Meeting of the Board of Regents | March 2008

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

 

TO:
FROM:	Johanna Duncan-Poitier
SUBJECT:	State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn:  Regents authorization to award the Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.) degree.
DATE:	February 27, 2008
STRATEGIC GOAL:	Goal 2
AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

SUMMARY

 

Issue for Decision (Consent Agenda)

 

Should the Board of Regents authorize the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn to confer the Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.) degree on duly qualified students successfully completing registered programs at the Health Science Center at Brooklyn?

 

Reason(s) for Consideration

              Required by State statute.

                           
Proposed Handling

 

The question will come before the Higher Education Committee at its March 2008 meeting, where it will be voted on and action taken.  It will then come before the full Board at its March 2008 meeting for final action.

 

Procedural History

 

On November 27, 2007, the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees adopted the following resolution:

 

 

 

Resolved that the Chancellor be, and hereby is, directed to seek the authorization of the Board of Regents for the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn to award the Doctor of Public Health Degree.

 

On December 6, 2007, the Department received SUNY’s request, together with the proposal to register a D.P.H. program in Public Health.

 

Background Information

 

Paragraph (f) of subdivision (2) of §355 of the Education Law authorizes the State University Board of Trustees:

 

To grant all degrees, diplomas and certificates which heretofore [i.e., July 1, 1948] have been granted or have been authorized to be granted upon the completion of courses of study in any state-operated institution which now is or hereafter may be in the state university, prior to the acquisition of such institution by the state university, and also such other degrees as the regents may hereafter specifically authorize them to grant.

 

SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn is authorized to confer the degrees of Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.), Master of Public Health (M.P.H.), Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Professional Studies (D.P.S), and Doctor of Medical Science (Med.Sc.D.) on duly qualified students successfully completing registered programs.  Since the Health Science Center at Brooklyn now seeks to offer a D.P.H. program in Public Health, Regents authorization is required because this will be the institution's first Doctor of Public Health degree program. 

 

The proposed D.P.H program is intended to train students for "advanced science-based practice and practice-oriented research to meet the demand for new leaders ready to respond to current and future public health challenges."  It maintains the existing M.P.H. program's focus on urban and immigrant health while expanding the opportunities for students to develop "broad and deep competence as public health practitioners."  Candidates will enter the program with a master's degree in public health or a public-health related discipline and complete 30 credits of coursework (including field experience) and an additional 12 credits for the dissertation.  Within the program, specialty cores are available in community health sciences, environmental health sciences, and epidemiology.

 

The Department has determined that the program, if approved, would meet the registration standards set forth in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommendation

 

It is recommended that the Board of Regents authorize the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn to confer the Doctor of Public Health degree on duly qualified students successfully completing registered D.P.H. programs at the SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, effective March 18, 2008.

 

Timetable for Implementation

 

If the Board of Regents authorizes SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn to confer the Doctor of Public Health degree, the Department will proceed to register the proposed D.P.H. program in Public Health and the institution will proceed to recruit and enroll program students.