Minutes of the Council Meetings >>

2002-2003  (FY03) MEDICAL SCHOOL COUNCIL
Dr. John Clarkson, Chair

MINUTES

Medical School Council Meeting - Wednesday, June 18, 2003. (These minutes were approved at the Speaker’s Meeting of the School Council held July 15, 2003)

This meeting was called to order at 5:05 p.m.  Members absent were Drs. Cleary, Fishbain, Lokeshwar

1. PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY: Dr. Lewis explained that the Faculty Senate has set a deadline of its first meeting in August for submission of a parental leave policy covering faculty who are members of the UMMG. A policy covering non-UMMG faculty was approved on a university-wide basis. Dr. Lewis recently met with Drs. Mark Multach and Jorge Guerra who chair an ad-hoc committee on this topic and who have surveyed parental leave policies at 45 medical schools throughout the country. They considered that the policy being drafted provides greater benefits than those offered at any other school.

Drs. Sipski and Bishopric, who serve also on the ad-hoc committee, presented a draft of that committee's proposal. They noted that the proposed policy is similar to that approved for non-UMMG faculty. The UMMG policy proposes 8 weeks of paid maternity leave to run concurrent with leave provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under the UMMG policy, faculty could take up to 4 additional weeks which may be compensated through sick time (if appropriate) or vacation time. If sick or vacation time is not available, these faculty members may borrow against future accruals of these days in order to receive compensation.

Dr. Sipski continued that the proposed policy includes allowing UMMG faculty members who are the non-primary caregiver of a newborn or newly adopted child up to 2 weeks of paid leave. However, she said that the committee did not formulate a policy for work relief following parental leave due to the complexities of work responsibilities and benefits for UMMG faculty. Instead, the committee has written a cover letter which expresses a commitment that within the next year, a policy on work relief and part-time employment of UMMG members will be proposed to the School and University.

Dr. Clarkson said that he will meet with the committee since he favors creating interim and perhaps permanent part-time employment opportunities for UMMG members who wish to take this option. He predicted that the time necessary for implementation will be less than a year and suggested that the Senate be informed of this effort.

Dr. Namias asked whether part-time UMMG faculty would be allowed to practice medicine outside of the university. Dr. Clarkson answered that the part-time faculty should still commit 100% of their professional effort to UMSM.

Dr. Mian suggested that the Council concentrate first on the immediate parental issues and an interim part-time status immediately after the parental leave has ended, and then continue discussions on a permanent part-time status in the future. Dr. Clarkson agreed that the first priority should be to create an interim part-time faculty status after the 12 weeks of parental leave. If this is implemented, then the next step will be to consider whether there should be a permanent status as part-time faculty.

Dr. Fletcher offered that the Faculty Senate is unlikely to link the concept of permanent part-time status with a UMMG parental leave policy. Dr. Clarkson answered that the parental leave policy proposed by the committee and UMMG provides greater benefits than policies at all of the other institutions surveyed by the committee. Dr. Sipsi added that the committee, although composed equally of men and women, was not convinced that there should be part-time employment because of difficulties with clinical coverage. She observed that the Coral Gables concept of 'work load relief' after pregnancy is not easily applied to UMSM because the definition of such relief would be too individualized to the very diverse roles of our faculty.

Dr. Clarkson emphasized that the policy drafted by the ad-hoc committee has been endorsed by the UMMG. Dr. Mian motioned that the policy be recommended by the Council as written with the stipulation that the committee will continue to work with Dr. Clarkson to draft a policy providing for interim part-time employment following parental leave that will be analogous to the work-relief commitment made to non-UMMG faculty.

Dr. Sipski supported Council approval of the policy as a first step but cautioned that creation of a part-time employment policy will require further deliberation. The Council then unanimously voted in favor of the motion.

2. RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION: Dr. Lewis asked about the research leadership structure at UMSM. Dr. Clarkson responded that he had empowered the Executive Office of Research Leadership (EORL) to provide leadership in research but noted that committees have advantages and disadvantages. He said that he is again committed to recruiting a Senior Associate Dean for Research with good ideas and who can allocate resources and take the leadership responsibilities. Dr. Fishman asked if there were internal candidates for this position. Dr. Clarkson answered that while there is an immediate need to fill this position on an interim basis, he is committed to making a permanent appointment a priority for the school.

3. FACULTY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: Dr. Lewis noted that the Council has recommended the defining of a focus for faculty effort within the capital campaign with suggestions including support for a faculty club. .

Dr. Clarkson continued that a faculty club is presently being planned within the proposed clinical research building on the PAC property. This would locate the club adjacent to the planned wellness center but he said that the Council should consider other options if this location is not favored by the faculty. Dr. Awad offered that while the new building will not be central to the present campus, there will be approximately 2,000 people employed within it and this will change the central focus of the campus.

Dr. Fletcher supported considering the Sewell Building as a site for a faculty club should because of its central location. Dr. Clarkson proposed that the Council poll the faculty to increase input on the club's site, and noted that President Shalala is talking to a potential donor for the club. .

Dr. Fishman considered that targeting a faculty club for faculty fund raising might be perceived as self-serving. He motioned that faculty donations be used for scholarships. Dr. Mian added that a second symposium to the Miami Winter Symposium would be a good goal for the faculty campaign. Dr. Clarkson agreed that these goals will convey a better message to other donors that the faculty are committed to the institution.

Dr. Namias asked how faculty donations through the Council would reconcile with efforts by faculty to raise money for departmental priorities. Dr. Clarkson answered that each faculty member may designate where his/her money goes and that the Council's priorities are only suggestions for the faculty. He said that the key is 100% faculty participation in the campaign and not where the funds are going.

Dr. Lewis urged the Council members to discuss the location of the faculty club with their constituents and that he would seek a Council decision by next month. The Council then passed the motion favoring the allocation of faculty donations to UMSM scholarships.

4. CHAIR SEARCHES: Dr. Clarkson confirmed that an offer has been made to the top candidate for the chair position in Pediatrics. He hoped that this will be finalized by next week and said that he is also expecting a name to be brought forward soon for the chair position in Cell Biology and Anatomy. He noted that the search committee is looking at two candidates for the chair position in Psychiatry.

5. ACQUISITIONS AND BUILDINGS: Dr. Clarkson reported that the City of Miami has approved preliminary plans for the clinical research building and that consultants have created a proposal for a combined multispecialty practice building and hospital on property east of SCCC. He explained that there are other possible options for a UMSM hospital which may emerge from discussions with HCA about partnering with Cedars Hospital or from discussions with JMH about constructing a combined facility.

Dr. Clarkson continued that a Batchelor-size research building is being proposed on property south of the Calder Library were the Amedic building presently is. He noted that UMSM will need an even larger research building to become a top 20 institution and that another site could be where the recently-purchased National Parkinson Foundation building exists. Another site might be where the Dermatology and Seron buildings are located. He added that ground will be broken for the clinical research building this calendar year and he said that President Shalala wants plans for two other buildings before the end of the year.

Dr. Awad asked whether acquisition of Doctor's Hospital is still possible. Dr. Clarkson responded that Baptist Hospital likely will acquire Doctor's Hospital that the UMSM priority should be to have a hospital on our campus.

6 . SCHOOL COUNCIL: The next Speaker's Meeting of the School Council will be held Tuesday, July 15 2003 at 5 p.m in room 1537 of the Sylvester Cancer Center. The next Dean's Meeting will be on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 at 5 p.m in the Sylvester Cancer Center, Room 1537. These meetings are open to all faculty, as are all Council meetings. The meeting was adjourned at 6:22 p.m.