Fw: Announcement from the President

[studentsmu]

Here is the letter from Dr. Harris.

July 27, 2005



TO: All Students, Faculty and Staff

FROM: ******* A. Harris, M.D., President and CEO

St. Matthew’s University



This has been a challenging year for St. Matthew' University. As the semester winds down and as you begin preparation for your final exams I wanted to share with you some of the progress St. Matthew's has made this past semester.




You are all aware that the Campus and Residence Hall facilities have been completely restored to a technological condition superior to pre-Ivan days. We have many people to thank for this accomplishment but most especially Steve Durksen, Bryce Averitte and Sebastien Guilbard. Also St. Matthew's has acquired additional student housing, the Residence Suites (formerly known as Indies Suites). It will be available to new students in September.





St. Matthew's has acquired an additional 4,500 sq. feet in Leeward 4. This will house our School of Veterinary Medicine, which opens this September, for approximately one year and will give the Medical School an additional large classroom which will add increased flexibility to class scheduling. The permanent campus for the School of Veterinary Medicine will celebrate its groundbreaking this fall.





Drs. Thornton, Owens, Green, Vaithilingam and I just concluded a series of successful meetings in Boston this past week with Harvard Macy Institute (HMI) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). By the end of this week St. Matthew's will have signed a Strategic Association Agreement with HMI and a Letter of Intent (LOI) with BIDMC. The agreement with HMI will result in numerous projects with HMI throughout a three year period starting with a faculty development program this December with the CME's being awarded by Harvard Medical School. Our association with BIDMC will result in the development of a Hyperbaric Research Center under the direction of our new Director of Research, Dr. Andy Vaithilingam. The Research Center will be located on the School of Veterinary Medicine's campus but will be used primarily by the Medical School.




This fall we will be adding additional faculty to lessen the teaching burden of our present faculty who deserve all our respect and gratitude for doing such a magnificent job this year. Additional faculty has been hired in the disciplines of physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, clinical medicine and molecular biology. Of particular note is that Dr. Barry Robson, a world renowned senior research scientist with IBM, will be joining us in October. He will be assisting in the teaching of genetics, biostatistics and molecular biology.





I am saddened to report that Dr. Emil Adamec will be leaving us this semester after three years with St. Matthew's. He will be sorely missed by all faculty, students, staff and administration. He has truly been an asset to the University; perhaps we can coax him to return occasionally for a guest lecture.





And finally in response to your concerns and suggestions, fifty additional memberships will be added to World Gym this fall, bringing the total to 100. We will, however, be requesting that students restrict their use to three visits a week.





I wish all of you well on your exams and may you and your families have a safe and enjoyable semester break. I'll see you in September.

[Nimmuk]

Our President and CEO has always cared about the well being of his students. He has an open door policy, a true testament of his proactiveness of listening to students concerns.

[Giovanni]

This administration is as good as one can get! I can see nothing for St. Matthew's other than a very bright and colorful future. Thanks to everyone, the president, the deans and the faculty for being so caring and helpful!
GO St. Matthew's!

[Knight007]

One word: Awesome.... thats just the kind of news I expect from SMU !!!

[birthcontrol]

Why don't our fearless leaders comment about the predicament that they put the 5th semester students here in Maine who are taking both ICM and PATH II, whereby some of us will fail because we were not given the same opportunity as the students on the Cayman campus?

Why don't they address the fact that they used us as guinea pigs for 2 months by which time all of us were failing PATH II, ICM or both before making changes?

Why isn't the issue of disparity between the two campuses, whereby, the Cayman 5th semester students cruise through these two classes and review for USMLE, while here in Maine we have to make up for the administration's mistakes?

Why don't they apologize on behalf of the school and tell us the truth about what really happened and why they did this to us?

Where is the open door policy on these questions...what still no answer...what's the matter...cat got your tongue?

[Junito]

This was addressed at the all school meeting. If you bothered to attend, Dr. W, and Dr. P did issue an apology. Changes were made, you had 80% path remaining. For those currently in 5th with ICM in Maine, my heart goes out to you, but ICM will change. They are going to incorporate a review with UNE professors.

Juni

Why don't our fearless leaders comment about the predicament that they put the 5th semester students here in Maine who are taking both ICM and PATH II, whereby some of us will fail because we were not given the same opportunity as the students on the Cayman campus?

Why don't they address the fact that they used us as guinea pigs for 2 months by which time all of us were failing PATH II, ICM or both before making changes?

Why isn't the issue of disparity between the two campuses, whereby, the Cayman 5th semester students cruise through these two classes and review for USMLE, while here in Maine we have to make up for the administration's mistakes?

Why don't they apologize on behalf of the school and tell us the truth about what really happened and why they did this to us?

Where is the open door policy on these questions...what still no answer...what's the matter...cat got your tongue?

[Nimmuk]

Thanks Juni for addressing this issue.

No school is perfect, however, there is always someone with the illusion that a school must be build just for them. SMU has flaws no doubt. SMU however, will listen to the students and if seem appropriate, will change what's wrong.

To the nay-sayers. Dont hate.

[AUCMD2006]

anytime there is curriculum changes there will be growing pains, its how the admin addresses the student's concerns that shouldo be looked at as the big picture not the particular hardship at a snapshot of your time with a school. the grass isn't greener on the other side. AUC has had its share during my time there of trial situations but handled it very well (particularly the block testing schedule, the neuro prof quitiung a month into the semester, the death of dr VW).

i have personally also dealt with SMU admin. i applied and was admitted during the belize days. i didn't feel confortable going there and expected to say goodbye to my seat deposit. Dr T refunded it and apologized for what was going on saying they were working on improving the situation. SMU, by all accounts, is the only new carib school progressing well....when you guys complain about this just look at the $4000 transfer fee at SJ, or the closing of Kigezi, the student unfriendly policies at Ross, the tuition increases at AUC, and so on and get some perspective

[Bedazzled]

Although I feel bad for those dealing with the stressful changes at the Maine campus, I think the letter is another good sign of SMU's supportive attitude towards the students.

I agree with what rrod said. I want to also add that it is so nice to see people from different schools communicating in a supportive way rather than a negative one. :D

[columbiatech]

Does the this statement by the vice-president about hiring a new Anatomy professor mean that the current Anatomy professor Dr. S is leaving?

[SMU-Info]

No. The statement means that additional professors are being hired.

[medicineman09]

where is Leeward 4? Is that a place in the current smu campus?

[HR Manager Cayman]

Leeward 4 is the 3 story biuld right across from the campus.

[med2b]

So they are going to start the research wih Harvard in december?????