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January 20, 2012

  • The new year has arrived, the students are back, and life is returning to our college.  It is a pleasure to see the fish bowl full of students again.  
  • As part of our response to the accreditation report from the AVMA Council on Education, we are asked to submit regular updates on activities the CVM has undertaken to address the points identified by the accreditation team. The report this past December indicated how much we have accomplished in a short amount of time.  We have taken steps to enhance our graduate studies program, address climate and diversity, and expand our commitment to international programs. Dr. Jane Welsh assumed the role of Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies.  Dr. Kenita Rogers accepted responsibilities as Director of Climate and Diversity.  Dr. Linda Logan took on the role of Director of International Programs.  With the help of Dr. Bhanu Chowdhary, we are launching a One Health Initiative in cooperation with Dr. Suzanne Yandow of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Together they will initiate a more formal structure and will engage other faculty, staff, and students to make sure Texas A&M is addressing this important concept, which is gaining traction nationally and globally.  Dr. Jodi Korich came on board as Director of Educational Technologies and has a proven record of success already.  We asked Sam Wigington to assume the role of CVM Director of Facilities to address the needs for facility improvement and maintenance.  A highlight for 2011 and for the AVMA COE report was the long-anticipated news that we were awarded $120 million toward a new Veterinary Education Building and Small Animal Hospital Expansion from the Permanent University Fund. Sam is essential to oversee the multitude of tasks associated with the new facility planning and construction. The Texas A&M Institute for Preclinical Studies, under the direction of Dr. Terry Fossum, has been incorporated into the CVM.  Also, the Texas A&M Foundation funded an additional Director of Development solely dedicated to the CVM, and we welcomed Chastity Rodgers in this role. Our Biomedical Sciences program relocated to space in the Reynolds, providing valuable classroom, administrative, and mentoring space for our growing undergraduate program. The AVMA COE Report is good.
  • Congratulations to Dr. Anton Hoffman, who was chosen to receive the national Pfizer Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award, one of the (if not the) most prestigious teaching awards in veterinary medicine in the United States. Dr. Hoffman will be presented his award at the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges annual meeting in Alexandria, VA in March 2012. Dr. Hoffman has been recognized many times for his teaching, with the most recent award being the Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence Award, which he received in August 2011. Over the past 18 years, Dr. Hoffman's students have continued to recognize him for his commitment to their success in the classroom. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Hoffman for this achievement. 
  • The annual Texas Veterinary Medical Association Mid-Winter Conference is coming again to College Station. Scheduled for February 3-5, 2012, at the College Station Hilton, this year's conference will again feature excellent continuing education opportunities. I encourage you to attend if you are able to do so. You may register by contacting Ellen Forsythe at TVMA (eforsythe@tvma.org or 512.452.4224). Dr. Jim Humphries of the Veterinary News Network will be returning to lead a special session on media relations as part of this conference. This session is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4th from 1:30 - 5:30 pm at the Brazos Amphitheater at the Hilton. You do not have to be registered for the conference to attend, and the session is open to any interested faculty member. Please contact Angela Clendenin in the PR Office (aclendenin@cvm.tamu.edu or 979.862.2675) by January 27th if you are interested in attending.
  • The 2012 Outstanding Alumni Recognition Dinner has been scheduled for Friday, March 23, 2012, at 6 pm at the Miramont Country Club in Bryan, TX. This year we will be recognizing Dr. John R. Herbold '69, Dr. JoGayle Howard '80 (awarded posthumously), Dr. J. Michael McFarland '85, Dr. Harold D. Putnam '60, Dr. Ronald O. Stried '71, and Dr. Michael A. Walker '72. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased by visiting /homecoming. You may also RSVP before March 16th by calling Noell Vance in our Development Office at 979.845.9043. 
  • More change is in the air for 2012.  Dr. William Moyer is now officially returning to the CVM from his duties as president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Upon his return, he has decided to step down as Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department Head after serving in that role for nineteen years. Dr. Moyer will serve as Special Assistant to the Dean, and will take on a long list of initiatives to advance our college's mission. As he continues to serve as a link between our college and the AAEP, Dr. Moyer will develop a partnership model between academia and the AAEP. Dr. Moyer will also work to grow and further develop our collaboration with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, one of the oldest partnerships between state agencies in the State of Texas. As our Veterinary Emergency Team continues to grow and extend the outreach of our college, Dr. Moyer will be key in working with the V.E.T. to develop the teaching, research, and service missions of this special unit. Dr. Kenita Rogers will serve as chair of an internal search committee for the VLCS Department Head.
  •  A Centennial Celebration Committee is being formed to oversee the planning of a year-long celebration of our 100th anniversary in 2016. Deans and Department Heads have been asked to submit names of faculty and staff to serve on this committee. An announcement of the committee will be made in the coming weeks. In addition to the main committee, there will be opportunities for everyone to be involved on one of several sub-committees charged with the different events throughout the year.
  •  I just returned from the AAVMC Deans meeting in Naples, Florida, followed by the NAVC in Orlando.  The deans meeting provides an opportunity for exchange of ideas and information among the deans. A few highlights follow. A National Academy of Science Veterinary Workforce Report is due to be released within the next months.  The AAVMC continues to try to create a presence in Washington D.C. to increase federal funding to veterinary medicine. Dr. Jim Lloyd gave an informative presentation on the economics of educating veterinary students.  We discussed a federal loan repayment program of importance to our students.  In the income-based Loan Repayment Program, annual payment is based upon the last year's income and after so many years of timely payment, the remainder of the loan will be forgiven.  Discussions were held about implementation of the NAVMEC report. In Orlando, the AAVMC met with the AVMA to discuss workforce and economic issues. The resulting press releases are attached.
  • Dr. Jim Heird and I have been asked by the Association of Former Students to serve as co-hosts for the Traveling Aggies trip to the Kentucky Derby on May 3-6, 2012. For those who have never taken a trip with the AFS, these trips are first class and are truly memorable experiences. The trip includes admission to the Derby, accommodations at a quality hotel in Lexington, all shuttles, tours of a horse farm and distillery, and some meals. For more information, you can visit the website http://www.travelingaggiessportstravel.com/ or call 979.845.7514. The cost of the trip is $2,179/person and payment is due by Feb. 1st. I hope you are able to join us for what will be a wonderful and exciting trip to the Kentucky Derby.

Sincerely,
Eleanor M. Green, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP
Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M University
(979) 845-5053