Concordia University Wisconsin
Concordia University Wisconsin-Mequon’s new pharmacy school, opening to students this fall, has passed a major milestone by receiving pre-candidate status from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). This category of national accreditation is for new pharmacy schools that have not yet enrolled students, but indicates the school has met all of the eligibility criteria for accreditation and may now proceed to officially accept students. Pre-candidate school status demonstrates that CUW’s School of Pharmacy has taken into account ACPE standards and guidelines, and suggests reasonable assurances of moving to the next step, that of candidate status. More than 500 students from 35 states and Canada have applied for the 65 spots in the initial class, according to Arneson. Eleven full time faculty members are now working at the school and nine more have been contracted to arrive before July. The next level of accreditation for Concordia will occur after the school is operating. During 2011, CUW may then become a new school “in candidate status.” Full accreditation requires another three years and can occur only after the first class of students graduates.
The United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee
The United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee’s Childhood Obesity Prevention Project (UNCOM) has been awarded a $360,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to improve opportunities for physical activity and access to affordable healthy foods for children and families in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is one of 41 sites selected for the RWJF Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities initiative.
In Milwaukee, where 29 percent of low-income children ages 2 to 5 and 27,400 youth are overweight or obese, UNCOM partners will focus on implementing policy development related to food and beverage vending, sustainable urban agricultural practices and stewardship of land use, and culturally-appropriate physical activity and active living across the lifespan.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities is a $33 million national program and RWJF’s largest investment to date in community-based solutions to preventing childhood obesity.
Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce
Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the following new members: Brickman Group, Ellenbecker Investment Group Inc., Seville Imports Inc., Suiters Men’s Clothing, Brookfield Travel, Clear Verve Marketing, Cornerstone Financial Group – Northwestern Mutual, Family Service Agency of Waukesha County, Independent Psychiatric Consultants S.C., JNA Staffing, Keller Williams – Michael Moratti, Lindner & Marsack, S.C., R/T, Home Repair & Maintenance LLC, StoneFire Pizza Co., Sunset Playhouse, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless – Waukesha, Waukesha County Community Foundation Inc., and Waukesha Tattoo Company @ Galleria Edge.
Aurora Health Care
Aurora West Allis Medical Center and Aurora BayCare Medical Center have been named as two of the 16 best community hospitals in the nation, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. They are the only hospitals in Wisconsin to make the list. This award was based on a compilation of scores and accolades that are publicly available. A primary guideline for this award was what the facility provided to the patients, such as safety, outcomes and satisfaction. Hospital rankings from industry lists published by Thomson Reuters, U.S. News & World Report and HealthGrades also played a pivotal role in designating the top community hospitals. To be considered for this award a hospital had to be defined as a community hospital by Becker’s Hospital Review. Criteria for this designation include having limited or no teaching programs and 325 or fewer beds.
