Radiation Therapy Technology will join the SoHP as one of the programs. MANHATTAN.EDU/ COURTESY
By Karen Flores, Arts and Entertainment Editor
The School of Education and Health will officially be renamed the School of Health Professions (SoHP). SoHP will house undergraduate and graduate programs centered around a variety of health professions.
The renaming of the school was announced as one of the steps towards Manhattan College’s plan to expand its program options within the healthcare field. The education department will formally join the School of Liberal Arts as the Division of Education.
According to an email sent out by President Br. Daniel Gardner, FSC, there was an evaluation of the admissions patterns within the college to determine the job growth figures within different health professions. It was decided to rename the school and pool together all existing programs connected with the growing healthcare workforce.
“The School of Health Professions (SoHP) will…make it a new home to Manhattan College students and faculty interested in the health professions,” Gardener wrote. “In addition to these already established programs, the SoHP will provide greater access to postgraduate pathways in a wide range of disciplines.”
The SoHP will also provide more access to postgraduate pathways in various disciplines through articulation agreements the college has with a wide range of institutions. These agreements give MC graduates preferential admission to graduate programs upon completing their degrees.
According to manhattan.edu, “The school plans to launch additional programs including, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy/audiology, surgical technology, pharmacology, and physician assistant.” The college also plans to launch a nursing program in the fall of 2024.
William Clyde, Ph.D., interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, explained to The Quadrangle that classes for the new programs would be accommodated in vacant spaces within the campus.
“There are a variety of unused spaces around campus,” Clyde said. “We’re going to consolidate in a way that makes the vacant space within the top three floors of Hayden Hall and Leo Hall. We’ll be consolidating some of our lab spaces.”
With the addition of new programs, Clyde believes that there could be more collaboration within the schools on campus.
“There are a host of things that seem like they could be good for us to offer,” Clyde said. “They fit well with our engineering school where we have chemical engineering that does work with the production of pharmaceuticals, and our chemistry area where we’ve got very strong biochemistry going on. There are lots of good synergies.”
When asked about the search for professors for the new programs, Clyde explained that there are current professors on campus that have the expertise to create and teach the new curriculums that will be offered; hiring will take place on an as-needed basis.
“Sometimes we have professors with expertise in a specific area that can start the program and create the curriculum to get it approved by the state,” Clyde said. “Sometimes one needs to hire somebody new to be able to create the program. It will all vary depending on the program offerings.”
Shawn Ladda, Ph.D., department chair of kinesiology, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle that the creation of the SoHP is exciting as it would provide more opportunities for future students.
“I was excited as many of our students who major in exercise science go on to graduate school in PT [Physical Therapy], OT [Occupational Therapy], PA [Physician Assistant], medical school, and nursing so eventually offering these programs will be great for future Jaspers,” Ladda wrote. “The top jobs in demand in the next 10 years include many in the health professions, so Manhattan College is planning to help society meet these demands.”
Angela Oliveira, Ph.D., program director of radiation therapy, wrote in an email to The Quadrangle that the creation of SoHP will aid in teaching students how to give the best patient care in the future. She also wrote that she looks forward to collaboration within the school.
“Overall, I believe that the creation of the school of health professions is an exciting opportunity for our school and a positive step towards improving healthcare education and patient care outcomes,” Oliveira wrote. “As Radiation Therapy School Program Director, I look forward to collaborating with other healthcare professionals within the new school and providing our students with the best possible education and training.”