Criterion 1. The Public Health Program
1.3 Institutional Environment
The program shall be an integral part of an accredited institution of higher education.
1.3.a A brief description of the institution in which the program is located, along with the names of accrediting bodies (other than CEPH) to which the institution responds.
Institutional Overview. UNC Charlotte is one of a generation of universities founded in metropolitan areas of the United States immediately after World War II in response to rising education demands generated by the war and its technology.
To serve returning veterans, North Carolina opened 14 evening college centers in communities across the state. The Charlotte Center opened Sept. 23, 1946, offering evening classes to 278 freshmen and sophomore students in the facilities of Charlotte’s Central High School. After three years, the state closed the centers, declaring that on-campus facilities were sufficient to meet the needs of returning veterans and recent high school graduates.
Charlotte’s education and business leaders, long aware of the area’s unmet needs for higher education, moved to have the Charlotte Center taken over by the city school district and operated as Charlotte College, offering the first two years of college courses. Later the same leaders asked Charlotte voters to approve a two-cent tax to support that college. Charlotte College drew students from the city, Mecklenburg County and from a dozen surrounding counties. The two-cent tax was later extended to all of Mecklenburg County. Ultimately financial support for the college became a responsibility of the State of North Carolina.
As soon as Charlotte College was firmly established, efforts were launched to give it a campus of its own. With the backing of Charlotte business leaders and legislators from Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, land was acquired on the northern fringe of the city and bonds were passed to finance new facilities. In 1961, Charlotte College moved its growing student body into two new buildings on what was to become a 1,000-acre campus 10 miles from downtown Charlotte.
Three years later, the North Carolina legislature approved bills making Charlotte College a four-year, state-supported college. In 1965, the legislature approved bills creating the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the fourth campus of the statewide university system. In 1969, the university began offering programs leading to master’s degrees. In 1992, it was authorized to offer programs leading to doctoral degrees.
Now a research intensive university, UNC Charlotte is the fourth largest of the 17 institutions within the University of North Carolina system and the largest institution in the Charlotte region.
The university comprises seven professional colleges (Colleges of Arts + Architecture,
Business, Computing and Informatics, Education, Engineering, Health and Human Services and Liberal Arts & Sciences) and currently offers 20 doctoral programs, 59 master’s degree
programs and 92 bachelor’s degrees. More than 900 full-time faculty comprise the University’s academic departments and the 2012 fall enrollment exceeded 26,000 students. UNC Charlotte boasts more than 100,000 living alumni and adds 4,000 to 4,500 new alumni each year.
Accreditation. UNC Charlotte is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. The University hosted its most recent SACS site visit in Spring 2013. Formal reaffirmation of its accreditation is expected in Fall 2013.
A number of programs across the university also have achieved specialty or professional program accreditation. These programs are presented below.
Accreditations Outside the College of Health and Human Services
The Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture are accredited professional degree programs as recognized by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
The programs in business and accounting are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The University’s professional education programs for BK-12 teachers, counselors, and administrators are approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Counseling programs in Counselor Education are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
The civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET; and the civil, electrical, mechanical, and systems engineering technology programs are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET.
The Department of Chemistry is on the approval list of the American Chemical Society.
The Master of Public Administration program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).
The Public Relations program within the Department of Communication Studies is certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
The University is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools, the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, and the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Universities.
Accreditations Within the College of Health and Human Services
The Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the BSN program is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing. The Nursing Anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).
The Bachelor of Athletic Training program is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Both the Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science program and the Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology program are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
The Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
The Master of Health Administration program received is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) and is a full member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).
1.3.b One or more organizational charts of the university indicating the program’s relationship to the other components of the institution, including reporting lines.
Figure 1.3.b.1 shows the administrative organization of UNC Charlotte. The Department of Public Health Sciences, which houses our public health program, is located in the College of Health and Human Services. Figure 1.3.b.2 shows the administrative organization of the College of Health and Human Services. The organizational and governance structures within the Department of Public Health Sciences are presented in Criterion 1.4
Figure 1.3.b.1 UNC-Charlotte Organizational Chart
(http://education.uncc.edu/sites/education.uncc.edu/files/media/ncate/Standard6/6.3.b.1_UNC_Charlotte_Administrative_Organizational_Chart.pdf)
Figure 1.3.b.2 College of Health and Human Services Organizational Chart
Chancellor
Philip DuboisProvost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Joan Lorden
Dean, College of Health and Human Services
Nancy Fey-Yensan
Administrative Manager
Chris Durham
Associate Dean for Research
Chris BlanchetteAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs
Jane Neese
Director, HSR PhD Program
Yvette HuetCHHS Advising Center
Director, Academic Technology
Michael MooreChair, Public Health Sciences
Gary SilvermanDirector, Health Informatics
Joshua HertelChair, Kinesiology
Scott GordonSilverman
Chair, Social Work
Mark Ezell
Director, School of Nursing
Dee Baldwin1.3.c Description of the program’s involvement and role in the following:
budgeting and resource allocation, including budget negotiations, indirect cost recoveries, distribution of tuition and fees and support for
fund-raising; personnel recruitment, selection and advancement, including
faculty and staff; academic standards and policies, including establishment and oversight of curricula.
The Office of Academic Affairs, which is one of five administrative divisions at UNC Charlotte, oversees all operations of the Academic Division, providing administrative oversight and academic leadership. Led by Dr. Joan F. Lorden, Provost and Vice Chancellor, the Office of Academic Affairs is responsible for helping students and faculty achieve their academic and professional goals. Major responsibilities include those related to academic planning, programs, and support services; academic policy;
academic services; budgets; faculty affairs, governance, appointments, and
advancements; research administrative support and compliance; institutional research;
and producing the university's undergraduate and graduate catalogs. In collaboration with the academic deans, directors, and department heads, Academic Affairs
administers existing programs, revises and reviews those programs, and develops new ones. The Office also facilitates academic policies, procedures, and standards for both students and faculty.
Academic Affairs is assisted in its endeavors by its division units: Academic Budget &
Personnel, Academic Services, Advance Faculty Affairs Office, Council on University Community, Enrollment Management, the Graduate School, the Library, Information Technology Services, Institutional Research, International Programs, Library, Metropolitan Studies and Extended Academic Programs, Research and Economic Development, and the nine colleges – Belk College of Business, College of Arts &
Architecture, College of Computing and Informatics, College of Education, College of Health and Human Services, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Honors College, William States Lee College of Engineering, and University College
Articulation of faculty governance with the University administration is outlined in the Constitution of the Faculty http://www.provost.uncc.edu/FacGov/Constitution.pdf that establishes the university-wide Faculty Council. The Faculty Council membership is comprised of the members of the Faculty Executive Committee, the Chancellor, the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Development and Public Service, the Dean of the Graduate School, the University Librarian, the Deans of each of the Colleges of the University, and a representative from each department across campus.
Through governance structures, faculty assume primary policy-making responsibilities for:
1. Setting minimal general degree requirements for the University, to which the faculties of individual colleges and programs may add additional requirements for their graduates
2. Setting minimal University admission standards, to which the faculties of individual colleges or programs may add additional standards, and/or for which the faculties of individual colleges and programs may set higher standards than those set by the Faculty generally
3. Establishing academic plans and curricula and developing and reviewing
proposed new programs, including auxiliary academic programs (e.g., continuing education)
4. Establishing grading systems and setting academic policies concerning withdrawal, suspension, and retention
5. Establishing policies and standards for the granting of academic credit 6. Establishing policies for the granting of degrees, academic and honorary, and
acting to award such degrees
7. Establishing policy, within the limitations of the code, and the tenure document, concerning promotion, appointment, reappointment, tenure, and post-tenure review of faculty (it is recognized that the tenure document is, and will continue to be, subject to judicial interpretation and to interpretation by the administration after hearing the advice of appropriate faculty bodies as designated by the faculty council)
8. Establishing policies governing academic counseling of students
9. Establishing policy for the allocation of UNC Charlotte research funds that are open to the solicitations of the general faculty
10. Establishing policies and procedures for the faculty review of university administrators
The Graduate Faculty have additional responsibilities. These responsibilities are specified in the bylaws found at
https://graduateschool.uncc.edu/sites/graduateschool.uncc.edu/files/media/GradFacByL aws.pdf
UNC Charlotte, in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, or genetic information in any of its policies, practices, or procedures. This policy includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. The University has specific policy statements and programs related to these issues, and information about them can be found on various websites including:
http://legal.uncc.edu/chapter-500
http://legal.uncc.edu/policies/up-403
http://legal.uncc.edu/policies/up-101.5
The College of Health and Human Services and the Department of Public Health Sciences fully subscribe to all University policies that support freedom from discrimination.
Lines of accountability. As depicted in Figures 1.3.b.1, and 1.3.b.2, and further in Figures 1.4.a.1 through 1.4.a.3, a mature hierarchical structure is in place providing structure to the college’s and university’s administration and governance processes.
Within the BSPH and MSPH programs, members of the faculty and staff have direct access to the Program Coordinators, governing committees, and the Department Chair.
Prerogatives extended to academic units. Within the framework and procedures provided by the university’s administrative and academic governance documents summarized above, colleges and academic departments are permitted to name
themselves and to organize internally as they see fit. Faculty titles must conform to the standards enacted by the university academic governance structure. Administrative titles are expected to accurately reflect the scope of responsibility.
Budgeting and resource allocation. Each academic unit within the College of Health and Human Services manages its own budget. Budget proposals for the upcoming year are presented from each unit head to the Dean at the end of each academic year, building from the past year’s budget but recognizing future conditions. Proposals from the units
are compiled and prioritized, and presented to the Provost. Once approved, Colleges provide budgets to the academic unit heads who are responsible for the distribution, allocation, monitoring, and accounting of these financial resources. Major budget areas are faculty travel and other professional development, services (communications, printing, etc.), supplies, graduate student support, part-time faculty salaries, and for accreditation and membership expenses.
No department-level fees are currently imposed on students enrolled in the public health programs. Since 2011, however, the MHA program has assessed a modest tuition increment on its students.
Ninety percent of indirect cost recoveries generated from external grants are distributed at the level of the Chancellor; 10% of indirect cost recoveries are returned to the faculty's home unit. In the College of Health and Human Services, unit heads have at their discretion the distribution of the indirect cost return. In the Department of Public Health Sciences, 100% of these indirect cost recovery funds are returned to the grant Principal Investigator.
As an incentive for and recognition of externally funded research, the Dean reallocates one-third of the recovered faculty salary (funds that would otherwise support a faculty member’s salary that are freed by the sponsored research) to the faculty member and one-third to the unit head. Furthermore, faculty on the research track securing external funding amounting to 25% of their salary may “buy-out” of a course obligation, freeing more time for scholarly activities.
The Office of University Development supports the university’s mission to serve as North Carolina’s urban research university by encouraging friends, donors, alumni and other supporters to contribute to the university’s excellence through diverse philanthropic opportunities. Gifts help UNC Charlotte attract and retain talented faculty and
researchers, inspire vibrant students to lead and learn and encourage business leaders and innovators to form vital partnerships that drive our shared economic and cultural future. Each academic college - as well as the Graduate School and Library - are assigned an individual Director of Development to enable successful fund raising at unit and program levels.
Personnel recruitment, selection, and advancement. Based upon justified need and in combination with available resources, the Provost allocates faculty and support staff lines to the College Deans who in turn allocates them to academic units. Faculty are recruited into the department through formal search processes in accord with explicit state, university, and college procedures and guidelines. Faculty search committees advise the Department Chair who makes a recommendation to the Dean. Non-tenured appointments are extended by the Dean, and tenure-track appointments by the Provost upon approval by the Board of Trustees. Staff searches follow a similar but less
intensive process and can involve local or national advertising.
Faculty and staff undergo periodic evaluations and annual reviews. The faculty reviews guide faculty progression toward reappointment, promotion, tenure, and post- tenure review and contribute to decisions regarding salary increases. In conformity with the University governance policies, the Department has a Departmental Review Committee consisting of tenured faculty. This committee reviews faculty portfolios and advises the Chair on reappointment and promotion decisions. A similar college-level committee advises the Dean. These recommendations are then presented to the Provost for action. Staff reviews are conducted by immediate supervisors in accord with policies
mandated by the state and implemented by Human Resources that guide the hiring and evaluation of persons subject to the State Personnel Act.
Academic standards and policies, including establishment and oversight of curricula.
The Faculty Council, Graduate Council, and Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Committee oversee the university’s academic policies and procedures. These policies set university minimum standards for degrees and other expectations and requirements.
With the consent of these university committees, programs, through their governance structures, may justify establishing more (but not less) stringent conditions and expectations.
Within the Department of Public Health Sciences, the respective program committees, under the oversight of the Public Health Programs Governance Committee (which acts as the curriculum committee) propose program-specific policies and procedures, in consultation, as appropriate, with the Department Chair, the College Curriculum
Committee and the College Faculty Organization, and the Dean. Minor changes follow an expedited review and approval process, substantive changes a full review and approval process, and major changes a full UNC system-level review and approval process.
1.3.d If a collaborative program, descriptions of all participating institutions and delineation of their relationships to the program.
Not applicable
1.3.e If a collaborative program, a copy of the formal written agreement that establishes the rights and obligations of the participating universities in regard to the program’s operation.
Not applicable
1.3.f Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and analysis of the program’s strengths, weaknesses, and plans relating to this
criterion.
This Criterion is met.
Strengths
UNC Charlotte is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2012 and has a long and distinguished history of support for institutional and
professional accreditation.
The University has a clearly defined organizational and reporting structure across all levels. The public health program, part of the Department of Public Health Sciences, is housed within the College of Health and Human Services
The University intentionally nurtures and sustains a culture of continuous quality improvement and a philosophy of ensuring a vibrant learning environment where the precepts taught in classrooms are embodied in institutional practice. This commitment is particularly evident in the College of Health and Human Services that houses a number of programs that have attained 7 different professional accreditations.
The College and the University have provided ample resources and administrative support to seek and maintain these accreditations.
Weaknesses None
Plans
Continue current support to sustain and enhance relevant professional accreditations.
(Responsibility: Department Chair, PHPGC, Coordinators)
Prepare for the inclusion of the proposed PhD in Public Health Sciences within the unit of accreditation at the earliest opportunity. (Responsibility: Department Chair, PHPGC, PhD Director)