Bob’s Note
May 31, 2019
With the closing of the 2019 Spring semester, I want to congratulate all of the staff and faculty in our programs for the impact you all have had in the successes of our graduating students.
I am also thrilled about the work that has come out of our School and would like to highlight the work that has come out of our Administrative Council and school committees related to faculty governance and strategic plans. I am excited about new faculty and staff who will be joining us this fall, and I would like to extend my congratulations to the new chairs coming in and my good wishes to those moving on.
Again, thank you for a wonderful year. I look forward to 2019-20 and the many new exciting opportunities that lie ahead.
Thank you again,
Dr. Bob Wood | Director, School of Allied Health Sciences
bobwood@boisestate.edu
(208)426-3795
School News
Strategic Planning Process
The Administrative Council of the school developed some strategic planning documents this past Spring. The process began in December of 2018, and while it is still ongoing, we’re making progress and have created a list of Values, a Vision statement, a Mission statement, and list of Goals. These goals and statements are malleable, and we encourage feedback and comments about how, moving forward, we may be able to improve upon the work we have started.
Values
- We value the preparation of skilled health professionals.
- We value excellence in education and lifelong learning.
- We believe in modeling a culture of respectfulness and inclusivity to produce culturally competent professionals in health-related fields.
- We value resourcefulness to help transform our programs.
Vision
- The SAHS will lead in creating educated health and human performance professionals who are innovative advocates, scientists, practitioners, and educators.
Mission
- The SAHS leverages unique health-related disciplines using a collaborative and resourceful approach to deliver high-quality education and scholarship that advances lifelong health.
Goals
Unification:
To identify common needs across the school and define processes for equitable distribution of resources.
Steps towards implementing:
- Identify assets, identify needs, determine key performance indicators relative to department specific benchmarks.
- Identify common needs – curricula, teaching, administration, research, facilities – across departments
- Enhance recruitment, marketing, and advising efforts to attract and retain students
Collaboration:
To create a culture of collaboration and inclusivity between and amongst distinctive departments.
Steps towards implementing:
- Reformat annual school-wide meeting with breakout sessions and opportunities to brainstorm ideas for growth organized around common interests – (consider offsite retreat?)
- Conduct an in-depth curricular review of all programs across the SoAHS to minimize duplication of content and incentivize sharing common classes (funding TBD)
- Provide opportunities for fun social interaction for all (faculty, students, staff, administration). Consider a joint community service project.
Communication:
To create and maintain timely and accurate communication that is accessible and relevant to all stakeholders.
Steps towards implementing
- Establish regular and ongoing communication between SoAHS departments and stakeholders (internal & external)
- Create a “need to know” dedicated webpage with a protected portal entry for posting of department agendas and meeting minutes (include frequent questions and answers and provide discussion forums for sharing information and posting classified ads (ie., home for rent, etc.)
- Establish Communications Committee – survey faculty for input on communication needs
Scholarship:
To strengthen our scholarship presence
Steps towards implementing
- Identify and publicize distinctive strengths in research being conducted across SoAHS.
- Increase professional development opportunities for faculty
- Provide and incentivize scholarly mentoring of faculty
- Create clear definitions of the various forms of scholarship for differing faculty roles within and across departments. Communicate them to all.
- Establish Research Committee / Research Seminars / Journal Club
Next Steps
In our school-wide meeting next Fall, we will include activities and conversations that will lead to the development of action items related to these goals. You will be receiving more information about the upcoming meeting, and we ask between now and then that you give some thought to ideas as to Action Plans that might assist us in achieving these general goals
School Basis of Authority Policy
The School Basis of Authority Policy was created by a committee of faculty members from each department in the school, vetted by the Administrative Council, and after a 2-week period of open-comments, was voted on and passed unanimously. I would like to thank, in particular, policy committee members Scott Moorcroft (Chair), Megan Koster, Travis Armstrong, and Mike Mann. Thank you to everyone who had a hand in helping develop and finalize this policy. We will be creating a repository online for our school policies housed under Faculty Resources.
New Faces
We would like to congratulate our new department chairpersons and welcome some new faculty members. We are still searching for a Chair of Respiratory Care.
Jane Shimon, Chair:
Jane Shimon has accepted the role of Chair of Kinesiology. Jane has been at Boise State in the Department of Kinesiology for nearly 20 years.
Joie Burns, Chair:
Joie Burns has agreed to have the “interim” removed from her title and will serve as Chair of Radiologic Sciences. She has been at Boise State for 25 years!
John Lampignano, Clinical Associate:
Professor John Lampignano joins us as a Clinical Associate Professor of Radiologic Sciences. During 2018-19, John served as a temporary full-time faculty, and we are thrilled he will be staying with us in this new role. John comes with a distinguished career as a clinician, having had many notable experiences including several years on the medical staff with the Arizona Cardinals. He has also authored textbooks in the field of Imaging Sciences.
Shuqi Zhang, Assistant Professor:
Shuqi Zhang, comes to us as Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. Her prior appointment was at the University of Northern Illinois. She received her PhD in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University in 2014 where she studied with Li Li. Her area of interest is neural control of human movement in pathologic states such as Parkinsonism. A headshot of Shuqi is being scheduled.
Lutana Haan, Assistant Dean:
After serving several years in Respiratory Care as an associate professor and Department Chair, Lutana Haan has accepted a full-time assistant dean position. We would like to congratulate Lu and wish her the best as she pursues and in many ways creates this role, which is new, not only to her but also new to the college.
Julia Beard, New Executive Director for Health Services:
Health Services and The College of Health Sciences is pleased to announce that Julia Beard will now hold the position of executive director for Health Services. Read more about Julia here.
Lost and Found
The Director’s Office located in HSRV 210 will now be the central location for any Lost and Found items left in the Health Sciences Riverside Building.
Building Maintenance
Once the dust settles on the budget in the Director’s Office, we will complete as many of the HSRV building items (such as bulletin boards) as possible.
School of Allied Health Sciences Food Bank
With thanks to Dr. Caile Spear, the Health Science Riverside building (HSRV) now hosts a food cupboard. Boise State participated in the #RealCollege Survey last fall – a nationwide survey conducted by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice that measures the prevalence of student food and housing insecurity and homelessness at 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. Results from that survey found that 36% of Boise State students were food insecure in the prior 30 days, and 45% of respondents nationwide were food insecure in the prior 30 days. To combat the issue of student hunger, a campus food cupboard has been created on the first floor of HSRV. The cupboard is located in the foyer area, in one of the cupboards underneath the computers. There is a gold sticker with a Boise State “B” on the cupboard to make it identifiable to students in need. Staff and faculty will inform and direct students to the cupboard. The food cupboard is intended to be a small, satellite pantry. The location will hopefully make food assistance more accessible and available to students in need, as the location and hours of access may be more convenient than the campus pantry (which is open M-F, 8am-5pm, in the Campus School Building). If any staff, faculty, students, or community members would like to donate to the food cupboard in HSRV, there is a designated area for food donations by the printer in the CEH mail room (HSRV, room 120). If you would like to donate or assist, please contact Dr. Spear.
College News
Bylaws
COHS bylaws and clinical faculty bylaws passed and will take effect in Fall 2019
BroncoFit Financial Support Awardees Announced
BroncoFit financial support, a new program that was launched this year, gave campus departments the opportunity to apply for up to $500 to support a well-being initiative for their department employees. We encourage different departments to apply when next year’s cycle opens. Read the winners here.
Acknowledgments
Awards
Building the Bridge Award:
Each year at the Process Improvement Symposium, the Building the Bench award is awarded to a group that has created an innovative student structure to support the campus community. This year’s Building the Bench award winner is Jennifer Eichmeyer & the Genetic Counseling Program. Thanks to this team’s advocacy for the program and subsequent efforts, Boise State University is now home to the very first online Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program. Way to go, team!
Birthdays
- Coleen Dudley (May 3)
- Jim Sutton (May 13)
- Ken Bell (May 16)
- Jennifer Nicole Eichmeyer (May 18)
- Megan Smith (May 24)
- Suzie Seltzer (June 6)
- Ed Baker (June 7)
- Kirk Ketelsen (June 7)
- Eric Martin (June 11)
- Shelley Lucas (June 16)
- Joe Coyle (June 17)
- Maria Tellez (June 18)