CDU Semi-Annual All-Faculty Meeting Highlights
The COM semi-annual faculty meeting held on November 17th was an opportunity to accomplish faculty business matters, discuss the progress on the roadmap to the four-year medical school, as well as celebrate accomplishments of colleagues and view proposed new programs. In short, the meeting had a full and interesting agenda.
Faculty Executive Board Chair Dr. Eleby Washington began by securing full faculty approval of new bylaws governing University activities. After a brief discussion, the bylaws were passed unanimously. In his remarks, Provost Steve Michael thanked Dr. Washington for his leadership as well as others including Dean Deborah Prothrow-Stith.
The Provost’ s apt metaphor was that of the builder who doesn’ t just come to work, he also builds the place. That which is crooked is made straight. That which is cracked is fixed. For the faculty and student alike, it is an opportunity to grow. He noted that the Federal government has been infusing institutions such as CDU with funding to offset losses experienced during this time of COVID.
Dr. Elizabeth Yzquierdo was introduced as Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Education. She previously served for sixteen years at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and ten at the David Geffen School of Medicine, where she worked alongside many persons at the evening’ s meeting. The necessity for a person of her qualifications occupying this important role was evident. She will help by continuing to build out a comprehensive undergraduate infrastructure.
Victories cited during the meeting included the Medical
Education Program receiving continual WASC approval and the LCME awarding preliminary approval of the four-year independent medical school planning. It was a moment of celebration for a faculty committed to the years of hard work already completed with more to come.
Other administrative areas are undergoing change. Dr. Delia Santana has been tapped as an Assistant Provost. COSH Dean Dr. Hector Balcazar is retiring at the end of 2021, with Dr. David Martins taking over as Interim Dean. The search for a new Dean of the School of Nursing has been re-opened, and search committees have been established for both the MMDSON and COSH.
In her presentation, Dean Prothrow-Stith communicated an enthusiastic, upbeat message to those in attendance.“ Things are very exciting at the College of Medicine,” she noted. Such as? The LCME submission was reviewed in October, and CDU received an official letter stating that the CDU medical school was hereby advanced to candidacy status. She likened the LCME auditors’ visit to campus as inviting them to attend a party where the University, its people, its accomplishments, and its plans will be showcased.
Fifteen new pre-clerkship courses are part of the COM growth process, with faculty still being sought to staff the training work. She is seeking to establish functional committees to oversee key program areas.
There is much to do and a ways to go, she noted.
In lauding Senior Associate Dean Ron Edelstein and Curriculum Committee Chair Glenda Lindsey, the Dean told the faculty that it is time to step up in, recognition of the great amount of work still to be accomplished.
COM will need an Associate Dean for Medical Education, and on the staff side nine FTE for basic science courses, twelve FTE for clinical, and thirty administrators. If all goes well with LCME, the University will begin accepting applications for the first medical school class in July 2022.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 7