MSCHE Evaluation Report May 2021

Team Report (Self-Study Evaluation)

Page 2

As the self-study was well underway in spring 2020, two events occurred that affected the College and the self-study work. One was the Covid-19 pandemic, and the other was the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which catalyzed an ongoing, national conversation on social justice and resulted in important discussions of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the College.

Section C: Requirements of Affiliation In the team’s judgment, the institution appears to meet all of the requirements of affiliation.

This judgment is based on a review of the self-study report, evidence, and interviews with institutional constituencies to clarify information and verify compliance during the self-study evaluation team visit. Provide a brief summary or bulleted points that reflect, collectively, on the institution’s compliance with the requirement of affiliation. The summary should reference evidence verified during the self-study evaluation review process. 1. The SUNY College of Optometry is one of 64 autonomous campuses in the SUNY system, governed by the Board of Trustees. The State University of New York was created by statute, Ch. 695 L. 1948, the provisions of which are set forth in the Education Law, Art. 8. The College of Optometry operates under the guidance of New York State Education Law, Article 143: Optometry. The operation of SUNY College of Optometry, as is the case for all campuses of the University, is informed by a College Council, whose function is described in the New York State Education Law Section 356. 2. The SUNY College of Optometry is operational, with students actively enrolled in its OD, MS, and PhD programs. 3. Not applicable 4. All materials provided to the Commission were in English. 5. The SUNY College of Optometry complies with all applicable government laws and regulations. 6. The SUNY College of Optometry complies with applicable Commission, interregional, and interinstitutional policies. 7. The SUNY College of Optometry’s mission statement is to “advance visual health and patient care through leadership in education, research, and service.” Its four mission-driven institutional priorities are to: (1) enhance the student experience through programs that promote student and alumni success; (2) deliver a dynamic curriculum that engages students and advances contemporary optometry; (3) grow the graduate and research programs to increase the institutional impact on the advancement of knowledge and produce leaders in vision research; and (4) attract the brightest and most motivated students with demonstrated leadership potential. 8. The SUNY College of Optometry’s self-study provided ample evidence of its systematic evaluation of its educational and other programs, as evidenced in its publicly-available Factbook (https://sunyopt.edu/institutional-research-and-planning/factbook/).

Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software