By Eden Smith, Special to the Record
Bellarmine University plans to restructure its health education programs into a new College of Health Professions this spring.
The college — set to open June 1 — will house the Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences and the School of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, according to a Feb. 28 announcement from the school.
The College of Health Professions will be the university’s second college, along with the Bellarmine College of Arts and Sciences.
The Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Services will include the academic departments of nursing, respiratory therapy, medical laboratory sciences and radiation therapy, according to the announcement.
The School of Movement and Rehabilitation services will include the academic departments of exercise science, athletic training and physical therapy.
“This reorganization and elevation of our healthcare programs emerged after several years of study, with input from department chairs and external stakeholders,” Dr. Doris Tegart, Bellarmine’s interim president, said in the press release. “I am certain that it positions Bellarmine strategically and well for continued growth in health sciences education.”
According to the release, the new college will offer degrees at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels, and has more than 1,000 students currently enrolled in health programs.
Dr. Mark Wiegand, currently dean of the Lansing School of Nursing and Health Sciences, will oversee the new college as vice provost for health professionals.
“The new college structure will allow the schools and individual academic programs to be responsive to the student, employer and community needs,” Wiegand said in the announcement. “The new schools will also help in new student recruitment by clearly linking student career pathways and objectives to the new school names and clustering of related academic programming.”
Bellarmine also offers degrees through its schools of business, communication, continuing and professional studies, education and environmental studies.
