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

 

 

TO:

The Honorable the Members of the Board of Regents

 

 

FROM:

Johanna Duncan-Poitier

SUBJECT:

Southern Vermont College: Permission to Operate in New York State

 

DATE:

June 27, 2005

 

STRATEGIC GOAL:

Goals 3 and 4

 

AUTHORIZATION(S):

 

 

Executive Summary

 

Issue for Decision

 

          Should the Regents permit Southern Vermont College to deliver five clinical courses in New York as part of the Associate in Science degree program in Radiologic Technology?

 

Proposed Handling

 

          This question will come before the Board of Regents on July 21, 2005 as a consent item.

 

Procedural History

 

Regents permission is required, pursuant to §224 of the Education Law, for the College to operate in New York State.  Permission to operate may be granted to an out-of-state degree-granting institution for a maximum term of five years.

 

Background Information

 

Southern Vermont College, Bennington, Vermont, has requested permission to deliver five clinical placement courses at Albany Memorial Hospital, Albany, NY for up to six students annually who are enrolled in its A.S. program in Radiologic Technology.  Clinical placements are arranged contractually between area colleges and health care facilities to deliver the hands-on portion of a health-related education program.  Clinical placement opportunities are limited in number and are dependent on the capability of the health care institution.   

 

Recommendation

 

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

 

VOTED, that Southern Vermont College, Bennington, Vermont, be authorized, effective July 21, 2005, to use Albany Memorial Hospital, Albany, NY for the clinical placement of up to six students annually who are enrolled in its A.S. program in Radiologic Technology, during a period beginning immediately and ending on July 20, 2007.


 

Information in Support of Recommendation

 

Southern Vermont College has applied to the Board of Regents for permission to operate in New York State.  The College is seeking authorization to deliver five clinical courses at Albany Memorial Hospital, Albany, NY as part of the Associate in Science (A.S.) degree program in Radiologic Technology.

 

          The purpose of the proposed program is to provide students with a clinical practice opportunity at an affiliated site in New York. It is not the College's intention to offer the degree program in New York State. The program enrolls 16 students. Two of the students are New York residents.  The average age of its students is 29.

 

Albany Memorial Hospital reports that it can accept a maximum of seven students per semester in clinical rotations from collegiate programs.  Southern Vermont College proposes to place six students per semester at the hospital. 

 

          The Radiologic Technology program prepares students for entry-level positions as x-ray technologists.  At the conclusion of the program, students are eligible to seek certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Upon certification, the graduate is eligible to apply for licensure in any one of 35 states, including New York and Vermont.

 

The program's duration is 21 months.  Students are required to complete the curriculum consisting of both didactic and clinical coursework.  The curriculum is designed so that the didactic content is practiced in laboratory settings followed by practical experience in a hospital setting. Five courses require practical experience in a clinical setting. The program has affiliation with two hospitals in Vermont.  Students gain a variety of clinical experiences through rotations at the hospitals.  This will be the program's first affiliation with a New York hospital.

 

          The New York State Department of Labor projected that, during the 2000 to 2010 period, the number of jobs in this field will grow by 23 percent in the capital region and by 21 percent statewide.      

 

          Southern Vermont College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.  The College's Radiologic Technology program is seeking accreditation from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.  The accreditation visit occurred in May 2005.  If approved, the term of initial accreditation may be for a term of up to three years.

 

Effect on Other Institutions

 

A canvass was conducted of the colleges and universities in the Northeast Region of New York State.  Three responses were received.  The State University of New York (SUNY) College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill stated that the program would not adversely affect programming at SUNY Cobleskill.  The Sage Colleges did not object to Southern Vermont College offering a specified set of courses but suggested that permission to operate be defined as a limited circumstance.  Hudson Valley Community College objected to the proposal and urged the Regents to deny the request for Southern Vermont College to operate in New York State based on the fact that it has offered a Radiologic Technology program since 1966 and believes that the utilization of Albany Memorial Hospital as a placement site for clinical education for students from Southern Vermont College is not necessary when a community college in New York State could provide the same student placements.  At the time of the objection, Hudson Valley Community College did not have an agreement to place its Radiologic Technology students in clinical rotations at Albany Memorial Hospital.  It has since come to such agreement and will place three students at the hospital in academic year 2005-2006 and a total of six students each academic year thereafter. Based on the action of the hospital, we feel that HVCC will not be negatively impacted.  The hospital has stated that it can reasonably handle placement of seven students per semester.  This would provide placement for three students from Southern Vermont College for the 2005-2006 academic year and possibly one additional student thereafter.  This will give Southern Vermont College time to seek additional placements for its students at hospitals in Vermont or elsewhere.