E-Insight

February 2006

Update from the Dean's Office

Dear Friends,

With January behind us, and the short month of February well underway, I'm struck by how fast 2006 is clicking along. Sometimes it seems like there is barely time to catch our breath before we are off to the next appointment, struggling to meet the next deadline, or preparing for an upcoming trip. That is certainly how February is shaping up, but I'm honored to be a part of all the exciting times we are facing in veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences.

I now serve as president-elect of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). As president-elect, I've been asked to participate in discussions that will impact academic veterinary medicine out to the year 2030. This year, the AAVMC is engaging in a foresight planning project. What is foresight planning? Well, Webster's dictionary defines foresight as the act of looking forward and that, quite simply, is what the AAVMC is trying to do. The AAVMC, using reasonable extrapolations as well as logical possibilities, will try to develop plausible scenarios for the future of veterinary medicine. We are looking at what could happen that would have a profound impact on veterinary medicine.

Once we define the possibilities, each school can look at the plausible scenarios and decide for itself which is the most likely, and then capitalize on that with advanced planning and program development. This process will take place over the course of the year, guided by the Norm Willis Group. In the March edition of E-Insight, I'll be able to provide a summary of the first meeting and ask for feedback from our faculty and staff.

As president-elect of the AAVMC, I've also been asked to serve on the executive board of the National Commission for Veterinary Economic Issues. This group was initially formed by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association and the AAVMC to address economic issues in veterinary medicine through best practices, better quality, and improved earnings. During its short time in existence, about five years, the commission already has had a positive effect on veterinary practices. My first meeting with the group will be in Chicago, Feb. 15-16, and I look forward to the experience.

This month, I'll also be traveling to the Western Veterinary Medical Conference in Las Vegas, where several of our faculty will be presenting. We hope many of our CSU alumni will be joining us at our alumni reception on February 20.

A very special event will be occurring on February 17 in Fort Collins. The Colorado State University Alumni Association will be hosting its annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner. Three of our graduates will be recognized during the evening. Dr. Nicholas H. Booth (Class of 1951) will receive the William E. Morgan Alumni Achievement Award; Dr. Robert K. Shideler (Class of 1948) will receive the Jim and Nadine Henry Award; and Dr. James G. Fox (Class of 1968) will be recognized as our CVMBS College Honor Alumni. In next month's edition of E-Insight, we'll provide more in-depth articles on each of these outstanding individuals.

I hope you have a good month and I look forward to seeing many of you on campus and at the Western Veterinary Medical Conference.

Best Regards,

Lance Perryman, DVM, PhD
Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences