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Senate receives update on campaign, MD/PhD program Submitted by Kathy Chessman, secretary, Faculty Senate The Faculty Senate May meeting minutes were approved without change and are posted on the Senate’s Web site at http://www.musc.edu/facsen/. Jenny Clifton gave a brief overview of the YES (Yearly Employee Support) Campaign 2003 emphasizing that all money collected stays at MUSC to help fund programs here.  Perry Halushka, M.D., Ph.D., provided the Senate with an update on the College of Graduate Studies.  A copy of his Powerpoint presentation can be found attached to the meeting minutes on the Senate Web site.  This year there were 250 applications for MUSC’s undergraduate summer training programs. Seventy-five students have been accepted. Previously there were 30 to 35 students during the summer.  Also, the number of MD/PhD students will increase to nine for the incoming class of 2003. The increase in highly qualified candidates can be attributed to a strong, consolidated recruitment program. The number of training grants has also increased. Anne Kilpatrick, Ph.D., expressed congratulations to those senators who were recently promoted: Sally Self, Jack Thomas, Elaine Amella, and Debra Hazen-Martin.  The University Affairs Committee’s summary of the IT survey will appear in The Catalyst and on the Senate’s Web site within the next two weeks.  An orientation and strategic planning retreat will be held this fall to include current senators as well as those elected during the August election. The deans’ evaluations are now complete. John Raymond, M.D., sent a letter to the Faculty Senate regarding the overall evaluation. Raymond plans to meet individually with the deans to review their evaluation and has encouraged them to meet with their faculty for the same purpose. The provost has asked that the Senate provide a recommendation for a mechanism to ensure feedback to faculty regarding their chair’s evaluation. The Gender Equity Committee will present its findings next month. The Governance Committee will present the Senate’s revised Constitution for ratification soon. An extensive analysis of the Drug-free Workplace Policy has been completed and will be forwarded electronically to the Senate for review. Kilpatrick updated the Senate on the progress regarding faculty contracts. The Senate  Executive Committee met on May 28 and June 2 with Raymond, Tom Higerd, Ph.D., and Contract Committee members. The meetings’ purpose was to address a proposed change in the contract’s salary terminology. After considerable discussion, it was recommended that the salary language remain unchanged for this year’s contracts in order to allow more time to develop definitions and an implementation process for the new terminology should it be used in future contracts. Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., MUSC president, agreed to this request. Also, due to the delays experienced thus far, the deadline for contracts to be signed will likely be extended beyond the July 1, date to allow time for faculty to negotiate with their chairs, if necessary. The subsequent Senate discussion identified a number of issues to be discussed during the coming year. The next Senate meeting will be held at 7:45 a.m. July 1 in room 107 of the Library/Administration Building. The agenda will be posted on the Web site. Senators present Basic Sciences: Philippe Arnaud, Lucille London, Eberhard Voit, Sally Self, Debra Hazen-Martin Clinical Sciences: Gary Gilkeson, Paul Gold, Barry Hainer, George Johnson, Dana King, Dean Schuyler, Aljoeson Walker, Michael Zile Dental Medicine: Richard J. Albenesius, Stephen Malley Health Professions: Anne Kilpatrick, Libby Dismuke, Jack Thomas, Andrea White Library Science and Informatics: Geoff Freeman, Mary Mauldin, Starr Hazard, Nancy McKeehan Nursing: Elaine Amella, Julia Ball Pharmacy: Katherine Chessman   Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.