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Department of

Health Policy and Management

MHSA Program

Student Handbook

2015-2016 Academic Year

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Contents

GENERAL INFORMATION 4 MHSA PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S WELCOME _________________________________________________ 4 HP&M FACULTY AND STAFF ______________________________________________________________ 5

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES - ACADEMIC 8 ACADEMIC ADVISING____________________________________________________________________ 8 GRADING ________________________________________________________________________________ 7 INCOMPLETE GRADES ___________________________________________________________________ 7 ACADEMIC PROBATION __________________________________________________________________ 8 PROGRAM TIME CONSTRAINTS ___________________________________________________________ 8 DROPPING AN INDIVIDUAL COURSE, CANCELING OR WITHDRAWING FROM ALL OF YOUR CLASSES, LEAVE OF ABSENCE ____________________________________________________________ 8 WITHDRAWAL FROM THE MHSA PROGRAM _______________________________________________ 8 TERMINATION FROM THE MHSA PROGRAM ______________________________________________ 9 NOTIFICATION AND SCHEDULING OF ASSIGNMENTS _____________________________________ 9 RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ________________________________________ 9 STUDENT ATTENDANCE _________________________________________________________________ 9 TRANSFER OF CREDITS _________________________________________________________________ 10 WAIVER OF COURSE REQUIREMENT ____________________________________________________ 10 INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPERIENCED STUDENTS ___________________________ 10 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IN GRADUATE STUDY ___________________________________________ 10 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT _______________________________________________________________ 13 STUDENT GRIEVANCES _________________________________________________________________ 13 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY & MANAGEMENT GRIEVANCE AND COMPLAINT PROCEDURE _______________________________________________________________ 13

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES – NON-ACADEMIC 15 CAMPUS POLICIES _______________________________________________________________________ 15 COMMUNICATION WITH STUDENTS ____________________________________________________ 15 COMPUTER RESOURCES ________________________________________________________________ 15 ENROLL AND PAY _______________________________________________________________________ 15 NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION __________________________________________________________ 15 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/NON-DISCRIMINATION__________________________________________ 16

CURRICULAR INFORMATION: MHSA PROGRAM 17 CURRICULAR OVERVIEW ________________________________________________________________ 17 MHSA PROGRAM VISION, MISSION AND VALUES _________________________________________ 18

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MHSA REQUIRED AREAS OF HEALTH CARE KNOWLEDGE_______________________________ 19 MHSA COMPETENCIES _________________________________________________________________ 22 MASTERY OF COMPETENCIES: PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ______________________________ 26 RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCE FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS _______________________ 27 JOINT DEGREES/BRIDGE PROGRAM ____________________________________________________ 28 INTERNSHIP GUIDELINES ______________________________________________________________ 28 RESEARCH PRACTICUM GUIDELINES ____________________________________________________ 28 HUMAN SUBJECTS FORMS, INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES ____________________________ 28

STUDENT SERVICES 29

GRADUATION INFORMATION 31 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS _________________________________________________________ 31 APPLICATION FOR DEGREE _____________________________________________________________ 31 COMMENCEMENT OVERVIEW __________________________________________________________ 31 STUDENT AWARDS ______________________________________________________________________ 32

ORGANIZATIONS 33 JHAWK STUDENT ORGANIZATION _______________________________________________ 33 GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL __________________________________________________ 33 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES ____________________________ 33

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General Information

MHSA Program Director’s Welcome Dear MHSA Students,

On behalf of the faculty and staff, welcome! Whether you are just beginning your course of study in health care management or have been a part of the HP&M family for some time, we’re glad you’re here, and we’re pleased that you have chosen to pursue a career in health policy and management. We pride ourselves on providing a quality, competency-based education that prepares health care administrators to positively impact their places of employment, as well as the entire health care system, with their passion, knowledge base and skills.

Throughout this coming year, we’ll take an exciting journey together as we make updates and

enhancements to our master’s curriculum and work as a key player in the dialogue surrounding the strengthening of public health education throughout Kansas. In addition, we’ll all do some hard but rewarding work in the classroom and in the field, and, next May, we’ll celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues who graduate prepared to redefine and shape the health care system.

Be certain about it, this journey may not be an easy one. We all will be challenged to work in

new and different ways and we all will be stretched to increase what we know and what we learn. In the end, though, I believe that the journey will be beneficial to our formation as health administrators, both individually and collectively, and that we will be better prepared for what lies ahead.

In closing, remember this: the faculty, staff and I are here to assist you in succeeding in this

phase of your career. We want you to succeed, both here and wherever your career path leads. Do not hesitate to call on us when you need assistance; that is what we are here for.

Again, welcome to Health Policy and Management. May you each have a fruitful and productive

year ahead. Sincerely,

Ellen Averett, PHD, MHSA Associate Professor and MHSA Program Director Department of Health Policy and Management

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HP&M Faculty and Staff

Faculty

Jim Albertson, MBA o jalbertson@kumc.edu; 913. 588-6672

Ellen P. Averett, PhD, MHSA, Associate Professor, Director, MHSA Program o eaverett@kumc.edu; 913.588.1274

Robert S. Bonney, MBA, MHA, JD, FACHE, Assistant Professor o rbonney@kumc.edu; 816.932.3523

Joanna Brooks, PhD, Assistant Professor o jbrooks6@kumc.edu; 913.588.0354

Glendon Cox, MD, MBA, MHSA, Professor o gcox@kumc.edu; 913.588.0357

Shellie Ellis, PhD, Assistant Professor o sellis4@kumc.edu. 913.588.0253

Tami Gurley-Calvez, PhD, Assistant Professor o tgurley-calvez@kumc.edu; 913.583.0869

Jean Hall, PhD, Associate Research Professor o jhall@ku.edu; 785-864-7083

Tracey LaPierre, PhD, Associate Professor o tlapie@ku.edu; 785.864.9424

Robert H. Lee, PhD, Professor; Chair o rlee2@kumc.edu; 913.588.2689

Marilyn Kettering Murray, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor o mmurray@kumc.edu; 913.897.5271

Christina Pacheco, JD o cpacheco@kumc.edu; 913.945-7047

Jarron Saint Onge, PhD, Assistant Professor o jsaintonge@ku.edu; 785.864-9427

Ryan Spaulding, PhD, Associate Professor ○ rspaulding@kumc.edu; 913.588.2081

Jessica Williams, PhD, Assistant Professor o jwilliams13@kumc.edu; 913.588.2687

Mary K. Zimmerman, PhD, Professor; Director, PhD Program o mzimmerman@ku.edu; 913.588.2688

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Staff

Carolyn Adams, Administrative Assistant, MA o cadams6@kumc.edu; 913.588.2687

John L. Custer, BS, Administrative Officer o jcuster@kumc.edu; 913.588.2908

Deborah S. Lewis, MA, Operations & Student Support Manager

o dlewis4@ kumc.edu; 913.588.3763

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES - ACADEMIC

Graduate School Policies The official statement of policies regarding Graduate School programs, faculty, and students is in the Graduate School Catalog. Each student is responsible for being acquainted with this information. Current copies may be accessed on-line at http://www.catalogs.ku.edu/graduate.

Academic Advising Academic advising is provided by the Student Support Manager. Students are required to discuss their intended plan of study prior to enrolling for each semester. Some issues to discuss during advising include:

In what sequence should the core courses be taken?

Are MHSA program requirements being met?

What are the required courses and what elective options should be considered?

Have graduation requirements been met?

Grading (Source: KU Graduate Catalog) The basic system is an A, B, C, D, F system, where A designates above-average graduate work; B, average graduate work; C, passing but not average graduate work (C– is not considered a passing grade); D and F, failing graduate work. C–, D, and F work does not count toward fulfilling degree requirements. The letter P is used only to indicate participation in thesis, dissertation, and research enrollments (related to thesis or dissertation), and in the first semester enrollment of a two-semester sequence course. In any semester, an instructor may, at his or her option, assign a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F when evidence about performance is available. Upon completion of thesis/dissertation or research hours leading to a master’s or doctoral degree, the P remains on the final transcript except for the last semester of enrollment. A letter grade (A, B, C, D, or F) is assigned in the last semester of enrollment to characterize the quality of the final product. The individual schools have the option of using or not using +/–, according to the policy adopted by the particular school. B– does not represent satisfactory work in graduate studies. (NOTE: Courses within the MHSA Program do not use +/- grading.) In the grading system defined above, at least a B average is required on course work counted toward any of the master’s degrees or the Specialist in Education degree at KU, and only courses graded A, B, or C (excluding C–) may be so counted.

Incomplete Grades For enrollments other than thesis, dissertation, or research, the letter I is used to indicate coursework that has been of passing quality, some part of which is, for good reason, unfinished. The grade of I for graduate courses shall lapse to an “F” if the grade is not changed by the faculty member within a year. Students should contact their instructor before the end of the semester to request an Incomplete. The decision to allow an Incomplete rests with the faculty member. In addition, the Department of Health Policy and Management has established a policy that a student in the Master of Health Services Administration program has a maximum of one year from the time (s)he receives an I in an HP&M course to complete the requirements for the course and receive a grade for the course. The instructor has the prerogative to require a shorter time for completion of the requirements. If the student wishes to receive credit for a course left incomplete for longer than one year, the student then must enroll

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and repeat the coursework. Any exception to this rule would be determined by petition to the MHSA Curriculum Committee. The student should inquire with departments outside the department regarding their policies for incomplete coursework, as the policy may differ among academic departments.

Academic Probation Upon falling below a cumulative graduate grade-point average of B, computed including grades earned at KU for all courses acceptable for graduate credit, the student is placed on probation by the Graduate Division of the school or college. The grades of P, S, U, and I, for which no numerical equivalents are defined, are excluded from the computation. If the student’s overall graduate average has been raised to B by the end of the next semester of enrollment after being placed on probation, the student may be returned to regular status. If not, the student is not permitted to re-enroll unless the Graduate Division acts favorably on a departmental recommendation for the student to continue study. If admitted provisionally due to deficiencies in grade point average, a student must earn an overall graduate average of at least B during the first semester of enrollment (in which case the student is considered to have achieved regular status) to be permitted to re-enroll. A student admitted provisionally who fails to earn a B average in the first semester may be dismissed immediately. If provisionary continuation is recommended by the department or program and approved by the graduate division, the student may remain on provisional status for one additional semester. Students who have been dismissed from a graduate program may be readmitted for further graduate study at KU only by petition of the graduate division that will accept the student. The petition must be approved by the dean of graduate studies.

Program Time Constraints Normal expectations are that most master’s degrees (excluding some professional terminal degrees) should be completed in two years of full-time study. Master’s degree students are allowed seven years for completion of all degree requirements. In cases in which compelling reasons or circumstances recommend a one-year extension, the Graduate Division, on recommendation of the department/committee, has authority to grant the extension. In cases where more than eight years are requested, the appropriate appeals body of the school considers petitions for further extensions and, where evidence of continuous progress, currency of knowledge, and other reasons are compelling, may grant them.

Dropping an Individual Course, Canceling or Withdrawing From all of Your Classes, Leave of Absence For full information regarding Withdrawal, Cancellation and Leaves of Absence, go to the Office of the Registrar site at: http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/office-of-the-registrar/current-students/dropping-and-withdrawing-from-classes.html

Withdrawal from the MHSA program A student wishing to withdraw from the MHSA program must make arrangements prior to the cessation of attendance at class. A student wishing to return after withdrawing or being dismissed may petition for readmission. This petition will be reviewed by the MHSA Admissions Committee. The petitioner is responsible for supplying all data requested by the Admissions Committee, as well as any other information which may be helpful to the petition. See link above regarding procedure for withdrawing from all of your classes.

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Termination from the MHSA Program Termination from the MHSA program may be initiated by the student or the Department. Students wishing to terminate their participation in the program may do so by notifying the Department Chair. The Department may initiate a student's termination from the program on the following grounds:

Failure to maintain a satisfactory grade level. Students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. However, with the approval of the Program Director, students with a cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 may be permitted to continue for one semester or nine hours of course work. These students shall be placed on academic probation for that semester. At the completion of the probationary semester, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or the student may be terminated from the program.

Failure to demonstrate mastery of MHSA competencies. To demonstrate satisfactory mastery of the MHSA competencies, students are also required to maintain a grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in selected advanced courses. These selected advanced courses include HP&M 819, 827, 831, 833, 837, 830, 846, 848, 854, and 861. Failure to do so may result in termination from the program. However, with the approval of the Program Director, students with a grade point average below 3.0 in these selected advanced courses may be permitted to continue for one semester or nine hours of course work. At the completion of the probationary semester, the student must have a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in these advanced courses, or the student may be terminated from the program. (The grade point average for selected advanced courses may include additional courses approved by the Program Director.)

Academic misconduct shall constitute grounds for termination from the MHSA program.

Notification and Scheduling of Assignments The Health Policy and Management Chair, in collaboration with the faculty, has the responsibility and discretion to schedule all tests, examinations, other performance requirements and activities and final examinations with due regard for any procedures of the department. At the beginning of a course, students should receive a schedule of all evaluation activities, including performance requirements, observations, papers, major examinations, any final examination or other required activity, as well as a statement of the policies governing the use of individual performance results in computing and assigning grades. This information is usually incorporated into each course syllabus.

Responsibility for Academic Performance Students are responsible for keeping track of their grades each semester and for recognizing when their anticipated course grade is below course and departmental standards, or places them in academic jeopardy in any way. Students are expected to seek assistance from the course instructor at such times, or sooner if they feel they need support from faculty to be successful. Course instructors provide students with information about performance standards in the course syllabus; they are not expected to provide additional warnings concerning a particular student's prospects for an unacceptable course grade.

Student Attendance The University of Kansas has no policy on class attendance. However, students are responsible for material presented in class and for any announcements made in class regarding changes in schedule, class content, location or similar information. Information about attendance for specific courses usually is presented in individual course syllabi.

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Transfer of Credits Credit for up to six semester hours of graduate work earned at another college or university may be accepted for credit toward the MHSA degree. To be eligible to receive transfer credit, a student must have earned a B or better for the course credits under consideration. The transfer course work must have been completed within five years previous to the request, must not have already counted toward another degree, and must have been completed in an academic program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health of Healthcare Management Education, the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business, the Council on Education for Public Health, or other appropriate accrediting body. To initiate a transfer, a student must submit a request to the Program Director. This request must be accompanied by a syllabus for each course for which transfer credit is sought. Official transcripts for all previous undergraduate and graduate work should have been submitted at the time of application. If the transfer is sought for course work completed after this time, an official transcript showing completion of the course work should accompany the request memo.

Waiver of Course Requirement Specific course requirements in the MHSA degree may be waived based on completion of comparable content in prior studies. The student must replace a waived course with one of comparable credit hours to earn sufficient credit hours to be eligible for graduation. Eligibility for waivers is as outlined above for transfer credit, except course work used as the basis for a waiver may have been used for a prior degree. The process for initiating and reviewing a course waiver request is also the same as that for transfer of credit.

Internship Requirements for Experienced Students Students with extensive health care leadership experience may request that HP&M 859: Professional Development, and HP&M 860: Internship, be waived and replaced by other classes. The Program Director will review each written request to ensure that the relevant experience incorporates responsibilities for major projects and supervision. A leadership role requires substantial involvement in activities that are not purely clinical.

Academic Integrity in Graduate Study (Source: KUMC Graduate Student Handbook) I. Introduction The question of integrity in scientific research is one which has received considerable attention not only in academic circles but also in the news media. A few serious cases of fraud have recently made all of us in higher education especially sensitive to our vulnerability on this issue. These cases, largely in the sciences, have often come to light when attempts to replicate some of the work have failed. In the social sciences and to a larger degree the humanities a second problem, that of plagiarism, assumes greater prominence. A third area is that of cheating, which in the case of a qualifying examination pertains only to graduate students. A fourth, often a murky area in which the integrity of graduate study is open to criticism, involves abuses of confidentiality. And finally, a fifth area is that in which conflicts of interest arise in relationships between faculty members and students. Although the ethical decisions involved in maintaining integrity in their work may seem very clear to some graduate students, they may not appear to be so clear to others, and some possibly very few, may not even be aware that there is a potential for problems with integrity in research. For these reasons and to help its constituent units in the event that fraud, plagiarism, cheating, abuses of confidentiality, or conflict of interest should arise, these guidelines have been prepared.

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II. Fraud Fraud usually involves the student's intentional and deliberate misuse of data in order to draw conclusions that may not be warranted by the evidence. Falsification of results generally takes one of two forms:

1. the sheer fabrication of data, or 2. the fraudulent omission or concealment of conflicting data for the purpose of misleading other

scholars. An intermediate form, difficult to detect especially in quantitative analyses, occurs when students are sloppy about categorization. All researchers, irrespective of discipline, can agree that the sheer fabrication of data is fraudulent, and all scientists, as well as most social scientists and humanists, can agree that the deliberate omission of conflicting data is also fraudulent. But a few social scientists and many humanists might argue that one person's conflicting data is another person's irrelevant data. In general, in these latter disciplines, the best researchers are those who come to terms with any piece of evidence that others may regard as conflicting. Strong support for a given hypothesis involves dealing with alternative hypotheses. The best insurance against fraud in graduate student research is, of course, the awareness on the part of the student on the importance of following the discipline of the scientific method, the careful and close supervision of the faculty advisor and the examples of other members of the academic community. The student should communicate regularly and frequently with his or her major professor. He or she can do so in a variety of ways--by submitting laboratory notebooks for frequent review by faculty, by having faculty monitor the student's reading in the field, by regular updating of the faculty advisor on one's progress or a combination of these or some other. Such communication will help the student develop intellectually and lessen the possibility of fraud. If a student is suspected of fraud, the academic community should handle the matter forthrightly but always with a clear regard to the rights of the graduate student so that the career of a student researcher who may be innocent is not damaged. Similarly, if graduate student fraud is verified, it must be adjudicated in accordance with those procedures outlined in the Graduate Student Handbook.

III. Plagiarism Unlike fraud, which is usually the deliberate creation of false data, plagiarism is the use of another's words, ideas, or creative productions which are then passed off as one's own without proper attribution (not giving due credit to the original source). Flagrant cases of plagiarism, which like fraud fortunately occur seldom, may involve the extensive use of others' articles, books, or creative productions with perhaps only slight modifications. The penalties here are usually very severe for the student and would likely result in expulsion from the degree program and Graduate Studies or, if a degree has already been earned, rescinding of that degree. Less extensive cases of plagiarism can be either intentional or unintentional (just plain carelessness or ignorance of the commonly accepted rules). In general, one must cite one's authorities in the text or, more commonly, in the footnotes and use either direct quotations or skillful paraphrasing, with citations, for all ideas that are not one's own. Since much of the basic information about our disciplines comes from outside ourselves through a variety of sources common to all who work in a discipline, it is of course unnecessary to footnote those facts and ideas which are, so to speak, in the common domain of that discipline. Otherwise, we would be footnoting everything we know. But an intimate familiarity with the literature of the discipline, or a subdiscipline thereof, lets one know when the distinctive words or ideas of another researcher should be given proper attribution. The fairly common practice among natural scientists of citing the previous significant literature relating to the subjects of their articles or books serves as something of a safeguard against plagiarism which is frequently not present in some social sciences and most arts and humanities disciplines. Every graduate student who works with graduate faculty should have a comprehensive knowledge of what constitutes plagiarism. Ignorance of the concept of plagiarism on the part of the student is no excuse for resorting to it at the graduate level, if indeed ignorance is an excuse at the undergraduate level. Graduate students, if in any doubt

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about the concept, should discuss plagiarism with faculty members. And students should expect faculty members and departments to demand that they know what constitutes plagiarism. There are problems, however, not always associated with traditional perceptions of plagiarism. One of these is the danger, when borrowing from the works of others, of quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing the material in such a way as to misrepresent what the author is trying to say. A second problem arises when a student is overly dependent on the work of another, even if the other is cited meticulously. Still another problem is plagiarizing oneself by submitting the same data for findings in more than one article. And, finally, there is the problem of a graduate student's findings being used by his or her mentor without proper attribution to the student either in the article or book, indeed of not giving credit for joint or co-authorship in articles or books where a substantial amount of the work is done by the student. The student should discuss any perceived problem of this nature with the faculty member involved, the head of the department, or if need be, the Dean of the Graduate Studies. In nearly all of these instances of plagiarism, or variations thereon, the best preventive is the example set by the faculty advisor and the rest of the academic community who are sensitive to all of the nuances. Again, as with cases of fraud, the University should handle any suspicion of plagiarism in accordance with procedures used for cases involving alleged fraud and misconduct. IV. Cheating Cheating at the graduate level may not differ morally from the same action on the undergraduate level, but many find cheating at the graduate level more reprehensible and the consequences, understandably, more serious. Academic dishonesty in one whose presence in graduate school declares he or she has opted for the intellectual life is a serious matter indeed. While cheating in the classroom is covered by regulations from other parts of the university, cheating on qualifying or preliminary examinations is not. At the very least such dishonesty, once proven, should result in failure of the examination. Refer to Section Misconduct of this handbook for guidelines and sanctions. V. Abuses of Confidentiality Abuses of confidentiality by graduate students can take various forms. One example is that in which students have access to data or unpublished papers--or, in the case of natural scientists, grant proposals--of other graduate students or faculty members which they then use inn their own research without permission, even though proper attribution may be made. By extension such an abuse of confidentiality would include the adaptation into one's own research of a thesis or dissertation proposal that one has opportunity to read. Yet another example of the abuse of confidentiality --often in the arts, humanities, and the social sciences--is that in which the graduate student gains archival or library materials about living or recently living subjects and uses them in her or her research without permission from the library or archive or in some cases from the individual. A biological and medical science student also must address himself or herself to the issue of research on live subjects. In some ways confidentiality is one of the forms of integrity which is relatively easy to abuse and relatively difficulty to detect. Once again, as with fraud and plagiarism, following the example set by the graduate student's mentor and that of the rest of the academic community is the most likely mode for prevention. VI. Conflicts of Interest Genuine conflicts of interest between graduate students and faculty members can arise in a variety of ways. As continuing formal education becomes more common and as academics begin to become involved in the world of business, the possibility of a business relationship between student and teacher becomes greater. Another kind of conflict of interest that may arise is through nepotism, that is, when a person serves in an administrative or supervisory relationship to those who are related to him or her by blood or marriage. Most universities have rules which try to regulate professional relationships in such cases. Many faculty members are reluctant to have their own sons, daughters, or spouses take their courses for credit on the grounds that such students may be perceived by others to have an unfair advantage. A business relationship, including a consulting one, must evoke the same kind of caution.

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Similarly, a student should not date an instructor while the student is enrolled in the instructor's course. And, of course, it goes without saying that a student should not ask any instructor to serve as his or her thesis or dissertation director (or research committee member) if the student is having or has had either an intimate personal relationships, a family relationship, or a business relationship with that instructor. If such a relationship should develop after a professional one has been established, the student should expect the instructor to remove him or herself from the professional role. Such a relationship, whether between a graduate student and a faculty member or between a graduate student acting as an instructor and an undergraduate, constitutes a potential conflict of interest, especially as perceived by other students and faculty members, and therefore, should be scrupulously avoided. This is not intended to affect the normal and expected mentorship which should include both personal and intellectual advising. (adapted from guidelines developed by the Graduate School at Indiana University)

Academic Misconduct Complete information regarding KUMC’s policies and procedures for investigating academic misconduct can be found in the KUMC Graduate Student Handbook at http://www.kumc.edu/studenthandbook/graduate.html#misconduct.

Student Grievances As indicated in the Graduate Catalog, a graduate student who believes herself or himself unfairly or unlawfully treated in an alleged academic matter may present a grievance to the academic department or appropriate Program Chairperson. Each academic unit, all Graduate Divisions, and the College have established grievance policies and procedures. The Department of Health Policy and Management’s procedure follows. Complete information regarding student grievances can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook at http://www.kumc.edu/studenthandbook/graduate.html#grievances.

Department of Health Policy & Management Grievance and Complaint Procedure

Any student, faculty or staff member wishing to complain about a Department faculty or staff member or Department policy or decisions on issues of academic misconduct may seek redress in the following manner.

A. Initial Presentation of Grievances. The student, faculty or staff member with complaints about a faculty member's performance should first discuss their grievance with the faculty or staff member.

B. Appeal to the Chairperson. If an aggrieved individual is not satisfied with the actions taken by the faculty/staff member or if the complaint concerns departmental policy, the aggrieved individual should submit a written statement of his/her grievances to the Chairperson. The written statement of the complaint or grievance shall set forth the facts upon which the complaint or grievance is based and shall indicate the rules and regulations of the department, School, or University alleged to have been violated, or the acts of faculty or officials alleged to have been unlawful, arbitrary or capricious. On the basis of this statement and a statement from the faculty or staff member involved, the Chairperson shall attempt to resolve the grievance in a conciliatory manner.

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C. Appeal to the Department. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved through the processes described in paragraphs A and B of this section, a hearing before the Department will be held at the request of one of the parties involved. The following procedures shall govern such hearings.

1. No complaint shall be entertained by the Department if more than six months has elapsed since the action or event occurred.

2. The Department shall schedule a hearing within two weeks of the submission of a complaint or grievance unless it determines that there is a good cause to schedule the hearing later.

3. No member of the Department for whom hearing a complaint constitutes a conflict of interest shall sit with the Committee while that complaint is being heard, nor shall any party involved in the complaint participate in the rendering of a decision. However, such persons may be called upon by the Department to give their accounting of the facts of the case.

4. All proceedings provided for in this grievance procedure shall be closed to all but the parties and witnesses providing testimony.

5. A party against whom a complaint or grievance is brought shall have the privilege of remaining silent and refusing to give evidence, and he or she shall be informed of this privilege during the initial stage of the proceeding.

6. Each party to proceedings shall be entitled to a full examination of the evidence presented by the other party, including the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses. To this end, the complainants and respondents shall provide each other with copies of materials to be used in evidence and names of witnesses prior to a hearing by the Department.

7. The complainant shall bear the burden of proof unless the action complained of is the result of disciplinary proceedings. In such situations, the party supporting the application of sanctions shall have the burden of persuading the Department of the facts upon which the applications of sanctions must be based.

8. The Chairperson shall have the power to keep order, rule on questions of relevance and evidence, and shall possess other powers normal and necessary for a fair and orderly hearing.

9. The grievance proceeding shall be as informal as possible. Therefore, while each party to a proceeding may be represented by an advisor or counsel of his or her choice, representation by legal counsel is not encouraged. Rules of evidence which govern court proceedings shall not apply, there shall be no recording of proceedings, and no permanent records shall be kept.

10. After hearing the evidence and arguments presented concerning the complaint, the Department shall deliberate and decide, by majority vote. Each party to the proceeding shall receive a prompt, written notice of the decision.

D. Other Appeals. Any decision by the Department may be appealed by filing such appeal in writing to the School and then to the University Judicial Board no more than 30 days after the aggrieved party has been advised in writing of the decision of the Department.

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES – Non-Academic

Campus Policies The official statement of non-academic policies for the KUMC campus is in the KUMC Student Handbook. Each student is responsible for being acquainted with this information. You can access the Handbook at http://www.kumc.edu/studenthandbook/.

Communication with Students E-mail is the official means of communication from the University to the student. Each student is assigned a KUMC e-mail address upon admission to the MHSA program. This e-mail address is the one through which you will receive all electronic communications from KUMC personnel. It is expected that students adhere to KUMC policies related to proper usage. This e-mail policy can be reviewed at http://www2.kumc.edu/ir/operationalprotocols/email.asp

Computer Resources All HP&M students have access to and may utilize computers in locations across campus (http://library.kumc.edu/services/computers.xml). A variety of software programs are installed on all student computer workstations.

Enroll and Pay The university's online student information system is called Enroll and Pay, used for the following functions: Admissions Enrollment Bills and Payments Financial Aid Curriculum Management Class Rosters Grading Academic Records Emergency Contacts Students may log on to Enroll and Pay at: https:/sa.ku.edu using their KUMC Network/GroupWise username and password. If you have any questions about how to enroll, the help section within Enroll and Pay can provide you with assistance, or you can contact the Office of the Registrar via phone at (913) 588-7055 or via e-mail at kumcregistrar@kumc.edu. Please go to http://sis.ku.edu/enrollpay-student for student tutorials on how to sign-in and navigate the system, how to enroll, how to view course schedules and course grades, online payments, navigating financial aid, and how to update personal and contact information.

New Student Orientation KUMC has a mandatory, on-line campus new student orientation. A mandatory departmental new student orientation is conducted each August. Students will receive a letter regarding orientation activities during the summer prior to commencing study in the program.

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Topics discussed at orientation include, but are not limited to, structure and design of the MHSA curriculum; ethical/professional/behavioral standards/departmental expectations of students; information technology orientation and training; opportunities for involvement in student governance and activities. New students also will have a chance to meet current students, faculty and staff.

Equal Opportunity/Non-Discrimination The Department of Health Policy and Management and the University of Kansas Medical Center are committed to ensuring equal opportunity. Detailed information about equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies and services can be accessed at http://ioa.ku.edu/. You can contact Institutional Opportunity and Access at Miller Building 1049, 913-588-5048, 913-945-8987 FAX, TDD 913-588-7963, IOA@ku.edu Students are asked to complete a Technical Standards form at the beginning of their academic program. Students who believe they may need accommodations in a class are asked to contact the Academic Accommodations Services Office at 913-945.7035, as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations can be implemented in a timely fashion. Online appointments may also be made at https://medconsult.kumc.edu. For online information about academic accommodations, please go to www.kumc.edu/student-services/academic-accommodation-services.html.

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CURRICULAR INFORMATION: MHSA Program

Curricular Overview The goals of the MHSA Program are as follows:

It seeks to prepare students for a variety of health care leadership roles.

The Program will offer students a solid grounding in the competences needed to advance in a career in health care policy and management.

The Program seeks faculty who are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The MHSA curriculum reflects these goals in its composition and scope. The current curriculum consists of 56 semester hours – 51 hours of required courses, three hours of electives and two hours of internship or research practicum. This course of study is typically completed in two years by those students pursuing the degree on a full-time basis, and in no less than three years of study for those pursuing the degree on a part-time basis. The MHSA degree is generalist by nature, with substantial management and business concentrations designed to prepare graduates for a variety of health care management positions. The degree provides the student with a systematic, comprehensive understanding of administrative health issues and policies, a mastery of the methodologies critical to health services administrators, and a preparation in management sciences. The curriculum includes course work in health systems, finance, operations, policy, information systems, epidemiology, outcomes management, reimbursement and other areas related to the delivery, financing and organization of health care and related services. To strengthen students’ understanding of practice, most courses combine theory and experiential learning, with projects in health care organizations being common. An internship is required of all students who lack substantial professional experience in health services administration. To complete the internship, students must work in conjunction with a mentor in a health care setting for a minimum of 120 contact hours. Most students complete the internship between their first and second years of study. A research practicum is required of experienced students who do not serve an internship. The MHSA curriculum is designed to address core competencies required by the Department’s accrediting organization, The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME).

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MHSA Program Vision, Mission and Values Vision Statement As a part of the University of Kansas Medical Center, the Master of Health Services Administration Program will work with our partners to improve health and health services delivery in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the State of Kansas, and the nation. Mission Statement The University of Kansas Master of Health Services Administration Program prepares managers for a variety of roles in the health care sector. To do so the Program (1) recruits a diverse population of students with the ability to succeed; (2) seeks faculty with varied backgrounds who are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service; (3) organizes the curriculum around a set of competencies that stress life-long learning; (4) emphasizes interprofessional education opportunities with learners and practitioners from multiple disciplines; and (5) stresses the practical application of knowledge. The Program is set in an academic medical center in a major metropolitan area to facilitate interprofessional and experiential learning. Values Statement To further the mission of our department and to advance our commitment to life-long learning, both within and outside the classroom, we espouse the following core values. Respect: Embracing diversity; welcoming new ideas and differing beliefs Integrity: Acting in an honest and trustworthy manner; accepting responsibility for our own

actions. Professionalism: Maintaining high standards for our community, vocational, and educational

organizations; serving as faithful ambassadors for each. Excellence: Advancing the quality of health care and education; working collaboratively to

achieve our individual and collective potential; respecting the educational process, the free exchange of ideas, and confidential information.

Service: Recognizing that we are a part of a health-focused profession; responding with

compassion to the needs of individuals and communities. Vision: Anticipating and meeting constantly changing needs; guiding the transformation of

health care.

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MHSA Areas of Health Care Knowledge (2015)

MHSA Program

Required Areas of Health Care Knowledge July 2015

Listed below in bold are areas of health care knowledge that we expect MHSA students to know upon graduation from the program. Unlike the competencies, these are not grouped into domains. Students’ knowledge of these areas can be assessed in two ways: (1) through relevant class objectives which are listed in bulleted fashion below each area of knowledge, and (2) through course and individual assignment grades.

Systems Thinking

Identify the characteristics of a system.

Give examples of intended and unintended consequences of system changes.

Describe the effects of public policy on organizations and the health care system.

Describe the dynamics of the health care system of the United States.

Professional and Community Service

Discuss the relationship between professional and service roles.

Describe the roles of professional and community service in health care systems

Policy and Law

Describe the key elements of the United States health system.

Assess the social, economic, political, and ethical implications of a policy change.

Locate and synthesize information relevant to analysis of a policy change.

Discuss the major legal issues facing health care organizations.

Discuss the important features of a business contract.

Health Care Occupations and Professions

Describe the roles of various health professionals in the overall health care system.

Discuss the key issues entailed in working effectively with physicians.

Discuss the key issues entailed in working effectively with nurses.

Review strategies for engaging associates in change efforts.

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Organizational Structure

Discuss the effects of variations in structure and function.

Review the implications of organizational theory for a health care organization.

Organizational Culture

Discuss how organizational culture affects effectiveness.

Describe how to change the culture of an organization.

Describe the value of diversity in communities and organizations

Discuss culturally sensitive approaches to health care management.

Describe the major cultural issues that arise in the delivery of health services.

Standards and Regulations

Describe the regulatory process at the state and national level.

Discuss the effects of regulations on the operations of a health care organization.

Review the fiduciary and compliance responsibilities of a governing board.

Population Health

Describe core public health constructs.

Describe population health status measures

Discuss the impact of knowledge and behavior on population health.

Risk Management

Discuss how to improve worker and patient safety.

Describe high reliability organizations.

Distinguish between performance improvement and risk management.

Financial Management

Discuss the integration of strategic, financial, and operational planning.

Describe the revenue cycle of a variety of health care providers.

Describe various types of health care cost models.

Reimbursement Management

Explain the risks and rewards of common reimbursement mechanisms.

Explain insurance risk and pricing techniques.

Evaluate alternative approaches to health care reform.

Discuss current trends in health insurance.

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Technology Management

Identify key issues in technology acquisition.

Discuss how to align an organization’s technology and overall strategies.

Explain the role of technology in improving organizational performance.

Evaluate a proposal to acquire a technology.

Human Resource Management

Explain how principles of human resource management apply in health care.

Compare the human resource roles of general and human resource managers.

Discuss best practices in employee selection, evaluation, and coaching.

Describe the characteristics of an exemplary workforce analysis.

Relate significant labor laws and labor practices to health care settings.

Review trends in human resource management in health care.

Performance Management

Assess a variety of ways to improve work flow

Describe the elements of a successful performance improvement effort.

Discuss alternative approaches to performance improvement.

Project Management

Discuss how to set up a detailed project plan.

Describe the key elements of project management.

Identify the principal requirements of project leaders.

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MHSA Competencies (2015)

MHSA Program Competencies At-a-Glance July 2015

A. Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness Domain 1. Interpersonal Communication 2. Organizational Communication 3. Presentation Skills 4. Writing Skills B. Critical Thinking, Analysis, and Problem-Solving Domain 5. Qualitative Analysis 6. Quantitative Analysis 7. Critical Thinking 8. Strategic Analysis 9. Marketing Analysis 10. Financial Analysis C. Management and Leadership Domain 11. Teamwork 12. Leading and Managing Others 13. Planning and Implementing Improvement D. Professionalism and Ethics Domain 14. Personal and Professional Ethics

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MHSA Program Competencies and Associated Course Objectives July 2015

The 14 program competencies are listed below along with associated course objectives for each competency. Course objectives are specific ways in which a competency can be demonstrated or assessed. A. Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness Domain 1. Interpersonal Communication Competency a. Discuss the main issues in interpersonal communication. b. Apply effective listening skills in a professional context. c. Discuss the value of cultural sensitivity in communications. 2. Organizational Communication Competency a. Review the function of communication in organizations. b. Explain the role of communication in effective leadership. c. Discuss the influence of technology on communication in organizations d. Use social networking software for effective professional communications. e. Use email to communicate in a professional manner. 3. Presentation Skills Competency a. Prepare and deliver an effective presentation. b. Discuss how presentations should differ for different audiences. c. Conduct research to support a professional presentation. 4. Writing Skills Competency a. Prepare a formal research paper. b. Create, proofread, and edit a routine business document. c. Persuasively recommend a strategy for solving a complex problem. B. Critical Thinking, Analysis, and Problem-Solving Domain 5. Qualitative Analysis Competency a. Describe the advantages of qualitative analysis. b. Discuss how qualitative and quantitative analyses differ. c. Discuss different qualitative analysis approaches. d. Review the epistemological assumptions of qualitative analysis. e. Describe how observational and interview methods differ. 6. Quantitative Analysis Competency a. Interpret health and health care trends. b. Describe the effects of a shift in supply or demand on an organization. c. Discuss the application of economics to health care management. d. Describe the relationships among cost, quality, and access.

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e. Understand and apply basic epidemiology f. Describe the concepts, models, and methods of epidemiology. g. Discuss the role of research in health care management. h. Discuss key issues in evaluation research. i. Describe the concepts, models, and methods of survey research. j. Construct a survey and interpret its results. 7. Critical Thinking Competency a. Identify relevant and reliable sources of information. b. Synthesize relevant information from numerous sources. c. Describe methods of logical inquiry and reasoning. d. Find, interpret, critically evaluate, and use published research studies. e. Evaluate an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. f. Propose and evaluate potential solutions to an organizational problem. g. Specify appropriate criteria for evaluating a decision. 8. Policy and Strategic Analysis Competency a. Analyze a strategic position. b. Develop and analyze a strategic plan. c. Discuss common problems in strategy execution. d. Describe how to monitor strategy execution. e. Analyze the effects of public policy on organizations and the health care system f. Undertake a formal policy analysis 9. Marketing Analysis Competency a. Analyze a market position b. Develop and analyze a marketing plan c. Execute a marketing plan d. Monitor execution of a marketing plan. 10. Financial Analysis Competency a. Analyze a capital project. b. Analyze an organization’s financial position. c. Analyze the creditworthiness of a health care organization. d. Forecast revenue and expense for a health care organization. e. Forecast cash needs for a health care organization. f. Analyze a revenue or cost variance g. Analyze break-even points for volume or price C. Management and Leadership Domain 11. Teamwork Competency a. Evaluate ways of making teams more effective. b. Describe the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for effective teamwork. c. Discuss strategies for making meetings more effective. d. Develop and use a tool to evaluate teamwork e. Collaborate on a major team project. 12. Leading and Managing Others Competency a. Review strategies for managing conflict.

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b. Discuss different approaches to leadership. c. Distinguish between leading, managing, and following. d. Describe how to offer and receive constructive feedback. e. Discuss major management functions in health care organizations. f. Analyze the role of mentorship in organizational development. g. Evaluate one’s own level of emotional intelligence. 13. Planning and Implementing Improvement Competency a. Review organization change models. b. Compare alternative approaches to change management. c. Discuss the importance and challenge of leading change in health care organizations. d. Describe how to deal with barriers to change. e. Use standard tools (e.g., flow or Pareto chart) to describe a health care process f. Construct valid, reliable measures of performance. g. Use statistical process control to detect common and special cause variation D. Professionalism and Ethics Domain 14. Personal and Professional Ethics Competency a. Articulate your personal values. b. Act with integrity and respect for others. c. Analyze ethical dilemmas in a medical, organizational, or business context. d. Identify common ethical issues in management, planning and decision-making.

Mastery of Competencies: Program Requirements

To demonstrate satisfactory mastery of the MHSA competencies, students are required to maintain a grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in selected advanced courses. These selected advanced courses include HP&M 819, 827, 831, 833, 837, 840 (or 830), 846, 848, 854, and 861. Failure to do so may result in termination from the program.

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Recommended Course Sequence for Full-Time Students admitted in Fall 2015 Full-time students begin the MHSA program in fall semester, and will follow the course sequence listed below. Exceptions to this sequence are rare, and should be discussed with the MHSA Student Services Manager.

Fall One

HP&M 810 The Health Care System 3

HP&M 822 Health Care Economics 3

HP&M 825 Financial Concepts in Health Care Management 3

HP&M 858 Health and Social Behavior 3

HP&M 859 Professional Development 1

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Spring One

HP&M 827 Financial Applications in Health Care Management 3

HP&M 832 Governance and Health Law 2

BIOS 704 Principles of Statistics in Public Health 3

HP&M 850 Introduction to Operations 3

HP&M 852 Strategic Management 2

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Summer

HP&M 860 Graduate Internship in Health Services Administration 2

HP&M 853 Strategic Marketing 2

4

Fall Two

HP&M 819 Research for Health Care Leaders 3

HP&M 831 Reimbursement and Fiscal Policy 2

HP&M 837 Health Policy 3

HP&M 848 Designing Health Care Organizations 2

HP&M 854 Human Resources and Workforce Development 3

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Spring Two

HP&M 833 Ethics 2

HP&M 840 Organizational Foundations for Leading Change OR

HP&M 830 Health Care Management 3

HP&M 846 Health Information Technology Management 3

Elective 3

HP&M 861 Capstone Seminar 2

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TOTAL HOURS 56

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Joint Degrees/Bridge Program (see www.kumc.edu/hpm for complete program descriptions) JD/ Master of Health Services Administration Joint Degree Program The JD/MHSA joint degree program combines into four years of full-time study the Juris Doctor (JD) Program offered by the School of Law and the Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) Program offered by the Department of Health Policy and Management in the School of Medicine. The JD/MHSA joint degree program is designed to offer students who plan to practice health law or health services management a thorough academic grounding in both disciplines. Master of Science (Nursing-Organizational Leadership)/ Master of Health Service Administration MS/MHSA The objective of this program is to combine the MHSA degree offered by the Department of Health Policy and Management and the Master of Science degree offered by the School of Nursing. This joint program is intended to provide the student who plans to engage in the Organizational Leadership track within the School of Nursing with the opportunity to acquire training in the convergent fields of nursing and health services administration. Joint Doctor of Medicine/ Master of Health Services Administration Program The joint Doctor in Medicine (MD) and Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA) degree program is offered through the department of Health Policy and Management and School of Medicine at the University of Kansas. The joint program allows students to achieve both degrees in five years. The MSHA portion of the curriculum combines social science and business content in the context of health care and prepares students for management and executive positions in health care organizations. Health Information Management/ Master of Health Services Administration Bridge Program The joint Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management/Master of Health Services Administration Program (BSHIM/MHSA) is offered through the Department of Health Policy and Management and the Department of Health Information Management at the University of Kansas. The joint program allows students to achieve both degrees in five years (on a full-time basis). Students pursuing the BSHIM/MHSA option will be prepared to assume management and executive positions in health-related organizations (e.g., hospitals, managed care organization, health information system developers and vendors, and pharmaceutical companies) and to bring their expertise in health information management to these positions.

Internship Guidelines For specific guidelines and requirements for the fulfillment of HP&M 860: Graduate Internship in Health Services Administration, consult the Student Support Manager.

Research Practicum Guidelines For specific guidelines and requirements for the fulfillment of HP&M 862: Research Practicum, consult the Student Support Manager.

Human Subjects Forms, Information and Guidelines To access forms and other important information regarding human subjects, consult the following website: http://www2.kumc.edu/researchcompliance/hscforms.htm

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STUDENT SERVICES

The Division of Student Services has many things to offer which can enhance your life while at KUMC. The division is located on the ground and first floor of the Student Center, ground and first floor of Dykes Library, ground floor of Orr-Major, and in the Kirmayer Fitness Center. The primary goal of the division is to provide essential support services that assist students as they pursue their academic goals, and coordinate student services so as to insure that they are efficient, accessible and "user-friendly." Student Service Departments include: Enrollment Services Enrollment Services is located on the ground floor of Dykes Library, Room G035. Questions can be answered by calling (913) 588-7055 or by stopping by the office. Office of Student Admissions The Office of Admissions is located on the ground floor of the Dykes Library, room G035. Admissions can be reached at kumcadmissions@kumc.edu or at (913) 588-6211. Office of the Student Ombudsman The Student Ombudsman office is located on the 1st floor of Dykes Library, in room 1005. To make an appointment contact 913-588-4698 or you can contact our ombudsman staff directly: Dr. Vince Loffredo, University of Kansas Medical Center Student Ombudsman, vloffredo@kumc.edu Student Health Services Student Health Services is located on the 1st floor of the Student Center and can be reached at http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/student-health-services.html Counseling & Educational Support Services Counseling & Educational Support Services is located in Room G116 in the Student Center. Although "G" signifies the "Ground Floor," they are actually located on the "L" level (between the ground and 1st floor). They can be contacted at Phone: (913) 588-6580 or http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/counseling-and-educational-support-services.html Student Financial Aid The Department of Student Financial Aid is located in Dykes Library, Room G035. You may contact them at Phone: (913) 588-5170 or http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/student-financial-aid.html. Office of Student Life Student Life is located in G005 Orr Major and can be reached by calling 913-588-6681 or http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/office-of-student-life.html Academic Accommodation Services Disability Services is located in 1007 Dykes Library, 913.945.7035 or at http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/academic-accommodation-services.html

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Kirmayer Recreation Center The Kirmayer Fitness Center is a two-story, 50,000 square foot facility located at the southeast corner of Rainbow and Olathe Boulevards. Contact them at (913) 588-1532 or http://www.kumc.edu/student-services/kirmayer-fitness-center.html. Student Health Insurance Student Health Insurance is located in the Office of Admissions on the ground floor of Dykes, Room G036. Questions can be answered by calling (913) 588-6211 or by emailing studenthealthinsurance@kumc.edu. International Programs International Programs is located in 5007 & 5010 Wescoe within the Academic Affairs office suite. You can contact them at (913) 588-1480 or http://www.kumc.edu/international-programs.html

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GRADUATION INFORMATION

Graduation Requirements Several steps are required before a student receives a graduate degree from the Department of Health Policy and Management. Although they are explained in more detail in the graduate school catalogs, the following list summarizes the requirements for MHSA students:

Formal admission to the appropriate degree program

An approved Plan of Study on file in the department

Satisfactory completion of prerequisites indicated when admitted

An Application for Degree submitted by the deadline specified

Removal of all incomplete grades by the deadline specified

A cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.0 for all courses and for all graduate work taken

Satisfactory mastery of the MHSA competencies

Enrollment in the semester of graduation Degrees are granted in May, August, and December, although there is only one formal graduation ceremony (in May).

Application for Degree Each student must complete the online “application for degree” form (AFD) in the beginning of the semester in which (s)he expects to complete all degree requirements. NOTE: Completion of the form is only the beginning step in the process of granting the MHSA. Both the MHSA Student Services Manager and the Office of Graduate Studies audit the records of each student who completes the AFD form to confirm that all degree requirements have been met. To access the AFD, log on to “Enroll and Pay,” and click on the drop-down box under the “Academics” section. From there, you can complete the online AFD form.

Commencement Overview Reception This reception is jointly sponsored by the Department of Health Policy and Management, the Departments of Preventive Medicine and Public Health in Wichita and Kansas City, the Department of Biostatistics, and the Master of Health Informatics Program. Graduates of the MHSA, PhD, MPH, MS-CR, PhD and MS of Biostatistics and MHI programs unite the Friday before graduation annually to celebrate their accomplishments.

Joint Hooding Ceremony Each year the Department of Health Policy and Management, the Departments of Preventive Medicine and Public Health in Wichita and Kansas City, the Department of Biostatistics, and the Master of Health Informatics Program hold a joint hooding ceremony on the Saturday of graduation weekend. Graduates of the MHSA, PhD, MPH, MS-CR, PhD and MS of Biostatistics and MHI programs are hooded and recognized at this ceremony. This academic ceremony commemorates the end of each student's effort to earn their degree, and honors each graduate individually. Friends and family members are invited to attend. The ceremony is held in Battenfeld Auditorium on the KUMC campus in Kansas City, Kansas.

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University of Kansas Commencement The official KU commencement ceremonies are held on the Lawrence campus on the Sunday of graduation weekend, and involve graduates from all academic units in the University. All candidates for all degrees in May, August or December are eligible to participate. One of the distinctive elements of commencement at the University of Kansas is the procession which forms near Strong Hall on Jayhawk Boulevard; continues down Mount Oread and into Memorial Stadium. Faculty members and graduates wear academic regalia, which contributes to the pageantry of the event, and bears significance determined by the graduate's field and level of academic achievement. Health Policy and Management graduates are encouraged to attend both the joint hooding ceremony and the University Commencement.

STUDENT AWARDS

Various awards are presented to graduating students and faculty at the annual hooding ceremony. Awards include:

Ray Davis Scholarship - Given to students who have completed at least half of the MHSA program, the Ray Davis Scholarship honors academic merit, commitment to a career in health services administration, and promise as a health services executive.

Health Care Executive of the Future Award – Given to a graduating student who demonstrates the potential to be an exceptional health services manager.

Professional Development Award - Given to a graduating student who has demonstrated growth and maturation during the program, and who shows promise as a health services manager.

The JHAWK student organization also confers: a Faculty Appreciation Award, given to a faculty member for their outstanding efforts and contributions to the personal and professional development of the student body, as well as the program itself; and a Student Appreciation Award, given to a current MHSA student in recognition of their contribution to the program.

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ORGANIZATIONS

JHAWK Student Organization A departmental student organization, Jayhawk Healthcare Administrators Working for Kansas (JHAWK), is open to all HP&M students. JHAWK promotes leadership, marketability, relationships, and knowledge for students pursuing a career in health services administration through personal and professional development activities. The JHAWK website (http://www.jayhawkhealth.com) contains additional information about the organization, its mission, organization and activities.

Graduate Student Council The Graduate Student Council on the KUMC campus represents all graduate students. The purpose of the Graduate Student Council is:

To promote the welfare of KUMC Graduate Students through participation in University governance activities; representation of all graduate students at KUMC in campus-wide affairs that directly and primarily affect the Graduate Students; and representation of their interests and concerns to the faculty and University administration

To allocate University funds derived from Student Activity Fees.

To enhance the cultural, social and professional growth of KUMC Graduate Students.

To ensure that the opportunities at the Medical Center are open to all Graduate Students regardless of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, age, ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation or veteran status, as set forth in the University’s Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policies.

To protect and enhance student’s rights. The Council meets monthly; all meetings are open to graduate students.

American College of Healthcare Executives The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional organization society of more than 30,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, health care systems and other health care organizations. ACHE is known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and its annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership. All HPM students are encouraged to join ACHE as a Student Associate when they enter the MHSA Program. JHAWK coordinates student attendance at the annual Congress. Learn more at www.ache.org. See the HP&M website for an additional listing of relevant health services administration professional organizations: http://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/hpm/student-resources.html