As dean of Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy, it is important to me that our educational offerings reflect the highest quality programming and that what we do in the Mayes community is relevant. As we continue to build and grow Mayes College, I want to make an appeal for your help. I invite you to share with me your suggestions, ideas, and support. You can contact me through
e-mail, phone 215-596-7557, or in person at 4100 Chester Ave. on the “Upper East Side” of campus.
As the new College on campus, our efforts to date continue to focus on building our academic infrastructure. We have made great strides in these efforts and are eager to share with you our progress to date and enthusiasm for the future.
Academic Affairs
The development of a strong academic infrastructure begins with complementary, competent, and passionate leadership. Mayes College is fortunate to have a full complement of academic administrators lead by the very accomplished Dr. Shannon Marquez, associate dean for academic affairs, also serving as the chair of the Health Policy and Public Health programs, along with Dr. Patricia Audet, chair of pharmaceutical and healthcare business and our program directors including:
Robert Mueller, Director Graduate Business
Melanie Oates, Director Undergraduate Business
Glenn Beamer, Director Public Health
Steve Metraux, Interim Director Health Policy
Danny Benau, Director Biomedical Writing
Justin Everett, Interim Director Writing Center
The focus of our academic priorities is on the following key objectives:
Education - to ensure that graduates of the College are prepared to become leaders, innovators, and practitioners in disciplines and careers related to biomedical writing, healthcare business, health policy, and public health. Our investment this year includes incorporating the writing center into the Mayes community and developing leadership initiatives including experiential internships for students.
Research - To produce scholarships that advance knowledge and excellence in healthcare business, policy, and public health. A key initiative for Mayes faculty and students is to identify and generate research during the 2009 -2010 year.
Service - To engage faculty, students, and alumni to provide service to the College, the University and the larger community of interest.
Financial - Improve, build, and maintain financial strength for the College. We will do this through investment in our current brand programs and collaborative partnerships for new initiatives.
Academic Planning for the College
The Mayes College Academic Planning Group—which includes representatives from each academic program in our College—has worked hard over the past few months on an academic planning process. The Academic plan for the college includes an articulated mission, vision, goals, and measurable objectives, as well as a College Assessment Plan that is further supported by specific objectives from each of our individual programs.
The energy and dedication committed to this effort will enrich and help solidify our growth and development as a new college at University of the Sciences, and in the academic community.
As the Academic Planning Group continues its work, the focus will move from structure to building talent and relationships through initiatives including professional development, faculty governance and AFE process, external relations and alumni development, faculty recruitment and retention, and developing a research enterprise in the College.
Accreditation Activities
All of the programs offered through Mayes College at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. In addition to this academic accreditation, the professional programs at Mayes including masters in public health, MS in health policy, and the MBA programs are eligible to meet additional quality standards from independent accrediting agencies. This year, Mayes College faculty will prepare our infrastructure, documentation, and program delivery to enable us to submit accreditation applications to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH- MPH, MS/PH in Health Policy) and the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP-BS and MBA Program).
New Faculty Hires
John Gans, PharmD - Professor of Healthcare Leadership
Patricia Audet, PharmD - Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business
Robert Mueller - Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business
Brian Colfer - Assistant Professor of Healthcare Business
Michelle Bragg - Associate Professor of Health Policy and Public Health
Institute Update
With the rapid disappearance of corporate funding for sponsored continuing professional education, our Institute has refocused its energy on programming in executive education and degree-based offerings on the international stage. Interest in Mayes’ degree programs in countries such as Poland, Austria, and China is strong, creating a welcomed opportunity for the institute infrastructure to support the academic departments in offering degrees to constituents from abroad.
Institute for Geriatric Studies and the NHA Program at Mayes
Last fall we successfully acquired a small private education company that enables the IGS to provide the Pennsylvania state approved training program required for nursing home administrator licensure. This 120-hour didactic program is held on our campus each month for nursing home administrators in training.
Student Update
Students and faculty focus on healthcare issues affecting every nation, including delivery, access, demographic shifts, innovation, and many others. This year we hosted a graduate student from Tokyo University to study the impact of pharmaceutical company-backed venture capital funding on new pharmaceutical product creation. We also sponsored a graduate MBA student to study in Asia through our international corporate, government, and health system relationships.
We opened this fall with 43 pharmaceutical marketing and management students participating in our annual retreat at the Diamond Ridge Conference Center in Pennsylvania. These freshmen, transfer, and change of major students were hosted by upper classmen, Program Director Dr. Melanie Oates, and administrative assistant Terri Crenshaw, along with a host of faculty. During the event that ran from September 11-13, students had a chance to meet one another and engage in leadership and professional development activities including participation in drama, professionalism, negotiation, and dressing for success. This program continues to be a great way to develop strong and lasting relationships among students and faculty and a hallmark in our undergraduate program.