GOVERNANCE
of the
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
(1988 DOCUMENT)
ARTICLE I: EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
Executive authority within the School of Medicine shall reside in the Dean.
ARTICLE II: THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE
II.A. By virtue of its competence and concern with education, research, patient care, university and community service, the Faculty of Medicine, through its governing bodies, shall exercise primary responsibility for making recommendations relative to all matters pertaining to academic policy and faculty status within the School of Medicine. Such policy matters shall include, but not be limited to, medical and graduate student admissions, evaluation and discipline, curriculum, courses of study, student affairs, faculty appointments and promotions, and quality of medical care. When appropriate, the Faculty of Medicine, through its governing bodies and their committees, will enjoy the privilege of contributing to long-range planning, achievement of stated goals and objectives, preparation of budget requests and the allocation of available resources.
II.B. For the purposes of this governance document, the Faculty of Medicine shall include all persons with full-time academic appointments (Tenure and Non-Tenure Tracks) at the School of Medicine whether or not receiving remuneration from the School of Medicine, and whether or not primarily located at the Health Sciences Campus.
II.C. The primary organization of the faculty will be by departments established according to academic disciplines. Clinical departments may be divided into divisions. Recommendations to the Dean about the creation of new academic departments or consolidation of or realignment of existing departments shall fall within the area of primary responsibility of the faculty.
II.C.1. The department chair shall be appointed by the Dean in accordance with the following procedures:
II.C.1.a. When a vacancy in the chairmanship of a department occurs, the Dean shall appoint an ad hoc search committee. The search committee shall conduct a search, interview candidates and submit to the Dean the names of candidates, either from within the department or from the outside, who the search committee believes are qualified for the appointment. The modus operandi in conducting the search shall be the prerogative of the search committee, but the Dean may specify the charge and the job description to the committee after appropriate consultation with the faculty of the department. After consultation with the Faculty Executive Council and with the faculty of the department, the Dean shall make the appointment. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the Dean after consultation with the Faculty Executive Council (FEC), the Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) and the members of the department, may designate an individual as acting chair until such time as the vacancy is filled in accordance with the procedures stated above.
II.C.1.b. Appointment as departmental chair will be for an indefinite period. At five year intervals, a visiting committee comprised of three outside reviewers, one chosen by the departmental chair, one chosen by the Dean, and one mutually agreed upon by both, shall be invited to make a review of the department and its leadership. Such visiting committees shall submit their evaluations to the departmental chair, the Dean, and on a confidential basis, to the President of the Medical Faculty Assembly. As part of the evaluation process, the Dean shall solicit and consider confidential communications from any departmental faculty who might desire to provide input. Following the report and recommendations of the Review Committee, the Dean may take appropriate action as he/she deems necessary. If the departmental chair disagrees with the recommendations and actions, the Dean shall appoint an ad hoc committee (Appeal Committee) of five faculty members to review the merits of the case. Two members of the committee shall be chosen by the Dean, two shall be chosen by the departmental chair, and one mutually agreed upon by both shall serve as chair of the committee. The Dean may, at any time for due cause, initiate the same review process. The final decision to reappoint or replace a departmental chair, however, shall be the prerogative of the Dean, as the departmental chair serves at the pleasure of the Dean.
II.C.2. The departmental chair, upon authority delegated by the Dean, shall be responsible for the operation of the department both with regard to its internal organization and its relationship with the school as a whole, and for maintaining standards of excellence in teaching, scholarship, patient care and university and community service. He/she shall further have the responsibility to inform, seek advice from, and represent the interests of the departmental faculty.
II.C.3. It shall remain the prerogative of the departments under the leadership of the chair to establish their own procedures of governance consistent with the provisions of this document and university policies. These procedures shall ensure that each department has a mechanism for input from the faculty to the chair to maintain a dialog needed to make academic personnel decisions (appointments, promotions, merit evaluations) and other matters of concern to the faculty.
II.D. The faculty-at-large shall meet at least annually for the purposes of the exchange of information, discussion and advice regarding any and all matters pertaining to the School of Medicine and its programs. The President of the Medical Faculty Assembly shall preside at such meetings. A quorum for items published on the agenda for any meeting of the faculty-at-large shall consist of those present. The quorum for non-agenda items at any regularly scheduled meeting and for all items at any special meeting shall consist of at least ten percent of the full-time faculty membership. A resolution by a three-fifths majority of those present and voting at any regularly scheduled meeting shall be adequate cause to require reconsideration of any decision or recommendation made by the Medical Faculty Assembly or the Faculty Executive Council to the Dean.
II.D.1. Special meetings of the faculty may be called at any time by the Dean, the President of the Medical Faculty Assembly, or upon petition by any 20 members of the faculty. Resolutions for reconsideration arising out of special faculty meetings shall require a three-fifths majority of those present and voting.
II.D.2. The secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly shall prepare the agenda, under the direction of the Medical Faculty Assembly Executive Committee, which shall include all items submitted by the Dean and by any member of the faculty, student body, or graduate student body.
II.D.3. All faculty members shall receive notification of the time, place, and agenda of all regular faculty meetings from the secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly at least five working days in advance. At least one working-day's notice shall be required for all special meetings.
II.D.4. The secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly shall also serve as secretary for general faculty meetings and shall prepare minutes of all meetings and distribute them to all members of the faculty and to the Dean.
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ARTICLE III: THE PRIMARY GOVERNING BODIES OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL
III.A. The Faculty Executive Council (FEC)
III.A. 1. Duties
The Faculty Executive Council shall advise the Dean of substantive matters pertaining to the governance of the School of Medicine and shall normally be consulted before decisions are reached. Recommendations of the FEC pertaining to such matters will become policy unless:
III.A.1.a. Disapproved or sent back for reconsideration by the Dean within 20 working days of receipt of notification.
III.A.1.b. Disapproved, sent back for reconsideration, or for those matters requiring such consideration, deferred to the Vice President for Health Affairs within 20 working days of notification of the Dean's approval or within 20 working days following the expiration of the 20-day period for the Dean's consideration.
III.A.1.c. Disapproved by the Vice President for the Health Affairs during a special 30 working-day deferral period (if the Vice-President chooses to defer his decision he will notify the Dean; the deferral period will begin at the end of the Vice-President's initial 20-day period of consideration).
III.A.1.d. Disapproved by the President, Provost, or the Board of Trustees without specified time limitations.
The Faculty Executive Council will notify the Dean of its recommendations as soon as possible after their adoption. Any recommendation of the FEC not acted upon within 70 working days of receipt of notification by the Dean will be taken as approved. When a recommendation is disapproved, the FEC will receive written reasons in detail for the adverse decision.
III.A.2. Membership
III.A.2.a. Voting membership in the FEC shall consist of the following:
III.A.2.a.i. Chairs of all individually budgeted academic departments who report directly to the Dean.
III.A.2.a.ii. The President of the Medical Faculty Assembly.
III.A.2.a.iii. The President of the ASSM.
III.A.2.b. Ex officio members serving without voting privileges shall include:
III.A.2.b.i. The Dean
III.A.2.b.ii. The Executive Associate Dean
III.A.2.b.iii. The Associate Deans
III.A.3. Officers
III.A.3.a. The chair of the Faculty Executive Council shall be the Dean.
III.A.3.b. The Faculty Executive Council shall elect annually from among its faculty members the following officers, one of whom shall be from a basic science department, and the other from a clinical department:
III.A.3.b.1. A vice chair who shall preside at any meetings at which the chair is absent, and who shall chair the Rules Committee.
III.A.3.b.2. A secretary who shall:
III.A.3.b.2.a. Notify all members of forthcoming meetings and distribute and publish the agenda at least three working days in advance of all regularly scheduled meetings.
III.A.3.b.2.b. Prepare and distribute minutes of all meetings.
III.A.3.b.2.c. Preserve all documents of the Executive Council committees.
III.A.4. Rules Committee
The Rules committee of the FEC shall be chaired by the vice chair of the FEC, and comprised of the immediate past vice chair, the secretary of the Faculty Executive Council, the President of the Medical Faculty Assembly (Ex officio), the Dean (Ex officio), the President of the ASSM (Ex officio). Duties shall include:
Preparation of the agenda of the Faculty Executive Council. The agenda shall be drawn up by the Rules Committee and shall contain all items submitted to it by the Dean, the President of the Medical Faculty Assembly, the President of the ASSM, or any other members of the FEC.
III.A.5. Meetings
III.A.5.a. The schedule for the Faculty Executive Council meetings shall be published at the first meeting of the calendar year and any subsequent changes in those dates will require notification at least seven days in advance of the meeting.
III.A.5.b. Special meetings may be called at the behest of:
III.A.5.b.i. The Dean.
III.A.5.b.ii. Any four members of the Faculty Executive Council.
III.A.5.b.iii. The President of the Medical Faculty Assembly.
III.A.5.b.iv. Any 20 members of the faculty.
III.A.5.c. Quorum
One half of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.
III.A.5.d. Recommendations of the Faculty Executive Council shall require a simple majority vote of those present provided that:
III.A.5.d.i. A quorum is present.
III.A.5.d.ii. The agenda and notice of the meeting was distributed to the members at least three days in advance of the meeting and only topics listed on the agenda are acted upon, except under special circumstances. This provision may be waived by a unanimous vote of those present.
III.A.5.d.iii. If a quorum cannot be obtained for a special meeting at which the Rules Committee recommends that emergency action be taken, the requirement for a quorum may be waived providing that the secretary made a reasonable effort to contact a sufficient number of committee members so that an expression of opinion could be obtained from two-thirds of the membership.
III.A.5.e. Meetings shall be open. However, meetings or portions thereof may be held in executive session when so voted by a majority of the membership present.
III.B. The Medical Faculty Assembly
III.B.1. Duties
III.B.1.a. The Medical Faculty Assembly shall discuss and debate current issues and matters of interest to the faculty and may advise the Dean and the FEC on academic and faculty status matters.
III.B.1.b. Recommendations of the Medical Faculty Assembly concerning academic and faculty status matters shall be made to the Dean, with a copy to the FEC, and shall become the recommendations of the FEC for purposes of Article III unless disapproved by the FEC or sent back for reconsideration within 30 days of receipt of the recommendation by the secretary of the FEC.
III.B.1.c. The Medical Faculty Assembly shall receive the reports of all standing committees and, where appropriate, sufficient background information on all items to be discussed at the next meeting of the FEC.
III.B.1.d. The Medical Faculty Assembly shall nominate faculty members for various assignments as indicated below with the intent of providing as broad as possible a participation in the affairs of the School of Medicine.
III.B.2. Membership
Each academic department and each major hospital affiliate with ten or more full time faculty shall elect one representative to the Medical Faculty Assembly. Membership shall be for two academic years. Terms of office shall be staggered so that one-half of the representatives will take office each May. The Dean will serve ex-officio.
III.B.3. Officers
The Medical Faculty Assembly shall choose from among its members the following officers: a president, a president elect, a secretary and whatever other officers are deemed appropriate and necessary by the MFA.
III.B.3.a. The president or his/her designate shall be the MFA's representative to the FEC.
III.B.3.b. The officers' duties shall be defined by the MFA constitution and bylaws.
III.B.4. The Executive Board shall consist of the current MFA officers and the immediate past president.
Executive Board functions shall be defined by MFA constitution and bylaws.
III.B.5. Meetings
Meetings of the Medical Faculty Assembly shall be held prior to all regularly scheduled meetings and, where possible, all special meetings of the FEC. Special meetings as deemed necessary may be called by any MFA officer or on request of any three members of the Medical Faculty Assembly or the Dean.
III.B.6. The Medical Faculty Assembly shall prepare and adopt its own bylaws.
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ARTICLE IV: STANDING COMMITTEES
IV.A. General Guidelines
The standing committees of the faculty will normally consider, without restrictions, any and all aspects within the scope of their specific charge (Committees are outlined in Appendix I). The faculty committees shall function in an advisory capacity to the FEC and Medical Faculty Assembly regarding matters of policy. The Dean or his/her designated representative shall serve ex officio without vote on all standing committees. Except where otherwise indicated:
IV.A.1. Terms of membership on the standing committees shall be three years.
IV.A.2. Appointments shall be staggered so that one-third of the faculty members are reappointed annually.
IV.A.3. Vacancies may be filled as they occur.
IV.A.4. To insure the role of the faculty in all of the above functions, every standing committee shall include non-administrative faculty representation.
IV.A.5. The Dean's office will provide appropriate staffing for all standing committees.
IV.A.6. Student members shall be nominated by the ASSM.
IV.A.7. The chairs of each committee will be appointed by the Dean, with consultation from the Membership Committee.
IV.A.8. Administrative personnel serving ex officio shall not have voting privileges.
IV.A.9. A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the committee membership.
IV.A.10. Recommendations favored by less than two-thirds of the quorum present at any meeting may be accompanied by a minority report.
IV.A.11. The chair of each committee will prepare a brief annual report, summarizing the committee activities over the past year. Attendance records will be summarized and included.
IV.B. The Membership Committee
IV.B.1. Duties
There shall be established a Membership Committee, reporting to the Dean, whose purpose it is to recommend nominees, generated from lists provided by the FEC, MFA, and ASSM, for membership to all standing committees, special and/or task force committees.
IV.B.2. Membership
The Membership Committee shall consist of eleven members including the Dean, who shall serve as chair. Three members shall be selected by the FEC, three by the MFA, two by the Dean and two by the ASSM.
IV.B.3. Meetings
The Membership Committee shall meet at least once each year during the spring semester to prepare membership rosters for the standing committees for the coming academic year. Additional meetings may be scheduled by the Dean as warranted to nominate replacements for vacancies that may occur or to nominate rosters for task force committees.
The Dean shall solicit from each departmental chair nominations and recommendations for committee assignments and shall canvass the faculty-at-large and the student body for their areas of special interest and expertise.
The meetings of the membership committee will be closed.
IV.C. The Educational Policy Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of the Faculty Handbook, courses of instruction in the several areas are prescribed by their several faculties, on recommendation of the appropriate committees and subject to the approval of the Dean of the School and the President of the university.
IV.C.1. Duties
IV.C.1.a. The Educational Policy Committee shall consider and evaluate all matters relating to medical education within the School of Medicine.
IV.C.1.b. It shall review the medical curriculum in terms of general scope, schedule and philosophy. Faculty of the various disciplines shall be charged with determining basic curricular content in these specific disciplines, and further, to recommend to the Educational Policy Committee the arrangement and forms of presentation.
IV.C.1.c. It shall review current standards for accreditation and licensure, insuring that the curriculum meets or exceeds such standards.
IV.C.1.d. The Educational Policy Committee may formulate such educational policies or procedures as it deems necessary, subject to the approval of the MFA, the FEC and the Dean.
IV.C.1.e. It shall further be concerned with evaluation of student progress in relationship to the academic goals of the departments.
IV.C.1.f. It shall establish standards and procedures for the evaluation of faculty teaching, subject to approval of the Faculty Executive Council and the Medical Faculty Assembly.
IV.C.1.g. It may approve special or experimental programs for a time certain, and shall inform the Faculty Executive Council and the Medical Faculty Assembly of any such action.
IV.C.1.h. The Educational Policy Committee may establish such subcommittees as it deems necessary.
IV.C.2. Membership
The Educational Policy Committee shall consist of 12 faculty members, the chairman of Department of Medical Education or his/her designee, and a chairperson appointed by the Dean. One student representative will be selected from the second year, and a second from the third or fourth year class by the ASSM. Representation of faculty on the committee shall be as follows:
IV.C.2.a. Two faculty (1 basic scientist and 1 clinical scientist) each nominated for a 2 year term by the Medical Faculty Assembly, one-half to be replaced each year.
IV.C.2.b. Four faculty members selected in rotation from the basic science departments (Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Physiology and Biophysics, Pharmacology and Nutrition) who shall each serve a two year term, one-half to be replaced each year.
IV.C.2.c. Four faculty members selected in rotation from the primary care clinical departments (Family Medicine, Medicine, OB/Gyn, Surgery, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry) who shall each serve a two year term, one-half to be replaced each year.
IV.C.2.d. Two faculty members selected in rotation from the clinical departments of Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Otolaryngology, Preventive Medicine, Radiology, and Urology, who shall each serve a two year term, one half to be replaced each year.
IV.C.3. Subcommittees
The Educational Policy Committee shall receive reports from subcommittees of its own choosing. The subcommittees may include:
IV.C.3.a. Curriculum committees with faculty members representing departments and student representatives. The Dean for Medical Education or his designee shall serve Ex officio.
IV.C.3.b. Committee on Clerkships.
IV.C.3.c. Committee on Electives.
IV.C.3.d. Committee on M.D.-Ph.D. programs in coordination with the graduate school.
IV.C.3.e. Committee on Graduate Medical Education, Continuing Medical Education, etc.
IV.C.3.f. Academic evaluation Boards for each year of medical school, with faculty representatives from each department charged with evaluating student achievement for that year.
IV.C.3.g. Committee on Teaching Evaluation.
IV.C.4. Administration
The Dean for Medical Education implements policy decisions of the appropriate committees and facilitates faculty teaching efforts and initiatives. The Dean for Medical Education or his/her representative serves Ex officio on and is responsible for staffing all teaching committees. Other responsibilities of the office include:
IV.C.4.a. Providing and managing teaching resources such as audio and visual aids, student laboratory facilities, reproduction and distribution of class handouts or other materials, etc.
IV.C.4.b. Coordinating between the Medical Librarian and Faculty Teaching Committees to insure availability to the students of appropriate learning resources.
IV.C.4.c. Insuring, in conjunction with the Dean of Student Affairs that appropriate student performance and progress records are collected and maintained.
IV.C.4.d. Implementing procedures for confidential evaluation of individual faculty teaching efforts. Insuring that the confidential results of such evaluations are transmitted to the faculty member being evaluated and to his/her department chairperson for inclusion in the faculty member's personnel file.
IV.C.4.e. Coordinating curriculum.
IV.C.4.f. Coordinating special or experimental teaching programs established by the Educational Policy Committee, maintaining appropriate records and coordinating evaluation procedures.
IV.C.4.g. Providing appropriate opportunities for enhancement of faculty skills in instruction.
IV.D. Graduate Council
IV.D.1. Duties
The Graduate Council will be responsible for recommending policies and reviewing procedures for the graduate program leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees and will advise the Dean for Scientific Affairs on all matters pertaining to graduate education in the School of Medicine. This would include all matters dealing with Graduate Student affairs, including financial aid, student counseling, student housing, student recreation. It may establish appropriate subcommittees as it deems necessary.
IV.D.2. Membership
The Graduate Council will consist of one representative from each of the basic medical science departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Nutrition, Physiology and Biophysics, and Preventive Medicine; two representatives of the clinical science departments; and a representative of the graduate student body. Faculty members will serve three-year terms, with one-third being replaced annually. The graduate student member will be appointed annually. The Dean will appoint the chair. The Dean for Scientific Affairs shall serve ex officio.
IV.E. The Admissions Committee
1V.E.1. Duties
IV.E.1.a. It shall be the prerogative of the Admissions Committee to recommend standards and qualifications for admitting students to the first year class or as transfer students with advanced standing. Such recommendations shall require the ratification by the Medical Faculty Assembly and FEC.
IV.E.1.b. The Admissions Committee shall establish procedures for identification and recruitment of qualified women and minority applicants consistent with university policy on affirmative action.
IV.E.1.c. The Admissions Committee shall establish and conduct such review procedures as it deems appropriate for expeditious processing of applicants. The Office of the Dean for Admissions shall handle all administrative procedures.
IV.E.1.d. The Admissions Committee may pursue appropriate activities related to the recruitment of students and the dissemination of admissions information throughout undergraduate or secondary school campuses.
IV.E.2. Membership
The Admissions Committee shall consist of the Dean for Admissions, a representative from the office of Minority Student Affairs, 12 faculty members drawn from both clinical and basic science departments, and an alumni representative to be chosen by the Membership Committee from a list of at least two candidates submitted to the Membership Committee by the Alumni Council, if such candidates are available. The chair shall be appointed by the Dean. In addition, there shall be three student members, one each elected from the second, third and fourth year class.
IV.F. Student Affairs Committee
IV.F.1. Duties
The Student Affairs Committee shall consider and evaluate all matters dealing with student affairs, including financial aid, student housing, student recreation, and shall serve as the principal focus for faculty and student coordination in the area of student affairs. The committee shall insure that adequate counseling services are in place for students and that procedures exist for identifying and directing students in need to the appropriate services. It may establish such appropriate subcommittees as it deems necessary, which shall include a subcommittee on financial aid.
IV.F.2. Membership
The Student Affairs Committee shall consist of five faculty members from basic science and clinical departments, four student members, one elected from each class, an alumni representative to be chosen by the Membership Committee from a list of at least two candidates submitted to the Membership Committee by the Alumni Council, if such candidates are available, and ex officio the Dean of Students, the Dean for Minority Student Affairs, the Dean for Financial Affairs, and the Financial Aid officer.
IV.F.3. Subcommittee on Financial Aid
The Subcommittee on Financial Aid shall consist of a minimum of three faculty and two student members, and shall review student requests for financial aid and make recommendations to the Dean for the awarding of such aid in the form of scholarships or loans. The Committee shall also review students' estimates of expenses and, where appropriate, provide such certification as might be required by banks or other private lending institutions. The Committee may also recommend individual students for scholarship aid provided directly to the student by an outside agency.
IV.G. The Scientific Council
IV.G.1. Duties
The Scientific Council shall consider and evaluate all activities relating to research conducted in or administered through the School of Medicine or its affiliated hospitals and shall advise the Dean through the Dean for Scientific Affairs on all such matters. Said Council shall receive reports from subcommittees and may establish such appropriate subcommittees as it deems necessary and shall inform the Membership Committee of such action.
IV.G.2. Membership
The Scientific Council shall be comprised of twelve faculty members drawn from both the clinical and the basic science departments, with not more than one member from any single department, who are at the time of appointment designated Principal Investigators on a peer-reviewed, externally funded grant or contract, or currently productive and well recognized academic authorities. The Dean for Scientific Affairs and the Director of Contracts and Grants shall serve ex officio.
IV.G.3. Subcommittees
The subcommittees of the Scientific Council shall report to the Scientific Council. Said subcommittees shall include among their membership such individuals whose expertise and interest would benefit the mission of the said subcommittee. Members of said subcommittees shall be nominated by the Scientific Council in accordance with established regulations and shall elect their own chair. Each subcommittee should include one student member and one member of MFA. The Dean for Scientific Affairs shall serve on all subcommittees ex officio. In the absence of an appropriately constituted university mandated subcommittee, the scientific council shall establish the following subcommittees:
IV.G.3.a. Committee on Protection of Human Subjects in Research which shall be constituted according to guidelines established by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and which shall certify the propriety of proposed research involving human subjects in accordance with national standards.
IV.G.3.b. Animal Care Advisory Committee which will oversee the care and use of animals in research and teaching in accordance with federal and state guidelines.
IV.G.3.c. Laboratory Safety Committee which shall be responsible for the establishment and implementation of codes and practices governing all aspects of safety within the research laboratories of the School of Medicine in accordance with federal and state regulations.
IV.G.3.d. Committee on Scientific conduct.
IV.G.3.d.1. Membership:
IV.G.3.d.1.a. Three active, senior scientists, well recognized nationally and locally, who are full time members of the faculty of the School of Medicine.
IV.G.3.d.1.b. A lawyer.
IV.G.3.d.1.c. A senior member of the Institutional Review board (IRB).
IV.G.3.d.1.d . A statistician.
IV.G.3.d.1.e. (Chair): Dean for Scientific Affairs.
IV.G.3.d.2. The definition of inappropriate scientific conduct will include three aspects: Intentional fraud, negligence, and lack of concern for human rights and animal welfare, such as:
IV.G.3.d.2.a. A serious deviation, such that an individual receives credit for work which was not actually performed, as in instances of fabrication of data, falsification of data, plagiarism, or other overt acts of dishonesty.
IV.G.3.d.2.b. Inadvertent error, stemming from negligence, as in careless or inaccurate record keeping.
IV.G.3.d.2.c. Failure to comply with requirements affecting specific aspects of the conduct or research, such as the protection of human subjects and welfare of laboratory animals.
IV.G.3.d.3. Other areas, such as authorship, withholding of credit and others are to be referred to the appropriate departmental chairman for adjudication.
IV.G.3.d.4. The mechanism and process by which instances of misconduct in science should be adjudicated are as follows:
IV.G.3.d.4.a. Matters concerning the welfare of human subjects will be referred to the Institutional Review Board.
IV.G.3.d.4.b. Matters concerning the welfare of laboratory animals will be referred to the Institutional Animal Care and Utilization Committee.
IV.G.3.d.4.c. Matters other than above will be brought to the attention of the Dean's office, by submission of a written, signed complaint. The Dean will then select three members of the standing committee on scientific conduct to pre-review the case.
IV.G.3.d.4.c.1. If the report is felt to be non-substantial, the subcommittee will report this finding directly to the Dean, and no further action will be taken by the full committee.
IV.G.3.d.4.c.2. If initial pre-review indicates that a valid case of misconduct may have occurred, the full committee will meet, to obtain all pertinent facts, and will make a recommendation to the Dean regarding the findings.
IV.G.3.d.4.c.3. It will be the Dean's responsibility to decide upon the appropriate action to be taken, dependent upon the facts of the case. In all instances, every attention will be made to protect the due process rights of the individual who has been accused, and to insure the confidentiality of the aforementioned review process.
IV.G.3.d.4.d. If a matter such as authorship cannot be successfully resolved at the level of the departmental chair, such a matter may be referred to the Dean, for possible further referral to the Committee on Scientific Conduct.
IV.G.3.d.4.e. In the event that scientific misconduct is established on the part of any member(s) of the faculty, it shall be the responsibility of the office of the Dean to provide appropriate notification to any funding agency or journal affected.
IV.H. Library and Learning Resources Committee
IV.H.1. Duties
The Library and Learning Resources Committee shall advise on requisition of materials by the library, policies involving the library acquisition of audiovisual, reproducing, photographic and other teaching resources and shall advise on policies involving the use of such resources. The committee shall be advisory to the library and the Center for Educational Resources.
IV.H.2. Membership
The Library and Learning Resources Committee shall be comprised of seven members of the faculty, one of whom shall be appointed by the Medical Faculty Assembly, including one member from the Department of Medical Education as well as members from both basic and clinical sciences. Additionally four students will be appointed by the ASSM. The Director of Libraries and Dean for Medical Education shall serve ex officio.
IV.H.3. Subcommittees
Such subcommittees as are appropriate to the conduct of the business of the committee may be formed.
IV.I. Appointment and Promotions Committee
IV.I.1. Duties
The Appointments and Promotions Committee shall act in concert with the academic personnel policies and advise the FEC ant the Dean on faculty personnel actions involving rank and duration of initial appointment, number of years credited toward the tenure decision year, reappointments, promotions, and tenure. Deliberations of the Appointments and Promotions Committee will be initiated by a written recommendation from the departmental chair.
IV.I.2. Membership
The Appointments and Promotions Committee shall be comprised of one member from each department, one member selected from the Medical Faculty Assembly. The chair shall be appointed by the Dean from among the committee membership. Faculty members of the committee shall be appointed to two-year terms with one-half the members appointed each year. No fewer than two-thirds of the members must hold tenured appointments. The Executive Associate Dean will serve ex officio.
IV.J. Budget Advisory Committee
IV.J.1. Duties
The Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) shall advise the Dean regarding any or all areas of the budget process and will report to the Dean annually by mid-Fall with recommendations for areas of emphasis or change in order to impact upon the next annual budget of the School of Medicine.
IV.J.2. Membership
The membership will consist of 10 faculty members, selected from the clinical and basic science departments with equal representation from each, one student selected by the ASSM, and a chairman selected by the Dean. The Dean for Financial Affairs will serve ex officio.
IV.K. Grievance Committee
IV.K.1. Duties
The Grievance Committee shall in a timely fashion attempt to mediate grievances of members of the faculty with respect to personnel actions and academic freedom based upon available information. The committee shall report the results of it's mediatory activity to the Dean, which may include recommendations for action. From time to time the committee may make recommendations for additions, deletions or alterations to current policy.
IV.K.2. Membership
The Grievance Committee shall be comprised of seven members appointed annually by the Executive Committee of the Medical Faculty Assembly and confirmed, as an agenda item, by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at a full faculty meeting of the Medical Faculty Assembly. Among the members appointed, at least two shall be from the basic science faculty and two from the clinical faculty. The chairman shall be elected by the committee at the first meeting of its term.
IV.K.3. Procedures
IV.K.3.a. A faculty member or members may grieve by submitting, in writing, particulars of the action or policy being grieved along with the reasons for the grievance to the chairman of the grievance committee. Such submission must be made within fifteen days of the faculty member obtaining knowledge of the action or policy being grieved or within fifteen days of that knowledge being generally known to the faculty at large, whichever occurs first.
IV.K.3.b. Within five days, the chairman of the Grievance Committee shall appoint an ad hoc committee consisting of at least two members of the Grievance Committee for the purpose of mediating the Grievance.
IV.K.3.c. The ad hoc committee shall attempt to mediate the grievance in a timely fashion. If mediation is unsuccessful, no later than thirty days from the date of submission of the grievance to the Grievance Committee, or sooner on written request of the grievant, the Grievance Committee shall report to the Dean that mediation has been unsuccessful and may make recommendations for the Dean's action. If it appears that mediation might yet be successful, a thirty-day extension of mediation may be granted if approved by both the faculty member and the Dean.
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ARTICLE V: ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE DEAN
The Dean shall appoint those Assistant and Associate Deans as he or she shall deem necessary for the efficient administration of the School of Medicine. The Associate Deans shall serve at the pleasure of the Dean.
ARTICLE VI: RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT
The Board of Trustees reserves the right to alter, amend, or revoke the foregoing document in part or in whole at any time. The Medical Faculty Assembly and the Faculty Executive Council will evaluate the foregoing procedures every five years. Amendments to this document shall require two-thirds vote of the Medical Faculty Assembly and the Faculty Executive Council and subsequent submission for general faculty referendum. A simple majority vote of the faculty shall be required for approval of proposed amendments which shall then be transmitted for administrative approval according to the procedures followed for other faculty recommendations.
APPENDIX I: STANDING COMMITTEES
The Membership Committee
The Educational Policy Committee
Graduate Council
The Admissions Committee
Student Affairs Committee
The Scientific Council
Library and Learning Resources Committee
Appointments and Promotions Committee
Budget Advisory Committee
Grievance Committee
June 25, 1996: Interim Dean Joseph Van Der Meulen gives document to Harvey Kaslow, incoming Secretary of the MFA.
July-August, 1996: Using optical character recognition software, Harvey Kaslow and Robert Stellwagen, President of the MFA, prepare a computer file of the document, add full numbering of paragraphs, and post the document at the MFA WWW site.
March, 1997: Harvey Kaslow and Robert Stellwagen revise the formatting of the posted document.