MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

We trust that your year has been a successful one so far!  In spite of our continuing budget reduction concerns, the College of Allied Health Sciences has continued to grow in enrollment, course offerings, research, development funding, service and engagement, student leadership, new degree programs, and clinical services.  One of the drivers for our growth has been our strategic plans and the 2010-2013 Strategic Action Plan continues to serve as our blueprint for the future.  Dr. Beth Velde, a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and the Assistant Dean for Special Projects in the college has taken the lead in the Dean's Office in working with faculty and administrators to craft a dynamic strategic action plan that is in line with the strategic action plans of the University of North Carolina System and East Carolina University, so that there is continuity across the state, university, college and department level plans to ensure that we are working toward the same goals and objectives.  There are five ECU Strategic Directions and CAHS has developed goals, objectives, measures and outcomes for four of these university directions.

The four ECU Strategic Directions addressed in the CAHS Strategic Action Plan include:  Education for a New Century; The Leadership University; Health, Health Care, and Medical Innovation; and Economic Prosperity in the East.  The fifth ECU Strategic Direction, The Arts, Culture, and Quality of Life, was not included in the CAHS Strategic Action Plan.  As our alumni and friends, it is important that you know what plans your college has developed and implemented.  There are many examples in the latest edition of The Alliance of how hard our outstanding faculty, staff, administration and students have worked to creatively meet the needs of the university, region and state and to insure that ECU is a national model for public service and regional transformation.  In fact, many of our projects have national and international application.  What we do for the eastern part of North Carolina often has relevance to the nation and the world.

The latest edition of The Alliance features articles that address each of these four ECU Strategic Directions and serve as examples of the progress CAHS is making to meet the strategic priorities of ECU and the University of North Carolina System.  I hope you enjoy reading about the many projects and initiatives that CAHS has strategically implemented and that you also take time to visit our regularly updated home page, www.ecu.edu/ah to learn more about our legacy and priorities for teaching, research, service, engagement, and clinical practice.  In spite of the serious ongoing budget concerns, CAHS is moving forward--would you expect any less.

All the best,
Stephen Thomas, Professor and Dean