The festivities of our recent Chinese New Year celebration reminded us about the characteristics of the Year of the Dragon. One factor that stands out particularly for me is the fact that this will be a year when energies are aligned appropriately for engaging new projects and new ventures. In a climate of growth, we need all factors in our favor as Yo San University embarks on a number of changes including improvements to our facilities as well as ongoing refinements regarding curricular and clinical processes. For the most part, the approaching changes and new ventures have been stimulated by the positive growth that the University has experienced in the past several years. At least 70% (a little over 70% of our students are female) have registered a resounding vote of approval for the remodeling and expansion of the third floor women’s rest room completed in early January of 2012. We sincerely hope that the positive reaction regarding the rest room project completed on the cusp of the “Year of the Dragon” will foreshadow the reception of several other new ventures that the University will engage in the next twelve months or sooner. While we are barely midway into the Spring 2012 Trimester, plans are active for the expansion of the second floor Student Lounge, a project that will be undertaken immediately upon the completion of at the current term. YSUSA reps have provided feedback and recommendations regarding the plan that will incorporate two kitchen areas and provide an open, expanded and more comfortable space for students to gather and build the sense of community that is a hallmark characteristic of the Yo San environment. During the same brief and concentrated period of demolition and construction, the University will gain a new classroom on the third floor. Unlike our other classroom spaces which are all carpeted, the new instructional space for approximately 20 students will have a “hard surface” floor that is conducive to safety and convenience when used for needling practice. Additionally, on the third floor, a new faculty/staff lounge will be constructed. Coincident with these visible construction projects will be an effort to increase our storage capacity via the construction of secure storage units in the lower level parking garage, a factor that will be invisible to most YSU constituents. Thanks to the prevalence of smaller cars these days, the storage units will be constructed with no loss of parking spaces. In addition to the facilities enhancements, the University will be expanding its pilot program that provides a partnership model for one or more clinic shifts for level I interns. The partnership teams will be designed to provide maximum supervisor feedback. The partnership model will also facilitate the development of professional collaboration and communication. The pilot model is further designed to enhance intern self-confidence and promote the important factor of mutual support. As in prior years the curricula of our programs are under constant scrutiny for the purpose of program improvement. The year 2012 will include careful assessment of program curricula with one important difference—the program review process will be initiated and led by YSU faculty members. With the implementation of the new faculty by laws document, faculty members welcome the additional responsibility of program assessment and for the generation of recommendations that will improve the quality of our curricula. The Year of the Dragon will be a year of new ventures. As members of the every changing and improving Yo San University community, we are all Dragons!
-Larry Ryan President of YSU