• Mission Statement
• A Brief History
• Organization and Activities
• Long Range Planning Process
• Assessment
• Summary of Institutional Goals
  
  - Academic Goals and Objectives
  - Patient Care Goals
  - Student Affairs-related Goals
  - Alumni and Development Goals
  - Goals related to Personnel & Business Affairs
  - General Goals

Mission Statement
The State College of Optometry, located in New York City, is the campus of the State University of New York system devoted to optometric education and related scholarly activities. It serves the people of New York by preparing qualified individuals for the contemporary practice of optometry. The College promotes ethical behavior, values, public service and social responsibility in all of its programs. In support of this role, the College seeks to:

• provide state-of-the-art education in the theory and contemporary practice of optometry;provide humanistic eye/vision patient care in accessible health care facilities;promote, through organized research and other scholarly activities, the generation and dissemination of knowledge in the vision and clinical sciences, in health care policy and in other issues relating to optometric education;provide relevant post-graduate education in the form of residency, fellowship, graduate degree, and continuing professional education programs;
• serve as a state, national and international resource on clinical, teaching and research issues related to eye and vision care.

A Brief History
The SUNY College of Optometry was created by an act of the New York State Legislature in 1971. Its professional program in optometry was the first to award the Doctor of Optometry degree in the State of New York and the College remains today as the only institution in the state which provides optometric education. A former program in optometry at Columbia University closed in 1956 and its clinical activity, research and library were carried on by the Optometric Center of New York, a Board of Regents chartered private non-profit entity established for this purpose.

When the SUNY College of Optometry was founded, the Optometric Center of New York became the optometric clinical affiliate of SUNY. In 1975, SUNY acquired the assets of the Optometric Center of New York and the clinical facilities were renamed as the University Optometric Center. The Optometric Center of New York then became the allied and endowing philanthropic foundation of the College with a mission to provide support for vision science research, patient care and student scholarships and fellowships.

Nationally recognized components of the College include the Schnurmacher Institute For Vision Research, the Center for Vision Care Policy and the University Optometric Center. In 1978, the College of Optometry had the distinction of being designated as a "SUNY Center of Excellence" in recognition of its leadership in optometric education, research and clinical care. That same year the College was authorized to confer the Ph.D. in vision science.

Residency education in optometry was pioneered by the College's predecessor, the Optometric Center of New York, with the establishment of the Residency in Vision Therapy in 1966. The College is today the leading optometric institution in the growth and diversity of optometric residency programs.

Organization and Activities
The College's academic programs are organized as follows:

Professional Program in Optometry. A four-year course of study leading to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree, this program enrolls approximately 70 students per year and is the initial credential required for obtaining a license to practice optometry in all states and other jurisdictions in the United States.

Graduate Programs in Vision Science. Education at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels is offered to prepare graduates to pursue academic careers in the vision sciences. A combined O.D./Ph.D. track prepares individuals for careers in clinical vision research.

Residency Programs in Optometry. Postgraduate clinical education is offered to graduates of professional programs in optometry. These programs are usually of one-year's duration and are based either at the College or at one of its affiliated clinical facilities. There are, at present, 28 doctors of optometry enrolled in the College's residency programs.

Continuing Professional Education. Courses for practicing optometrists are offered regularly throughout the academic year. These courses, ranging from one or two hours to several weeks, are approved by all states for meeting mandatory continuing education requirements for optometrists. In addition, the College provides a variety of specific courses (e.g. child abuse, infection control) that are mandated legal requirements for practicing optometrists.

The College's major functions are teaching, research, patient care and public service.

Teaching is primary at the SUNY College of Optometry. This is evidenced by an excellent student to faculty ratio, particularly in programs and courses involving clinical education. As well, faculty are extremely well qualified by virtue of their advanced degrees and residency training. Faculty development programs and the evaluation of teaching are fundamental institutional priorities.Research support comes from the National Institutes of Health and the Schnurmacher Institute for Vision Research which is administered by the College's affiliated endowing foundation, the Optometric Center of New York. Areas of sponsored research include corneal cell biology, color and motion perception, visual accommodation, and visual rehabilitation and reading, corneal biochemistry and vision care policy. The research program forms the core around which the College's graduate programs in vision science are structured.Patient care is delivered through the University Optometric Center, a Diagnostic and Treatment Center under the supervision of the New York State Department of Health. Fundamental to a strong optometry program is the faculty-supervised clinical experience it provides for its interns (3^rd and 4^th-year optometry students). The College's location in Manhattan provides its students with a substantially more intense clinical experience than any of the other schools or colleges of optometry. The quantity and diversity of patients seen by students in the University Optometric Center in Manhattan and in its satellite clinics and extramural programs throughout the metropolitan area distinguishes the clinical education provided by this institution.

Public service is exemplified by the College's extensive clinical facilities, located throughout the metropolitan New York City area, to provide the public with access to world-class, professional eye-care services. The scope of these services is expanding as recently illustrated by the New York State Department of Health's granting a change in the University Optometric Center's Certificate of Need to allow for an expanded scope of services including outpatient ophthalmic surgical care. In addition, faculty are frequently contacted by government, the media and the general public for information and expert opinion in all areas related to the eye and vision.

The Long Range Planning Process

In order to reexamine, on a regular basis, the institution's mission and the external factors which directly affect its ability to carry out that mission, a long range planning process was adopted in October 1998. It was deemed crucial that strategies for institutional growth and progress be developed as well as strategies to cope with possible future opportunities or adverse conditions. Moreover, it was considered important that any planning be accomplished in a comprehensive, cooperative, coordinated and continuous manner by all those who might potentially be affected.

The guiding attributes for the SUNY College of Optometry's planning activities are:

1. The planning process is to have the widest possible participation.

In order for a long-range plan to be effective, those who must be involved in making it so have to participate in and "buy in" to the process. The central focus will be the faculty and administration of the College with significant input from students and support staff. The principal officers of the College, however, must be the leaders of the process.

2. The planning process must function through the college's governance structure.

The executive units of governance will also function as major units for planning. These units are:

(1) President's Council
(2) Dean's Council
(3) Clinic Council
(4) Council on Information Science and Information Technology
(5) The Faculty (through the Faculty Executive Committee)
(6) Student Council
(7) College Council

(1) SUNY System Administration
(2) Board of Trustees of the Optometric Center of New York
(3) Alumni Association of the SUNY College of Optometry

A Long Range Planning Coordinating Committee has the function of defining, coordinating, assigning and evaluating the various planning tasks that will need to be accomplished. This group is composed entirely of in-house persons (faculty, staff, students) selected by the constituencies that they represent.

Assessment
Institutional outcomes are to be measured by (1) the accomplishment of stated institutional objectives and, (2) the continuing evaluation of a set of institutional performance indicators developed according to guidelines established by SUNY as part of its Campus Mission Review process.

The planning process, described above, provides for the regular review of goals and objectives developed for the institution as well as goals and objectives developed by the College's individual operating units. This review process serves as an ongoing assessment mechanism that is tied to future planning and resource allocation.

Summary of Institutional Goals

I. The College will Prepare Graduates of its O.D. Program for the Professional Practice of Contemporary Optometry

II. The College will Maintain Strong and Dynamic Programs of Clinical Education

III. The College will Support Values and Skills That Lead to Life-long Learning and Continuing Professional Competency

IV. The College will Maintain Strong Research Programs in Vision Science, Biological Science, Clinical Science and Health Services Research

V. The College will Maintain Strong Graduate Programs that Prepare its Graduates for Distinguished Careers in Research, Teaching, and Administration.

VI. The College will Encourage, Support, and Reward Faculty Growth and Excellence

VII. The College will Continue to Support the Growth and Excellence of its Programs of Residency Education

VIII. The College Effectively will Utilize State-of-the-Art Technology in Support of its Academic (including clinical) Programs

IX. The College will Support the Integration of Biological and Vision Science Concepts and Clinical Applications throughout the Curriculum.

X. Consistent with SUNY-Wide International Education Efforts, The College Will Provide Leadership in the Development of Optometric Education and Research in Foreign Nations.

XI. The University Optometric Center will provide patient care according to the highest ethical and professional standards.

XII. The University Optometric Center will provide state-of-the-art care to meet the visual needs of patients.

XIII. Interdisciplinary care, where appropriate, will be readily available to patients of the University Optometric Center and its affiliated clinical sites

XIV. The University Optometric Center will optimize the efficiency of and ease of access to its clinical services without compromising the quality of clinical patient care.

XV. The College will admit, to its professional program in optometry, a diversified student body that exhibits outstanding academic credentials and interpersonal skills.

XVI. The College will provide services to its students that enhance their academic achievements and personal development.

XVII. The College will embark on a major gifts effort to extend over the next five years directed at giving opportunities for the College's new facility at West 42^nd Street.

XVIII. Through the vehicles of the ophthalmic news media and community and alumni newsletters, the College will increase public awareness of the programs and services it offers.

XIX. The Alumni Association will increase, significantly, its scope of programs, its financial support to the College and its visibility to the student body.

XX. The College will provide cost-effective, accurate and timely business, financial, personnel, facilities and public safety services to its constituencies.

XXI. Effective communication among all segments of the College community will be fostered.


Institutional Goals and Objectives
Academic Goals and Objectives

I. The College will Prepare Graduates of its O.D. Program for the Professional Practice of Contemporary Optometry
1. Triennial surveys of professional program graduates will be conducted to assess practice trends including scope of practice, employment history and scholarly pursuits.
2. Alumni and student surveys, state licensing laws, practice trends in the U.S. and abroad, and other related sources of information will be reviewed annually as they relate to curricular matters.
3. All graduates will pass all parts of the licensing examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) and will be licensed to practice in at least one state, territory or foreign country within six months of graduation.

II. The College will Maintain Strong and Dynamic Programs of Clinical Education
1. A process to track the conditions seen and procedures performed by each third and fourth year intern will be established no later than July, 2000. Consideration will be given to using this information to establish target numbers of conditions and procedures as a requisite for graduation, credentialing and/or progression in the professional program.
2. To support intern and residency education, a plan will be in place by September 15, 1999, for the development of new satellite clinical sites in the greater New York metropolitan area.
3. Beginning in 1999, a plan will be in place to establish selected internship sites for the placement of fourth-year students in foreign countries with an emphasis on underdeveloped nations.
4. Affiliated clinical sites will be provided with access to information resources consistent with their educational and patient care missions by July, 2003.
5. A program that enables students to observe the practice management processes utilized in optometric offices and group practices will be established by July, 1999.
6. A process will be implemented to credential interns to perform specific clinical procedures as they progress through the clinical program. This process will be implemented by Fall Quarter, 1999.
7. At least one workshop will be held each year for clinical faculty members to refine their skills with regard to educational issues such as student evaluation, feedback to students, mentoring, establishing behavioral and learning objectives and doctor-student interactions.

III. The College will Support Values and Skills that lead to Life-long Learning and Continuing Professional Competency
1. Beginning with the professional program class entering in the Fall of 2000, qualified students will be provided with the opportunity to work with faculty members on research/scholarly projects as part of the professional curriculum.
2. (A) Course syllabi will be reviewed annually to determine the extent to which independent learning skills and critical thinking are fostered, including the ability to access and critically evaluate information.
(B)Appropriate modifications will be made to the course syllabi to further enhance student acquisition of independent learning skills.
3. Alumni attitudes toward continued professional growth and scholarship and participation in activities supportive of such growth and scholarship will be assessed through triennial surveys.


IV. The College will Maintain Strong Research Programs in Vision Science, Biological Science, Clinical Science and Health Services Research
1. The number of grant applications to federal agencies and the number of funded proposals will increase such that the College is more competitive for an NEI Core Grant.
2. Faculty scholarly publications in peer-reviewed periodicals will be tabulated on an annual basis and analyzed in terms of their impact using indices such as citation data.
3. An optometrist will be recruited each year to participate in the clinician-scientist mentoring program. If not already a member of the faculty, the successful candidate will be considered for faculty rank. This program will provide a minimum of .5 FTE for participation in a prescribed research training program leading to the submission of a K-08 (NIH Clinician Scientist) or equivalent grant application at the conclusion of the year.
4. All newly hired faculty members in the academic departments (Biological and Vision Sciences) will be senior or junior scientists who have a record of sustained independent research programs and scholarly activity or the demonstrated potential to develop such programs.
5. A clinical scientist with a history of sustained independent research and scholarly activity or the demonstrated potential to develop such a program will be recruited. This appointment, which will be in the Department of Clinical Sciences, will be made by the year 2000.
6. The effectiveness and utilization of research infrastructure support services will be evaluated on a biennial basis.
7. The College will organize a biannual symposium on vision research that showcases vision research at SUNY and within the Greater New York metropolitan area.
8. The College, through its Center for Vision Care Policy, will increase activity and external funding in the area of health services research and policy development. Over the next five years, such funding will increase by at least 50%.

V. The College will Maintain Strong Graduate Programs that Prepare its Graduates for Distinguished Careers in Research, Teaching, and Administration.
1. A comprehensive review of the Ph.D. curriculum that considers requisite courses, tracks of specialization, requirements for scholarly publications, in- and out-of-house presentations, and preparation of grant proposals will be completed before the year 2000.
2. By the year 2000, a comprehensive review of the M.S. in vision science degree program, that considers, among other things, comprehensive examinations as a condition of awarding the degree and the initiation of a combined M.S. and residency program, will be completed.
3. Additional combined O.D. and professional masters programs (e.g., M.B.A., M.P.H., M.P.A.) will be developed with the initiation of the first new program to occur not later than the 2001-2002 academic year.
4. The Fellowship in Optometric Clinical Management, presently attended by mid-career optometry military officers who are concurrently pursuing the M.B.A. degree at Baruch College, will be comprehensively reviewed during the 2000-2001 academic year.
5. Triennial surveys of graduate program alumni will be conducted to obtain relevant data regarding alumni placement and to determine perceptions regarding the preparation for scholarly activity, research and teaching provided by the graduate program.


VI. The College will Encourage, Support, and Reward Faculty Growth and Excellence
1. Additional programs to showcase faculty achievements in teaching, patient care, scholarly activity, and public service will be established along with programs to enhance faculty skills and knowledge in these areas.
2. A program to mentor newly hired faculty members in the development of teaching, clinical, and research skills will be established. This program will be established by the Fall Quarter, 1999.
 
VII. The College will Continue to Support the Growth and Excellence of its Programs of Residency Education.
1. A plan will be in place, not later than September 15, 1999, for the development of new residency programs consistent with national trends and local resource allocation.
2. All programs will have a credentialing process such that residents will be granted ascending levels of clinical privileges and descending levels of supervision. This will be in place for all residents entering in July 2000.
3. The practice patterns of former residents will be determined on a triennial basis.
4. Written learning objectives will be established at each residency site for issues related to quality assurance, practice management, and public health. These objectives will be in place for residents entering in July, 2000.
5. All residency programs will be accredited by the Council on Optometric Education with new programs fully accredited within three years of inception.

VIII. The College Effectively Will Utilize State-of-the-Art Technology in Support of its Academic (including clinical) Programs.
1. Each department and clinical service area (including the externship and residency programs) will formulate objectives concerning the use of technology -- to include distance learning -- that enhance learning in the classrooms, laboratories, and clinics. Initial objectives will be in place by the Fall Quarter, 1999.
2. The impact of various computer technologies on the academic programs will be assessed as part of the College's course evaluation process.
3. A plan and orderly process for the purchase and regular replacement of computer related equipment and supplies in support of the academic programs will be established. The plan will establish priorities for faculty and student access to computer technology in support of educational and research programs. This plan and process will be implemented no later than the Fall Quarter, 1999.


IX. The College Will Support the Integration of Biological and Vision Science Concepts and Clinical Applications throughout the Curriculum.
1. The following process, derived from the Curriculum Model of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, will be utilized to support integration of basic sciences and clinical concepts:

A. On an annual basis, at least three clinical priority conditions will be established.
B. An ad hoc task force to include clinicians and basic scientists will recommend clinical skills and a knowledge base (concepts and facts) that are expected upon graduation for each of the priority conditions.
C. An ad hoc task force consisting of certain faculty members who teach in the area of a specified priority condition will recommend learning objectives for the priority condition and the placement of these learning objectives within the existing curriculum.

2. The effectiveness of the integration of basic and clinical material in the curriculum will be assessed through the use of focus groups and/or surveys. This ongoing evaluation will commence no later than Fall Quarter, 1999.
 
X. Consistent With SUNY-Wide International Education Efforts, The College Will Provide Leadership in the Development of Optometric Education and Research in Foreign Nations.
1. By the academic year, 2003-04, the College will have established at least six formal affiliations with educational institutions in foreign countries that are developing, or planning to develop, programs in optometric education. These affiliations will emphasize faculty and student exchanges for the purpose of improving clinical teaching and research efforts.

Patient Care Goals
I. The University Optometric Center will provide patient care according to the highest ethical and professional standards.
1. The code of ethical and professional conduct for staff and students will be reviewed every two years.
2. Interns and practitioners are required to comply with all patient care protocols of the University Optometric Center. Such compliance will be reviewed and reported on at QA and I meetings on a biannual basis beginning in June 1999. The outcomes of such compliance review will be folded into the staff credentialing process consistent with the regulations of the New York State Department of Health.
3. The University Optometric Center will provide an environment and resources which take into account the needs of all patients as measured by patient satisfaction surveys, staff surveys, growth of specialized clinical services, and the growth in the number of agencies referring patients in. The information gathered with regard to the above will be reviewed in February of each year to help to determine staff recruitment and budgeting needs..

II. The University Optometric Center will provide state-of-the-art care to meet the visual needs of patients.
1. The latest diagnostic and therapeutic instrumentation will be acquired on a continuing basis in order to provide the highest and broadest quality of care available.. Clinical instrumentation will be evaluated a least every two years to determine if it is up-to-date, readily available and in proper working condition.
2. On annual basis, the institution will review its plan for providing "after hours" care to patients who may require immediate attention. The need for more extensive coverage is expected based on the institution's expanded scope of care and services.
3. By June 1999 , the University Optometric Center will develop a strategic plan to facilitate simultaneous access to patient records and appointment scheduling from various points both within the institution and at its external clinical sites. The plan will be fully implemented by the Summer of 2000.
4. In-service meetings will be held to inform faculty, support staff and students of changes in regulations that affect patient care and management on at least an annual basis.
5. The University Optometric Center will obtain a Certificate of Need for an Ambulatory Surgery Center by July 1, 2000.


III. Interdisciplinary care, where appropriate, will be readily available to patients of the University Optometric Center and its affiliated clinical sites.
1. In seeking additional clinical sites, the University Optometric Center will give the highest priority to those locations where an interdisciplinary approach to patient care is predominant.
2. The University Optometric Center will develop the capacity to provide services outside of the realm of optometric care where those services would enhance the quality and convenience of care for its patients. The need for such services will be assessed by inclusion in all patient satisfaction surveys.

IV. The University Optometric Center will optimize the efficiency of and ease of access to its clinical services without compromising the quality of clinical patient care.
1. A consultant panel of outside experts in health services delivery will evaluate and provide recommendations, with regard to clinical operations and patient care, at least every three years.
2. Patient education materials will be developed, by January of 1999, both to inform patients of the services provided by the University Optometric Center and to describe the visual conditions that require regular visits and on-going care. These publications will be reviewed annually.
3. Patient satisfaction surveys will continue on an ongoing basis, will be revised as necessary and the data analyzed and reported to all clinical service units quarterly.


Student Affairs Related Goals

I. The College will admit to its professional program in optometry a diversified student body that exhibits outstanding academic credentials and interpersonal skills.
1. The College will strive to see to it that each incoming class in the professional program will be representative of the geographic distribution of New York State's population and of the ethnic makeup of New York State.
2. In any year, the average scores for each entering class in the professional program, on all sections of the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT), will be in the first quartile of admitted optometry students for that year.
3. The attrition rate, for academic reasons, will not exceed 5% of students in any one class for the duration of the four-year professional program.
4. All new members of the College's Committee on Admissions will be oriented with regard to interview methods that are useful in assessing the interpersonal skills of applicants. At least every four years, a professionally conducted workshop on interpersonal skills assessment will be conducted for all members of the Committee on Admissions.

II. The College will provide services to its students that enhance their academic achievements and personal development.
1. Students will be surveyed annually with regard to their perception of the adequacy of student services and other administrative services. Student service areas which are to be included on the survey will be, among others: academic counseling, personal counseling, placement, student financial aid, student records and special programs.

Alumni and Development Goals

I. The College will embark on a major gifts effort to extend over the next five years directed at giving opportunities for the College's new facility at West 42^nd Street.
1. A written case for support, entitled Vision 2000 and Beyond, to be used as the instrument for personal solicitation for major gifts will be completed by March 1, 1999.
2. This five-year effort will produce at least $5 million in private gifts to the institution.

II. Through the vehicles of the ophthalmic news media and community and alumni newsletters, the College will increase public awareness of the programs and services it offers.
1. At least fifteen news releases will be published in ophthalmic publications each year for the next five years.
2. At least four newsletters will be produced each year for the next five years.
3. Surveys of patients, students and area optometrists will be conducted at least twice per year to determine the effectiveness of the public relations program.

III. The Alumni Association will increase, significantly, its scope of programs, its financial support to the College and its visibility to the student body.
1. The Alumni Association will sponsor at least four educational and social programs per year which are open to alumni and students.
2. Alumni giving will be increased at least 10% each year for the next five years.


Goals Related to Personnel and Business Affairs

I. The College will provide cost-effective, accurate and timely business, financial, personnel, facilities and public safety services to its constituencies.
1. All functions within the Office of Finance and Administration will be subject to the College's Internal Control Program and evaluated on an annual or biennial basis, as appropriate, for purposes of measuring their efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Institutional surveys of faculty, staff and students will include evaluations of all services provided by the Office of Finance and Administration.

General

I. Effective communication among all segments of the College community will be fostered.
1. In all institutional satisfaction surveys of staff, students or patients, items will be included to assess satisfaction with intra-institutional communication.