ATSU Board meets

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (2-19-09) – The A.T. Still University (ATSU) Board of Trustees met in Mesa, Ariz., on February 7 for its first meeting of 2009. The board received copies of financial reports and the proposed 2009-10 operating budget.
Prior to Saturday’s meeting, the Board’s Investment and Finance Committees met on February 6 to discuss financial reports.

Tuition Adjustments

The board approved an overall 3.8 percent tuition increase for the entire University for the 2009-10 fiscal year, including its five schools on both its Missouri and Arizona campuses: Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM), School of Health Management (SHM), School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (SOMA), Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH), and Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS). Any increases in tuition were made to account for rising fixed costs, and no fees were raised.

Honorary Degrees

The board approved an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hu.L.), for William Kohlhepp, D.H.Sc., PA-C, to be presented at ASHS’ commencement ceremony March 7 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The board also approved two honorary degrees to be presented May 16 at KCOM’s commencement ceremony at Truman State University’s Baldwin Hall Auditorium. The D.Hu.L. will be presented to Missouri Gov. Jeremiah W. “Jay” Nixon, and the Doctor of Osteopathic Education (D.O.Ed.) will be presented to Plato Varidin, D.O.

Arizona Campus Housing Project

The board addressed several proposals for the Intergenerational Village for Healthy Living, a concept to explore new, meaningful, and mutually beneficial ways ATSU and the Mesa community can interact. The concept is one of an active, learning centered, intergenerational, residential, urban village built upon interactions within the Arizona Campus and the Arizona Health & Technology Park. The village will include student and senior housing, as well as a YMCA currently under construction.

Proposed educational projects for the Intergenerational Village for Healthy Living include educating youth coaches on care of athletes, fall prevention for seniors, community health surveys and screenings, geriatric exposure and experience for health professions students, and public education on ATSU, osteopathic medicine, healthy lifestyles, and more.

The next ATSU Board of Trustees meeting will be held May 8-9 in Mesa, Ariz.