Regarding new policies sent out 9/27, this is my response. What is yours?

[Dawn]

Hi~

I have a few concerns.

It seems to me, in my experience as an herbal clinician and practitioner, that the elements which keep a patient coming back is the care and respect they get when they come to clinic and their impression of the environment. I.e., is it clean? Is it comfortable or tense? Is it chaotic or relaxing? The problem of patient volume preceeded intercession. To pretend that it began recently is a mistake. The intercession policy of absence make-up puts the responsibility on students who, as an observer, I generally see bending over backwards to provide quality care. The problems I have witnessed stem from things like patients not being properly communicated with, the wait due to supervisors not actually being available when they are on duty (especially administrators), and a general lack of attention and human connection. A basic level of "customer service", including eye contact when they're signing in, or some kind of acknowledgment, communication immediately if their appointment is running late, bells for uncomfortable patients to use to notify staff/clinicians, etc. Lack of marketing /publicity may also be at hand. What outside publicity has been done to promote the school and clinic. I no longer receive requests to volunteer at events. Are we not participating within the community to get our name out? Did we have a booth at the Solano Stroll, one of Berkeley's long-standing popular events? We talked to a lot of people and looked at a lot of tongues at that event when I participated. What about Chris Kresser's amazing talks about cholesterol and antidepressants? That talk brought people from as far as Sacramento when I attended and the room was full. It also supported a student in his professional endeavors. The school should be encouraging more of that, not inhibiting it. What did it even cost the school? To stop participating and investing in outside, and more importantly inside events, such as Chris's, while requesting the students hand out more business cards is insulting. It is the school's responsibility to bring in patients primarily. We pay you to provide our education. We participate, but we are not primarily responsible. We are here to focus on learning.

In all of your plans, responsibility is being laid on students' attire, regularly scheduled intersessions, and student treatments. Where is the responsibility of the admin in all of this? Why are our benefits- flexibility in schedule and free treatments- being cut? Your main source of word-of-mouth advertisement, not to mention income, your students are deeply unhappy. The good vibe that I once felt at AIMC, has been dissipating for some time now. If patients feel uneasy, overlooked, and sense tension, they will not come back. Perhaps, deeper solutions need be applied to a long-standing problem. To use metaphor, AIMC is like a wound right now. Healing efforts are only being applied to the surface, and though the skin looks to be mending, in fact, the wound is festering. An abscess is growing underneath. Deep healing for deep wounds... this is a treatment plan.

To end on a more optimistic note, I think AIMC has a great chance of keeping and increasing enrollment and increasing the patient count. It will take genuine care, open communication b/w admin, faculty and students, and community building. Please do not placate this issue with useless, punitive policies.

Thank you for your time,

Dawn

[kd]

Thanks for writing this Dawn.

I agree with you completely. I'd like to add that if we are only able to make up missed clinic hours during intercession then we are essentially told that we are unable to get sick. I use my intercession time to work. Financial aid is not enough to cover my bills through the next check. Others plan their vacations way in advance. Should we all have to take into account that we may get the flu? Installing hand sanitation devices while telling us we can no longer make up clinic shifts does not encourage the student body to act responsibly and stay away from the school while we are sick. This is a ridiculous policy that will wind up creating havoc in the long run. More flu at the school because students want to have their intercession remain a break, huge problems with all the students signing up for the first few days of intercession leaving a "skeleton crew" later and more bad feelings on the part of the student body. And, why is this policy coming out on week 4? I'm assuming many of us have our intercession plans scheduled already. Are there any students rep that get to voice their opinions at these closed policy meetings?

I feel like the administration is not considering that we as students are more then a tuition source. Most of us are planning our schedules out way in advance due to being commuting, child rearing, bill paying, family and friend loving people. I'm so tired of fighting these fights at AIMC that seem to have no sense. I would encourage the admin to let us continue to focus on our studies and stop enlisting us in their quest for financial stability. I have paid my tuition, I've brought patients into the clinic and have kept them coming, I've talked to new students, I've done it. Now let me focus on my work and quit changing policies all the time.

I would encourage other students to write directly to the administration on this one, as well as add to this discussion.

Sincerely,
Kristen

[Benjamin Dierauf]

Thanks for ending on the optimistic note ;-) But seriously, this type of feedback is important to us. We have several new members on our team and we're working like crazy, and communication with students hasn't been done as well as it should. This will change...

[Vadim Derevyanko]

Hi!
I can say only that I want to applaud to this letter!
Thank you.

[Arpita Ohsiek]

Thanks for this -- yes, I understand the desire for more consistency in the clinic, but I don't think that should happen by students coming in sick so that they can have their break. I tried calling in sick to my clinic shift on the first day of school and was told that I would have to make it up over break, which inspired me to suddenly feel well enough to come in... then while here I caught a whole new illness, worse than the original one which had been quite mild. Haven't quite completely kicked that one, as it's difficult to completely recover without spending more time in bed! I commute 90 miles to school and I am NOT planning to come in over break, besides wanting to visit my parents who live far away and a break is my only chance to see them.

I'm also disappointed to not be able to invite friends and family to come in for a free same day appointment. I'm here, I've paid my clinic tuition, and I have no one to work on, but if I call someone and say come on over, they still have to pay for it. I think free treatments on same day appointments are a good way to fill empty spots. I'm all dressed professionally, but is anyone here to notice??

-Arpita

[Dawn]

Thank you everyone for participating in this discussion. Please continue and encourage others as well! Also, if you have a chance, send an email directly to the admin listing your concerns. We cannot afford to be silent at this point. If you need email addresses or would like to have me forward it, contact me at [e-mail].

[Vadim Derevyanko]

Dawn and John1
We -- in Student Council -- will take in consideration your letters and will base on them and some other students' concerns our meeting with Terri. It looks like something should be done in open type conversation and not from individuals only.
I think that it is direct job of Student Council to address such problems. Does not look like your letters or emails succeed.
I thank you both and everybody else who is taking part in this discussion for the input.
It is sad to see that more and more students getting discouraged to take part in our college's life.
You are right about AIMC loosing it's specific environment in last 6 month and does not seem like it will change in a better way.

[Dawn]

Thank you Vadim! When you talk with Teri, will you show her the Clinic Improvement Survey that went around last trimester? I think Tony might have it. Will you keep us all posted as well about what is discussed at student council meetings. Regrettably, I can't play a direct role because I live in Sonoma County, but I feel deeply invested (and very financially invested) in the success of this school.

Thanks!
Dawn

[Benjamin Dierauf]

I asked around in Admin and nobody has seen these survey results. We'd love to see'em and discuss!
Benj

[David Caruso-Radin]

Whew...What to say...

I hope this isn't viewed as more placation from someone in admin. I have always told you guys the unedited truth, and I promise to continue to do so. I also want to make clear that the below is not an apology from Teri, but are my own feelings.

To be perfectly honest when Teri first started at AIMC Berkeley as President I was concerned, but hopeful. I attribute that to being disappointed by the "untimely" departure of Mary Stewart, and a difference of personality between Teri and myself. To be honest over the past few months I have grown to respect Teri a great deal.

What I have seen in Teri since that time is an individual with great skill at management and finance. Someone who has truly shown an ability to analyze some of the shortcomings (some of which I'm finding were major) that have occurred in managing this program in the past; and someone who has a very clear vision of how to move this school forward to profitability and quite frankly to be the pinnacle of Asian Medicine education in the country. Some of these changes may not be the easiest for some people to make, but in the end I believe these changes will create a much healthier institution and a much stronger program.

First let's talk about communication - Historically communication has not been the most timely at AIMC Berkeley, and for my piece of that history I am sorry. I believe that Teri has the very best of intentions to not only communicate in a more timely manner than historically we have in the past, but that her desire is to be communicating more regularly at this current time. Please understand...Teri entered into her role having to put out huge fires on the heels of an unpleasant severance of the outgoing interim President. I cannot imagine what it was like to enter into a relatively hostile community only to have to put out major fires with the USDE and ACAOM. This is a position no one should ever have to suffer through. All of that being said, and with a loved one constantly returning to the hospital, and one's belongings still stranded in southern California I have to say she has done an admirable job. I TRULY believe that once the USDE and ACAOM kerfluffles (please excuse the technical language) subside communication will be far more timely.

Second we need to talk about change - Let's be frank - The AIMC Berkeley we have all come to love (me for the past 6 years in numerous capacities) was not without blemishes. I know because I often got an ear full. In healing some of those blemishes changes must be made. Some of those changes may not be so popular, but the results I believe will be well worth the change.

Second we should talk about clinic make-up during the break - One of the blemishes that is on the forefront of many conversations is the density of patients in the clinic. Historically (every trimester or quarter I have been associated with the school) the clinic is relatively "light" in the beginning of the trimester, and it picks up throughout the trimester to being packed at the end of the trimester. It is very clear what causes this beginning of trimester anomaly. It is caused by closing the clinic, or running a skeleton crew over the break. When you are in private practice in the beginning you quickly find out that after you go on vacation you have to bump up the marketing big time. When your clients aren't used to coming regularly they often stop or slow down. This new clinic policy is primarily designed to make the clinic busier.

I believe that Teri has the very best of intentions for managing this school. I believe she cares deeply about our students. Right now, Teri is under intense pressure from multiple angles, and is doing what she can...Really. Please cut her some slack and give her a chance.

As part of my signature I always close with the Rumi quote you see below. I believe it is very appropriate right now.

--
Peace,
David Caruso-Radin, L Ac
Dean of Student Affairs

"Out beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there."
- Jalāl-ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi

[Donna Chang]

David,

While I don't agree that students should make up clinic hours during intercessions ONLY, your explanation of why the clinic tend to be slower at the beginning of term makes some sense. In some ways, there might be benefit to making up hours during intercession. For example, there might more chances that you get to treat patients, and can receive more attention from supervisors. I think it would be great if we can keep the clinic partially open during intercession and have only 1 week of closed clinic max.

However, I still think students should be given option to make up clinic hours during the term.

Thanks for reading.

-Donna

[Petra Schirra]

I completely agree. I think a good compromise would be to allow students to make up clinic hours during the term and for others who don't mind not having a 3 week break, they should have the option of scheduling clinic in their intersessions. I can't come in during my break and so would be very much in a pickle having to make up clinic hours at intercessions. I just transferred to this school, but if this policy doesn't change I will consider transferring to another school.

Petra

[Benjamin Dierauf]

Hi All,

While much of this is painful to read, its an important part of the process. Teri is not yet on the Acupuncture Channel, but I will be meeting with her and apprising of her of all that was written here before the regular meetings that we're scheduling with you guys starting next Weds at 12:00 and Thurs at 5:30. Hopefully you can make it to one of them - if we're going to pull this school together this type of face to face dialogue is critical.

We care very much about your education, we do listen, and we do want to develop a community where all partners are respected and heard. In her letter Teri apologized for dropping the ball of communication, but we're picking it up and want to move forward with all (or most if that's the case :) of you.

Thanks for participating on this forum and being a part of the discussion, and thanks to Dawn for starting it.

Benj

Fyi for those that don't know, Teri is with her mother who was taken to the ER this week and is still in the hospital (cancer).