Chancellor’s Perspective – August 2025
Posted: August 28, 2025
Rising to challenges and embracing opportunities
Labor Day celebrates all American workers for the role they play in providing goods and services essential to our daily lives.
Thank you, A.T. Still University (ATSU) faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees, for all you do each day to provide a quality education for our students in a safe, caring, and compassionate environment.
This academic year is full of opportunities and challenges. As always, ATSU will remain true to its mission while adhering to the latest interpretations of rules, laws, and regulations.
Artificial intelligence continues playing a greater role in our professional and personal lives. This academic year, ATSU will provide additional learning and research opportunities for the University community.
Additionally, developing translational research opportunities and implementing ATSU’s first faculty sabbatical experience are on this academic year’s slate.
As we approach the Labor Day holiday weekend, I would like to extend my personal thanks to each of our dedicated faculty and staff members.
Kirksville Healthcare Expo 2025
ATSU, Northeast Regional Medical Center, and Northeast Missouri Health Council are co-hosting the first Healthcare Expo on the Kirksville, Missouri, campus, Saturday, September 6. The Kirksville Expo is modeled after the highly successful Healthcare Expo held on the Mesa, Arizona, campus since 2022.
All students, faculty, staff, community members, and families are welcome to attend. With more than 40 local, regional, and national exhibitors, the Healthcare Expo provides an interactive learning environment designed to enhance the overall health and well-being of our rural community.
Dental, hearing, skin cancer, oral cancer, and general wellness screenings will be offered on-site, along with children’s activities and prizes.
Special Olympics Missouri 2025 State Summer Games
Thank you to all who generously volunteered during the 2025 Missouri State Summer Games – the first time Kirksville has hosted these games. Whether you assisted with Healthy Athletes, meals, events, or planning, your support provided a successful, joyful experience for the athletes and their families. ATSU is proud to have had such meaningful involvement from our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families.
Required Employee Education (REE)
The 2025 REE is now available and due December 31. In addition to helping ATSU to use its resources effectively, on-time REE completion allows ATSU to continue its eligibility for student financial aid, programmatic and institutional accreditation, University funding, insurance, and additional programs and requirements. For questions about REE, please contact John Gardner, PhD, MEd, director, policy & employee education, at johngardner@atsu.edu or 660.626.2113.
ATSU strategic plan focus areas
2025-2026 focus areas
- Identify and address implications for higher education and institutional operations arising from the 2025-2026 Federal Budget Reconciliation Act.
- Identify, implement, and fund opportunities to integrate artificial intelligence across academic programs and administrative operations.
- Establish a translational research program to advance faculty and staff discoveries toward enhanced healthcare delivery and innovations in health professions education.
Facilities updates
A big thank you to our Environmental Services, Facilities, and Campus Safety team members for helping keep our locations updated, clean, safe, and accessible. Many changes have taken place over the past year. Please view the Facilities report for a list of University-wide updates.
2025 ATSU commencement ceremonies
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH)
Friday, May 9
Mesa, Arizona
Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH)
Friday, May 16
Kirksville, Missouri
Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM)
Saturday, May 17
Kirksville, Missouri
College of Graduate Health Studies (ATSU-CGHS)
Friday, May 23
Mesa, Arizona
School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA)
Friday, May 23
Mesa, Arizona
Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) Athletic Training, Audiology, Biomedical Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology programs
Friday, June 6
Mesa, Arizona
Upcoming commencement ceremonies
College for Healthy Communities (ATSU-CHC) Central Coast Physician Assistant program
Friday, September 12
Santa Barbara, California
ATSU-ASHS Physician Assistant Studies and Doctor of Medical Science programs
Friday, September 19
Mesa, Arizona
2025 ATSU white coat ceremonies
ATSU-ASHS Audiology
Class of 2028
Friday, March 14
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Occupational Therapy
Class of 2026
Friday, March 14
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Physical Therapy
Class of 2026
Friday, March 14
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-CHC
Class of 2026
Friday, March 28
Arroyo Grande, California
ATSU-ASDOH
Class of 2029
Friday, July 11
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-ASHS Physician Assistant Studies
Class of 2027
Friday, July 11
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-SOMA
Class of 2029
Friday, July 11
Mesa, Arizona
ATSU-MOSDOH
Class of 2029
Friday, July 11
Kirksville, Missouri
ATSU-KCOM
Class of 2029
Saturday, July 12
Kirksville, Missouri
Faculty and staff updates (as of July 31)
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).
Professional development opportunities
Looking to learn more? ATSU offers many opportunities for professional development through Human Resources, Missouri Training Institute, Teaching & Learning Center, Still Healthy seminars, and Paylocity. ATSU-CGHS also offers faculty and staff discounts on programs and courses.
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. Reference code “ATSU” when making a report.
In closing
Thank you for taking a few minutes to review the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff. I hope you enjoy a nice Labor Day weekend with family and friends.
Yours in service,
Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84
Chancellor
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
800 W. Jefferson St., Kirksville, MO 63501 | 660.626.2391
5850 E. Still Circle, Mesa, AZ 85206 | 480.219.6010
1075 E. Betteravia Rd., Ste. 201, Santa Maria, CA | 805.621.7651
Office of the Chancellor | chancellor@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. The University is committed to continuing its osteopathic heritage and focus on whole person healthcare, scholarship, community health, interprofessional education, diversity, and underserved populations.