Peer Review | The Division of Biological Sciences, University of Chicago

SUMMER 2007 | VOLUME 5 | No. 2
SPOTLIGHT NEWS

Organizational changes underway
To further enhance focus on academic programs, the dean’s office of the Biological Sciences Division is making some organizational changes. Vinay Kumar, MD, has agreed to serve as executive vice dean, expanding his current role as vice dean and continuing as chairman of pathology. He will work closely with Dean James L. Madara, MD, on the BSD’s research, academic strategy and operational issues, and will assume the following key responsibilities:

Implement academic and research strategies through resource allocations, including space, core facilities, animal facilities and renewal funds. These strategies align with the BSD’s long-term academic, research and financial aspirations.
Monitor academic performance of the departments, centers, institutes and committees.
Lead the support of the dean’s office for major faculty recruitments and retentions, coordinating with Harvey Golomb, MD, dean of clinical affairs, for clinical department appointees.
Recommend faculty appointments and promotions.

Also, the following positions will report to the executive vice dean: dean of graduate affairs, faculty dean for academic affairs, associate dean of clinical research and associate dean for administration.

Ann Schwind has assumed responsibility as associate dean for administration. She will remain a close advisor to Kumar and Madara on issues of academic strategy, resource allocation and operations. The following offices will come under her purview: academic affairs, research services, planning, space management, shared research facilities, clinical research and human resource management, as well as the executive administrator for business processes and the Animal Resource Center. Information services will continue to report to Ken Sharigian, associate dean and chief operating officer, whose role will otherwise shift toward business strategy and planning.

The finance office is being consolidated into a single medical center/BSD service organization under David Ho’s direction. This group will provide budget process support, financial monitoring and analysis for the entire organization, including the executive vice dean and associate dean for administration.

In addition to these changes, the facilities merger between the medical center and BSD has created new titles and responsibilities for two employees. Mark Urquhart, vice president for facilities design, and construction, and Bill Huffman, executive director, have been leading the way through the transition to join operations. The pair oversees more than 6 million square feet of space, including Argonne National Laboratory, the Gordon Center for Integrative Science, dry and wet research laboratories, and clinic space. Their office also includes security, operations and maintenance, parking, institutional safety and environmental services. Urquhart and Huffman also will lead the way as the medical center complex plan new facilities and renovations.