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College of Nursing and Health Professions

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NEWS

2011/12 Accreditation Site Visits—Visits and Updates

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)—Aug 1 and 2---Exit report was positive—no deficiencies

MSW (Masters in Social Work)—Aug 24—Accreditation through October 2015

Radiation Therapy—Sept 12 and 13---Accredited through September 2019

Physical Therapist Assistant—Sept 25-28---Comission Report April 2012

Dietetics—Oct 24 and 25—Positive exit report, CADE Board Decision February 2012

Nursing (all programs)—Feb 14-16—Pending visit

DPT (doctorate in physical therapy)—Sept 30-Oct 3, 2012—Pending visit

For Release to the News Media
Nov. 21, 2011

ASU - Jonesboro: ASU’s master of social work program receives accreditation through October 2015

The Commission on Accreditation (COA) has granted Arkansas State University’s master of social work (MSW) program, which has been a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), initial accreditation from the academic year of 2008-09 to October 2015.

            At its recent 2011 October meeting, the COA reviewed the Benchmark IV Document and Self Study, the Commissioner’s Benchmark IV Review Brief and Accreditation Review Brief and ASU’s program response regarding the application for the master of social work program which is housed in the College of Nursing andHealth Professions (CNHP). A letter written by Dr. James P. Adams, chair of the Commission on Accreditation, that ASU’s program achieved that status, notified ASU interim chancellor Dr. Dan Howard.
            “We are extremely pleased that Arkansas State University’s master of social work program achieved initial accreditation and we recognize and celebrate the outcome of the hard and dedicated work of the faculty and administrators who made this a reality,” said Dr. Howard. “The university believes deeply in the benefits of going through the process of preparing for accreditation and appreciates the additional value that specialized accreditation provides to students who graduate from accredited programs such as the MSW program and to those who employ them.”
            In January 2011, ASU’s MSW program had successfully met all benchmarks in the four-step accreditation process and was on track to achieve accreditation in the fall semester of 2011. However, while examining the accreditation guidelines more closely and through additional consultation with CSWE, the university discovered that the accreditation was actually on schedule to begranted in the fall of 2012.
            The change in schedule became problematic for students who had expected to graduate from an accredited program in May 2011, which would make them eligible for state Licensed Master Social Worker examination. State law provides that only graduates of an accredited master of social work program may sit for the exam, which is administered by the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board.

“This is wonderful news for the students and supports all of the extraordinary work and effort put forth by Dr. Loretta Brewer, interim chair, and Dr. Dick Freer, MSW director,” said Dr. Susan Hanrahan, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions. “Dr. Glen Jones (interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost) and I are particularly grateful to the Arkansas Licensing Board and the Council on Social Work Education who worked with us on this difficult issue.”
“I am delighted with this outcome and extend my deepest appreciation to the inaugural class of MSW graduates and their employers for their steadfast belief in our faculty and administrative team as we worked diligently to secure this vital accreditation from COA,” commented Dr. Jones.

Procedures regarding the process of Reaffirmation may be found on the CSWE website at http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Reaffirmation.aspx.

Oct 25, 2011 -- College of Nursing and Health Professions Distinguished Alumni to be Honored at 2011 Homecoming

Seven outstanding graduates of Arkansas State University¹s College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) will be honored as distinguished alumni during Homecoming ceremonies, Saturday, Oct. 29. A presentation to the group will be made at 2 p.m., in Room 222 of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences. An open house and tours of the Reynolds Center begin at 1:30 p.m. In addition to the recognition, a reunion get-together of the CNHP Class of 1991 is also scheduled.

The seven honorees are Debbie Shivers, MSN, FNP-BC, RN, APN (School of Nursing); Lance Harrell, MSN, FNP-BC, RN, APN, (School of Nursing); Marvin C. Alexander, M.S.W., L.C.S.W., (Department of Social Work); Joanne Huck Roberts, N.I.S., RRA, RT (R), RDMS, (Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Science); Brooke Runyan Craine (Physical Therapy); Patricia A. Jones-Greer (Department of Communication Disorders); and Annette Bednar, MSE, MT (ASCP), (Clinical Laboratory Science Department).

More details are available in the press release.

Dean Hanrahan Discusses History of the College of Nursing and Health Professions

Hanrahan Centennial Reflections Interview Part 1

Centennial Reflections #9 Part 1

Hanrahan Centennial Reflections Interview Part 2

Centennial Reflections #9 Part 2

July 1, 2011

Date for Clinical Instructors Seminar Announced

The Clinical Instructors Seminar will be held Friday, March 9^th, 2012 at the Fowler Center.The seminar is primarily held for the clinical instructors out in the clinical sites who supervise students from CNHP. However, faculty and students from the college are also urged to attend.

Details regarding speakers and registration will be announced as soon as they become available.

April 26, 2011 - Phi Kappa Phi Inductees

Please join us in congratulating the Phi Kappa Phi inductees.

February 23, 2011

ASU - Jonesboro: Graduates of Master of Social Work Program will be eligible for provisional license

JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University has received outstanding news from the Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board in response to a request from the university.

Sandra Brown, chair, notified the university that the Licensing Board has agreed to allow ASU’s May 2011 graduates from the master of social work (MSW) program to apply and be considered for a one-year provisional license.

Once the program achieves full accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), individuals who pass the master’s level licensing exam will be eligible to receive the full license.

“The immediate response of the Social Work Licensing Board to ASU’s request for consideration of provisional licensure for the May 2011 Master’s in Social Work graduates was impressive,” according to Dr. Susan Hanrahan, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

“The board members’ actions give our students the opportunity to practice social work in Arkansas and not have to relocate to another state to begin their practice. This is very good news, not just for the graduates but also for the agencies who are seeking licensed master’s social workers in a workforce environment where significant shortages exist,” she added.

Arkansas State University’s master of social work (MSW) program has been a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 2008. Thus far, the program has met all benchmarks successfully in the four-step accreditation process and is on track to achieve accreditation in the fall of 2012.

The decision on accreditation initially was expected in June 2011. However, CSWE informed the university in fall 2010 that the timeline had changed to a June 2012 review date.

State law provides that only graduates of an accredited master of social work program may sit for the exam, which is a required step for licensed masters social workers in Arkansas.

The university announced Jan. 27 that it had set a high priority on finding ways to assist the students who are nearly finished with the program. The provisional license alternative was an important first step. ASU will be visiting with CSWE to seek consideration of a summer 2011 date to have the MSW program evaluated for accreditation rather than waiting until June 2012.

“Clearly, this would be a highly desirable outcome for the students, ASU, and the State of Arkansas,” Dr. Hanrahan also said.

Graduates of the bachelor of social work (BSE) program are not affected by the recent developments. The BSW program has been accredited continuously since 1978 and received a reaffirmation of reaccreditation in June 2010. The BSW program is currently accredited until June 2018.

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-- This and other releases are online at http://www.astate.edu/a/asunews/

Relocation in our college:

*The department of Social Work - 3^rd floor of the Smith Building. They are in suite 327.
*The Beck P.R.I.D.E. Center - Reynolds Center for Health Sciences, room 170.
*Nurse Anesthesia - Reynolds Center for Health Sciences, 3rd floor.
*Communication Disorders - Reynolds Center for Health Sciences, 2nd floor, Suite 211.
*The Speech and Hearing Clinic - Reynolds Center for Health Siences, 1st floor, Suite 101.
*Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences - Nursing & Health Professions, 4th floor, Suite 419

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