May 9, 2006 Minutes

MINUTES
University of Minnesota
Academic Health Center
Deans Council
May 9, 2006

The regular meeting of the Deans of the Academic Health Center was held on Tuesday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m. in 488 ChRC.

Members present:
Frank Cerra, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences
Connie Delaney, Dean, School of Nursing
John Finnegan, Dean, School of Public Health
Jeff Klausner, Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
Patrick Lloyd, Dean, School of Dentistry
Deborah Powell, Dean, Medical School
Marilyn Speedie, Dean, College of Pharmacy
Linda Watson, Director, Health Sciences Libraries

Staff present:
Terry Bock, Chief of Staff
Barbara Brandt, Assistant Vice President for Education, AHC
Jennifer Cieslak, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, AHC
Mary Koppel, Assistant Vice President, Public Affairs
Beth Nunnally, Chief Financial Officer, AHC
Mark Paller, Assistant Vice President for Research, AHC

Guests Present
Jasjit Ahluwalia, Executive Director, Office of Clinical Research, AHC
Judith Buchanan, Associate Dean, School of Dentistry
Chamika Hawkins-Taylor, Director, Urban Health Initiatives
Jeny Kertz, Community-Campus Education Liaison
Kathie Kirchbaum, Chair, AHC Faculty Consultative Committee
Molly Portz, Media Relations Manager, AHC
David Kistle, Padilla Speer Beardsley
Josh Holly, Padilla Speer Beardsley

Review and Approval of Minutes – April 25, 2006

The council approved the minutes of April 25, 2006.

Executive Steering Council for Education

AHC Diversity Action Plan
Chamika Hawkins-Taylor discussed the Integrated Academic Health Center Diversity strategy.  The strategy involves four perspectives: student/faculty staff recruitment and retention, programs/activities, communication, and assessment.  The work plan includes policy recommendations, actions, and timelines for implementation.  Chamika indicated that the strategy would coordinate work among the AHC units.  She felt that existing resources in the University, AHC and schools are more than adequate in the near term, and can be deployed strategically to implement and sustain the diversity program.  Under the plan, each AHC school would designate a key liaison to the AHC office and to coordinating diversity efforts.

Academy of Excellence in Teaching

Kathie Kirchbaum presented the Academy of Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching proposal.  The Academy serves as the highest recognition of excellence for the AHC educational mission, and is designed to provide leadership to strengthen teaching and learning in the Academic Health Center.  John Finnegan felt that clinical scholars and community teachers should be eligible candidates for the academy.  Kathie commented that it will be important to incorporate teaching excellence into the P&T process in a more meaningful and standardized way.

University Strategic Positioning

Jennifer Cieslak noted that the final AHC strategic positioning task force reports had been submitted to Frank Cerra and summarized the immediate next steps:  a gathering for all University task forces hosted by President Bruininks on May 10th and a closure meeting of the AHC task forces on Friday, May 19. Dr. Cerra indicated that the Deans Council would begin discussing the next steps of implementation at future meetings.

Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA) Grant

Jas Ahluwahlia presented a summary to the Deans of the CTSA presentation he gave to the AAMC Associate Deans of Research.  The title of his presentation was the NIH Institutional CTSA Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR): The University of Minnesota Story and Response and Lessons Learned. He stated there were approximately 27 applications for this award, with 7 to be funded.

Internal Communication Audit

Mary Koppel and the Communications Office have been working with Padilla Spear on an internal communications audit in the Academic Health Center.  They plan to review communications from the schools/colleges, meet face to face with faculty, staff and students, and have focused discussion groups involving faculty, staff and students.  They hope to have these meetings done by the 4th of July.  They will submit a report summarizing their findings and recommendations.

Budget Allocations

Frank Cerra discussed the fiscal year 2006-2007 budget framework.  A letter summarizing the specific allocations for each school/college will be sent to the deans shortly.  There will be a review with each dean of the reserves, methodology used, and priorities from the compact process.

The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathryn P. Anderson
Staff to the Academic Health Center Deans Council