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.
