Independence Day: Week of July 3rd, 2020

Good morning – I hope everyone is enjoying the nice hot summer weather! Today is going to be close to 96 degrees, so please remember to stay hydrated! Campus activities, both virtual and in-person have been steadily increasing.  Here’s what’s been happening around campus: 

Three students in the University’s Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) programs received this year’s Northeast Pennsylvania Lions Service Foundation (NEPALSF) scholarships to support their careers in the field of education and the rehabilitation of individuals with visual impairments. Congratulations to Mary Price, in the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) program; Michaela Halesey, in the Educators of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments (TVI) program; and Katelyn Maffei, also in the Educators of Children and Youth with Visual Impairments (TVI) program. You can read more about them at salus.edu/LionsScholarships

As I mentioned last week, the University’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) is having its first “Lunch and Learn on Allyship and Advocacy” from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 8. DEI committee member Terrance Harshaw, security personnel, and Camille Menns ‘21OT will lead the discussion. I encourage faculty, students and staff to attend via BB Collaborate or call to join at 1-571-392-7650, PIN: 218 196 3518.

A round of applause for the Student Academy of Audiology, who coordinated a contactless food drive at our Elkins Park campus a few weeks ago to benefit Face to Face, a Germantown nonprofit organization that offer free services to low income and homeless individuals annually.

Ilan Dock ‘21OD represented the University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in this year’s national American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) Quiz Bowl, which was held virtually. Thanks for representing PCO! Way to go, Ilan!

The next Grand Rounds will be “ODs and OTs: A Collaborative Approach” on Friday, July 10. Drs. Erin Kenny and Dawn Ciccarone will deliver the live-streamed CE event via Blackboard Collaborate. For more information about the program, click here.

State Senator Art Haywood just notified us that the first round of criminal justice reforms resulting from the Black Lives Matter protests passed the legislature with Governor Wolf set to sign them. House Bill 1841, creates an electronic database of law enforcement officer separation records. Agencies will be required to use this database when hiring. House Bill 1910 will require new training to help law enforcement officers identify child abuse. It also requires Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder evaluations of officers within 30 days of lethal force incidents. Additionally, people with criminal records will have fewer barriers when seeking professional licenses for work. Until this week, the Commonwealth’s 29 occupational licensing boards were able to deny licenses for certain past criminal histories. Senate Bill 637, signed yesterday by Governor Wolf, changes those rules.

Tomorrow we celebrate Independence Day. But this year, I think the focus needs to be a little broader from what most of us have been accustomed to. While we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we need to set aside some time to think about how we can also incorporate the injustices that Black Americans have faced for over four centuries. Next year we will appropriately commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth Day as a University Community. Until then, let’s take some time to honor and celebrate the disestablishment of slavery during this year’s 4^th of July. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s a necessary step to begin to acknowledge the injustices Black, Brown and Native Americans have faced throughout our history. 

I hope to spend part of this 4th of July reading and learning more about discrimination and how minorities have been marginalized throughout our history. I also intend to reflect on the true meaning of being an American.The Declaration of Independence makes it clear that being an American is about much more than the place we call home. It’s represents a deep commitment to higher principles: liberty, equality for all, opportunity, and self-governance. As health care providers, it also must inspire the spirit of caring and respect for others, assuring equal access to quality healthcare and ensuring everyone is afforded the same opportunities to succeed – even if they don’t see the world in the same way. As we approach this year’s holiday, please take some time to reflect on what we need to do to ensure that Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ and disabled American’s rights are assured, women have the right to choose, and our America is welcoming to all immigrants. These represent many the positive aspects of what I believe our founding fathers envisioned for America.  

This year’s celebrations will be significantly constrained due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There won’t be any picnics, parades or fireworks. With cases on the uptick throughout most of the south, we need to remain vigilant with our protective protocols. Governor Wolf just mandated that face coverings that go over the nose and mouth, must be worn outdoors when not able to maintain social distancing of at least six feet, in any indoor locations where the general public would go, such as stores, healthcare facilities, restaurants, etc. and riding in taxis or ride share vehicles. For  more details on this, please click here. If you do go out and are around others, please follow these guidelines, in addition to practicing your social distancing, and continuing to wash your hands frequently. 

With the city and the majority of the country moving in the wrong direction, we have to remain increasingly vigilant, responsible and careful. As healthcare providers, we also need to set the example for others, because we don’t want to see a resurgence here! As I’ve consistently told you, eventually, this will end and we will get through it just fine. Our current protocols and plans for this semester and the fall remain in place. They’re designed to keep us and those we care for safe and healthy, and so far, they’re working well. You can always get the most up-to-date information concerning our COVID-19 response and plans on our website here.

Try to get out and enjoy the summer weekend. Stay hydrated, remain vigilant, wear your face mask and remember, you’re all SALUS STRONG – and together we will weather this and come out on the other end much smarter, resilient and tolerant.  

Finally, please remember that even the strongest among us needs to talk to someone, sometimes about some of the stressors they’re feeling. It’s perfectly normal and it’s okay.  Students can access our counseling services here and faculty and staff, should contact Human Resources.

Have a great weekend!

Mike

Equality, Decency and Freedom: Week of June 5th, 2020

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

Good morning from Horsham. Summer is upon us with hot and muggy weather, compounded with strong thunder storms. I hope, as you’re reading this, if you’ve lost power, it has been restored. If not, I hope it will be on soon! It’s been quite the week. Let me start by filling you in on what’s been happening on campus and then I’d like close in sharing my thoughts on external events, but not unrelated to us at Salus. 

This week’s Faculty Focus is on Dr. Tracy Offerdahl-McGowan and her role as both a pharmacist and a “farmacist.” She’s got some great stories you can read more about here. 

The inaugural Post-baccalaureate in Health Sciences class certainly left its mark on the University. I want to congratulate all of those students who finished the program and thank Drs. Darryl Horn and Brooke Kruemmling for taking the lead on this program, as well as the rest of our Rock Star faculty who helped to make it a success. Check out the virtual celebration to commemorate the accomplishments of the inaugural class here.

Congratulations to Faye Miller, O&M ’14, who was named the Blindness and Low Vision Studies Alumna of the Year by the Alumni Association. You can read more about Faye’s numerous accomplishments and contributions to her field here. 

Best of luck to our Osborne College of Audiology externs who are about to begin their clinical rotations. Thanks for including me in your celebration last night. I know you all will just hit it out of the park!

A reminder that the next Continuing Education Grand Rounds lecture is titled “Personal Equipment in the Clinical Setting” from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 12. This is a mandatory session for PCO students, but I’d also highly recommend as many people as possible try to listen in as the use of PPE has become an integral part of everyone’s clinical lives. For more information about the program, click here. 

While I have historically tried to remain apolitical in writing these posts, the events of the last couple of weeks have pushed me to the point where I can no longer stay quiet and keep my opinions to myself. 

I want to comment on a couple events that have offended, disgusted and appalled me this week. The first was watching peaceful demonstrators being forcibly and violently removed from Lafayette Square in Washington, DC, so Donald Trump could have a “photo opportunity” holding up a bible in front of St. John’s Church on the square. This abhorrent abuse of power highlighted his disregard for the rights of those conducting a peaceful protest, voicing their indignation with racism, white supremacy and police brutality. Threatening the use of military intervention and force against protesters, as Trump has, is something a dictator would do and is not consistent with our Constitutional First Amendment right of peaceful assembly to be heard. I do not condone any of the violence and looting that went on, but that was a small minority, distracting us from the principal message we all need to hear – the injustice Black and other people of color have suffered over two centuries. 

The second event was the unbelievably racist, incendiary and offensive press release from Joseph Gale, a Montgomery County Commissioner. I’ve already responded to his comments very publicly. We need to expect and demand more from our elected officials, especially one that lacks a sense of decency, compassion and respect. Dr. Di Stefano reminded us of the importance of voting during his commencement speech – this takes on an even more important role for all of us given the strife our nation is feeling right as a result of incompetent, immature and failing leadership at several levels. Our country and our democracy are at an inflection point today, and, while it will not be easy, we have an obligation to get us back on track to the ideals we were founded upon – equality, decency and freedom for all.

Even with all of that going on, I was uplifted and educated earlier in the week by the candidness and professionalism of our students, faculty and staff as we began to openly address the issues of race inequality and police brutality in our society.  

Salus University stands in solidarity with the Black community and all communities of color. We must be diligent and actively listen to, learn from, and support each other. As healthcare providers we must actively address disparities in access to quality healthcare that are based on race, gender or sexual orientation. We must commit to making this moment in history a turning point for positive change rather than a blip in time. Let the actions of all of those working for a more just society further demonstrate that Black lives matter, and let us all commit to working together as one to build a better future. I would encourage all of you move out of your comfort zones and speak out and take action against these social injustices. 

I hope you have a chance to reflect on this over the weekend. Today, Montgomery and surrounding counties move into the Yellow Phase of The Process to Reopen PA, so next week there might be several more people on campus. If you have to be on campus, please ensure you follow all social distance guidelines, continue aggressive hygiene routines, to include frequent hand washing and cleaning flat surfaces and wearing a face mask that covers your nose and mouth while on campus or in clinic.  You can review our Yellow Phase guidelines here.

Stay safe, stay healthy, be respectful of one another - stay SALUS STRONG!

Mike