Matched Endowed Chair Policy

 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Establishment of and appointment to endowed chairs under this program will be consistent with the University's policy regarding academic appointees, Endowed Chairs and Professorships and with School of Medicine and campus guidelines. As with all endowed chairs funded by private gifts, a governing gift instrument developed and executed through the Development Office needs to be in place. The gift instrument shall, when needed, include a payment schedule, and language regarding the addition of payout to principal until full funding is achieved. (A sample can be obtained from the Dean's Office.)

The endowed chairs created through this program must be used for faculty:

  • who are members of The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators [referred to hereafter in this document as "Academy"] in the School of Medicine;
  • who qualify under University policy to hold an endowed chair;
  • who have significant teaching responsibilities for medical students.


PROCEDURE TO APPLY FOR MATCHING FUNDS

The dean will consider the strategic educational needs of the school and equity among departments in disbursing matching funds. Prior to initiating a fund raising campaign or making other commitments to funding sources, the department chair should submit a written proposal to the dean and the director of the Academy. The proposal will include:

  • The purpose of the proposed endowed chair.
  • The funding source(s) (e.g., departmental funds, fundraising campaign, etc.).
  • A timeline of when department match funds would be in hand and available for use.

Following formal consultation with: 1) director of the Academy, 2) vice dean for Education, 3) vice dean for Administration & Finance, and 4) director of Finance, the dean will in writing approve or deny the request.
TOP


ESTABLISHMENT OF A CHAIR

Once preliminary approval has been given, the proposal to establish a chair is circulated by the Academy to various stakeholders for an Academy round of approvals. Once this round is completed, the proposal is circulated by the endowed chairs steward to campus officials. When these approvals have been completed, the endowed chairs steward sends an official proposal to the Office of the President. When the chair is approved by the Office of the President, the chancellor is notified. The chancellor notifies the dean, the department chair and the Academy director. The dean writes to the department chair and the Academy director requesting suggestions for a search committee chair and members to select a member for appointment to the chair.

TYPE OF FUND

Each endowed chair created by this matching program will be established as a fund functioning as an endowment, rather than a true endowment, and will be recognized as part of The Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators initiative.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS

Dean's matching funds will be transferred to the chair fund after department funds are identified and available for use.

TOP
APPOINTMENT PROCESS

The dean, at the joint request of the department chair and the director of the Academy, will appoint a selection committee. The director, the department chair, and the vice dean for Education or their designees will serve as ex officio members of the selection committee. In keeping with school and campus guidelines for appointment of endowed chairs, the following procedure will be followed:

  • The selection committee forwards its recommendation in writing to the dean along with the nominee's CV.
  • If the dean concurs with the recommendation, it will be forwarded to the chancellor for approval.
  • The chancellor will notify the nominee directly of the appointment.


DISTRIBUTION OF PAYOUT

Throughout the duration of the department's participation in the matching program, payout will be distributed to the department.

Use of Payout

  • The annual payout of the endowed chairs created through this program is intended to be used solely for the educational efforts and salary support of the endowed chair holder.
  • In the event that a chair is vacant, the payout will be provided to the Academy and the department in proportion to their respective contributions to the principal. All funds from the endowment must be used for support of medical student education, in compliance with the original purpose for the endowment, or returned to principal.


REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Reports describing their educational activities will be filed annually by recipients of endowed chairs with their department chair, the dean through the vice dean for Education, and the director of the Academy.

APPOINTMENT TERM

Appointment to a matched endowed chair is for a five-year term. There is a maximum of two five-year terms per holder in departments with more than one eligible Academy member. Terms do not need to be consecutive. A project-based application process will be used for inaugural and subsequent searches, and all eligible department members may submit an application for consideration by the selection committee. At the end of the term, the current holder may be renewed or another Academy member in the department may be appointed through the same process used for the original appointment. Should a chair holder fail to qualify for annual renewal of membership in the Academy, appointment to the endowed chair will be terminated.

Academic stewardship review of the appointment will occur in the third and fifth years. This review will be conducted by the Academy director, the vice dean for Education, and the endowed chair holder's department chair.

Renewal of appointment for a second five-year term requires the concurrence of the director of the Academy, the vice dean for Education, the department chair and the vice dean for Academic Affairs, in addition to any other approvals that may be required by the School of Medicine, Academic Senate, or campus Academic Affairs. Department chairs have the prerogative of requiring that an Academy chair be vacated by the holder at the end of a five-year term to allow for rotation of appointments for departmental purposes in keeping with the mission of the Academy.

The endowed chairs created through this program, once funded, should be filled as soon as possible after they are established.

TOP
DISSOLUTION OF ENDOWMENT

The intention in creating an endowed chair for teaching that has been jointly funded by the Academy and a School of Medicine department is that the endowed chair will exist in perpetuity. However, this is predicated on a commitment by the department to keep the endowed chair occupied continuously by a faculty member within the department who is also a member of the Academy. If the endowed chair for teaching becomes vacant for any reason (including, but not limited to, departure of the faculty member, loss of membership in the Academy, or inability to appoint a new faculty member within the department to the Academy), the department will be granted two years to designate a new holder of the chair. If this is not accomplished, the endowment committed to the chair, including a proportionate share of capital appreciation on the principal and less any Academy related assessments, will be divided and returned to the original fund sources in a manner that is proportionate to their contributions to the chair and consistent with University policy on disestablishment of endowed chairs.