Parker and TCC Win Fight for State Funding
Parker College of Chiropractic and Texas College of Chiropractic (TCC) both were awarded the right to receive state funding when Senate bill 201 (HR 861) was signed into a law by Texas Governor Ann Richards May 15th. Prior to the law, TCC and Parker were the only colleges teaching primary health care that were excluded from Texas higher education funding.
TCC recently received a $40,000 grant from the Foundation for the Advancement of Chiropractic Education (FACE). TCC President Dr. Shelby Elliott wrote the grant proposal asking for grant money for student clinic remodelling, and William M. Harris, DC, president of FACE, responded with a $40,000 check. The check was issued with a challenge; FACE promised to donate $40,000 if the college was able to raise $40,000 in donations by April 15, 1993. TCC met Dr. Harris' challenge and received a second $40,000. The FACE grants will be used to remodel and update the TCC student clinic facilities.
A recent simplified study of the economic impact of TCC showed that the college has attracted an estimated $11,406,000 to the Pasadena, Deer Park, South Houston, and Houston areas.
The study showed that in 1992, monies going through the college, with figures combined from the on-site clinic, financial aid department (in student loans), postgraduate education, and contributions from the TCC alumni, totaled over $6,846,000.
The college employs a combined faculty and staff of 96 people and 375 students. Current estimates are that at least 40 employees and at least 188 (or 50%) of students have working spouses, when averaged at a very conservative $20,000 per year, comes out to at least $4,560,000 per year in earnings brought into the area by spouses of students and staff.
TCC's Mae Hilty Memorial Library is establishing the Friends of the TCC Library whose primary goals include identifying funding sources and initiating programs to support the growth and development of the library's resources and service. The elected board of directors of the Friends of the TCC Library will establish realistic long and short-term goals for the library, help direct library operations in collaboration with the library director, and will actively pursue donations.
One current fund-raising project is the collection of humorous stories and anecdotes about TCC, its students, and alumni. The book is tentatively titled TCC Rib Ticklers and all proceeds from the sale of the book will go toward the library's 1993-94 goal of $40,000. The library's most critical need is money to update and develop the collection of resource books and audiovisual equipment, slides, and other materials including computers, binocular microscopes, video cassettes and players, and slide projectors.
If you are interested in joining the Friends of the TCC Library, would like to make a donation, or have some chiropractic anecdotes or stories for the TCC Rib Ticklers, please contact Ms. Mary Lee Freeman, coordinator, at (713) 487-1170.
Lawrence H. Wyatt, DC, DACBR, interim dean of clinics at TCC, has published his second book, Differential Diagnosis of Neuromuscular Disease. The book is due to be out this winter, released by Aspen Publishers, Inc.
The 1993 TCC Homecoming, July 28-31, will have class reunions for '33, '38, '43, '48, '53, '58, '63, '68, '73, '73, '78, '83, and '88. There will be 16-hours worth of continuing education seminars, with the necessary 2 hours of TBCE license renewal credit. The full slate of activities includes an "Early Bird Welcome" on July 28; a golf tournament; a casino night; and a presidential banquet and ball on July 31. To register, call Verna McDermott at (713) 487-1170.
On May 22nd, TCC held a career day seminar and tour of the campus for prospective students. The summer career day generally has a low turnout, but because of the increasing acceptance of the chiropractic profession and interest in natural health care there were approximately 175 visitors in attendance. Speakers included Dr. Charles Priewe, secretary of the TCC board of regents; Dr. T. Sammi Lowe, TCC's dean of clinical sciences; Dr. DeWayne Mirtsching, alumni board member; Dr. Jacqueline Moore Evans; and speakers from various student organizations. Ninety visitors made appointments for consultation with admissions counselors.
The Crack Back Chili team of TCC has been hard at work over the 1992-1993 year. So far the team can boast five first place wins and one second place win, all in the "Showmanship" category. The team won second place at the 1992 Terlingua International Chili Championship (CASI) this past November. The team performed its now-famous skit "The Good, the Bad, and the Chiropractor." This CASI competition is considered the Superbowl of the chili cookoff world.
The Crack Back Chili team is a small group of TCC students and alumni who serve the profession both in the Houston community and all across Texas.
The Parker College board of trustees in early March approved acquisition of 2.68 acres adjacent to the BETA campus -- including four existing buildings on the property -- for the purpose of creating an expanded clinic facility. Architectural designers who are experts in renovation have been called in as consultants along with efficiency experts in clinic layout, engineers, and interior decorators.
The 52,000 square foot complex will house both the public and student clinics including relocation of the newly expanded x-ray department with the most up to date equipment, two x-ray rooms, darkroom, x-ray viewing room, separate waiting area, and two private offices, all within easy access to 30 state of the art treatment rooms.
The former public clinic on BETA campus will become the site for expansion of the library and resource center, and the former location of the x-ray department will be staffed with additional new radiology faculty. The acquisition brings the total BETA campus in Dallas to over 17 acres, and nearly 90 acres for all three campuses combined, which includes the original ALPHA campus where a second public clinic is located, and the OMEGA campus, which may be used for additional college expansion in the future.
The Parker College Board of Trustees recently directed the college administration to limit total student enrollment to an approximate level of 1,000 students based on the present space available at the new BETA campus in Dallas. This number is less than the projected limit of 1,250 students originally set by the board in 1991, and is scheduled to go into effect by the start of the September trimester of 1993.
The purpose of the re-evaluation is to assure that the maximum amount of classroom, lab and activity space for individual students by preventing crowded conditions, and to continue to optimum ratio of students to faculty, which is currently at 1 to 12.
When Dr. Rosanna Winter was still a Parker student, she participated in a Parker College Spinal Screening at the local shopping mall in Richland Hills, Texas. An elderly woman took a fall on the ramp behind the screening booth, and Dr. Winter immediately went to the woman's aid. The woman was alone in the mall, waiting for her husband, so Dr. Winter waited with her. When the husband did arrive, Dr. Winter informed him that his wife probably had fractured her wrist and needed to be taken to the hospital emergency room. Then Dr. Winter went to the mall's security office and reported the incident as an accident.
In April of 1993, the woman called Parker College looking for Dr. Winter as a chiropractic referral. When the two met again, the grateful woman explained that she is a well known artist, and her work is seen in many shows, galleries, and stores. She presented Dr. Winter with one of her paintings as a long overdue thank you for the unselfish act of caring. She told Dr. Winter that she only remembered two things which led her back to her good samaritan: the words "Parker College of Chiropractic" on the spinal screening sign, and Dr. Winter's name.
Highlighting a seminar sponsored by the Sport Injuries Club of CCCKC May 15th, Thomas C. Deters, DC, editor of Muscle & Fitness, and associate publisher of Flex, gave a four-hour special presentation.
Dr. Deters spoke on performance nutrition, diet strategy, body fat control, and aspects of supplementation. "I believe that the best way to increase the quality of a person's life is to improve their level of health and fitness," Dr. Deters said. "I'm dedicated to the idea that all people should know exactly how to do that."
Dr. Deters is a 1986 graduate of National College of Chiropractic. Besides holding top editorial responsibilities at the two magazines, Dr. Deters also serves as director of education at the Muscle & Fitness Training Camp in Los Angeles.
In conjunction with its Homecoming '93 festivities, CCCKC will host the fourth annual CCCKC Golf Classic September 23 at Swope Memorial Golf Course in Kansas City, Mo.
Proceeds from the CCCKC Golf Classic benefit the college's athletic scholarship fund. Scholarships are presented to students who demonstrate the potential for success in the profession, coupled with involvement in extracurricular athletic activity: coaching little league baseball or other children's sports; teaching aerobics or other fitness-related classes; participating in organized competitions such as marathons, triathlons; or active membership in team sports.
Logan College of Chiropractic recently announced the establishment of a weekend program with the New College of California for the accelerated completion of science courses required for admission to chiropractic colleges.
The new program will be held on the Logan College campus and will begin in August.
Robyn Wilkerson, DC, director of admissions at Logan College, said that classes will be held all day long on Saturdays and Sundays. With this accelerated weekend schedule, she said, students in the program will be able to complete all science pre-requisites courses in two semesters.
The Science Institute, as it is called by New College of California, already offers similar programs at the New College campus in San Francisco and at the campus of Los Angeles Chiropractic College. New College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. New College has offered courses through its Science Institute since 1978.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
