June 12, 2007

MINUTES
University of Minnesota
Academic Health Center
Deans Council
June 12, 2007  

The regular meeting of the Deans of the Academic Health Center was held on Tuesday, June 12 at 2:00 p.m. in 475 ChRC.

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

Staff present:
Terry Bock, Chief of Staff
Barbara Brandt, Assistant Vice President, Office of Education
Chuck Christiansen, Director, Center for Allied Health Programs
Jennifer Cieslak, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, AHC
Beth Nunnally, Chief Financial Officer, AHC
Mark Paller, Assistant Vice President, Office of Research

Guest present:
Rod Carter, Associate Dean for Professional and External Relations, College of Pharmacy
Keith Dunder, AHC Counsel
Gwen Halaas, Inter-Professional Education Director, Academic Health Center

Review and Approval of Minutes – May 8, 2007
The council approved the minutes of May 8, 2007.

Informatics
University Informatics Plans:
Frank Cerra discussed the creation of a university-wide program in bioinformatics.  He has been working with Provost Tom Sullivan on the program which will bring together bioinformatics experts whose focus is on research in informatics and the use of informatics in research.  Vice President Tim Mulcahy and Vice President Mark Paller will lead the effort.  Mark stated that this program should allow the University to effectively compete nationally.  The program will be the academic home, but not the tenure home, for informatics faculty.  The graduate program will be developed first in order to make the program more attractive to additional faculty hires and a permanent director of the bioinformatics program.
AHC Information Architect:
Frank Cerra stated that the AHC Health Information Architect will be a new senior leadership position reporting to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences.  This position will provide vision and strategy development in the area of health information and will serve as a policy advisor to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences.   The final documents will be sent to the deans.

FY2008 Budget allocations
Frank Cerra discussed the fiscal year 2007-2008 budget framework, and compact allocations.  A letter summarizing the specific allocations for each school/college will be sent to the deans shortly.

Update on the Greater Minnesota Strategy
Barbara Brandt, Rod Carter, and Gwen Halaas presented an update on the AHC’s commitment and efforts to address health professional workforce shortages through the Greater Minnesota Strategy.   The AHC, through Minnesota AHEC, has developed important relationships at a regional level.  Community leaders serve as AHEC Board Directors.  A comprehensive recruitment and tracking system is near completion to support activities such as identifying students with rural interests and linking interested students with rural employment opportunities.  Resources are organized to support students and faculty interested in rural health.  The Faculty Leadership Council was established in 2006 to act as a liaison between health professions schools and Minnesota AHEC to provide strategic oversight and coordination of rural health educational opportunities.  Frank Cerra stated that Barbara Brandt would develop a white paper designed around the Greater Minnesota Strategy with a focus on underserved areas.

Continuing Education Grants
Keith Dunder discussed grant money from pharmaceutical and device companies for continuing education.  In the past, these grants and contracts have been handled by one of the foundations, but they are no longer handling these contracts.  Keith suggested that the deans have someone from their school/college contact continuing education to administer the contractural obligations.  The deans are also to send him the name of the contact within the school/college.

Global Health Initiative
Frank Cerra commented that the University has many international certificate and degree programs.  At present, the University does not have guidelines or a common service platform.  The President has appointed a taskforce to develop the guidelines and make recommendations on the service platform. A solution is approximately two years away.  Frank Cerra reminded the deans of the liability to the University with such an endeavor. 

CLARION Health Initiative
Frank Cerra received the student report by Gina Kundan, Director, Center for Health Interprofessional Programs (CHIP), and the 2007 Clarion Interprofessional Team.  She also submitted the requested proposal, including student goals and outcomes, and financial requests.  They requested $45,000 and the Deans Council agreed to fund $30,000 and review the program in a year.

Seed Grants Update
Mark Paller stated that fourteen seed grants were funded; four from Duluth, seven from the Medical School, two from the College of Veterinary Medicine, and one from the College of Pharmacy.  He said there were 81 grants submitted; a 60% increase this year.

Other
Frank Cerra asked the deans to review the two information items in the packet.  He specifically asked the Deans to review Standards and Processes for International Academic Program Reviews and let him know if they are planning any international certificate or degree programs.

Frank Cerra commented that the University, along with other universities in the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) have entered into a ground-breaking collective agreement with Google to digitize up to 10 million bound volumes. 

Frank Cerra stated that Provost Tom Sullivan is reviewing the copyright contracts.

The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathy Anderson
Staff to the Academic Health Center Deans Council