Members Absent: Drs. William Brody, John Groopman, Ellen MacKenzie, Scott Zeger, and Barry Zirkin.

Guests: Drs. Janet DiPietro, Kenneth Hill, Sharon Krag, Noel Rose, Donna Strobino, Thomas Valente and James Yager; and Ms Diane Glover.

Meeting Convened: Dean Alfred Sommer convened the meeting at 3:00 p.m.

Approval of the Minutes: Minutes of the 811th meeting on April 28, 1998 were approved.

Remarks by the Dean: Dean Sommer remarked that the chairs, deans and Faculty Senate leadership will meet over the summer to discuss how to best use limited School resources. He solicited agenda items for Committee of the Whole and Advisory Board meetings. He noted that the 1998 Convocation on May 20 will be very exciting as well as the largest in the School's history. It may require a change in venue in 1999 if the size of the graduating class continues to grow.

Remarks by the Faculty Senate: Dr. Scocca reported that Drs. Alan Scott and James Yager will run for the position of President-elect of the Senate.

Proposal for new MHS program in Clinical Investigation:
The Advisory Board discussed the new MHS program in Clinical Investigation, noting it would appeal to clinicians, faculty and fellows seeking coursework but not in-depth clinical research experience. PhD and ScM degrees in Clinical Investigation are now offered for students who write theses, but a course- based program may have a broader appeal. After further discussion, the Advisory Board voted to approve the proposal for a new MHS program in Clinical Investigation.

Discussion of merger of the departments of Population Dynamics and of Maternal and Child Health Dean Sommer commented that the Advisory Board has heard from the two committees to review the departments of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Population Dynamics (PD). The reports of both committees have been accepted, but discussion of the integration of the departments was deferred until the ad hoc joint committee of the two departments completed its report on integration of the two departments. Dr. Sommer thanked the ad hoc joint committee, co-chaired by Drs. Ken Hill and Donna Strobino, for their thoughtful and expedited report.

Dr. Sommer noted that the Division of Reproductive Biology of the Department of PD has not been part of the discussions regarding a merger of the two Departments. Rather, on the recommendation of the Committee to Review the Department of PD, faculty of the Division of Reproductive Biology will explore joining laboratory science departments in the School.

While discussions between faculty of the Division and laboratory science departments are underway, there is no specific date by which the transition must be completed. Dr. Barry Zirkin and the faculty of the Division of Reproductive Biology are supportive of this move, where they will find more commonalities with other laboratory scientists.

Dr. Hill reviewed the process by which the joint committee produced its report enumerating advantages and disadvantages of integration, and setting forth mechanisms and a timetable for the process. During their deliberations, the committee found somewhat different philosophies in the departments, but also found many similarities. Overall the committee recommended that integration is feasible and desirable. Dr. Hill commented on the faculty's good will and positive experiences of the committee during the preparation of the report.

Dr. Strobino then reviewed the opportunities and challenges that may be faced as a result of integration of the two departments. Both departments are seeing rapid changes in population sciences, international family planning and domestic maternal and child health. These areas are becoming more broadly construed and inclusive of areas such as women's health and aging. The complementarities between the departments become even more obvious when their common future directions are taken into account. Furthermore, Dr. Strobino and the committee felt it was very feasible to strengthen the academic components based on the strengths of each department.

Challenges to be faced by an integrated department might include: less visibility of social scientists across the School; current organizational differences in the departments; differences in approaches to problems (i.e., the Department of PD tends to be more theoretical while MCH tends to be more applied); and differences in the roles and responsibilities of non-tenure-track faculty.

The joint committee felt that the challenges would not present substantial impediments to integration, but noted that the priorities of each department (e.g., Population Center, MCH Training Grant) should be maintained in the mission of the new integrated department. After reviewing challenges and opportunities, Dr. Strobino reported that the joint committee concluded that integration would be possible.

She then described six guiding principles for the merger developed by the joint committee. Included among them were the formation of program areas in the department, with faculty choosing a primary and secondary program affiliation although the actual program areas would not be finalized until the completion of a strategic planning exercise engaged in by faculty in the new department.

Members of the Advisory Board discussed the proposed program areas, and suggested modifying the tentative name of one of the proposed program areas, from "Health Communications and Distance Learning" to "Health Communications and Health Promotion." Some issues to be faced during the transition from two departments to one include; targeting areas of expansion because several new faculty recruitments had already been agreed upon; determining the role of non-tenure track faculty; and alerting new students of the change and making provisions for current students.

The joint committee proposed a timetable for the strategic planning process, for faculty to declare an affiliation with a program area, and for establishing faculty governance and academic committees. After further discussion, Dean Sommer thanked the members of the joint committee for their thoughtful comments and superb report.

The question of faculty recruitments during the transition period and before the completion of the strategic plan was raised. Members of the Advisory Board felt that the areas already targeted were likely to be desirable in the integrated department. A formal discussion should await results of a comprehensive strategic plan that reviews the particular needs and opportunities of the newly integrated department as a whole. The Advisory Board then debated the name of the new integrated department and tentatively agreed upon "Department of Population and Family Health Sciences." The new name of the department will be reviewed by faculty as part of their strategic plan. Dr. Sommer again thanked the members of the joint committee and the two review committees for their ingenuity and conscientiousness. The motion was made to proceed with the integration of the Departments of Maternal and Child Health and of Population Dynamics as of July 1, 1998. The motion was approved unanimously by the Advisory Board. A second motion was made that Dr. Bernard Guyer serve as chair of the new, integrated department. The motion was approved unanimously by the Advisory Board. A third motion was made that the tentative name of the new department will be "Department of Population and Family Health Sciences" pending approval by faculty of the new department. The motion was approved unanimously by the Advisory Board.

Dean Sommer then requested that the members of the joint committee remain as a transitional governance committee co-chaired by Drs. Hill and Strobino. In addition, Dr. Guyer will contact entering students in both departments to inform them of the new department, and provisions for students now in either department, particularly those who have already formed thesis committees, will be made.

Kellogg Foundation Community Health Scholars Program Dean Lawrence announced that the School has become one of three national sites for the Kellogg Foundation Community Health Scholars Program. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of individuals in community health disciplines in schools of public health or other educational institutions. Two physicians or doctorally-trained candidates per year will receive a stipend and modest other support. The program will begin in September, 1998, and applications are now being solicited. Copies of the application were distributed.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Robin Fox

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