Summer 2019 – Updates and Initiatives

There are very special happenings in the Health and Wellness program areas, and this is due to the strength, innovation and diverse talent of the GSC adjunct faculty and their work on curricular changes.  The following first round initiatives are highlights:

• A new Health and Wellness four-year degree program is beginning in the fall.  This program has a health science foundation with new science courses being offered and a curriculum that examines the health of individuals and populations.  Skill areas are centered around using evidence-based practice to inform health decisions, develop health programs and health education, and using data to understand specific needs for interventions as well as the tools to evaluate those interventions.
• Members of our adjunct team worked on integrating the new degree outcomes framework for the college (approved through the new general education framework).  We will continue work on rubric language and signature assignments this year for student portfolios and assessment in courses across the programs in Health and Wellness, Health Care Management, and Allied Health Leadership.
• Our adjuncts are assisting with vertical alignment of skills between the undergraduate and graduate Health Care Management programs at GSC through project-based learning.  This is an exciting new development that will also evolve over the coming year and encourage students to continue their academic and professional growth.
• An adjunct team and our new instructional design specialist, Tara Treichal, are assisting with converting our nutrition course to Open Education Resource (OER) to reduce costs to students.
• This first round of excellent work is the result of the efforts regarding curriculum revisions, assignment development, new course builds, rubric development, and continued quality improvement in courses from the following faculty:
  • Doreen Richards-Human Biology. Advanced Human Physiology and Wellness
  • Michell Jones-Issues in Women’s Health
  • John Gagnon-The Emerging U.S. Health Care System
  • Mike McGowan-Population Health
  • Mike Zaino-Law and Ethics
  • Suzanne Young-Nutrition and Health, Principles of Exercise Science, Health Behaviors
  • Amy Tuller-Nutrition and Health
  • Catherine Bardier-Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning for Health Education and Health Promotion
  • Shirley Montagne-Introduction to Fiscal Management in Health Care
  • Sherry Dumais-Introduction to Fiscal Management in Health Care

This unified strategy for student success and faculty growth would not be possible without the exceptional willingness and enthusiasm of our adjuncts!  We will be rolling out more project work this year to complete our initiatives, address another round of courses in our programs, and recruit more faculty to participate!! We hope relationships continue to grow and we are looking for more training opportunities. Thank you!