posted Feb. 26, 1997
MEDICAL FACULTY ASSEMBLY
MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF NOVEMBER 12, 1996
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Attendance by Officers and Members
of the Executive Committee
Representation at the Meeting
Approval of Minutes
Report on
Meetings of the Tenure and Promotions Committee
Report on
the Sept. 16 Meeting of the University Academic Senate
Reports on
the Oct. 23 and Nov. 6 FEC Meetings
Proposed Recommendation
1996-97-005
Proposed
Recommendations 1996-97-002 and 1996-97-003
Proposed Recommendation
1996-97-004
Nominations
of MFA Representatives to Committees
Senate Task
Force on the Future of the Health Sciences at USC
New Business and Adjournment
Text of Recommendations
ATTENDANCE BY OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
President Robert Stellwagen present President-Elect Kathryn Challoner present Secretary Harvey Kaslow present Treasurer Wendy Mack present Past President Donna Shoupe present Member-at-Large Silvia Formenti present Member-at-Large Loren Laine present Member-at-Large Laura Wachsman present
REPRESENTATION AT THE MEETING:
Anesthesiology Angelita Cordero Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Robert Stellwagen Cell and Neurobiology Gene Albrecht Children's Hospital Kathryn D. Anderson Emergency Medicine K.R. Challoner Family Medicine Medicine Mohammad Akmal Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Axel Schönthal Neurological Surgery Neurology Cheryl Waters Norris Medical Library Alice Kawakami Obstetrics and Gynecology Donna Shoupe Opthalmology Orthopedics Tom Hedman Otolaryngology Dennis O'Leary Pathology Arnis Richters Pediatrics Laura Wachsman Physiology and Biophysics Herb Meiselman Preventive Medicine Wendy Mack Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Henry Slucki Radiation Oncology Radiology Rancho Los Amigos Hospital Surgery Jeffrey Peters Urology
The meeting was called to order by President Robert Stellwagen.
The minutes of the previous meeting were not yet prepared, and thus not approved.
2. REPORT ON MEETINGS OF THE TENURE AND PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE.
The MFA representative to the Tenure and Promotions Committee is Herbert Meiselman, who reported that:
1. Faculty positions have been offered and filled, but in some cases appointments have not been reviewed by the Committee until two years after arrival of the person offered the position. This delay raises the concern that this procedure may be causing the Committee to approve such appointments without truly considering non-approval of selections to fill positions.
2. Although the Interim Dean has announced that there is a hiring freeze, unless the Dean specifically states a position must be filled, positions are still being offered and filled without verification to the Committee that the Dean has approved the action.
3. REPORT ON OCTOBER 16 MEETING OF THE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SENATE.
Dr. Kaslow (Senator from the Medical School) reported that he had made a report to the Academic Senate regarding the actions of the Administration to cancel the employment contracts of the Basic Science Faculty. The report was essentially factual in nature, and there was little discussion of the issue after the report was made.
Dr. Kaslow also reported that a grant has been obtained from the James Irvine Foundation for the purpose of studying the issue of a Performance-based Faculty Compensation System for the University as a whole. Information regarding this effort can be obtained at:
http://physics.usc.edu/~tnchang/irvine.html
At this site one can access:
Academic Senate white paper #1 on Merit-based
Faculty Compensation (1996)
Academic Senate white paper #2 on Responsibilities
and Rights of Tenured and Tenure-track Faculty (1995)
Academic Senate white paper #3 on Faculty
Rejuvenation and Retirement (1995)
At the Senate meeting, Dr. Kaslow requested that the budget of the current and proposed grant from the Irvine Foundation be shared with the Senate.
4. REPORTS ON THE OCTOBER 23 AND NOVEMBER 6 FEC MEETINGS.
Dr. Challoner reported on the October 23 meeting; Dr. Kaslow reported on the November 6 meeting. The drafts of the minutes of these meetings accurately describe the meetings, and were distributed by email. Interim Dean Van Der Meulen expressed concern about the distribution of these drafts at both the FEC meeting of November 6 and the MFA meeting. He stated he had heard that the drafts were not circulated clearly marked as drafts. Dr. Kaslow pointed out that if the Administration would post the minutes of the FEC on the WWW, then accurate minutes would be available to all.
5. PROPOSED
RECOMMENDATION 1996-97-005:
DISCLOSURE OF RESTRUCTURING PLANS AND PROCESS.
Recommendation 1996-97-005 was proposed regarding the process of the restructuring of the Medical School. During the discussion of this Recommendation, Interim Dean Van Der Meulen stated that the committees that are evaluating proposals concerning restructuring will not vote on proposed restructuring plans. Instead, administrators will listen to the comments of those on these committees, and modify the proposed plans accordingly.
Dean Ryan will meet with the Faculty to discuss restructuring at the next MFA meeting on December 3, 1996. The request made by Dr. Kaslow at the FEC for documentation regarding the restructuring plan was again made to the Interim Dean. It was pointed out to the Interim Dean that meetings between Faculty and Administrators might be more productive if the Faculty had time to study the proposals prior to meetings.
The proposed Recommendation was amended and passed. The text and record of the vote are attached to these minutes.
6. PROPOSED
RECOMMENDATIONS 1996-97-002 AND -003:
CPSA NEGOTIATIONS AND GUIDELINES.
Dr. Kaufman proposed a friendly amendment to both Recommendations that more precisely stated the role of the CPSA at the School of Medicine, the Recommendations were passed. The texts and records of votes are attached to these minutes.
7. PROPOSED
RECOMMENDATIONS 1996-97-004:
VALIDITY OF GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT OF THE SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE.
After a brief report from President Stellwagen concerning the development and implementation of the Governance Document, the Recommendation was passed. The text and record of the vote are attached to these minutes.
The MFA also instructed President Stellwagen to contact Vice-Provost Solomon to clarify the policy of the Provost's Office with respect to governance documents.
8. NOMINATIONS OF MFA REPRESENTATIVES TO COMMITTEES.
The issue was tabled.
9. SENATE TASK FORCE ON THE FUTURE OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES AT USC.
Dr. Shoupe distributed a questionnaire meant to help the Task Force in its work regarding the future of the health sciences at USC.
10. NEW BUSINESS AND ADJOURNMENT.
November 12, 1996
A Recommendation (1996-97-002):
Whereas, the faculty of the School of Medicine have a responsibility to provide services to the County of Los Angeles at the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC Medical Center) under an agreement known as the County Professional Services Agreement (CPSA); and
Whereas, the current CPSA will expire in 1997 and this agreement is critical to the patient care operations at the LAC+USC Medical Center, which serves as a base for research and educational activity of the USC School of Medicine, therefore:
The Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) recommends to the Faculty Executive Council (FEC) and the Dean:
That a committee consisting of representatives chosen by APLACH and the MFA be established to work with representatives of the University Administration to develop comprehensive guidelines for the allocation of CPSA funds.
Vote: 15 in favor, none opposed, 1 abstaining
Voting in favor: Abstaining:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Children's
Hospital
Cell and Neurobiology
Emergency Medicine
Medicine
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Norris Medical Library
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Orthopedics
Otolaryngology
Pathology
Pediatrics
Physiology and Biophysics
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Surgery
**********************
November 12, 1996
A Recommendation (1996-97-003):
Whereas, the faculty of the School of Medicine have a responsibility to provide services to the County of Los Angeles at the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC Medical Center) under an agreement known as the County Professional Services Agreement (CPSA); and
Whereas, the current CPSA will expire in 1997 and this agreement is critical to the patient care operations at the LAC+USC Medical Center, which serves as a base for research and educational activity of the USC School of Medicine, therefore:
The Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) recommends to the Faculty Executive Council (FEC) and the Dean:
1. That elected representatives from both the MFA and the APLACH participate fully as voting members in the University's negotiating team; and
2. That these representatives be able to communicate with their constituencies when the negotiating team feels that it is appropriate to do so.
Vote: 12 in favor, none opposed, 4 abstaining.
Voting in favor: Abstaining:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Children's
Hospital
Cell and Neurobiology Molecular
Microbiology and Immunology
Emergency Medicine Norris
Medical Library
Medicine Orthopedics
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Otolaryngology
Pathology
Pediatrics
Physiology and Biophysics
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Surgery
******************
November 12, 1996
A Recommendation (1996-97-004):
Whereas, the Governance Document of the School of Medicine was approved by the Faculty Executive Council (FEC) on Dec. 2, 1987 and subsequently also approved by the Medical Faculty Assembly (MFA) and by the faculty-at-large in a vote at an open meeting in 1988; and
Whereas, the 1988 Governance Document states that amendments to the document require a 2/3 vote of the FEC, a 2/3 vote of the MFA, and a majority vote of the faculty; and
Whereas, the principles of shared governance and collegiality in the School of Medicine require that no party to this document will unilaterally alter or abolish this document; therefore:
The MFA strongly recommends to the FEC and to the Dean of the School of Medicine that any changes in the 1988 Governance Document be made in accordance with the specified procedures in the document and that the existing document be kept in force until such changes have been approved by all parties involved.
Vote: 15 in favor, none opposed, 1 abstaining.
Voting in favor: Abstaining:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Surgery
Children's Hospital
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Neurobiology
Children's Hospital
Emergency Medicine
Medicine
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Norris Medical Library
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Orthopedics
Otolaryngology
Pathology
Pediatrics
Physiology and Biophysics
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
***********************
November 12, 1996
A Recommendation (1996-97-005):
Whereas, 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, and
Whereas, Administrators are presenting plans to other committees and councils within the School of Medicine regarding plans to restructure the School, and
Whereas, one of the councils to which such plans have been presented is the Faculty Executive Council, the meetings of which are to be open unless under special circumstance, 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:
Documents regarding restructuring the School of Medicine shared by the Administration with the FEC shall also be shared at the same time with the Medical Faculty Assembly.
Vote: 16 in favor, none opposed, none abstaining.
Voting in favor:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Neurobiology
Children's Hospital
Emergency Medicine
Medicine
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Norris Medical Library
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Orthopedics
Otolaryngology
Pathology
Pediatrics
Physiology and Biophysics
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Surgery