Governance

Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Charter & Bylaws

Approved by:

  • School of Medicine College Council, August 2, 2019. 
  • Academic Senate Executive Committee, August 19, 2019
  • Presented for the Information of the Academic Senate, August 26, 2019

Charter Outline

  • Article I: Officers of Administration
    • The Dean
    • Department Chairs
    • Chiefs of Free-standing Divisions
  • Article II: The School of Medicine Executive Committee
    • Functions
    • Responsibilities
    • Composition
    • Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes
  • Article III: The School of Medicine College Council
    • Functions
    • Responsibilities
    • Composition
    • Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes
  • Article IV: College Council Standing Committees
    • Structure Organized by Mission (Vice Dean Reporting Line)
    • Admissions Committee
    • Curriculum Committee
    • Medical Student Promotions Committee
    • Academic Appeals Committee
    • Graduate Medical Education Committee
    • Continuing Medical Education Committee
    • Faculty Appointment, Review, and Advancement Committee (FARAC)
    • Research Committee
    • Academic Culture and Community Committee

Preface: This document constitutes the College Charter of the School of Medicine, as required by University Policies 6-001 and 6-003, and describes other aspects of governance within the School of Medicine (“SOM”).

The SOM is a multi-Department college within the academic unit governance structure of the University of Utah (“University”), and includes academic Departments as well as free-standing Divisions, as are described in University Policy 6-001 (Academic Units and Academic Governance).

Article I: Officers of Administration

The Dean

The Dean is the senior administrative officer and chief academic officer of the University of Utah School of Medicine (SOM). The Dean reports to the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences (SVPHS) of the University of Utah (University). In some cases, the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences is appointed to both the Senior Vice President and Dean positions (see Section I-A.3 of this document).

  1. Dean responsibilities:
    1. Demonstrate positive, constructive leadership.
    2. Oversee the development and implementation of the SOM strategic plan, in alignment with University, Health Sciences and health system goals, and guided by national benchmarks and aspirational peers.
    3. Oversee the effectiveness of the leadership team and engage in effective succession planning.
    4. Oversee the development and implementation of SOM and University policies.
    5. Recommend to the SVPHS and the University President appointments of all SOM Department Chairs and Chiefs of free-standing Divisions, after advice by appropriate faculty search committees or the SOM Executive Committee (SOMEC).
    6. Appoint Vice, Associate, and Assistant Deans.
    7. Make recommendations regarding each appointment, reappointment, retention, promotion, or tenure decision for all SOM faculty members.
    8. Oversee the preparation of the annual SOM operating budget.
    9. Ensure the efficient use of SOM space and resources.
    10. Report to the SVPHS the work and needs of the SOM as part of the annual budget review process.
    11. Oversee the admission and education of SOM students and trainees.
    12. Oversee programs that review and provide professional development for faculty and staff.
    13. Carry out all responsibilities of an academic college Dean as described in University Policies 2-005 and 6-001.
  2. In addition, the Dean or the Dean’s Designee shall:
    1. Appoint the Chair of the SOMEC.
    2. Serve as an ex-officio member of College Council and its standing committees (except the Faculty Appointment, Review, and Advancement Committee – see Section IV-H.1 of this document).
    3. Oversee the review, analysis, and implementation of educational, research, clinical, and administrative programs of the School of Medicine.
    4. Appoint members of committees of the School of Medicine.
    5. Approve all applications for grant monies for the support of teaching, training, and research sponsored by the School of Medicine prior to submission.
  3. Selection: The SVPHS shall recommend the Dean for appointment by the University President, selecting from a panel recommended by a search committee appointed by the SVPHS. The search committee will be made up of SOM faculty and others, as determined by the SVPHS. If a single individual is to be appointed to both positions – as the SVPHS and also the Dean of the School of Medicine, then the selection for the dual appointment is made by the University President and both positions report to the President. (See University Policy 2-005 Officers of the University).

Department Chairs

  1. Department Chair responsibilities:
    1. Demonstrate positive, constructive leadership.
    2. Define strategic direction of the Department, in alignment with University, SOM, and health system goals, guided by national benchmarks and aspirational peers, and successfully implement the strategy.
    3. Oversee the effectiveness of the Departmental leadership team and engage in effective succession planning.
    4. Oversee the work, space, and resources assigned to the Department.
    5. Oversee the implementation of University policies that affect the Department, and the budgeting and expenditure of Departmental resources.
    6. Represent the Department in its official business.
    7. Nominate Department faculty for promotions, awards, and committee service.
    8. Oversee the Departmental Practice Plan and faculty salary adjustments.
    9. Oversee the research, educational and clinical activity of the Department.
    10. Make recommendations regarding each appointment, reappointment, retention, promotion, or tenure decision for all Departmental faculty members.
    11. Oversee the professional development and the formal and informal review of faculty members, and ensure that reviews of tenured faculty are carried out in accord with University Policy 6-321.
    12. Collaborate with other SOM and Health Sciences leaders in support of overall system goals.
    13. Carry out all responsibilities of an academic Department Chair as described in University Policies 2-005 and 6-001.
  2. Selection: Each academic Department Chair is appointed by the University President, on the recommendation of the Dean and SVPHS, and reports to the Dean.

Chiefs of Free-Standing Divisions

For the purposes of academic governance relevant to this charter, a free-standing Division has functions similar to that of an academic Department, and the Chief of a free-standing Division is selected through a process similar to, and has responsibilities similar to, those of a Department Chair. (Note that the SOM also includes non-free-standing divisions, which are situated within an academic Department and administratively report through the Department Chair). See University Policy 6-001.

Article II: School of Medicine Executive Committee

Functions

The School of Medicine Executive Committee (SOMEC) serves as an advisory body to the Dean for SOM strategy, budget, education, research, and clinical affairs. The SOMEC reports to the Dean.

Responsibilities

  1. Oversee the periodic review and update of the SOM strategic plan and its implementation.
  2. Oversee the periodic review of education and research programs within the SOM, and make recommendations for their continuous improvement.
  3. Budget and alignment: Oversee SOM Departmental and Unit annual operating budgets, including budget structure, distribution of state funds, salary equity, and alignment with University and Health System goals.
  4. Provide updates to the College Council at each regular meeting.
  5. Create ad-hoc committees and assume other duties as assigned.
  6. Faculty appointments of Tenure-line and Career-line Faculty and award of tenure at time of appointment: The SOMEC, acting in conjunction with the FARAC (as described below in Section IV-H.1 of this document) functions in part as both a standing college faculty appointments advisory committee (under University Policy 6-302-III-E), and a college RPT advisory committee (under Policy 6-303-III-G), with these specific responsibilities to provide advice to the Dean:
    1. Initial appointments: Except for volunteer (unpaid) and Paid Adjunct faculty appointments, the SOMEC (as appointments advisory committee) will consider and make recommendations to the Dean for all initial faculty appointments, in any faculty category (Tenure-line, Career-line, or Visiting), at any rank (from Instructor through Professor).
      1. For an initial appointment approved (as to faculty category, rank and durational term) with unanimous support by the SOM Faculty Appointment, Review, and Advancement Committee (FARAC) the SOMEC members will ordinarily review the case through email or other electronic means without an in-person meeting. If there is not unanimous support from FARAC on an appointment, SOMEC will hold an in-person meeting to discuss the proposed appointment. In either case, SOMEC will then conduct its voting for a recommendation via electronic ballot.
      2. If the SOMEC vote does not result in unanimous support of the appointment (or if the appointment has otherwise been flagged for further discussion by a Department chair or any member of the SOMEC), that appointment will be scheduled for presentation at an in-person SOMEC meeting, and following that discussion SOMEC will vote again on the appointment recommendation either at the meeting or subsequently through electronic ballot, and the results of that vote will be reported to the Dean.
    2. Award of Tenure at the time of initial appointment: Every case involving granting of Tenure at time of initial appointments (even if unanimously supported by FARAC) will be presented at an in-person meeting to SOMEC, which (acting as college RPT advisory committee, Policy 6-303) will then make a recommendation to the Dean regarding the granting of Tenure. After SOMEC’s recommendation is added to the file, the Dean makes a recommendation which is added to the file, and the file moves on to for consideration by the University Promotion Tenure Advisory Committee (UPTAC) and the SVPHS (and see Policy 6-303 for details of the remaining steps).

Composition

  1. Chair, Vice Chair, and immediate past-Chair:
    1. The Dean shall appoint one of the current SOMEC voting members (selected as described below) as SOMEC Chair. The Dean shall appoint the SOMEC Vice Chair, selected from either current SOMEC voting members or a new member who has not previously served on the SOMEC. The goal is for the Vice Chair to serve one year and then be appointed as Chair for the following year (with voting rights in both years), The Chair shall serve for one year (and then serve an additional year, as immediate past-Chair, in a non-voting capacity for that third year). The goal is for the Chair to be from a Basic Science Department and then from a Clinical Department, in alternating years.
  2. Eight Department Chairs (voting):
    1. Eight faculty members (Tenure-line or Career-line) currently serving as Department Chairs or free-standing Division Chiefs (half elected by the Chairs and Chiefs, and half appointed by the Dean, all for staggered three-year terms). No restriction on election/ appointment to multiple consecutive terms. 
  3. Two Deans (voting):
    1. Two (Tenure-line or Career-line) faculty members currently serving in the following positions (for terms for the duration of the positions):
      1. Vice Dean of Education
      2. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
  4. Two faculty members at-large (voting):
    1. Two faculty members at-large (not currently serving in a chair/chief/decanal position), who are appointed by the Dean, one of whom is a Tenure-line faculty member of Associate Professor or Professor rank, and one a full-time Career-line faculty member of Associate Professor or Professor rank (three-year terms, staggered). Although there is no restriction on appointment to multiple consecutive terms, the Dean will typically seek to broaden the SOMEC perspectives by appointing new members.
  5. Chair of the SOM College Council (voting)
  6. Ex-officio (non-voting):
    1. Immediate past-Chair of SOMEC
    2. The Dean of the SOM
    3. The CFO of Health Sciences
    4. The University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics CEO
    5. The SOM Associate Dean of Finance
  7. Guests:
    1. Any Department Chairs or Vice/Associate/Assistant Deans of the School of Medicine who are not otherwise voting members may attend the meetings, without voting privileges. The Dean may invite other persons to attend as guests without voting privileges, including Hospital and UUMG leaders, as needed.

Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes

  1. Meetings: The SOMEC shall meet regularly, as scheduled by the SOMEC Chair or the Dean. An agenda shall be prepared by the SOMEC Chair and distributed to the SOMEC voting and ex-officio members and all SOM Department Chairs and Chiefs of free-standing Divisions in advance of regular meetings.
  2. Quorum: A simple majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum. For consideration of any faculty personnel action (appointment/ RPT) any member who is from the same Department as the faculty member being considered and has voted on the case at the Department level shall be recused from SOMEC voting on that case.
  3. Minutes: Meeting minutes shall be recorded and distributed to voting and ex officio members and to all Department Chairs and Chiefs of free-standing Divisions following each meeting. Minutes of sessions shall be made available to all faculty and staff of the School of Medicine using the University intranet, Pulse).

Article III: School of Medicine College Council

Functions

The University of Utah School of Medicine (SOM) College Council (“the Council”) shall formulate policies and make decisions relating to College and Department and division affairs to the extent authorized by University Regulations.  It advises the administration of the University and the SOM of the views of the faculty and students of the SOM, and receives and disseminates information to the faculty and students of the SOM, directly and through their elected representatives on the Council.  It serves the functions and has the authority and responsibilities generally prescribed for college councils within the system of shared governance of the University as described in University Policies 6-001 and 6-003:

“The faculty of each …academic college…shall have, subject to the approval of the Academic Senate and appeal to the University faculty, jurisdiction over all questions of educational policy affecting that academic unit, including requirements for entrance, graduation, and major, and prescribed subjects of study.” Policy 6-001-III-B-3-a.

“A college council shall be organized and shall function within each academic college…  A college council shall formulate policies and exercise primary authority to make decisions relating to college and Department affairs to the extent authorized by Policy 6-001 and other University Regulations. All actions taken by a college council shall be reviewable by the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate in accordance with criteria approved by the Senate, and shall be subject to the power of the Academic Senate to establish uniform policies and take final action on all matters of University concern.” Policy 6-003-III-A

Responsibilities

  1. Formulate policies and make policy decisions relating to governance of the SOM.
  2. Oversee curriculum of SOM departments, the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI), and the MS in Health Professions Education, outside of Undergraduate Medical Education (MD Program/medical students) and Graduate Medical Education (medical residents and fellows).
  3. Advise administration of University and SOM.
  4. Receive and disseminate information to faculty and students of the SOM.

Composition

In accord with Policy 6-003 providing for the college faculty to choose either a plenary or a broadly representative structure for the faculty constituting their council, the SOM faculty adopt the following representative structure of the SOM College Council, implementing the University’s fundamental principles regarding shared-governance. These principles include the provision of Policy 6-300 The University Faculty -- Categories and Ranks: 

III-B-2.b. “…it is a fundamental principle of the University's commitment to shared governance that Tenure-line faculty members shall have the primary roles in shared governance activities, including setting of academic policies within departments and colleges through majority voting roles on college councils (Policy 6-003) and department and college academic committees, and University-wide through majority voting roles on the Academic Senate and Senate committees (Policy 6-002), the Graduate and Undergraduate Councils (Policy 6-001), and other appropriate University academic committees.”

  1. Chair, Vice Chair, and immediate Past Chair:
    1. Voting members of the Council shall annually elect a Chair and Vice Chair, from among the existing voting faculty members. Typically, after a first year as Vice Chair, the individual will be elected to serve as Chair for the second year. Both Vice-Chair and Chair retain those voting rights applicable for them as elected voting faculty members. After a year as Chair the individual will then assume the role of the immediate Past Chair for a year, as a non-voting advisory member of the Council. Thus, leading the Council is typically a three-year commitment (one year as Vice Chair, one year as Chair, and one year as Past Chair).
  2. Thirty-two faculty member representatives (voting):
    1. Twenty-two voting faculty members are proportional to the total number of Departments and free-standing Divisions in the School of Medicine (1:1 ratio). These faculty members are elected by the voting faculty (all Tenure-line and Career-line of at least .50 FTE) (all Tenure-Line) in their home Departments to represent the Department at College Council meetings, and with their Council voting responsibilities.
    2. Ten voting faculty members will be elected at large (Tenure-Line) from the combined SOM tenure-line faculty. The 10 tenure-line faculty is for the purpose of the SOM College Council to meet with the University Policy 6-300.III.B.b.
      “While faculty members in the Career-line category shall have appropriate roles in shared governance as further described in this Policy Section III-D, it is a fundamental principle of the University's commitment to shared governance that Tenure-line faculty members shall have the primary roles in shared governance activities, including setting of academic policies within departments and colleges through majority voting roles on college councils (Policy 6-003) and department and college academic committees, and University-wide through majority voting roles on the Academic Senate and Senate committees (Policy 6-002), the Graduate and Undergraduate Councils (Policy 6-001), and other appropriate University academic committees.”
    3. These 32 faculty members (Tenure-line or Career-line) are required to have held Tenure-line or Career-line faculty appointments within the SOM for three years or more at the time of the election. Administrative officers of the SOM or University at the level of Department Chair/freestanding Division Chief, Associate Dean, or higher are not eligible. There is no restriction on a faculty member simultaneously serving as an elected member of the Council and as a member of the University’s Academic Senate.
    4. Members serve staggered three-year terms. There is no restriction on being elected to multiple consecutive terms. [Special Note: The Dean’s office shall devise a process for achieving the staggering of terms in the initial years of implementing the 2019 revised Charter.]
  3. Student and house staff representatives (voting):
    1. Two, consisting of the one SOM student representative to the ASUU Student Senate and Academic Senate (term and election as per ASUU rules) and one member serving on the SOM Faculty Appointment Review and Advancement Committee as representative of the graduate students, house officers or non-faculty postdoctoral fellows (term and selection as described in Section IV-H for the FARA Committee).
  4. Ex-officio (non-voting):
    1. Vice/Associate Dean Faculty/Academic Affairs, Associate Dean, Faculty Development & Education
    2. Associate Vice President, Academic Culture and Community 
    3. Chair, SOMEC

Meetings, Quorum, Agenda, and Minutes

  1. Meetings:
    1. Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the Council will be held quarterly. Meetings are open to all SOM faculty members and all SOM administrative officers not otherwise serving as ex officio on the Council, unless the Council votes to go into closed session, as permitted by University Regulations and applicable law.
    2. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Council will be held at the request of the SOM Dean, Chair of the Council, or any five voting members of the Council.
  2. Quorum: A quorum is one more than half the voting members. Once a quorum is present, a simple majority of those voting is required to carry a motion.
  3. Agenda and Minutes:
    1. The agenda shall be developed by the Chair of the Council. A Council member, the Chair of a Council committee, or any faculty member may suggest agenda items. Any five voting members of the Council may add an item to the agenda as new business. Items of new business should be submitted to the Chair at least two weeks before the meeting when the item of new business will be discussed.
    2. The Council Chair, or Vice Chair, will notify SOM faculty members of meetings, notify appropriate committees and individuals of actions taken by the Council, and distribute the agenda and minutes for each Council meeting. The agenda and minutes will be disseminated in a timely manner to all Council voting and ex-officio members and all SOMEC members. Prior to all College Council meetings, the agendas shall be made available. Following all College Council meetings, the minutes shall be made available.

Article IV: College Council Standing Committees

Admissions Committee [MD Program]

  1. Function
    1. The [MD] Admissions Committee establishes the criteria and procedures for the admission of medical students to the University of Utah School of Medicine.
    2. The Committee selects medical school candidates for admission to the SOM who will become excellent physicians who contribute to the welfare of the profession and serve the health care needs of the community.
  2. Authority
    1. This authority is derived from the Dean and through this College Charter. The [MD] Admissions Committee is the only deciding body within the School of Medicine that has the ability to admit new students into the MD program.
  3. Responsibility
    1. There are two groups who support the Committee in the MD admissions process:
      1. Admissions Staff – who review applications, according to policies set forth by the Admissions Committee, to determine which applicants are invited for further consideration.
      2. Evaluators (interviewers) – who assess and evaluate further the criteria set forth by the [MD] Admissions Committee.
    2. The Committee reviews, discusses, and ranks all interviewed applicants for acceptance, alternate list placement and rejection.
    3. The Committee also reviews and resolves significant application discrepancies, such as criminal background checks, as needed during the admissions process.
    4. The Associate Dean of Admissions and Admissions Committee will assist and be part of joint admissions processes, including the MD-PhD program.
  4. Composition
    1. The Committee voting membership is composed of two groups:
      1. A group of 15-20 SOM physicians, investigators, administrators, instructors, and community representatives. All Tenure-line and Career-line faculty are contacted annually inviting them to apply to join the Committee. New Committee members are appointed by the Dean of Admissions after receiving a majority of votes from existing members of the Admissions Committee. Members in this group are appointed to two-year terms, but can be renewed.
      2. A rotating group of up to five students from the fourth-year medical school class, who serve one-year terms, and are appointed by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
    2. The sizes of the two groups are set and coordinated by the Admissions staff such that those from the first group will make up the majority of the voting members of Committee meetings. Quorum is considered ten voting members.
    3. The Chair of the Admissions Committee is the Assistant/Associate Dean of Admissions (appointed by the Dean of the SOM) who reviews all assessment evaluations, contributes in Committee discussions, and chairs the Committee meetings, but does not vote. 

Curriculum Committee [MD Program]

  1. Function: The Curriculum Committee holds responsibility for creating, overseeing, and managing the medical student education program, and ensuring compliance with all national Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation standards.
  2. Authority: This authority is derived from the Dean as per the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Medical Association (AMA). 
  3. Responsibility
    1. Sets expectations for professional attributes that medical students are expected to attain through the medical student education program.
    2. Defines the competencies and objectives for the medical student education program.
    3. With faculty from the School of Medicine, the Curriculum Committee ensures a coordinated and coherent curriculum by determining curricular content, workload, organization, method of delivery, and the competencies and objectives addressed by each curricular component.
      1. Determines pedagogy and methods of teaching appropriate for each curricular component.
      2. Ensures that methods of curriculum delivery optimize student achievement of curricular competencies and objectives.
      3. Determines the types of patients, conditions, settings for educational experiences, and the level of medical student responsibility.
      4. Reviews, revises if needed, and approves roles and responsibilities for curriculum directors and teaching faculty.
      5. Reviews all feedback and recommendations, and utilizes information to continuously improve the curriculum.
    4. Creates educational policies that advance the curriculum and meet LCME and compliance standards.
  4. Composition
    1. Chair
      1. The Chair will be elected from the Curriculum Committee, elected by the members of the Curriculum Committee and serve a three-year term (one year as Chair-Elect, one year as Chair, one year as immediate Past Chair). In the absence of the Chair, the Past Chair or Chair-Elect will chair the meetings or an acting chair will be appointed by the Associate Dean for Curriculum.
    2. At least ten PhD and MD faculty (voting)
      1. These faculty members (Tenure-line or Career-line) represent courses and core content areas across the [MD/UME] curriculum
      2. Elected to the Committee by the Phase 1-2, Phase 3, Phase 4 subcommittees as well as by the Core Educator Cohort, and will serve three-year terms.
    3. At least six faculty members (voting)
      1. Tenure-line and Career-line
      2. Elected by the SOM Tenure-line and Career-line faculty overall. Three-year term
    4. At least eight medical students (voting)
      1. Two medical students from each year of the program, and at least one representative from the combined degree programs (e.g. the MD-PhD program)
      2. Not included in quorum; one-year term
    5. Resident/Fellow
      1. Optional, not included in quorum; one-year term
    6. The Dean shall annually set the sizes of the various groups and choose from among optional membership provisions, within the above parameters.
    7. Nonvoting, ex-officio members 
      1. Associate Dean of Curriculum
      2. Assistant Dean for clinical curriculum
      3. Assistant Dean for Foundational curriculum
      4. Director of Medical Education
      5. Assistant Dean of Education Quality Improvement
      6. Associate Dean of Student Affairs
      7. Director of Student Affairs
      8. Directors of the Academic Success Program
      9. Associate Dean for Admissions
      10. Associate Dean for Academic Culture and Community
      11. Dean of the School of Medicine
  5. Quorum and Voting: Quorum is defined as 67% of sixteen of the voting faculty members; a two-thirds majority of voting faculty members in attendance are required to pass a motion. 

Medical Student Promotions Committee [MD Program]

  1. Function: The Medical Student Promotions Committee (MD Promotions Committee) monitors medical student academic performance, ethical conduct, and progress through the medical school MD curriculum.
  2. Authority: This authority is derived from the Dean and through this College Charter, and in accord with University Policy 6-400--- Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Neither course directors nor clerkship directors may implement remedial sanctions without approval of the Promotions Committee. The Promotions Committee considers a student’s entire academic record, overall professional development, behavior and attitude in deciding the appropriate academic or promotions sanction. 
  1. Responsibility: Any student who fails to meet expectations in any of these areas will be presented to the Promotions Committee, which has the sole authority within the SOM to impose academic or promotions sanctions, including remediation plans.
    1. Academic sanctions include, but are not limited to, remediation, additional educational activities, repeat of any portion of the curriculum, extended curriculum, leave of absence, academic probation, formal reprimand, probation, suspension, and/or dismissal from the medical school MD Program.
    2. Promotions actions include, but are not limited to, promotion to the next portion of the curriculum and graduation, upon review and certification that a student has satisfactorily completed the medical school MD Program curriculum.
    3. Dismissal is an automatic sanction imposed by the Promotions Committee if a student fails any one USMLE licensing exam (Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 2 CS) three times.
  1. Composition
    1. Chair (votes only in the case of a tie)
      1. One faculty member (Tenure-line or Career-line), appointed by the Dean annually
    2. At least twelve appointed faculty members (voting)
      1. Tenure-line and Career-line faculty representing core content areas of the curriculum. Appointed by the Promotions Committee Chair, in consultation with the Dean. Terms of three years.
    3. Two elected faculty members (voting)
      1. Tenure-line or Career-line faculty, elected by all Tenure-line, and all full-time (at least .75FTE) Career-line SOM faculty, voting altogether. Terms of three years.
    4. Eight medical students (voting)
      1. Two medical students from each year (MS1, MS2, MS3, MS4). Appointed by [the Dean, or the Committee Chair in consultation with the Dean] Terms of one year.
      2. Each student has a half-vote
      3. Not considered in quorum count
    5. Ex-officio (non-voting)
      1. Associate Dean of Curriculum (or Designee)
    6. Non-voting guests
      1. The chair may invite non-voting guests to the meetings (e.g. any Course Director(s) relevant to the student being discussed, Dean’s Office Educational Specialists)
  1. Quorum and Voting: Quorum is defined as at least nine of the voting faculty members; a two-thirds majority of voting faculty members in attendance are required to pass a motion.

Academic Appeals Committee [MD Program]

  1. Function (and college appeals process): Following an academic sanction imposed by the Medical Student Promotions Committee, if a student disagrees with and/or does not accept the action of the Promotions Committee, the student may appeal the matter as described here.
    1. The student must first meet with and discuss the issue with the Chair of the Promotions Committee before a further appeal can occur. This meeting must occur within 20 days of notice being given of the action from the Promotions Committee. If the student and the Chair of the Medical Student Promotion Committee can resolve all the student’s concerns and/or develop an action plan for the student moving forward, these decisions and actions will be documented, and the matter deemed resolved.
    2. If the student and the Chair are unable to resolve the disagreement within 20 days of the notice of action, and/or if the student feels that the Chair does not take the agreed upon action to the student’s satisfaction within ten days of the decision, the student may appeal in writing to the Dean. The Dean or a Dean’s Designee appointed by the Dean, shall then review the decision of the Medical Student Promotions Committee. This appeal to the Dean must be received within 30 days of the receipt of notice given of the decision of the Medical Student Promotions Committee. The Dean (or Dean’s Designee) will evaluate the appeal and provide the student a written decision within 15 days. In this decision, the Dean (or Designee) will state if the Promotions Committee was arbitrary or capricious in its action, and shall take appropriate action to implement his/her decision if the decision of the Promotions Committee is to be changed.
    3. If the Dean (or Designee) does not find the Promotion Committee’s decision to be arbitrary or capricious, the student and/or the Chair of the Promotions Committee may appeal to the School of Medicine [MD Program] Academic Appeals Committee. That appeal must be filed within 15 days of giving of notice of the Dean’s (or Dean’s Designee’s) decision. Additional information related to this process is available in the Medical Student Handbook [currently pages 41-45], and the University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (Policy 6-400).
  2. Authority: The Academic Appeals Committee reports to the Senior Vice President of Health Sciences, and is composed and proceeds in accord with University Policy 6-400.
  3. Responsibility: The responsibility of the Academic Appeals Committee is to provide an impartial assessment of a medical student’s academic sanction and the Promotions Committee’s action to determine if the action is arbitrary or capricious. The Academic Appeals Committee will make recommendations to the SVPHS within 15 days of the Committee meeting.
  4. Composition: (as per Policy 6-400)
    1. Chair
      1. A SOM faculty member (Tenure-line or Career-line) appointed by the Dean of the School of Medicine to serve as a voting faculty member of the Committee for a three-year term, and designated by the Dean as the Committee Chair for all or part of that term. The term limits of the Chair are determined by the Dean.
    2. One SOM faculty member
      1. Tenure-line or Career-line
      2. Appointed by the Chair of the Academic Appeals Committee in consultation with the Dean.
      3. Appointed for staggered three-year terms.
    3. One outside/non-SOM faculty member 
      1. A faculty member from another college, appointed by the Academic Senate Personnel and Elections Committee
      2. Appointed for staggered three-year terms.
    4. Two medical students
      1. One third-year, one fourth-year (MD Program students appointed by the Dean, to serve staggered two-year terms).

Graduate Medical Education Committee [Residents Program]

  1. Function: The Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) oversees and monitors all aspects of medical resident (“resident”) education in accordance with the national Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Institutional, Common, and specialty-specific Review Committee Requirements. The GMEC is responsible for establishing and implementing policies and procedures regarding the quality of education and the learning and work environment for residents in all University of Utah ACGME-accredited and non-accredited graduate medical education programs to assure that residents achieve the ability to practice the highest standard of care in their specialties as independent physicians upon graduation.
  2. Authority: The Graduate Medical Education Committee is a subsidiary of the University Hospital and Clinics System, and therefore reports to the SVPHS. While it works in tandem with the School of Medicine, it does not report to the Dean of the School of Medicine.
  3. Responsibility:
    1. Oversight of:
      1. The ACGME accreditation status of the Sponsoring Institution and each of its ACGME-accredited programs.
      2. The quality of the GME learning and working environment within the Sponsoring Institution, each of its ACGME-accredited programs, and its participating sites.
      3. The quality of educational experiences in each ACGME-accredited program that lead to measurable achievement of educational outcomes as identified in the ACGME Institutional Requirements Common and specialty/subspecialty -specific Program Requirements.
      4. The ACGME-accredited program(s)’ annual program evaluation and self-studies.
      5. All processes related to reductions and closures of individual ACGME -accredited programs, major participating sites, and the Sponsoring Institution.
      6. The provision of summary information of patient safety reports to residents, fellows, faculty members, and other clinical staff members. At a minimum, this oversight must include verification that such summary information is being provided.
    2. Review and approval of:
      1. Institutional GME policies and procedures.
      2. Annual recommendations to the Sponsoring Institution’s administration regarding resident/fellow stipends and benefits.
      3. Applications for ACGME accreditation of new programs.
      4. Requests for permanent changes in resident/fellow complement.
      5. Major changes in each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ structure or duration of education.
      6. Additions and deletions of each of its ACGME-accredited programs’ participating sites.
      7. Appointment of new program directors.
      8. Progress reports requested by a Review Committee.
      9. Responses to Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) reports.
      10. Requests for exceptions to clinical and educational work hour requirements.
      11. Voluntary withdrawal of ACGME program accreditation.
      12. Requests for appeal of an adverse action by a Review Committee.
      13. Appeal presentations to an ACGME Appeals Panel.
    3. Effective oversight of the Sponsoring Institution’s accreditation through an Annual Institutional Review (AIR).
      1. Identification of institutional performance indicators for the AIR
      2. The Designated Institutional Official (DIO) must annually submit a written executive summary of the AIR to the Sponsoring Institution’s Governing Body.
    4. The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of underperforming program(s) through a Special Review process.
      1. The Special Review process must include a protocol that: establishes criteria for identifying underperformance, and results in a report that describes the quality improvement goals, the corrective actions, and the process for GMEC monitoring of outcomes.
  1. Composition:
    1. Chair
      1. Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education
    2. ACGME Designated Institutional Official (DIO)
      1. Faculty member appointed by the ACGME
    3. Director, Office of Graduate Medical Education (or Designee)
    4. Representatives of Major Participating Institutions
      1. George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
      2. Intermountain Healthcare
      3. Primary Children’s Hospital
    5. Seven Program Directors (or Designees) from Core Residency Programs
      1. The Core Residency Programs include: Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry
    6. At least six Program Directors (or Designees) from residency, advanced residency, or fellowship programs
    7. A maximum of eight peer-selected residents
    8. Two peer-selected Program Coordinators
      1. Each Program Coordinator serves a two-year term
    9. Director of Value, Office of Graduate Medical Education
    10. Director of Wellness, Office of Graduate Medical Education
    11. Ex-officio
      1. Chief Medical Officer, University Hospital
      2. Dean, School of Medicine
  1. Quorum, Voting, and Meeting Schedule
    1. For purposes of voting, a quorum of the GMEC shall consist of 50% of the voting members. Matters brought to the GMEC will be decided by a simple majority of all voting members who are in attendance. Voting members are required to attend a minimum of 70% of meetings on an annual basis.
    2. With advanced notification to the GMEC Chair, GMEC members may occasionally designate a proxy. Proxies may exercise the Committee member’s voting privileges. 
    3. Term of appointments to the GMEC will be for one year with the potential for automatic reappointment of individuals with their continuation in the roles listed above and minimum meeting attendance records.
    4. The GMEC will meet monthly, with a goal of ten meetings per year. When an approved holiday falls on the first Monday, the GMEC will meet on the second Monday. There is no meeting in July.

Continuing Medical Education Committee

  1. Function: The Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee acts in an advisory role to the Associate Dean for CME to ensure relevancy of the School of Medicine’s CME enterprise to the School of Medicine and the physicians of the state of Utah. The committee’s role is to foster CME activities that assist physicians in efficiently and effectively carrying out their professional responsibilities. 
  2. Authority: This authority is derived from the Dean of the School of Medicine and through this College Charter.
  3. Responsibility:
    1. Advising on CME planning and strategy.
    2. Identifying areas of educational gaps/needs.
    3. Supporting CME initiatives by providing information to SOM Departments and mobilizing support among School of Medicine faculty.
    4. Reviewing data on CME activities and recommending adjustments to process or policies based on this review.
    5. Assisting in analyzing the degree CME is meeting its stated mission. 
  4. Composition:
    1. Chair
      1. Associate Dean for CME
    2. Manager, CME
    3. Twelve School of Medicine Faculty Members
      1. Appointed by the Associate Dean for CME
      2. Both Tenure-line and Career-line
    4. One College of Pharmacy Faculty Member
      1. Appointed by the Associate Dean for CME
    5. One College of Nursing Faculty Member
      1. Appointed by the Associate Dean for CME
    6. Members-at-large (voting)
      1. Eccles Health Sciences Library representative
      2. University Office of General Counsel representative
      3. Patient Safety representative
      4. Risk Management representative
      5. Value Improvement representative
      6. Accelerate representative

Faculty Appointment, Review, and Advancement Committee (FARAC)

  1. Function: For purposes of University Policies and processes for faculty appointments, and Retention, Promotion, and Tenure actions, the FARAC functions as both a standing college faculty appointments advisory committee (University Policy 6-302-III-E), and a standing college RPT (referred to as FRA in the School of Medicine) advisory committee (Policy 6-303-III-G), and it shares some of those functions with the SOMEC.
  2. Responsibility:
    1. The FARAC shall consider the following actions:
      1. All initial appointments of faculty members, of any faculty category, except Visiting Instructor, volunteer Adjunct and Adjunct faculty positions
      2. All Promotions of faculty members, of the Tenure-line and Career-line faculty categories
      3. All award of Tenure actions for Tenure-track faculty (or award of Tenure at time of initial appointment)
      4. All reviews where Retention of a Tenure-track, or reappointment of a Career-line faculty member, is not recommended by one or more review levels within the Department
      5. A review for Retention of a Tenure-track faculty member, if requested by the faculty member or the Department chair, or majority of the Department RPT Advisory Committee
      6. All appointment/reappointment or Retention files referred by the Dean
  3. Authority: The authority of the FARAC is derived from University Policy 6-302 (Appointments/ Reappointments), Policy 6-303 (RPT of Tenure-line faculty), and Policy 6-310 (Review and Reappointments of Career-line faculty), and further from the SVPHS and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The Committee is advisory to the SVPHS and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
  4. Composition:
    1. Chair
      1. The Chair will be selected at the start of each academic year by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The incoming chair is selected from the pool of current members of the FARAC. The outgoing chair of the committee shall recommend candidates to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The role of the Chair is to provide the Committee’s recommendation to the School of Medicine Executive Committee regarding faculty appointments, promotions, and award of Tenure actions (as detailed below). The Chair retains voting rights.
    2. Eleven faculty members
      1. Three-year staggered terms
      2. Elected by vote of the SOM Tenure-line faculty as a whole
      3. Three Tenured members at the rank of Professors and one Career-line member at the rank of Professor from Basic Science Department
      4. Three Tenured members at the rank of Professors and one Career-line member at the rank of Professor from Clinical Departments
      5. One Tenured member at the rank of Professor at-large from any Department
      6. Two Career-line members at the rank of Professor at-large from any Department
    3. Two student or post-doc representatives
      1. Elected by the Tenure-line faculty in the SOM for one-year terms. Includes one fourth year medical student; and one representative from the SOM graduate students, house officers or non-faculty postdoctoral fellows.
  5. Voting Eligibility Recusal: In accord with the University’s single-vote regulation, under the terms of this SOM Charter and the SOM Statements on FRA and Career-line faculty rules, FARAC members are ineligible to vote at the Departmental level and are instructed to abstain from voting at that level in their home departments on faculty appointments of the Tenure-line and Career-line (and visiting track above the rank of assistant professor) and FRA matters which are to come to the FARAC. Having not voted at the Department level, when the FARAC committee votes on a matter from the member’s home department, the faculty member may participate in discussion and may vote to approve or disapprove, or choose to abstain. 
  6. Further reviews beyond FARAC (roles of University-level committees, described here for convenience).
    1. University Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee (UPTAC) Review: As provided in Policy 6-303, for RPT matters affecting Tenure-line faculty: “Referral of cases to the University committee. The cognizant senior vice president shall forward to the University Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee ("UPTAC") [see Policy 6-304] for its review and recommendation the files in all cases in which … there is a differing recommendation from any of the prior review levels— the interdisciplinary academic program, the Department RPT advisory committee, the Department chairperson, the college RPT advisory committee [e., FARAC], or the college Dean. The cognizant senior vice president, in his/her sole discretion, may also send any other RPT case to UPTAC for its review and recommendations. UPTAC provides advice to the senior vice president.” (Policy 6-303)
    2. University Career-line Reappointment Committee (UCLRC) Review: As provided in Policy 6-310, for reappointments of Career-line faculty: “In any case in which (i) the recommendation received by the vice president is negative as to reappointment, the proposed rank, or the term of duration proposed, and (ii) the candidate within [seven] business days of the Dean's recommendation submits to the senior vice president a request to approve the reappointment/promotion despite that negative recommendation, the senior vice president shall forward the file of the case to the University Career-line Reappointment Committee (UCLRC) for its review and recommendation, and shall suspend acting on the recommendation until receiving the UCLRC report. The senior vice president in his/her sole discretion may also send any other case to the UCLRC for its review and recommendation.” (Policy 6-310) 

Research Committee

  1. Function: The role of the Research Committee, also referred to as the Research Council, is to inform research strategic planning and programmatic investments and advise on research challenges and opportunities.
  2. Authority: The Research Council reports to the Vice Dean for Research, who then reports to the Dean of the SOM.
  3. Responsibility: The Research Council meets two times per month during the September-May months, and as needed during the summer to address Health Sciences research issues, largely focused on School of Medicine. The committee shares a dotted line relationship to the School of Medicine Executive Committee, which may suggest issues for, or receive issues from the Research Council.
  4. Composition:
    1. Chair
      1. Vice Dean for Research or Designee, and Associate Vice President for Research for Health Sciences, if different.
    2. Other members
      1. The Research Council membership is rotating, composed of research faculty leadership from across School of Medicine with one member selected from other Health Sciences colleges. Appointments to the committee are made by the Vice Dean for Research and Associate Vice President for Research, as appropriate.

Article V: Amendments to Charter

The Charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Council members. Voting may be conducted by written ballot, electronic mail, web site, or any similar method.  A least one week’s notice shall be given for the collection of ballots. Approved amendments to the Charter must be ratified by a majority vote of the SOM Tenure-line faculty, and a majority of the full-time (.75 FTE or greater) Career-line faculty, and finally approved by the Academic Senate Executive Committee and then presented for the Information of the Academic Senate (University Policy 6-003).

University Regulations Referenced

  • Policy 2-005 Officers of the University. Rev. 7
  • Policy 6-001 Academic Units and Academic Governance - Roles of Faculties, Committees, Councils, and Academic Senate. Rev. 19
  • Policy 6-003 College Councils, and University Curriculum Policy Review Board. Rev. 6
  • Policy 6-300 The University Faculty---Categories and Ranks. Rev. 18
  • Policy 6-302 Appointments of Faculty. Rev. 8
  • Policy 6-303 Retention, Promotion, and Tenure. Rev. 23
  • Policy 6-304 University Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee. Rev. 2
  • Policy 6-310 Reviews of Career-line, Adjunct, and Visiting Faculty Members, and Other Instructional Personnel (Standards and Procedures). Rev. 3
  • Policy 6-400 Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Rev. 8
  • Policy 6-500 Curriculum Management and Administration. Rev. 0 

Temporary Addendum (for 2019-2020):

Much of the information in this document pertains primarily or exclusively to the MD Program, and the document does not include important governance information relevant for the basic science degree-granting programs of the SOM. It is anticipated that information relevant for those programs should be developed by 2020, When such information has been developed, an amended version of this Charter will be brought forward for approval. That is anticipated to occur by March 1, 2020.

That will mark a third phase in modern updating of the Charter. As a first phase, a version of the Charter was in February 2015 presented to the Academic Senate Executive Committee and provisionally approved for temporary use only, pending presentation of a suitable permanent Charter. The second phase is presented in 2019.