Meeting & Agendas

Liliana Lara Trixie Wetmore Libby Chow Andrea Hood

Approval of the last meeting agenda. If there aren’t any objections, then it is motioned to approve the last agenda (which is not present). Tara – moved to motion the approval Robyn – 2nd the motion; Meagan – call and response: all in favor; Members responded: All in favor.

Was the last meeting recorded? If there aren’t any objections, then it is motioned to approve the minutes as they are (which were not present). Tara – moved to motion the approval; Robyn – 2nd the motion; Meagan – call and response: all in favor; Members responded: All in favor.

• Dr. B. left the program - Dr. B. moved back to san Antonio. • Amanda stepped in to keep things going; which left a coordinator position open. • Hired Trixie to fill the space. • In January Nancy (left for health reasons) & Sara left (Sara is back into practice). Hired Andrea & Libby in May 2022. • Libby is self-teaching in Workday because no one is responding or knowledgeable to assist her. • One thing we struggle with is the admission process the student tries to enroll without grades and was hard to rank the student’s one student who went that route is doing well. One or two students are falling into that same category. • This fall 2022 cohort, there will be 23 students starting. Students who struggle academically and students aren’t used to that kind of rigor. • Kate Peterson is still with the program but is out of the country • Students taking office course with A&P tends to struggle with taking those courses together. Not going to turn down the rigor and will have to continue to live with these issues because the rigor will not be changing. There are challenges on how to handle it and what to do with it. • Elizabeth - asked if Dr. Coombs has asked other departments if they are having those issues. Dr. Coombs advised yes, he has. Trying to use more of the holistic methods to see how that will work out. Waiting until there is a larger applicant pool. When there is a down turn of the economy there is usually a change. All applicants were admitted and met the minimum criteria. Dr. Coombs worries about those who takes one or two classes within the last semester, because the last group has experienced that and is struggling. We have a tutor who has helped but the students are still struggling. • Elizabeth - Are they still doing hybrid format? Dr. Coombs responds – Yes, but this will be the last term with that. Leaving it as is so to see what happens but next fall it will go back to face to face program. • Elizabeth - Do you think the students do better with the in person? Liliana responded – “students do better in person”. Dr. Coombs mentions – I am biased with having the in-person instructions. Exams are still on blackboard which mirrors what the board does when they take the board exam. There are some things that we will hold on to since the covid change. Dr. Coombs is teaching A&P online and we will see what happens. • Amanda – advantages and disadvantages. Some are able to keep up with what is going on and some are not. When pre-posting assignments/videos they are able to watch it on their own. But they may not be watching it. It can be tracked if they have watched it. Having in person (drawing on the board) is more helpful. When she lectured she recorded herself and put it online for them to listen to it again. It was the transition back and they said it was helpful. • Dr. Coombs – thinks it will be best if it is in person • Dr. Otto – live and in-person is better; not able to see faces on zoom. Assignments can be made to not affect the contact time. Not sure if students will take advantage of this opportunity. • Dr. Nina Almasy – some programs do this method online but students are letting their faculty know they want to be in person. So, people want in-person and some do not. • Elizabeth – some students don’t know what they want; some do; some don’t know what is best for them. • Dr. Almasy – some health science program is so vast in content and there is a lot of studying and then students aren’t sure what they should study. The change of 72 to 60 credits have put pressure on Vet Tech with the 12 less credits. • Liliana - agrees that it sometimes go to fast.

• Rabies vaccine – Now mandated by CDC – Vaccination clinics being set up at the Elgin campus for returning and new students. • VTNE pass rate – 3-year pass rate went up and the year before there was a 100% passing rate. Liliana is to encourage her class that they need to get that rate up. Pregnancy kept a student from passing the course. • Elizabeth – did everyone take the exam? Amanda and Dr. Coombs don’t really remember. When Dr. Coombs get the results and there are no names he wonders who didn’t do well and who did do well. It’s hard when you don’t know who has passed and who hasn’t. students don’t remain in touch. Reached out to a few past students asking if they would be a speaker at the completion ceremony and he got a positive response. • There are 9 completing this year and one is deaf but doing extremely well. One student worked through family obstacles but has been very successful; with an interpreter. It was a successful situation and there were two student interpreters always available. She was able to get a stethoscope for her and she has been successful. The challenges were the student not being able to hear some of the machines. It made them think outside the box. They discussed with the machine manufacturer. During kennel care she would work hard and had great work ethics. • Incoming fall 2022 cohort majority of the class are female; one male. Still very short on the male side and the industry is that way. Some have a lot of background and experience. Working in hospitals and vets. Some who have volunteered in a shelter. They will not have what is most expected. Taking the volunteer out of the application. But try to push them to get out into the hospital. Implementing in the fall where they have to interview with an LVT to see what is expected, the pay, what its really like. To get more experience. Those with experience do so much better in the program. One surprise in January from the AVMA that the rabies vac needs to be done. Comprehensive mitigation means involving those animals who have only been vaccinated before they come to the campus is the only other option. So, the decision is to make sure everyone is vaccinated. • Karoline has been coordinating having a vaccine clinic on campus. • A gift from the BOT or foundation to help fund the vaccine. Our own budget has money to use towards this vaccination process. Ana – is trying to get the cost dropped to almost nothing ($100). Dropped from $900. Vaccinating the incoming students. The current students trying to get them to respond and sign up for the vaccination clinic. • Estrella asked if they have to have the vaccination. • Libby was vaccinated with a job at the zoo • Amanda – took the vaccine at Purdue because it was a requirement. • Estrella – do they start the first semester with animals and dr. c says yes. • Dr. Coombs has been telling them that they have to be vaccinated. The current cohort (21) has been blindsided and it was being required while they were already in classes. • Completion cohort – 9 completing… ceremony is on Friday, August 5, 2022 @ 10am • There will be a booth at SWS… and will make the vet tech program • The San Antonio zoo has reached out since the social media is more activate. • Estrella mention that some things should be arranged at the Elgin campus to allow visibility to the Elgin campus. Shared that an advisor from the Eastview campus came through the Elgin campus and received an informal tour. The advisor was surprised with all the happenings on the Elgin campus and will share with others more. • Estrella – asked what high schools are in the area? • Amanda – Dr. B and Amanda were going over to schools and doing some recruitment but covid hit and slowed things way down. Will be scheduling something in the fall and getting back out into the community to reach some who aren’t aware what is happening. • Anyone who is interested in having us on their campus • Dr. Almasy – the CE program Elizabeth does collaborate with other schools. • Robyn - Manor high schools and New Tech might help with visiting there. A lot of clinics go corporate. People wanting to learn are going corporate. • Dr. Almasy - recently had a meeting with the Mayor of Manor and the Mayor mentioned they don’t think about Vet Tech. Maybe some marketing needs to be done in that area. • Dr. Coombs said they tried to start a program but it didn’t go off well. • Amanda – Indiana up north has a vet program and not it comes from Europe but a new wave of having something like vet nurses. Midwest was pushing for this as well (vet nurses). Everything from human nursing. No distinction and noticed that everything and everyone was a “tech”. Things should change. • Elizabeth – mentions it was shut down. No states in the country uses the nurse title… to change the program name to nursing, believes it should be consistent and remain the same regarding the title. If you call everyone a nurse then there is an issue. • Dr. Coombs has been fighting this issue for a while. • Dr. Otto – bring brochures and share with students. • Robyn – they have student’s farmers of America. They have an ag barn at manor high school. • Dr. Coombs visited with the director about this. • Art clinic – Trixie runs the clinic and staff bring their animal; three stations floaters and front desk • Elizabeth – They need to have more experience. Can you do a wellness in their first year? • Dr. Coombs – that is why that piece has to be an important issue. • Amanda – time constraints and no time for overseeing. Staffing issues… we would love to do this but… • Libby – at some point they do have to have hands on experience; learning what is happening on the spot and having it in the school setting is going to be important.

Motion to adjourn at 8:23 Dr. Otto - motioned Tara – 2nd the motion