December 12, 2006 Minutes

MINUTES
University of Minnesota
Academic Health Center
Deans Council
December 12, 2006

The regular meeting of the Deans of the Academic Health Center was held on Tuesday, December 12 at 2:30 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
Jeff 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 for Education
Jennifer Cieslak, Special Assistant to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, AHC
Doug Freeman, ACE Fellow
Mary Koppel, Assistant Vice President, Public Affairs
Beth Nunnally, Chief Financial Officer, AHC
Mark Paller, Assistant Vice President for Research, AHC

Guests Present
Remi Douah, Fellow, Presidents Emerging Leader
Fred Owusu, Director, AHC Human Resources

Review and Approval of Minutes – November 26, 2006
The council approved the minutes of November 26, 2006.

Information Items
Frank Cerra distributed and asked the deans to review the recent assessment of the Medical School’s Rural Physician Associate Program and AAHC Policy Agenda to Expand the Health Workforce.  He also noted the American Board of Pathology citation to Dean Powell.

AHC Strategic Planning
Academic Council:  Jennifer Cieslak updated the council on the Academic Council and the Center for Interprofessional Education. The AHC Academic Council is an advisory council to the Senior Vice President that will have academic oversight of interprofessional education courses and new health sciences programs.  It will be comprised of AHC faculty.  Jennifer Cieslak asked the Deans to submit names of potential council members by January 4, 2007; she will follow-up with an e-mail  requesting this information.  Potential members should be faculty who understand expectations for contemporary review of academic programs, review processes and accreditation practices.  The Academic Council will meet quarterly.

Center for Interprofessional Education:  The Center for Interprofessional Education will work collaboratively with the AHC schools, colleges and centers, and will facilitate the creation of a vertically integrated interprofessional curriculum.  The Advisory Group to the center will provide advice on the direction and priorities of the center.  Jeff Klausner commented that smaller schools can find it difficult to provide faculty members for numerous AHC committees.  Frank Cerra will discuss the center at the school visits.  He will compile a list of members on active AHC committees for the deans to review.

Research Corridors
Frank Cerra reviewed a draft document on AHC research corridors.  As part of the University’s strategic positioning, the AHC is developing corridors in focused areas of excellence of interdisciplinary health research.  The health of communities and individuals is at the center of this model and is the model’s defining objective.  The deans were asked to review the document and provide recommendations on developing the new research corridors. The deans discussed and suggested changes for the diagram on biomedical research corridors of discovery and application.

AHC Mentoring Program
Mark Paller presented a proposed AHC Mentoring Program for discussion.  The program would be used by all AHC colleges and schools.  The Mentoring Program would report to the AHC Assistant Vice President for Research.   The director of the program would be a faculty member with expertise in career development and mentoring and devote 50% effort to developing and leading the program.  Mark said that the program will serve as an overall resource to AHC schools, colleges, and units.  Records of mentoring activities will be colleted at the AHC, and summaries of collegiate mentoring programs will be included in annual compacts with the deans. Deborah Powell felt strongly that this is a school, not AHC, function.  Frank Cerra stated that the program would provide a tool for accountability and oversight as well as a resource to schools.  The Deans Council deferred action on the program but approved moving ahead with developing policy on mentoring and strengthening the annual review process. 

HR Strategic Planning Effort
Terry Bock and Fred Owusu stated that AHC HR has hired the state’s Management Analysis and Development (MAD) unit to facilitate the strategic planning process for AHC’s human resources goals for the next five to ten years.  MAD will conduct one hour interviews with a variety of stakeholders over the next couple of months.  The next steps will be to incorporate the interviews into setting a vision and strategic goals, implementing a plan with AHC HR staff and other key stakeholders, and delivering the strategic plan.

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

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