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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Progress Notes
From the Desk of the Department Head Dear friends and colleagues, Between March 2013 and June 2014, the faculty and staff of the Department of Occupational Therapy undertook an extensive self-study of the entry-level (MS) program, in association with the re-accreditation of that program. This highly collaborative process was led by the MS program director Liz Peterson and the Self-Study Committee: Maria Larson, Jenica Lee, Kathy Preissner and Celeste Januszewski. The process involved faculty, staff and key stakeholders, including current students, fieldwork educators, employers of UIC graduates, and alumni. The Report of the Self-Study was submitted to the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in July 2014.
Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, Professor and Head
I am very proud to say that during those months of hard work, our faculty and staff embodied the values of teamwork, commitment and dedication to excellence. The outcomes associated with our self-study process were excellent. At the end of their visit, the on-site team reported their assessment that the UIC MS program met each of the ACOTE educational standards. Additionally, the on-site team highlighted four strengths of the MS program (see below). Congratulations to all OT faculty, staff and students!
ACOTE ONSITE REVIEW DEPARTMENTAL STRENGTHS 1. The administration is lauded for its support for the occupational therapy program as evidenced by additional faculty and staff positions, faculty mentoring and development opportunities, space for the department, and financial support for students to engage in professional activities at state and national association meetings. 2. The program director is commended for her ability to foster a collaborative environment for strong and talented faculty that results in excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. Her leadership results in a strong curriculum with well-articulated curricular threads of theory, research, and practice. 3. Occupational therapy faculty are commended for their dedication to serving as role models and exemplary leaders to students and others in the occupational therapy profession. Faculty are recognized by students, fieldwork educators, and employers as caring teachers and scholars who foster collaboration within the practice community. This results in high student retention rates and graduates who are recognized as evidence-based, autonomous, motivated leaders in their work settings. 4. The occupational therapy students are recognized for their passion for occupational therapy, professional reasoning, leadership abilities, and work ethic. This results in students who are academically well-prepared, and confident in their ability to become lifelong learners and leaders in the profession.