Strategic Plan 2011 - 2016


Department Mission Statement

The Department of Health Science prepares and mentors students to be public or school health professionals who effectively promote health by planning, implementing and evaluating health interventions related to leading or underlying causes of morbidity and mortality among individuals, families and at-risk populations in global settings.

Department Values

  1. Integrity Committed - Offer all programs and services in the context of the university’s mission and aims– to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life in an environment that is spiritually strengthening, intellectually enlarging, character building and conducive to lifelong learning and service.

  2. Student Centered - View students as the primary focus of our work. Mentor and prepare students for successful careers in public or school health education.

  3. Professional Practice Orientation - Focus curricula and program requirements on essential skills, responsibilities and competencies designated by accrediting bodies, credentialing organizations and professional associations.

  4. Prevention Oriented - Target the collective work of faculty, students and our partners on leading or underlying causes of mortality or morbidity among individuals, families and at-risk populations.

Department Strategic Vision & Work Plan (2011-2016)

     

    1.     Enhance the department’s ongoing commitment for student-centeredness, obtain funds for: student scholarships; collaborative research between faculty and students; student recruitment; student teaching and internships (fieldwork); student teaching assistantships; and the support and preparation of students in general. The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Prompt greater faculty applications for internal and external funding of mentored scholarship

    b.     Operationalize the MPH and Health Science case statements through LDS Philanthropies to secure external funds and scholarships

    c.      Support full-time faculty access to teaching assistantships

    d.     Foster training for Budget Analyst to act as a resource person for faculty who pursue external funding. Professional development training is anticipated with 1 or more venues for travel

     

    2.     Improve the quality of teaching in the department by systematically reviewing curricula, promoting required classes be taught by full-time faculty, and supporting professional development training or other symposia related to teaching. The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Utilize full-time faculty for required classes in every possible circumstance by reallocating part-time faculty teaching elective courses

    b.     Reduce reliance on evening school classes

    c.      Support full-time faculty access to teaching assistantships to sustain large sections for most HS courses

     

    3.     Invest in faculty development (including selected part-time faculty members). The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Encourage and support appropriate professional leaves and mini-leaves

    b.     Address specific needs or interests of faculty related to teaching, scholarship and service within the context of department values and goals

     

    4.     Ensure that each of the department’s three programs (B.S. in Public Health: Epi-Env-HP-HS; B.S. in School Health; and MPH Degrees) are accredited, fully committed to current theory and practice and supported by appropriate, competency-based curricula. The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Conduct expert curricular reviews from external practitioners for all programs

    b.     Train Budget Analyst to manage data gathering for student learning outcomes and other accreditation purposes

    c.      Prepare for national reaccreditation through the Council on Education for Public Health by July 2016

     

    5.     Manage appropriate student teacher placement opportunities in the school health education program. The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Seek out and prepare qualified individuals to complete at least one-half of each student’s teacher observations

     

    6.     Define/refine the department’s direction in global health, particularly at the graduate level: The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Conduct thorough review of global curriculum given faculty expertise

    b.     Determine value for strategic international research partnerships

    c.      Enhance student and faculty diversity exposure through global health experiences

     

    7.     Strengthen career opportunities and graduate placements for undergraduate students in the four public health tracks (health promotion, environmental health/occupational health, epidemiology, & health science). The department (chair+faculty) seeks to:

    a.     Transition from major tracks (track not noted on diploma/transcript) to major emphases (emphasis noted on diploma/transcript)