Monthly Update from the Dean's Office - October 2004
This monthly update will be devoted to a brief synopsis of current planning efforts which should come to fruition within the next 4-6 months. These initiatives are aimed at achieving and sustaining excellence in education, research and clinical care. Education : The process of curriculum revision is in full swing, under the guidance of Ken Ryan, Dean for Academic Affairs. The intention is to identify the basic structure for the new curriculum within the next 1-2 weeks, then being the all important process of implementation. This timetable will allow new components of the curriculum to be launched for the incoming class of 05, which will in turn facilitate the possible launch of a medical school class in Phoenix in 06. Clinical : Exciting clinical programs include the planning and development of UPH-Kino as a major clinical site as part of our clinical, educational, and research growth initiative in Tucson . Strategic planning of the UPH-Kino programs and the future expansion of residency and student educational programs is in full swing. The COM Clinical Steering Committee is focusing its efforts on clinical and service excellence, as well as the interrelated clinical and clinical educational growth issues. In late October, the UPH Board of Directors, UMC Board of Directors, Clinical Chairmen, and COM leaders (the Dean and Bob Berg , the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs) will meet at an off-campus retreat as part of the strategic initiatives for our clinical mission. Research : Programming must now begin for occupancy of research space within the COM, following completion of the Medical Research Building . Contiguous space within MRB and other buildings will be allocated for program development, including programs in Diabetes and Human Neurological Diseases and Human Neurosciences. Working groups have developed plans for expanding research and clinical efforts in these two areas, and proposals outlining those plans are being prepared for distribution within the next 1-2 months. The Research Office is developing a variety of tools to permit more ready analysis of and access to research, space and funding data. One such tool is a hierarchical classification of research activities, to assist investigators in identification of collaborators. Also in progress is a precise map of space allocations and associated direct and indirect cost recoveries. The Dean’s Research Council Space committee has prepared a report on allocation of research space, based in part on indirect cost recovery. These documents should be available for general review in the next 6-8 weeks.
Enabling Services : A new financial reporting system, UDS, is being piloted in selected departments in the COM, as well as in the College of Science . The intention, assuming the pilot demonstrates good utility, is to launch the system for the entire College of Medicine . Having a single reporting system for the COM is essential for accurate short term and long range financial and strategic planning. Phoenix : Much of the activity in Phoenix is focused on facilities on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus of the Arizona University System. The ABC I building is an 82,000 gsf research building to be shared with ASU. The ABC II building is envisioned as a 120,000 gsf building focused on Neurosciences research, and involving multiple partners, potentially including Barrow Neurological Institute. Programming is now occurring for renovation of the three Phoenix Union High School buildings, all of which are now allocated for the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix . Renovations will require approximately 18 months, permitting the structures to be occupied by a medical school class of approximately 24 students in the summer of 06. Simultaneously, facility facilitie needs for the fully built-out Phoenix College of Medicine are being developed by Ann Libecap , in conjunction with the SmithGroup in Phoenix . The Phoenix College of Medicine Steering Committee, composed of 19 members from Tucson and Phoenix , has prepared a draft white paper outlining plans for the COM-Phoenix. The white paper will be finalized, and available for distribution, once interviews have been completed with the hospital CEOs from our teaching affiliates in Phoenix .
Recruiting : The Cancer Center Director Search is in the final stages. Searches are underway for Department Heads in Cell Biology and Anatomy (Garth Powis, committee chair), Physiology ( Frank Porreca , committee chair) and Surgery ( Harvey Meislin , committee chair). In all cases, the intention is to identify candidates for visits in the early part of 2006. The search for the new department head of Radiology will commence soon. Departmental Re-organizations : A request has been made to ABOR to change the name of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology to the Department of Immunobiology. Emmanuel Akporiaye is leading the efforts to develop and strengthen sections of cancer immunology, respiratory immunology and autoimmunity within the Department, by involving immunologists widely within the COM. Plans are underway to strengthen the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics within the College of Medicine by both re-location and recruitment of a core set of faculty focused on the biochemistry of metabolic disease, and in particular diabetes. Joaquin Ruiz, Dean of the College of Science , and I both view lines within Biochemistry as being campus wide, to allow the best fit between location of faculty member research space and programmatic research efforts.
Finally, beginning in November, I will hold weekly "Dean’s Breakfasts", as a venue for various entities in the COM (departments, centers, committees, faculty and student interest groups, and others) to voice their views and concerns on topics of their choosing. If you have an entity that would be interested in attending a breakfast meeting, please contact Carol Wertman (wertman@email.arizone.edu) and she will schedule a time.
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