Strategic Plan 2012 - 2017
Sacred Heart University
VISION STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
CORE VALUES
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRATEGIC PLAN
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART – Appendix A
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS – Appendix B
THE CENTERS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS – Appendix C
[COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS]
Vision for 2017: Preparing Leaders to Serve
The College’s vision includes integration of academic programs and clinical centers that lead to engaged learning, academic excellence,
and inter-professional practice.
The College will be known for:





Excellence of academic programs,
Success of a diverse student population prepared to serve a global society,
Scholarship that showcases evidence-based practice and best practices,
Inter-professional collaboration in teaching, scholarship, and service, and a
Commitment to the growth of the mind, body, and spirit of the communities that we serve.
1
Mission Statement
The College of Health Professions seeks to foster the development of women and men who demonstrate intellectual and professional
integrity, who value compassionate service to others, and who take leading roles in communities governed by spiritual and moral values.
As a professional college within a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts tradition, the College of Health Professions is committed to
providing an education built upon a deep respect for the dignity of the human person and a recognition of the responsibility of each
individual to contribute to the building of a more just society. Specifically, the college strives to teach the skills necessary for developing
ethical responses to the new and ever-changing circumstances of a future filled with discoveries, technological advancements, and social
change.
The college provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge, experience, skills, and values necessary to begin a first career, to
advance in an existing career, and to prepare for new career challenges in response to the changing needs of society.
The college’s cooperation with professional partners in the community ensures that students benefit from an integration of academic,
internship, and clinical experiences; this collaboration also enriches the health care endeavors of the community and instills an ethic of
community service among students.
The college is committed to professional and academic excellence and measures this by the quality of its faculty, programs, resources,
and student achievements.
2
Core Values
The core values of the faculty and staff of the College are:
1. Active and Engaged Learning – We believe an excellent academic environment is one where both the faculty and students are
committed to making optimal use of available teaching-learning strategies and resources. Among those resources, our clinical,
fieldwork, and intern experiences are integral to the learning process and our curricula would be lacking in achievement of critical
learning objectives without them. We provide an engaging, welcoming, yet challenging environment where students perceive the
people who work here care about them, respect them, and want them to succeed.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Pursuit of Wisdom – The Catholic Intellectual Tradition has as one of its cornerstones the pursuit of wisdom. Our faculty is
engaged in scholarly and creative pursuits, exhibit enthusiasm for “the search for truth,” and use their discoveries to inform their
teaching and benefit their students and the community.
Innovation – We develop and use methods such as problem-based, team-based, on-line, and service learning methods in our
curricula. Our faculty is recognized as leaders in professional education within their disciplines and our experiences are
disseminated locally, regionally, and nationally among our peers.
Integrity – We hold our students and ourselves to professional standards for ethical behavior within our academic programs and in
interactions with each other.
Leadership –We have leadership roles in both the professional and general communities, contribute to the growth of knowledge
and its dissemination within our given disciplines, and take active roles in policy development and implementation.
Diversity- We offer opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and learning styles by hiring a culturally competent faculty
and staff who can adapt offerings and support systems within the college and university to provide the best opportunity for success.
Service to Others – We are preparing leaders to serve and because of this our students must interact with, empathize with,
communicate with, and learn from the diverse populations we call community. Our graduates can neither teach, nor care for, nor
serve people they do not understand so community-based instruction is critical to their success as professionals and human
beings.
Spiritual and Personal Growth – We believe meaningful lives come from an education built upon deep respect for the dignity of
each person, the value of compassionate service, and a recognition of the responsibility of each individual to contribute to building
a more just society.
3
9. Collaboration – We encourage inter-professional collaboration among the departments within the college to deliver curricula that
model team-based practice we experience in our work settings. We involve community-based practitioners and educators in the
learning process because we believe theoretical knowledge is complemented by experience and skills honed in the workplace. The
benefits the faculty and students bring to the community setting are equally important as they enhance the education and health
care endeavors of the professional staff which in turn impacts the quality of service delivered to their students, patients, and clients.
10. Professionalism – We utilize best practices in the classroom. We believe it is necessary to model this approach to our students if
we expect them to use this approach to learning as students and later as practitioners.
11. Responsiveness – As leaders in professional education, we believe it is our role to anticipate and be responsive to the changing
environment in education and health care.
Service to the Community
Faculty and students from the above complement of academic programs allow the College to implement several initiatives that will enrich
our academic programs, enhance our global, national, and regional reputation and provide opportunities to carry out the scholarship,
community outreach, and service aspects of its mission.
The Centers for Community Health and Wellness - will be an integrated set of interprofessional and single disciplinary health services that
are recognized as evidence-based practices that model excellence in health care. The Centers will be staffed by faculty and students of
the university engaged in contemporary practice that improves health services to the university and the broader community. The Centers
will advance the mission of the University specifically as it promotes excellence in professional and interprofessional education,
engagement of faculty and students in service to the community, and promoting social justice and the dignity and well-being of the people
we serve. Underserved populations – Faculty, staff, and students of the college participate in service activities that further the mission of
the university and the college at local, regional, and national levels. This service will be intentional as part of community-based learning
experiences for our students and as part of our roles as professionals for our faculty and staff.
Faculty practice - Faculty practice plans are established for the purpose of promoting instruction in contemporary practice, creating
opportunities for clinical research, and offering faculty and student opportunities for community service within the academic units of the
College of Health Professions. Faculty practice plans should serve to further the mission of the University.
Professional Development -College offerings for professional development will take place at different sites dependent upon need and
demand. In-service programs will include continuing education and career ladder (RN – BSN and RN – MSN) opportunities in Nursing as
well as programs for other professions represented in the college.
4
SWOT Analysis
11-30-11
Assumptions
The College faces both a challenge and opportunity in designing learning environments and pedagogies that effectively serve a divergent
student body with varying capabilities.
Closing the gap between student performance and rigorous academic expectations will benefit all programs and the University.
In order for colleges to become more autonomous, resources it will be necessary to become more de-centralized
Strengths
Faculty have fully embraced an educational philosophy and practice in their commitment to students and engaging students in learning.
Faculty are committed to issues of social justice, ethics, and serving communities of need.
Academic programs within the CHP are recognized for high quality, student-centered learning.
Nimble systems and an entrepreneurial spirit enable the CHP to take advantage of strategic opportunities
The CHP’s articulated graduate and undergraduate programs attract high achieving students to the University thus contributing to the
quality of the undergraduate student body.
The CHP’s demonstration of team-based, inter-professional practice is aligned with future national health care policies and priorities.
Weaknesses
The tuition rate challenges us to demonstrate return on investment in the marketplace.
To retain quality faculty, the University needs to reallocate workload based upon teaching, scholarship, and service expectations
Research and scholarly activities are constrained by limited systematic support (budget, statistics, grant writing, IT, administrative) at the
college and university levels.
5
Opportunities
Health professions workforce shortages will continue to provide employment opportunities for CHP graduates.
Health care industry is growing and the demands for health care professionals will provide opportunities for enrollment growth and
development of new programs
Partnerships with health care and community agencies promote our mission of active and engaged learning for students and faculty
Legislative and reimbursement systems increasingly demand that professionals demonstrate their professional competence, which will
require increased professional development programs.
The health care industry’s emphasis on outcomes will drive a change in orientation toward scholarship of practice.
The University’s plan to identify and develop a contemporary learning environment for the health professions will allow the college to meet
the University’s strategic plan for enrollment & program growth.
Threats
Cost and availability of necessary fieldwork and clinical sites will continue to constrain our academic programs.
Recruitment of faculty continues to be challenged by a scarcity of doctorally prepared educators, greying of faculty, and clinical
practitioners interested and able to assume academic roles.
Health care delivery systems are increasingly coalescing into large, accountable care organizations (ACO), which will necessitate
academic program alignment with competing ACOs.
Electronic health records and health care information technology are increasing the need for academic programs to contain curricula, and
our students to become proficient in their use.
6
Strategic Plan
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to
academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a
faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 1:
Promote active and engaged learning
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Offer Faculty development activities on the scholarship of teaching
and scholarship
Strategy 2:
Offer Lunch and Learn programs to increase faculty skills in the
use of new and emerging education technology and in teaching
skills for engaging students in the classroom
Strategy 3:
Create and implement a college-wide Faculty-Student Scholarship
day
Strategy 4:
Collaborate with the Thomas Moore Honors program to develop
curricula specifically targeted toward CHP students
Strategy 5:
Promote inter-professional efforts for service learning in
collaboration with university service learning office
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Dean’s office, Dr.
Emery, faculty
affairs committee
On-going
Dean’s office Dr.
Emery, faculty
affairs committee
On-going
Admin Council,
faculty s & academic
affairs committees
Fall, 2013
UG faculty
On-going
Dr. Bortone, Admin
Council
Status
Fall, 2014
Director of the honors
program met with the college
administrative council; 2
courses have been developed
to be offered AY12
7
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to
academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a
faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 2:
Increase connectedness of Freshman students to faculty and upper division peer mentors.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Provide opportunities for first year students to interact with CHP
faculty
Strategy 2:
Establish and promote a peer-mentoring program between
freshmen and upper division students: pre-professional club.
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Chairs, CHP faculty
On-going
Dr. Bortone, Ms.
Atkins, student
organization
advisors
May, 2013
Status
8
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to
academic excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a
faculty dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 3:
Develop and increase faculty
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Develop a Policies and Procedures Manual for each program within
the CHP
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Chairs/program
directors
May, 2015
Status
Strategy 2
Develop Adjunct Faculty Handbook(s) & orientation materials
Dr. Emery,
Chairs/PDs, faculty
affairs committee
May, 2014
Dean’s office,
faculty affairs
committee
On-going
Provost, Dean,
Admin. Council,
faculty affairs
committee
May, 2016
Dean, Chairs
On-going
Strategy 3:
Collaborate with IT to schedule Blackboard modules for faculty
development
Strategy 4:
Develop plan to balance faculty work-load to include time for
scholarship, service, and active engaged teaching
Strategy 5:
Promote the development of faculty through assistance to
complete terminal degrees
A plan for implementing a 4:3
workload for tenure-track &
tenured faculty for AY13 has been
approved by CHP faculty affairs
committee and the Dean
Two faculty completed degrees in
AY12; 5 faculty are currently
enrolled in doctoral programs
9
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to academic
excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a faculty
dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 4:
Improve student quality
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Define and articulate the profile of improved applicant quality and
identify strategies of how we will attract those students
Strategy 2:
Improve the national reputation of our programs to attract applicants
with strong academic profiles through collaboration with marketing and
public relations staff to develop and disseminate promotional materials
Strategy 3:
Review and revise as needed the provisional freshman admission
criteria for the MSOT, DPT, and the first professional nursing degree
program based on historic student performance in this category
Dept/Person
Responsible
Chairs, grad
admissions
staff/committees,
Chairs, PR
division, Univ.
Advancement,
and Admissions
staff
Dr. Emery, Dr.
Bortone, Dr. Fries
Admissions
staff/committee
Target Date
Status
On-going
On-going
College magazine is being
produced in collaboration with PR
staff
May, 2013
10
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to academic
excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a faculty
dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 6:
Strengthen the academic reputation of the CHP and its programs
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Explore the possibility for developing inter-professional curriculum
options in CHP undergraduate and graduate programs
Strategy 2:
Promote and recognize faculty accomplishments and professional
involvement
Strategy 3:
Promote student participation in professional involvement at the state
and national level
Strategy 4:
Explore the feasibility of developing inter-professional resources to
promote health care practice, research, and student engagement
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Chairs, CHP
Academic Affairs
committee
May 2016
Dean, Chairs
On-going
Chairs, Faculty
On-going
Dr. Emery, Dr.
Stephen Burrows
ad hoc
committee
(appointed by
Dean)
May 2016
Status
11
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 1: Increase Academic Excellence and Distinctiveness: Sacred Heart University will enhance its distinctive commitment to academic
excellence demonstrated by the work of students who take responsibility for their learning and who are encouraged and guided by a faculty
dedicated to innovative teaching and actively engaged in scholarly and creative work that advances their fields.
Objective 7:
Increase global opportunities
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Explore the possibility of international educational partnerships
Strategy 2:
Explore the development of an intensive undergraduate course in
Spanish for the Health Professions
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Dr. Emery,
Department
Chairs
Fall, 2015
Dr. Emery, Admin
Council, CHP
faculty
Fall, 2014
Status
12
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 2: Develop a structured, mission-driven student development plan that intentionally educates the whole person within a
campus-wide living and learning community and is a seamlessly integrated extension of classroom learning.
Objective 1: Create a culture that supports, recognizes, and requires University-wide collaboration in the development and on-going vitality of
a campus-wide living and learning community for students with the explicit goal of increasing retention 1.5 – 2% per year from current 75%.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Provide opportunities for first year students to interact with CHP
faculty: Health and Well-being living –learning community (HW-LLC),
identify freshmen advisors, host group events, facilitate individual
advising
Dept/Person
Responsible
Dean Walker, Dr.
Price, Dr. Milner,
LLC-HW planning
committee
Target Date
Status
Fall, 2012
CHP committee established,
co-leaders identified, focus
group for students held in
spring 2012; brochure
developed; presentations
made at freshman
orientation; 15 students
enrolled fall, 2012
13
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 3: Implement strategies to build new facilities and upgrade/maintain existing infrastructure for the university to be more
competitive.
Objective 1:
Develop and begin implementation of a 10-year master University capital and infrastructure plan based on appropriate opportunities and
enrollment and program priorities that inform the budget planning process
Strategies for achieving the above:
Dept/Person
Responsible
Strategy 1:
Collaborate with the appropriate university divisions to
construct/renovate a new building to house the CHP that includes stateof-the-art interdisciplinary classrooms, laboratories, and clinic spaces
for existing and proposed programs.
Dean, Dr. Emery
Chairs, Program
Directors
Renovate and expand the nursing simulation and ambulatory care lab to
accommodate the new equipment and increased enrollment in the first
professional degree nursing program.
Dean, Dr. Barker.
Ms. Boyd, campus
operations
Target Date
Status
Fall, 2014
Discussions regarding future
needs to house new and
expanding programs in ogoing
Fall, 2012
Construction was completed
fall 2012 for both the
simulation and ambulatory
labs.
14
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 4: Strengthen the Long-term Financial Stability of the University: Develop and implement business plans that strengthen the
long-term financial health of the University, while optimizing net revenues and ensuring transparent and strategic resource allocation.
Objective 2:
Develop and implement a Strategic Enrollment Plan that considers academic excellence, infrastructure capacity and projects the economic effect
of current and new programs.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Develop 5 – year plan to Increase graduate enrollment through new
programs and growth of existing programs
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Status
Dean, Chairs,
Faculty
Fall, 2016
Plan submitted to President fall,
2011;
Spring, 2013
Program director hired to
develop and implement program
Program director hired; state
approval was obtained and ASHA
application was submitted fall,
2012
Implement MS program in Health Information Systems
Dean, Dr.
Burrows
Implement MS program in Speech-Language Pathology
Dean, Dr. Paul
Fall, 2014
Develop MS in Physician Assistant program
Dean, Dr. Emery,
PA program
director (TBD)
Fall, 2016
Consultant hired to assist with
development of PA program
15
GOAL/OBJECTIVE:
University Goal 5: Continue and deepen the commitment to the Mission and Catholic Identity in the life of the University Community.
Objective 2: Consciously inculcate the Catholic Intellectual tradition throughout the Core Curriculum in supportive and innovative ways.
Strategies for achieving the above:
Strategy 1:
Sponsor an annual meeting for Dr. Higgins to introduce selected faculty
to the Presidential Seminar on CIT
Encourage faculty participation in CIT seminar and Faculty
Conversations.
Dept/Person
Responsible
Target Date
Status
Dean
On-going
First held spring 2012
Dean, Chairs
On-going
4 faculty wilI attend in 2012
16
Appendix A – CHP Organizational Chart
17
Patricia Walker
CHP Organizational Chart Ju
DEAN
ASSOCIATE DEANS
M. Emery
Admin. Assistant & Coordinator
Alumni Community Relations
Admin. Secretary
Chair and Director
Chair and Director
Chair and Director
Occupational Therapy
Health Information
Systems
Speech Language
Pathology
D. Surbey +
Chair Physical Therapy and
Student Services
Coordinator
Human Movement Science
Director
Admin.
Assistant
Admin.
Assistant
S.
TBH
Admi
Office
Health Sciences
Program Asst.
Admin Assistant
Program Asst.
I. Sailer
Fieldwork
Educ. Coord.
Director
Director of
EX Sc/Nut
Geriatric Health
and Wellness
Director Athletic
Training
Director Physical
Therapy Prog.
Dire
Profess
Program
T. Mayashita *
Assoc. Dir.
Assist. PD Nursing
Education
Director
Undergrad
Prog.
Dept.
Program
Advisor
A. B
Prog. Asst.
Prog. Asst. SHU
Online
Assistant
E. Denny
U-Grad. Clin
Admin.
PT
Director of
Clinical Educ.
Acad. Coord.
Assistant 1
Clinical Education.
B. Fein *
Clinical Education
Clinical Physical
Therapists **
Program Assistant
S. Watts
J. Hatch
Clinical
Exercise
Scientist
Asst. Prog.
Asst. Prog.
Asst. Prog.
Dir. Clin.
Nurse Leader
Dir. Nurse
Educator
Dir. PCSA
Coordinator
Undergrad
Clinical
Coord.
Interim Director
Director
DNP Program
FNP Program
Grad Program.
Grad Clinical
Coordinator
Asst.
*Full time faculty with administrative responsibilities
**Full time clinical staff in Physical Therapy clinic/practice
+Part time
18
Appendix B - Academic Programs
The College of Health professions will offer baccalaureate, masters and professional doctoral level educational programs. In addition to
the continuation and expansion where possible of existing programs, new academic programs will be established.
College of Health Professions current program offerings include:
Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science (PT/HMS) Department:
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Master of Science in Exercise and Nutrition
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science
Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training
Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Clinical Residency program
Geriatric Physical Therapy Clinical Residency program
Graduate certificate program in Geriatric Health and Wellness
Minor in Geriatric Health and Wellness (undergraduate)
Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences (OT/HS) department Academic programs in the OT/HS department are:
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences - leadership track and pre-professional track
Nursing department:
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Master of Science in Nursing - Patient Care Services Administration, Nursing Education, and Clinical Nurse Leader
Master of Science in Nursing and Post-master's certificate program - Family Nurse Practitioner
Master of Science in Nursing – RN to MSN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - First Professional Degree program
Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN to BSN.
Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) is currently under development. The program will begin pre-requisite courses in
fall 2013; the program will begin fall 2014
Master of Science in Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) – is currently under development. Program pre-requisites began fall, 2012;
the program will begin in spring, 2013.
New degree programs to be established by 2017 are:
19
MSN – CNL track (4+2)
With the growing numbers of new Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) roles, SHU proposes to offer a specially designed MSN/CNL program for
new graduate nurses. The program is designed to provide two years of clinical experience while students complete the 36 credit
curriculum that concludes with a role immersion course. This option will assure that new graduates can complete graduate study while
applying newly gained knowledge and skills within their professional settings.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (ScD in OT or OTD)
The Doctorate is a professional education program leading to either a ScD or OT. The program is designed as a post-professional
program of one year in length following the completion of the MSOT degree and NBCOT certification. Certified Occupational Therapists
who have a bachelor’s degree will be required to first complete a Master’s degree to qualify for admission. The post-professional
Doctorate program in Occupational Therapy prepares graduates to assume leadership in the profession, in practice, and in scholarship.
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
A feasibility study was completed October 2012. A letter of intent has been submitted to the Accreditation Review Commission on
Education for the Physician Assistant. Per the letter of intent, a site visit will be held fall 2015, approval will be sought from the
accreditation commission in spring 2016, and the program is projected to start in fall, 2016
BS in Nutrition and/or Dietetics
20
The development of a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition can complement undergraduate degree programs that currently exist as they all
include some component of nutritional education. Further investigation of additional programming in Dietetics (bachelor’s and/or graduate
levels) including the Dietetic Internship is possible.
New certification programs to be established by 2017:



Certificate in Nursing Education (graduate)
Certificate in Strength and Conditioning
Certificate in Emergency Preparedness
New Clinical Residency programs to be established by 2017:

Pediatric Physical Therapy
Clinical residencies are offered in partnership with a clinical facility. Didactic courses are delivered through an academic department and
clinical experience is provided by the facility. The completion of a clinical residency will prepare the student for clinical specialist
certification
21
Appendix C
A New Vision for the College of Health Professions (CHP) and the Centers for Community Health and Wellness (CCHW)
As the College of Health professions continues its growth in the pursuit of academic excellence and its mission, the identification of new
facilities is inevitable. The extension of the lease for Cambridge building provides us an opportunity to design a state-of-the-art building
that will meet both the academic and clinical needs of the college. These needs are expressed in a new vision for the college which
incorporates its academic programs and a re-configuration of the college’s Center for Community Health and Wellness into The CHP
Centers for Community Health and Wellness.
Vision Statement:
The CHP Centers for Community Health and Wellness will be an integrated set of interprofessional and single disciplinary health services
that are recognized as evidence-based practices that model excellence in health care. The Centers will be staffed by faculty and students
of the university engaged in contemporary practice that improves health services to the university and the broader community. The
Centers will advance the mission of the University specifically as it promotes excellence in professional and interprofessional education,
engagement of faculty and students in service to the community, and promoting social justice and the dignity and well-being of the people
we serve.
This new vision for the Centers within the CHP advances the CHP’s mission which states, in part, that the CHP “develops women and men
who demonstrate intellectual and professional integrity, who value compassionate service to others, and who take leading roles in
communities governed by spiritual and moral values.” Further, the college mission calls faculty and students to “strive to teach the skills
necessary for developing ethical responses to the new and ever-changing circumstances of a future filled with discoveries, technological
advancements, and social change,” and to “ensure that students benefit from an integration of academic, internship, and clinical
experiences; this . . . also enriching the health care endeavors of the community and instilling an ethic of community service among
students.” The CHP Centers for Community Health and Wellness will contribute significantly to these accomplishments.
Description of the Centers:
One current point of distinction for programs in the College of Health Professions is the active engagement of faculty in the clinical practice
of the discipline. To that end, the faculty engages in university-sponsored practice activities on campus and in the community which (1)
sustain and refine faculty practice abilities (and credibility), (2) provide our students with contemporary and ethical clinical learning
22
experiences, (3) offer continuing clinical scholarship opportunities, and, (4) serve as a model in meeting the mission of the university to
serve others in our community.
By combining existing practice activities in exercise science, nursing and physical therapy with current community service activities of a
clinical nature (currently provided through the CHP Center for Community Health and Wellness), and planned new clinical service activities
in athletic training, occupational therapy and speech language pathology, a university interprofessional health care service entity could be
created. This would enhance practice opportunities, promote interprofessional care and showcase the role of these disciplines in health
care from wellness and health promotion to restorative care. The “Centers” entity would be comprised of (1) focused interprofessional
services to address our most pressing societal health care needs (i.e. maternal/child health, cardiovascular health, and disease and
disability prevention), and (2) broad spectrum single-discipline services providing best practices as defined by those professions, including
occupational therapy, physical therapy, exercise science, and speech-language pathology.
Such an interprofessional health service would continue to provide health services for university faculty, staff, students, and student
athletes and serve the communities of Fairfield, Trumbull, and Bridgeport. It would function in a cost neutral fashion to the university while
providing valuable assets to the students and faculty of our college and the patients/clients that we serve.
Locating the academic and clinical facilities under one roof within one a building dedicated to the College of Health Professions would
allow a seamless transition between health professions education, interprofessional education and practice, faculty and student
scholarship, clinical education activities, student and faculty led clinical service, and contracted clinical and wellness services open to the
public.
Facilities Needed:
Clinical facilities within an academic environment can offer some efficiency because the clinical spaces can be used as occasional
teaching space, student practice space and student clinical testing space. Similarly, with the vision of a series of “Centers” as described
above, there can be common space used by multiple disciplines and shared for greater efficiency and interprofessional education and
practice opportunities (e.g. pediatric treatment space and equipment).
Requirements for space would include the current clinical practice spaces on campus for Physical Therapy and Exercise Science (PT
clinic, Pitt Center and Cambridge: 4,050 sq ft; Motion Analysis Lab, Oakview: 2,000 sq ft) plus the Speech/Language Pathology new
program requirements for clinical space (1,500 sq ft) and several interdisciplinary centers where education, screening and treatment
intervention could occur (Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Physician’s Assistant). While the needs of each center will vary, it would be
prudent to assume 1,500 sq ft for each center (assume 2 centers to start) plus some common classrooms (2 @ 1,000 sq ft each) and
common business office/reception space (@ 1,000 sq ft). With these requirements in mind, a “Centers” facility would require 13,450 to
start. A strategic plan for the "Centers concept" would perhaps also identify some next immediate growth areas to bring a total space
requirement to 15-18,000 sq ft.
23
In their March, 2011 programming report for the College of Health Professions, Sasaki and Associates Architects estimated the
anticipated square footage needs for the health programs (minus the department of education) in the year 2020 (4 years for building + 5
years of growth) to be approximately 108,015 NSF and 175,769 GSF (at 65 % efficiency). This is inclusive of the offices, common areas,
dedicated instructional space, food service, IT, library, the physical therapy clinic and place holders for shared classrooms as the exact
quantity was not determined at that time. Not included in this estimate is the concept of the clinical/educational “Centers.”
Total estimate for CHP and the Centers (at 15,000 NSF) would approximate 123,015 NSF and 189,253 GSF by 2020 using the Sasaki
program of 65% efficiency.
Budget Implications:
Clinical practice services should operate on a cost-neutral basis for the University. Start-up costs will likely require initial investment and
can be managed like other “new initiative” ventures of the University, designed to pay back start-up costs over time.
Once operational, clinical services should operate with modest expected net revenue to provide for seasonal fluctuations in revenue, reinvestment in the clinical facilities and equipment, support of students such as through graduate assistantships, and to provide a source of
revenue, though modest, which can support initiatives of the departments and the College of Health Professions without requiring
additional tuition revenue.
Through an integrated set of Centers, funding for less profitable clinical activities (e.g. services to those who are underserved and have a
limited ability to pay) can be offset by traditional Centers that generate revenue through more traditional practices. This will allow funding
of activities within a Center that meet the University mission but may not necessarily be financially self-sustaining. In these cases, such
University support (from within the Centers) will provide an advantage when seeking external funding for programs and activities through
grants or government contracts that require institutional matching funds.
The cost for a new or renovate facility to house the college and the centers would need to be determined.
MJE & PWW; 7/17/12 edited JMB 10/10/12
24