If you missed the Academic Senate meeting on Nov. 1, 2021, or need a refresher, then keep reading for the highlights from the meeting. For more information on the Academic Senate, click here.
Debate Calendar
Department of Emergency Medicine
Christy Hopkins, M.D., MBA, MPH, chief, Division of Emergency Medicine, proposed the following:
To advance the Division of Emergency Medicine in the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine to the “Department of Emergency Medicine” in the School of Medicine. Departmental status is the national standard with 91% of U.S. medical schools designating emergency medicine as a department. The University of Utah is the only Pac-12 medical school where emergency medicine is not a department. Department status will raise national prominence and ability to compete at the highest level for recruitment, retention and extramural funding.
The U's Division of Emergency Medicine is an outstanding example of academic emergency medicine across all three missions (education, research, clinical care). We support robust collaborative community engagement, which significantly impacts the health of Utahns.
The three-year budget demonstrates adequate current and future financial resources. No identified adverse impacts are anticipated for the School of Medicine, the university or other USHE institutions.
The Graduate Medical Education programs (emergency medicine residency and fellowships) will transfer to the new department. Emergency medicine doesn’t confer (or plan to confer) degrees.
Information & Recommendations Calendar
Graduate Council Program Reviews
Katharine Ullman, associate dean, Graduate School, presented the following reviews:
Division of Medical Laboratory Sciences
This division within the Department of Pathology offers undergraduate and master’s level training. The Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science program has grown substantially over the review period, with plans to further expand in response to strong market demand. Faculty were described as exceptional and programs are running very effectively. Noted as a prime example of the One U initiative, recommendations pointed toward ways to become more visible both locally and nationally.
Division of Microbiology and Immunology
This Department of Pathology division, which offers doctoral-level training, was commended for its productivity, funding success and service involvement, including faculty leadership roles on multiple T32 training grants. There is a strong historical record of student success and, through its association with the bioscience umbrella programs, student cohorts are becoming more diverse. Some operational changes to the graduate program were recommended, as well as suggested improvements in communication and engagement of faculty.
Asian Studies Program
This interdisciplinary program offers both a bachelor’s and master’s degree and provides a community for faculty across campus with a shared interest in research and education in Asian languages and Asian area studies more broadly. Both research and teaching efforts were praised by reviewers. While there has been an upward trend in undergraduate majors, the program is seeking ways to bolster recruitment to the master’s program. Recommendations include increased institutional commitment, which will stem from a strategic plan integrated with the priorities of participating colleges and the university’s global vision.