Sharing Information on Integration: Week of September 8, 2023

 

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

Happy Friday from our Elkins Park campus on what is starting out as a much more comfortable day than days past. It’s been another busy week on campus with our post-bac students starting their exciting program and new first year students getting in the swing of things around their busy schedules. In addition to this, here are some other items of interest:

FACULTY SALUTE: Salus University welcomed new faculty members and presented tenure and promotions to other faculty members at a recognition ceremony on Aug. 24, 2023, as part of our recent University Development Day. Click here to read more about the event.

MAKING THE TRANSITION: Also, as part of University Development Day, Walter Kimbrough, PhD, presented “Continuing to Work the Mission in a Time of Transition” to our Salus community at The Eye Institute. To read more about Dr. Kimbrough and the message he brought to Salus, click here.

CRISTO REY STUDENTS RETURN: We welcomed our second cohort of four Cristo Rey High School work study students last week with a site visit and breakfast event. The students had an opportunity to meet their department supervisors, receive their Salus badges and take a look around the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus. We look forward to providing our Cristo Rey interns with a full and complete Salus experience. If you see any of the Cristo Rey students on campus, introduce yourself and welcome them aboard.

FALL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: Vice Admiral Michael Cowan, former Navy surgeon general, will visit on Thursday, 21 September 2023 with faculty, staff and students ahead of our Fall Commencement in October. Our 2019 white coat ceremony speaker, Admiral Cowan was specifically requested by students to come back. We are thrilled and excited to welcome him!

FINAL THOUGHTS: During our first town-hall meeting of the new semester this week, I noted that the key to the success of our merger with Drexel is sharing information so that there are no surprises once it is finalized.

The questions we’ve been receiving so far mostly fall into several categories: questions asking for more details about the integration process; questions about compensation and benefits; and what I would call process questions, chiefly about timeline and how the integration of our two institutions will roll out. While we don’t yet have answers to some of the specific questions about potential changes in compensation, benefit levels or changes in individual benefits, working with our partners at Drexel we will work hard to get these for you.

I want to reiterate my promise to you that I will continue to share what we know when we know it. As the Integration Council prepares to kick off on 20 September, I want to thank President’s Council members who will serve in leadership roles and others who will serve in ad hoc positions to help make our transition as seamless as possible.

Small group meetings will begin again in the coming weeks so that I can hear from you and respond to your questions more directly. If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to your director, dean, vice president or to me directly. We are eager to hear from you. I’ve asked all deans, directors and vice presidents for their help with this to ensure we’re reaching every member of our Salus community in this important effort.

As you prepare for the weekend, please remember that Covid cases are still on the increase in our region so you could be taking appropriate precautions, especially if you’re going to be around large groups of people. As much as we hate going back to masking, there may be situations where it’s again warranted. Please remember that what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. If you’re feel ill, please stay home and test if symptoms warrant it. If you do test positive, follow CDC guidelines concerning quarantine to help minimize any potential spread.

I attached a photo of our beautiful campus as it shows off the colors of late summer. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Celebrating Labor Day: Week of September 1, 2023

 

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

Greetings on this Friday before Labor Day! It’s been another busy week on campus as our construction project takes shape (pictures below). Our classes, labs and clinics have been humming -- you can feel the excitement and buzz!

In other news around our Salus community:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 2023 Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. We are excited to honor Susan Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO — founder of LOFK — with the Lighthouse Award recognizing beacons of light and strength in the community in which they live, work and serve above and beyond their occupations. Click here to order your tickets.

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT DAY: Thank you to Karen Hanson, Jim Caldwell, Dr. J, Maura Keenan, Jennifer Brown and Kristen Dittrich for their expert coordination of our University Development Day, which featured Walter Kimbrough, PhD, in the morning session. Dr. Kimbrough is President Emeritus of Dillard University, and his topic was, "Continuing to Work the Mission in the Time of Transition." The afternoon session featured Christine Arenson, MD, director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. Dr. Arenson's topic was "NexusIPE: Achieving Health and Learning Outcomes that Matter.”

ORIENTATION WEEK IMPRESSIONS: From August 14-18, 2023, Salus University welcomed our largest entering class. Read what they thought about their Orientation Week experiences here.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES: This year’s ceremony marked the 20th year in which Salus has celebrated the White Coat, with three separate ceremonies throughout the day on Aug. 18, all held in the Hafter Student Community Center on the University’s Elkins Park campus. The white coat signifies not only a change in attire, but a significant step forward in students becoming compassionate, skilled, and dedicated healthcare providers. Click here to read about the day’s activities.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach Labor Day weekend, I like to remind everyone why we celebrate this holiday celebrating 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 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. I hope everyone enjoys their three-day weekend honoring American workers.

As we end the week, we are keeping everyone affected by Hurricane Idalia in our thoughts and prayers as recovery efforts continue from this terrible natural disaster. In addition to faculty and staff members with friends and families in affected areas, we have several students enrolled at Salus and in clinical rotations from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, states in the path of Hurricane Idalia. Please know we are here for you during this difficult and challenging time. If you experience difficulty concentrating on your studies and rotations, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) for support.

Finally, as I noted last week, as Covid cases are on the rise in our region, please remember to socially distance, wear a face mask when around others, wash your hands frequently and please remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus.

Have a great weekend! Be safe, be responsible, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Photos of the South Building Construction Progress:

Get To It: Week of August 11, 2023

 

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

Greetings from Elkins Park on a beautiful summer morning. It’s been a busy week on campus as we prepare to welcome our largest entering class for next week’s Orientation festivities. Here are some items of interest: 

GUIDE DOG WEEK: International Assistance Dog Week, observed from Aug. 6 to Aug. 12, is a time to recognize all of the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals mitigate their disability-related limitations. In this Q&A session, Lachelle Smith, MS ‘04, director of the Salus Vision Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) program, shares the many ways her guide dog, Lyra, enriches her daily life.

EXPANSION AND NAME CHANGE: The Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE) at Salus University has expanded, and is now the Academic Affairs Division of Global, Interprofessional and Specialized Programming (GISP). Click here to read more.

SEP CLASS OF 2023: Congratulations to our distinguished 2023 Summer Enrichment Program graduates entering the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus this fall! The SEP program introduces students to leaders and resources at Salus while strengthening a sense of community. Read more about this year's cohort here.

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT DAY: Our Fall University Development Day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 25 at The Eye Institute (TEI). Our keynote speaker, Dr. Walter Kimbrough, will share his perspectives on "Continuing to Work the Mission in the Time of Transition.” 

FINAL THOUGHTS: I recently came across the following quote from Marcus Aurelius:

“Do now what nature demands of you. Get right to it if that’s in your power. Don’t look around to see if people will know about it. Don’t wait for the perfection of Plato’s Republic but be satisfied with even the smallest step forward and regard the outcome as a small thing.”

What an important reminder that perfection is the enemy of good. Whenever I catch myself feeling stressed by everything that needs to be completed, this teaching re-centers me: every action taken toward a desired end -- no matter how small, yields progress. One step in front of the next builds agency and motivation.

As we prepare to send many of you off to new clinical rotations and welcome our largest entering class, think about how you can apply this to your own situation, whether you’re preparing for national competency exams or figuring out how you’re going to manage your busy daily schedules.

Our summer is quickly coming to a close, especially as we welcome our new students next week. Please try to take advantage of this upcoming weekend to reflect upon the advice I’ve noted and try to recharge as we get ready to start another academic year at Salus – the last one before our exciting merger with Drexel!

Be safe, stay hydrated and continue to look out for one another to remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Building Trust-Based Relationships: Week of January 20, 2023

 

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park Campus where it’s great to see students collaborating in our Learning Resource Center and walking around the campus! It’s been especially gratifying to see our Cristo Rey High School interns supporting several key areas while gaining experience and exposure to our health professions. Here are other items that I hope will be of interest to you:

FABULOUS FRAMING: When asked where she gets her sense of style, Nwamaka Ngoddy, OD ‘12, answers “from the school of life.” That awareness has helped Dr. Ngoddy expand her professional horizons. After years of practicing in retail optometry, she opened Anwuli Eyewear in 2019, where she designs frames specifically with African-American facial features in mind. Read more about Dr. Ngoddy here.

SENSE OF BELONGING: Strengthening a sense of belonging – the feeling that each of us is valued, connected and important, is something to which we all can actively contribute, and the research shows that belonging boosts engagement and retention. That was the message from Terrell Strayhorn, PhD, to faculty and staff at Salus University’s Development Day. Read more about Dr. Strayhorn’s presentation here.

PCO CAREER FAIR: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) Career Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, in the Hafter Student Community Center. PCO/Salus students can learn more about full or part-time clinical externship opportunities in local practices. Contact careerservices@salus.edu with questions.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER EVENT: Join CPPD's doctoral student trainees Andrew Jaskot and Janeyshka Ortiz-Flores for a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) tabling event from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. outside the café on Monday, Jan. 23. Students are encouraged to stop by to chat with the counselors, receive more information about counseling services, pick-up snacks, and enter a raffle to win a seasonal affective disorder light therapy lamp.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I have been reading a book about the Stoics and am struck by a quote from Marcus Aurelius, which is quite timely: “It’s the truth I’m after, and the truth never harmed anyone. What harms us is to persist in self-deceit and ignorance.”

With so many “alternative facts” floating around in the press and society, it can be hard to what and whom to trust. Healthcare should top the list of societal institutions in which we can place our trust and confidence. As healthcare professionals, we can help build this one patient at a time.

According to author Stephen Covey, trust is built upon credibility, consistent behavior, alignment, reputation and contribution. (The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, 2008) We can actively build trusting relationships with our patients and clients by presenting evidence-based information, actively listening and responding consistently with kindness, care and respect; being reliability present and aligned in our words and actions; and actively seeking opportunities to contribute to the greater good within and beyond our professions.

While the current political and social divides in our country may create uncertainty, we can counter this by creating caring, trustful, reliable relationships that will serve our patients and clients well. The choices we make and the actions we take, individually and collectively, build personal, professional, institutional and societal integrity.

As you prepare for the weekend, I encourage you to reflect on the many ways you can develop the skills and behaviors that will foster trust-based relationships with each patient and client in your care.

Have a great weekend – be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Get Your Booster Now: Week of January 28th, 2022

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

Good morning on yet another frigid morning in our region! This is our second full week back on campus for many, and things have been going very well. Our COVID positivity rate has been 0.8%, with some face-to-face classes and labs and clinics going full speed. This past weekend our Board of Trustees, along with representatives from faculty, students, staff and administration spent several hours in our second round of Scenario Planning to update our current strategic plan. I look forward to sharing with you during our February town hall some of the exciting ideas we discussed.

Other happenings that may be of interest to you:

UD DAY: Our faculty explored teaching and learning trends in higher education and shared anecdotes and best practices in meeting the current educational needs of our students at our recent University Faculty Development Day. To read more, click here.

DEI STRONG: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) remains very active and Salus Strong with the addition of Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, special assistant to the president. Read a Q&A with Dr. J. here. Our updated DEI website contains a great deal of interesting and informative information about Salus that you will want to check out here.

DEI SPEAKS!: Dr. J will be hosting a “DEI Speaks!” event on February 18th at 12 PM featuring Dr. David Marquez, who will be discussing, “Importance of Culture in the Health of Latino/a/xs. You can read more about the DEI Speaks! Series here.

CLIMBING TO NEW HEIGHTS: Our latest Students At Leisure (SAL) story features Shayna Sawyer ‘24 AUD, who has taken up rock climbing for both her physical and mental health. Read more about Shayna here.

CAPSTONE FINDINGS: Physician Assistant Studies alum Eric Nguyen, MMS ‘21, used his capstone project to weigh the risks of electronic vs. traditional cigarettes. Read more here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: A debt of thanks to our Deans and Directors and our COVID Advisory Group for helping to ensure our safe return to campus. Developed with their advisement, our pandemic safety strategy along with proven mitigation measures — boosters, upgraded facemasks, social distancing and handwashing, are working effectively to keep us safe. As conditions change, we will continue to tap the CDC, our resident experts and local health department guidance to help us meet whatever comes next. We are excited to host a booster event on our Elkins Park campus later today! I hope all in need of the jab have made appointments. Only 40% of the fully vaccinated U.S. population has gotten a booster to date [1], even though data strongly validates the importance of getting one to be protected from severe disease. [2]

This weekend the weather guessers are talking about some snow in our area with the potential for significant accumulations along the coast and possibly around here. Please monitor the weather if you plan to head out to ensure you’re not caught by surprise.

Be safe and look out for one another. Together we remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

References:

[1] Anderson, M. (2022). COVID-19 vaccine booster drive is faltering in the U.S. Associated Press News: 2.26.22, https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-492fb86ff65c0f9a2d87b129e5da90a4

[2] Thompson MG, Natarajan K, Irving SA, et al. Effectiveness of a Third Dose of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance — VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021–January 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:139–145. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7104e3external icon.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e3.htm?s_cid=mm7104e3_x

Happy New Year: Week of January 8th, 2021

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

Happy New Year. It’s been quite a week, to say the least, with 2021 starting out leaving much for us to think about. You all should have received my comments yesterday concerning the events that unfolded in Washington on Wednesday. While the stress of the event is still with many of us, I would like to highlight all the positive things that have been happening on campus since returning from a prolonged holiday break.

FOCUS ON FACULTY: We are fortunate to have an enviable team of world-class faculty at Salus. Take a look at two recent Faculty Focus features, one on Chad Killen, OD ‘19, Resident ‘20, a clinical instructor in primary care services and the other on Eileen Hunsaker, director of Clinical Education in our Department of Speech-Language Pathology. You can read more about Dr. Killen here and more about Ms. Hunsaker here.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DAY: We held our semi-annual University Faculty Development Day before the holiday break, a virtual event that featured and in-depth presentation by Dr. Ragan DuBose-Morris, associate professor and director of the Office for Telehealth Education at the Medical University of South Carolina. She discussed topics surrounding the growth of telehealth, such as the pandemic’s impact on the industry and educational goals from both academic and clinical perspectives. Read more about UD Day at salus.edu/UDDay2020.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: This week’s “Where Are They Now” feature is on Cora Franze, MS ‘20, who recently graduated from our Orientation & Mobility (O&M) program. Find out more about how Cora’s career has gotten off to a good start by going to salus.edu/CoraFranze.

BACK TO THE GYM: With the restrictions on gyms being lifted recently by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, the Hafter Center will reopen on Monday, Jan. 11. The center’s staff continued to provide virtual services this week, including Lifestream classes. Check your emails next week for monthly class schedules.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST: Check out our Facebook page to see pictures of the winners of our virtual Gingerbread House Contest. Congratulations to Rachel Jhala ‘21OD, Brynn Parkin ‘22OT and Anna Demko ‘21AUD. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: The recent, unfortunate events in Washington, along with events leading up to Inauguration Day will fill the news for the next two weeks. As we navigate through these eventful and often stressful times, I want everyone to know that you will not be alone. It’s times like these that bring communities, such as ours at Salus together. It’s okay to share your thoughts with others in a meaningful and respectful way, and I would encourage you to do that, as differing perspectives help us to learn and grow. I’m happy to host a virtual meeting with anyone interested in discussing recent events.

As I said in yesterday’s note to everyone, I have no doubt that our democracy and Constitution will fully withstand yesterday’s assault on the democratic process.

Right now, the most important thing you can do is to maintain your focus on learning your chosen professions and caring for those patients and clients under our care. Your contributions to our healthcare system and ultimately, the country, will be considerable, once you leave Salus. We do all this while still in the middle of a global pandemic. Vaccinations are beginning to become available to some, but they are still not wide-spread. It is essential to continue to wear your face mask when around others, socially distance and wash your hands frequently. This too will end, but not until many more are vaccinated. In the meantime, help control the spread.

As I’ve said before, I don’t think anyone would argue the fact that we are currently living the old Chinese proverb - “living in interesting times”!

Stay safe, remain optimistic and stay Salus Strong! Have a great weekend!

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

A Holiday Poem: Week of December 20th, 2019

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

‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the campus,
Not a student was stirring, especially not in classes;The finals were done, grading prepared with care, 
In hopes that an “A" soon would be there;
The students have fled to their homes far away,While faculty and staff are left here to stay;With Provost in his office and I in my space,
We have attempted to prepare for a much reduced pace;
As you all spend time with family and friends,We wish you a Happy Holiday until this vacation ends.

On a less poetic note, I would like to thank Dr. Brooke Kruemmling for organizing this week’s University Development Day.  All of the speakers were fantastic and the topics extremely relevant and timely, resulting in a great exchange of ideas and information.  It was really nice to see such robust faculty attendance at the event.

As we end this year and look towards 2020 (the year of the Optometrist) I want to thank our extraordinarily talented faculty and staff for all you’ve done for our students, patients and clients throughout the year.  I really appreciate our faculty’s candid and well-thought out comments as we recently discussed ways to make Salus even better.  It’s been a great year filled with many individual and team successes.  Next year promises to be both interesting and exciting, presenting all of us with new opportunities and challenges that will help to bring us to the next stage of excellence as a premier educational institution.  

I’d like to remind our faculty and staff to please join us for the Holiday Party in the Hafter Student Community Center today (Friday) at 1pm. I look forward to seeing everyone there and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!

Be safe, have fun and come back with your intellectual batteries charged, ready to hit the deck running!

Mike