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A message from our interim dean

Dr. Dana Zimmel

Greetings all,

Spring may not yet have sprung, but here at UF CVM, we are nonetheless full swing into spring semester and excited about what the months ahead will bring. Our senior D.V.M. students are back in clinics for the final stretch of their education, while our other classes continue to pursue their education through externships (our third-year students) and didactic learning through the hybrid learning model consistent with UF’s health and safety guidelines.

Although these events will not look as they did pre-pandemic, the sophomore professional coating ceremony for the Class of 2023 and commencement for the Class of 2021 will be held in person at the UF Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the UF O’Connell Center respectively this year. After last year’s virtual ceremonies, we are excited that our students can again experience the gratification of being acknowledged in the presence of their classmates, faculty members and (limited) guests for their achievements. We look forward to the time when more of our college and UF Veterinary Hospital events can resume fully in person but are ever mindful that the safety of our faculty, staff and students must come first.

After incorporating extensive feedback received from faculty and staff through a survey distributed last fall, the college has finalized a strategic plan for 2021-22. This two-year plan, which I discussed at my Jan. 29 town hall, provides a blueprint for keeping the college grounded and financially sound as we focus on collegewide priorities and operational strategies we have identified for achieving those goals. As we delve further into implementation of these strategies, we will be adding more information to our website.

In other college news, a national search is currently underway for the position of associate dean for academic and student affairs, which has been filled on an interim basis since last summer by Dr. Amanda House. In January, Bobby Lee became the college’s new executive director. Many of you may know Bobby from his most recent role as the hospital’s associate director of operations and our liaison to the UF Health IT office. As executive director, he will oversee all college fiscal operations, IT, facilities, the security office and A/V support.

Last but not least, February is National Pet Dental Health month! Here’s a new video featuring Dr. Amy Stone of our primary care and dentistry service sharing why oral health is so important to your pet’s overall wellness.

Please be safe, take care of yourselves and know how much I appreciate all you do.

Dana

Dana N. Zimmel, D.V.M.
Professor and Interim Dean