Office of the Chair

Governance Task Force Report 

In May, the Faculty considered a report which was prepared to identify ways in which departmental communications and administrative processes might be improved and modified in light of the merger with the graduate program in clinical epidemiology and health care research and expansion of our research programs.  Thirty-one departmental members representing full-time, cross-appointees and status-only faculty and students were interviewed and a number of recommendations were made.  A Communications Task Force chaired by Tina Smith has been struck to consider these recommendations which are listed below and have been grouped under Communications and Administration:

Communications

1. Use Newsletter to profile work of Faculty and highlight seminars and special events.

2. Circulate in electronic form minutes of major departmental meetings.

3. Encourage Faculty to set up "virtual" nodes for activities such as student supervision, research projects and/or teaching techniques.   A list of these nodes should be made available to all members of the Department.

4. Schedule Faculty meetings to accommodate members of the Clinical Epidemiology Program Executive.

5. Schedule a full Departmental meeting twice each year with a "social" component.

6. Communicate expectations for different types of appointees in the Department.  Develop clear criteria for the appointment and promotion of status-only members.

Administration

1. Establish guidelines setting out normal expectations for Departmental activities such as service on committees.

2. Invite students to serve on all departmental administrative committees for which they are eligible.

3. The Chair engage the Department in a discussion about administrative processes for the Department which are congruent with its larger size and expanded mandate and, with the strategic goals of the Faculty of Medicine and the University.

The full report is available electronically.  If you would like a copy please e-mail Jeanne Kerr at had.chair@utoronto.ca.   Please do not hesitate to contact Tina Smith at tina.smith@utoronto.ca if you have comments or suggestions.

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