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.
Governance Committees
Visit council and committee webpages via links below.
- Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Council (APTC)
- Council of Graduate Students (CGS)
- Council of Postdoctoral Scholars
- Department Heads Council (DHC)
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (DEIC)
- Duluth Faculty Council (DFC)
- Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) - see below
- Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC)
- Graduate Programs Council (GPC)
- Medical Student Admissions Committee (MSAC)
- Medical Student Education Committee (MSEC)
- Medical Student Scholastic Standing Committee (MSSSC)
- Research Council (RC)
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).
Save the Date for the 2025 Faculty Assembly
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Faculty Assembly Timeline
Feb. 25 | Deadline for number of committee/council seats open for election
Mar. 11 | Nominations invited for committee/council open seats
Apr. 1 | Deadline for nominations for committee/council open seats
Apr. 25 | Committee/council reports to Faculty Assembly due
May 6 | Faculty Assembly business items published
May 21-Jun. 5 | Faculty vote conducted
Past Faculty Assemblies
Agenda
Video Recording
Faculty Assembly Slideshow
An electronic vote was sent to eligible faculty members following the Faculty Assembly for the following items:
Agenda
Video Recording
Faculty Assembly Slideshow
Constitution and bylaws proposed amendments and committee election ballots were sent electronically following the Faculty Assembly.
Agenda
Video Recording
Dean Tolar Highlights Presentation
Faculty Assembly Business Items
Faculty Advisory Council Presentation
Committee election ballots were sent electronically following the Faculty Assembly.
Video Recording
2021 Faculty Assembly Notes
State of the Medical School Presentation
Faculty Assembly Business Items
Presentation of Faculty Advisory Council Message
Faculty members elected to councils and committees in the 2021 election are listed in the 2021 Faculty Assembly Election Results
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.
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:
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Strategic planning
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Developing and implementing short- and long-term goals
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Developing methods of advocating for the Medical School in external communities
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Providing the vision and support needed to improve the Medical School for its faculty, staff, students and alumni
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Monitoring evolving state, national and international healthcare needs and identifying emerging directions for research, educational and clinical programs at the Medical School
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Serving as a conduit between the dean and Faculty Advisory Council to each Medical School department
Faculty Advisory Council Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
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 2024-25 include:
- Joseph Bianco, MD - Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health
- Anne Blaes, MD, MS - Department of Medicine
- Eric Bomberg, MD, MAS - Department of Pediatrics
- Christy Boraas, MD, MPH - Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health
- Christina Boull, MD - Department of Dermatology
- Raymond Christensen, MD - Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health
- Aaron Corfield, DPM - Department of Orthopedic Surgery
- Robert Cormier, PhD - Department of Biomedical Sciences
- Naomi Fujioka, MD - Department of Medicine
- Mary Garry, PhD - Department of Medicine
- Liliana Goelkel-Garcia, MD - Department of Anesthesiology
- Andrew Grande, MD, FAHA, FAANS - Department of Neuroscience
- Raluca Gray, MD - Department of Otolaryngology
- Brenna Greenfield, PhD, LP - Department of Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health
- Thomas Griffith, PhD - Department of Urology
- Muna Irfan, MBBS, FAASM - Department of Neurology
- Jessica Johnson, PT, DPT, PhD - Department of Family Medicine & Community Health
- Christophe Lenglet, PhD - Department of Radiology
- Glenn P. Lobo, PhD - Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences
- Pawel Mroz, MD, PhD - Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
- Patrick Nachman, MD - Department of Medicine
- Shanti Narasimhan, MBBS, FASE - Department of Pediatrics
- Douglas Ohlendorf, PhD - Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics
- Madhuri Rao, MD - Department of Surgery
- Bronwyn Southwell, MD - Department of Anesthesiology
- Christopher Staley, PhD - Department of Surgery
- Carrie Ann Terrell, MD - Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women's Health
- Alexandra Zagoloff, PhD, LP - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Andrew Zinkel, MD, MBA - Department of Emergency Medicine
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
DEI Subcommittee
Education Subcommittee
- 2021-2022 FMLA Protected Leave of Absence & Workplace Accommodations Job Aid
- 2021-2022 Report: Improving Faculty, Student, and Staff Well-Being and Disability Inclusion: Focus on Faculty
- 2021-2022 Report: Improving Faculty, Student, and Staff Well-Being and Disability Inclusion: Focus on UME
- 2021-2022 Report: Improving Faculty, Student, and Staff Well-Being and Disability Inclusion: Focus on GME
- 2021-2022 Report: Disability Inclusion: Credentialing Language Update
2020-2021 Reports
2020-2021 Brief Report on Holiday Clinic Operations Policy
2020-2021 Recommendations: What the Medical School Should Look Like Post-COVID