Palmer Lyceum Celebrates Iowa Senator, Facility Renovation
US Sen Tom Harkin (D, Iowa) was awarded an honorary doctor of chiropractic humanities degree during Palmer Chiropractic Lyceum in Davenport, Iowa, on August 10.

Harkin recounted his legislative battles to end discriminatory regulations, and he called for chiropractic to be a health care benefit for all Americans. During the event, he was praised by Palmer Chiropractic University System Board of Trustees Chairwoman Vickie Palmer; Chancellor Michael Crawford; President Guy Riekeman, DC; and Association of Chiropractic Colleges Executive Director David O’Bryon for his integrity, concern for all citizens, and advocacy for chiropractic.

“The entire chiropractic profession owes a great debt to Senator Tom Harkin for his lifelong commitment to the ideals of chiropractic and for his tireless support of our profession’s goals,” Riekeman said. “The projects for which his influence has been pivotal are too long to list, but three come immediately to mind: 1) the creation and funding of the [National Institutes of Health] Consortial Center for Chiropractic Research, headquartered at Palmer College; 2) inclusion of chiropractic in the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration bills; and 3) funding of research and educational projects on the Palmer campus of approximately $5 million in 2002.”

Also at the Palmer Lyceum, hundreds of onlookers gathered to dedicate the newly renovated Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research in Davenport. The new facility houses 25,000 sq ft of modern offices, conference rooms, and laboratories, along with an updated research clinic, support service areas, and a computer network.

Palmer received federal funding ($1.3 million from the National Center for Research Resources, a division of the US National Institutes of Health) for the construction project. Palmer contributed $3 million toward construction. Research faculty and staff began moving into the building from their temporary quarters in October.

Olympic Champion Sets Tone at ACA Annual Meeting
Featuring inspirational presentations by Olympic champion speedskater Derek Parra and veteran attorney George McAndrews, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) held its annual business meeting on August 28–30 in Kansas City, Mo.

Parra spoke at the annual delegate dinner August 30 about the events leading up to his gold and silver medal-winning performances at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. “The will to win and the will to succeed is not as important as the will to prepare to succeed,” Parra said, explaining the sacrifices he had to make in his personal life in order to achieve his dreams. “It’s not easy. ... But, if you set goals and you really believe in those goals you’ll be willing to make those sacrifices,” said Parra.

Throughout the 3-day meeting, members of ACA’s House of Delegates (HOD) also set goals for the chiropractic profession through a series of policies and resolutions designed to help the profession achieve its vision of parity within the nation’s health care system. Among the decisions passed were resolutions backing the development of a comprehensive strategic plan to deal with the stroke issue, several positions urging fairness for the chiropractic profession in the insurance and managed care reimbursement systems, a resolution directing ACA to seek national and state recognition for DCs to serve in disasters, and an updated dynamic long-range plan designed to fully integrate chiropractors into the nation’s health care delivery system and transform the current environment from disease-focused to wellness-based.

During the meeting, HOD members, students, ACAuxiliary members, state association representatives, and other guests in attendance donated or pledged a total of more than $140,000 to ACA’s National Chiropractic Legal Action Fund. In addition, the HOD and board of governors reelected all officers to their positions for another term.

Parker Commemorates 20 Years at Homecoming Event
The campus at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas attracted nearly 600 people on September 19–22 for homecoming festivities that marked the college’s 20th anniversary.

The event featured a chiropractic expo in the gymnasium, an array of speakers, and a golf tournament at the Four Seasons Hotel in Irving, Tex.

On September 20, Fabrizio Mancini, DC, president of Parker College, was a radio guest on the Dallas Police Department’s safety show promoting Kid’s Day America, a health, safety, and environmental awareness day. On Saturday, September 21, the event drew its biggest crowd, with more than 1,500 people in attendance. The city of Dallas and the state of Texas both sent proclamations in recognition of the day.

In addition, future chiropractors gathered for one of the largest career fairs at Parker. Featuring the theme “A Day at Parker,” the career fair included mini-lectures and a time to meet faculty, staff, and alumni. The president’s party was held in the campus courtyard Saturday evening. Alumni from all over the world, including France, Italy, Belgium, and Germany celebrated the occasion.