posted Feb. 26, 1997
MEDICAL FACULTY ASSEMBLY
Minutes for the Meeting of August 6, 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Representation at the Meeting
Approval of Minutes
Election of New MFA Representatives
Pending Election
of Senators to the University Academic Senate
Report of MFA
Executive Committee Activity Regarding CPSA Issues
Consideration
of Proposed MFA Recommendation 1996-97-001
Comments
from Dr. Ronald Kaufman Regarding the CPSA
Recommendation 1996-97-001
Representation at the Meeting:
Anesthesiology Jim Daniel Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Robert Stellwagen Cell and Neurobiology Gene Albrecht Children's Hospital not represented Emergency Medicine K.R. Challoner Family Medicine Jerry Gates Medicine Mohammad Akmal Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Axel Schonthal Neurological Surgery not represented Neurology not represented Norris Medical Library Alice Kawakami Obstetrics and Gynecology not represented Opthalmology not represented Orthopedics Tom Hedman Otolaryngology Dennis O'Leary Pathology Arnis Richters Pediatrics Laura Wachsman Physiology and Biophysics Herb Meiselman Preventive Medicine Bryan Langholz Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Henry Sluki Radiation Oncology Silvia Formenti Radiology not represented Rancho Los Amigos Hospital Vikram Kamdar (left before end of meeting) Surgery not represented Urology not represented
Many other faculty attended, including: Harvey Kaslow, Secretary MFA, Ronald Kaufman, Chief, LAC + USC
The meeting was called to order by President Robert Stellwagen.
President Stellwagen called the attention of the MFA to issues to be confronted in the coming year, including:
1. Renewal of the CPSA agreement.
2. The apparent failure to balance the budget of the School.
3. A proposed plan to restructure the entire School expected from Dean
Ryan.
4. The re-accreditation of the School.
5. The proposal that the Basic Science Faculty be offered new contracts.
6. Revision of the University Faculty Handbook.
A draft of the minutes of the June 4 MFA meeting was then distributed and approved after minor corrections.
ELECTION OF NEW MFA REPRESENTATIVES.
President Stellwagen distributed a handout reporting the election of new MFA representatives.
PENDING ELECTION OF SENATORS TO THE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SENATE.
Current Senators from the School of Medicine to the University Academic Senate include:
Robert Stellwagen, MFA President
Kathryn Challoner, MFA President Elect
Suraiya Rasheed, Senate Executive Board Member
Henry Sluki, elected Senator
Jerry Gates, elected Senator
There are two vacant School of Medicine seats in the Academic Senate. Three faculty from the School of Medicine were then nominated by the MFA to run for election to fill the two vacant seats. The nominees are:
Gene Albrecht, Cell and Neurobiology
Silvia Formenti, Radiation Oncology
Harvey Kaslow, Physiology and Biophysics
A ballot will be distributed and collected until some time in September.
REPORT OF MFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ACTIVITY REGARDING CPSA ISSUES.
President Stellwagen reported on MFA Executive Committee activity. As has been widely discussed, the Provost caused the School to inform some clinical faculty that the School had "identified your position for reassignment or other action by the County, as the County is not providing sufficient funding to the University to maintain that position." Of these faculty, the Provost further caused the School to inform non-tenured faculty that, "As you are a member of the special faculty, your appointment with the University expires on June 30, 1996 and will not be renewed."
As a result, the Executive Committee met July 1, and urged Administrators to provide more information to those people who had received these letters, because their status was unclear during the period of time during which the County would take to respond the action of the University. The Committee also asked for and failed to obtain a list of affected faculty.
Another meeting was then scheduled, which Dr. Van Der Meulen was unable to attend. In his absence, Leslie Bernstein, Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs attended, but little additional information was gained. A week after that, on August 2, the Executive Committee met with Dr. Van Der Meulen and discussed the CPSA action. Secretary Kaslow indicated a transcript of the meeting was being prepared, but was not yet available. In the meeting, Dr. Van Der Meulen discussed the process by which the decision had been made and why he would not reveal the names of the affected faculty. A list of questions regarding this and several other issues was submitted to Dr. Van Der Meulen. There was not enough time at this meeting for Dr. Van Der Meulen to answer all the questions, and the Committee requested that he answer the remaining questions within a week. He said he would if he had time.
A formal letter was also sent to Dr. Van Der Meulen protesting the action.
CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED MFA RECOMMENDATION 1996-97-001.
A Recommendation regarding disclosure of information regarding the CPSA had been drafted by the MFA Executive Committee, and was submitted for consideration by the full MFA. Discussion first centered on the Governance Document that empowers the MFA to make Recommendations to the Dean, followed by suggestions to amend the language, but not the intent, of the proposed Recommendation. The goal of the amending language would be to make specific references to portions of the Governance document that empower the MFA to make the Recommendation. It was moved, seconded, and with no objections the Recommendation was amended to include the references; the exact language to be determined by the Secretary (Kaslow) after adjournment of the MFA meeting.
There was some discussion that the Recommendation was not forceful enough, in that while it calls for disclosure, it does not indicate what the faculty would specifically do with the information disclosed, and particularly it does not lay out a path for the faculty to develop a plan of action. It was suggested that additional Recommendations could be written covering those issues.
The question was called and a roll-call vote on the amended Recommendation taken:
Anesthesiology yes Biochemistry and Molecular Biology yes Cell and Neurobiology yes Children's Hospital not represented Emergency Medicine yes Family Medicine yes Medicine yes Molecular Microbiology and Immunology yes Neurological Surgery not represented Neurology not represented Norris Medical Library yes Obstetrics and Gynecology not represented Opthalmology not represented Orthopedics yes Otolaryngology yes Pathology yes Pediatrics yes Physiology and Biophysics yes Preventive Medicine yes Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences yes Radiation Oncology yes Radiology not represented Rancho Los Amigos Hospital not represented Surgery not represented Urology not represented
By a vote of 16 yes, 0 no, 0 abstentions, the Recommendation was adopted, and President Stellwagen agreed to send it on to the Dean and FEC as the Recommendation instructs him to do.
COMMENTS FROM DR. RONALD KAUFMAN REGARDING THE CPSA.
Dr. Kaufman clarified the situation regarding faculty participation in University-County negotiations regarding the CPSA. There has always been an opportunity for Faculty representatives to observe at meetings between the University and the County, although they have not been allowed to speak.
Dr. Kaufman did not believe the County would release the names of the affected faculty.
A lengthy discussion then ensued regarding the University CPSA action. A transcript is available.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
A transcript of this meeting is available
Recommendation 1996-97-001 is incorporated as the last page of these minutes.
Minutes prepared by Harvey Kaslow, Secretary, MFA
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University of Southern California School of Medicine
Medical Faculty Assembly
August 6, 1996
A Recommendation (1996-97-001):
Whereas, as per Article II of the Governance document of the School, by virtue of its competence and concern with education, research, patient care, and 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, including those pertaining to preparation of budget requests and allocation of available resources; and
Whereas, the University, through its School of Medicine, is responsible for providing physician services to the County of Los Angeles to staff the Los Angeles County Hospital under an agreement termed the County Professional Services Agreement (CPSA); and
Whereas, the CPSA impacts the academic policies and status of faculty, and budgets and allocation of resources within the School of Medicine; and
Whereas, for the Faculty to best fulfill its responsibility to make recommendations regarding these impacts of the CPSA, the Faculty need reliable and sufficient information regarding the CPSA; therefore
As per Article III.B.1.b of the Governance document of the School, the Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) recommends to the Faculty Executive Council (FEC) and the Dean:
That the Dean immediately instruct relevant administrators to immediately and fully share with the Faculty information regarding the CPSA by providing to the President of the MFA:
1. The complete text of the CPSA along with amendments and other documents relevant to the CPSA that define the rights and responsibilities of the County of Los Angles and the University of Southern California and its School of Medicine relevant to the CPSA.
2. An accounting, on a Department and yearly basis, of the expenditure by the University of funds received from the County under the CPSA, and the proposed expenditure of funds received or to be received by the University and its School of Medicine during the fiscal year 1996-97.
3. A list identifying all faculty sent the letters dated June 28, 1996 (copies attached) by Interim Dean Van Der Meulen that inform these faculty that their clinical position has been identified for reassignment or other action by the County, and informs special (i.e. non-tenured) faculty that their appointment with University expires on June 30, 1996.
Furthermore, as per Article III.A.5.b of the Governance document of the School, the Medical Faculty Assembly instructs the President of the MFA to call for the FEC to hold a special meeting to consider this recommendation by Friday August 16, 1996, and communicate the results of this consideration by the FEC back to the Executive Committee of the MFA at a meeting to be held on or before Tuesday August 19, 1996.
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End of minutes for MFA 960806