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Governance

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Governance

Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Charter & Bylaws

Approved by:

  • School of Medicine College Council, March 7, 2025.
  • Academic Senate Executive Committee, June 9, 2025
  • Presented for the Information of the Academic Senate, August 25, 2025

Charter Outline

Article I          Officers of Administration

                         The Dean

                         Department Chairs

                         Chiefs of Free-standing Divisions

Article II         The School of Medicine Executive Committee

                         Functions

                         Responsibilities

                         Composition

                         Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes

Article III        The School of Medicine College Council

                         Functions

                         Responsibilities

                         Composition

                         Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes

Article IV       College Council Standing Committees

                         Academic Appeals Committee (applies to all students)

                         Education Program and Policy Committee (MD Program)

                         Admissions Committee (MD Program)

                         Advancement Review Committee (MD Program)

                         Graduate Medical Education Committee

                         Continuing Medical Education Committee

                         Faculty Appointment Review, and Advancement Committee (FARAC)

                         Research Advisory Councils

                         Leadership in Academic Culture and Education (LACE)

Article V        Amendments to Charter

Article VI       Academic Senate Elections

Preface:           

This document constitutes the College Council Charter of the School of Medicine, as required by University Policies 6-001 and 6-003, and describes other aspects of governance within the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM).

The SFESOM is a multi-department college within the academic unit governance structure of the University of Utah (University), and includes academic Departments as well as free-standing Divisions, as are described in University Policy 6-001 (Academic Units and Academic Governance).

Article I: Officers of Administration

The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Officers of Administration are decribed in the separate document, SFESOM Officers. 

Article II: School of Medicine Executive Committee

Functions:

The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Executive Committee (SOMEC) serves as an advisory body to the Dean for SFESOM strategy, budget, education, research, and clinical affairs. The SOMEC reports to the Dean.

Responsibilities:

  • Oversee the periodic review, and update of the SFESOM strategic plan, and its implementation.
  • In collaboration with the Graduate School and relevant external accrediting bodies, oversee the periodic review of education and research programs within the SFESOM and make recommendations for their continuous improvement.
  • SFESOM Departmental, and Unit annual operating budgets, including budget structure, distribution of state funds, salary equity, and alignment with University, and Health System goals.
  • Provide updates to the College Council at each regular meeting. The update shall be provided by the Dean or Dean’s designee.
  • Create ad-hoc committees, and assume other duties as assigned.
  • Complete an annual review of faculty efforts and effectiveness.
  • Faculty appointments of Tenure-line, and Career-line Faculty, and award of tenure at time of appointment: The SOMEC, acting in conjunction with the FARAC (as described below in Section IV-H.1 of this document) functions in part as both a standing college faculty appointments advisory committee (under University Policy6-302, and a college Retention, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) advisory committee (under Policy 6-303), with these specific responsibilities to provide advice to the Dean:
  • Initial appointments: Except for volunteer (unpaid) and Paid Adjunct faculty appointments, the SOMEC (as appointments advisory committee) will consider, and make recommendations to the Dean for initial faculty appointments at the rank of Professor on the Tenure-line and the Career-line.
  • Award of Tenure at the time of initial appointment: Every case involving granting of Tenure at time of initial appointments (even if unanimously supported by FARAC) will be presented to SOMEC, which (acting as college RPT advisory committee, Policy 6-303) will then make a recommendation to the Dean regarding the granting of Tenure. After SOMEC’s recommendation is added to the file, the Dean makes a recommendation which is added to the file, and the file moves on to for consideration by the University Promotion Tenure Advisory Committee (UPTAC) and the SVPHS (and see Policy 6-303 for details of the remaining steps).

Composition

Chair, Vice Chair, and immediate Past-Chair:

The Dean shall appoint one of the current SOMEC voting members (selected as described below) as SOMEC Chair. The Dean shall appoint the SOMEC Vice Chair, selected from either current SOMEC voting members or a new member who has not previously served on the SOMEC. The Vice Chair shall serve one year, and then be appointed as Chair for the following year (with voting rights in both years). The Chair shall serve for one year (and then serve an additional year, as immediate past-Chair, in a non-voting capacity for that year). 

Department Chairs (voting)

A number of currently serving Department Chairs or free-standing Division Chiefs (half elected by the Chairs, and Chiefs, and half appointed by the Dean, all for staggered three-year terms) equal to at least one third but not more than half of the number of Departments and Free-Standing Divisions in the SFESOM. There is no restriction on election/ appointment to multiple consecutive terms. Selected chairs should be representative of department/free-standing division types and may hold Tenure-line or Career-line appointments.

Two Vice Deans (voting)

Two (Tenure-line or Career-line) faculty members currently serving in the following positions (for terms for the duration of the positions):

  • Vice Dean of Education
  • Vice Dean for Faculty

Two faculty members at-large (voting):

Two faculty members at-large (not currently serving in a chair/ chief/ decanal position), who are appointed by the Dean, at least one of whom is a Tenure-line faculty member of Associate Professor or Professor rank (three-year terms, staggered). Although there is no restriction on appointment to multiple consecutive terms, the Dean will typically seek to broaden the SOMEC perspectives by appointing new members.

Chair of the SFESOM College Council (voting)

Ex-officio (non-voting):

  • Immediate past-Chair of SOMEC
  • The Dean of the SFESOM
  • The CFO of Health Sciences
  • The University of Utah Hospitals, and Clinics CEO
  • The SFESOM Vice Dean for Finance and Administration
  • The SFESOM Vice Dean for Research
  • The SFESOM Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs
  • The SFESOM Associate Dean for Academic Culture and Community

Guests:

Any Department Chairs or Vice/ Associate/ Assistant Deans of the School of Medicine who are not otherwise voting members may attend the meetings, without voting privileges. The Dean may invite other persons to attend as guests without voting privileges, including Hospital, and UUMG leaders, as needed.

Meetings, Quorum, and Minutes:

The SOMEC shall meet regularly, as scheduled by the SOMEC Chair or the Dean. An agenda shall be prepared by the SOMEC Chair in partnership with the designated Vice Dean, and distributed to the SOMEC voting, and ex-officio members, and all SOM Department Chairs, and Chiefs of free-standing Divisions in advance of regular meetings.

Quorum:

A simple majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum. For consideration of any faculty personnel action (appointment/RPT) any member who is from the same Department as the faculty member being considered, and has voted on the case at the Department level shall be recused from SOMEC voting on that case.

Minutes:

Meeting minutes shall be recorded, and distributed to voting, and ex-officio members, and to all Department Chairs, and Chiefs of free-standing Divisions following each meeting. Minutes of sessions shall be made available to all faculty, and staff of the SFESOM using the University intranet, Pulse).

Article III: School of Medicine College Council

Functions:

The University of Utah SFESOM College Council (“the Council”) shall formulate policies, and make decisions relating to College, Department, and Division affairs to the extent authorized by University Regulations. It advises the administration of the University, and the SFESOM of the views of the faculty, and students of the SFESOM, and receives, and disseminates information to the faculty, and students of the SFESOM, directly, and through their elected representatives on the Council. It serves the functions, and has the authority, and responsibilities generally prescribed for college councils within the systems of shared governance of the University as described in University Policies 6-001 and 6-003.

Responsibilities:

  • Formulate policies, and make policy decisions relating to governance of the SFESOM.
  • Advise administration of University and SFESOM.
  • Receive and disseminate information to faculty, trainees, and students of the SFESOM.

Composition:

In accord with Policy 6-003, the SFESOM faculty adopt the following representative structure of the SFESOM College Council, implementing the University’s fundamental principles regarding shared-governance. These principles include the provision of Policy 6-300

Chair, Vice Chair, and immediate Past Chair:

Voting members of the Council shall annually elect a Chair, and Vice Chair, from among the existing voting faculty members. Typically, after a first year as Vice Chair, the individual will be elected to serve as Chair for the second year. Both Vice-Chair, and Chair retain those voting rights applicable for them as elected voting faculty members. After a year as chair the individual will then assume the role of the immediate Past Chair for a year, as a non-voting advisory member of the Council. Thus, leading the Council is typically a three-year commitment (one year as Vice Chair, one year as Chair, and one year as Past Chair).

Faculty member representatives (voting)

A number of voting faculty members proportional to the total number of Departments, and free-standing Divisions in the School of Medicine (1:1 ratio). These faculty members are elected by the voting faculty (all Tenure-line, and Career-line of at least 0.75 FTE in their home Departments, and Divisions to represent the unit at College Council meetings, and with their Council voting responsibilities.

  • Up to ten voting faculty members will be elected at-large (Tenure-line) from the combined SFESOM tenure-line faculty in order to meet with University Policy 6-003 and maintain a majority of members from the tenure-line faculty
  • All College Council members (Tenure-line or Career-line) are required to have held Tenure-line or Career-line faculty appointments within the SFESOM for three years or more at the time of the election. Administrative officers of the SFESOM or University at the level of Department Chair/ free-standing Division Chief, Associate Dean, or higher are not eligible. There is no restriction on a faculty member simultaneously serving as an elected member of the Council, and as a member of the University’s Academic Senate.
  • Members serve staggered three-year terms. There is no restriction on being elected to multiple consecutive terms. [Special Note: The Dean’s office shall devise a process for achieving the staggering of terms in the initial years of implementing the 2024 revised Charter.]

Trainee representatives (voting)

  • The SFESOM student representative to the ASUU Student Senate, and Academic Senate (term, and election as per ASUU rules),
  • The trainee serving on the SFESOM FARAC as representative of the graduate students, house officers or non-faculty postdoctoral fellows (term, and selection as described in Section IV-H for the FARAC).

Ex-officio (non-voting):

  • Vice/ Associate Dean Faculty
  • Assistant Dean Academic Culture and Community
  • Chair, SFESOM Dean

Meetings, Quorum, Agenda, and Minutes:

Meetings:

  • Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the Council will be held quarterly or more often as needed. Meetings are open to all SFESOM faculty members, and administrative officers not otherwise serving as ex-officio on the Council, unless the Council votes to go into closed session, as permitted by University Regulations, and applicable law.
  • Special Meetings; Special meetings of the Council will be held at the request of the SFESOM Dean, Chair of the Council, or any five voting members of the Council.

Quorum:

A quorum is one more than half of the voting members. Once a quorum is present, a simple majority of those voting is required to carry a motion.

Agenda and Minutes:

  • The agenda shall be developed by the Chair of the Council. A Council member, the Chair of a Council committee, or any faculty member may suggest agenda items. Any five voting members of the Council may add an item to the agenda as new business. Items of new business should be submitted to the Chair at least two weeks before the meeting when the item of new business will be discussed.
  • The Council Chair, or Vice Chair, will notify SFESOM faculty members of meetings, notify appropriate committees, and individuals of actions taken by the Council, and distribute the agenda, and minutes for each Council meeting. The agenda, and minutes will be disseminated in a timely manner to all Council voting, and ex-officio members, and all SOMEC members. Prior to all College Council meetings, the minutes shall be made available.

Article IV: College Standing Committees

Standing Committees of the College

Academic Appeals Committee

The Vice Dean for Education shall constitute the Academic Appeals Committee according to the parameters established by the Student Code---University Policy 6-400.

Curriculum Committee (for the non-MD programs)

Function:

As required by University policies and in collaboration with the Graduate School and relevant external accrediting bodies, oversee curriculum of SFESOM Departments, the Master of Science in Clinical investigation (MSCI), and the MS in Health Professions Education, outside of Undergraduate Medical Education (MD Program/ medical students), and Graduate Medical Education (medical residents, and fellows). Each educational program shall share results of Graduate Program Reviews and/or external accreditation reviews with the College Council as information items.

Leadership: 

The Chair of the Curriculum Committee is elected from among the members of the Committee to serve a two-year term.

Voting Members:

Each Department or Division that hosts a degree program shall appoint representative to the Committee. These constitute the voting members.

Ex Officio:

The Vice Dean for Education is an ex officio, non-voting, member of the committee

Meetings and Quorum:

The Curriculum Committee shall meet monthly. Quorum will be a simple majority of voting members. 

Educational Program and Policy Committee (EPPC) (Specific for MD program) 

Function:

The Education Program and Policy Committee (EPPC) has the authority and responsibility for effective operation of the Mission-Driven MD Program. This includes curriculum and associated program elements. This committee has the authority and responsibility to review and revise by-laws and standard operating procedures for itself and for the Admissions and Academic Review Committees, in collaboration with each of those committees. 

Authority:

The authority of the EPPC is derived from the SFESOM College Charter.

Responsibility:

  • The EPPC sets, reviews, revises and/or approves all policies and standard operating procedures for all aspects of the MD Program.

  • The EPPC optimizes cross-functional communication, coordination, and collaboration across subcommittees and program elements.

  • EPPC delegates authority to the subcommittees to make and execute decisions related to their identified scope of work.

Leadership:

  • The Chair of the EPPC is the Vice Dean for Education, or designee.

  • An Executive Team appointed by the Chair manages the agenda for EPPC meetings. 

Voting and non-voting Membership:

  • Voting members serve on the EPPC as representatives of: 1) specific core constituencies and/or 2) mission-focus areas.

  • Terms are renewable after 2 years

  • The number of members from each core constituency and mission-focus area must be at least 2 and no more than 6.

  • Voting members selected to represent core constituencies are selected by members of their core constituency.

  • Voting members selected to represent mission-focus areas are selected by chairs of subcommittees within each area.

  • SFESOM faculty, staff, and students in good standing are eligible to be considered for membership in subcommittees.

  • Faculty to be considered for membership on the EPPC must hold tenure or career line appointments.

  • The Chair appoints non-voting (ex-officio) members.

Meetings, Quorum and Voting:

  • The EPPC and Subcommittees meet as often as needed, but at least every other month.

  • Quorum for the EPPC is 10 voting members, with at least 6 being faculty.

  • The Chair does not vote except in the case of a split decision. 

Admissions Committee (Specific for MD program)

Function:

  • The MD Admissions Committee for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah School (SFESOM) implements processes and procedures regarding medical student application, assessment, selection, and admission consistent with criteria and policies established by the EPPC.

  • The Admissions Committee selects candidates for admission who meet admissions requirements and who have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to excel in the Mission-Driven MD program.

Authority:

Authority of the Admissions Committee is derived from the SFESOM College Charter.

Responsibility:

The Admissions Committee has final responsibility for accepting applicants to the MD program.

Leadership:

The Chair of the Admissions Committee is the Associate Dean of Admissions. 

Membership:

  • The Admissions Committee has a minimum of 30 members.

  • Members of the Admissions Committee can be SFESOM physicians, investigators, administrators, or instructors in good standing or individuals from the community.

  • Admissions Committee members are invited to serve by the Associate Dean of Admissions and are appointed to serve only after receiving a majority of votes from existing members of the Admissions Committee.

  • Members are appointed to one-year terms and are eligible for renewal.

Meeting, Quorum and Voting:

  • The Admissions Committee meets at least monthly during interview season

  • Quorum is 1/2 of committee members

  • The Chair of the Admissions Committee does not vote. 

Advancement Review Committee (ARC)(Specific to MD Program)

Function:

The Medical Student Advancement Review Committee (ARC) determines whether students may advance within or across Phases of the MD Program and if not, the action(s) that should be taken. 

Authority:

The authority of the ARC is derived from the Dean and through SFESOM College Charter, and in accord with University Policy 6-400 --- Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. 

Responsibility:

  • The ARC delegates authority to course and phase directors and/or their designees to monitor the ongoing progress of all students and to identify students who meet the standards for advancement established by the Educational Policy and Program Committee (EPPC).

  • When it appears that a student does not meet the standards for advancement, the ARC reviews the academic history of the student and either determines: the details of further remediation and/or corrective action; or to dismiss the student from the Program.

Leadership:

Chair of the ARC is appointed by the Dean.

Voting and non-voting Members:

  • The ARC has at least 9 voting members selected from the faculty of the SFESOM. At least 4 members should have high familiarity with the current version of the medical student program, and at least 4 should be associated with the graduate medical education or provision of patient care.

  • The ARC has at least 4 non-voting student advisors selected from current students.

  • Quorum is defined as at least 5 voting members.

  • A majority of the quorum is required to pass a motion.

  • Chair does not vote except in the event of a tie.

Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC)

Function:

The GMEC oversees and monitors all aspects of Graduate Medical Education in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Graduate medical Education’s (ACGME) Institutional, Common, and specialty-specific Review Committee Requirements. The GMEC is responsible for establishing and implementing policies and procedures regarding the quality of education, and the learning and work environment for GME trainees (residents and fellows) in all University of Utah health ACGME-accredited and select other and non-accredited GME programs under its governance.

Authority:

The GMEC is a subsidiary of the University of Utah Health Hospital and Clinics System and therefore reports to the SVPHS. The governing body of the Sponsoring Institution for ACGME purposes is the School of Medicine Executive Committee.

Responsibility:

Oversight of:

  • The ACGME accreditation status of the Sponsoring Institution and each of its ACGME-accredited programs.
  • The quality of the GME learning and working environment within the Sponsoring Institution, each of its ACGME-accredited programs, and its participating sites.
  • The quality of educational experiences in each ACGME-accredited program that leads to measurable achievement of educational outcomes as identified in the ACGME Institutional Requirements, Common and specialty-specific Program Requirements.
  • The ACGME-accredited programs’ annual program evaluation and self-studies.
  • All processes related to reductions and closures of individual ACGME-accredited programs, major participating sites, and the Sponsoring Institution.
  • The provision of summary information of patient safety reports to trainees, faculty members, and other clinical staff members. At a minimum, this oversight must include verification that such summary information is being provided.

Review and approval of:

  • Institutional GME policies and procedures.
  • Annual recommendations to the Sponsoring Institution’s administration regarding trainee stipends and benefits.
  • Applications for ACGME accreditation of new programs.
  • Requests for permanent changes in trainee complement.
  • Major changes in ACGME-accredited programs’ participating sites.
  • Additions and deletions of ACGME-accredited programs’ participating sites.
  • Appointment of new program directors.
  • Progress reports requested by a Review Committee.
  • Responses to Clinical learning Environment Review (CLER) reports.
  • Requests for exceptions to clinical and educational work hour requirements.
  • Voluntary withdrawal of ACGME program accreditation.
  • Requests for appeal of an adverse action by a Review Committee.
  • Appeal presentations to an ACGME Appeals Panel.

Effective oversight of the Sponsoring institution’s accreditation through an Annual Institutional Review (AIR)

  • Identification of institutional performance indicators for the AIR.
  • The Designated Institutional Official (DIO) must annually submit a written executive summary of the AIR to the Sponsoring institution’s Governing Body.

The GMEC must demonstrate effective oversight of underperforming program(s) through a Special Review process

The Special Review process must include a protocol that establishes criteria for identifying underperformance, and results in a report that describes the quality improvement goals, the corrective actions, and the process for GMEC monitoring of outcomes.

Composition:

Chair:

  • Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education
  • ACGME Designated Institutional Official (DIO) (i.e. faculty member appointed by the ACGME)

Director, Office of Graduate Medical Education (or Designee)

Representatives of Major Participating Institutions

  • George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
  • Intermountain Healthcare
  • Primary Children’s Hospital

Program directors (or designees) from Core Residency Programs

  • The Core Residency Programs include Family Medicine, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry.
  • At least six Program Directors (or designees) from residency, advanced residency, or fellowship programs.
  • A maximum of eight peer-selected residents
  • Trainees will be selected by the Resident Interdisciplinary Council (RIC)
  • RIC President
  • Four peer-selected Program Coordinators
  • Each Program Coordinator serves a three-year term.
  • UUH Director of Patient Safety or designee
  • Director of Wellness, Office of Graduate Medical Education

Ex-officio:

  • Chief Medical Officer, University Hospital
  • Dean, School of Medicine

Quorum, Voting, and Meeting Schedule:

  • For purposes of voting, a quorum of the GMEC shall consist of 50% of the voting members. Matters brought to the GMEC will be decided by a simple majority of all voting members who are in attendance. Voting members are required to attend a minimum of 70% of meetings on an annual basis.
  • With advanced notification to the GMEC Chair, GMEC members may occasionally designate a proxy. Proxy may exercise the Committee member’s voting privileges.
  • Term of appointments to the GMEC will be for one year with the potential for automatic reappointment of individuals with their continuation in the roles listed above and minimum attendance records.
  • The GMEC will meet monthly, with a goal of ten meetings per year. When an approved holiday falls on the first Monday, the GMEC will meet on the second Monday. There is no meeting in July.

Continuing Medical Education Committee

Function:

The Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee acts in an advisory role to the Associate Dean for CME to ensure relevancy of the School of Medicine’s CME enterprise to the School of Medicine and the physicians of the state of Utah. The committee’s role is to foster CME activities that assist physicians in efficiently and effectively carrying out their professional responsibilities.

Authority:

This authority is derived from the Dean of the School of Medicine and through this College Charter.

Responsibility:

  • Advising on CME planning and strategy
  • Identifying areas of educational gaps/ needs
  • Supporting CME initiatives by providing information to SOM Departments and mobilizing support among School of Medicine faculty
  • Reviewing data on CME activities and recommending adjustments to process or policies based on this review
  • Assisting in analyzing the degree CME is meeting its stated mission

Composition:

Chair:

  • Associate Dean for CME
  • Director, CME

School of Medicine Faculty Members:

  • Appointed by the Associate Dean for CME
  • Both Tenure-line and Career-line

Members At-large (voting):

  • Interprofessional representatives (Pharmacy, nursing faculty)
  • Eccles Health Sciences Library representative
  • University Office of General Counsel representative

Faculty Appointment, Review, and Advancement Committee (FARAC)

Function:

For purposes of University Policies and processes for faculty appointments, and RPT actions the FARAC functions as both a standing college faculty appointments advisory committee (University Policy 6-302-III-E), and a standing college RPT (referred to as FRA in the School of Medicine) advisory committee (Policy 6-303-III-G), and it shares some of those functions with the SOMEC.

Responsibility:

The FARAC shall consider the following actions:

All initial appointments of faculty members, at the rank of Professor in the tenure and career-lines and any initial appointment that received more than 25% disapproval at the Departmental vote.

  • All Promotions of faculty members, of the Tenure-line and Career-line faculty categories.
  • All award of Tenure actions for Tenure-track faculty (or award of Tenure at time of initial appointment)
  • All reviews where Retention of a Tenure-track, or reappointment of a Career-line faculty member, is not recommended by one or more review levels within the Department
  • A review for Retention of a Tenure-track faculty member, if requested by the faculty member or the Department Chair, or majority of the Department RPT Advisory Committee
  • All appointment/ reappointment or Retention files referred by the Dean

Authority:

The authority of the FARAC is derived from University Policy 6-302 (Appointments/ Reappointments), Policy 6-303 (RPT of Tenure-line faculty), and Policy 6-310 (Review and Reappointments of Career-line faculty), and further from the SVPHS and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

Composition:

Chair:

  • The Chair will be selected at the start of each academic year by the Vice Dean for Faculty.
  • The incoming chair is selected from the pool of current members of the FARAC. The outgoing chair of the committee shall recommend candidates to the Vice Dean for Faculty.
  • The role of the Chair is to provide the Committee’s recommendation to the School of Medicine Executive Committee regarding faculty appointments, promotions, and award of Tenure actions (as detailed below), The Chair retains voting rights.

Eleven faculty members:

  • Three-year staggered terms
  • Elected by vote of the SFESOM Tenure-line faculty as a whole
  • Three Tenured members at the rank of Professors and one Career-line member at the rank of Professor from Basic Science Departments
  • Three Tenured members at the rank of Professors At-large from any Department
  • One Tenured member at the rank of Professor At-large from any Department
  • Two Career-line members at the rank of Professor At-large from any Department

Two student or post-doc representatives

Elected by the Tenure-line faculty in the SFESOM for one-year terms. Includes one fourth-year medical student; and one representative from the SFESOM graduate students, house officers or non-faculty post-doctoral fellows.

Voting Eligibility Recusal

In accord with the University’s single-vote regulation, under the terms of this SFESOM Charter and the SFESOM Statements on FRA and Career-line faculty rules, FARAC members are ineligible to vote at the Departmental level and are instructed to abstain from voting at that level in their home departments on faculty appointments of the Tenure-line and Career-line (and visiting track above the rank of assistant professor) and FRA matters which are to come to the FARAC. Having not voted at the Department level, when the FARAC committee votes on a matter from the member’s home department, the faculty member may participate in discussion and may vote to approve or disapprove or choose to abstain.

Research Advisory Councils

Function:

The role of the Research Advisory Councils is to inform research strategic planning and programmatic investments and advise on research challenges and opportunities.

Authority:

The Research Councils reports to the Vice Dean for Research, who then reports to the Dean of the SFESOM.

Responsibility:

The Research Advisory Councils meets two times per month during the September - May months, and as needed during the summer to address Health Sciences research issues, largely focused on School of Medicine. The councils shares a dotted line relationship to the School of Medicine Executive Committee, which may suggest issues for, or receive issues from the Research Advisory Councils.

Composition

Chair:

Vice Dean for Research or Designee

Other members:

The Research Advisory Councils comprise the Research Advisory Council, whose membership comprises a faculty representative from each of the departments in the SFESOM nominated by the department chair for a one-year term (renewable), and the Executive Research Advisory Council, whose membership comprises faculty or staff recruited by the Vice Dean for Research for a two-year term (renewable). Appointments shall commence or renew on January 1.

Leadership in Academic Culture and Education (LACE) Committee Office of Academic Culture and Community (OACC)

Function:

The function of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine (SFESOM) LACE Committee is to inform academic culture and community strategic planning and programming and advise the Dean on related challenges and opportunities within the SFESOM.

LACE serves as a link between the SFESOM administration and its departments, with the goal of creating a welcoming and respectful environment in academic medicine for people from all backgrounds and aligning the SFESOM with the University of Utah One U strategic pillars ( https://strategy2025.utah.edu ) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) strategic plan ( https://www.aamc.org/about-us/strategic-plan/healthier-future-all-aamc-strategic-plan ).

Authority:

The SFESOM LACE Committee meets regularly on a monthly basis, and as described by the Dean of the SFESOM and the Associate Dean for Academic Culture and Community. Additionally, working groups meet independently to plan and address matters related to their identified scope of work.

Responsibility:

The responsibility of the committee is to address SFESOM academic culture and community matters through coordinated efforts, best practices, resources, and community building in support of the mission.

Culture and Climate

Enhance a culture that welcomes and values all members of the community.

Recruitment:

Identify, attract, and recruit individuals to careers at the SFESOM by enhancing access to enrollment of post-doctoral trainees (i.e., post-docs, residents, and fellows) and faculty from all backgrounds.

Retention:

Support success and provide career development to optimize retention and nurture career advancement of current members of the academic community from all backgrounds.

Education and Training in support of the mission

Promote education to foster a welcoming environment across campus and in neighboring clinical sites.

Policies, accreditation, and accountability

Regularly review and advise on new and existing policies to help ensure fair practices and achieve/ remain in compliance with accreditation bodies, while optimizing departmental collaborations to ensure institutional alignment and accountability.

Outreach and community engagement

  • Build and strengthen relationships with community partners while promoting and providing opportunities to support and advance all communities and perspectives.
  • Maintains a central repository of resources and related documents.
  • While LACE makes high-level recommendations impacting multiple elements at the SFESOM, it delegates authority to working groups to make decisions specific to each group’s scope of work. LACE maintains awareness of working groups’ decisions and can formally endorse and advance a recommendation.
  • LACE can add, modify, or revise working groups, as advised by the Dean or newly identified needs to optimize achievement of the mission.

Working groups:

  • All working groups are housed under he authority of LACE to optimize cross-functional communication, coordination, and collaboration.
  • Working groups are charged to identify needs related to their scope of work, connect with collaborators, and update LACE on a quarterly basis.
  • Working groups are determine based on areas of responsibility, with one designated leader per group who is responsible for coordinating the work between the working group and LACE.

Composition

Chairs:

  • Associate Dean of Academic Culture and Community
  • Assistant Dean of Academic Culture and Community (Faculty and Trainees)

Members:

  • Associate Vice President of Health Sciences Workforce
  • Director of Academic Culture and Community
  • Departmental Representative with vice-chairs or directors (minimum of one from each basic science and clinical department in the SFESOM) – appointed by the Department Chair

Ad hoc members:

  • Representative(s) from Residency Interdisciplinary Council (RIC)
  • Other departmental faculty on behalf of vice-chairs and directors
  • Student representatives
  • Administrative support is provided by OACC staff member

Article V: Amendments to Charter

The Charter may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Council members. Voting may be conducted by written ballot, electronic mail, web site, or any similar method. At least one week’s notice shall be given for the collection of ballots. Approved amendments to the Charter must be ratified by the faculty, and approval will be determined by majority of cast ballots. Voting will be open for at least seven calendar days and may be closed when more than 50% of faculty members within that voting category (tenure-line and career-line) have cast ballots OR after the vote has been open for fourteen calendar days. Amendments will then be submitted for approval by the Academic Senate Executive Committee and then presented for the Information of the Academic Senate (University Policy 6-003).

Article VI: Academic Senate Elections

Following notification of expected vacancies from the Senate Personnel and Elections Committee, the SFESOM Office for Faculty shall distribute a call for candidates to run for Academic Senate and then hold an election to fill the expected vacancies and report the results to the Academic Senate. 

Winners will be determined by majority of cast ballots. Voting will be open for at least seven calendar days and may be closed when more than 50% of faculty members within that voting category (tenure-line and career-line) have cast ballots OR after the vote has been open for fourteen calendar days.

University Regulations Referenced

  • Policy 2-005      Officers of the University. Rev 7
  • Policy 6-001     Academic Units and Academic Governance – Roles of Faculties, Committees, Councils, and Academic Senate. Rev. 19
  • Policy 6-003     College Councils, and University Curriculum Policy Review Board. Rev. 6
  • Policy 6-300   The University Faculty – Categories and Ranks. Rev. 18
  • Policy 6-302     Appointments of Faculty. Rev. 8
  • Policy 6-303     Retention, Promotion, and Tenure. Rev. 23
  • Policy 6-304     University Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee. Rev. 2
  • Policy 6-310     Reviews of Career-line, Adjunct, and Visiting Faculty Members, and Other Instructional Personnel (Standards and Procedures). Rev. 3
  • Policy 6-400     Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Rev. 8
  • Policy 6-500     Curriculum Management and Administration. Rev. 0