Happy Fall: Week of September 25th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Happy Fall and greetings from a little get-away off campus. While I’ve been gone most of the week, several events have been happening around campus, in addition to our in-person and on-line classes, labs and clinics.

QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING: On Monday, many of us participated in what was the second time our Board of Trustees met virtually. As has been our practice, the meeting provided our all-volunteer board an update on all of the things our fantastic faculty and staff have been doing in response to the pandemic and also our initiatives surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion and many other more academically focused success stories.

DEI EVENTS: The University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee held an important and informative Lunch and Learn this week on the topic of “Interest Conversion in a Time of Pandemic and Police Brutality: How COVID and Growing Authoritarianism Provide an Opening for Solidarity.” The featured speaker was Tim Wise, one of the most prominent and anti-racist writers and educators in the United States. We look forward to continued dialogue around diversity, equity and inclusion within the Salus community. If you were not able to attend and would like to view the recording, please check your email from the DEI Committee for instructions.

GRAND ROUNDS: Today’s Grand Rounds will be presented by Dr. Tracy Offerdahl on the topic “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics Update.” For more information, click here.

COVID-19 DASHBOARD: In order to help maintain transparency and keep everyone informed, today we will be launching our COVID-19 dashboard that will inform our entire university community of the number of people who have tested negative and positive since we began tracking this several months ago. Of note, due to the continued unavailability of a reliable and affordable daily testing alternative for our entire community, we continue to rely on self-reporting of symptoms and/or potential exposure through our screening process to keep our community safe. Isolation, self-quarantining and private testing is utilized to clear infected (actual or probable) individuals for a return to campus.

VOTING INFORMATION: National Voter Registration Day was earlier this week. If you're not registered yet, now's the time! Click here for more information and to make sure you’re registered.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Gabriel Fickett, OD, FAAO, one of our newest assistant professors at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and The Eye Institute (TEI). Dr. Fickett has extensive experience fitting specialty contact lenses for adults and children with corneal disease, post penetrating keratoplasty, keratoprosthesis, aphakia, and ocular trauma. Read more about Dr. Fickett at salus.edu/GabrielFickett.

FALL COMMENCEMENT: Pennsylvania State Sen. Arthur L. Haywood III — who represents the Fourth District, which includes parts of Montgomery and Philadelphia counties — will deliver the keynote address at the University’s 121st Commencement ceremony, scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. The pandemic hasn’t dampened Sen. Haywood’s enthusiasm for delivering what he and I believe to be an important message to Salus graduates. Read more at salus.edu/SenArtHaywood.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach this weekend, I’d like to wish our Jewish colleagues a “good fast” as they prepare to observe Yom Kippur, which begins on Sunday evening. I’d also like to take a moment to remind everyone to ensure that they have registered to vote in the upcoming presidential election. The outcome of this election will affect us all for generations, so, no matter what your political leanings are, it’s my strong conviction that we all have both a personal responsibility and obligation to vote.

Finally, while I probably don’t need to remind anyone of this, we are still in the midst of a deadly pandemic. No matter what you hear or see in the media, this a real public health emergency and we, especially as health care professionals, need to continue to serve as examples and practice social distancing, wear a face mask when around others and wash our hands frequently. Also, please remember, when on campus, the only place you are permitted to eat is in the cafeteria or tent we’ve set up outside that space. Also remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus!

Have a great weekend. I hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy this nice Fall weather. Be safe, be smart and remain Salus Strong!

Mike

Last Days of Summer: Week of September 18th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

I’d like to wish everyone a virtual good morning from our Elkins Park campus. We’re starting to feel a little fall weather, which has been a welcome change from the muggy days of summer – although I suspect we have a few more of those in our future. The campus and clinics have remained busy with our first year students getting into their academic strides both in class and labs and others fully embracing their clinical experiences at TEI, PEI and SLI. I really enjoy seeing the gleam in their eyes what I have the opportunity to walk through these clinics. Of note, I used to see smiles, but that’s a bit difficult with everyone wearing masks.

DIVERSITY LUNCH AND LEARN EVENT: The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee will host a Lunch & Learn event at noon Wednesday, Sept. 23, titled “Interest Convergence in a Time of Pandemic and Police Brutality: How COVID and Growing Authoritarianism Provide an Opening for Solidarity.” The featured speaker will be Tim Wise, one of the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States and host of the podcast, “Speak Out with Tim Wise.” The event will be held remotely and log-in information will be sent out prior to the event.

NEW SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR DIVERSITY: I’m pleased to announce that Dr. Juliana M. Mosley has accepted our offer to serve as our inaugural Special Assistant for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Mosley has 20-plus years of experience in education, most recently, she served as the Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Community Relations Officer at Chestnut Hill College. She previously held several positions in higher education as Vice President for Student Affairs at Lincoln University, Edward Waters College, Marygrove College, and Philander Smith College; the Director of Multicultural Affairs at John Carroll University; the Executive Assistant to the President at Kentucky State University; and High School Business Teacher in the Houston Independent School District. Dr. Mosley earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and MA in Curriculum and Teacher Leadership from Miami University of Ohio, and BS in Business Education from Ball State University. Please welcome her to our Salus community.

SURGEONS GENERAL ROUNDTABLE: Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion are sponsoring the screening of the documentary Open Season: Racism and Health Disparities, the Two Deadliest Diseases in America. This film is designed to shed light on the current state of emergency and inspire people to go beyond their perceived limitations and become more active participants in what the future of America can be. It will be followed by a LIVE roundtable featuring several former Surgeons General of the United States as they discuss the problem of racial inequity in healthcare and how it can be addressed. You can register for that here.

PANEL ON VOCATIONAL REHAB: Join us at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, for an engaging discussion on the topic of employment and vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are visually impaired. Panelists include key stakeholders, such as employees, vocational rehabilitation counselors, blindness and low vision practitioners, transition coordinators, and parents. Register here.

CLINICAL GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Dr. Tracy Offerdahl will present on the topic: “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutic Update.” For more information, click here.

NEW DEAN OF CHER: Welcome to James Konopack, PhD, our inaugural dean of the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER), whose first day was Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. Dr. Konopack — who earned his PhD in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — comes to us from the School of Business at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he was associate dean. His skills will be a tremendous asset to the new college and I look forward to working with him. Read more about Dr. Konopack at salus.edu/JamesKonopack.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Erin Jenewein, OD, MS, an assistant professor, clinical educator and the coordinator for the Pediatric and Vision Therapy residency. She also serves as principal investigator for the CHAMP Study, a myopia control study; and principal investigator for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). Read more about Dr. Jenewein at salus.edu/ErinJenewein.

JEWISH NEW YEAR: This evening the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur begins. Rosh Hashanah commemorates the Jewish New Year and marks the beginning of ten days of introspection and repentance that culminates with Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. Please join me in wishing our Jewish colleagues and friends a Happy and Healthy New Year.

VOTING REMINDER: As I’ve noted in multiple updates, voting is the thing all Americans can do to ensure the preservation of our democracy. Not only is it a right and privilege, but also a responsibility that should be taken very seriously. With the possibility of postal delays, it’s extremely important that if you plan to vote by mail, you plan ahead. Here are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know where your polling place is. For those of you who might be interested in becoming a poll worker for the November election, you can get more information by going to the VotePA website here. No matter what your political affiliation or how you decide to cast it, please vote - it’s a privilege that we tend to take for granted and many have made the ultimate sacrificed for us to exercise.

FINAL THOUGHTS: There has been much in the news about the fires out west, the hurricane down south and continued debates about the efficacy of wearing a face mask. As we begin this last weekend of summer, please keep those affected by the fires and storms in your thoughts and prayers. As healthcare providers, we need to rely on the science that forms the bedrock foundation for all we do. Face masks are probably the most effective preventive tool we currently have until an effective vaccine is broadly distributed. To that end, please ensure you wear your face mask when around others, both inside and outside, continue to practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. If you’re not feeling well, stay home and talk with your healthcare provider.

Like many institutions, a couple of people within our Salus community have tested positive over the course of the last several months. Because people have been following protocols closely, working in small groups and practicing all the appropriate preventive measures, these have remained isolated and contained. Let’s keep it that way!

Take some time to get out and enjoy the cooler weather this weekend while practicing preventive measures. Remember, what you do off campus will directly affect us all on campus. Be responsible, be safe, remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Patriot Day: September 11th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from Elkins Park where our students and faculty have been continuing to engage in both face to face and on-line learning and teaching. Our clinics have all been open and as busy as they can be given the capacity restrictions we have to work under. Needless to say, there’s lots going on as the Fall semester gets into its stride.

CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENT: A reminder that the synchronous online CE event titled “Current Advancements in Comprehensive Optometric Care” will be presented this Sunday, Sept. 13, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. I’m looking forward to presenting “Public Health Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic — A Look Back and the Road Ahead” as the final lecture of that day. An all-star group of faculty and guests will precede me. Click here to see the full panel. I will be hosting an interactive Salus update following my lecture.

ANNUAL GIVING WEEK: Join us for our Second Annual Salus Giving Week, October 5-9, 2020, by supporting funding for student scholarships, capital improvements, and community outreach. We know this is a difficult time and we are so appreciative of any help you can provide now. With your donation of any size, we can make sure that, regardless of how things change in the coming months, we can continue providing high quality education to all of our students and serve our neediest communities.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus shines the spotlight on Nicholas Karbach, OD ‘17, Resident ’18, a clinical preceptor in primary care and the special population services at The Eye Institute (TEI). In addition to his duties at the University, Dr. Karbach recently got a new dog. Find out how he decided on a name for his Labrador mix at salus.edu/NicholasKarbach. 

FLU SHOTS: We have arranged for the University community to get their annual flu shots, thanks to Temple Health, beginning next Friday, Sept. 18, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot closest to Township Line Road. This will be a drive through event to minimize contact. Even if you have not gotten a flu shot in the past, it’s extremely important that you get one this year, given the fact that many flu symptoms mirror those of COVID-19 and we want to ensure we’re minimizing the chances of catching the flu. Of course, wearing your face mask and washing your hands frequently will also help to prevent both diseases from spreading. Additional dates and times to get the flu vaccine are currently Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and Oct. 2 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.Please don’t procrastinate about this - just get it done! To register, call 215-517-5000 option 1. Any staff member can take your information over the phone to register you, but it was suggested you ask for Korliy and Kaila. Of note, there is usually no copay required and most insurances cover the vaccine without a copay. Salus faculty, staff and students who don’t use Temple as their primary care office can still get their flu shot there at the drive through clinic using insurance.

CONSTITUTION DAY AND VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is celebrated each year on Sept. 17. The day commemorates the Sept. 17, 1787, signing of the United States Constitution. The U.S. Department of Education provides links to websites that contain materials that can be publicly accessed for general use or for use as teaching materials in the classroom. You can get more information here. Also, Sept. 22, 2020, is National Voter Registration Day. There are several ways for organizations to promote the day. Check out the details on the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) website here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: The 9/11 terrorist attacks killed 2,977 people and injured thousands at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Flags will be at half-staff and there will be a country-wide moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., which is when the first plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers.

September 11th is now designated as Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day Americans across the country are called to volunteer in their local communities in tribute to the individuals lost and injured in the attacks, first responders, and the many who have been called to service to defend our freedom. It is my hope that 9/11 can also present an opportunity for all Americans to come together as a united country. Just like we did back then, when we rebuilt the World Trade Center and Pentagon, it’s time to reflect on what it means to be an American; united in cause, intolerant of racial injustice, sexual and gender inequality and dedicated to the betterment of society. It’s what we do as health care providers. I ask each of you to reflect upon what this day means to you, even if you weren’t born yet, and how you are going to embrace what’s best about our democracy to make others' lives better.

Enjoy the weekend. Please remember to socially distance, wear your face mask when around others and wash your hands frequently. Also remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible - remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Labor Day Weekend: Week of September 4th, 2020

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings from a very busy Elkins Park campus. Our students continue to participate in limited face to face (actually mask to mask) classes, labs and clinics. It’s energizing to see all the activity on campus!

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Grand Rounds at The Eye Institute (TEI) is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Dr. Patrick McManamon will present a program titled “IOL: Insight on Lenses.”
 
CONTINUING EDUCATION EVENT: On Sunday, Sept. 13, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. a synchronous online CE event titled “Current Advancements in Comprehensive Optometric Care” will be presented. I’m looking forward to presenting “Public Health Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic — A Look Back and the Road Ahead” As the final lecture of that day. I’ll be preceded by an all-star group of faculty and guests. Click here to see the full panel.
 
WELCOME NEW FACULTY & STAFF:  We have two new members of our Salus community I’d like to welcome: Nicholas Jones has joined us as Research compliance coordinator; and Gabriel Fickett, OD, is an assistant professor at PCO.
 
HAMPTON UNIVERSITY AGREEMENT: Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) recently partnered with Hampton University, one of the nation’s leading historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), to offer a new articulation agreement to address the underrepresentation of Black students in optometric education and healthcare professions. Paula Harmon Boone, OD, director of the National Optometric Association (NOA) “Visioning the Future” HBCU Mentorship Program and NOA trustee, helped initiate and lead the effort. Mirroring the goal of the NOA’s mentorship program to address the lack of diversity among optometry students, the partnership was established to give students who successfully complete a Bachelor of Science degree at Hampton a pathway to earn a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree at Salus PCO. Under the agreement, students enrolled in the program will receive both financial and academic assistance from the NOA, advisement from the Pre-Health program at Hampton and mentorship from a Salus PCO faculty advisor. We are so proud to have entered into this agreement.  
 
HAFTER CENTER OPENING: We’re scheduled to reopen the Hafter Center on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Some things to keep in mind: the basketball/volleyball court will not be available; the track will be open and you will need a reservation to use it, with physical distancing regulations in place. For additional details about scheduling your workouts, please refer to your latest Hafter Happenings newsletter. 
 
FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Kimberly Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, a clinical educator who supervises first-year students in SLI. Read about how she tries to incorporate music in her teaching at salus.edu/KimberlyEdmonds.

VOTING: Voting is an integral part of our American democracy. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as we read about potential postal delays it’s imperative that you plan ahead if you’re planning to vote by mail. Here are the steps to vote by mail in Pennsylvania:

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know where your polling place is. For those of you who might be interested in becoming a poll worker for the November election, you can get more information by going to the VotePA website here. No matter what your political affiliation or how you decide to cast it, please vote - it’s a privilege many have made the ultimate sacrificed for us to exercise.

FINAL THOUGHTS - LABOR DAY WEEKEND: As we approach Labor Day weekend, I always like to remind people why we celebrate this holiday, which celebrates the greatest workers in the world – American workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday. So, there you have it. This is why we have this coming Monday off. I hope everyone enjoys their 3-day weekend and especially, Labor Day.

Have a great weekend. The weather is supposed to be fantastic, so get out and enjoy it! Please remember to socially distance, wear a face mask when around others, wash your hands frequently and that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible, remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike