I. School History and Organization

About the School of Public Health and Health Sciences

History of the University of Massachusetts Amherst

One of today's leading centers of public higher education in the Northeast, the University of Massachusetts Amherst was established in 1863 under the original Morrill Land Grant Act. Its campus is the oldest and largest in the state university system. The University has achieved a reputation for excellence in an increasing number of disciplines, for the breadth of its academic offerings, and for the expansion of its historic roles in education, research, and public service. The University prides itself on the diversity of its student body, and is committed to the principles of affirmative action, civility, equal opportunity, and the free exchange of ideas.

History of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences

The Department of Public Health was first created in 1938 at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (then known as Massachusetts State College). It joined the School of Public Health in 1973. In 1978, it was accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the 16th school of public health to be accredited by CEPH nationally. CEPH-accredited schools of public health in New England include Boston University, Harvard University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Yale University. The health science departments (Communication Disorders, Kinesiology, and Nutrition) merged with the School of Public Health in 1993 to form the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS). All departments in the SPHHS share a commitment with their fellow departments to optimize human health and well-being.

Within the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, emphasis is placed on the pursuit of basic and applied research as well as the dissemination of the knowledge gained. Technical assistance and consultation to health and other human service agencies, to communities in the private sector, and to innovative demonstration programs are important objectives. The School participates in scientific, professional, and policy-making bodies at the state, regional, national, and international levels. The School recognizes its special obligations to ameliorate health-related problems, and to promote continued good health, thereby enhancing the quality of life. It also recognizes its responsibilities to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its citizens.

School Mission and Vision Statement

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences is as follows:

Mission: Education and Scholarship for a Healthier World

Vision: To Serve, Inspire and Improve Quality of Life and Health Equity for the Commonwealth and Beyond

Values: Collaboration, Community Building, Compassion, Engagement, Equity, Inclusion, Innovation, Local and Global Impact, Excellence

School of Public Health and Health Sciences at a Glance

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences is made up of six departments: 1) Biostatistics & Epidemiology; 2) Environmental Health Sciences; 3) Health Promotion & Policy; 4) Kinesiology; 5) Nutrition; and 6) Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

SPHHS has doubled in size in the past decade, with over 2000 undergraduate majors and over 500 graduate students in on-campus and online programs.

The School offers a wide array of degree programs:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in Kinesiology, Nutrition, Public Health Sciences, and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
4+1 Bachelor and Master degree programs in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Community Health Education, Health Policy Management, Nutrition, and Environmental Health Science.
Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with concentrations in Community Health Education, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Health Policy and Management.
MPH degree is also offered through distance or distance education programs with concentrations in Public Health Practice (PHP) and Nutrition (NUTR). The MPH in Public Health Practice includes a subset of students who are affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Medical School (Worcester, MA) and complete their coursework through a combination of distance and on-campus courses taught at the medical school by SPHHS permanent and/or adjunct faculty (PHP-W)
Master of Arts (MA) degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
Master of Science (MS) degrees in Biostatistics, Community Health Education, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, Kinesiology, and Nutrition.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in Kinesiology and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and in Public Health with concentrations in Biostatistics, Community Health Education, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Policy and Management, and Nutrition.
Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree.
Graduate Certificate in Global Health.

Research is a significant component of the efforts of the faculty in SPHHS. Preliminary data from the VCRE’s office show that, in Fiscal Year 2023, the School received 78 new awards totaling $14,646,588. A total of 93 new proposals were submitted in Fiscal Year 2023, with a total budget of $80,727,593. We are currently fourth among schools and colleges in the amount of research dollars being brought into the University. These data do not include grants and contracts received by the HPP Center for Program Evaluation or the SNAP-ED contract which is administered through CNS but the Department of Nutrition plays a major role in its implementation.

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1. University Administration

University Administration

The University of Massachusetts Amherst isthe flagship campus and one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system. The School of Public Health and Health Sciences is one of nine schools and colleges within the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

President of the University of Massachusetts – Marty Meehan

The Office of the President of the University of Massachusetts provides overall leadership to the five campuses of the University system pursuant to the direction of the Board of Trustees. https://www.umassp.edu/

Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst – Javier Reyes

The Chancellor is the chief administrative officer of the Amherst Campus and reports to the President of the University system. The Vice Chancellors, Chief Information Officer, and Associate Chancellors report to the Chancellor. http://www.umass.edu/chancellor/

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs – Michael Malone, Interim

The Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost is the Chief Academic Officer of the campus. The Provost provides leadership in all areas of the academic enterprise and is responsible for maintaining its quality. https://www.umass.edu/provost/node/2

Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement – Laura Vandenberg, Acting

The Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement advances the research mission of the University. Working closely with the faculty to encourage research and scholarly activities, the Vice Chancellor is responsible for the initiation, review, and implementation of all policies and procedures relating to research. https://www.umass.edu/chancellor/about/leadership-team/research-engagement

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life – Shelly Perdomo-Ahmed, Interim

The Division of Student Affairs aims to enhance students’ quality of life by helping them take full educational advantage of the University experience in the application of knowledge. https://www.umass.edu/chancellor/about/leadership-team/shelly-perdomo-ahmed

Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance – Andrew Mangels

The role of the Office of Administration and Finance is to provide the internal and external constituents of the University of Massachusetts Amherst with the highest quality services in the most supportive and cost-effective manner. http://www.umass.edu/chancellor/campus-leaders/andrew-mangels

Vice Chancellor for Advancement – Arwen Staros Duffy

The mission of University Advancement is to create a dynamic environment, which increasingly expands private investment in the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Vice Chancellor for University Relations – John Kennedy

The broad portfolio of University Relations includes marketing and communications, media relations, government relations, community relations, event planning, economic development and regional partnerships, and WFCR–the region’s premier public radio station. University Relations harnesses the resources and expertise of these distinct entities in a coordinated and strategic way to ensure that the powerful message of the University of Massachusetts reaches all of our varied audiences, both internal and external.

Vice Chancellor for Information Services and Strategy and Chief Information Officer – Christopher Misra

Information technologies at the flagship research campus of the Commonwealth support our core mission of teaching, learning, research, and engagement by using technology to reach new heights of excellence.

Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Nefertiti Walker

UMass Amherst has a long-standing commitment to social progress and social justice, and these commitments are advanced by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We value diversity and equity and strive for inclusive excellence in our classrooms, research labs, dorms, and beyond. All campus community members seek to uphold the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. https://www.umass.edu/chancellor/campus-leaders/nefertiti-walker

Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Office – Kevin Kerwood, Interim

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) strives to create an environment where faculty and staff do their best work. Our university is powered by thousands of dedicated faculty and staff who are inspired and motivated by our mission as a world class research institution positively impacting both the commonwealth and the broader society. https://www.umass.edu/chancellor/about/leadership-team/kevin-kerwood

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2. School Administration

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences’ administrative offices are located in Arnold House at 715 North Pleasant Street. The SPHHS is the only state-supported CEPH-accredited school of public health in New England. http://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences Complete Administrative Staff listing can be found at https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory

Dean of the School – Anna Maria Siega-Riz

Executive Assistant to the Dean – Carey Simos

Associate Dean for Administration and Finance – Donna Falcetti

Associate Dean for Research – Brian Whitcomb

Research Administration Office – Laura Bergantino, Jose Guaregua, Keith Kittrell, Chris Stanavage, Maricruz Vega

Associate Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies – Katherine Reeves

Executive Director Professional Programs – Lori Peterson
Academic Director for Continuing Education Programs – vacant
SPHHS Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Coordinator – Lauren McBroom

Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs – Gloria DiFulvio

Assistant to the Academic Dean – Connie McCudden

Assistant Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging – Rodmon King

Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Career Planning – Torin Moore

Student Success Advisors – Karin Cooley-Sanieski
Associate Director for Career Planning – Mary Ellen Liseno
Assistant Director for Internships and Employer Engagement – Aimee Gilbert Loinaz
Assistant Director for Career Planning - Rachel Comerford

Director of Development – David Catrambone (UMass Foundation Employee)

Director of Marketing and Communications – Patrick Freeman

Assistant Director of Communications – Sydney Snow

Director, Office of Public Health Practice and Outreach – Risa Silverman

Director, Information and Technology – Joseph Pasquini

Technical Assistants – Job Morgan, Nam Phan

Senior Data Analyst – Vacant

Director of Human Resources – Liane Ledger

Human Resources Coordinator – Sarah Sienkiewicz

Director of Finance – Aaron Tauscher

Accountant – Hannah Clemente

Dean’s Executive Council – The Dean’s Executive Council is chaired by the Dean and consists of the SPHHS leadership and others invited by the Dean to attend. Current members include Associate Deans, Assistant Dean for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and Department Chairs of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Promotion & Policy, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. The Council is advisory to the Dean, and meets monthly to discuss matters that relate to the SPHHS, and share information and ideas.

Dean’s Staff Council – This committee is chaired by the Dean and consists of SPHHS key staff stakeholders including the Associate Dean for Administration and Finance, Assistant Dean of Student Success, Director of Development, Director of External Relations, Executive Director of Professional Programs, Director of the Office for Public Health Practice and Outreach, Director of Career Planning, Director of IT, Director of Human Resources, and Director of Finance. The Council is advisory to the Dean providing guidance on infrastructure recommendations and services to the SPHHS community at large and meets monthly. Both the Dean’s Executive and Staff Councils will meet quarterly as the SPHHS leadership to advise on strategic planning and implementation activities of the School which support achieving the academic, research and services goals of the School.

SPHHS Advisory & Community Board – The mission of the SPHHS Advisory Board is to provide the opportunity for supportive alumni, community members, and friends to utilize their influence and resources to promote the future success of the School. Advisory Board members advocate for the School and assist the Dean in securing the resources necessary to enhance undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty and administrative support, and excellent research and community engagement within the departments. It is the priority of the Advisory Board to advance the School as a whole in addition to its individual departments. The Advisory Board meets at least twice per year to discuss issues of importance to the School. Members are primarily external to the SPHHS.

Dean’s Student Advisory Board – The purpose of the board is to provide opportunities for student engagement in SPHHS leadership activities through sharing experiences of students within the school related to curriculum, climate, and professional development, insights and ideas for improvement in areas they find lacking, what works and areas where the school can invest time or resources to make improvements. Members make recommendations to the Dean and as appropriate organize student activities to collect feedback and to enhance the SPHHS mission and goals.

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3. Departments

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences is comprised of six departments: Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Environmental Health Sciences, Health Promotion & Policy, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Biostatistics & Epidemiology

Biostatistics and Epidemiology are complementary disciplines both academically and professionally. These related fields are based on the mathematical, natural, and social sciences. In the Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, state of the art M.P.H, M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs are offered. The Epidemiology faculty work closely with the Biostatistics faculty, and are involved in multiple avenues of research, including community-based research, women’s health issues, physical activity, nutrition, and biomarkers. The Department Chair is Professor Lisa Chasan-Taber.

Information on the Biostatistics program and a faculty and staff listing can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/faculty/program-area/biostatistics

Information on the Epidemiology program and a faculty and staff listing can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/faculty/program-area/epidemiology

Health Promotion & Policy

The Department of Health Promotion and Policy offers academic programs in Community Health Education and Health Policy and Management that are related academically and professionally. Both fields are based on the social and behavioral sciences. Much of the work in the department involves community-based participatory research and the department faculty are involved in community engagement efforts including several projects in Western Massachusetts. The Department Chair is Associate Professor Sarah Goff.

Information on the Community Health Education program and a faculty and staff listing can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/faculty/program-area/community-health-education

Information on the Health Policy and Management program and a faculty and staff listing can be found.

Environmental Health Sciences

The Department of Environmental Health Sciences combines the public health sciences of biostatistics, environmental health and epidemiology with natural sciences, mathematics and engineering to provide a quantitative basis to measure and mitigate the effects of environmental stressors on human health. The Department Chair is Professor Song Liang. A faculty and staff listing can be found for the Department of Environmental Health Sciences here.

Kinesiology

The Department of Kinesiology offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of human movement, investigating the mechanical, neurological, biochemical, physiological, and behavior components of human movement. Health and wellbeing outcomes of exercise and physical activity are considered for a variety of populations. The department offers programs resulting in Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Chair of the Department is Professor Richard van Emmerik. A faculty and staff listing can be found here.

Nutrition

The Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is among the most comprehensive nutrition departments in New England, offering training at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level, along with dietetic internship (DI) experiences and off-campus outreach and education. The Department of Nutrition also includes Nutrition Extension faculty, a program supported as part of the Land Grant status of the Institution. The department’s undergraduate program is accredited with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, ensuring that students achieve national standards of competency. Graduate offerings include the 4+1 Accelerated MS in Nutrition, MS in Nutrition, the PhD in Public Health, Nutrition option, and fully online MPH and MS degrees in Nutrition. The department also offers an online MPH/DI option. The Department Chair is Associate Professor Lindiwe Sibeko. A faculty and staff listing can be found here.

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

The field of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is involved in the study of the normative processes underlying speech, language, and hearing abilities, as well as the effects of disorders and/or differences in any of these areas on communication function. Professionals in the field of speech-language pathology and audiology are responsible for the evaluation and treatment of individuals with communicative disorders. They work with children and adults in education and health care systems, including public schools, early intervention centers, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and private practice offices. The department offers a wide range of academic programs, including Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree options. The Chair of the Department is Associate Professor Sarah Poissant. A faculty and staff listing can be found here.

Online Programs

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences offers two fully online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree programs and one blended satellite MPH program in association with the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. These programs are designed for working health care, public health, and nutrition professionals. All programs are part-time, flexible, and allow professionals to complete an MPH degree on their own time without the need to leave their current positions. The Executive Director of all online programs in the school is Lori Peterson. More information about the programs and a faculty and staff listing: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/about/directory/faculty/program-area/professional-programs

MPH-Public Health Practice

This program is one of the first fully online MPH programs in the country and was established in 2001. The program is a generalized degree, where students complete coursework in all five areas of concentration in public health. Students are required to apply what they learn in the field through the completion of a practicum experience and all students complete the degree with a capstone. The Director of the online MPH and Public Health Practice Program is Lawrence Pellegrini. More information about the program can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/professional-programs/mph-public-health-practice

MPH-Nutrition

The Master of Public Health in Nutrition was established in 2008, the first fully online degree of its kind. The program incorporates the five core areas of public health with a concentration in nutrition. Students work in interdisciplinary teams and incorporate critical thinking and experiential learning in their course work and receive advanced training in public health nutrition and health program management. The Director of the online MPH in Nutrition program is Heather Wemhoener. More information about the program can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/professional-programs/online-mph-nutrition

MPH-Blended Program in Worcester

The MPH-blended program offered in Worcester is designed to work around the demanding lives of medical and public health professionals. The program is blended, offering both on-campus evening courses and online web-based courses. The program offers four different areas of concentration: the general public health practice concentration, epidemiology, health policy and management, and an option specifically tailored for current medical students. The majority of courses are provided online. The director of the MPH-Blended Program in Worcester is Jackie Coghlin-Strom. More information about the program can be found at: https://www.umass.edu/public-health-sciences/academics/professional-programs/blended-mph-worcester-program

Centers, Institutes and Programs

The School of Public Health and Health Sciences provides leadership in several centers and institutes that foster trans-disciplinary research, teaching and service that spans the basic and applied sciences and public health, clinical practice and community applications. Centers reside within school and colleges, and report to the Dean. Institutes cross schools and colleges and report to the Vice Chancellor of Research and Engagement. The SPHHS hosts the following groups:

The Institute for Global Health (IGH)
The Northeast Regional Environmental Public Health Center (NREPHC)
The Center for Community Health Equity Research (CCHER)

In addition, individual departments within the SPHHS host the following centers, institutes, and programs:

The Center for Language, Speech, and Hearing (SLHS Dept)
Massachusetts Nutrient Data Bank (Nutrition Dept)
UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program (NEP) (Nutrition Dept)
The Biostatistics Consulting Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (BioEpi Dept)
The Center for Program Evaluation (HPP Dept)

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