection, circulation of library materials, reference
assistance, consultation, and library instruction are the core services offered to ECU students, faculty
and staff during operating hours.
Students enrolled at East Carolina University as distance education students are provided special
services to ensure access to the library’s physical and electronic collections. A Distance Education
Coordinator is employed to facilitate the delivery of library services and plays an active role in shaping
services to distant users. Many librarians and staff members within the library work directly with
distance students as services are provided. Information about distance education services can be
found at http://media.lib.ecu.edu/DE/DE_Home.cfm
The following services are available for distance students:
Checking Out Books and Obtaining Articles:
Students enrolled in distance education courses may check out books from The library as well as
obtain articles. Further information about obtaining materials through the Document Delivery
service is available at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/accesssrv/ill/docdel.cfm.
Off-Campus Access to Services:
The library provides off-campus access to its resources and services through a proxy server. The
students are authenticated using their ECU Pirate ID and passphrase. Further information regarding
this service is available at http://media.lib.ecu.edu/reference/howdoi/display.cfm?id=46.0.
Joyner Library’s Interlibrary Loan software streamlines the process for submitting and receiving ILL,
Document Delivery, and Pull and Hold requests. The link to this service is
http://illiad.lib.ecu.edu/illiad/logon.html. Information for first time users of the service is provided.
The library currently subscribes to more than 400 databases containing indexes to journal and
magazine articles. Many of these resources offer full-text access to individual articles. A listing of
these resources may be found at http://media.lib.ecu.edu/erdbs/.
If students wish to check and see if the library has full-text access to a particular journal title, they
may use the E-Journal/E-book Portal at http://jw3mh2cm6n.search.serialssolutions.com/.
If the library does not have electronic access to a journal article, students may obtain the article
through Interlibrary Loan. The web-based forms for Interlibrary Loan are located at
http://illiad.lib.ecu.edu/illiad/logon.html . For items owned by Joyner Library, Distance Education
students may obtain the materials through the document delivery service. Information about this
service is located at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/accesssrv/ill/docdel.cfm.
Librarians conduct orientation and instruction sessions to distance education students using a variety
of methods. Distance courses at ECU are taught both online and at cohort sites. The Distance
Education Coordinator provides open orientation sessions to students via web conferencing software.
Site visits are made to cohorts at the request of teaching faculty members. Orientation sessions are
also offered to faculty members to provide information about library services which can be passed
along to students in their distance sources. Library instruction sessions are provided via pre-recorded
video, online web conferring software, embedding resources in the course management system, and
in-person at the request of the teaching faculty member.
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The library also provides online tutorials, videos, and research guides, LibGuides, which introduce
services to distance students and instruct them in the use of specific library research tools. These
resources are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and can be located at:
http://media.lib.ecu.edu/DE/Tutorials.cfm (tutorials)
http://media.lib.ecu.edu/DE/tutorial/deservices.html (video)
http://libguides.ecu.edu/ (LibGuides)
The library offers reference services to support ECU’s distance learning students in the use of library
resources for learning and research. Reference services have been expanded to include online options
as well as more traditional means of communication. Assistance is provided through instant
messaging, text messaging, e-mail, telephone, or in-person. Distance Education students may also
request one-on-one consultation services provided through instant messaging, phone, or in-person.
The Distance Education Coordinator is available to provide additional assistance when needed.
Instant messaging and text messaging reference services are available 97 hours per week during fall
and spring semester, 82 hours per week in summer, and approximately 59.5 hours during breaks.
Students may request assistance using the “Ask a Librarian web page at http://www.ecu.edu/cslib/reference/ask_a_librarian.cfm.
7.
Physical resources
Describe physical facilities and equipment to support this initiative. Assess the impact that the
proposed change will have on existing programs and services.
The classrooms in the Health Sciences Building feature state-of-the-art technology. All the classrooms
in the building are equipped with Smart Classroom with MediaSite streaming and capturing
capability to broadcast face-to-face class to distance education students. The College of Allied Health
Sciences is served by an in-house instructional technology team as well as the University’s
Information Technology and Computing Services (ITCS).
Distance Education students will need to have online access to software packages and other
information recourses. ECU has a long history providing state-of-art online education. The official
course management system at ECU is Blackboard, which recently was upgraded to version 9.0. Other
course management systems available to faculty members include Sakai and Moodle. Additional
online instructional tools are available to faculty members to enrich the learning experiences of the
students. These tools include:
1) Webinar system – Centra. Allow faculty to meet with students online in real time.
2) Blogging system – Wordpress. Allow students to publish their writings online
3) Wiki system – Confluence. Allow students to collaborate on preparing documents
online.
4) Multimedia broadcasting – Mediasite. Record lectures and make them available to
students.
5) Portfolio system – iWebfolio. Allow students to generate the portfolio of their
academic works and share it with faculty and potential employers.
ECU also maintains a virtual computing lab environment that allows Distance Education students to
access a virtual computer desktop with preinstalled software. Several HSIM specific software
packages have already been installed on the virtual computing lab environment for DE students to use
remotely. These specific software tools include: 1) DecisionTools Suite, 2) 3M encoder, 3) SQL server,
4) MicroSim Inhospital, and 5) Exsys rule based decision tool. Additional tools needed for teaching
Health Informatics and Information Management curriculum will be added as needed.
In collaboration with the College the Nursing, the College of Allied Health Sciences purchased an
educational EHR system – NeehrPerfect. NeehrPerfect is based on a public domain EHR system that
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allows students to have hands-on experiences to use different functions of an EHR system. It is a webbased system so online students will be able to access it remotely.
Developing and deploying a laboratory environment that simulates an electronic health record is
essential to meeting the training needs of our students. Therefore, we anticipate continuing to access
the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Virtual Lab that was
established in March 2006. This internet-based software lab and lesson repository was developed
with contributions from software venders, educators, and Health Information Technology
professionals. Software packages included in the AHIMA Virtual Lab include:
 Master Patient Index
 Encoder
 Abstracting system
 EDMS/Document imaging
 Deficiency Analysis
 Chart tracking
 Release of Information
 Registration/ADT system
 Transcription
 Speech Recognition
For off-campus facilities: N/A
Name of the agency or organization that is providing the space
Rental, lease, or other arrangements involved in obtaining use of this space including rates.
Describe any agreements or understandings with the organization providing the space.
8. Financial support
Describe financial resources to support the change, including the budget for the first year of the
proposed program. Include projected revenues (including tuition and fees receipts, state
appropriations based on projected SCHs, grants, etc.) and expenditures, as well as amount of
resources going to institutions or organizations for contractual or support services.
Student credit hours (SCHs) delivered to non-North Carolina residents receiving instruction outside
the boundaries of North Carolina are not eligible for State-provided enrollment funding and these
SCHs should not be reported on the funding matrix. The institution must set the rate charged for
these SCHs at a level sufficient to cover the cost of instruction, which should be at least double the
official in-state tuition rate. Indicate the average number of SCHs per semester that will be delivered
to non-NC residents receiving instruction outside the boundaries of NC and the tuition that will be
charged per-SCH for this instruction:
SCHs per semester delivered to non-NC residents receiving the instruction outside of NC boundaries:
__________ .
Per-SCH charge, tuition and fees, for this out-of-state instruction to non-NC residents: $693.00
If a site-based degree program is to be offered out of state, a more detailed justification is required.
Please provide the rationale for offer the program out-of-state and the how resources will be secured
to support the program, and indicate whether any State-supported resources will be used in the
program. N/A
9. Evaluation and assessment
Describe the means used by the institution to monitor and ensure the quality of the degree program
and off-campus site(s).
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Summarize procedures for systematic evaluation of instructional results, including the process for
monitoring and evaluating programs at the new site, as well as using the results of evaluation to
improve institutional programs, services, and operations.
The principles of academic program review, established at ECU, are the following:
1. Quality enhancement is an integral component of all ECU programs and is an expected outcome of
program review.
2. Program review is an ongoing process that contributes to refining ECU’s directions and program
priorities, which then shape resource allocations and other governing decisions.
3. Every effort has been made to ensure that the key performance indicators used in program review
are clearly stated, uniform, and disseminated with sufficient lead-time so that program faculty and
administrators are aware of them before the review process starts. Program faculty may develop
additional criteria that are unique to an individual program.
4. Program review is intended to provide helpful information through a process that is designed to be
thorough yet not excessively burdensome to faculty and administrators. In this light, all programs
within an academic unit would ideally be reviewed at the same time and the data collected and
reported in the academic program review process will be that which has been collected in a systematic
and routine manner and specifically for the purpose of this report.
5. A university-wide organizational framework for program review has been developed and will be
consistently implemented. Program review is an integral part of each program and plays a major role
in the university’s ongoing assessment and strategic planning processes.
The unit academic program review consists of a self-study conducted by each program, followed by a
review by a committee comprised of academicians from both within and outside the university. The
usual outcomes for such reviews are the identification of program strengths and weaknesses with a
determination of overall program quality and specific recommendations for improvement. Peerreview, when properly done, is a very effective way to maintain and improve program quality if the
university responds to the recommendations for improvement as suggested by the Review Committee.
In addition, the periodic review could be used as a basis for a more effective allocation of resources by
using the program quality metrics as indicated by the review.
All undergraduate and graduate programs are subject to the review process, although it is recognized
that some programs and/or academic units at East Carolina University hold specialized accreditation.
In these instances, the accreditation review process will substitute for the ECU Academic Program
Review process outlined in this document for each accredited program.
The unit academic program review at ECU consists of two interrelated activities. The first is the onsite program review, which occurs approximately every seven years for each program. The second is
outcomes assessment, which is conducted on an ongoing basis. Collection and analysis of data related
to outcomes, as well as resulting program changes, are reported to the program units. These two
forms of program review are interrelated in two ways: (1) a description of the outcomes assessment
plan and a summary of findings from previous assessments are included in the self-study for the onsite review and (2) in each report, faculty in the program are asked to record progress in
implementing the action plan from the most recent on-site review.
The review process is comprised of six major components:
(1) Self-Study prepared by the unit’s undergraduate and graduate faculty
(2) On-site review by a Review Committee
(3) Review Committee’s evaluative report and recommendations
(4) Program faculty’s response to that report with prioritized resource needs
(5) Negotiation with the college/school to attain necessary resources
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(6) Action plan that provides the focus for a post-review meeting of the program chair, college/school,
Graduate School, and university administrators
Outcomes Assessment: Three questions frame the work of the assessment program, which is
evidence-centered. This approach provides a rich context and conceptual framework for considering
assessments of student learning outcomes and for asking important questions about the types of
claims that can be made based on assessments.
1. Claim: What do the faculty want or need to say about the student in the academic program?
2. Evidence: What does the student have to do to prove that he or she has the knowledge and skills
claimed by the academic program?
3. Assessment Activities and Tools: What assessment tools and/or activities will elicit the evidence
that the program needs about students knowledge and skills?
At the core of the Mission of the university is excellence in student learning. The Office of
Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research coordinates the assessment of student learning
outcomes in academic degree programs. A standard format for reporting goals, criteria for success,
results, and use of results has been implemented and an assessment coordinator for academic affairs
has been working with an assessment team, consisting of representatives from all academic units.
In 2009, ECU invested significant resources to purchase TracDat, an SCT software product that is
being used to help manage the institutional planning and assessment process, allowing faculty and
administrators to enter program and departmental strategic plans, including assessment plans,
assessment methods, and outcomes, and to vertically and horizontally align their goals to other
departmental, divisional, and college-wide goals. The templates assure a uniformity of reporting that
simplifies collection, review, management, and utilization of data.
TracDat holds all assessment plans and reports which include student learning and administrative
outcomes, assessment methods, criterion for success, results and actions steps. Concise reports can be
generated within the system to assist with planning and program improvement.
The following measures to be used to evaluate the program.
1) GPAs and scores of standardized tests by the applicants and admitted students.
2) GPAs of the graduates. Number of graduates from the program. Graduate survey
3) Number of students who take the internship class being successfully placed at different health
care organization.
4) Number and percentage of students who are employed or continue graduate study six months
after their graduation. The data will be acquired via alumni survey.
5) Number and percentage of students who pass the RHIA national certification exam the first
time.
6) Number and percentage of students who successfully defend their thesis if they choose the
thesis options
Operational planning for the university incorporates procedures to evaluate the extent to which
educational goals and objectives are being achieved. During this phase, units formalize major
objectives for the next planning cycle and indicate the manner in which progress toward those
objectives will be measured. Superimposed upon the short-term analysis are longer-term records of
unit performance with regard to students served, graduates from degree programs, levels of
research/creative productivity, grantsmanship, and service. Longer-term records are, in turn, derived
from compiling standard, day-to-day evaluative measures of teaching, research, and service. These
activities are systematically documented via annual reports, and data are then compiled and analyzed
by individual units.
The Student Opinion of Instruction Survey (SOIS) is administered in the fall and spring semesters to
all classes with enrollment of more than five students. Results of those surveys are delivered to
individual faculty members and to their respective unit heads. Information from those surveys is
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used to contribute ideas to curriculum revision, for annual evaluations of faculty members, and for
merit pay considerations for those faculty members. Likewise, the unit head has the opportunity to
use the information from the survey results to effect changes in instruction or in assignment of
individual courses to instructors. Faculty members frequently consider altering their courses based
on feedback received from SOIS scores and accompanying student comments.
In accordance with accreditation requirements, the institution will ensure that the student who
registers in a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and
completes the program and receives the academic credit.
ECU has adopted web based authentication with a user ID or user name, the PirateID, along with a
passphrase, to log on to ECU's network, the e-mail system, OneStop, Blackboard and most other
electronic systems at ECU.
The Graduate Admissions Office sends PirateID account information to new students. The Graduate
Admissions Office, in a separate mailing, sends the default passphrase.
Once the PirateID and the passphrase information are both received, students register with the ECU
passphrase maintenance system and update the default passphrase to something unique and secure.
After changing the default passphrase, students also choose the security questions that will allow
them to reset their passphrase in the event of lock out or expiration.
10. Attachments
Attachments may include items such as (1) vitae of key faculty; (2) selected letters of support; (3)
copies of library and other cooperative agreements, etc.
Name, title, telephone, and e-mail of contact person to respond to questions:
Paul David Bell, PhD, RHIA, CTR
Professor
Tel: 252.744.6171
E-Mail: bellp@ecu.edu
This request to establish a new distance education degree program (or program site) has been reviewed
and approved by the appropriate campus committees and authorities.
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs
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