PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL MINUTES
March 29, 2006

Present: Rick Albenesius, Tom Anderson, Wallace Bonaparte, Frank Clark, Jack Feussner, Jim Fisher, Joe Good, Ray Greenberg, Sarah King, Lisa Montgomery, John Raymond, Danielle Ripich, Sabra Slaughter, and Walker Coleman

Guests: Tom McNally, Barbara Rivers, John Cormier, Tom Brown, Stuart Mixon, Kurt Nendorf, Susan Barnhart, Sue Pletcher, Sharon Knowles, and Eleanor Spicer

ITEM 1 Update on Children’s Hospital Fund Advisory Board

Mr. McNally summarized recent accomplishments, current priorities, and future plans of the Board under the umbrella of its primary role to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital and Children’s Research Institute. These included liaison initiatives (i.e., Friends of the Children in Hilton Head); many events (Bulls Bay Golf Tournament, Rock{n}Research, Rucker concerts); major projects (Children’s Hospital Miracle Network, Miracle Home Project, Children’s Circle of Care); and attracting national level Board membership. Ms. Rivers was singled out for thanks, and Mr. Anderson called special attention to the Board’s essential role in providing funding for two additional floors on the CRI.

ACTION: Council expressed deep appreciation to Mr. McNally and Board colleagues for the volunteer leadership that has driven the resounding success of the Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Research Institute.

ITEM 2 HIPPA Security Update

Ms. Pletcher reported progress towards full HIPPA compliance which included establishment of internal governance as well as polices, standards, and guidelines. Work is now ongoing with 139 identified internal systems to complete individual plans by early September, followed by ongoing training and actual start of random audits in early 2007.

ACTION: Council received this as information and commended Ms. Pletcher and colleagues for a job well done.

ITEM 3 E-Mail Retention Policy

Mr. Nendorf presented recommendations for conversion of the two existing campus email systems (IMAP and GroupWise) to the single MicroSoft Exchange system over a two year period with savings after an initial almost break even annual cost approaching $ 60,000 a year thereafter.

ACTION: Council approved the conversion and directed that: (1). legal guidelines for email archiving be developed and widely disseminated; and, (2). every effort be made to accelerate the conversion timeline.

ITEM 4 Outpatient Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Dr. Cormier reviewed past problems and resultant draft policy by a multidisciplinary committee of practitioners to assure that institutional level prescription licensure is not adversely affected by individual practitioners deviating from terms of their licenses.

ACTION: Council approved the policy and thanked all who put the draft together.

ITEM 5 Campus Smoke Free Policy

Mr. Mixon and Ms. Montgomery presented findings of a third committee charged with recommendations necessary to create a smoke free campus under the authorities provided by the S. C. Attorney General and the MUSC/MUHA Trustees as well as repeated vote of the Student Government Association. This would be kicked off with the students’ August campus return and include a tobacco cessation program for employees offered through the State Health plan, promotion of nonsmoking programs, and clearly designated smoking areas throughout the campus.

ACTION: Council recommended approval by MUSC and MUHA Boards as well as emphasized the importance of clear communication during implementation and beyond with patients and their loved ones.

ITEM 6 Electronics Communications Policy

Dr. Clark once again returned this draft to Council after additional work to address previously raised concerns, pointing out that it had been approved by the Faculty Senate and Deans’ Council.

ACTION: Council approved with minor clarifications relating to personal messaging.

Item 7 Approval for CHE Designation-Center for Structural Biology

Dr. Spicer gave a historical overview of conceptual and actual development since 1996 that resulted in recent designation as a “Structural Biology Facility”, followed by future plans to pursue official “Center” designation. This had received Deans’ Council approval.

ACTION: Council approved Center designation for consideration by the MUSC Board at its April 7 meeting and, if approved, by the CHE.

Item 8 General Updates

Mr. Anderson noted that the Wickliffe House was being painted prior to Commencement.

Dr. Feussener will present the UMA North Area initiative financials to the Board with hopes to open before 2007, and discussed contacts beyond the Charleston area for potential future affiliations.

Mr. Boneparte will be advising the S. C. Commission on Human Affairs for improvements to their complaint process; is working with Dr. West and a special interest group to look at American’s With Disabilities Act compliance, particularly with regard to students; and will continue to closely track OFFCP current focus on compensation and possibility of developing an acceptable self-evaluation mechanism for MUSC.

Ms. King remarked on significant recent PR staff turnover due to retirements and promotions elsewhere, but indicated promising recruitment of highly qualified replacements.

On behalf of Dean’s Council, Dean Ripich conveyed enthusiasm about this year’s particularly strong pool of student applicants.

Dr. Raymond and colleagues are now looking at G lot as possible alternate site for the Drug Discovery Building, and are working with Ms. Montgomery on removing the Bank Building.

Dr. Clark updated on imminent activation of the Charleston peninsula wireless network that will offer potential web access to campus patients and visitors without use of MUSC systems.

Mr. Fisher reported on the upcoming joint meeting of Board of Visitors and MUSC/MUHA Trustees in conjunction with the CHP building opening celebration; that Development staff were partially moved and up and running in Cannon Park Place; and that the last details and push for the new Capital Campaign will be completed in time for Trustees’ action on April 7.

Dr. Slaughter’s recent discussions with SPAWARS staff about possible collaborations will be followed up by President Greenberg and Provost Raymond. He also commented about a meeting that he and David Rivers coordinated for Drs. Greenberg and Raymond with Representative Clyburn to explore opportunities for federal support of future MUSC patient care facilities.

Faculty Senate Chairman Albenesius announce an upcoming Town Hall Meeting.

President Greenberg recently had productive sessions with the S.C. Senate Finance Committee in Columbia about the State budget, and the VA in Washington for further discussion of “The Charleston Model”.