Task force evaluates plans for health science enterprise

A task force will evaluate plans for reorganizing the UIC health sciences enterprise. Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin/UIC Photo Services

Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares has appointed a UIC Health Science Reorganization Task Force of campus administrators, faculty members and a student representative to evaluate plans for reorganizing the UIC health sciences enterprise within the context of the campus.

The objective is to keep the campus whole and to identify issues and propose solutions in terms of the responsibilities of the vice chancellor for health affairs.

University trustees approved a plan Nov. 14 to align the UI Hospital and clinics and the health science colleges at UIC under one campus leadership structure.

The board directed University President Robert Easter to develop plans for implementing the reorganization, requesting that he present the plans at the March 6 meeting in Urbana-Champaign.

The UIC Health Science Reorganization Task Force serves an advisory role to Allen-Meares and Lon Kaufman, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

The task force will propose organizational principles to enhance the strengths of the health sciences enterprise, address questions about the reorganization plan and consider long-term outcomes.

The group, which includes 24 members of the UIC community, is led by co-chairs Karen Colley, dean of the Graduate College, and Astrida Tantillo, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The task force is working in collaboration with the UIC Senate’s Ad Hoc Committee on Campus Reorganization.

The Board of Trustees’ approved plan replaces the position of vice president for health affairs, which reports to the university president, with a vice chancellor for health affairs who oversees the clinical and academic programs and reports to the UIC chancellor.

Easter told trustees in November that the reorganization would unify the university’s health care enterprise and create collaborations among colleges.

“This reorganization reaffirms our commitment and creates a framework to establish high goals for achievement that would position the health enterprise at UIC to be a leader among its peers,” he said.