It was just March when the U. of I. Board of Trustees approved the idea of partnering with Carle Health System to create an engineering-centered, Urbana-based college of medicine.
And that idea keeps solidifying.
Officials will present a finished affiliation agreement to the board July 23, a document that enumerates the responsibilities of all involved parties, sets several processes into motion and pushes the new medical school into the here and now.
“We have been working very hard,” said Ilesanmi Adesida, the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, during a presentation of the framework agreement at the July 9 board of trustees’ University Healthcare System Committee meeting.
“The affiliation agreement ensures that our educational commitments to our students are honored,” he said. “This is truly the moment when we move from imagining this new college to actively building it.”
He said the new college will continue to operate as a unit of the university and will be separately accredited from the UIC medical school.
“This may be a new college, but it will operate on the campus and be subject to the university’s statutes, general rules and other university policies,” he said.
Oversight will be provided through a joint leadership team led by the chancellor and Carle’s chief executive officer. The Urbana provost and Carle’s chief medical officer will provide regular oversight for the medical college dean, who also will hold the title of chief academic officer in the Carle system.
A joint liaison committee comprising five members from each organization will help coordinate the efforts by overseeing the budget process and providing other strategic planning.
“Illinois will have authority over the education program for the medical students, and Carle will be responsible for clinical oversight activities undertaken at Carle and non-Carle provider sites,” Adesida said.
He said officials have strived to consider all aspects of the college and how it will operate, including mechanisms to resolve disagreements as they emerge over time.
“As with any formal university agreement, this one outlines a clear process for resolving disputes,” he said. “It is properly consultative and escalates appropriately. It also outlines the conditions under which the partnership might be terminated or how that would be carried out.”
There even is a provision to rename the medical school should a large benefactor come forward.
Other highlights of the agreement include research and intellectual property protections, and the financial commitment structure.
The U. of I. is expected to raise $135 million for the venture within eight years, while Carle will provide $100 million in the first 10 years. Additionally, Carle will pay an annual $1.5 million for activities related to translational research.
“The commitment is firm,” Adesida said. “Even if Carle were to sell its assets to a third party or change its form of ownership, the new group must assume Carle’s obligations.”
Next steps include developing a curriculum, seeking accreditation and conducting a national search for a medical school dean.
The dean’s search committee will consist of seven members from each organization.
“To be the kind of leader we need for this college, the dean/CAO must be able to perform well in both roles and to be in good standing with both organizations,” he said.
UIC Chancellor Michael D. Amiridis, whose campus had proposed a UIC-centered alternative, said he is pleased with the project’s progress and the involvement of UIC academic leaders.
“We sincerely believe that with both colleges working together, we’ll be able to improve and lift up the U. of I. health system,” he said. “We are committed to the (new) college and will assist as needed as they move forward on this endeavor.”
