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OU-HCOM
commended for effective class size
increase
AOA
accreditation body applauds college’s
implementation of enrollment growth
By Karoline Lane
March 16, 2009
During
their March 12-13 site inspection,
officials from the American Osteopathic
Association Commission on Osteopathic
College Accreditation (COCA) described
OU-HCOM as “a model for how to
effectively conduct a class size
increase.”
In
early 2008, COCA granted the college
official approval for a class size
increase from 100 students per class to
140. This academic year, OU-COM began
the increase by admitting 120 students.
“Going
to 120 students went very smoothly,”
said Peter Dane, D.O., associate
dean for predoctoral medical education.
“We asked for a class size increase to
140 because we knew that, with our
present faculty and facilities, we could
absorb that many students while
maintaining an optimal
student-instructor ratio in our
sectioned labs and small groups.”
Dane
explained that the college is proceeding
more slowly with this next phase of
growth to ensure a continued smooth
transition.
During
last week’s visit, COCA representatives
evaluated OU-HCOM’s progress toward its
class size increase, looking
specifically at the college’s compliance
with the three required standards for
such an increase, according to Kenneth Veit, D.O., dean of the Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine.
OU-HCOM
has met all three standards, reported
COCA inspectors Veit and Konrad
Miskowicz-Retz, Ph.D., director of the
AOA Department of Accreditation and COCA
secretary. During their exit interview
with faculty and staff, the two also
commended the OU-HCOM’s thorough and
responsible approach to implementing the
increase.
The
three standards for class size increase
include:
-
Standard 2.3, adequate financial
resources,
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Standard 3.1, sufficient facilities,
and
-
Standard 4.1, sufficient and
appropriately trained faculty.
“(OU-HCOM) is a model of how to
effectively conduct a class size
increase,” said Veit as he read aloud
the commendation from the report that he
and Miskowicz-Retz compiled. “The
(college) used participatory planning
and resource allocation to increase the
class size by a very moderate amount.
The class size increase was conducted
with excellent leadership and in a most
responsible manner.”
“I was
excited to hear Dr. Veit read the
commendation,” said Jack Brose, D.O.,
dean of OU-HCOM. “It made me proud to
hear our faculty’s work extolled by a
national expert in osteopathic medical
education.”
Miskowicz-Retz added that this is the
first time in his many years of visiting
colleges of osteopathic medicine that he
has encountered an accreditation web
site (http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/accreditation/
allowing the college community full
access to all the site visit documents.
“It reflects the confidence of the
people responsible for the college. The
documentation was clearly and thoroughly
presented.”
The
COCA inspectors also praised faculty and
their ongoing assessment of how they
fulfill the educational mission of the
college, as reflected in the attitudes
of the students.
“This
is something we don’t hear too often:
The students very confident and happy
with the size of the school and the
ability to get to know the faculty and
their fellow students,” Miskowicz-Retz
added. “For students to talk about their
identity with the school is something to
be proud of.”
This
site visit follows the full COCA
inspection conducted in October, 2007,
during which OU-HCOM was granted
continuing full accreditation. At that
full inspection, the college received
four commendations and praise from the
commission, and no negative requirements
or recommendations.
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