Appendix II: Administrative Structure under the Dean of the School of Medicine
Appendix III. Guidelines for review
of department chairs (pending Provost Committee recommendations)
As a privatenon-profit public benefit corporation, the University of Southern California (USC) is governed
by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees establishes policies, exercises
powers as stated in the Bylaws of the University, controls property and conducts the
affairs for the University. The Board is a self-perpetuating body that elects one-fifththird of its members each year for a five-year term of office. The Board of Trustees delegates certain powers to the admini
stration of the University and serves as the ultimate decision-making unit. The President of the University is the chief executive officer in charge of all University operations. He/she is responsible for carrying out policies established by the Board o
f Trustees and in so doing has the power to delegate any of this authority to the officers of the University.
The President of the University of Southern California has delegated the responsibility for the operation of the School of Medicine to the Dean of the School of Medicine.
Policies and practices of the University derive from the total body of charter provisions, bylaws, resolutions, and Presidential directives by which the corporate staff is guided, as well as by policies and regulations initiated and/or recommended by the Academic Senate, the council of Deans, the Staff Assembly, the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, and the Student Senate, as approved by the President. The governance policies and pra ctices of the School of Medicine shall be in accord with the policies and practices of the University including those stated in the Bylaws of the University.
The President of the University of Southern California has delegated the responsibility for the operation of the School of Medicine to the Dean of the School of Medicine. The Executive Council of the School of Medicine and the Medical Faculty Assembly serve as consultative bodies for the Dean of the School of Medicine, preparing studies and reports and making recommendations directly to the Dean on matters pertinent to the functioning of the School of Medicine.
The Dean shall be responsible for the operation of the School of Medicine. His/her responsibilities shall include
The Dean, after consultation with the members of the department, may designate an individual as acting (or interim) chair until such time as the vacancy in the chairmanship is filled in accordance with the procedures stated above.
The same search and appointment procedures shall be implemented in the selection and appointment of a director of an individually budgeted institute that resides outside the individual departments, but within the School of Medicine.
The Executive Council shall be advisory to the Dean in all substantive matters pertaining to the governance of the School of Medicine. The Executive Council will notify the Dean and the Medical Faculty Assembly of its r ecommendations pertaining to such matters as soon as possible after their adoption.
Recommendations of the Medical Faculty Assembly (see section IV B.1.e. below) that have been submitted to the Dean and presented to the Executive Council at a scheduled meeting shall be considered by the Executive Council at the next available scheduled meeting following the meeting at which the recommendations were distributed. The Executive Council shall either table or discuss and modify (if necessary) these recommendations and th
en shall vote upon them. The recommendations as voted upon by the Executive Council shall become the recommendations of the Council. These proceedings shall be entered into the minutes
of the Executive Council.
The Dean shall acknowledge receipt of the recommendations in a timely manner. If the Dean decides not to act upon the recommendations of the Council, he/she shall provide a written explanation citing the reasons for this decision to the Executive Council . If he/she decides not to act upon the recommendations of the Medical Faculty Assembly or if the Executive Council has revised the recommendations of the Medical Faculty Assembly, and the Dean decides to act upon the revised Executive Council recommenda tion, the Dean shall provide a written explanation to the Medical Faculty Assembly citing the reasons for this decision.
One-half of the voting members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum.
Representatives shall be subject to recall if a petition requesting recall is signed by at least 20% of their constituency. The secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly shall distribute a ballot to the constituency upon receipt of this petition. A simpl e majority vote determines the outcome of this ballot. If a Medical Faculty Assembly representative is recalled, that position is then filled by the department's or constituency's alternate and a special election is held to elect a new alternate.
The Dean shall appoint those associate and assistant deans that he/she deems necessary for the efficient administration of the School of Medicine. The associate and assistant deans shall serve at the pleasure of the Dean. The Dean shallprovide to the Executive Council and to the Secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly append an organizational chart
to this Governance Document that describes the administrative structure in place, with brief descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of each appointee. When changes in the organizational
structure ar
e made, the Dean shall provide a new chart to the Executive Council and to the Secretary of the Medical Faculty Assembly in a timely fashion.
The standing committees shall function in an advisory capacity to the Dean regarding matters of policy. The standing committees shall report either directly to the Dean or through an associate or assistant dean. The Dean to whom the standing committee rep orts or his/her designated representative shall serve as an ex officio member without vote on the standing committee. Since standing committees are advisory to the Dean, the Dean is not obligated to accept or implement the standing committees' recommendations. However, the Dean shall provide a written explanation in the event that he/she does not implement the recommendation of a standing committee.
Guidelines for Standing Committees
The standing committees shall consider any and all aspects within the scope of their specific charge (committees are listed in Appendix I) subject to the approval of, and the power of review by the Dean, and subject always to the policies and directives of the University President and Board of Trustees.
The Senior Associate Dean for Administration (or other responsible administrator) shall be responsible for developing the budget for the School of Medicine. He/she shall advise the Dean with regard to budgetary issues and shall prepare financial reports
upon the request of the School of Medicine Finance Committee. He/she shall insure that University policy is followed with regard to financial policies and procedures and shall insure that the School operates within its budget
.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee shall advise the Dean regarding any or all areas of the budget process and will report to the Dean regularly. Final recommendations for areas of budgetary emphasis or change will be presented in time to be considered for the next ann ual budget of the School of Medicine.
The Finance Committee membership shall consist of at least ten faculty members, selected from the clinical and basic science departments, one student selected by the
Associated Students of the School of Medicine, one student selected by the Health Sciences Campus School of Medicine Graduate Students Association, a representative of the Medical Faculty Assembly, and a chairman
appointed by the Dean. The Senior Associate Dean for Administration Affairs (or appropriate administrative official) will serve ex officio.
The position of Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs (or responsible administrator) shall be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the School of Medicine's mission for medical education. This administrator shall report directly to the Dean and shall advise the Dean on curricular matters, student affairs, the effectiveness of individual departments in educating medical students and the impact of tuition costs on medical students. He/she shall oversee curriculum revision and new academic programs, and will be responsible for leading the school in preparation for LCME accreditation site visits. He/she shall supervise other associate and assistant deans appointed by the Dean who are responsible for student affairs, curricu lum, women's issues (as they relate to medical students), medical student admissions, graduate medical education (training of interns and residents) and post-graduate medical education. He/she may appoint such committees or task forces as deemed necessary to fulfill the obligations of the office.
The Admissions Committee
The Admissions Committee shall consist of 21 faculty members drawn from both clinical and basic science departments; one alumni representative; three students elected by their peers from the second, third and fourth year classes; and ex officio, the Assistant Dean for Admissions and a representative from the Office of Minority Student Affairs. The chair of the Admissions Committee shall be appointed by the Dean.
The Educational Policy Committee shall consist of the curriculum representative from each department, a member of the Medical Faculty Assembly, and a chairperson
appointed by the Dean. One medical student representative shall be selected from each year by student election. The curriculum representative shall be chosen by the department chair after with consultation withof the Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs (or responsible administrator) and departmental faculty. the appointment of the departmental representative shall normally be in accord
with the recommendation of departmental faculty. Ex officio members include the Associate Deans for Curriculum and for Student Affairs (or other responsible administrators), as well as other faculty and staff deemed necessary by the co
mmittee chair.
The Associate Dean for Curriculum (or responsible administrator) receives recommendations from the appropriate committees and facilitates faculty teaching efforts and initiatives. The Associate Dean for Curriculum or his/her representative serves ex officio on and is responsible for staffing all teaching committees. Other responsibilities of the office include:
The Student Affairs Committee shall consider and evaluate all matters dealing with student affairs, including financial aid, student housing, student recreation, and shall assist the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or responsible administrator) in the area of student affairs. The committee shall oversee counseling services for students, and hear student clerkship evaluation appeals as described in the Student Handbook. It may establish subcommittees it deems necessary; this shall include a subc ommittee on financial aid.
The Student Affairs Committee shall consist of the chair who is a appointed by the dean, five faculty members from basic science and clinical departments, four medical student members, one elected from each class, and an alumni representative. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Assistant Dean for Minority Student Affairs, and the Financial Aid Officer (or administrators responsible for these activities) shall serve as ex officio members of the committee.
The Subcommittee on Financial Aid shall consist of a minimum of three faculty and two fourth year medical student members, and shall make recommendations to the Dean regarding policy for the distribution of financial aid. Ex officio members of the committee shall include the Financial Aid Officer, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the Assistant Deans for Minority Affairs and Admissions (or administrators responsible for these activities). The Subcommittee's policy recommendations shall guide the Financial Aid Officer's administration of financial aid. The Subcommittee may, at its discretion, appoint a group or task force to consider particular questions pertaining to financial aid such as student appeals and student recruitment.
The Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (or responsible administrator) shall report to the Dean on all matters that pertain to the faculty and their academic activities. He/She shall counsel faculty with regard to policies and procedures of the Uni versity and the School of Medicine. He/She shall coordinate School activities related to faculty recruitment; appointments, promotions, and tenure; programs for faculty mentoring; nomination of faculty for honors and awards; awarding of sabbaticals; retirements; and grievances (which are governed by University-wide policies and procedures). He/She shall supervise the maintenance of faculty records and work with Department Chairs to ensure that faculty are advised and counseled with regard to their academic careers. The Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs shall oversee the Associate Dean for Women with regard to issues related to faculty.
Faculty Appointment and Promotions Committee
The Appointments and Promotions Committee shall act in concert with the academic personnel policies and the Faculty Records Office to advise the Dean on all faculty personnel actions involving rank and duration of initial appointment, number of yea rs credited toward the tenure decision year, re-appointments, promotions and tenure. Deliberations of the Faculty Appointments, Promotions and Tenure Committee will be initiated by a written recommendation from the department chair and accompanied by the faculty member's dossier as required by University policy.
The Faculty Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure Committee shall be comprised of one member from each department and one member appointed by 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 w ith one-half of the members appointed each year. At least three-fifths of the members shall hold tenured appointments. The Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (or appropriate administrator) shall serve as an ex officio member and advise members of the Committee, when necessary, on University policy regarding appointments and promotions.
The Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (or responsible administrator) shall report to the Dean on all matters pertaining to research activities at the School of Medicine as well as graduate programs and the M.D./Ph.D. program. He/She shall promote res earch activities and collaborations within the School of Medicine and between faculty from the School and faculty in other University units. He/She shall be responsible for issues of scientific conduct, protection of human subjects and compliance with federal and other regulations related to research. In addition, he/she shall provide administrative support for the M.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., and M.D./Ph.D. programs in the School of Medici ne. He/she may appoint subcommittees to review issues of scientific misconduct pertinent to the School of Medicine.
The Scientific Council
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 Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (or responsible administrator) on all such matters. The Council shall receive reports from subcommittees and may establish subcommittees it deems necessary.
The Scientific Council shall be comprised of twelve faculty members including the chair who is appointed by the Dean. These faculty shall be drawn from both the clinical and the basic science departments of the School of Medicine. Only one member from any department may serve at any given time. Faculty who are designated Principal Investigators on peer-reviewed, externally funded grants or contracts, or who are distinguished and productive authorities in academic medicine shall be eligible to serve on the Scientific Council. The Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (or responsible administrator) and the Vice-Provost for Research shall serve as ex officio members of the Scientific Council.
The Scientific Council shall establish subcommittees that are deemed necessary to achieve its objectives. These subcommittees shall include among their membership those individuals whose expertise and interest would benefit the mission of the subcommittee and may include graduate or medical students. Members of the subcommittees shall be nominated by the Scientific Council and shall elect their own chair. The Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (or responsible administrator) shall serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
The Graduate Council shall be responsible for recommending policies and reviewing procedures for graduate programs leading to the M.S., M.P.H., and Ph.D. degrees and shall advise the Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs (or responsible administrator) on all matters pertaining to graduate education in the School of Medicine. This will include all matters dealing with graduate student affairs, including financial aid, student counseling, student housing, and student recreation. The Council may establish appropriate subcommittees as it deems necessary.
The Graduate Council will consist of
M.D./Ph.D. Committee
The M.D./Ph.D. Committee accepts students into the M.D./Ph.D. program of the University of Southern California, monitors student progress and mentor responsibilities, and disburses available financial support for the program. Admission of students to the M.D./Ph.D. program requires acceptance by the M.D./Ph.D. Committee as well as the School of Medicine Admissions Committee.
The membership of the M.D./Ph.D. Committee shall consist of
The Associate Dean for Women (or responsible administrator) shall be responsible for providing and managing services and resources for women in the School of Medicine. Services are provided for women faculty, students and staff. The Associate Dean for Women reports to the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (or responsible administrator) for issues regarding faculty and to the Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs (or responsible administrator) for issues regarding students. Issues handled by the Associate Dean for Women include professional development, negotiation, non-litigational conflict resolution and professional guidance. The office is responsible for monitoring Title IX compliance by the School of Medicine.
The Associate Dean for Women is responsible for maintaining the Office for Disabled Issues on the Health Science Campus. This office is responsible for coordinating accommodation for students with disabilities and serves as liaison with the USC Office of Disability Services and Programs on the University Park Campus.
The Medical Faculty Assembly and the Executive Council will evaluate the Governance Document every five years. Amendments to this document proposed by faculty proposed by the faculty shall require a two-thirds ma
jority vote of the Medical Faculty Assembly and a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Council; subsequently these amendments shall be submitted for general faculty referendum. A simple majority vote of the voting
faculty shall be required for approval of proposed amendments. Amendments proposed by the faculty will be submitted to the Dean for approval. If the Dean rejects an amendment to the Governance Document that has been ap
proved by faculty referendum, he/she shall notify the faculty in writing
of the reasons for this action. Final approval or rejection of thisthe School of Medicine Governance Ddocument or amendments to theeis School of Medicine Governance Ddocument shall rest with the Board of Trustees of the University. The Board of Trustees or its appropriately designated representative may alter or amend the Governance Document at any time; if this right is exercised by the Board, the faculty of the School of medicine shall be provided a written explanation for such actions by an appropriately designated representative of the Board.
Appendix I: Standing Committees
Financial Affairs:
Finance Committee
Educational Affairs:
The Educational Policy Committee
Student Affairs Committee
Admissions Committee
Faculty Affairs:
Faculty Appointments and Promotions Committee
Scientific Affairs:
The Scientific Council
Graduate Council
The M.D.-Ph.D. Committee
Appendix II: Administrative Structure under the Dean of the School of Medicine
Appendix III. Guidelines for review of department chairs (pending Provost Committee
recommendations)