President’s Perspective – March 2022
Posted: March 15, 2022
Smile
Seeing faces at ATSU locations, sans masks, has added a new energy to the University. Smiles lift each other’s spirits, enhance communication, and can be contagious, in a good way. Healthcare providers, educators, and many other jobs and professions rely on face-to-face interpretations to effectively and successfully interact. The ATSU community looks forward to seeing your smile as we get together for graduations, white coats, celebrations, and so much more.
Celebrating
This year we have much to celebrate – ATSU’s 130th anniversary and Museum of Osteopathic Medicine’s and A.T. Still Memorial Library’s 100th anniversaries. Our founding institution, ATSU-KCOM, continues to lead the osteopathic profession and serves as a model for building comprehensive health sciences institutions. The Higher Learning Commission recently approved the University’s request for a third campus and new college, A.T. Still University’s College for Healthy Communities (ATSU-CHC) in Santa Maria, California. This fall, the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine, which is seeking accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, will celebrate its relaunch, and A.T. Still Memorial Library will observe its 100th birthday.
COVID-19 update
Following updated CDC guidance, ATSU non-patient care settings in communities with low or medium infection rates no longer require masking indoors. Thank you to the University community for doing your part to prevent and reduce transmissions and maintain healthy campus environments.
2022 Beyond Flexner Conference
The 2022 Beyond Flexner Conference will be held March 28-30 in Phoenix, Arizona. Kudos to ATSU’s faculty, staff, and students serving on Beyond Flexner steering and planning committees and volunteering.
HEED recognition
ATSU received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for the fifth straight year. Congratulations to the entire ATSU community, and kudos to Clinton Normore, MBA, vice president for diversity & inclusion, and staff: Stephanie McGrew, MHA, assistant director and Clarissa Rodriguez, senior administrative assistant.
New trustees
ATSU’s Board of Trustees includes some of America’s brightest and most talented leaders. Trustees graciously accept challenges confronting all universities and collaborate to find opportunities for ATSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Trustees recently elected to the ATSU Board of Trustees are Danielle Barnett-Trapp, DO, ’11; Marco J. Clark, EdD; Linda Eremita, MUA; and Floyd Simpson III, CFA, CAIA.
Dr. Barnett-Trapp is a second-generation osteopathic family physician and graduate of ATSU-SOMA’s inaugural class. She is currently serving as president for the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association.
Dr. Clark has worked as an educator since 1989 and, in 2020, was named the first lay executive director of the Holy Cross Institute at St. Edward’s University.
Ms. Eremita is managing director of the higher education practice at Stifel Financial Corp. Her career is punctuated by her successful tenure as an investment banker and institutional debt advisor, bond rating analyst, college and university trustee, and urban planner.
Mr. Simpson graduated from Truman State University and is a senior managing consultant and member of the Outsourced CIO Investment Committee of PFM Asset Management.
Welcome, new trustees, and thank you for sharing your special talents and skills with the University family.
Accreditation
In addition to ATSU-ASHS Speech-Language Pathology hosting a site visit in January and ATSU Museum of Osteopathic Medicine hosting a site visit earlier this month, ATSU will host two more accreditation site visits in 2022: ATSU-ASDOH predoctoral and postgraduate orthodontics residency by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and ATSU-CHC by the Higher Learning Commission. Thank you to our deans, faculty, and staff for fulfilling ATSU’s mission and ensuring the continuing quality of our educational offerings.
2021-2022 strategic focus areas
1. Provide faculty and staff internal grant funding for innovative projects exploring highly flexible learning options utilizing technology. Faculty may apply for Highly Flexible Learning Options Using Technology grants. Grant instructions and brief application forms are available on the Sponsored Programs website under the ATSU Internal Grants tab (or copy https://grants.atsu.edu/resources/#internal_grants into your browser). Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. local time Friday, April 15, 2022.
2. Investigate opportunities to fulfill ATSU’s mission through the growth of existing degree programs and addition of new programs. Norman Gevitz, PhD, senior vice president-academic affairs, is collaborating with deans and program chairs to identify opportunities to assure ATSU is meeting society’s needs for healthcare professionals.
3. Increase scholarly activity with an emphasis on improving health of underserved communities. Faculty may apply for ATSU Underserved Community Scholarly Improvement grants. Grant instructions and brief application forms are available on the Sponsored Programs website under the ATSU Internal Grants tab (or copy https://grants.atsu.edu/resources/#internal_grants into your browser). Application deadline is 11:59 p.m. local time Friday, April 15, 2022.
Points of pride
Did you know?
ATSU has
- 4 locations (3 campuses)
- Kirksville, Missouri (campus)
- Mesa, Arizona (campus)
- Santa Maria, California (campus)
- St. Louis, Missouri (location)
- 7 schools
- Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
- Arizona School of Health Sciences
- College for Healthy Communities
- College of Graduate Health Studies
- Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
- School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona
- 15 doctoral programs
- 16 master’s programs
- 16 certificate programs
- 3,639 unique students (as of March 14, 2022)
- 1,398 full-time and part-time employees (as of March 14, 2022)
- >34,000 graduates and ~23,000 living alumni (as of March 14, 2022)
- Excellent credit ratings
- Standard & Poor’s: A- with a positive outlook
- Moody’s: A3 with a stable outlook
- Faculty and staff in-person and online professional development courses
- In 2021, 1,497 employees completed 3,200 professional development courses in UKG Pro Learning (includes annual Required Employee Education)
- In 2021, 234 employees completed 3,500 professional development courses in LinkedIn Learning
- Bachelor’s degree completion bonus policy
- MPH scholarship program
- Tuition discount for online programs
Upcoming commencement ceremonies
ATSU-ASDOH
Friday, May 13
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-MOSDOH
Friday, May 20
Kirksville, Missouri
ATSU-KCOM
Saturday, May 21
Kirksville, Missouri
ATSU-CGHS
Friday, May 27
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-SOMA
Friday, May 27
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS
Friday, June 3
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Physician Assistant
Friday, September 16
Mesa, Arizona
Upcoming white coat ceremonies
ATSU-ASHS Audiology
Class of 2025
Saturday, April 16
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Physical Therapy
Class of 2023
Thursday, May 26
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASDOH
Class of 2026
Friday, July 15
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-SOMA
Class of 2026
Friday, July 15
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Physician Assistant
Class of 2024
Friday, July 15
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-MOSDOH
Class of 2026
Friday, July 15
Kirksville, Missouri
ATSU-KCOM
Class of 2026
Saturday, July 16
Kirksville, Missouri
ATSU-CHC Physician Assistant
Class of 2023
Friday, August 26
Santa Maria, California
Faculty and staff updates (as of February 28)
Recent promotions: Please view the list of employee promotions (PDF).
Accomplishment kudos: Please view the list of accomplishment kudos (PDF).
Anniversary milestones: Please view the list of employee anniversaries (PDF).
Ideas or concerns?
Please submit your ideas to ideas@atsu.edu. Each email will receive a personal response from me. Ideas are only shared with the sender’s permission.
If you see something you are worried about, please contact the anonymous Fraud Hotline to report situations or behavior that compromises ATSU’s integrity. The hotline is available 24/7 at 1.855.FRAUD.HL (1.855.372.8345) or fraudhl.com.
In closing
Thank you for taking a few minutes to catch up on ATSU happenings. Please remember to check ATSU News for updated information on campuses, programs, students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Students, faculty, and staff, thank you once again for your tremendous efforts in keeping our campuses, locations, and communities safe and healthy these last two years. Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Yours in service,
Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84
President
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501 | 660.626.2121
5850 E. Still Circle, Mesa, AZ 85206 | 480.219.6000
1075 E. Betteravia Rd., Ste. 201, Santa Maria, CA | 805.621.7648
Office of the President | president@atsu.edu
ATSU Communication & Marketing | communications@atsu.edu
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences serves as a learning-centered university dedicated to preparing highly competent professionals through innovative academic programs with a commitment to continue its osteopathic heritage and focus on whole person healthcare, scholarship, community health, interprofessional education, diversity, and underserved populations.