Spring 2005 Aesculapian newsletter - University of Georgia College ...

For and About Alumni and Friends of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Vol. 1, No. 2 • Spring 2005I N T H I S I S S U E :Interim Dean Sheila Allen ..........2Rebuiding veterinaryeducation in Iraq andAfghanistan .................................3CVM administratorpromoted to VicePresident for Research ..............3Coach Richt will speak atVet Med’s 42nd Reunion ............4About the cover:Dean Keith W. Prasse retired on February28 after 33 years at the Collegeand eight years as dean. Small animalsurgeon Sheila W. Allen, former associatedean for academic affairs, was appointedinterim dean while a national searchis conducted. See story page 2.

Page 2 • Vol. 1, No. 2 • Spring 2005For and About Alumni and Friends of the UGA College of Veterinary MedicineDean Keith W. Prasse retiresKeith W. Prasse, who has beenon the veterinary college facultysince 1972, retired onFebruary 28 after serving eightyears as dean and six years as associatedean.As dean, Prasse was chief administratorfor the College’s sevenacademic departments, the teachinghospital, two state veterinary diagnosticlaboratories, the SoutheasternWildlife Disease Study, and thePoultry Diagnostic and ResearchCenter.He was in charge of the college’s$45 million-plus budget; about360 DVM students; 125 graduatestudents, interns and residents; 425staff; and 130 faculty.During his tenure, sponsoredresearch revenue increased 424percent, from $2.6 million to $11.2million per year. Gifts and pledgesto the college increased from lessthan $100,000 to more than $7 millionper year.A new Athens DiagnosticLaboratory and a new bioresourcesbuilding were constructed whilehe was dean. Prasse also helpedacquire funding to complete theAnimal Health Research Center andbegan planning for a new teachinghospital.Under Prasse’s leadership,enrollment increased from 80 to 96students per class, the selectionprocess was improved, and moreflexible curriculum was inaugurated.Two dual degree programswere launched – one combines theDVM degree with a master’s in publichealth, while the other combinesthe DVM degree with a Ph.D. TheFood Animal Health ManagementProgram was established to ensurecontinuing emphasis on dairy, beef,and swine health and production.A native of Freeport, Ill., Prasseattended Iowa State University,where he earned the bachelor’s andDVM degrees, as well as a master’sand doctoral degree in pathology.He considers his best professionalachievement to be the coauthoringof Veterinary Laboratory“I am grateful for the support of the college’s faculty,staff, and students as well as the university administrationand our alumni. These are the people who havemade things happen during my tenure as dean, andI believe the college is blessed by their support anddedication”— Dean Keith W. PrasseMedicine: Clinical Pathology, a textin its 4th edition, which is used bya majority of U.S. colleges of veterinarymedicine. All contributing authorshave either trained or servedas faculty at the College.“It has been an honor and aprivilege to have served as dean,”said Prasse. “The University ofGeorgia and the College of VeterinaryMedicine have been wonderfulto me.“My only disappointment hasbeen the repeated state budget cuts.State appropriation is critical for ourprincipal mission – education of professionalstudents.”“Keith Prasse has provided outstandingleadership to the Collegeof Veterinary Medicine for eightyears. During that time he hasgreatly enhanced research productivitywhile maintaining excellencein instruction and clinical services,”said UGA President Michael F. Adams.“I am very grateful for the leadershipDean Prasse has provided tothe College of Veterinary Medicineduring his tenure as dean, associatedean and faculty member,”said Arnett C. Mace Jr., senior vicepresident for academic affairs andprovost. “His achievements are significantand commendable.”Prasse received many honors,including the Norden DistinguishedTeaching Award both at ISU and atNew faces, new placesThe following appointments were effective March 1, and willremain in effect until a permanent dean is appointed.Scott Brown is Acting Associate Dean for AcademicAffairs, succeeding Sheila Allen who isInterim Dean.Bran Ritchie is Acting Department Head of SmallAnimal Medicine and Surgery, succeeding JeanneBarsanti who retired in December.Susan White is Acting Associate Dean for PublicService and Outreach, succeeding Doug Allenwho continues on as Hospital Director.Sheila Allen is interim deanSheila W. Allen was appointedinterim dean on March 1 followingDean Keith W. Prasse’sretirement. She will serve in thatposition while a nationalsearch is conducted fora permanent dean. Theappointment is subjectto approval by the UniversitySystem of GeorgiaBoard of Regents.Allen, who hasbeen in the Collegesince 1981 and on theCollege’s faculty since1986, served as associatedean for academicaffairs since 1997 andas acting head of the Department ofSmall Animal Medicine and Surgery.She earned a master’s degreeUGA. Iowa State University honoredhim with a distinguished alumnusaward for outstanding professionalachievements in teaching, diagnosticsand research. In 2003, he wasnamed Veterinarian of the Year bythe Georgia Veterinary MedicalAssociation and was named to OutstandingEducators of America.in veterinary clinical pathologyfrom the college while serving herresidency in small animal surgery.She holds bachelor’s and doctor ofveterinary medicinedegrees from CornellUniversity.Allen’s specialtyis surgery with expertisein oncologic andreconstructive surgeryand perioperative painmanagement. A diplomateof the AmericanCollege of VeterinarySurgeons, she hasdeveloped computerassistedtechniques forteaching basic surgical skills andhas received numerous awards forher innovations in instruction.

For and About Alumni and Friends of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine Spring 2005 • Vol. 1, No. 2 • Page 3Craig Greene receives LifetimeAchievement AwardCraig E. Greene, professor,small animal medicine andsurgery, received the awardduring the North American VeterinaryConference in Orlando.The prestigious 2005 Mark L.Morris, Sr. Lifetime AchievementAward is presented annually by Hill’sPet Nutrition to a veterinarian whohas made a lifetime commitment toimproving the health andwell-being of companionanimals.Known internationallyfor his teaching andre- search on infectiousdiseases in dogs and cats,Greene is an acclaimedresearcher and award-winningteacher.Greene’s career has resultedin three textbooks, more than35 chapters in other textbooks, morethan 100 refereed publications in scientificjournals, and at least 185 presentationsto audiences across theglobe.His textbook, Infectious Diseasesof the Dog and Cat, is consideredChristopher S. King has beenappointed assistant vice presidentand director of animalcare and use in the UGA Office of theVice President for Research.King served as director of animalresources in the College since1997 and in the College of Arts andSciences from 1992 to 1997. Theappointment is pending Board of Regentsapproval.His goals include developingan academic comparative medicineprogram to train veterinary studentsand professional post graduates tobecome laboratory animal or comparativemedicine specialists.King helped plan, design andto be the bible of infectious diseasesfor veterinarians and is the numberone text used for teaching students.Greene gets numerous requestsa month from all over the countryasking for consults. He also gets invitationsto consult and speak in Europe,Asia, the South Pacific, andSouth America.“Dr. Greene has enlightened students,practitioners andclients in immeasurableways,” said Dean KeithW. Prasse. “I believe thatgiving him this award willhonor a truly exceptionalindividual and maintainthe high level of quality associatedwith this award.”Greene came to UGAin 1976 with a DVM fromUniversity of California-Davis, an internshipat Cornell University, and anMS from Auburn University.In recognition of his lifetime ofservice, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., ismaking a $20,000 donation to theMorris Animal Foundation inGreene’s name.CVM administrator is promoted tovice presidentacquire funding for several animalresource facilities at UGA, includingthe one at the College and oneplanned for the Coverdell Center forBiomedical and Health Sciences nowunder construction.He achieved diplomate statuswith the American College of LaboratoryAnimal Medicine, the highestcertification in the field.In Kuwait, Dean Prasse (top left) met with deans from two other colleges of veterinarymedicine: Bennie Osburn, University of California-Davis (top right), and Joe Kornegay,University of Missouri (front left), as well as representatives of the National Commissionon Veterinary Economic Issues and the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps.Prasse helps Iraq and Afghanistanrebuild veterinary educationDean Keith W. Prasse and 50veterinarians representingKuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, andthe U.S met in Kuwait City to discussways of reviving veterinary medicinein Iraq and Afghanistan.Iraq has seven schools of veterinarymedicine, but students have fewif any jobs available when they graduate,he reports.“Their faculty is 25 years out ofdate because Sadam cut them off fromthe rest of the scientific world in 1981.“Afghanistan is literally rubble,”he said. Students can attend twoschools of veterinary medicine or aveterinary science department in anagricultural college, but employmentis hard to find.“Before the Taliban they had 75faculty members,” Prasse says. “Todaythey have 10. The rest were killed inthe wars. Yet they still have classes.”The group came up with shortand long-term goals, and discussedpossible ways of funding the activitiesthat were planned.As a follow-up to the conference,Prasse will help to identify agencieswhich might be approached for financialsupport .“The people of Iraq and Afghanistanare in desperate need of moreanimal protein in their diets, andveterinary medicine is extremelyessential to help them protect theiranimal resources,” Prasse says.Published by the College ofVeterinary MedicineThe University of Georgia, AthensDr. Keith W. PrasseDeanDr. Doug AllenActing Associate Dean forPublic Service and OutreachKathy Reid BangleDirector of DevelopmentBrooke StortzAssistant Director of DevelopmentJulie KnowltonMajor Gifts OfficerDot SparerDirector of CommunicationsCarlton BainDirector of Alumni RelationsCharles O. JohnsonDesignScott TrubeyChris HerronPhotographywww.vet.uga.eduWebsiteSend news and comments to:Dot Sparer, editortellus@vet.uga.edu706/542-1446

Page 4 • Vol. 1, No. 2 • Spring 2005For and About Alumni and Friends of the UGA College of Veterinary MedicineQuittin’ time forBelindaAlumni RelationsDirector BelindaWells retiredin December. Shehas been a familiarand respectedmember of the ExternalAffairs teamsince she came on board in the fall of2002 after serving nine years in theDean’s Office.When she assumed her position,Wells said her goal was to add meaningful,fun events to the roster ofalumni activities, and to make her officeresponsive and helpful to all ourgraduates.“She has succeeded beyond allexpectations,” said Doug Allen, actingassociate director for service andoutreach. “We will all miss her tremendously.”Please welcomeCarlton BainFman Resources for 15 years.He holds a Master of Public Administrationdegree and a BA in Sociologyfrom Piedmont College. Bainsings baritone in a choral group, andis the future proud owner of a newMini Cooper.“I’m following in some mightybig footsteps,” says Bain, “but I hopeto do my part in strengthening thelink between the alumni and the College.”Contact Bain at 542-5732 oralumni@vet.uga.edu.They’re speaking atthe 42 nd ReunionApril 1& 2Kormer admissions counselor inthe College’s Office for AcademicAffairs, Bain is thenew director ofalumni relations.He has held responsiblepositionsat the Universityand the GeorgiaDepartment of HueynotespeakerDr. AllanRobins will talkabout the applicationof embryonicstem cell technologyto veterinarymedicine on April 1.Vice-president and technical officerat Novocell, he manages the stemcell program atthis Athenscompany.Marc Richt,head coach ofthe GeorgiaBulldogs, came tothe Universityof Georgia in January 2001 from acoaching position at Florida StateCVM Limited EditionPrint is availableFor information or orderscontact Jill Leitegeorgiascenes.comor call Jill Leite Studio:706/549-4442Continue your education at UGAJune11-12 Basic Exotic Animal Endoscopy24-25 Basic Soft Tissue Rigid Endoscopy25 Advanced Minimally Invasive SurgeryAugust20-21 Fish EndoscopySeptember24-25 Small Animal NeurologyOctober1-2 Basic Soft Tissue Rigid Endoscopy8-9 Emergency Surgery & Critical Care Techniques15-16 Veterinary PsychopharmacologyNovember5-6 Basic Exotic EndoscopyDecember3-4 Small Animal Internal Medicine9 Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery10-11 Advanced Exotic Animal EndoscopyUniversity. He will be speaker at theUniversity Partners’ and President’sClub Breakfast on April 2.The complete program isavailable on our website: www.vet.uga.edu. Just click on alumni.College of Veterinary MedicineThe University of GeorgiaAthens 30602-7371Nonprofit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDAthens, GeorgiaPermit #390