To Faculty, Staff and Students:
We look very forward to meeting early next week on Monday with students and on Tuesday at the Associates meeting to share the highlights of our Annual Report, information about the College of Osteopathic Medicine and about the new College of Biosciences, as well as additional information about the University name change. Most importantly, I wish to personally thank so many of you who wrote to respond enthusiastically to the news of the new University name and the addition of the College of Biosciences, as well as to express your pride and love for the school.
As we prepare for the weeks and months ahead, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few key pieces of additional information.
- Since 1980, the legal name of the school has been The University of Health Sciences. The College of Osteopathic Medicine was the single college within the University organizational structure. Because the College of Osteopathic Medicine was the only college under the University umbrella, the school was variously referred to as The University of Health Sciences, UHS, or, commonly, UHS-COM.
- In 1980, at the time the University was created, an additional College of Nursing was contemplated, which never came to fruition. Hence, we had a University structure and name, with one College. By definition, a University structure contains multiple colleges such as The University of Missouri, with Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education, Medicine, Law, etc.
- In a University structure, when referring to any one of the colleges, one would first refer to the University name, followed by the specific college. For example, The University of Missouri College of Education, or The University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.
- With the name change effective July 1, 2004, the College of Osteopathic Medicine remains constant. It will be the leading college, central to the University's mission, and the strength of its leadership in medical education is reflected even more fully in the new name. "Health Sciences" does not encompass the greater breadth and depth of medicine, nor does it encompass the biomedical research being conducted at the University. It likewise is not descriptive of the new programs in Biosciences. Osteopathic Medicine will continue to be the heart of our education, and the principles of our Osteopathic heritage will guide our institution.
- The appropriate reference to the College of Osteopathic Medicine under the new name remains as it was under the old name; Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, or KCUMB-COM. The appropriate reference to the College of Biosciences under the new name is Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Biosciences, or KCUMB-CB.
- The new University name has several key strengths:
1) It identifies our location: Kansas City.
2) It clarifies that medicine, not "health sciences" is the essence of our education and related research; and,
3) Its specificity strengthen our ability to obtain research funding, and other grant funding.
4) It distinguishes us from fully five universities with Osteopathic colleges, using the same or a very similar name. Notable among these is A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, which encompasses The Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. Sixteen of the twenty Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine across the country are Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine within a University structure, as we are. In that structure, the University name is the school name, and the College of Osteopathic Medicine is a college within that structure, as our is.
In summary, the essence of any entity is its heritage, and its people. Deep roots, as well as a dynamic focus on the future, drive leadership and accomplishment. Many of you responded to the initial announcement with the same thoughts. You also mentioned pride, in the growth and vitality of the school and in positive change.
Thank you so very much for that truth and positive energy. It means a great deal to all of us who work very hard every day to make the school the best that it can be.
I look forward to visiting personally with you in the weeks and months ahead.
Sincerely,
Karen L. Pletz
President and Chief Executive Officer
