You can get slides of the presentation Nancy Schlichting, CEO of the Henry Ford Health System, gave at the AUPHA Leaders Conference a few weeks ago, by going to AUPHA.org. If you missed that meeting, you missed a good event. It was great to see many of you there. AUPHA is fortunate to have the talented staff and volunteers we have. They work hard on these events. That includes the upcoming AUPHA Annual Meeting in June at San Antonio. Once again, we have great speakers lined up, a variety of presentations from you, the members, and a poster session that includes dessert while you review the posters. I hope all of you have signed up to attend or plan on doing so very soon.
A day before the annual meeting is a pre-conference symposium sponsored by the Global Health Faculty Forum. Many from around the world will attend that meeting. Additionally, program directors representing online education will meet to enhance an ongoing collaborative group who share common challenges and solutions. The AUPHA Board will schedule its meeting that day such that we can attend some of these fine events.
So, you ask, “how can I get more involved in AUPHA.” One way is to respond to the call for nominations on the Board or to volunteer to serve on any of the standing committees set up to run the affairs of AUPHA. Getting involved in any of the Faculty Forums is also important. We look for leadership in these groups, women and men who are willing to put some time into making these effective. Sign up, we need you.
An update from the Board…
We met in March just before the Leaders Conference. The Board meetings always include a review of our financial strength as an organization (we are very strong), membership growth or decline (we are staying pretty steady), our involvement with sister organizations, and action items we are working on. We now have a standing agenda item focused on member inclusion, which includes undergraduate, graduate, online, and global programs. We discussed a partnership with the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) that looks very promising for faculty and students. We also are working to strengthen our valuable association with the Winston Foundation. This organization not only provides fellowships for our students each year, but is a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. and a great ally for health administration programs.
Finally…
Have a great summer. I’m sorry to those of you hit by such tough weather this year. We’re still skiing in the mountains and now golfing in the valleys of Utah. Graduation just happened for us, so it’s that time of year when things slow down a bit and we can catch our breath. I wish you all a happy and productive few months of warmth and sunshine. See you soon.