As part of efforts to reorganize and streamline the University's upper-level administration, the Board of Visitors' executive committee agreed last Thursday to combine two administrative positions in the University's Health System.
Voting in favor of a recommendation from the Board's Health Affairs Committee and President John T. Casteen III, the Board established a new, cabinet-level position titled dean of the School of Medicine/vice president and chief medical officer.
Munsey Wheby, senior associate dean and professor of medicine, will chair a committee to draft a job description and identify issues the newly consolidated position will face. An official committee for the international search has not yet been created, University spokeswoman Louise Dudley said.
Efforts to reorganize the University's administration began in November 1999 when Leonard W. Sandridge, then University executive vice president and chief financial officer, assumed the expanded role of chief operating officer, taking on managerial supervision of the Medical Center in addition to his other oversight duties.
In addition, last month, Robert W. Cantrell, vice president and provost for health affairs, announced that he will leave his post when his term ends June 30.
His resignation is part of a massive turnover in administrators at the University this year. New officials will fill vacated positions including law school dean, college dean, provost and chancellor of the College at Wise.
The high rate of turnover helped provide the University with the opportunity to reorganize and streamline the administration, Sandridge said.
The Board's decision to create the new Health System position came following the completion of a consultant study looking at the restructuring of academic leadership at the University Medical Center.
Following the Board's decision, Cantrell's position will be combined with that of the Medical School dean to create the new position of dean of the School of Medicine/vice president and chief medical officer. This new official and the dean of the Nursing School will then report to the University Provost, bringing all 10 of the University's schools under the same academic leadership.
"Most schools are structured this way," Cantrell said. "A definite advantage I can see is that it would streamline the organization somewhat."
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