Spring Board of Directors Meeting Update

Spring Board of Directors Meeting Update

The Board of Directors spent two very productive days during its spring meeting. The Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of California, Berkeley, was an outstanding host to the board, staff and invited guests.

A sampling of the meeting agenda items and discussions were:

• Approved a proposed procedure for competency document reviews.
• Reviewed proposed changes to ASCO’s Bylaws.
• Discussed a request to create an Admissions Director professional group.
• Received an update from NBEO on the PEPS examination implementation.
• Heard an update on the Optometry Gives Me Life (futureeyedoc.org) campaign and discussed ways to improve Doctors of Optometry participation in the Eye Opener Sessions (https://www.eyeopenersession.org/).
• Debated an idea to create a student prep course for undergraduates and optometry school applicants.
• Call for Officers for the FY25 program year.
• Updates on the Future Faculty Program, the Optometric Education Leadership Institute and the Summer Institute for Faculty Development.

The group also:

• Welcomed Corporate Contributors EssilorLuxottica and Black Lab Optical.
• Discussed the shortage of optometric faculty.
• Considered opportunities for collaboration with AAO’s Optometric Education Section.
• Received a report on fundraising initiatives to date; considered expanding fundraising efforts to include solicitation of individual contributions.
• Approved fiscal year 2025 budget assumptions.
• Voted on and approved the 2024 Special Recognition Award winners (to be announced soon).

The next Board meeting will be held in conjunction with Optometry’s Meeting in Nashville on June 18. The Annual Business Meeting, open to the public, will be held on June 19.