Governance

The Medical School's shared governance model is outlined and defined in the constitution and bylaws (see the University's College Constitutions & Bylaws page) 

This constitution establishes a framework for communication and collaboration among Medical School faculty members, students, professionals-in-training, administrators, and staff members by defining the roles, responsibilities, and organization of these various parties. It gives all members of the Medical School a voice in the affairs of the School, and defines the mechanisms for shared governance.

Faculty Governance Call for Nominations | Due Apr. 2

The Medical School is seeking 25 faculty members to serve on the Faculty Senate, as well as faculty members to serve on school-wide committees and councils. Faculty members may nominate themselves or be nominated for governance positions by submitting a short biography and a statement about their interest and/or experience relevant to committee service. OFA will verify eligibility and prepare a list of nominated faculty members to be presented to the Faculty Assembly for an electronic vote. Elected members will serve three-year terms (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2027). Information about the committees and councils can be found through the dropdown above. 

The Office of Faculty Affairs is seeking faculty nominations for the following positions: 

  • Faculty Senate - 25 elected positions 
  • Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Council (APTC) - 1 elected position [professor, academic track] 
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (DEIC) - 5 elected positions 
  • Medical Student Admissions Committee (MSAC) - 25 elected positions 
  • Medical Student Education Committee (MSEC) - 5 elected positions [including representatives from Duluth, Twin Cities and MSTP]

Submit a Nomination/Self-Nomination

Faculty Assembly

The Faculty Assembly is an integral part of the Medical School. It opens doors for faculty to be engaged in its diverse affairs. Through the Faculty Assembly, faculty work collectively to pursue excellence and achieve the Medical School’s mission: to enhance the health of people by educating skilled, compassionate and socially responsible physicians.

The Faculty Assembly is responsible for all academic affairs and internal policies of the Medical School, including entrance requirements, curricula, instruction, examinations, grading, degrees and disciplinary matters not within the jurisdiction of the All-University Disciplinary Committee.

Meeting at least once a year, the Faculty Assembly also receives reports and recommendations from the various councils and committees established in the Medical School’s constitution and bylaws (See University's College Constitutions & Bylaws site).

2024 Faculty Assembly

Tuesday, May 21, 2024
12-1pm     
In Person & Zoom (HSEC 3-150)     

Electronic vote will be sent to eligible faculty members following the Faculty Assembly.

RSVP to receive a calendar invitation

Faculty Assembly Timeline

Feb. 27 | Deadline for number of committee/council seats open for election
Mar. 12 | Nominations invited for committee/council open seats
Apr. 2 | Deadline for nominations for committee/council open seats
Apr. 26 | Committee/council reports to Faculty Assembly due
May 6 | Faculty Assembly business items published
May 21-Jun. 5 | Faculty vote conducted

Track Statement Task Forces

The Medical School has initiated three task forces to lead efforts to review and propose revisions to each respective Track Statement for criteria and review of tenure and/or promotion for faculty members. The task forces' efforts focus primarily on the following: 

  1. Review of a respective track statement for the Medical School to provide consistency in promotion criteria in all areas 
  2. Develop clear and consistent criteria for service activities, including diversity and inclusion, public engagement and mentoring at the department, college and university levels 
  3. Identify gaps, if any, in the promotion criteria 

Timeline: Each task force will review and make recommendations for review by the faculty, dean and provost, with a faculty vote anticipated as part of the 2024 Faculty Assembly. 

See the list of respective task force members below and contact ms-ofa@umn.edu with any questions.

7.12 Statement Task Force

  • Catherine Bendel, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics
  • Susan Everson-Rose, PhD, MPH, Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Damien Fair,  PA-C, PhD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics
  • Catherine McCarty, PhD, MPH, Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health 
  • Paul Mermelstein, PhD, Professor, Department of Neuroscience 
  • Clifford Steer, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine (Chair)
Academic Track Statement Task Force

  • Stephen Contag, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health
  • Michael Howell, MD, Professor, Department of Neurology 
  • Malgorzata Marjanska, PhD, Professor, Department of Radiology 
  • James Nixon, MD, MHPE, Professor, Department of Medicine 
  • William Roberts, MD, MS, Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health 
  • Steven Stovitz, MD, MS, Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health 
  • Shahnaz Sultan, MD, MHSc, AGAF, Professor, Department of Medicine (Chair)
Clinician Track Statement Task Force

  • Jane Chen, MD, FACC, FHRS, Professor, Department of Medicine
  • Alicia Harrison, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
  • Eric Hoggard, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Radiology
  • Christian Ogilvie, MD, Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
  • Thaddeus Walczak, MD, Professor, Department of Neurology

Faculty Advisory Council

A subset of faculty serves on the Faculty Advisory Council. It advises the dean on strategic planning, short and long-term goals, Medical School programs and more.

Members of the council are Medical School faculty members from the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses who were elected by their peers to the All-University Senate. Faculty from across the Medical School and its affiliates serve on the council.

Responsibilities

Through the dean, the Faculty Advisory Council makes recommendations to the Medical School’s Department Heads Council, the Executive Faculty, and/or the Faculty Assembly. The council is responsible for joint consideration and implementation of educational, research and clinical programs. However, the council has no budgetary or fiscal authority, except when granted by the dean.   

Council members serve as liaisons between research and clinical faculty and the Medical School leadership. They provide guidance, support and advocacy for the Medical School’s research and clinical missions. In addition, the council guides and advises the dean in these areas:

  • Strategic planning

  • Developing and implementing short- and long-term goals

  • Developing methods of advocating for the Medical School in external communities

  • Providing the vision and support needed to improve the Medical School for its faculty, staff, students and alumni

  • Monitoring evolving state, national and international healthcare needs and identifying emerging directions for research, educational and clinical programs at the Medical School

  • Serving as a conduit between the dean and Faculty Advisory Council to each Medical School department

Faculty Advisory Council Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Members

For questions related to Medical School governance, please reach out to your departmental representative or the chair or vice chair of the Faculty Advisory Council for more information. Members of the Faculty Advisory Council for 2023-24 include:

Meetings
All upcoming FAC meetings can be found on the Events and Deadlines page.
Notes
Reports

2023 Reports

Dean's Memo to the FAC: Notice of Proposed Amendments to the Medical School Constitution and Bylaws

2021-2022 Reports

2022 Recommendations for "What the Medical School Should Look Like Post-COVID" Abridged Version

Clinical Enterprise Subcommittee
Research Subcommittee

DEI Subcommittee

Education Subcommittee

2020-2021 Reports

2020-2021 Brief Report on Holiday Clinic Operations Policy

2020-2021 Recommendations: What the Medical School Should Look Like Post-COVID

Tenure Subcommittee
 
FAC Diversity/Inclusion Working Group