Sherman Back in Good Standing With SACS
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has reaffirmed Sherman College's accreditation and removed the institution from probation. The commission notified the college of its action, taken at the commission's June 2009 meeting, via a July 13 letter that upholds the April 2009 SACS special committee sentiments regarding the college's "true commitment to the spirit of peer review" and officially reaffirms the institution's accreditation. During the April visit, the site team found no areas of recommendation for the college and noted the progress made during the previous year, as well as the institution's potential for growth in the future.
In December 2007, the commission placed Sherman on warning, but continued its accreditation; however, six months later, the college was placed on probation to allow for more time to demonstrate continuous cultural change. This allowed administrators and faculty time to fully implement the plan of action and further enhance the improvements already underway.
A site team visited the school in April 2009 to follow up on the 2008 recommendations. That team departed the college with positive feedback and no recommendations, but the final decision to reaffirm Sherman's accreditation rested with the recommendations of several committees, executive council review and the commission.
"The Commission's action at its June 2009 meeting shows that we've done everything in our power to improve the college environment, strengthen our program and rise above the standard," said Jon Schwartzbauer, DC, president of Sherman College.
Activator Gets Small-Business Research Grant From NIH
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a Small Business Innovative Research grant to Activator Methods International in the amount of $98,786. The funded research project, scheduled to be conducted over the next 12 months, will evaluate "The Efficacy of Instrument-Assisted Manipulation Determined by an Animal Model."
The study will evaluate the effect of the Activator adjusting instrument in treating vertebrate animal subjects with spinal injury on motor behavior, allowing for a basis for estimating a more realistic and cost-effective schedule of manipulative intervention on human patients. Another goal of the project is to identify links between pain and inflammation as a precursor for managing pain by suppressing inflammation.
Dr. Arlan Fuhr, co-founder and CEO of Activator Methods, is the lead investigator on the research project and will be assisted by Drs. Xue-Jun Song and Zhijiang Huang of Parker College, which will house the animals and manage primary data acquisition. Analysis and reporting of the data will be done by Activator.
"Studying the positive impact our adjusting instrument has on inflammation is very exciting, and we are enthusiastic about the promise these results may show for helping human patients who face similar issues," said Dr. Fuhr.
College on Forensic Sciences Adds JCM as Member Benefit
The College on Forensic Sciences (CFS), a nonprofit organization that establishes educational and training parameters for forensics, will become the newest society to offer the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (JCM) as a membership benefit beginning with the journal's September issue. "We are pleased that the CFS has joined with the JCM in its mission and we are sure that [the college] will add to the richness and depth of JCM content for our readers," commented Dr. Claire Johnson, editor of the journal.
The American Academy of Chiropractic Physicians was the initial professional society to affiliate with the JCM when the journal launched seven years ago; in 2007, the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians began offering the JCM to its members as well.
Members of all three professional societies and chiropractors at large are encouraged to submit scholarly work to the JCM for consideration. For more information or to submit a manuscript, visit www.journalchiromed.com.
Oklahaven Announces Winners of "Have a Heart" Fund-Raiser
Cleveland Chiropractic College Kansas City and Fisher Chiropractic Center in Miami are the winners of this year's "Golden Heart" awards, given each year to the college and clinic that sell the most hearts during Oklahaven Children's Chiropractic Center's "Have a Heart" fund-raiser. The annual event, held on Valentine's week, is designed to raise money for the nonprofit center while increasing awareness of the value of chiropractic care for children.
"I thank the chiropractic profession, [which] has enabled us to continue our mission of restoring health to children and to spread the message of hope to searching parents," said Dr. Bobby Doscher, director and CEO of Oklahaven. "With everyone's help, we are making a real difference in the lives of children throughout the world."
New Provost at Northwestern
Michael Wiles, DC, MEd, dean of Northwestern Health Sciences University's college of chiropractic, who had been serving as interim provost of the university, has taken over the position on a permanent basis. In his role as provost, Dr. Wiles will oversee the academic programs at Northwestern, including Northwestern College of Chiropractic, the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the School of Massage Therapy, and the College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies. The Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies and the university's clinic system will also be under his leadership.
ACA Specialty Councils to Host Symposium & Expo in October
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is collaborating with four of its specialty councils - the Council on Diagnosis and Internal Disorders, Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics, Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness and Council on Occupational Health - and one specialty college (ACA College on Forensic Sciences) to bring the inaugural Chiropractic Symposium & Expo to fruition. The event, scheduled to take place Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 in St. Louis, marks the first time that ACA's councils have collaborated to offer the profession access to their education programs. For more information, visit www.acatoday.org/symposium.
