In this issue…
Current News
First doctoral program at CBU scheduled for fall 2015 launch
California Baptist University will have its first doctoral degree beginning in the fall of 2015. The School of Nursing will offer the doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) after it was approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
“It is very exciting to be launching CBU’s first doctoral program later this year,” said Dr. Jonathan Parker, CBU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “We have been working very diligently to develop a high quality DNP degree program and I’m especially pleased that our accrediting agency has recognized that effort and commented very favorably on the result.”
The school expects 20 students in its first class, said Dr. Lisa Bursch, acting director of the DNP program. Bursch said there is a national movement to have more nurses educated at a doctoral level because of the complexity of health care. For that reason, the school is looking to train nurse leaders to have an impact on health outcomes.
“For as much money as (the nation) spends on health care, our national outcomes are not that great,” Bursch said. “Something’s not translating between what we know to do and what’s being done.”
The nursing doctoral program will be the only one in Riverside County, Bursch said. Students in the clinical doctorate will take original research and put it into practice. Classes will include organization and systems leadership class, nursing theory and translational research, policy and finance. All students will do a project, which involves looking at health outcomes and how to improve them.
Parker said it is fitting that CBU’s first doctoral program is in nursing. “Programs such as the DNP not only help to meet an important need in society by producing highly-trained healthcare professionals,” he explained, “but they also represent the service-related values that California Baptist University seeks to instill in its graduates.”
CBUOnline makes gains in U.S.News & World Report ranking
California Baptist University (CBU) earned the No. 23 spot among online bachelor’s programs in the 2015 Top Online Education Program rankings released Jan. 7 by U.S.News & World Report. This is a jump up from No. 37 in 2014 and puts CBU second among California colleges ranked in the best online bachelor’s programs list.
CBU entered the online education market in the spring of 2010 with programs offered by the university’s Division of Online and Professional Studies. Since 2013, the first year online programs were ranked by U.S.News & World Report, CBU has placed in the top 40 for three consecutive years. CBU now serves more than 3,400 students online throughout the United States, offering 30 online undergraduate majors and concentrations and 16 graduate majors and specializations.
“We are happy to be consistently top ranked since inception, especially considering CBU’s four short years offering online programs,” said Dr. David Poole, vice president for Online and Professional Studies at CBU. “We are even more delighted given the significant jump in our ranking to be recognized by U.S.News & World Report in 2015.” In addition to the No. 23 spot for best online bachelor’s programs, CBU also was ranked among the best online graduate MBA and best online graduate education programs as evaluated nationwide for factors including faculty credentials and training.
CBU ranked no. 7 for faculty credentials and training in the online bachelor’s degree category, No. 3 for online MBA faculty and No. 1 for online Graduate Education faculty credentials and training.
“The ranking methodology reviews student engagement best practices, graduation and retention rates, student indebtedness, faculty credentials and training, as well as technological infrastructure. These are all key elements, central to our focus as we build and deliver programs that serve the adult student who seeks a quality, reputable degree in an online format, at a reasonable cost. This acknowledgement and ranking continues to support our mission and drive that quality and experience of faculty, innovative, cutting edge technology, and student support and service are at the heart of what we do at CBU,” said Poole.
For more information about the rankings methodology, and full listings, please go to http://www.usnews.com/onlinemeth.
Founded in 1950, CBU is a private comprehensive institution located in Riverside, Calif. and affiliated with the California Southern Baptist Convention. Fall 2014 enrollment at CBU totaled 7,957 students enrolled in 72 bachelor degree programs with 150 major concentrations, and 25 master degree programs with 45 concentrations. CBU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, and the Consortium for Global Education.
For more information on the U.S. News Top Online Education Program rankings, please visit http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education.
Spring 2015 semester opens with orientation activities
California Baptist University kicked off the spring 2015 semester, beginning with new students arriving for orientation.
Freshman and transfer students moved into residential facilities Sunday, Jan. 4. The following day they attended a welcome session and a welcome luncheon. Afternoon activities included academic panel and academic sessions. Later, students participated in the traditional Kugel Walk. CBU tradition calls for newly enrolled students to touch the Kugel, a floating granite globe structure that symbolizes the Great Commission, as they begin their educational experience at CBU and again on commencement day.
FOCUS groups – short for “First-Year Orientation & Christian University Success” – also began Jan. 5 to help acclimate students to campus life. Those groups will provide support for students as they begin their first semester at CBU.
On Jan. 6, student activities included a Purpose Session, Resource Fair, bowling and dinner at the Tamale Factory in downtown Riverside.
Spring 2015 classes began Jan. 7.
CBU food ranked No. 3 among California universities
Niche.com has ranked California Baptist University No. 3 among California universities for best campus food and No. 13 in the nationwide listing.
Dining services for CBU is managed by Provider Food Services, which offers a variety of choices through the Alumni Dining Commons, Brisco’s. Chick-fil-A, El Monte Grille and Wanda’s.
Best Campus Food ranks 1,175 colleges across the United States based on meal plan cost and more than 470,000 opinions from 64,000 students. A high ranking indicates the college offers a variety of healthy, quality food options that accommodate various dietary preferences and that the students are happy with the quality of campus food.
Canine ready to serve with CBU professor
Rugar is the top dog on campus. Never mind that he is the only dog allowed on campus at California Baptist University.
His owner is Dr. Juliann Perdue, professor of nursing, who got him about a year ago when he was 8 weeks old. Perdue loves animals, but she does not bring Rugar to work just for the company. When she acquired him, her intent, with prior approval from the dean of the School of Nursing, was to train him to be a Certified Therapy Dog.
Perdue heard about therapy dogs a couple of years ago when she attended a nursing conference on holistic nursing. The benefits of therapy dogs include helping mental health patients relax, providing a calm atmosphere for the elderly so they will eat better and motivating patients in physical therapy, she said.
“I love animals and I really believe in animal-assisted therapy,” Perdue said. “There’s a lot of evidence-based research out there that shows it helps patients’ outcomes.”
Both of them went through training. Perdue took an online course and is certified in animal-assisted therapy. Rugar went through puppy training and earned his Canine Good Citizenship. Last month he trained and was tested to become a therapy dog. Therapy dogs are certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI). Tests include not being scared by loud noises, not going after food when it’s on the floor, and sitting and staying while the owner walks away.
Rugar passed. When he is on duty, he wears a vest made by the company that makes the school’s nursing uniforms, although he will also be getting a bandana from TDI.
Now that Rugar is certified, Perdue plans to ask School of Nursing’s hospital affiliates if she can take him into the facilities so nursing students can see how a dog can help patients. Later, she wants to do animal-assisted therapy, which includes a therapeutic plan with objectives to meet.
Rugar comes with Perdue to work several days a week, and he has already provided therapy on campus.
“I’ve also had faculty request him before tests. They’ll say, the class is having a test, will you bring Rugar in? So I’ll go 15 minutes before the test is to start, and we’ll circulate the room and let them all pet him,” she said. “Right now we just are doing it for our nursing students, but we’re willing to go help anybody. When we walk across campus, students are always stopping to say ‘can I pet him?’ ”
Family Updates
The School of Education honored Dr. Bonnie Metcalf (in front center) during Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The School of Education hosted a lunch to honor its namesake, Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf, during Homecoming and Family activities. Her son and daughter-in-law were in attendance. Metcalf also was highlighted at an open house reception and reunited with alumni, colleagues and friends.
From left, back row: Marilyn Moore, associate professor of behavioral sciences; Dr. Douglas Wallace, assistant professor of sociology; front row: inductees Karla Beltran, Gabriella Madril, Beatriz Thomas, Melanie Jean and Julie Leong. Not pictured are Shelby Moore, Joan Butters, Jeremy Black, and Ginger Monge
The sociology program inducted their first nine members Nov. 14 into the newly formed Alpha Phi of California chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society. Dr. Carol Minton, professor of sociology, serves as chapter representative.
Kenneth Minesinger
Kenneth Minesinger, associate professor of law for Online and Professional Studies, wrote an article titled 2014 Conference of California Bar Associations, which was published in the December 2014 issue of the Riverside County Lawyer Magazine.
Dr. Cammy Purper
Dr. Cammy Purper, assistant professor of early childhood studies for Online and Professional Studies, successfully defended her dissertation for a Ph.D. in education from Claremont Graduate University.
Gary Steward, adjunct professor of history in Online and Professional Studies, has written a book titled Princeton Seminary (1812-1929): Its Leaders’ Lives and Works, published by P & R Publishing. A promo video is available by clicking here.
Dr. Charles Sands
Dr. Charles Sands, dean of the College of Allied Health, made a presentation titled Global Health Engagement at the 13th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, which met in Waikiki Jan. 5-8.
Dr. Tim Luther
Dr. Tim Luther, professor of political science, is author of the books Jurgen Habermas’s Reconstruction of Modernity: Reconciling Individual Autonomy and Community Solidarity, published by Linus Books (2015), and Theories of Truth: An Introduction, published by Bloomsbury Press (2014).
Patricia Palacios
Patricia Palacios, adjunct professor of nursing, was promoted to Clinical Nurse D at Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Dr. Dennis Bideshi
Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology and clinical microbiologist, coauthored a paper titled, Heterologous expression, purification and biochemical characterization of endochitinase ChiA47 from Bacillus thuringiensis, which was published in the journal Protein Expression and Purification in December 2014.
Dr. Joshua Knabb
Dr. Joshua Knabb, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, received notification in December that he is board certified in clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
From left (standing): Aurore Inyange, Lisa Xiao, Tony Zhang, Dr. Dawn Gilmore; seated: Joyeuse Dufitmukiza and her friend Taylor, a student in Oklahoma.
Dr. Dawn Gilmore, assistant professor of music, hosted five international students in her home on Christmas Eve for a chili supper and stocking stuffers.
Dr. Jeff McNair
Dr. Jeff McNair, professor of education, appeared on a Joni and Friends television episode about friendships with persons with disabilities. The show is available for online viewing by clicking here.
Dr. Keanon Alderson
Dr. Keanon Alderson, associate professor of business, taught a new class last semester called Business 101, in which students create microbusinesses. The course teaches students how to recognize an idea, develop an opportunity, take a risk and either buy products to resell or start a service. As a result of the microbusinesses, the class donated more than $2,800 to charity.
CBU students distributed cookies to children in Skid Row.
Dr. Margaret Barth, professor of nutrition and food sciences, and students from the program worked with Fred Jordan Missions during the holidays to provide cookies to children in Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
Parker Andrew Dobbins
Jared Dobbins, assistant director of global mobilization, and Julie Dobbins, assistant director of chapel and Compassion Ministries, welcomed a baby boy three weeks early on Dec. 20th. Parker Andrew Dobbins was born at 3:42 a.m. weighing 7 lbs. 6 ozs. and measuring 19 inches long.
Isabella Grace Flores
Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, and his wife Ruth Flores, lecturer of English for Online and Professional Studies, welcomed a daughter on Nov. 4. Isabella Grace was born at 1:45 p.m., weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 19 inches long.
Personnel Updates
