Students returning for the Fall Trimester will notice something new: the College’s name. The College of Health Professions has changed its name to the College of Health and Human Services. The change went into effect in July.

Dr. Linda Samson, dean of the College, said the name change comes in an effort to conform the name of the College to its true character. She noted that, while most of the College’s programs are, in fact, in the health professions, others, like Social Work and Addictions Studies, are better characterized as human services.

The College, however, remains true to its mission to provide students with an outstanding education in the health and human service professions – and to continue its research in health disparities and support vulnerable populations in our region.

Important Registration Information

From the Registrar: “Students can no longer register for classes late. Classes for Fall 2008 Blocks 1 and 2 can be added through Monday, September 8, 2008. Classes for Block 3 can be added through Wednesday, October 29.”

Students should plan to meet with their advisors accordingly to ensure they have registered for the proper classes by September 8. Also, pay particular attention to payment deadlines.

Again, from the Registrar's Office:

"Governors State University offers three options to complete your registration.

Your registration will not be validated until you:

Have paid all tuition and fees by the payment deadline;

Date of Registration Payment Deadline

July 14 - July 31 July 31, 2008

August 1 - August 21 August 21, 2008

August 22 - September 8 September 9, 2008

OR
Have a signed and validated Payment Plan Agreement Form on file in the Cashier's Office by the payment deadline;

OR
Have been awarded financial aid."

The College of Health and Human Services recommends you also check to ensure your financial aid is validated by the payment deadline to avoid being dropped from your classes.

Don’t Forget to Check the Online Schedule

Some things remain constant – like taxes. Course schedules, on the other hand, have been known to change. To make sure you’re up-to-date on the latest scheduling information for your Fall Trimester courses, check out the online schedule.

Health Administration

Health Administration course HLAD503: Health Care Human Resource Management will be held Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m.

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The Department of Health Administration will hold a one-hour undergraduate student orientation for the Bachelor of Health Administration (BHA) program on September 8th, at 2 p.m. (Room to be announced.)

The orientation will cover several important topics new BHA undergraduates need to know, from advising to student services.

For more information, contact Shavron Kelley, academic advisor for the BHA.

Addictions Studies and Behavioral Health

Two new faculty members have joined the Department of Addictions Studies and Behavioral Health and will begin teaching classes in the Fall Trimester.

Raven James, Ed.D., brings expertise in HIV and sexuality to the Master of Health Science in Addictions Studies program. She has provided case management for HIV positive individuals in addiction and recovery, and has worked with risk-reduction interventions. She also has expertise with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues, as well as gender identity and domestic violence. She is an expert for www.sexualhealth.com.

Raven earned her doctorate in Human Sexuality Education from Widener University. She wrote her dissertation on sexual self-esteem and women in substance abuse treatment. She will continue her research at GSU.

Jacqueline Elder, Psy.D., CADC, is a GSU alumnus and former adjunct instructor for the College. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology and has expertise in motivational interviewing and family therapy. She comes to the College from Triton College, where she was coordinator of the Basic Addictions Counseling program and taught Substance Abuse Counseling. She has been training health and human service professionals in Motivational Interviewing for several years and is widely considered an expert on the subject. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and an advisory board member for the HealthSciences Institute.

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Communication Disorders

Brenda McClellan, M.Ed., came to the College in June as the new director of Clinical Education for the Department of Communication Disorders. Her job is to assign clinical placements for students in the Master of Health Science in Communication Disorders program.

“It will be my responsibility to ensure that students’ clinical education needs are met,” McClellan said.

She noted that the College’s Department of Communication Disorders offers unique challenges and opportunities for clinical placements because it does not have its own clinic, a choice made when the program was first founded.* The idea was to send students into the community to obtain their clinical clock hours, so they gain experience in the communities where they would work.

The challenge this creates is in finding appropriate placements within communities that will meet the students’ clinical experience needs. The opportunity is that it allows McClellan to establish clinical placements near students’ homes.

“We have a lot of returning students who often have families and jobs. They come from everywhere in state – even from Indiana. So we try to get students in sites close to their homes, within a 30 mile radius, if that’s what they’re looking for.”

McClellan has 16 years experience as a Certified Speech Pathologist and ten in academia. She has spent the majority of her professional career in Alabama and Tennessee.

She said she welcomes questions from students.

“Certainly, if they have any questions about their clinical rotation, or the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and ASHA guidelines, I’d be more than happy to help.”

McClellan is also looking forward to the opportunity to teach courses, she said, starting sometime next year.

“[Coming to the College is] a great opportunity,” she added, it’s good to be here and it’s great to begin to learn the Chicago area and the suburbs.

* * *

The department also welcomes two new faculty members:

Jennifer Armstrong, Ph.D., will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in assessment and intervention in communication disorders, sociolinguistics, and early child language disorders.

Armstrong’s research interests include child language and African-American adolescent and adult communication skills and styles.

Stephanie Hughes, Ph.D., will teach graduate courses in voice and resonance disorders, fluency disorders, and scientific foundations of communication disorders.

Hughes’ research interests include psychosocial aspects of stuttering, quality of life and psychosocial issues for people with disabilities, effects of the therapeutic relationship on efficacy/effectiveness of fluency therapy, counseling of people with communication disorders, and the use of qualitative research methods in communication disorders.

*For an interesting discussion of the program's initial accreditation, see "DR. JAY LUBINSKY: From New Faculty to Elder Statesman, Lubinsky to Retire After 32 Years of Service," in the 2006 Annual Report

Nursing

The Department of Nursing welcomes new faculty member Dr. Georgianna Thomas. Thomas will teach in the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, which begins this Fall.

* * *

Twenty one students were admitted to first DNP class. Dr. Nancy MacMullen, chair of the Department of Nursing, said the strongest interest lies, thus far, in the program’s educator track.

“A lot of the students are already faculty, and they want to be able to have more flexibility in their jobs,” MacMullen said. “The DNP will enable them to teach in four year and master’s programs.”

Completion of the DNP takes six to seven trimesters.

MacMullen said students who complete the DNP will be able to give back to the community as teachers, administrators, and clinical and community specialists.

* * *

Coming on board with the Department of Nursing this fall are three new adjunct faculty members: Marcia Matters, MSN; June Smalec, MSN; and Shirley Spenser, Ph.D. They will teach courses in both the Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing programs. MacMullen said each is employed in nursing positions within the community and will bring that valuable experience to the classrooms.

Occupational Therapy

The Department of Occupational Therapy welcomes Dr. Melanie Ellexon, MBA, OTR/L, FAOTA, to the faculty. Ellexson has 30 years experience with industrial rehabilitation and ergonomics, and is a recognized expert in the field. She has presented internationally on that subject, as well as on accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities.

One of Ellexson’s primary duties will be to develop coursework for the new Doctor of Occupational Therapy.

Prior to accepting her position with the College, Ellexson spent 9 years at Chicago State.

Social Work

JoAnne Smith, MSW, LCSW, has joined the Department of Social Work as the department’s director of Field Education. Smith’s job is to create field placements and practicums for students in both the undergraduate and graduate Social Work programs. Along with those duties, Smith will stay on top of field placements and troubleshoot any issues that arise.

It’s important, she said, to get a feel for each student and discover that student’s interests and goals. Ultimately, Smith is determined to find the best matches for every student in the programs. In doing so, she will be able to draw upon nearly 30 years experience in the public and private sectors – and the knowledge she’s gained in the field.

Smith, who started with the College in January, said, “It’s exciting; I like being in a university setting. It’s stimulating in terms of working collaboratively with faculty and staff, with the common goal of creating the best experiences for students.”

Smith will also teach seminars in the MSW program.

* * *

The College also welcomes Dr. Phyllis Bell, who joins the Department of Social Work faculty for the Fall Trimester.

The Writing Center

Written communication is one of the most powerful skills health and humans services students must possess. But writing ain’t always easy, and sometimes we need help.

Not to worry. The University Writing Center has a crack team of writing consultants who are there to help you with that term paper, research project, documentation conundrum, or even that scholarship essay.
The Writing Center helps students in three ways.

Writing Center tutors are on duty in the University Library from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tutors can help you narrow your research focus and answer questions about documentation.
The Writing Center provides online assistance as well at www.govst.edu/owl. The online writing center offers a twenty-four hour response to your writing with revision suggestion for making your paper better. The online writing center also offers links to resources, such as documentation styles (APA and AMA) and where to put that comma.
The Writing Center offers one-on-one assistance in half hour appointments for students who prefer a face to face consultation. Appointments must be made in advance. To make an appointment, call 708.534.4508.

Whatever writing issues you need to work on, the Writing Center provides outstanding support. Our advice: see the University Writing Center pros early, and see them often.

Stressed? Need help?

Governors State University’s Counseling Center provides confidential counseling services for currently enrolled GSU students. For personal counseling, contact Katherine Helm at 708.235.7334.

Career Assistance

The Office of Career Services is ready and able to help you get your career off the ground. OCS can meet with students and alumni one-on-one to develop resumes, cover letters, job search strategies, and more. The OCS also holds workshops and keeps postings for local employers.

Disability Accommodations

Students who have disabilities, and who intend to request extended time on professional licensing exams, should contact Access Services for Students with Disabilities, located in the Academic Resource Center.

Registering will ensure students with disabilities receive the accommodations they need as CHP students and, when they seek additional time on licensing exams, provide necessary documentation that accommodation was provided in their undergraduate or graduate program.

Upcoming CHHS Information Sessions

The Department of Occupational Therapy will hold an information session for its Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree program on Saturday, September 13.

The MOT information session will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Room G-127. For information about MOT information sessions, contact Mary Tracy at 708.534.7270 or by e-mail at m-tracy@govst.edu.

The Department of Social Work will sponsor information sessions for its Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program on the following dates at Governors State University:

Saturday, October 25, 2008, 10 a.m. to 12 noon D-1496
Saturday, November 15, 2008, 10 a.m. to 12 noon Hall of Honors
Saturday, December 13, 2008 10 a.m. to 12 noon E-Lounge
Saturday, January 17, 2009 10 a.m. to 12 noon Hall of Honors
Saturday, February 14, 2009 10 a.m. to 12 noon Hall of Honors

Reservations are not required. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Kelly Robinson at 708.235.3997, or via e-mail at k-robinson@govst.edu.