Executive Summary
Goal 1: Assuring Success in Recruiting, Retaining, and Graduating Students.
Given the potential for growth in all programs, strategies will be employed which will increase the number and quality of
students in licensure, non-licensure and graduate programs from 800 to 1,100. In the PharmD licensure program, the professional division class size will increase according to the following model: 2000 - 95; 2001 - 105; 2002 - 115; 2003 - 125. BSPS non-licensure total enrollment will be increased to 80 by admitting at least 20 students annually, and MS/PhD students will increase from 60 to 75 within two years. Included among the objectives to achieve these goals will be contingent admission of highly qualified freshmen and direct access of transfer students to the professional component of the program.
Goal 2: Facilitating the Transition to the Entry-Level PharmD Degree as the Sole Professional Degree Program of the Strategic Plan addresses one of 
the major undertakings by the college over the next five years. Accreditation standards that became effective in July 2000, establish June 2004 as the completion date for the transition of professional pharmacy curriculums from baccalaureate to doctoral (Pharm.D.) programs of study. Goal #2 addresses the plan for that transition which in effect changes our professional degree program from 169 semester hours of baccalaureate instruction, to one of 137 semester hours of baccalaureate level and 90 semester hours of graduate level instruction. Further, experiential instruction in the professional program increases 242.5% with the degree transition. These changes require substantial personnel and facility enhancement.
The tables that accompany Goal #2 quantitatively describe the student body during the transition period and particularly portray the transition's effect on the need for recitation sections and experiential instruction sites. This information is key to understanding the need to have faculty resources hired in advance of student demand in order to effectively lead active-learning programming and experiential site instruction appropriate to the level of sophistication required for doctoral level training.
In all, Goal #2 seeks six (6) FTE faculty members over the next two fiscal years, four additional faculty members in FY 2004, and three more through FY 2006. Additionally, one additional staff member is requested in each of the three identified time periods. Further increases are supported for modest increases in part-time faculty instruction (total increase 1 FTE) and for graduate teaching assistants (six additional ΒΌ time positions). The amount seeded to the "Affiliated Institutions" account must steadily increase from approximately $260,000 this year to a total of approximately $600,000 by FY 2006.
Goal 3: Creating Partnerships to Expand Opportunities for Learning, Engagement, and Discovery in Northeast Ohio.
The college must also expand its infectious disease/critical care residency and fellowship program from one student each to at least eight per program. Residents being trained will also assist in PharmD clerkship training, thus expanding instructional capacity. Fellows conduct research to further enhance, and understand the mechanism action, dosing, etc. of medications.
Contemporary pharmacy education requires a significant increase in the number of patient centered clerkship sites throughout Ohio. We will meet this growing need, in part, by enhancing the UTCP presence in northeast Ohio through PharmD students, residents and potentially research fellows. PharmD, BS pharmaceutical sciences and graduate students will also be attracted through partnerships with regional institutions. The accomplishment of this objective will rely on traditional instruction as well as distance learning.
The initial effort is to collaborate with Cleveland State University (CSU) (see Certificate of Collaboration) to attract Cleveland area PharmD, BSPS, and graduate students. UTCP students will be recruited to the CSU graduate program, and CSU students to UTCP graduate programs. Collaborative research will be explored and proposals submitted.
Goal 4: Developing Faculty and Staff to Achieve Maximum Performance and Advancement.
The college will succeed at a level equal to individual faculty and staff achievements. In order to ensure success, the college must focus on development of its personnel through simple steps such as ensuring the full operation of the desk on the starting day up to and including campus visits of consultants/coaches, enrollment in workshops and short courses, visits to funding agencies, participation in workshops and sabbaticals. Thus, the thrust as defined by this goal is the retention and development of faculty and staff.
Faculty time will be protected in the first year of the appointment to accommodate establishment of community or hospital practice sites, laboratory or both without the pressure of committee assignments, heavy teaching or service loads. Department chairpersons will guide the development of faculty and assist in planning the teaching portfolio, proposal submissions and publications. Mentors will provide input and guidance and serve as sounding boards. The end point is timely progression to promotion and tenure with the fourth year being the bell weather year.
Salary issues will be addressed through desk audits, skill enhancement of balanced assignments, and comparison to percentile rankings of AACP. Conversion of faculty on nine-month salaries, following appropriate salary adjustment, is critical to retention. Staff will be encouraged to pursue degrees in pharmacy or pharmaceutical sciences, and disciplines of mutual interest.
Goal 5: Strengthening Graduate Programs in the Pharmaceutical Sciences to Better Serve Industry, Government, and Academia.
The College of Pharmacy has a 30-year history of offering graduate degrees in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences. Many of our graduates have become leaders in their fields, enhancing the reputation of the College. The number of graduate students is growing steadily and expected to reach 100 students matriculated in M.S. and Ph.D. programs within five years.
The first objective is to enhance the quality of each of the program areas, which include the M.S. and Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and M.S. in Pharmaceutical Scienceswith options in Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacology/Toxicology. Indicators of quality will be established for each program, program resources linked to quality and funds raised to attract excellent students. The second objective is to increase the number of graduate students in M.S. and Ph.D. programs from 50 to 100 students through increasing stipend levels and intensifying recruitment efforts. The third objective is to expand offerings at the Ph.D. level. The fourth and final objective is to enhance opportunities for graduate students by establishing cooperative programs with industry, supporting career development for graduate students and promoting the success and accomplishments of M.S. and Ph.D. students.
Goal 6: Expanding the Research Enterprise to Create New Knowledge.
The College of Pharmacy has a distinguished faculty who are actively engaged in contributing to their disciplines within pharmacy practice and the pharmaceutical sciences. The stature of the faculty, their recent accomplishments, new facilities and established external partnerships have positioned the college to enhance its contributions to pharmaceutical knowledge and technology, new therapies for disease and innovations in pharmacy practice.
The first objective is to enhance opportunities and incentives for faculty participation in research through hiring additional faculty in each program area, providing incentives for faculty success in research and promoting the research agenda and accomplishments of the faculty. The second objective is to expand partnerships with business, industry and other institutions by encouraging multidisciplinary research and identifying funding mechanisms for partnerships. The third objective is to increase external funding to $2,000,000 a year and increase the scholarly output through positioning the research centers for expanded success, identifying funds to purchase essential equipment, developing a plan for equipment maintenance and facilitating grantsmanship. The fourth and final objective is to enhance the commercialization of faculty inventions by fostering an entrepreneurial environment and facilitating technology transfer.
Goal 7: Enhancing Alumni Relationships and Development Initiatives.
The college plans to further strengthen its already strong relationship with its 2,847 living alumni, beginning with matriculating students. Our participation in, and support of events and activities sponsored by alumni will grow in an exemplary fashion. Success in development can be achieved only if success is achieved in alumni relations, and in philanthropy among this population, faculty and staff. The college intends to become less dependent on state subsidy through higher levels of philanthropy. Efforts will be aimed at enhanced support for high achieving prospective students and matriculating students with modest financial resources. A series of events will take place leading to the 2004 College of Pharmacy Centennial, allowing donors several mechanisms of support.
Goal 8: Achieving Leadership in Creating Diversity in the College of Pharmacy and the Profession.
This strategic plan has the achievement of cultural diversity (referred to as diversity) at the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy as its underlying philosophy. Using the concept of diversity as a major strategic goal to be pursued in organizations seeking to broaden the opportunity afforded to every member of the population each serves is relatively new. As such, it is a concept that is still being defined as it matures in use.
The achievement of diversity as a strategic position also fosters curricular components that lead to the development of graduates' competence in delivering pharmaceutical care to diverse patient populations. The key competency promoted by this strategy that deals with patient care in pharmacy practice is cultural competence.
Strategies to accomplish our goal include programs and activities to increase the diversity in the college community, communications, pedagogy and curriculum. Additionally, we plan to focus recruitment efforts on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions with significant Latino student populations.
Current assessment of the College's activities shows that we have a knowledgeable faculty producing modules on diversity management and cultural competence in required pharmacy classes. We have even greater opportunities to include more faculty members in theses activities. We need training in benchmarking and educational outcome measurements for our Diversity Committee to enable them to make valid comparisons with other comparable institutions and make biannual assessments of our progress.
Goal 9: Marketing College and University as an Institution of Excellence and Leadership.
The college has an enviable track record in preparing skilled practitioners and scientists, an effective faculty and staff supported by modern facilities. Yet, it is not well known among external publics and in some respects, by internal publics. Our regular activities will now include the dissemination of timely information on achievements, activities and additions to the college. A scientific editor will effect greater success in research proposal funding, placement of UTCP news before the public, and support the UT Office of Public Relations. Three hundred news releases per year is a goal. College personnel will be available to the media, and participants in outreach activities allowing the application of program and patient care knowledge. This marketing goal will enhance the standing of the college among its peers and in Ohio.
Goal 10: Formulating a New Plan for Information Technology to Meet the Needs of the College.
Because of the fast pace at which computer technology is changing, the most immediate need of The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy (UTCP) related to information technology is keeping UTCP's current assets up to date. This will be accomplished by embarking on a systematic plan to replace approximately 20% of UTCP's current information technology assets (hardware and software) on a yearly basis. In this manner, the entire computer infrastructure should be updated or replaced within a five-year period. Tentatively, priority for replacement has been assigned based on the age of the particular equipment and compatibility issues. The Academic Computing Committee will also be exploring how information technology can best be used to enhance the learning experience for students and maximize the productivity of the faculty and staff. This information will be critical to our ability to make decisions on the future technology the College of Pharmacy will need to invest in.
Goal 11: Generating Revenue to Enhance College Programs.
As a state assisted institution The University of Toledo has access to funding that addresses many fundamental needs and therefore the platform from which the College of Pharmacy can spring to the next level of excellence. To accomplish this step, advantage must be taken of the intellect and opportunities such as the management of the Student Medical Center pharmacy to the benefit of student and employee health, and reduced employee health costs and morbidity. The college can add this pharmacy to its experiential sites, thus practicing what it teaches, through faculty and residents, on campus. The college will partner with the manufacturing industry for technology transfer, and with pharmacies to provide compounding services for patients while simultaneously training students in this traditional art. The current shortage of pharmacists presents as an opportunity to enhance our relationship with the industry while attracting funds through new recruitment efforts. In support of a wider distribution of the alumni magazine, Extracts & Graduates, advertisement revenue will be attracted. Revenue can also be generated though continuing pharmaceutical education programs of the college, or in collaboration with the Ohio Council of Colleges of Pharmacy. In meeting the real and great costs of its educational programs, the college will also seek differential tuition and program fees with assurance of a return to the college. Seed funds and/or business plans will be secured for the Student Medical Center Pharmacy, compounding partnership and pharmaceutical care/medication clinics. Each research center requires seed funds and aggressive marketing to progress to the $1,000,000 level.
The goal for the Center for Applied Pharmacology (CAP) is to reach a steady-state level of sponsored activities of $1,000,000. The objectives required to meet that goal include developing a niche position as a Phase I specialist in the clinical trials enterprise, modifying the CAP infrastructure, and marketing the capabilities and accomplishments of the CAP. Strategies that must be implemented to attain those goals include: evaluation of the enterprise by an outside consultant; hiring a regulatory and compliance specialist, development of standard operating procedures, thorough knowledge of good clinical practices, personal review of highly regarded Phase I sites, enhanced security arrangements at the CAP performance sites, development of a marketing plan that includes both well-placed advertising and the development and implementation of networking strategies, and application for funding from the federal government (NIH) for appropriate Phase I research projects. These are to be completed by the end of 2001 or the first quarter of 2002. Increased success in grant/contract acquisition is anticipated by mid 2002. A goal of $1,000,000 per year should be attainable by the end of 2002 or the first quarter of 2003.
A second goal is to better integrate the CAP into the educational mission of the College. The objective here is to increase opportunities for PharmD students, M.S. students, post-PharmD residents, and medical residents to become engaged in the research enterprise.
The evaluation plan is to tabulate the total amount of sponsored funding for clinical research and the number of PharmD students, M.S. students, and PharmD residents trained at the CAP and compare them with current and projected numbers.
The Center for Design and Development (CD3) is an established component of the research and teaching infrastructure of the College of Pharmacy. The CD3 provides collective resources and expertise from collaborating faculty in several areas that are relevant to today's paradigms for the discovery and development of new drugs, the assessment of herbal remedies, and for a variety of other topics that are of contemporary interest to the field of pharmacy practice and education. Specific resource cores have been established in biopharmaceutical analysis and in biological screening that use the latest high-throughput technologies. In addition to assisting faculty in the procurement of research funding from the public sector and in assisting faculty in the conductance of ongoing research and teaching programs, the CD3's broader mission is to cultivate health-related interdisciplinary programs within the Northwest Ohio life sciences research community and to facilitate R&D collaborations between the academic and international private sectors. The finances required to operate the CD3 and to conduct its various projects have essentially been garnered from external resources and at this juncture, the CD3 is now well poised to make a step-up in its operations. Over the course of the next five years the CD3 intends to continue to strengthen its two core resources while also establishing new core resources in the areas of drug synthesis, chemoinformatics and formulation development. In line with these projects the CD3 intends to increase its operating budget from its current level of about $ 500,000 to that of about $ 1,000,000 by 2002.
Peer Institutions and Benchmarking
The college has selected five peer institutions and several others that will be helpful in our benchmarking efforts. The first grouping lists three peer instructions, and two model institutions described as such as they are judged to be at the level to which the college aspires.
Peer Institutions
Model Institutions
Others
Implementation teams for each goal will use these institutions in benchmarking our efforts, and analyzing progress.