Program History

The Division of Occupational Therapy has a long history in spite of the fact that the first class wasn’t admitted until 1999. Many people were involved in the creation of this program in the State of Utah. The following chronology highlights this history.

The University of Utah submitted to the Board of Regents a request to offer a B.S. in Occupational Therapy in 1970.
In July 1972, the exclusive role assignment was granted to the U of U with authority to offer a B.S. degree in Occupational Therapy.
Funding requests were submitted in several of the intervening years between 1972 and 1990. It was defeated at times by the Board of Regents, other years they approved it and the Governor and legislature approved it but the legislative analyst cut the funding.
Discussions about the continued desirability of offering the program led to the submission of a request for external funds to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in 1989-90 to implement a B.S. program in Occupational Therapy. The proposal included a letter of support from Governor Bangerter. The proposal ranked high, but was not approved for funding.
Since 1990, Administrators in the College of Health continued to communicate with the American Occupational Therapy Association about an interest in and desire to offer a B.S. degree.
In January of 1995, Administrators within the College of Health participated in discussions with others, including personnel from WeberStateUniversity, regarding the option of Salt Lake Community College University Center offering an Occupational Therapy Program through ColoradoState University. While this option was deemed less desirable than offering such a program at the U, it would allow for residents of Utah to access an accredited B.S. program.
In October of 1995, the University of Utah was notified that Weber State University and Salt Lake Community College were proposing a Bachelor of Science Degree program in Occupational Therapy. The U submitted a response to the request on November 20, 1995.
At a meeting held in the Regent’s Office to resolve the issue of program site the University of Utah, College of Health under the direction of Dr John M. Dunn, as Dean, was asked to take the lead in developing and promoting an occupational therapy program for the State of Utah.
With the strong endorsement of Dr. John M. Matsen, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, the University of Utah included funding for an occupational therapy program in its budget request to the Regents.
A broad-based Occupational Therapy Advocacy Committee was formed to promote and support the development of the U of U’s request to fund an occupational therapy program. Representation on the committee included parents, representatives from health care, prospective OT students, higher education officials, and representatives of state government. This group was later reorganized in the fall of 1997 and the name changed to the Program Advisory Committee with representation from the same stake holders.
In August 1997, a Ph.D. level Occupational Therapist, Dr JoAnne Wright, was hired to develop the program in accordance with the American Occupational Therapy Standards, advise interested students of program status and prerequisites, act as liaison to the COTA program at SLCC and act as liaison to the Utah Occupational Therapy Association.
A formal letter of intent was submitted on September 8, 1997 to the Director of the American Occupational Therapy Association Accreditation Department (ACOTE). On October 22, 1997 ACOTE acknowledging receipt of the letter of intent. Included in the response were tentative target dates for the accreditation process.
In January of 1998, the University of Utah and the Board of Regents officially approved the occupational therapy program as a top funding priority to be submitted to the 1998 Utah State Legislature.
The community, including the Utah Occupational Therapy Association (UOTA), the Coalition for People with Disabilities, consumers and their families, representatives from health care, prospective OT students, higher education officials, and representative of state government provided strong support for the implementation of this program. National leaders from the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation also offered strong support for a program in the State of Utah.
January 26, 1998. Two introductory courses: Occupational Therapy 300 (OC TH 300) Introduction to Occupational Therapy (Quarter course) and Occupational Therapy 3000 (OC TH 3000 Introduction to Occupational Therapy (Semester Course)) were approved by the College Curriculum Committee. The 300 course was taught once and was replaced by the 3000 class, which continues to be taught but is neither part of the prerequisites nor part of the actual master’s program leading to a degree in occupational therapy.
The 1998 legislature convened on January 19, 1998. The University of Utah presented to the Higher Education Appropriations Joint Subcommittee, David Steele and Afton Bradshaw, Chairs. February 18, 1998 funding was approved for the Occupational Therapy program. The amount to be added to the $50,000 appropriated the previous year was $174,500.
Rosemary Lysaght Ph.D., OTR/L was hired part-time (June 1998) to assist with the program development and to search for additional funding, grants and proposals and other research opportunities.
August 13, 1998 the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association granted Developing Program Status to the University of Utah, College of Health, Division of Occupational Therapy. This action by the Council then gave the program permission to accept students for the first class to begin Fall 1999.
OCTH 300 Introduction to Occupational Therapy was first taught Summer Quarter (the last quarter for the University of Utah) by JoAnne Wright, Ph.D., OTR/L. There were 12 students in the class. This class was then taught as a semester class for the first time Fall of 1998 by the same instructor.

1998-1999 School Year

The Senior Vice President for Health Sciences (Dr. John M. Matsen), the University President (President Bernie Machen), the Academic Senate, the Graduate School, the Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents granted approval for the Division of Occupational Therapy. This action included: 1) the Request to start a Master’s Entry-Level Occupational Therapy program; 2) recognition of the Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy Studies for students applying without a BS/BA. Intermountain Health Care (IHC) pledged substantial amount of money for start-up equipment.
The Program Developer became the Division Chair (July 1999), the Administrative Assistant (Laurie Ketsdever) was hired in December of 1998 and the Clinical Education Coordinator (Yda J Smith, MOT, OTR/L) was hired in March 1999. The Division received its first scholarship from G. Mitchell and Betty Morris. In the spring of 1999, the inaugural class of 17 students was admitted to the University of Utah to begin their studies that fall. In June of 1999, the Program Advisory Committee became a more autonomous body with Denise Keenan as Chair of this committee

1999-2000 School Year

The Division of Occupational Therapy moved from their temporary quarters: 2220 and 2222 Annex, along with Physical Therapy, the Body Donor Program and the Medical School Anatomy Program to their present location--the Health Professions Education Building at 520 Wakara Way in Research Park (August 9-10, 1999). Orientation for the first class of students admitted to the Occupational Therapy program was held August 23-24.
This begins the 150th Year of the University of Utah. Dr. Rosemary Lysaght was promoted to full-time tenure track Assistant Professor. Kelly C. Brown was hired as Administrative Assistant (L. Ketsdever resigned August 9, 1999). The Division secured a contract with UTA (Utah Transit Authority) to assess riders using the Flex-Trans system. Margaret Bent was hired as a clinical instructor/tenure-track assistant professor and she joined the faculty in May 2000. Taira Christiansen, Maryn Green and Sara Rasmussen received the first three Bachelors degrees in Occupational Therapy Studies. The Division submitted its self-study document to ACOTE on April 1, 2000.

Admitted to program: 16
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 3
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 0

2000-2001 School Year

The Division of Occupational Therapy, in partnership with the College of Nursing and Division of Physical Therapy, received a grant to provide health services to the Paiute Tribe in southern Utah (November). In April 2001, the Division of Occupational Therapy received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education for the maximum 7-year period granted new programs. Margaret Bent received her Ph.D. and was promoted to Assistant Professor. A scholarship was started by the Eugene D. and Ann O. Wright Family. The Division started participating in the Student Exchange Program operated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).

Admitted to program: 12
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 7
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 0

2001-2002 School Year

Funding was received for scholarships and equipment from the Castle Foundation, the Dumke Foundation and the Broadbent Family. Fall Semester was impacted by the events of 9/11 and Spring Semester was truncated with most of the month of February as vacation for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Students volunteered to go to Haiti to provided services the summer of 2001 and the summer of 2002 other students went to Mexico with Dr. Robin Marcus, PT and Nancy Inaba MA, OTR/L. An open house was held in May to celebrate the first graduating class of 15 students and as a thank-you to all who had helped make the Division of Occupational Therapy happen.
An agreement with Baby Watch to collaborate in credentialing Early Intervention Therapists was put into place and the Division offered its first elective taught by Barbara Lancelot (Family Perspectives on Early Intervention).
OT students presented for the 1st year at the Annual Scholar's Forum in conjunction with the Division of Physical Therapy. The first class included: Michelle Anderson, Jeff Bezzant, Dana Dunbar, Ella Fitzmayer, Maryn Green Edgmon, Alisa Henry Frei, Taira Christiansen, Angie Holmes Elder, Shelby Ivory, Becky Jardine, Krisanne Lewis, Mat Nielson, Health Prisbrey Johnson, Sara Rasmussen and Greg Wootton. All fifteen students passed the National Certification Examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Admitted to program: 13
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 4
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 15
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers: 15

2002‑2003 School Year

Two new scholarships were added to the Division scholarships. They are the Ronald L. and Donna P. Call Endowed Scholarship, and the Gordon and Betty Browning Endowed Scholarship. During the summer of 2003, a number of construction and upgrade projects started to provide computing facilities and a new apartment for the education of OT students. Louise M. Dunn was hired as a clinical instructor/tenure-track assistant professor beginning Jan 2004.
The Annual Fieldwork Seminar “Refining the Art of Occupational Therapy” was presented by Linda Learnerd. The contract with UTA to provide the Paratransit Evaluation moved from a simulated evaluation to an actual community evaluation including bus and Trax rides. The grant with the Paiute Indian Tribe successfully finished this year. The Mexico Project and the Haiti Project successfully continued with a number of students traveling to those countries and providing services.
Dr's Bent and Lysaght as well as Yda Smith presented at the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Conference in Sweden and the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in Washington D.C. Elizabeth M. Brown (daughter of Kelly and Scott Brown) was born on August 31, 2002 and became the unofficial Assistant Administrative Assistant and Mascot for the Class of 2005.
Jamie Reynolds Mayer (Class of 2003) was elected the President of the Associated Student Delegates (ASD). This is the National Student Organization of the American Occupational Therapy Association. OT students presented for the 2nd year at the Annual Scholar's Forum in conjunction with the Division of Physical Therapy. John Dunn, Dean of the College of Health resigned to take a Provost position in Illinois. Carolee Moncur replace him as Interim Dean.

Admitted to program: 21
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 15
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 11
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers: 11

2003-2004 School Year

During the fall, the first floor changed from cinder block animal cages to an ADL training apartment for OT, with an adjustable stove and sink. A classroom/lab, research space, faculty offices and a wellness clinic run by PT were part of the remodel. Faculty offices were remodeled during the summer of 2004 to provide private faculty office instead of cubicles. The school year started by adding an additional faculty member. Beth Cardell went from part-time teaching to a full time instructor. In November 2004, Sharlene Yarman was hired as an office assistant for both Physical and Occupational Therapy. Dr. Jay Graves became Dean of the College of Health. December 2004, Rosemary Lysaght and Margaret Bent resigned as faculty. Louise Dunn began teaching in January of 2004. As part of her responsibilities, she represented the Division on the ULEND grant now in its 3rd year. Pollie Price was hired in spring of 2004 and will begin teaching in Fall 2004. In April, Nancy Johns with hired as the Clinical Education Coordinator (CEC). Yda Smith transitioned out of the CEC position so she can focus on teaching and research. Faculty presented posters and lectures that included student projects at the AOTA annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. JoAnne Wright was the chair of the Society for the Study of Occupation:USA conference held in Deer Valley. In an effort to refocus faculty practice more towards transition, the Division terminated their contract with Utah Transit Authority. The Research Symposium was successful.

Admitted to program: 23
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 16
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 12
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers: 12

2004-2005 School Year

Yda Smith received a grant from American Express for refugee job placement and economic self-sufficiency. Pollie Price hired Kyle Gibson as a graduate research assistant to support her research efforts. The Division experienced more personnel changes. In August, Sharlene Yarman left to pursue other interests. In November 2004, Deb Bachan was hired as an executive secretary for both divisions. A clerk position was added to the Clinical Education Component of the program. In April, a job fair was hosted in conjunction with Physical Therapy where 36 employers were on hand to talk with students.
The Division revised it’s curriculum to bring more occupation into anatomy, kinesiology and pathophysiology. Two additional research classes were added to the 2nd year curriculum to more formally guide students with their research projects. Beth Cardell presented a poster at the annual AOTA conference in Long Beach, California. The Division was pleased to be able to pay the registration fee of students who attended the conference. JoAnne Wright was promoted to Associate Professor (Clinical). Louise Dunn received her Doctorate of Science from Boston University and was promoted to Assistant Professor.

Admitted to program: 20
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 10
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 20
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers:19
Passing NBCOT test takers: 20

2005-2006 School Year

With the advent of the DPT program in Physical Therapy and a need to make classes more occupationally and functionally based, the functional anatomy class entitled: The Body as a Component of Occupation replaced the Kinesiomechanics class and the Gross Anatomy Class. Pathophysiology was replaced by Conditions Impacting Occupational Performance. The curriculum overall is much more fine-tuned towards teaching occupation-based practice through curriculum reviews and collaboration within the faculty. We added our first Alumnus as faculty with Greg Wootton (02) teaching the Psychosocial class in the Spring.
Research was even more evident within the faculty ranks. Louise Dunn was busy networking with ULEND, and collaborating with the School of Medicine and the University on such projects as Day Break and the National Children’s study as well as continuing with her CHORES project. Pollie Price was the Chairperson for the Society for the Study of Occupation:USA held in Maryland. She continues her occupation-based practice research with local therapists. Beth Cardell researched resiliency and Nancy Johns researched vision-based ergonomics in the workforce as part of their master’s degrees. They are both involved with NBCOT. More research is being done with therapists in the community as a part of the projects. Yda Smith passed her preliminary exams for her Ph.D. and received another grants from American Express to provide occupational therapy to refugees, many of them from Somalia. JoAnne Wright became a Certified Low Vision Therapist through ACVREP. Kelly Brown’s research was an in-depth study of toxemia with the results of Valerie Lenore Brown arriving in November, six weeks earlier than expected.
The second annual job fair was held in conjunction with Physical Therapy. The two additional research classes were offered to formalize the research process. The Research Symposium was successful with the new twist of pairs presenting.
Approval was given for the remodel project on the 2nd floor. The remodel consists of reconfiguring the two labs into better lab classrooms, an observation room, a research office, and better facilities for the Anatomy lab. CF& R funding will assist with this project. The College of Health A portion of those monies were used to upgrade the entrance to the building and the building was renamed the Ezekiel R. and EdnaWattisDumkeHealthProfessions Education Building. The first Alumni event was held April 8, 2006 celebrating the graduation of the 5th class of students. The Alumni Scholarship was established with Rachel Motscheidler as the first donor. Major construction took place Summer of 2006. through the work of Dr Scott Ward received 1.3 million dollars.

Admitted to program: 24
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 11
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 22
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers:19
Passing NBCOT test takers:

2006-2007 School Year

Dr Tina McNulty joined the faculty in August as an assistant professor in the Division. Her area of expertise is in mental health and in gerontology. She has been consulting with The Connection Cottage. She also was awarded a grant to start the Division’s Standardized Patient Assessment (SPA) project. The first SPA was held as the final for the adult theory class. It was intense but an excellent learning tool for all. Dr Pollie Price was elected as President of the Society for the Study of Occupation:USA. She is the co-developer of the first course in Disabilities Studies. Nancy Johns and Beth Cardell received their Master of Science in Health Promotion and Education.
Dr JoAnne Wright has been involved with URLEND as the OT Discipline Faculty Member. Yda Smith was names Director of Graduate Studies for the Division of OT as well as the Faculty Director of University Neighborhood Partners Hartland Project. Dr Louise Dunn continues to network with other disciplines. Both she and Dr Price received grant monies. Each faculty was invited to present at a number of national conferences.
The Research Symposium had its first annual keynote speaker and an open house to celebrate the presenters and the keynote person. Dr Elizabeth Crepeau, PhD, OTR, author of Willard and Spackman was the first recipient.
An elective in Cognition was piloted by Beth Cardell and was well-received. This will continue as a regular electives offering within the Division. The curriculum remained stable as the faculty starts gearing up for reaccreditation that will occur in 2008.

Admitted to program: 20
BS in Occupational Therapy Studies: 8
Masters of Occupational Therapy: 18
Passing First-time NBCOT test takers: 18
Passing NBCOT test takers: 18

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