WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
& HUMAN PERFORMANCE

To: Faye Vowell, VPAA
From: Gwen Cassel, Chair, Occupational Therapy Assistants Program
            June Decker, Chair, Wellness & Movement Sciences Department
            Pat McIntire, Chair, Nursing Department
            Katherine Woodard, Chair, Social Work Department
Re: Academic Reorganization

If academic reorganization at WNMU results in the formation of schools of programs with common characteristics, please accept for serious consideration this proposal to combine Occupational Therapy Assistants Program, Nursing, Social Work, and Wellness & Movement Sciences to form a School of Health Sciences and Human Performance.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance at Western New Mexico University is to prepare high-quality professionals for employment in various fields of health sciences, human services, and human performance. This mission is achieved while emphasizing and appreciating diversity in culture as well as in learning styles. Student skills are maximized though use of appropriate technology, teaching styles, quality pre-professional experiences, and community service. Upon completion of School of Health Sciences and Human Performance programs, students are capable of providing professional health/wellness services to both rural and urban areas in not only New Mexico and surrounding states, but also to areas throughout the United States.

RATIONALE

Many shared areas of focus form the rationale for the creation of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. Included are:

1.   focus on quality-of-life issues,
2.   focus on broad-based wellness programs,
3.   focus on high-quality pre-professional experience programs,
4.   focus on professional/technical licensure,
5.   commonality of subject matter (anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, psychological aspects of wellness, intervention and support,  illness/wellness planning, preventive health care, family and community systems involvement, nutrition, lifespan wellness, functional independence),
6.    interest in distance education,
7.   potential for sharing resources (equipment, books, video, journals, computers, multimedia classrooms, faculty),
8.   commitment to quality,
9.   emphasis on holistic approaches to health/wellness,
10. belief and involvement in community service,
11. commitment to use of best practices, and
12. emphasis of the importance of lifelong learning.