ATSU Board of Trustees meets, approves fiscal year budget

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (May 19, 2009) — The A.T. Still University (ATSU) Board of Trustees met on May 8 and 9 in Mesa, Ariz., to discuss the state of the University. At the meeting, the board approved three resolutions: the 2009-10 fiscal year budget, honorary degrees for the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH) commencement, and honorary degrees for the Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS) commencement.

Budget and Finances

The Finance Committee heard a full report on the proposed budget for the upcoming year, which was approved the next day by the full board. As the University continues to grow, many fundraising programs and events are taking place across both campuses. Staff members presented the Development Committee with information on these initiatives and the progress that they have made for ATSU.

Honorary Degrees

The board approved two honorary degrees, Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hu.L.) for Raman Bedi, D.D.S, D.Sc., and Allen L. Finkelstein, D.D.S. Officials will present these degrees at ASDOH’s graduation ceremony on June 13. Dr. Bedi was the chief dental officer in England from 2002-05 and is the co-director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre at the Eastman Dental Institute in London. Based in the United States, Dr. Finkelstein is the chief dental officer of AmeriChoice/United Health Group and a general dentist practicing in the state of New York.

For ASHS’ commencement on August 8, the board approved two more D.Hu.L. honorary degrees: for David Goldstein, Ph.D., and David H. Perrin, Ph.D. Dr. Goldstein is professor emeritus of audiology at Purdue University, and Dr. Perrin is dean of the School of Health and Human Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Strategic Research Initiative

Assistant Vice President for Research, Grants, and Information Systems John Heard, Ph.D., reported on the Strategic Research Initiative to the Education and Research Committee. Each of the School’s deans also reported on this initiative, and participants agreed that further coordination is necessary between both campuses.