From Cato Laurencin (via Broadcast Message 8/17/09)

Faculty Input Needed as New SOM Academic Plan Develops

Provost Nicholls has requested each of the Schools of the University to develop academic plans using a general format and structure provided to all the Deans. The domains of the plans are to include:

1) Undergraduate Education

2) Graduate And Professional Education

3) Research and Scholarship

4) Diversity

5) Public Engagement

6) Administrative Organization, Capital Infrastructure, and Budget Process

Accordingly, in late June I charged a small committee composed of Dr. Adam Silverman, Dr. Marja Hurley, Dr. Bruce Koeppen, Dr. Marc Lalande, Charles Huntington, Carolyn Lyle and Dr. Gerry Maxwell to compose a draft framework of a plan for the School of Medicine that would subsequently go through the following review process:

1) Initial review and changes by elected governance of the School of Medicine (Councils and the Oversight Committee)

2) Review by the faculty of the School of Medicine with changes submitted to the respective SOM Councils

3) Final review by the School of Medicine Councils

The first step of the process has recently been completed and a second draft of the Plan incorporating comments from the members of the School of Medicine Councils and the Oversight Committee will be sent to all faculty in the next few days for your input. I encourage all of you to carefully read this document and provide suggestions and comments to the respective Councils. Your participation is critical.

It is important to understand that this document focuses on our vision and is the starting point for our strategic planning process as we move forward. I should note that this is an academic plan that covers education and research only. Clinical matters will be dealt with in a separate document.

Again, thank you for your thoughts, input and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D.

Vice President for Health Affairs
Dean of the School of Medicine
Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Chair in Academic Medicine
Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and
Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Engineering
The University of Connecticut