The University Record, February 25, 1997
$3 million designated to hire top faulty at Medical Center
By Jane R. Elgass
Creation of a $3 million fund that will enable the Medical School to attract and retain top-notch faculty as the Medical Center adapts to the changing marketplace was announced by President Lee C. Bollinger at last week’s Regents’ meeting.
The fund was one of several issues touched on by Bollinger as he updated Board members on decisions being made for the Health System on marketing strategies and the University’s search for an executive vice president for medical affairs (EVPMA).
Market strategy
He said that discussions with groups from the Medical Center and related programs as well as Medical School and Hospitals administrators on a market strategy for the business operations of the Health System are ongoing, but that no major commitments have been made with respect to the Hospitals.
He did, however, announce a key component of a marketing strategy for the Medical School: creation of the $3 million fund to be used to attract and retain top-notch faculty. He noted that the University cannot “sit by and go into a freeze” as decisions are being made on changes without jeopardizing the quality of Medical School faculty.
EVPMA
Bollinger explained that with the search for an executive vice president for medical affairs under way, questions have come up related to that individual’s relationship with the provost, dean and chief financial officer.
He noted that the executive vice president “will be a person who has real power, very significant power, with enormous responsibilities related to both the business operations of the Medical Center and the academic side.” The individual would not have any responsibility for management of the Medical Center’s endowment. That would rest, as is the case now, with the chief financial officer.
He said that decisions on courses to take on such issues as expanding the HMO, downsizing and contracts will rest with the EVPMA. Bollinger would expect the executive vice president to work with the chief financial officer on such matters, and said that a candidate for the job not willing to do that would be automatically disqualified.
On the academic side, the EVPMA will report to the provost with respect to decisions on promotions, tenure and appointments. “It is critical that we not diminish the role of the provost in this,” he said. In terms of academic directions, such as what types of research to focus on, the EVPMA will have “almost exclusive authority,” but the provost will have the prerogative to ask about such activities.
Bollinger currently has no recommendation as to whether the executive vice president also should be dean of the Medical School. “It is a very significant issue that we still need to work on,” he said.
Regent Shirley McFee noted that “it is important to get these issues sorted out while recruiting, not after a person is in place.” She and Regent Daniel Horning both cited a visit by the Regents to another medical center in which each person they talked with claimedto have full responsibility for all activities.
