MEMBERS PRESENT: Drs. Steven Knapp, Cheryl Alexander, Haroutune Armenian, Diane Griffin, Bernard Guyer, Wallace Mandell, Laura Morlock, Charles Rohde, Jonathan Samet, Alfred Sommer, Donald Steinwachs and Scott Zeger; and Ms. Robin Fox, staff.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Drs. Robert Black, John Groopman, Roger McMacken, W. Henry Mosley and John Scocca.

GUESTS: Drs. Robert Lawrence and Noel Rose; and Mss. Diane Glover and Donna Helm.

Acting Provost Knapp convened the meeting at 3:00 p.m.

Approval of the Minutes:
Minutes of the 788th meeting on March 26, 1996 were approved.

Remarks by the Acting Provost:

Dr. Knapp reviewed recent events taking place at the University. Dr. William Brody was selected as the next president and will be in place by September 1, 1996. The University's administration is very enthusiastic about this appointment and looks forward to working with Dr. Brody.

The tragic murder of a Homewood sophomore, allegedly by a graduating senior, has shaken the entire University community. Student deans, chaplains and administration responded quickly and responsibly. Dr. Knapp stated that University procedures will be further examined in light of this violent crime, however the incident is not seen as a reflection on University security.

Dr. Lawrence noted that the School of Public Health has a great deal of expertise in issues surrounding handgun use and that this expertise might be helpful to the University as an educational opportunity at an appropriate time.

Report of the Faculty Senate:

Dr. Morlock reported that the Senate discussed alternative titles to the current scientist track titles and developed a consensus to request an evaluation of the current titles in a year. The issue remains controversial.

Other items

Criteria for Scholarly Attainment in Professional Practice

Dr. Rose remarked that contributions to professional practice are now specifically evaluated among other criteria for faculty appointments and promotions and noted that all criteria are applied to professorial and scientist track appointments. While service per se can be accounted, the goal of the Committee on Appointments and Promotions is to assess scholarly contributions deriving from the service. A subcommittee of the Committee on Appointments and Promotions, comprised of Drs. Sommer, Gordis, Guyer, and Lawrence, developed criteria to evaluate scholarly contributions in professional practice.

Dean Sommer commented that additional practical experience will be needed in using the proposed criteria as well as including faculty with experience in professional practice on ad hoc committees. Letters to external reviewers will be modified to explain the criteria.

After further discussion, the Advisory Board voted to approve the criteria and append it to the PPM on Appointments and Promotions.

Collaborative research activities

Dr. Samet asked for guidance on the generic question of the best manner in which to engage in professional practice and consulting activities while remaining neutral, using as an example a recent experience with a pharmaceutical company. He wondered whether the School should develop principles and mechanisms for engagement in professional practice in public health.

Dr. Sommer remarked that the School's Strategic plan called for increased professional practice throughout the School and for development of a professional practice plan for faculty. Information-gathering is now being undertaken that will lead to development of a professional practice plan for faculty. The entire School will have the opportunity to comment on and have direct input into the plan's development. Mechanisms to select projects and to assure that those projects are conducted in an ethical fashion by all parties will be important issues to resolve. Dr. Morlock noted that professional practice activities may be starting in some departments, however, there was general agreement that a coordinated program would be more efficient and would decrease confusion by external (and internal) groups. In addition, a coordinated practice program will help faculty deal with legal responsibilities and coverage. Dr. Sommer will come back to the faculty when more information on development of the School's practice plan has been assembled.

Revised PPM for the Committee on Residency Programs

The School's residency programs developed a revised PPM for the Committee on Preventive Medicine Residency Programs, which includes changing the name of the Committee to the Graduate Medical Education Committee covering both the occupational and general preventive medicine residency programs. The proposed PPM had been reviewed at a previous Committee of the Whole meeting. The Advisory Board voted to approve, without changes, the revised PPM on the Graduate Medical Education Committee.

1991-95 Sponsored Project Report

Ms. Donna Helm joined the group. She reviewed the 1991-95 Sponsored Research Report, which also contains projections through 1996. Data for the School and ten academic departments included the sources of externally sponsored activities, competing proposal success rates compared across divisions, departmental histories, and direct and indirect cost recoveries. While the number of awards has continued to increase, the average size of an award has decreased. With the same or modestly decreased number of faculty, the Advisory Board recognized that the faculty are working very hard, yet with a great degree of success. The importance of identifying additional and new sources of support was stressed. The group thanked Ms. Helm for her presentation.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

© 1996 The Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, Maryland. All rights reserved.
Last updated by dgips@jhu.edu