NVU Report Final Team Draft NVU Corrected

Review Committee Report of Findings Concerning the Application from Northern Vermont University for Authority to offer academic courses and programs in Maine related to the Northern Vermont University M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program November 18, 2018 Brunswick, Maine Program Review Team Dr Melik Peter Khoury (Chair), Unity College Dr Shihfen Tu, The University of Maine Dr Kayla Musielak, University of Southern Maine Sarah Adkins, Maine Department of Education Non-Voting Participants Wendy Ault, Maine State Board of Education Jason C Libby, Higher Education Specialist, Maine DOE TABLE OF CONTENTS I Introduction II Review of the Application and Findings III Summary of Findings 10 IV Review Team Recommendation 11 I INTRODUCTION In response to the application submitted by Northern Vermont University and in accordance with the Department of Education policies 05-071-149 and 05-071-170 set forth by the Maine State Board of Education, a team was organized by Jason C Libby, Higher Education Specialist, to review the procedures and standards relating to the application for authorization to confer academic degrees or to offer degree courses/programs in the State of Maine by an out-of-state institution Northern Vermont University (NVU) is a new public postsecondary institution in Vermont and is the result of the merger of Lyndon State College and Johnson State College The M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program was formerly a program of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and before that affiliation, fell under the auspices of the former Trinity College in Vermont The team met with applicant administrators and faculty on November 18, 2018 at the Sweetser facility in Brunswick, Maine where the program offers its instruction The review team was comprised of Dr Melik Peter Khoury, President of Unity College serving as chair; Dr Shihfen Tu, professor of Education and Applied Quantitative Methods at The University of Maine; Dr Kayla Musielak, lecture of Psychology at the University of Southern Maine; Sarah Adkins, Student Assistance Coordinator for the Maine Department of Education Wendy Ault served as the State Board Observer and Jason C Libby, Higher Education Specialist from the Maine Department of Education served as state consultant to the team II A REVIEW OF APPLICATION AND FINDINGS ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE With New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) approval already received and the parent institution, Northern Vermont University, being an established and accredited institution, the organization and governance of this program does not substantially alter or affect the current organization and governance of NVU That being said, the fact that the head of the program reports to the Chief Academic Officer is a critical decision that should be maintained to ensure that the program is fully integrated into the fabric of NVU Academics The review committee strongly recommends that all of NECHE’s recommendations be adhered to The standard is met B INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES The mission of Northern Vermont University: “Northern Vermont University (NVU) fosters the intellectual, creative, and personal growth of every student in a community committed to diversity and inclusion We provide innovative professional and liberal arts educational experiences that prepare students to be critical thinkers and engaged global citizens.” The purpose of Northern Vermont University: “NVU’s purpose is to provide an educational foundation to students in the liberal arts, while offering experiential learning and career readiness Johnson identifies as a liberal arts institution, while Lyndon foregrounds its professional programs, and these unique emphases are reflected in the two complementary campus missions—each well connected to the overall NVU charge.” The review committee was satisfied that the addition of this hybrid program by NVU transferring from SNHU is an important program to continue and aligns with NVU’s institutional objective for growth and their campus expansion plans The standard is met C DEGREE REQUIREMENTS The institution awards degrees, only upon successful completion of the courses or programs of study, and degree requirements to be met are specified in writing The institution's semester hour requirements for degree completion meet the following minimums: • • • • • Associate Degree - An Associate degree requires a minimum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours The Associate of Arts degree shall include a minimum of 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours in general education courses The Associate of Science degrees shall include a minimum of 15 semester hours or 23 quarter hours in general education courses Baccalaureate Degree - A Baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 semester hours or 180*** quarter hours Master's Degree - A Master's degree shall require a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours beyond the Baccalaureate Doctoral Degree - A Doctoral degree shall require a minimum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours beyond the Baccalaureate in addition to the dissertation Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for institutions using a non-traditional approach instead of semester hours or quarter hours to determine degree completion Northern Vermont University (NVU) mandates that the M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling is awarded only after successful completion of the required coursework The degree requirements to be met are specified in writing in multiple locations, including on the program’s website and in the documents given to all students at the start of the program As stated in the program’s documents, the degree requirements are based on a set of identified core competencies that are drawn from existing research literature, clinical practices that are considered evidencebased or promising, and input provided by professionals, service users, and their families Additionally, the degree requirements take into account the licensure requirements for counselors in the states where the program is offered Thus, students in Maine are required to complete 66 credits, which aligns with the state’s Clinical Professional Counselor licensure requirements The 66 credits required for the M.S degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for Maine students meets the state’s minimum semester hours needed beyond the Baccalaureate degree for the granting of a Master’s degree The standard is met D ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS The institution has written policies defining the minimum requirements for admission into the academic credit courses or program proposed for offering in Maine The admission policies include detailed standards for academic credit given for experience, and the criteria for determining transfer credit A written refund policy is in evidence detailing the criteria for the refund of tuition and fees As required, NVU has articulated in writing the minimum requirements needed for admission into the M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling These requirements can be viewed by applicants on the program application NVU also has written documentation stating the criteria used to determine transfer and prior training credit Finally, there is a written policy detailing the handling of refunds of tuition and fees The standard is met E ACADEMIC PROGRAMS The educational program and curriculum reflect the philosophy, purposes, and objectives of the institution The Graduate Program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (PCMH) states that: “Its mission is to prepare professional counselors to work in clinical mental health and community settings, in order to promote individual and community wellness, resilience and recovery In addition, our graduates are prepared to meet the needs of individuals with mental health challenges and related addiction disorders.” The stated mission of PCMH is consistent with the overall mission and purpose of NVU with regard to professional programs The general philosophy of NVU in fostering the individual growth of each student, promoting diversity and inclusion, and providing innovative professional education is also in agreement with the PCMH’s emphasis in recovery, resilience, and community inclusion The program’s cohort model and weekend format promote learning communities and facilitate working adults to complete their degree The institution has a written policy describing its system for evaluating student performance, the minimum performance considered satisfactory, the criteria for academic probation and conditions for dismissal for unsatisfactory performance While currently enrolled students will follow the existing PCMH policies, new incoming students will follow NVU grading and other academic policies These policies include, but are not limited to: Passing Grades, Incompletes, Not Graded Work, Repeat Course Option, Academic Honesty, Good Academic Standing, Exits & Leaves of Absence, Appeal of Academic Policies, and Time Limit to Complete a Graduate Degree Procedures for the evaluation of the quality of programs of instruction and specific courses are clearly stated in writing The procedures for current PCMH evaluation practices are clearly articulated In addition to course evaluations, PCMH also administers a Student Satisfaction Survey at the time of program completion for all cohorts Through its alumni listserv, the program also distributed an online Alumni Survey to all alumni across the five states in which the program is offered Finally, an online survey was distributed to employers and internship site supervisors across the five locations The institution’s programs of study consist of planned educational experiences to meet the stated objectives and include attention to the necessary prerequisites, required courses, and appropriate progression In the description of the program and curriculum, PCMH indicates it will “maintain its present format, curriculum, and requirements for students currently in the program.” Currently, in order to apply to be licensed as Clinical Professional Counselors in Maine, students are required to complete 66 credits and 1,000 hours of practicum and internship, in addition to a specialization in integrated mental health and addictions treatment for (1) children, youth, and families, or (2) adults PCMH program and curriculum meet these requirements The standard is met F FACULTY The preponderance of faculty members provide instruction and possess academic, scholarly, and teaching qualifications appropriate to their respective positions and teaching assignments and are distributed in such a way that all students benefit from these qualifications According to the application materials provided by PCMH, the program faculty possess appropriate academic qualifications and professional experiences to provide instruction During the 2017-2018 academic year, all three Maine instructors have a Master’s degree and extensive experiences in the related fields In addition, approximately half of the New England/cross-site instructors have a doctorate degree, with the remainder holding a Master’s degree, all in relevant areas Feedback obtained through course evaluations, student satisfaction surveys, alumni surveys, site supervisors, and employer surveys all indicate overall satisfaction with faculty instruction and qualifications In addition, Vermont State Colleges Part-Time Faculty Federation and Vermont State Colleges have an agreement in place to clearly articulate the process for faculty evaluations (Article 15) The faculty is involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum for all degree programs to assure quality learning experiences are provided for all students Upon becoming an NVU program, the PCMH program coordinator will collaborate with the NVU-Johnson MA in Counseling program coordinator to align the program learning outcomes that will require partial alignment of the curriculum and requirements However, it is not clear whether the PCMH faculty will have the opportunity to participate in these discussions The review team recommends creating a mechanism through which program faculty may be involved in the process and provide input on developing, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum The faculty participates in the governance of the institution and the academic programs as well as in short-term institutional planning activities NVU appears to have a strong faculty governance structure through the Faculty Assembly However, it is not clear how the PCMH faculty will participate in the governance The team recommends that NVU evaluate the creation a mechanism (e.g., program bylaws, faculty meetings, etc.) through which faculty may participate in the governance and planning of the program The standard is met G STUDENT SERVICES Students have access to disability services by calling or emailing the NVU campus, and they may also talk with faculty or staff on class weekends on the Brunswick campus about specific needs The Disability Services contact is identified on every syllabus, and all students have access to an academic advisor by phone and email With their student ID, students can receive local discounts, when offered The standard is met H LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES Students join the American Counseling Association or the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), and with their membership, they receive liability coverage that is beneficial when they are in internship or practicum Students have full access to the NVU online library Students are not offered a gym membership or health services It was expressed that student population does not have a strong interest in wanting a gym membership and that health services are available to them through their job or other health care options for adults/families The standard is met I FACILITIES The NVU Brunswick campus is located at Sweetser in Brunswick Sweetser provides two classrooms for NVU to use Classrooms are connected via a door One classroom is set up with tables and a large screen TV used as an ITV Both classrooms are equipped with WIFI There are no windows, which is a concern that has been expressed by the students Students have access to kitchenette and the bathrooms are located across the hallway Students use the main door into Sweetser, making security “easy.” Also, students are not disturbing clients when coming into class because of the classrooms are located within close proximity (just down the hallway) from the main entrance Suggestion for improvement: ▪ To review “wayfinding.” A) It was observed by the review team that there was no signage at the road to indicate that NVU was present in the Sweetser building This is significant because the review team had to visit Sweetser for the sole purpose of visiting the NVU program, and not having a sign at the road to indicate the location clearly caused members of the review to team to wonder if they were in the correct location B) It was observed that there was not a sign on the classroom/kitchenette door to indicate that that was the location of the classrooms for the NVU program A sign would be beneficial to new students, visitors, and to emergency response teams if there were an incident in the classrooms that need emergency attention C) It was observed that the road sign on the interstate (and Route 1?) still read “SNHU” and that it should be changed to NVU That signage can be replaced by contacting the Maine Department of Transportation Since the Brunswick NVU program is a M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, it is appropriate for students to be learning in the same environment where they could be employed (or complete their internship or practicum) in the future It was also observed that there is a significant need for mental health professional in Maine Mental health agencies, both public and private, in Maine are understaffed and there is a waitlist for children to receive services Having NVU located in Maine can increase children’s and families’ access to mental health counseling The standard is met J FINANCIAL RESOURCES The application from an existing degree-granting institution clearly documents that it has the financial resources necessary to support its purposes, implement its program and maintain its continuity for a minimum of five years by providing its most recent audited financial statement, and that evidence exists of long-range financial planning and viability Based on the five-year pro forma budget for the PCMH program, NVU anticipates that the PCMH program will produce net revenue in excess of $300,000 annually The estimates are based on assumptions of the growing needs for substance abuse counselors, and recent trends related to salary and benefits costs Also included in the application materials is the actual and budgeted financial performance for NVU-Johnson for FY17 through FY19 NVU-Johnson had a deficit of $728,000, anticipated a deficit of $104,000 in FY18 and is projecting a modest surplus ($28,000) for FY19 It is not clear to what extent the PCMH program will be financially merged with NVU upon its complete transition In order for PCMH to continue to grow and flourish, it would be critical for the program to retain some degree of “control” over its net revenue, in the event when NVU anticipates a severe deficit The standard is met General Non-Discrimination Policy Northern Vermont University complies with all non-discrimination regulations and has policies published to support its compliance with all federal and state laws III SUMMRY OF FINDINGS The review team is pleased that this program will be offered to citizens in Maine as there continues to be a need for trained professionals The team believes that the program has appropriate guidance from Northern Vermont University and program faculty and continues to be of value to the state 10 IV REVIEW TEAM RECOMMENDATION The review team recommends that the State Board of Education approve the request from Northern Vermont University to offer the M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in the state of Maine from Spring 2019 to Spring of 2023 11 ... the overall NVU charge.” The review committee was satisfied that the addition of this hybrid program by NVU transferring from SNHU is an important program to continue and aligns with NVU? ??s institutional... was observed by the review team that there was no signage at the road to indicate that NVU was present in the Sweetser building This is significant because the review team had to visit Sweetser... Vermont The team met with applicant administrators and faculty on November 18, 2018 at the Sweetser facility in Brunswick, Maine where the program offers its instruction The review team was comprised