Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook Updated: June 2021 Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook INTRODUCTION The following handbook serves not only as a handbook, but a policies and procedure manual. The handbook has been established for the purpose of clarifying, organizing, and maintaining an effective Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at Briar Cliff University. Although other individuals may obtain information from this document, this manual is intended to serve as an important source of information primarily for students within the DPT Program. This handbook serves as a supplement to both Briar Cliff University’s Student Handbook and Catalogue. Some of the material found in this handbook represents materials from the University’s Student Handbook and Catalogue. This manual serves as a valuable reference for DPT students as they engage in the daily activities in the DPT Program. These policies and procedures have been instituted with the primary objective of ensuring the development and maintenance of a “culture of excellence” in which faculty and students become partners in the pursuit of academic success. This handbook is not to be construed as a contract. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this handbook, but the University reserves the right to change policies, procedures and regulations to protect students, the University and adhere to best practices. These changes can be made at any time and will take effect when the administration determines that such changes are prudent. Students will be notified of changes in a timely manner via email, official announcements, and postings to the student portal and campus bulletin boards. Students are responsible for reading this handbook (see Appendix A), official announcements, notices posted on bulletin boards, campus emails, and otherwise to be informed completely in regard to information related to their role as a student at Briar Cliff University. This handbook, dated April 2020, supersedes all prior revisions of the DPT Handbook. Updated: June 2021 Page 2 Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 2 Table of Contents 3 Section I: General Information 4 Section II: Accreditations 20 Section III: Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and Outcomes 26 Section IV: Program Personnel and Committees 32 Section V: Professional Standards 39 Section VI: Curriculum 41 Section VII: University Policies/Handbooks 49 Section VIII: Student Recruitment, Admissions, Retention, & Graduation 51 Section IX: Additional Department of Physical Therapy Policies 79 Appendices 102 Appendix A. Essential Functions 103 Appendix B. Examination and Lab Practical Contract 106 Appendix C. Consent to Participate in a Learning Experience 107 Appendix D. Exposure Incident 110 Appendix E. Photo/Electronic Media Consent 112 Appendix F. Acknowledgement Form 113 Updated: June 2021 Page 3 Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION Updated: June 2021 Page 4 Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY In 1929, only briar patches covered a 175-foot hill located on the western outskirts of Sioux City, Iowa. Two pioneers, Sister Mary Dominica Wieneke, major superior of the Sisters of St. Francis, and the Most Rev. Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Diocese, envisioned that hill crowned with a Catholic college. The Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of Sioux City, donated a seventy-acre tract of land known as Briar Cliff to the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Holy Family. The Bishop requested that the Sisters establish a college for women on this property, one of the highest sites in Sioux City. Sister Dominica and Bishop Heelan met on March 9, 1929 with members of the Sioux City business community who committed themselves to raising $25,000 to support the establishment of a Catholic college for women in Sioux City. Plans for the project materialized rapidly, and on September 18, 1930 the college, named Briar Cliff after the hill on which it is located, was dedicated. Four days later, 25 women started classes in Heelan Hall, the only building on campus. Briar Cliff University began its first scholastic year. Briar Cliff functioned as a junior college for seven years. In 1937, the third and fourth years of college were added and bachelor's degrees offered. Fifty-five men were admitted to the college in 1965. Coeducation was formalized in 1966 with admission of 150 full-time male students. On April 24, 2001, Briar Cliff College became Briar Cliff University. While the mission of the University has not changed in nearly 80 years, Briar Cliff continues to grow and expand, always placing the needs of students first. Throughout the years, Briar Cliff’s academic growth required an expanding physical plant. As time passed, more buildings appeared on the briar-covered hill: a four-story addition to Heelan Hall in 1948; the library and Chapel of Our Lady Of Grace in 1959; Alverno Hall, a women’s residence hall, in 1964; a gymnasium in 1966; Toller Hall, a men’s residence, in 1967; Noonan Hall in 1968; Newman Flanagan Center in 1982; the Baxter DiGiovanni Living/Learning Center in 1988; the renovation of Bishop Mueller Library in 1993; the Stark Student Center and the Saint Francis Center in 2000, the McCoy Arnold Center in 2004; the Heelan Hall edition in the early 2010s; and the off-site Physical Therapy area in the Mayfair Building of Sioux City in 2015. Briar Cliff opened under the auspices and with the financial support of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, Iowa. For many years the University functioned within the corporation of the religious congregation. In 1963, it became separately incorporated from the congregation and now functions as an independent corporation with articles of incorporation and bylaws filed according to requirements of the State of Iowa. Four members of the religious congregation serve on the thirty-member governing board. Updated: June 2021 Page 5 Briar Cliff University Department of Physical Therapy Student Handbook HISTORY OF THE PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM During the summer and fall of 2011, the Strategic Planning Team at Briar Cliff University (BCU) engaged in an extensive review of its strategic planning goals and objectives, leading to Vision 2020. As a result, many objectives were initiated to achieve this Vision, including the creation of Centers of Distinction. During the winter of 2011/12 the Center for Health Care Initiatives (CHCI) was created. In partnership with regional clinics, hospitals and agencies, the CHCI's goal was to help reduce the healthcare gap present among the region’s underserved populations. Four strategies were developed to help guide this process: • Educate learners, including, but not limited to, creating degree programs in high-need areas • Conduct research relevant to community health care issues • Develop novel health care delivery models with area service providers • Lead and facilitate collaboration among area stakeholders To meet part of the educational component of the CHCI, Drs. Ted Wilson, former Director of the CHCI, and William Mangan, Vice President for Academic Affairs, collected data to help paint a picture of the health care needs of the tri-state region, often referred to as “Siouxland,” including possible professional graduate degree programs that could assist in meeting health care needs. Initial sources of information included the 2010 National Healthcare Disparities report, countyhealthrankings.org, bureau of labor statistics, and census data. From the initial fact finding, it was recognized that the location quotient for physical therapists in Northwestern Iowa and Northeastern Nebraska was .4 - .8, meaning the concentration of physical therapists (PTs) per capita person is lower than the national average. Furthermore, the neighboring Northeastern Nebraska counties of Dakota, Thurston, Cedar, Stanton, and Colfax have been traditionally designated as state shortage areas for physical therapists. The most valuable sources information included formal meetings with leadership from over 40 local and regional health care clinics, hospitals, and community-based health agencies within Siouxland, in which it was recognized that there was a critical shortage of physical therapists and occupational therapists in the region, especially within the rural areas, resulting in long position vacancy periods. Briar Cliff has historically had very strong undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, as well a well-established pre-health science undergrad program. Initially, the BCU leadership team considered several professional health care graduate programs. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education program was ultimately selected for the following reasons: • The Program’s philosophy of care was compatible with the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, • There was a demonstrated shortage of DPT clinicians in the region, information provided by physical and occupational therapy faculty members at the closest professional schools indicated there was an abundance of qualified students not getting into their professional programs, • Start-up costs and resources were achievable by the institution, there was strong support from local hospitals and clinics for a DPT program at BCU, • There was not a higher education institution offering this degree program in