Dawn Mancuso, MAM, CAE, FASAE
The Board of Directors of the Association of Schools and Optometry (ASCO) held its fall meeting in New Orleans on Oct. 6. The meeting included a warm welcome to ASCO’s new Executive Director Dawn Mancuso, MAM, CAE, FASAE. (Read a Q&A with Dawn.)
ASCO President Dr. David Heath (SUNY) began the meeting with his President’s Report consisting of updates on the Inter-Organizational Communications and Cooperation Committee, Executive Committee activities, his President’s Priorities and a recent joint Board meeting with the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.
Also at the meeting:
► ASCO President-Elect Dr. Karla Zadnik (OSU), who is leading the special task force created to design and steward ASCO’s strategic planning process, discussed procedure, time lines, themes and priorities.
► ASCO’s FY15 audit was received and accepted.
► The Board approved a motion to forego distributing Partnership Endowment funds from FY15 for a year.
► The Board approved funding to hold a second Online Clinical Educators Forum.
► ASCO’s Immediate Past President Dr. Jennifer Coyle (PUCO) updated the Board on plans for the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice Summit that ASCO is hosting in February 2016.
► Dr. Kierstyn Napier-Dovarany (WUCO), Chancellor of the Beta Sigma Kappa Central World Council, presented information on student and fellowship grants available through Beta Sigma Kappa, the International Optometric Honor Society.
► James Jorkasky, Executive Director of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research/Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, presented an update on federal funding for vision research.
► Two ASCO corporate contributors, Haag-Streit and National Vision, Inc., gave presentations.
► Standing and ad hoc committees presented updates on their activities to the Board for discussion.
The ASCO Board of Directors meets three times per year. Its next meeting will be in Scottsdale, Ariz., in March 2016.