ATSU announces key changes, new strategy

At ATSU, the result of days, weeks, and months of planning and restructuring has resulted in some of the most significant changes in the university’s history, changes that include leadership, centralizing data, working with local entities to recruit physicians, undertaking a formal strategic planning process, and achieving accreditation for programs.

There’s a new energy at ATSU, a new strategy for the future, and a renewed commitment to our mission. What follows are some of the most significant changes occurring in 2010:

Developing institutional research capacity

ATSU is fully compliant with all state, federal, and accrediting agency requirements regarding the submission of data, but centralizing data collection efforts is a challenge. The charge of the University-wide Assessment Committee (UWAC) includes being responsible for ensuring that the data necessary for assessment and strategic planning is as readily accessible as reasonably possible. The committee has requested funds for software that will aggregate data in the next budget year, and implementation of the software will be a top priority for 2010-11.

Recruiting physicians cooperatively

For the first time in more than 100 years, ATSU-KCOM, Northeast Missouri Health Council (NMHC – the local Federally Qualified Health Center), and Northeast Regional Medical Center (NRMC) will recruit providers cooperatively. An integral component of the agreement is the involvement of KCOM to ensure that new physicians have the interest and ability to become clinical educators at KCOM and to participate in its evolving curriculum. Costs for recruitment will be shared. NRMC, a Thompson Top 100 hospital based on quality, has agreed to provide initial income guarantees so physicians can choose to practice at KCOM or NMHC, if appropriate, or enter private practice.

Planning strategically

The University Strategic Planning Committee (USPC) is developing a five-year strategic plan for ATSU that will guide its future development as an integrated university. The committee has developed draft mission and values statements and is working to identify appropriate actions that will address the strategic issues it determined are important to ATSU’s future. The USPC hopes to finish the plan by mid-summer.

Obtaining accreditation

The Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health’s Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Program has received “approval without reporting requirements” and will not be site-visited again until 2016.

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) awarded ATSU-ASHS’ Occupational Therapy Program a seven-year accreditation, which may be extended to 10 years’ accreditation by attending to two areas of concern, which already are being addressed by faculty.

Leading purposefully

Several key changes in university administration also will take effect this summer.

• Craig Phelps, D.O., FAOAM, ’84, is ATSU’s new executive vice president for strategic initiatives.This new position will allow ATSU to take advantage of opportunities for expanding its role beyond two campuses, and extend the president’s strategic leadership in Arizona and Missouri, as well as nationwide and globally. Provost of the Arizona campus since 1998, Dr. Phelps led the establishment and development of that campus and will now assist the president in maintaining and improving presidential level involvement in such matters as fund-raising opportunities, community visibility, and overseeing new initiatives.
• Douglas L. Wood, D.O., Ph.D., the founding dean of ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA),is the inaugural senior vice president – academic affairs, the university’s top academic leader. For the first time, each of ATSU’s five deans — and potentially others — will report to the same person, Dr. Wood, who will report directly to the president. On the Mesa campus he led the creation of one of the most innovative medical schools in the nation, and next year SOMA will graduate its first class.
• Thomas McWilliams, D.O., FACOFP, ’76, willleave his position as founding associate dean totake over for ATSU-SOMA’s founding dean, Douglas L. Wood, D.O., Ph.D.,who will serve as the university’s new senior vice president – academic affairs. Having joined ATSU in 2006 as the second person hired at SOMA, Dr. McWilliams has been instrumental in the implementation of SOMA’s innovative curricular model.
• O.T. Wendel, Ph.D., is the new vice president for Arizona operations & special assistant to the executive vice president. Because of former Arizona Provost Dr. Phelps’ transition to executive vice president for strategic initiatives, Dr. Wendel will oversee operations at the Arizona campus and work with Dr. Phelps as the president deems necessary. Dr. Wendel became the first associate provost of ATSU’s Arizona campus in 1998, served as dean of the faculty until 2002 with the formation of ASHS, and has been very effective in helping to build that campus.
• Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., ’08, is ATSU’s first female dean, having served as interim dean of the online School of Health Management since 2008. She joined the university in 2005 and graduated as part of ATSU-SHM’s first class of Doctor of Health Education (D.H.Ed.) students. As interim dean, she moved SHM forward by raising admission standards, establishing full-time faculty positions, and tightening curriculum requirements.
• Barbara Maxwell, D.P.T., ’06, is interim dean of ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences, taking over for founding dean Randy Danielsen, Ph.D., PA-C, who is leaving ATSU-ASHS for the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants Foundation. Dr. Maxwell has served as vice dean of ASHS since 2007 and has been with the university since 2003, beginning as associate professor of physical therapy. Dr. Maxwell serves on numerous ATSU committees, has a consistent record of research, is a peer reviewer for the online Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, and has been named as a Top Woman in Business by Arizona Woman Magazine.