Summer 2006 - University of Minnesota College of Veterinary ...

ProfilesVeterinary MedicineContentsSummer 2006■ Bird Flu: Being Prepared . . . . . . . . . 3■ Ben Pomeroy Student-AlumniLearning Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5■ National SAVMA Symposiumhosted by College . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6■ Faculty Q & A: Dave Halvorson . . . . 8■ Equine Dental EducationProgram Launched . . . . . . . . . . . . 10■ Radiation Therapy Saves Mai’Lee . 11■ Awards Banquet Honors Faculty,Students, Senator . . . . . . . . . . . . 14■ Back to Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19■ Endangered California CondorTreated at Raptor Center . . . . . . . 21■ Regents Approve Plans forEquine Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22■ Alumni Achievements . . . . . . . . . . 24■ Faculty Kudos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25■ Dr. David Lee NamedVMC Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27■ Veterinary Medical Center CreatesHealth Maintenance Plan . . . . . . . 28On the CoverOn June 6, the College paid tribute to Hearingand Service Dogs of Minnesota at an annualmemorial ceremony in the Nestle PurinaMemories Garden. Debra Burke and her servicedog, Pepsi, posed with a photo of Lucky, theorganization’s first service dog.From the DeanWe’re growingDuring recent months, our energies have been andwill continue to be focused on improving our facilitiesfor students and clients, securing private andpublic investment in our priorities, conducting thehighest quality research and enhancing the studentexperience. Following are some of our priorities.Ben Pomeroy Student-Alumni Learning Center.Contractors have begun the renovation of our 1907dairy barn into a state-of-the-art learning center named in honor of a dearfriend and great veterinarian. The center will house several classrooms, seminarrooms, a cafeteria, and a student technology center. Completion of theproject is expected in early 2007 (see page 5).U of M Equine Center. The Board of Regents recently approved plansfor a new Equine Center facility to house outpatient clinical and researchprograms, the University’s undergraduate equine program, and the We CanRide therapeutic riding program. The facility will include a large arena anda technology-rich conference center for continuing education programs.We continue to raise funds for this center. Completion of the project isexpected in fall 2007 (see page 22).Veterinary Medical Center. Our Veterinary Medical Center is an essentialcomponent of our teaching and research mission. To ensure that it remainsfinancially viable, we have been engaged in a process to enhance service toclients and veterinarians by improving the efficiency of our systems andprocesses. Currently, we are developing a state-of-the-art call center thatwill streamline communications and a scheduling system to reduce clientvisit time. We are also delighted to announce the arrival of Dr. David Lee,who has joined us as the center’s new director (see page 27).Avian influenza. The College is preparing for a possible introduction ofavian H5N1 influenza virus into the United States. We are working closelywith state agencies to coordinate response efforts, and our uniqueexpertise and facilities make us key players in Minnesota’s planning for anoutbreak. Especially important is the upgrade of facilities in the VeterinaryDiagnostic Laboratory.We continue to make great strides in teaching our students, conductingresearch, and providing great service.Thank you for your continued support!Sincerely,Jeffrey S. Klausner, D.V.M.Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine