WCU changes direction on discontinued clinical lab sciences program
The WCU board of trustees unanimously agreed at its Sept. 4 meeting to withdraw its previous decision to discontinue the clinical laboratory sciences program, which was among the steps announced in March to help the university deal with decreases in state funding.
The original plan to curtail the program and redesign the curriculum to reduce costs and improve efficiency could result in the loss of accreditation of the program by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, said Charles Worley, vice chair of the WCU board.
“If we forfeit accreditation, we would have to request reinstatement from the agency once we reintroduce the program, which can be a more complicated process,” Worley said. “If we place the program on abeyance, the agency will place our accreditation on hold.”
Representatives of Western Carolina’s College of Health and Human Sciences are in discussions with administrators from Western North Carolina community colleges and area hospitals to help redesign the clinical laboratory sciences program and develop a curriculum that is more relevant to today’s health care industry needs.
“Our plan is to reintroduce the program no later than the fall of 2011, with a substantial on-line component,” Linda Seestedt-Stanford, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, said after the trustees meeting. “We believe this program, properly designed, serves an important service role to our health care mission.”
Effective this past spring, new students are no longer being recruited into the program. Students currently in the program are being allowed to continue through completion of their studies.
Tags: budget crisis, clinical laboratory sciences, Cullowhee, Health, Western Carolina University
Related posts:
