Executive Board tackles professional issues, AVMA operations

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The AVMA Executive Board, meeting June 4-6, took a hard look at agenda items regarding subjects as diverse as federal legislation and officer travel.

Among the board's major decisions were approving creation of a business plan for redeveloping the AVMA Web site, formation of a Task Force on Veterinary Internships, and recognition of a new specialty in amphibian and reptile practice (see JAVMA, July 15, 2009).

AVMA Executive Board
The AVMA Executive Board meets June 4-6 at the Association headquarters building.

Relevant to the AVMA legislative agenda, the board assigned priorities to a number of bills in the 111th Congress—including legislation that addresses food safety and a bill that would exempt small health care practices from complying with a rule requiring programs to prevent identity theft.

Internally, the Association is reducing the travel expectations for officers and other board members by cutting back on duplicative AVMA representation at meetings and schools. The board approved most of the second and final set of recommendations to that effect from the Task Force on Future Roles and Expectations.

On recommendation of the State Advocacy Committee, the board approved continuing the Legal Outreach Program, at a cost of about $7,000 annually. The program, which began in April 2008, provides a veterinary perspective to the legal community on animal law issues.

Concerning veterinary colleges, the AVMA Council on Education will be conducting a comprehensive site visit at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia. The board granted the travel request by the COE to examine the school's program, as a step toward accreditation.

Details about board actions appear in the following pages.