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

Welcome Back: Week of August 28th, 2020

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

Good morning from a warm and muggy Elkins Park!

WELCOME BACK! - I’d like to welcome back all of our students returning to campus – I recorded a welcome video stressing the importance of our Safety Strategy and what will be accessible on campus during this fall semester. While I won’t win the academy award for the video, I encourage all of you to check it out. 

FACULTY FOCUS - This week’s faculty focus features Bisant Labib, OD ‘14, Resident ‘15, FAAO. Learn more about why she believes humor has the ability to transform any negative situation or emotion into a positive one. It’s well worth the read!

N95 MASK DONATION - Salus recently received a much-needed donation of more than 285 N95 masks from Medical Students for Masks – an organization dedicated to protecting frontline healthcare workers. Read more at salus.edu/PPE-Donation.

OUR NEW FACULTY MEMBERS - We have a couple new faculty members I’d like to welcome to the Salus Community: Eileen Hunsaker, MS, CCC-SLP, recently joined the University as director of Clinical Education for the SLP program and Chad Killen, OD ‘19, Resident ‘20, who became a PCO instructor. 

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT DAY - This morning, we’ll conduct a virtual faculty-wide Development Day from 9-11:30 a.m. Please join in on Blackboard Collaborate.    

VOTE! – As the country prepares for the presidential election this coming November, I want to ensure everyone has a chance to vote, no matter what your political affiliation is. If you’re going to vote by mail, which I encourage, given the pandemic, I urge you to get your mail-in ballot early so it will be counted. 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.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This week we all were witness to yet another shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. This time in Wisconsin. I am again angered and dismayed by the event and that our nation once again finds itself reeling from the tragic shooting of a Black man by police, as three of his children looked on. Mr. Blake, who is now paralyzed as he fights for his life, is just the latest in a long line of Black men and women who have been shot and severely wounded or killed by police.

We continue to stand with all those who demand justice, equality and accountability for Black lives in our country – lives like those of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Denise Hamilton, Earnest Lacy, and Sylville Smith. I want to reiterate what our DEI committee noted in their email yesterday encouraging all members of the Salus community to check on each other, and especially on our Black students, friends, and colleagues. Ask questions such as “How are you feeling? What do you need from your us – your classmates and colleagues?” We will fully support our Black students, faculty and staff and try to use this tragedy to come closer together as a Salus community, not get pulled farther apart. 

On a much more positive note, this weekend should be pretty nice, so please take some time to relax, reflect and get outside. Remember to continue to socially distance, wash your hands frequently and wear a face mask when around others. Also, please remember that what you do off campus effects all of us on campus, so please be vigilant. This pandemic, while it seems to be lasting a lifetime, will end - we just need to stay on top of things until it does.

Stay safe, be smart and remain Salus Strong!

Mike

Wrapping Up Orientation Week: Week of August 21st, 2020

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

Welcome on a beautiful morning from a busy Elkins Park campus where we’re wrapping up orientation week. 

WHITE COAT CEREMONY: Thanks to Dr. Jim Caldwell, Alexis Abate and their staffs for helping to orchestrate our virtual White Coat ceremony yesterday. We had about 325 people in attendance. It was great to be able to hold the non-traditional, virtual ceremony, even without distributing the white coats. This has always been one of my favorite ceremonies at Salus because of what it symbolizes – the transition from undergraduate student to becoming a healthcare professional. I’m looking forward to when each program will be able to distribute the white coats in person!

ORIENTATION SPEAKER: Earlier in Orientation Week, Juliana Mosley, PhD, chief diversity officer and community relations officer at Chestnut Hill College presented a virtual Zoom webinar titled “Making the Unconscious Conscious . . . Through Cultural Humility” as part of our Orientation Week for new students. I encourage you to read more about Dr. Mosley’s presentation at salus.edu/CulturalHumility.

 

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus feature story is on Laine Higa, OD, Resident ‘15. When he’s not teaching PCO students, Dr. Higa has utilized his quarantine time to explore and cultivate his love for cooking and baking. Read more at salus.edu/LaineHiga.

 

DONATION TO LOFK: Bruce Foulke, the dynamic president and CEO, and Dorian Smith, senior vice president for business development of American Heritage Credit Union, presented a check earlier this week for $10,000 to the Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) initiative. American Heritage Credit Union shares our mission of helping children in need and we greatly appreciate their generosity and the opportunity to partner with them on this important initiative. 

VOTING: The Postal Service has warned almost every state that voters may not get their ballots back to election offices in time because of election rules that are not compatible with the time needed for delivery and return of absentee ballots through the mail. No matter what your political affiliation is, if you have decided to vote by mail, I implore all of you to request your mail in or absentee ballot early and return it as soon as you receive it. We want to ensure your vote is counted!

FINAL THOUGHTS: It was great to be able to welcome some of our new students in person and most of you virtually to campus this week. I’m extremely excited about the upcoming school year. As I mentioned to you earlier in the week, while this year will present some very unique challenges to all of us, the training you will receive under these conditions will make you better clinicians and decision makers. When I was in the Navy, we would always say you fight the way you train. Training under pandemic conditions will teach you to think more critically about yours and your patient’s safety as well as to pay much more attention to details that would normally be considered routine. These additional pressures will build resiliency, more defined critical thinking skills and the ability to pivot under pressure. We will all get through this together.

Just a few reminders – it’s easy to fall into old habits and forget about social distancing when talking with your classmates before and after class. Please ensure you maintain those appropriate distances, even while wearing your face coverings. Speaking of that, please ensure that you’re wearing those face coverings properly – covering your nose and mouth. I’ve seen some creative variations of that this week which are not very functional. Also, I ask that you please restrict eating to the cafeteria areas which include the tent outside the south building, the outdoor seating around the pond, as well as the regular cafeteria and not eat in classrooms or the common hallways. It’s okay to drink and lower your mask for that, but not for prolonged times while indoors. Finally, please continue to wash your hands frequently and remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus – we need to minimize our risks as much as possible. 

It looks like it’s going to be a nice summer weekend, so I encourage you to get out and enjoy some of the local hiking, biking or jogging trails where you can remain socially distanced or just relax in a park somewhere. Next week, I suspect you’ll be pretty busy as classes and labs spools up, so take advantage of this weekend to recharge and prepare for the upcoming week.

Be safe, be careful and be smart.

Mike

New Student Orientation: Week of August 14th, 2020

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

Greetings on another hot and muggy Southeastern Pennsylvania morning. While the weather outside may be a bit soupy and gloomy, things are pretty bright at Salus. Our students and faculty have been working hard completing required lab work, NexGen training and even some didactic coursework, even though the majority of classroom work remains virtual. Below are some examples of what’s happening around campus. 

NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION: I am so excited to welcome all of our new students to Salus. I know many of you have been engaged in our virtual orientation program since early last week. We’re thrilled to be able to hold our first synchronous events next week, where we may actually get to greet some of you on campus personally. Of course, because we’ll all be wearing our masks, we won’t recognize each other, but it still will be wonderful for me to personally welcome you all on board – mask to mask!  

WHITE COAT CEREMONY: As most of you already know, this year’s White Coat ceremony will be conducted virtually next Thursday at 9:30 AM. All members of the University Community will receive a link to the event, so you can participate from afar. Dr. Eckert and I are thrilled to be keynote speakers for the event. While we won’t be handing out white coats at this time, each program will be holding their own ceremonies later in the semester where students will actually receive their coats.

 

OPTOMETRIC GRAND ROUNDS TODAY: I hope you are able to tune in this morning to Erin Jenewein, OD, MS, and Siva Meiyeppen, OD, Resident ‘15, Pennsylvania College of Optometry assistant professors, who will be presenting, "The Ins and Outs of Strabismus Management in a Primary Care Optometric Practice” for Grand Rounds. We really appreciate the time and energy our faculty and residents put into making these lectures so fantastic.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY UPDATE: Salus University’s own Dr. Fern Silverman, Occupational Therapy (OT) assistant professor and assistant director of the Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) program, and Dr. Andrea Tyszka, OT associate professor, were recently interviewed by Rebecca Smith from Thomas Jefferson University and Deanna Longo from Stony Brook University for the student-run podcast “My OT Journey.” Get to know more about this niche area of OT practice, all while getting to know the Salus OT faculty, by tuning into the podcast here.

FACULTY FOCUS: All through middle school and high school, Alice Lim, OD ‘18, Resident ‘19, took art classes. Although she never officially studied art once she started college, she always maintained an interest in drawing and painting as a long-term hobby. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, though, Dr. Lim drew on that interest and incorporated it into her teaching. Read more at salus.edu/AliceLim.

SALUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT: Dr. Brandy Scombordi and optometric staff members took the Salus Vision Van on the road again on Aug. 13, where they provided much needed vision care for children in the Kingsessing Hub section of the city. Salus PCO and TEI continue to connect with our communities in meaningful ways during our challenging times. I’m so proud of Dr. Scombordi and her team for the work they continue to do under challenging circumstances. I know our patients really appreciate their work.

SUPPORTING OUR FELLOW INSTITUTIONS: Earlier this week I had the opportunity to participate in Arcadia University’s annual golf outing. For those of you who know me, you know that golf is not my forte, so this was somewhat humbling, yet enjoyable. Salus sponsored a hole and got great visibility for the work we’re doing in the Speech-Language Institute for our community.   

 

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS: A new academic year is always an exciting time for our incoming students, as well as for our faculty and staff. This year, though is different. Not only are we confronted with the usual butterflies that go along with starting a new adventure in one’s life, but we’re doing this in the middle of a global pandemic that has affected almost every aspect of our lives. I want you all to know that we have been working very hard since this all began to ensure that your learning and teaching environment and other campus activities at Salus remain safe and effective. 

If you’re a returning student you will see many differences, starting from when you actually enter the buildings. Once inside, we have a shared responsibility to keep each other healthy and safe. The pillars of these responsibilities are wearing a face mask that covers both your nose and mouth, social distancing of at least 6-feet and frequent hand washing. While no one can predict if all of these precautions will be enough, we have a joint obligation to try our hardest to keep Salus safe and these are the best tools we have to do that right now. As testing becomes more available, cost-effective, and reliable, that too will be integrated into our process. We must all do everything we can to be as successful as possible. That means, even while you are off-campus, remember to practice social distancing, properly wear a face mask and frequently wash your hands. What we do off campus will directly affect everyone on campus. 

I am convinced that whatever this year brings - between the pandemic, exploring and helping to address social injustice and a national election - it will present us will the opportunity to be united in the fact that we are SALUS STRONG. When we all look back on these times we can say that we have been able to overcome adversity and enable Salus to accomplish the mission of educating all of you, while at the same time addressing the biggest challenge we have ever faced – and we have accomplished this together. What an achievement to embrace! 

Mike