Meeting Minutes

February 9, 2003

Attending: Dr. Christine T. Clancey, Dr. Mark E. Clement, Dr. Robert M. Cole, III, Dr. Christine D. Craig, Dr. John J. Crozier, Dr. Albert Dichter, Dr. William F. Johnston, Jr, Dr. Wilmer O. Kron, Dr. Thomas J. Landry, Dr. Thomas L. Lewis, Dr. Marie A. Marrone-Moriarty, Dr. John T. Ochsenreither, Dr. Alan B. Ostroff, Dr. Ranjoo Prasad, Dr. Lawrence A. Ragone, Dr. Robert A. Rosenberg, Ms. Lynne C. Corboy and Ms. Ellen J. Mueller.

I. Call to Order

Dr. Marie Marrone-Moriarty called the meeting to order at 10:21 a.m.

II. Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the previous Alumni Association Board Meeting held on September 29, 2002, were approved with a motion first made by Dr. Dichter and seconded by Dr. Johnston.

III. Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer’s Report was approved as presented by Dr. Ochsenreither.

IV. Alumni Association President’s Report

Dr. Marrone reported that the First Annual OptoEast was a success with several hundred alumni and friends attending the PCO Alumni Reception. Feedback from attendees indicated that the PCO reception was the most popular social event of the conference.

She mentioned that the Annual Fund is well on its way to reaching the $185,000 goal by the June 30th deadline. As of February 6, 2003, 1,090 alumni, parents and friends gave a generous $144,411.96 compared to the $117,438.44 received by this time last year.

PCO will have its first residential audiology class starting Fall 2003. The PCO Board of Trustees gave its final approval for the program at the January 27th Board meeting. We currently have eight applicants.

The “I” Care Raffle is starting and again has a goal of selling 400 tickets, and Dr. Marrone-Moriarty reminded the Board that the drawing will be held during Reunion Weekend on May 3. She also encouraged all Board members to attend the Alumni Reunion.

New statistics on next year’s entering class are promising, with more applicants and matriculants now than at this time last year, and very close to this time in 2001.

Dr. Clancey has been working as the only co-chair of the Ambassadors Committee. Dr. Marrone asked the Board members for suggestions for a second co-chair.

Dr. Marrone-Moriarty introduced Dr. Lewis, who took a break from the 18-hour continuing education program being held on campus in compliance with the new Pennsylvania TPA law.

He confirmed that PCO is starting a four-year residential audiology program. He expanded on Dr. Marrone-Moriarty’s comments by adding that the program does not have as large an applicant pool as the optometry program because audiologists do not need an AuD clinical degree to practice. Although the profession is moving in that direction, currently audiologists also practice with masters and PhD degrees. PCO is acting as a leader in the field.

The College can successfully run the program with nine students, but would consider starting with as few as three students in order to get the program started. The ability to operate successfully with a small number of students stems from the audiology students taking their basic science classes with optometry students.

Dr. Lewis described how the College will create an audiology clinic by using 4,000 unoccupied square feet on the first floor of the North Building. There, a multi-disciplinary practice will be established involving eye, skin and ear care. Having a sophisticated practice on the Elkins Park campus will be an important recruitment tool for admissions.

PCO is renovating The Eye Institute to integrate the facility with the new academic curriculum. As part of the changes, the Feinbloom Center will be moved to the area where Module 5 currently is, adjacent to the specialty Module 6 used for retinal and glaucoma care. All modifications being made are HIPPA compliant.

He affirmed that the JFK Hospital clinic will most likely close. PCO is looking for new clinic locations including the Germantown/Mt. Airy area in conjunction with Einstein Hospital.

The second year of the new academic curriculum is going much more smoothly than the first year. The second-year students are now seeing patients along with the third-year students. In response to this increased patient need, the College is trying to raise the number of patients seen in the clinics this spring.

In addition to the possible future Germantown/Mt. Airy clinic, PCO is still discussing working with Temple University’s Department of Ophthalmology in establishing a clinical site at Temple Hospital. PCO and Temple Ophthalmology are in the midst of forming a positive relationship, especially with the department chair.

Dr. Marrone-Moriarty inquired about the Strawberry Mansion Clinic and Dr. Lewis responded that the Clinic is doing well after struggling for the first two years. He pointed out that this satellite clinic is located in a previously under-served area. The College does not want to compete with alumni or any local practitioner and always considers the effect before establishing a new clinic.

Dr. Lewis briefly answered a question from Dr. Dichter that PCO is waiting for news on a new Student Center.

He commented on the Enrollment Management initiative underway at the College. ASCO has a national program to encourage students to enter the optometry field. PCO will also be sending a college-specific brochure to all alumni. Anyone interested in acquiring more can contact PCO and will be sent a stock of brochures and a holder to set up in their office waiting rooms. He added that the Ambassadors and Mentors program is part of this initiative. The profession would like to see 3,000 qualified students nationally applying for the approximately 1200 existing seats at the schools and colleges of optometry. Applications to PCO so far this year indicate that next year’s class will be academically strong, and Dr. Lewis re-affirmed that the applicant number has increased from last year.

Dr. Lewis answered a question on the obstacles to externships and clerkships in three states by reiterating that New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York have barriers to accommodating third-year students in externship sites.

All three states were discussed, including those laws and state board for which the College has proposed modifications. Dr. Landry of New York asked if there was anything PCO Alumni in the state could do to assist the College.

V. Committee Reports

Dr. Landry reported that the Awards Committee chose Dr. Leonard J. Press, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, ’77, as this year’s Alumnus of the Year. In addition, the Committee chose Drs. Freda Sattel and Gilda Crozier, both from the Class of 1943 Spring, to receive the Special Recognition Award.

Dr. Rosenberg read the Reunion Committee Report. The Reunion Committee surveyed members of the Alumni Board and class representatives to help plan the 2003 Reunion. The committee advised the Alumni Office to host a family-friendly outdoor picnic during the Saturday open house instead of the lunch traditionally served in the College’s café.

The committee results also showed that the majority of individuals polled preferred to keep the Annual Alumni Association Meeting on Sunday morning at the hotel rather than Saturday afternoon that was tried for the first time last year.

Dr. Sue Oleszewski will be offering a continuing education program at the Elkins Park campus on Sunday, May 4.

Alumni Reunion Weekend’s 2003 schedule is as follows:

• May 3:
  • 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Elkins Park Campus Open House
  • 11:30-2:30 p.m. Picnic lunch
  • 6:30 p.m. Class cocktail receptions
  • 8:00 p.m. Dinner Dance
• May 4:
  • 9:00 a.m. Alumni Breakfast
  • 10:00 a.m. Annual Alumni Meeting

In the spring, the Reunion committee will re-evaluate the current reunion format in preparation for 2004. Dr. Rosenberg will be surveying his class in preparation for their next reunion.

In other alumni events, PCO will have a booth and alumni reception at SECO in Atlanta February 20-22 and at the AOA meeting in San Diego June 18-20.

VI. Old Business

Dr. Clancey reported that the Ambassadors Committee is in the process of choosing alumni ambassadors to make contact with one or two students who have applied to PCO. A mentor program is being considered between alumni and current students. She mentioned that she called the student assigned to her and had a very positive ambassador experience.

Dr. Landry contributed to the discussion by adding that he has contacted five of the six local high schools in the area of his offices and has had students shadow him at the office.

Dr. Dichter mentioned that he spoke to Marple-Newtown High School with a representative from PCO and suggested that class representatives contact their classmates encouraging each one to talk at local high schools.

Lynne Corboy is working with the Admissions Office to match up an alumnus with each applicant who is accepted for admission to PCO. Dr. Clancey, as Ambassadors Committee Chair, was assisting in recruiting alumni to be matched to students, as well as serving as an ambassador herself. Lynne commented that instead of having one training session on campus for ambassadors, the program hoped to host breakfasts for ambassadors at national optometric meetings. The Board members were asked which national meetings and conferences they attend.

Dr. Marrone-Moriarty reported that letters were sent to approximately twenty alumni in congratulations for various awards, including becoming fellows in the American Academy of Optometry.

VII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 11:31 a.m. by Dr. Marrone-Moriarty after a motion by Dr. Dichter which was seconded by Dr. Ostroff.

Respectfully submitted,
Robert A. Rosenberg, OD, ’61
Secretary