II. The minutes of the meeting of February 28, 2005, were approved as distributed.

III. Executive Committee Annual Report: A list of Senate and Executive Committee activities since the previous Assembly meeting was provided. Reviewing highlights, Dr. Richardson reported that the Senate advised and consented to Dr. Jim Scott as Secretary for 2005-06, and to Dr. Linda Werling as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. He noted that the Executive Committee established a Subcommittee on Grouped Departments which recommended that a department with fewer than 5 full-time faculty, if it had no other such department in the same school to group with for the purposes of Senate representation, could provisionally have its own representation. He further noted approval of searches and re-election of Dr. Richardson and Professor Teitelbaum as Chair and Vice Chair of the Executive Committee. A motion to accept the report was made, seconded, and passed.

IV. Information Items

A. Entering Class, School of Medicine and Health Sciences [SMHS], and USMLE Step 1: Dr. Scott reported for Deans McQuail and Goldberg. He announced the School’s largest entering class, at 177 students: although the fewest offers in 25 years were made, a very high number of applicants chose to come to GW, and no offers were made to the wait list after May. He stated that 43 states and DC are represented, with most coming from California, Maryland, and Virginia; all had bachelor’s degrees, 30 had masters’, and 4 had doctorates; the average GPA, at 3.66, was up a little, and MCAT scores are compatible with other years. He reported an increase in the applicant pool to 10,193, despite a decline nationally of 4%. He expressed special appreciation to all first-year course directors and Chairs for their efforts in accommodating this large class.

Turning to the USMLE, Dr. Scott noted that students had to take the clinical skills exam for the first time this year, though were not required to pass it. He reported that Step 1 had a 93% pass rate, with 12 students failing; the national pass rate is believed to be similar though it has not yet been received; 216 was the national mean, 215 the GW mean. He noted that in the past four years, three students had to be dismissed for not passing it despite repeated tries. He stated that the GW pass rate for the clinical knowledge exam was 92%, ahead of the national rate of 84%; for the clinical skills exam, of 153 scores, 5 failed and the pass rate was 96.7%, while the national fail rate is predicted at 5%. Dr. Scott urged advisers to emphasize strongly to this year’s class that they must pass the clinical skills exam to graduate; that it takes months to reschedule; and that therefore, they must take both Step 2’s early to ensure that they graduate.

B. Entering Class, School of Public Health and Health Services [SPHHS]: Dr. Hunting, Associate Dean for Student and Faculty Development, reported that the entering class of 260 is of good quality, enthusiastic, and committed; almost every state is represented, as are 12 countries, and over 30 languages are spoken. She stated that the median age is 27, but the group is diverse with regard to age and experience, and socio-demographically. She stated that the three most popular majors are Global Health, Health Policy, and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, while an attractive program only in its second year is Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Diseases, a collaborative effort between the SPHHS and SMHS.

C. Entering Class, Health Sciences: Dean Johnson reported over 1300 applications, of which 47% were admitted; of these 47%, 85% of undergraduate and 80% of graduate applicants chose to matriculate here.

D. Strategic Planning Process: Dr. Williams reported that a consulting firm skilled in working with academic health centers began the process with over 250 interviews and 40 focus groups involving all Medical Center components. He stated that Clinical, Education, and Research design teams are now meeting, and that data being collected will be presented to the Medical Center. He expressed the hope of having an implementation plan by January or February. He described the process as going extremely well, with entities working well together and interest high.

V. Administrative Announcements

A. Medical Center Report: Dr. Williams reported that the Medical Center continues post-hurricane fund-raising on behalf of the University, and urged continued contributions to Ms. Debra Haydn in Ross 713-E. He explained that partnering organizations are the American Red Cross and Angel Flight, a charitable organization in which corporations loan private jets for medical transportation. Noting that one GW medical team has already served in Louisiana, he encouraged volunteers for a second team being formed under Dr. C. Catlett, Medical Director, Center for Emergency Preparedness. He also cited volunteer training of laypersons. Dr. Hunting noted that the SPHHS has accepted 29 students, 28 from Tulane and 1 from LSU.

In other areas, Dr. Williams reviewed upcoming security measures for anticipated IMF/World Bank demonstrations, an anti-war protest, and Vice President Cheney’s admission to GW Hospital. He described renewed controversy over the National Capital Medical Center proposed for old DC General site by Howard University and the city, at $400 million. He invited volunteers to participate in giving flu shots at the Metro on October 28.

Dr. Williams reported that consultants for the Old Hospital Site recommend that it be almost 100% commercial/residential, but that he, Dr. Scott, and Dean Katz will talk with Boston Properties to see whether a small health component can be included. He also noted a proposal to obtain a variance from the city to replace Himmelfarb Library with a seven-story building. To Dr. Walsh, he explained that this would occur perhaps three years from now.

B. SPHHS Report: Dean Katz reviewed the SPHHS’s efforts to help those displaced by Katrina: students, colleagues needing research space, lodging provided by SPHHS faculty, students, and staff, and Health Policy persons writing legislation for those affected; and she extended her personal thanks to all involved. She reported a very well-attended Orientation and a successful Convocation with speaker Dr. David Haymann of WHO, a GW Welling Professor. She provided updates on searches for Chairs in Exercise Science, Global Health, and Prevention and Community Health, and reviewed a $5 million line item in the DC budget in which the SPHHS would work with the Department of Health, mostly on Medicaid issues. She announced a memorandum of understanding with the Metropolitan Washington Council on Governments. She cited new initiatives in Health Communications, and Medicine and Policy, both of which represent collaboration between the two schools. In research, she reported many new grants, with total applications for FY05 up 20%, enormous progress being made with the help of Dr. Hirshfield.

C. SMHS Report: After noting Orientations for different groups, Dr. Scott explained that recently the School re-organized its graduate studies to a three-tiered program, largely due to the efforts of Dr. Werling, who was confirmed as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at the September Senate. He explained that with increased activity in both Ph.D. and master’s programs, creation of this new position was considered an appropriate recognition of the importance of the enterprise. In undergraduate medical education, he highlighted the new Office of Student Opportunities, with its vision of attracting students to GW who are prepared to take advantage of DC. He explained special track programs that are offered in such areas as Health Policy, Public Health, Global Health, Urban Community Health, Research, Medical Education, and Emergency Preparedness, with a required curriculum for the first two years and summer opportunities. He reported 48 funded opportunities to date, and 400 opportunities on the web site. In GME, he announced a major collaboration with Fairfax: Medicine moved its residents there last July, and several other departments are either already at Fairfax or discussing such a move. He provided brief updates on searches in Urology and Dermatology.

D. Health Sciences Report: Dean Johnson recalled that the Senate approved the re-organization of Health Sciences into three departments: Nursing Education, Clinical Management and Leadership, and Health Care Sciences. She stated that Nursing Education, with 42 students, will undergo a site visit October 26-27; the first DrPT class is larger than anticipated; and the Pharmacogenomics program with Shenandoah University admitted its first class in August at Loudoun. She noted contracts with Fairfax and Inova, and described a concept for creating a community-college-to-PharmD program as a potential centerpiece for building education programs at Loudoun. She reported that AHEC was re-funded, and the DC City Council has a $600,000 line item for it. She also noted the National Nursing Emergency Preparedness Initiative Grant, and announced Convocation September 29, Ross 101, with Dr. Carolyn Graham, speaker.

E. Research: Noting that she has been at GW seven months, Dr. Hirshfield explained that she was brought on board to expand the research enterprise. She stated that she has enjoyed learning about what is available here, and is confident that we can expand tremendously; she is impressed with the partnership with the deans and the support of the Vice President, and is proud to be on board for this development. She explained that she began with an environmental assessment, and welcomes continued input on people’s needs and interests. She stated that the first phase, directed toward those people already achieving the maximum in research, has been to “clear away the underbrush”: i.e., improve procedures. She cited reduction of a 15-page IRB application form to 5 pages; clarifications and streamlining of exemptions; reducing reporting requirements; and shortening turnaround times. She stressed that the focus in the IRB Office is on customer service, working together to facilitate research, and she highlighted a new monthly meeting open to anyone conducting human research. She also noted improvements made in the way animals are ordered. She explained that the second phase is to help those who are not in research to become more engaged: her office will hire a manager for research development, and is working on a Clinical Trials Support Center. Lastly, she announced Research Day on March 31, 2006, and invited suggestions for a topic that entails cross-cutting disciplines and programs. She encouraged all faculty to come and see her.

Dr. Williams described Dr. Hirshfield as a terrific addition who has accomplished the impossible in the seven months she has been here.

VI. Introduction of New Faculty: Lists of new faculty by department were provided, as were information sheets for those faculty who had provided them. Dr. Williams warmly welcomed all new faculty, and introduced the respective Deans of the schools. The Deans in turn introduced department Chairs; and in the case of Chairs who could not attend or who were new themselves, they also introduced the new faculty for those departments. For the SPHHS, new faculty were introduced in Environmental and Occupational Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Exercise Science, Prevention and Community Health, and Health Policy. For the SMHS, new faculty were introduced in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Clinical Management and Leadership, Emergency Medicine, Health Care Sciences, Medicine, Neurology, Nursing Education, OB-GYN, Orthopaedics, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Physiology, Psychiatry, Radiology, and Surgery.

VII. Brief Statements: Describing the previous year as “spectacular“ for our graduating students, Dr. Williams extended his thanks to the faculty for making this possible, and his hopes for another year that is at least as successful.

VIII. The meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m., and the assembled adjourned for a reception in honor of the new faculty.