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Vol. XXVI No. 10 March 13, 1996
http://www.umn.edu/urelate/brief/1996-03-13.html
Other issues
Editor: Maureen Smith (612) 624-2801

An international consulting firm has been retained to help in the selection of a successor to President Hasselmo, Regent Reagan said at Friday's meeting. First step is to develop a statement of desired leadership characteristics. Board will hold public meetings on all 4 campuses over the next few months. Recruitment will begin this summer, with selection anticipated early next year, about 3 or 4 months before President Hasselmo retires.

Faculty leaders Carl Adams and John Adams told regents about changes that are planned in the tenure code to improve clarity, flexibility, accountability, and efficiency. Among them: adding an interpretation of what is meant by "reasonably assigned duties," clarifying rules for reassigning faculty to new duties when program- matic change reduces unit size, providing fixed-term contracts for some groups of faculty (e.g., clinicians), permitting extension of the probationary appointment in some areas, establishing a post-tenure review system, expanding the range of consequences when unsatisfactory performance is identified.

Two additional changes would address needs in the Academic Health Center (AHC): recognizing "community needs" as a criterion for tenure and distinguishing the 1996-97 base salaries attached to tenure from other compensation. Dean Cerra said salaries in the Medical School have been 50% from U funds, 25% from sponsored research, and 25% from clinical revenue. Now clinical revenue is way down, he said. Tenure must be tied to a base salary to have substance, he said, but the total salary cannot be guaranteed. The intent is to keep one tenure code for the whole U, he said, but the AHC needs a one-time adjustment in the definition of base salary.

Regent Keffeler said the changes proposed by the faculty are necessary but "may be insufficient." Regents asked for more discussion of unit-based tenure and separating salary from tenure. President Hasselmo, John Adams, Carl Adams, and Dan Farber all argued for U-wide tenure. Timetable calls for specific language changes to be presented at a faculty forum March 14, discussion at U Senate meetings April 18, two senate meetings for action May 16 and May 30, and a proposed code to go to the regents June 14.

Fairview merger and its impact on the Medical School was another big topic. Much funding of medical education has come from clinical revenue, Dean Cerra said, and with loss of revenue, the school faces serious financial problems. Fairview merger would not solve all the problems but would help by providing access to patients, he said. Success of the Fairview venture is not assured, and general counsel Mark Rotenberg said there will be an "exit strategy" to get out of the deal if necessary, but that would not be a desirable outcome. Provost Brody said the only alternative to a Fairview deal would be to take back the assets and close U Hospital.

Front-page story in the StarTribune said the Medical School lost $23.5 million in the first half of this fiscal year, but VP Jackson said the reporter added together 3 unrelated totals, including U Hospital and depart- mental practice plans. Medical School projects a deficit of about $8 million, she said.

Major challenge in human resources is to "balance the rights and responsibilities of the institution and its funders with the rights and responsibilities of the work force," Chuck Denny said in presenting a report from the working group he chairs. With about 75% of the U's operations and maintenance budget going for compensation, "you are about as people-intensive an institution as you will ever get," he said. "A highly motivated, enthusiastic, well-trained, well-compensated work force will probably give you a minimum of 25% more results." Denny, retired chair of the board of ADC Telecommunications, is contributing his time to the U.

Building trust and respect will create a climate in which people know they are "all in one boat together," Denny said. Despite problems, the report says, a large number of dedicated employees "strive to give their best for an institution in which they deeply believe and to which they are fiercely loyal."

Ambitious project to redesign student systems was described to the regents. Instead of just replacing a computer system, the project team chose to "build a new vision first," said Roberta Armstrong, director of Student and Office Systems Support. Idea is to create systems for convenience of students, not for convenience of administrators. "We're positioning ourselves to succeed, because we can't afford to fail," Armstrong said. Project must be completed before the beginning of semesters and the year 2000, said associate VP Robert Kvavik.

Donna Peterson, director of state relations, gave the regents a legislative update. Supplemental funding for the Academic Health Center is in conference committee, and discussion will probably focus on the language on tenure in the house bill. House and senate committees will have to get back to work soon on their bonding bills. Steam plant issue "doesn't go away," Peterson said. An amendment to block the steam plant was removed from one bill, then reoffered and defeated after a long debate. Two similar amendments were offered to the tax bill; one was with- drawn and one ruled not germane. Legislators may finish their work in late March or early April.

Regents heard about campus master plan for Duluth. Goals include defining a clear entry and visitor image, preserving the long views to Lake Superior, and maintaining the compactness of the campus. Chancellor Martin said planners kept in mind that "we sit in the middle of a neighborhood." Planners gave instant cameras to students and staff and asked them to take pictures of favorite spots and areas needing improvement.

Proposed Gateway/Alumni Center, intended to "create a true gateway to the Twin Cities campus" for alumni and visitors, was described to the regents. The center, contingent on private fund-raising, would be constructed on Oak Street between University and Washington Avenues.

Provost Brody is a candidate for the presidency of Johns Hopkins, he acknowledged Monday in a letter to Academic Health Center (AHC) faculty. He said he wants to explore the possibility, even though it is not easy for him to consider "even the possibility of leaving the University of Minnesota, especially now." He said he is "deeply committed" to the success of the AHC, and "whatever happens with Hopkins," the leadership is in place "to ensure the success of reengineering, the Fairview affiliation, and the legislative agenda."

Legal and accounting expenses incurred by the U related to the MALG program and Dr. John Najarian were released last week. Total is $7.1 million. Largest amounts are $3.1 million for the U's investigation of the MALG program's financial and legal difficulties and $2.6 million for responding to multiple federal grand jury subpoenas.

Issues of the semester conversion project newsletter 3 to 2 are available on the World Wide Web at http://www .opa.pres.umn.edu. Link is under Special Projects, Semesters.

CROOKSTON--President Hasselmo will be at UMC March 20. He will participate in a press briefing, student convocation, faculty technology demonstration, and donor luncheon.

"Costa Rica: People and Nature" is the theme for international series March 18, with ethnic dinner at 6 p.m. and program led by Daniel and Vicki Svedarsky at 7 p.m. Cost for dinner is $7; call (218) 281-8586.

DULUTH--Events: Shakespeare's The Tempest runs through March 24 in the Dudley Experimental Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, UMD alumni, and faculty, $6 for students and children under 12; call (218) 726-8561. ÿ UMD International Club will host the 28th annual Feast of Nations March 23, 4-9:30 p.m. Theme is "Citizens of the World." Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, $8 for children; call (218) 726-8738.

MORRIS--Western and central Minnesota, including Morris, Alexandria, and St. Cloud and thus UMM, will soon have an area code change, from 612 to 320. Permissive dialing of the new code will begin March 17. Mandatory dialing of the new code will begin Sept. 15.

UNICEF exhibit, "Girls and Girlhood: A Perilous Path," will be on display in the University Room of Oyate Hall in the Student Center through April 5. Exhibit is a startling overview of how girl children are treated worldwide, and what is being done about it. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m., free.

TWIN CITIES--Appointments: Interim dean Edith Leyasmeyer has been named dean of the School of Public Health. "She has been doing a deanly job for a long, long time," VP Infante told the regents. Provost Brody said the appointment was overdue, and Regent Keffeler hailed it as good news.Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Graduate Program in Bioethics at the Medical College of Wisconsin, was named director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics. He will begin in August. Arthur Caplan was director from 1987 to 1994. "Kahn has been sought after by prestigious institutions," Dean Cerra said. "It's a major thing to get him."

Events: "From Reality to Virtuality: New Tools for Distributed Learning," an educational satellite broadcast, will be March 21, 1:30-3 p.m., 140 Nolte Center, free, no registration required.Jonathan Weiner will present "The Impact of Managed Care on U.S. Physician Workforce Requirement" for the Health Services Research Seminar Series March 21, 2:30-4 p.m., 2-530 Moos Tower, free; for information call (612) 624-6151.Grad Fest '96 will be April 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and April 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in Great Hall, Coffman Union. Graduating students are encouraged to attend to get "everything you need for graduation and beyond."