Bylaws of the College Council University of Utah School of Medicine
Executive Committee Approval February 7, 2011Article I Officers of Administration
The Dean
-
Selection: The Vice President for Health Sciences shall select the Dean from a panel recommended by a search committee of at least five (5) members, appointed by the Vice President for Health Sciences of the University, from the faculty of the School of Medicine (SOM). Other qualified members may be appointed as well. If the Vice President for Health Sciences and the Dean of the School of Medicine are a combined position, the President of the University shall appoint the search committee members and make the final selection of the Dean.
-
Powers and Responsibility: The Dean is the senior administrative officer of the University of Utah School of Medicine. The Dean shall report to the Vice President for Health Sciences of the University in a manner determined by the Vice President or by the President of the University if the Vice President for Health Sciences and the Dean of the School of Medicine are a combined position.
The Dean shall be chairman of the School of Medicine College Council, which convenes at least once a year or as major issues warrant, and of the Executive Committee of the College Council and ex-officio member of all other standing committees of the College Council.
The Dean shall be responsible for the review, analysis, and implementation of existing educational, research, and administrative programs of the School of Medicine.
The Dean shall appoint members of all committees of the School of Medicine, except for the standing committees whose composition is set forth in the bylaws of the College Council.
The Dean shall nominate to the President of the University all chairmen of the departments and chairs of freestanding divisions of the School of Medicine, after advice by appropriate search committees and recommendations by the Executive Committee of the College Council.
The Dean shall secure from the departmental chairmen and freestanding divisional chairs an estimate of their budgetary needs and shall then develop these into the proposed budget of the School of Medicine, which he shall then submit to the appropriate members of the staff of the Vice President for Health Sciences of the University. When changes in the budget are necessary, the Dean shall discuss them with the departmental chairman or divisional chairs concerned.
The Dean shall approve, in advance of their submission, all applications for grant monies for the support of teaching, training, and research sponsored by the School of Medicine.
The Dean shall appoint all associate and assistant deans.
Article II Standing Committees
Executive Committee
1. Composition: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Dean; the chairmen of all departments and freestanding divisions of the School of Medicine; such official acting/interim chairmen as have been approved by the Dean; two (2) medical students (one from the preclinical years and one from the clinical years); and one graduate student or housestaff member. Each student/housestaff representative shall serve for one year.
The Dean of the School of Medicine shall act as chairman of the Executive Committee. In the absence of the Dean, the person designated by the Dean (usually an associate or assistant dean) shall act as chairman.
Associate and assistant deans of the School of Medicine may attend the meetings of the Executive Committee, without voting privileges. The Dean may invite other persons for specific purposes.
2. Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet regularly at no less than monthly intervals, September through June, and at such other times as determined by the Dean.
Attendance at meetings of the Executive Committee shall be restricted to its members, associate and assistant deans, recording secretary (appointed by the Dean), and such other persons invited by the Dean for specific purposes.
Department chairmen, official acting/interim chairmen, student/housestaff representatives, and the Dean shall be voting members of the Executive Committee. When a voting member cannot attend, a substitute designated by the member and approved by the Dean shall have voting privileges. In the absence of the Dean, the person designated by the Dean shall act as chairman and shall have voting privileges. Quorum for action shall be a majority of the voting membership.
The Executive Committee shall act in closed session of the voting members when so requested by the Dean or by majority vote of its members in attendance or by specified requirement of these bylaws.
Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall be recorded by the recording secretary and shall be distributed in writing (preferably electronically) to its members.
Matters requiring a vote shall be presented to the Executive Committee as motions with appropriate seconds. A majority vote by voice or by hand is required to pass a motion, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws. Any voting member may demand a closed, written ballot.
An agenda shall be prepared by the Dean and distributed (preferably electronically) to the Executive Committee members in advance of all regular monthly meetings.
3. Powers and Responsibility: The Executive Committee, as a standing committee of the College Council, is responsible to it for its powers, but shall act as an autonomous body in execution of the major functions of the Executive Committee, which are to serve as a policy-formulating body and to instruct and assist the Dean in the implementation of policy decisions. In addition, the Executive Committee shall assist and counsel the Dean in his duties and responsibilities.
The policies formulated by the Executive Committee can be reviewed by the College Council at its regular meetings or at special meetings convened according to the bylaws. Summaries of the policy actions of the Executive Committee shall be submitted to the College Council membership at the College Council’s regular meetings.
The Executive Committee shall also:
a. Consider and act upon all matters pertaining to educational affairs that involve or determine School of Medicine policy.
b. In concert with the Dean, prepare the agenda for regular and special meetings of the College Council.
c. New Faculty Appointments:
Except for volunteer faculty adjunct appointments, consider and make recommendations to the Dean regarding initial faculty appointments to the rank of instructor and above. Senior tenure track faculty (associate professor or professor) or tenured appointments will be presented to Executive Committee as motions with appropriate seconds. A majority vote by voice or by hand is required to pass a motion, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws. Any voting member may demand a closed, written ballot.
Junior tenure track faculty (assistant professor or instructors) as well as all full-time, non-tenure track (e.g., research, clinical, lecturer and visiting instructor) appointments approved with unanimous support by the SOM Appointments, Retention, Promotions and Tenure (A&RPT) Committee will be presented to Executive Committee via consensus e-ballot for review and consideration one week prior to scheduled meeting. Appointments approved with majority vote via e-ballot will be passed.
Junior tenure track or any non-tenured faculty appointments not approved with majority vote or any appointment flagged for further discussion by any member of the Executive Committee will be scheduled for presentation at a regular monthly Executive Committee meeting. Appointments forwarded to formal committee meeting will require motion and appropriate seconds. A majority vote by voice or by hand will be required to pass, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws.
Award of Tenure:
Award of tenure decisions shall be presented to the Executive Committee as motions with appropriate seconds. A majority vote by voice or by hand is required to pass a motion, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws. Any voting member may demand a closed, written ballot. The Dean may ask for a non-binding vote of the Executive Committee on each proposed award of tenure.
d. Discuss all recommendations and reports referred to it by standing committees of the School of Medicine, and to respond on same, as indicated.
e. Discuss and act upon, as indicated, all recommendations and reports submitted to it for a vote by ad hoc and other committees, by special panels and subcommittees, and by search committees. Such recommendations shall come before it as seconded motions.
f. Perform such other functions as indicated elsewhere in these bylaws.
Curriculum Oversight Committee
1. Composition: The standing committee on curriculum of the School of Medicine shall consist of a medical school Curriculum Oversight Committee to provide central oversight and an independent assessment of the School of Medicine curriculum.
Membership on the medical school Curriculum Oversight Committee shall be as follows:
Curriculum Oversight Committee
Chair – Associate Dean, Education: Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment (PAA)
Ex-Officio, non-voting member – Associate Dean, Education: Curriculum
Faculty – Basic Science and Clinical Faculty, voting (n=12)
Education Specialists, non-voting, attendance by invitation of chair, counts in quorum (n=2)
Medical Students, voting, not in quorum count (n=4, one representative/academic year)
Resident, voting, not in quorum count (n=1)
2. Organization and Meetings: The conduct of the Curriculum Oversight Committee meeting is guided by Robert’s Rules of Order.
3. Authority and Responsibility:
The Curriculum Oversight Committee evaluates the effectiveness of the four curricular phases to ensure that the SOM meets its educational objectives. The Committee reviews curricular content, students’ longitudinal clinical experiences, community service, and scholarly activity.
The Committee reviews educational objectives to see that they are met and monitors pedagogy, student performance, teaching faculty, and student evaluations. The Committee will measure the effectiveness of teaching by evaluating outcomes using national norms where appropriate.
The Curriculum Oversight Committee does not create or deliver curricular content. The Committee submits a summative report for each block, thread, clerkship, and track in the curriculum to the School of Medicine Dean. When indicated, the Committee recommends modifications in the curriculum and the distribution of resources under the Mission-Based Management model.
A quorum is defined by the presence of at least seven voting faculty or invited medical educator members. Medical student members share two full votes, but their attendance does not count toward the achievement of a quorum. One resident physician (a member of a School of Medicine residency training program) participates with a full vote, but his/her presence also does not count toward the achievement of a quorum. Motions placed before the Committee will be decided by simple majority vote. The Committee chair votes only to break a tie.
Faculty committee members are appointed by the Dean with the approval of the member’s department chair. The faculty member’s term of service on the Committee is two years. This term may be renewed at the discretion of the School of Medicine Dean. Student committee members are appointed by the Committee Chair with the approval of the Associate Dean for Education: Student Affairs, in consultation with Class Officers. The resident physician committee member is appointed by the Committee Chair with the approval of the appropriate clinical department chair. Medical students and the resident physician each serve one year, non-renewable terms.
The Associate Dean for Education: Professionalism, Accountability and Assessment chairs the Curriculum Oversight Committee. As deemed necessary or important, the Chair may invite individuals with specific expertise to participate in Committee meetings or evaluation activities. These individuals do not have voting privileges.
4. Appeals: The decisions of the Curriculum Oversight Committee are to be considered final; however, upon the request of the Dean or of any three members of the Executive Committee, any item decided upon by the Curriculum Oversight Committee shall be brought to the Executive Committee for discussion. A decision of the Curriculum Oversight
Committee may be overridden by a three-quarters vote of the Executive Committee members in attendance, provided a quorum is present.
Promotions Committee
1. Composition: The standing committee on promotions of the School of Medicine shall consist of a medical school Promotions Committee to evaluate the overall performance of each medical student at the end of each academic year and to recommend the promotion to the next educational phase. The Committee also nominates medical students for certification of graduation upon review and certification that they have satisfactorily completed the medical school curriculum.
Membership on the medical school Promotions Committee shall be as follows:
Promotions Committee:
Chair – Associate Dean, Education: Professionalism, Accountability, Assessment, voting
Associate Dean, Education: Curriculum, voting
Faculty – Basic Science and Clinical Faculty, voting (n=12)
Education Specialists, non-voting—invited by chair (n=2)
Medical Students, voting—not in quorum count (n=4, one representative/academic year)
Resident, voting—not in quorum count (n=1)
2. Organization and Meetings: The conduct of the Promotions Committee meeting is guided by Roberts’ Rules of Order.
3. Authority and Responsibility: The Promotions Committee monitors medical students’ academic performance, ethical conduct, and progress through the medical school curriculum. If a student fails (F) or receives an incomplete (I) in a block, course, longitudinal clinical experience, clerkship or learning experience and/or fails to uphold the Code of Ethics and/or demonstrates lapses in professionalism, she/he will be presented to the Promotions Committee. Students with delayed course completion may also be so presented.
The Promotions Committee has the authority to impose an academic action based on a student’s performance in a course or clerkship, a USMLE licensing examination, delayed course completion, and/or failures in attitude, failure to uphold the Code of Ethics and/or lapses in professionalism. The Committee has the authority to consider and approve remediation recommendations made by a course or clerkship director, faculty member or department in response to a student failing a course or clerkship. Neither course directors nor clerkship directors may implement remedial procedures without approval of the Promotions Committee.
The Promotions Committee considers a student’s entire academic record, overall professional development, and behavior and attitude in deciding the appropriate academic action. The Committee has the authority to impose academic actions, including, but not limited to, clerkship remediation, additional educational activities, repeat of an academic year, extended curriculum, leave of absence, academic probation, formal reprimand, and/or dismissal from medical school.
Should the Promotions Committee decide that a student’s lapse in professionalism or failure to uphold the Medical Student Code of Ethics warrants action, options include, but are not limited to, formal reprimand, probation, suspension, and/or dismissal from medical school.
Promotions Committee Academic Actions
Some academic actions are automatic, as described below. With regard to actions that are not automatic, the Promotions Committee may impose any of the following:
Academic Probation: Students may be placed on academic probation for unit, course or clerkship failure, delayed course completion (even if no failing or incomplete grades have been issued), failure of a required licensing examination, and failure in attitude and/or professionalism. Students will remain on academic probation until the deficiencies have been corrected or the conditions set by the Promotions Committee have been satisfied.
Leave of Absence: Students are expected to complete their medical education in four consecutive years. However, the Promotions Committee may impose a leave of absence as an academic action so that a student may address a personal or health issue that impacts his/her academic success.
Dismissal: The Promotions Committee may dismiss a student when the student:
a. Has demonstrated a consistent pattern of substandard academic performance. This would include, for example, a history of delayed course completion, unit/course/clerkship failure(s), and/or failure(s) of a USMLE examination.
b. Has demonstrated character, personality or behavior unsuitable for the practice of medicine, lacks motivation or is emotionally unstable. This includes, but is not limited to, substance abuse, aggression, abusiveness, cheating, etc.
c. See automatic actions below.
Automatic Actions
The following academic actions are automatic and shall be imposed by the Promotions Committee after confirming that the facts that serve as the basis for the automatic action actually occurred, e.g., a student did in fact fail three courses in one curriculum year.
Academic Probation: Academic probation is automatic when a medical student receives an incomplete (I) or failure (F) in a required unit, course, clerkship, or learning experience, and/or fails the USMLE Step 1, Step 2CK, or Step 2CS examination.
Dismissal for Multiple Course Failures: Dismissal is an automatic action imposed by the Promotions Committee if a student fails three required courses or clerkships (or combination) in a curriculum phase.
Dismissal for USMLE Licensing Exam Failures: Dismissal is an automatic action imposed by the Promotions Committee if a student fails any one USMLE licensing exam (Step 1, Step 2CK, or Step 2CS) three times.
Neither course directors nor clerkship directors may implement remedial procedures without approval of the Promotions Committee.
Appointments, Promotion, Retention, and Tenure Committee
1. Composition: This committee shall include four tenured professors from basic science departments, four tenured professors from clinical departments, one “at large” tenured professor, one clinical professor and one research professor from any department, one fourth year medical student and one representative from the School of Medicine graduate students, housestaff or postdoctoral fellows. The chair of the committee shall be elected by the committee at its annual organizational meeting.
2. Election: The Dean shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of three faculty members in the rank of associate or assistant professor and one medical student.
The nominating committee shall submit nominations at the annual meeting of the College Council. The nominating committee shall also nominate at least one student in his last year of medical school and at least one representative from among the School of Medicine graduate students, housestaff or postdoctoral fellows to maintain student representation on the committee. Appropriate nominations may also be submitted from the floor.
Voting by the College Council shall be by closed ballot.
Faculty members thus elected shall serve three-year terms; the student members thus elected shall serve one-year terms.
3. Function: The Appointments, Promotions, Retention, and Tenure Committee shall consider the following actions:
a. All new appointments except visiting faculty positions and volunteer adjunct positions.
b. All promotions within all faculty tracks.
c. All tenure actions.
d. All reviews that recommend termination.
e. Tenure track retention reviews if requested by the faculty member or the department.
f. All appointment and retention files referred by the Dean.
Majority vote of the total membership of the committee shall be required for action.
Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee
1. Composition: This committee shall include five faculty members, three tenured and two nontenured. Two of the tenured members shall be elected by the College Council and one nontenured faculty member will be elected by the College Council. The Dean will appoint one tenured faculty member and one nontenured faculty member to this committee. Members will serve for three years in a staggered manner. At the first meeting, the committee shall elect a chairperson from its membership.
No students will be members of this committee.
2. Election: The Dean shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of three faculty members in the rank of professor, associate professor or assistant professor.
The nominating committee shall submit nominations at the annual meeting of the College Council. Nominations will be made to replace faculty members of the Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee who are retiring from the committee.
Appropriate representatives in the categories outlined above will be nominated to maintain the composition of the committee, i.e., three tenured faculty, two nontenured. The Dean’s appointment will be made from the regular faculty of the School of Medicine. Faculty members will be elected to serve three years.
Voting by the College Council shall be by closed ballot.
3. Function: This committee will hear appeals brought to its attention by faculty members being reviewed who disagree with the conclusions or recommendations made by the departmental Tenured Faculty Review Committee and any sanctions imposed by the department chair.
The Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee will review all documents provided by the department and, in addition, may ask participants to appear before it to solicit further information. In addition, the Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee may solicit new information from within the School of Medicine and from without.
Once the Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee has obtained all the information they deem necessary, they will review all documents including the department recommendation and assess it for fairness, completeness, feasibility of remedial action, and other substantive issues. After this review has been carried out, an evaluation and a recommendation will be made by the Tenured Faculty Review Appeals Committee and shall be forwarded to the Dean for final action.