Posted 8/19/2010
SUNY Optometry's 2nd Annual Recognition Event
Posted 6/29/2010
SUNY Optometry Opens Low Vision Center with Chinese Hospital
Posted 6/23/2010
36TH Commencement Held at Hudson Theater
Posted 6/10/2010
Charles Henry Leach II Foundation Awards Grant for Children with Special Needs Equipment
Posted 4/19/2010
The Arthur and Phyllis Milton Foundation Supports SUNY Homebound Program
Posted 4/15/2010
Bill Provides Vision Care Services To Needy
Posted 4/13/2010
Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher Unveils "The Power of SUNY" as New Strategic Plan
Posted 3/25/2010
Eyes on New York Gala Held at Cipriani
Posted 3/12/2010
Dr. Jeffrey L. Philpott appointed Vice President for Student Affairs
Posted 2/8/2010
Dr. Richard Madonna Named College’s CE Director
Posted 1/19/2010
SUNY Optometry President Praises Governor's Proposal
SUNY Optometry's 2nd Annual Recognition Event
SUNY Optometry's 2nd Annual Recognition Event was held on August 6, 2010. Honorees included Chancellors Award winners, Ms. Jacqueline Martinez and Dr. Robert Duckman; those faculty and staff who have served the College for 25+ years; and the staff and faculty winners of our first ever Community Spirit Awards, Mr. Robert Wilczewski and Dr. David Libassi.
Length of service honorees for 25+ years
Dr. David Heath with Dr. Robert Duckman, Chancellor's Award Winner for Excellence in Faculty Service
Dr. David Heath with Ms. Jacqueline Martinez, Chancellor's Award Winner for Excellence in Professional Service
Dr. David Heath with Dr. David Libassi, Community Spirit Faculty Award Winner
SUNY Optometry Opens Low Vision Center with Chinese Hospital
President Qu Jia of Wenzhou Medical College accepts gift of artwork from Dr. David A. Heath, President of the SUNY College of Optometry.
David A. Heath, President of the SUNY College of Optometry, attended the official opening of the Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College in Wenzhou, China. The Center is a unique, cooperative project between Wenzhou Medical College and the SUNY College of Optometry made possible with generous support from the Lavelle Fund for the Blind in New York City. The hospital is affiliated with Wenzhou Medical College’s School of Optometry and Ophthalmology.
According to Dr. Heath, by the third year of the project, a total of 10,000 visually impaired patients per year, ranging in age from children to the elderly, will be served at the Wenzhou facility. During the course of the project, eye care professionals and paraprofessionals from numerous locations throughout China, will be trained to provide a wide range of services to the visually impaired. It is expected that 200 optometrists and ophthalmologists and 1,000 paraprofessionals (including nurses, rehabilitation therapists, etc) will be trained.
The new Center of Excellence at Wenzhou is slated to become a model for the establishment of similar centers in other cities in China. It will also provide educational programs for doctors and for ancillary personnel in the proper referral for vision rehabilitation services, procedures for caring for the visually impaired and for working with patients and their families to enhance function and the quality of life. Supportive services are to be offered in areas such as the use of low vision devices, activities of daily living and psychological adjustment to visual disability.
An estimated 17 million individuals in China have low vision. With a dearth of eye and vision care professionals in the region providing quality care for the visually impaired, the Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation will have a significant impact on the quality of life for thousands of Chinese.
Dr. Heath and Dr. Michael Heiberger, who directs the project for SUNY, were joined by Andrew Fisher, Executive Director of the Lavelle Fund, and the hospital’s senior administrative staff including President Qu Jia, Vice President Chen Xiaoming, Vice President and Dean of the School of Optometry and Ophthalmology, Dr. Lu Fan and Eye Hospital Executive Director Dr. Wang Qinmei. Also present were representatives of the City of Wenzhou and of the Chinese Central Government in Beijing as well as prominent individuals from the ophthalmic supplier community.
Yang jinhui, of the Beijing government’s China Disabilities Board, spoke at a symposium following the opening ceremony. He indicated a renewed interest on the part of China in making available low vision and rehabilitative services to the visually impaired in China. Mr. Yang acknowledged that, in too many cases, low vision devices given to patients were not used and eventually discarded because there was not appropriate training in when or how to use the devices. He also announced that China’s newest five-year plan, its 12th since the founding of the Peoples’ Republic, includes language concerning the provision of low vision and vision rehabilitation services.
36TH Commencement Held at Hudson Theater
On Sunday, June 6th, at the Hudson Theater in Manhattan, 72 graduates received Doctor of Optometry degrees. Dr. Edward Johnston, Vice President for Student Affairs of the SUNY College of Optometry, was the Commencement Speaker. Dr. Johnston, who also served as President of the College from 1978-1987, received the New York Optometrist of the Year Award given by the New York State Optometric Association.
Dr. Richard Held received the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa. Dr. Held is Professor Emeritus of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, Director of Research and Professor of Vision Science at the New England College of Optometry. Dr. Held has been a leading scholar in the areas of visual development and myopia.
Dr. Joan Portello, ’86 was the recipient of the Alumna of the Year Award for her commitment to her students, patients and the optometry community beyond SUNY. Her dedication to providing vision care to the community includes organizing vision screenings at local Special Olympics events since 2001, the Diabetes Expo since 2006, and delivering eye care screenings to the homeless in the Bowery.
Dr. David Heath, President, presided over the ceremonies and congratulated the graduates on meeting the challenges of a world-class curriculum and choosing a career path that not only brings numerous opportunities within optometry, vision science and health care, but a path that will also bring them professional success and great personal satisfaction.
Members of the Class of 2010 make a toast to their future
Dr. David Heath, Dr. Richard Held, and Dr. David Troilo
Dr. Edward Johnston delivering the Commencement Address.
Dr. Julia Appel ’91, presenting the Alumna of the Year Award to Dr. Joan Portello ’86.
Dr. Diane Russo, President of the Class of 2010
Class of 2010 reciting The Optometric Oath
Charles Henry Leach II Foundation Awards Grant for Children with Special Needs Equipment
The Charles Henry Leach II Foundation has awarded a $3,000 grant to the Optometric Center of New York (OCNY) to provide new equipment for the University Eye Center’s (UEC) Children with Special Needs Service, one of the few programs in the New York City area dedicated exclusively to providing comprehensive vision care for special needs children. This is a first-time grant from the Foundation.
Healthy eyes and good vision are important components of a child’s ability to develop their full potential. Promoting eye care and identifying vision-related issues through routine eye exams early helps put healthy, sighted children on track for meeting developmental milestones that lay the groundwork for social and academic success and future participation in the workforce.
However, for children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome or other “special needs,” vision care is anything but routine. A number of factors come into play during the process that can make examinations and vision therapy difficult or impossible. Children with special needs may not have the ability to communicate verbally, or perhaps don’t have the muscle control in their necks to hold their heads up to view the standard vision chart on a wall, or, they may become agitated during the exam because they don’t understand what is happening.
The UEC’s unique service offers multiply-handicapped children a level of patient care unavailable in most other clinical settings. At the UEC, our team of dedicated optometrists are specially trained in alternative visual exam techniques to maximize results for children with special needs. On average, vision exams for special needs children at our facility last one to two hours – significantly longer than a standard eye exam. The Children with Special Needs Service currently sees 500 children from birth to age 18 each year. Children with Special Needs services are part of an active Pediatric Service providing high quality patient care and support for thousands of children annually.
“Because the path for meeting their full potential is different from their peers, children with special needs are especially in need of regular vision care as part of their overall health care,” said Dr. Robert Duckman, Director of the Children with Special Needs Service. “We are most grateful to The Charles Henry Leach II Foundation for this generous grant.”
The Optometric Center of New York is the allied and endowing foundation of the State University of New York, State College of Optometry, and is the primary source of private support for its patient care facility, the University Optometric Center, providing grants for projects such as a Homebound Initiative, Indigent Care Project and Scholarship Fund, among others.
The Arthur and Phyllis Milton Foundation Supports SUNY Homebound Program
The Arthur and Phyllis Milton Foundation, Inc. has awarded the Optometric Center of New York (OCNY) a $5,000 grant in support of the Manhattan Homebound Program. The initiative will provide much-needed vision care to underserved patients throughout the borough in the coming year. This is a first-time grant from the Foundation.
The Homebound Program, begun by the SUNY College of Optometry more than 25 years ago, sends optometrists into local neighborhoods in order to provide high quality patient care for people confined to their homes.
The grant will offer access to essential services for people with impaired sight who are at risk for increased falls and fractures, depression, and difficulty identifying medications, which can lead to serious drug-related errors among other dangers. Homebound populations particularly at risk include older adults, people with multiple disabilities and/or other health conditions (e.g., stroke, cancer, obesity, paralysis and dementia), which can make it challenging, if not impossible, to access available health services in the community.
"We are delighted that our new partnership with The Arthur and Phyllis Milton Foundation will enable us to provide essential patient care services in local communities," said Richard Feinbloom, President of the OCNY.
The Optometric Center of New York is the allied and endowing foundation of the State University of New York, State College of Optometry, and is the primary source of private support for its patient care facility, the University Optometric Center, providing grants for projects such as a Homebound initiative, Indigent Care Project and Scholarship Fund, among others.
Bill Provides Vision Care Services To Needy
Yesterday, Governor David A. Paterson signed into law a bill, A.1138, amending the social services law requiring managed care programs to establish procedures to assure that medical assistance recipients receive access to optometric services by clinicians of the SUNY College of Optometry.
According to Dr. David A. Heath, College President, "Over the past several years, as medical assistance recipients have been moved from the State Medicaid program to Medicaid Managed Care plans, recipients have found that a number of plans exclude optometrists from their provider panels. As a result, many of our patients have been forced to seek care elsewhere, or needed to be referred unnecessarily for follow-up care. Others, who would like to receive eye care services from our clinical faculty, have been unable to do so." Bill A.1138 will require Medicaid Managed Care plans to include the College’s providers on those panels. This action will eliminate unnecessary and costly referrals, while supporting both patient choice and the training of SUNY College of Optometry students who will serve the people of New York as doctors of optometry in the future.
The SUNY College of Optometry’s patient care facility, the University Eye Center, (UEC) provides more than 75,000 patient visits a year. According to Dr. Richard Soden, Vice President for Clinical Affairs, "as a result of the past shift of patients to and exclusion by Medicaid Managed Care plans, the UEC lost approximately 7,000 patients visits a year."
"We are very grateful to State Senator Liz Krueger and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried for their active roles in helping to enact this legislation," said Dr. Heath.
Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher Unveils "The Power of SUNY" as New Strategic Plan
Contact: David Belsky, David.Belsky@suny.edu
Office of Communications
State University of New York
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246
518-320-1311
www.suny.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 13, 2010
New York City – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher today unveiled the newly developed strategic plan. The plan incorporates six forward-looking, interdependent areas of opportunity and challenge in which SUNY and its 64 campuses can serve as the driving force behind New York State’s economic revitalization and to improve the quality of life for its citizens.
The Power of SUNY will serve as the roadmap for the State University of New York for the next five years and guide its development for the next decade.
The chancellor made today's announcement at the New York Academy of Sciences in Manhattan and tomorrow will present the plan in Albany at The Egg.
The plan is available at www.suny.edu/powerofsuny.
"We see The Power of SUNY as a testament to what public higher education can do for the State of New York," said Chancellor Zimpher. "This strategic plan will enable the State University to drive New York’s economy through our size, scale and the capacity of the system as a whole."
"The fact that town-hall conversations were held in every corner of the state to ensure that student voices from all campuses were heard is unprecedented," said Melody Mercedes, president of the SUNY Student Assembly and student member of the SUNY Board of Trustees. "Students can finally say they were instrumental in the creation of a plan which will benefit generations of students to come."
"This strategic plan, The Power of SUNY, is distinguished by the breadth of the 200 representatives who met eight times during the past six months to discuss issues that are central to both New York State and its public university," said Kenneth O’Brien, president of the SUNY Faculty Senate. "The result is a plan that rewrites the relationship between SUNY and the citizens of the state, with SUNY committing its intellectual and human resources to revitalizing New York's economy and enriching its social and community life."
"It was an honor to be a part of the strategic planning process," said Raymond Cross, president of Morrisville State College. "I am excited about this plan and the commitment embedded in every paragraph. This is not your traditional academic strategic plan - it is bold, exciting, and real, and certainly demands attention. It calls for action, requires commitment, and will aggressively move SUNY and all of New York forward. Every campus and community should be eager to help make this vision a reality!"
The product of an unprecedented 10-month effort which included a 64-campus tour and 10 statewide conversations and symposia across the New York, The Power of SUNY explores the many issues affecting New York State and the State University community, while identifying six "big ideas":
· SUNY and the Entrepreneurial Century
· SUNY and the Seamless Educational Pipeline
· SUNY and a Healthier New York
· SUNY and an Energy-Smart New York
· SUNY and the Vibrant Community
· SUNY and the World
In addition, the plan focuses on the crosswalks between the six ideas and SUNY’s central commitment to diversity within those themes.
Each idea represents areas in which SUNY can have the greatest impact on the State of New York. By connecting all 64 campuses, the State University system becomes greater than the sum of its parts with the ability to bring innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives to scale. Three such initiatives are provided for each idea whose progress can be measured and evaluated over time, ensuring accountability. Chancellor Zimpher has already begun to lead an effort to create implementation goals for each idea over the next five years.
"The call for accountability has never been louder," said Chancellor Zimpher. "We must deliver results in a more meaningful and measurable way to show New Yorkers that we mean what we say."
After the plan is unveiled in Albany and New York City, Chancellor Zimpher will also present the plan in Binghamton and Utica on April 15, Syracuse on April 16, Westchester on April 22, Long Island on April 23, Rochester on April 27, and Buffalo on April 28.
Release of the strategic plan begins the third phase of a strategic planning process for SUNY with the goal of preserving the strengths of the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the world, while introducing a new way forward that aligns SUNY’s purpose with New York State’s economic future.
"In the coming weeks and months I will engage our students, my colleagues across SUNY, elected officials and our communities in discussions on the plan; what it means to them; how they can be a part of the change this state needs – a part of The Power of SUNY" said Chancellor Zimpher.
"Nancy Zimpher was hired and immediately charged with developing a strategic plan for the State University of New York, and she has delivered" said SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Carl T. Hayden. "This plan bears the imprint of the entire SUNY family. It will work because the people it affects most are the people who helped to make it possible."
"As I noted at the end of our campus tour in September, the greatest pathway to national and international recognition is to serve your state," said Chancellor Zimpher. "Our strategic plan for SUNY presents the people of New York with an exciting vision for how we will harness the power of SUNY to make New York State one of the most vital, resilient, and inclusive economies here in the U.S. and around the world."
Additional information about the SUNY strategic planning effort is available here.
Further remarks from SUNY stakeholders about The Power of SUNY can be found here.
Chancellor Zimpher’s biography and downloadable headshot are available .
Eyes on New York Gala Held at Cipriani
More than 325 people attended the Eyes on New York Gala, March 19 at Cipriani, 42nd Street. This annual fundraiser for the benefit of the Optometric Center of New York supports vision care for the indigent, scholarships and vision science research.
This year's honorees included Ms. Val Scott, Vice President of Strategic Accounts for International Vision Expo Events and Pfizer Ophthalmics.
In citing the College's 40th Anniversary in 2011, Dr. David Heath, College President, said "There is an extraordinary spirit – an indefinable ethos – created by the institution's nearly four decades of service to the people of New York and beyond. We're very proud of that legacy."
Honoree Val Scott with OCNY President, Richard Feinbloom
Dr. Heath, Dr. Ilise Lombardo, accepting the award for Pfizer, and Mr. Feinbloom
Dr. Jeffrey L. Philpott appointed Vice President for Student Affairs
 David A. Heath, O.D., Ed.M, President of the SUNY College of Optometry, announced the appointment of Dr. Jeffrey L. Philpott as the College's new Vice President for Student Affairs, effective July 1, 2010. According to Dr. Heath, Dr. Philpott was highly recommended as the best candidate for the position, not only by the Search Committee, but also by the students, staff and faculty. Dr. Philpott brings a wealth of experience in student affairs and a demonstrated history of leadership, strategic planning and assessment to the College.
Most recently, Dr. Philpott served Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment at Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) in Honolulu, Hawaii where he was responsible for maintaining enrollment as well as the development and implementation of student development programs and services. HPU is a multi-campus institution with 8300 students from over 100 countries. During his tenure at HPU, he worked to enrich the lives of the students from recruitment and admission through matriculation and graduation. Dr. Philpott led the University’s first strategic enrollment management initiative designed to increase student enrollment and heighten the prestige of the academic programs. In addition, he enhanced HPU’s co-curricular programming, built strong collaborative ties with universities in Asia and Northern Europe, and increased the number of international students matriculating to Hawaii Pacific. Prior to his position at HPU, Dr. Philpott served as Dean of Student Affairs at Earl Warren College of the University of California, San Diego where he was responsible for the administration and management of Student Affairs; strategic planning; assessment and evaluation; and budget management.
Dr. Philpott received his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Bowling Green State University in Ohio; an M.A. in English from Idaho State University in Pocatello and a B.A. in Psychology from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Richard Madonna Named College's CE Director
NEW YORK, NY – February 6, 2010
Dr. Richard J. Madonna, well-known ocular disease specialist and lecturer, has recently been appointed Director of Continuing Professional Education for the SUNY College of Optometry. The announcement was made by David Troilo, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Dr Madonna, an Associate Professor, also serves as Chief of the Ocular Disease and Special Testing Service. He is the former Director of the Optometric Residency Program at the VA Hudson Valley Heath Care System and Chief of the Optometry Section of the VA Medical Center in Castle Point, NY.
"As the new Director, Dr. Madonna will begin overseeing the restructuring of the office and, in collaboration with the New York State Optometric Association, will expand our professional education role across the State," said Dr. Troilo.
Dr. Madonna has lectured in this country and abroad on topics related to ocular disease including glaucoma, therapeutic drugs and retinal vascular disease. He is the co-author of several texts including Emergency Care in the Optometric Setting. He is also the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
SUNY OPTOMETRY PRESIDENT PRAISES GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL
NEW YORK, NY JAN. 15, 2010
Today, Governor David A. Paterson introduced what may be the most significant proposal for reform in New York public higher education in decades. The Governor’s bill addresses tuition policy, land-use, public-private partnerships, procurement efficiencies, operations efficiencies and hospital reforms.
According to the Governor, the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act will provide SUNY and CUNY "with the freedom and flexibility they need to drive development both on campus and off, preparing our students for New Economy jobs that will propel New York forward".
Dr. David A. Heath, President of the SUNY College of Optometry, said "The Governor’s proposal calls not only for reform to enhance the strategic management of our system of tuition and fees, but enables our campuses to develop mission-driven, non-State, revenues to support our students and the programs so vitally needed by people of New York."
According to President Heath, during the current economic crisis, most of the public debate has focused upon spending management. While spending control and the strategic allocation of State resources are essential to the long-term economic stability of our State, innovation and the creative development on new, non-State-based revenues is equally critical to the future success of public education and job expansion. The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act provides campuses with the financial stability and the tools for growth that are so essential to long-range planning and the achievement of our strategic priorities in service to New York.
Among a number of initiatives, the College of Optometry’s 2008 strategic plan, "A Shared Vision", calls for a significant expansion of vision care services for New York City and enhanced research efforts into the understanding and treatment of diseases and disorders of the visual system. Through its clinical care unit, the University Eye Center, the College offers a wide array of vision care services, supporting 75,000 visits per year to patients from the greater New York metropolitan area.
According to President Heath, "The Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act will allow us to achieve these goals, positively impacting of the state economy and upon the health of New Yorkers. For our institution, like the other SUNY academic health centers, this legislation will provide us with the autonomy needed to enhance our ability to adapt to the ever-changing health care delivery system. We are very supportive of this dynamic initiative."
The SUNY College of Optometry, founded in 1971, is a doctoral research center offering a 4-year, a post-baccalaureate doctoral-degree in optometry, graduate research education and innovative vision research, as well as vision care services in one of the largest outpatient facilities in the country. The College is located at 33 West 42nd St., in midtown Manhattan.
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