As those of us in the north are coming out of a long winter (and more than a little bit envious of those in the south!), we can look forward to several upcoming opportunities to learn from and reconnect with colleagues. These include the Academic Program and Practitioner Workshop and reception with AUPHA’s board and faculty in Houston, the 21st AUPHA Academic Forum at HIMSS in Las Vegas, and the Annual Meeting in San Diego! Details can be found in the Meetings Section of this issue of The Exchange.
AUPHA has also actively engaged in advocacy for the field of healthcare management and policy education. Recent efforts have focused on student loan limits subsequent to our field not being defined as a professional degree by the Department of Education. As many of our member programs are already facing headwinds in applications and enrollment, this new barrier to financing a professional education could not come at a worse time. More information on the issue and how you can get involved can be found on the advocacy page on the AUPHA website. In addition to student loan caps, we anticipate advocacy on several other issues, and the advocacy page will be updated as those efforts are undertaken.
I hope to see many of you at one of the upcoming meetings!
Richard Hirth, PhD
AUPHA Board Chair