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Campus News
- New online criminal justice completion program offered
- School of Nursing introduces Doctorate of Nursing Practice
- Alumnus, former US Marine begins medical school
- Author Malcolm Gladwell kicks off George T. Hunter Lecture Series
New online criminal justice completion program offered
A new online completion program for working professionals seeking the Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice is being offered for the first time in fall 2010 at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. It is the only undergraduate criminal justice completion program in the University of Tennessee system offered totally online, and one of the few nationwide.
Each cohort of up to 25 students will be offered regularly scheduled courses. Participants are encouraged to take six credit hours or two courses each semester—those who keep this academic schedule can expect to graduate in three years.
“Students accepted to the program must apply to UTC and to the UTC Department of Criminal Justice. They need to be computer-savvy. And while it is true students in this program can do their online work anywhere, they must be self-motivated and complete work on time. This program is not self-paced or independent study,” said Dr. Helen Eigenberg, head of the Department of Criminal Justice
Eigenberg says students who meet the requirements may join the fall 2010 cohort in spring 2011.
Students who apply for the new online Criminal Justice program must have completed an Associate of Arts or Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Students with 60 hours of college work who have a degree in another field will be advised at UTC to be sure general education coursework requirements have been met.
“This completion degree serves as a model for all UTC programs. By creating accessibility for students in professional settings, the University continues to fulfill its Metropolitan Mission,” said UTC Chancellor Roger Brown.
The University is meeting the demands of professionals in the field, according to Eigenberg. Police officers, those in probation, parole and corrections and victims’ services would all benefit from this completion degree
“Increased education for police officers allows them to write better and develop better problem solving skills. Data shows that a better educated police force means less civilian complaints and less excessive force used,” said Eigenberg. “All graduates become more marketable, more prepared to request a promotion or transfer.”
Two new faculty members will teach courses in the online program. Dr. Seong min Park comes to UTC from the University of Cincinnati where he received his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice. He received the M.S. in Statistics from University of Cincinnati and the M.A. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. He has expertise in crime mapping, statistical analysis of crime data, and policing. He has experience teaching online courses. He also has 12 years experience with the Korean National Police Agency.
Dr. Sharon Redhawk Love has nine years teaching experience, seven years at Penn State University, Altoona, and two years at Ball State. Her Ph.D. is from the University of Oklahoma and her M.A. is from the University of Central Oklahoma. Her expertise includes race and gender issues in criminal justice, victimology, and theory. She has experience teaching distance and online courses.
UTC’s successful leadership academy leads to recognition
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Dr. Helen Eigenberg, left, recieves the Vice Persidential
Citation at the annual Institute of Public Service Awards
ceremony for SECLA.
More than 240 law enforcement chiefs, sheriffs and command-level officers have graduated from this university-level educational experience as a direct result of the unique educational partnership between LEIC and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Eigenberg and Dr. Vic Bumphus provided the University educational support for the program since its inception, and for their efforts they were awarded a UT Institute for Public Service Vice Presidential Citation at the institute’s annual conference in July 2010. Each year, Eigenberg and Bumphus closely examine the student evaluations and make the necessary adjustments to the curriculum to insure the most up-to-date information is being taught in the classroom.
They have also added a community component to the program whereby local community and civic leaders meet with the students and discuss local issues and challenges to law enforcement and public safety.
A new component added last year and guided by Eigenberg and Bumphus was the conversion of two weeks of classroom time to web-based training. The online component further enhances the flexibility of the SECLA program, allowing participants to stay home, continue working and complete their coursework through distance learning, a much-needed benefit for departments who lack manpower and resources for proper staffing.
The work done by Dr. Beth Dodd and Cheryl Faulkner from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the Office of Continuing Education and their support for the SECLA program was also recognized by IPS.
School of Nursing introduces Doctorate of Nursing Practice
UTC’s School of Nursing will begin offering the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) in January 2011.
“Our program is flexible enough to accommodate nurses working in advanced practice positions who want to obtain the terminal degree for nursing practice,” said Kay Lindgren, Ph.D., RN, and director, school of nursing.
For the first class of January 2011, only Advanced Practice Nurses as specified by AACN (Master degree in Administration, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, and CNS) are eligible for admission. The application deadline is November 1, 2010 for the January 2011 class.
More information is available: a Doctorate Nursing Practice Program Information Session has been scheduled by the UTC School of Nursing for Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. in Metro 231.
Accreditation granted; renovations completed
Nursing alumni will be pleased to know the UTC School of Nursing recently received a full 10-year accreditation with no recommendations for changes in its baccalaureate and master’s degree programs.
The program was accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), an autonomous accrediting agency officially recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a national accreditation agency ensuring the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing.
Additionally, improvements were made when the nursing program recently moved into a renovated space in the Metropolitan building that includes three large, smart classrooms and a 35-seat computer lab.
“There is also a high-fidelity skills lab with patient simulation rooms, an operating room simulation, advanced practice skills room, large bed lab for practicing fundamental skills and an instructional area complete with smart classroom set-up. We also now have cameras mounted throughout the lab to use for instructional purposes,” said Lindgren.
Lindgren said the program had outgrown its previous space. New donations, grants, and scholarships will help the nursing program expand as more students are accepted and additional faculty are hired to teach.
DNP offering helps satisfies national need
An alternative to research-focused doctoral programs, the DNP advances professional nursing roles in clinical practice and nursing leadership and management.
“Today's complex health care environment has produced a great demand for nurses educated at a level of increasing responsibilities and competencies,” said Lindgren.
In response to this need, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing has endorsed that advanced practice nurses be prepared with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree by the year 2015.
“The DNP at UTC will be delivered via distance learning technology with synchronous and asynchronous experiences. The online option will be supported through state of the art technology and advisors who will help facilitate a path to successful program completion,” said Lindgren.
Students will be assigned to an individual faculty advisor/mentor throughout the program.
“Our graduates will engage in innovative and evidence-based nursing practice and translate reliable evidence to increase the effectiveness of nursing practice” Lindgren added.
Nurses with practice doctorates will be the most highly educated and qualified practitioners in the discipline. The DNP graduate will also be qualified to teach the future clinicians and leaders in the nursing profession.
For more information about the DNP and how to apply, contactApril Anderson, Assistant DNP Coordinator, at (423) 425-4670 or Kay Lindgren, PhD RN, Director School of Nursing, (423) 425-4750. For more information about the information session scheduled for Tuesday, September 28, call (423)425-4644.
Application materials and more information are also available on the School of Nursing website at http://www.utc.edu/Academic/Nursing/DNP.php.
Alumnus, former US Marine begins medical school
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During former US Marine Aaron Evans’ second tour of duty in Iraq he was part of the humanitarian effort to help rebuild the city of Rutbah, Iraq. He helped provide security and logistical assistance for people living in “really bad conditions,” and he became frustrated when civilians needed medical help. Their one hospital was being rebuilt and only one small clinic remained.
“Several people came to us for help, and we could not immediately provide it. There were no supplies, and I did not have the training. I thought about it a lot,” Evans said. “It was there that I felt a calling to become a physician.”
Following his honorable discharge, Evans spent five semesters at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, finishing his undergraduate chemistry degree in May 2010. The 28-year Evans is one of seven UTC chemistry majors beginning medical school this fall. Evans is studying at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
“Most of the students I knew who graduated with me in May made straight A’s in all our courses,” Evans said. “Now, we will be attending medical school where all the students have made excellent grades. We heard a lot of statistics during medical school orientation, and the one that stuck with me is how few people make A’s in medical school,” Evans said.
In the UTC Department of Chemistry, Dr. Greg Grant served as a mentor for Evans and Dr. Tom Rybolt directed Evans’ research project. “I can’t say enough about the UTC professors—they are great, and I am happy that I chose to earn a chemistry degree. Everybody was really supportive and taught to a remarkable standard of excellence,” Evans said.
Though it will be ten years before Evans can be a practicing physician, he’s thinking ahead.
“I plan to take time every year to visit third world countries and practice medicine where people really need and appreciate receiving care,” Evans said.
Author Malcolm Gladwell kicks off George T. Hunter Lecture Series
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New York Times bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell will be the debut speaker of the 2010 – 2011 George T. Hunter Lecture Series on October 5. This year marks the third annual George T. Hunter Lecture Series, which is sponsored by the Benwood Foundation in partnership with The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, The Ochs Center, and CreateHere.
“We are very excited to have Malcolm Gladwell kick off the George T. Hunter Lecture Series this year,” said Corinne Allen, Executive Director of the Benwood Foundation. “Mr. Gladwell is nationally respected for his valuable insight in the social sciences and his ability to make new and complex ideas accessible to all audiences.”
Past speakers have included Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, author and historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and New York Times columnist, David Brooks.
Gladwell’s lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Roland Hayes Concert Hall located inside the Fine Arts Center, located at Vine and Palmetto Streets. All lectures in the series are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and is on a first-come first-serve basis.
Gladwell has been a staff writer with The New Yorker magazine since 1996. He is the author of four books, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference (2000), Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (2005), and Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), all number one New York Times bestsellers. His latest book What the Dog Saw (2009) is a compilation of stories published in The New Yorker. In 2005 he was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People.
After Gladwell’s lecture, he will speak to UTC students, CreateHere fellows and community leaders.
“As in past years, the George T. Hunter Lecture Series offers an amazing learning opportunity for UTC students, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Roger Brown, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “We are pleased to welcome nationally renowned leaders in education, arts and culture, community development and the environment.”
Following Gladwell’s lecture on October 5, the remaining speakers of the 2010 – 2011 George T. Hunter Lecture series will be Newark Mayor Cory Booker; Geoffrey Canada, CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone; and international environmental scholar, Dr. Vandana Shiva:
Mayor Cory Booker, November 18th, 2010 - Community Building Speaker: Booker has begun work on realizing a bold vision for the city. Newark’s mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshalling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families. Booker and his Administration have made meaningful strides towards achieving the City’s mission. On April 1, 2010, the City of Newark experienced its first homicide-free month in more than forty years and was recognized in July 2008 for leading the nation among large cities for reductions in shootings and murders, achieving decreases of more than 40% reductions in both categories. Radical transformation of the Newark Police Department under Booker’s leadership, together with the deployment of over 100 surveillance cameras throughout city has led to Newark setting the nationwide pace for crime reduction. In May, Booker was reelected to a second term.
Geoffrey Canada, February 15th, 2011 – Education Speaker: In his 20-plus years with Harlem Children's Zone, Inc., Canada has become nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families in Harlem and as a passionate advocate for education reform. Launched in 1997, the Harlem Children’s Zone targets 100 blocks in Central Harlem with a comprehensive range of services for children and parents from birth through college. According to The New York Times Magazine, “The objective is to create a safety net woven so tightly that children in the neighborhood just can’t slip through.” In October 2005, Canada was named one of "America's Best Leaders" by U.S. News and World Report. The Harlem Children’s Zone is the model for the U.S. Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods program.
Dr. Vandana Shiva, April 26th, 2011 – Environment Speaker: Born in India, Shiva is a world-renowned environmental leader and thinker. Director of the Research Foundation on Science, Technology, and Ecology, she is the author of many books, including Water Wars: Pollution, Profits, and Privatization. Shiva is a leader in the International Forum on Globalization and has addressed the World Trade Organization summit in Seattle, as well as the recent World Economic Forum in Melbourne. Time magazine recognized Shiva as an environmental hero, and Asia Week has called her one of the five most powerful communicators in Asia. Shiva is a recipient of Global 500 Award of the United Nations and Earth Day International Award. She has also received the Alternative Nobel Prize Right Livelihood Award and is a member of the Order of the Golden Ark.
For more information, visit www.benwood.org.
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