CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Adrian Reuben, on Tuesday, May 1, 2001, at 7:55 am in Room 100 Admin./Library Building.

SENATORS PRESENT:

Basic Sciences: Ed Krug, Kathryn Meier, Philip Privitera, Michael Schmidt, Sally Self, Jerry Webb

Clinical Sciences: Narenda Banik, Timothy Carter, Dennis Cope, Leonard Egede, Leonie Gordon, Mark Lyles, Timothy Lyons, Subbi Mathur, Terry O’Brien, Adrian Reuben, Philip Saul

Dental Medicine: Luis Leite, Elizabeth Pilcher, Jon Rampton

Health Professions: Richard Hernandez

Library Science & Informatics: Jennie Ariail, Nancy McKeehan

Nursing: Elaine Amella, Tara Hulsey, Sally Stroud

Pharmacy: John Bosso, Kurt Lorenz, Kit Simpson, Anne Spencer

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The April minutes were posted in the unapproved form on the web site and were available for review prior to meeting. The minutes for April were approved and passed. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2001 at 7:45 a.m., Admin. /Library, Room 107.

BUSINESS

Dr. Reuben welcomed the senators and stated that he was pleased at the turnout.

Governance Committee Report

Dr. Reuben announced that Francine Margolius was unwell, so he presented the committee report on her behalf.

Faculty Senate Elections: Although the bylaws call for elections in May, they have been delayed in recent years for various reasons and have been conducted in the fall. Since voting can now be done electronically using the web, past concerns about faculty with 9-month appointments not being able to participate in August elections seem less significant In discussion, the committee felt that most faculty, if given adequate warning, could still nominate and vote via the web without being on campus. The proposal is to have nominations in July and elections during the first week of school in August. This would provide the opportunity for newly elected senators to attend the September meeting as observers and take over officially in October. In succeeding years, if it is the will of the Senate to bring elections back to May, we will try to do so.

Faculty Handbook update and revisions: The faculty handbook has been put in pdf format and will be indexed for easy access on the web. As soon as it is ready, it will be posted to the faculty senate website. Adrian Reuben and Francine Margolius have incorporated additions and updates so it wil be easier to tell what still needs attention President Ray Greenberg promised some help from his staff in identifying inconsistencies and lacks in the handbook. Dr. Tom Higerd, Associate Provost for Institutional Assessment, has also offered to help.

The plan is for a small group of faculty to work from the electronic version of the handbook on the web site, noting deletions, drafting additions, and detailing significant areas that need re-working. Issues will fall into two major groups: (1) factual, objective changes, such as inserting new or updated policies which have already received Board approval and (2) issues which need Senate debate, such as the definition of tenure, how tenure relates to appointment, mechanisms for non-renewal of non-tenured faculty, and other faculty rights and responsibilities.

Adrian Reuben has written a letter to Dr. Rosalie Crouch, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost, explaining the Senate's plan and asking for the promised assistance with the Handbook revision. He will also write a letter to the entire faculty informing them about progress with the legal counsel and asking for help in handbook revision. This letter will be posted to the Faculty Senate website.

Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment Policies

Dr. Valerie West, Associate Provost for Educational Programs, and Dr. Ken Roozen, Executive Director, Foundation for Research Development, spoke to the Senate about current initiatives to revise the university policies on Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment. Dr. West chairs a broadly-representative task group focusing on Conflict of Commitment. In the current Faculty Handbook, the section on Outside Activities, which is very brief and vague, covers isses which are commonly called conflict of commitment elsewhere. The group found diverse approaches to faculty activities in each college and area of the university. Dr. West noted that the policies need clarity, equity across colleges, and flexibility. They also need to be mindful of the state ethics law. The task group has identified 3 categories of activities:

1. Professional activities which are expected and should be covered in the practice plan or faculty contract; these would not be considered "outside"
2. Outside professional activities which are outside university auspices but related to expertise; university permission would be required for these activities
3. "Completely outside" (for example, owning a business); these activities/commitments would be discouraged and faculty cannot use university resources or do on university time

The group is calling for college-level policies to support a general university policy; all would be approved by the Provost. Dr. West noted that Conflict of Commitment and Conflict of Interest policies must be brought together and both should be added to the Faculty Handbook, which serves as the contract between the faculty and the university. It was noted that there is a second contract for many faculty, an annual contract which is signed in specific departments.

Dr. Roozen spoke of the effort to reconcile the various Conflict of Interest (COI) policies currently in use at the universty. The AAMC is taking a leadership position in this issue nationally and Dr. Roozen offered to send senators the AAMC report upon request. He noted that everyone has conflicts of interest (for example, the pressure to publish); they cannot be avoided, but must be managed. Education of faculty, graduate students, and other appropriate groups regarding COI is very difficult. Disclosure is the key. It is desirable for faculty and staff to get someone else to say "this is OK.". The review process needs to be clarified and improved and decisions made regarding whose responsibility this is. Many policies, laws, and regulations address conflict of interest for MUSC: the state ethics law, the MUSC Conflict of Interest Policy, MUSC's Significant Financial Interest Policy, and the FDA Rules for Clinical Trials. Dr. Roozen's goal is to draft a cogent policy which wil allow someone to disclose and an administrator to make a decision which will stand up to a challenge. He noted it might be helpful if MUSC, USC, and Clemson collaborate on a COI policy and use their collective clout to see it through the state legislature.

In response to Dr. Roozen's presentation, one senator noted that at MUSC, disclosure seems to be tied to finances and income rather than the scope of activities; this is problematic.

Senate Representation on University Committees - Adrian Reuben

Adrian Reuben reminded all senators serving on university committees to report back to the Senate on the activities and deliberations of those committees, so the Senate will remain knowledgeable and can address specific issues if deemed advisable.

University Affairs Committee: Legal Counsel for Faculty Senate - Anne Spencer

Anne Spencer announced that faculty will receive a letter of explanation/solicitation in regard to the legal counsel the week of May 21. A copy of the letter, written by Dr. Reuben, was distributed and Anne urged all Senators to read it and support this effort. Anne stressed the importance of each Senator being prepared to answer any questions that might arise and offered to prepare a bullet list of key points that could be shared with faculty. The Catalyst for May 4 will also carry an interview of Adrian Reuben on the topic of the legal counsel for Faculty Senate.

Senators outside the College of Medicine are encouraged to determine how best to contact and inform their faculty. In the College of Medicine, either a senator or a designated member of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee will contact faculty in each department to ensure all are informed. If requested, Adrian Reuben or Anne Spencer will address college or departmental faculty.

Checks in support of this effort are to be made out to Faculty Senate and sent to Melissa Foster, 200-I Administration Building.

Chair Evaluations - Adrian. Reuben

Adrian. Reuben reported on Chair Evaluations. He stated that his Dean sent a letter to him stating that there would not be a chair evaluation for the Department of Medicine since Dr. Taylor is leaving. He emphasized the importance of chair evaluation and requested that anyone who does not receive an evaluation form let him know. Dr. Reuben asked the senators to make sure all their colleagues know they should get chair evaluations sometime in May.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 a.m.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 5, 2001 at 7:45 a.m., Administration/Library, Room 107.