The Allied Health Sciences Department (AHS) evolved substantially since the last strategic planning process at GVSU. Previously, the department focused as an entity for other units in the College of Health Professions by providing the undergraduate curriculum necessary to prepare graduates for application to graduate health profession programs such as Sonography, Medical Laboratory Science, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Speech Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy. The interest in these programs increased the number of AHS majors to its current 950, one of the largest undergraduate majors at GVSU. A limitation became apparent whereby not all of those 900+ graduates would be successful in earning acceptance to either GVSU's or other graduate health profession programs. The new direction taken by AHS in 2013 involved development of bachelor degree entry-level health profession that can be offered to the AHS majors. Presently, these programs involve Health Information Management, Respiratory Care (in a cooperative with Muskegon Community College), American Sign Language Interpreting, and Histotechnology. The AHS department has several more bachelor degree entry-level professions under active development.
The department has also engaged with members of our regional community by offering AHS courses through the Kent Intermediate School District (KISD) "Early College Program," Rockford Public Schools with dual enrollment courses, and the GVSU Traverse City location, where the AHS emphasis in Pre-Physician Assistant Studies is offered to compliment the satellite graduate Physician Assistance Studies program approved for the Traverse City location.
The context for this strategic planning effort is a collaborative endeavor between the Unit Head and the faculty of AHS. It is designed to inform and guide the department in future activities that compliment and enhance the strategic plan of the College of Health Professions and the strategic plan of Grand Valley State University. While the department cannot add to all the objectives in the college or university plan, it is able to devote faculty and programmatic resources to address select areas. The process of investigation toward assigning the objectives and metrics found in this document began in Fall 2015 and continued through Winter 2016, with groups of faculty taking ownership of various priority areas. Our intent is to build on the success achieved to date with the range and quality of the AHS curriculum, applied to what has been ascertained of the needs of the college, the university, and our community.
Mission
To prepare exceptional professionals who will impact the health profession today and tomorrow.
Vision
To create a learning environment that fosters critical thinking, professional behavior, and encourages lifelong learning.
Value Statement
As educators in health we hold the following core values:
1. Professional and ethical behavior
2. Respect and appreciation for diversity
3. Lifelong learning
4. Social responsibility
Strategic Priorities, outcomes, and key objectives
Strategic Priority Area 1: Actively engage learners at all levels.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome D: Grand Valley supports innovative teaching, learning, integrative scholarly and creative activity, and the use of new technologies.
Strategic Priority Area 2: Further develop exceptional personnel.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome B: Grand Valley is diverse and inclusive.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Outcome E: Grand Valley strategically allocates its fiscal, human, and other institutional resources.
Strategic Priority Area 3: Ensure the alignment of institutional structures and functions.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
Strategic Priority Area 4: Enhance the institution's image and reputation.
Outcome A: Grand Valley's learning environment is personal, challenging, and transformational, supporting excellent academic programs and co-curricular opportunities.
Outcome C: Grand Valley has mutually beneficial relationships, partnerships, collaborations, and connections with local, state, national, and world communities.
