1. Satellites looking for a planet while avoiding collisions: leading and organizing fragmented faculty on a research campus
What are the challenges of engaging, motivating, and organizing faculty at a research and professional education campus?
Michelle Arnold, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
President, Faculty Senate
LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport
Disclaimer: This presentation reflects my views as an Assistant Professor, academician, advocate, and activist.
These views may not be shared by my colleagues.

2. A brief history of LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport
1876 – Charity Hospital established in Shreveport
1953 – Renamed Confederate Memorial Medical Center and moved to current location
1965 – LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport authorized by the Louisiana Legislature
1965 – School of Graduate Studies established as part of the LSU Medical Center
1969 – First class of 32 medical students began at the nearby VA Medical Center
1974 – First class of graduate students began (first graduates in 1978)
1975 – The medical building we use today was completed
1976 – Confederate Memorial became part of the LSU System
1977 – School of Allied Health Professions was established (first graduates in 1980)
2013 – After more than 150 years, the hospitals in Shreveport and Monroe
transitioned from public to private entities
40 year history of the Medical Center limits our ability to raise money from alumni

3. University administration at LSUHSC-S
Chancellor
Dean of Medical School
Chair of OMS
Vice-Chancellor
for Administration
for Academic Affairs
for Clinical Affairs
for Research
Dean of
Allied Health
Dean of
Graduate School
Associate Dean
of Research
GE Ghali, DDS MD
Victor Yik
Jane Eggerstedt, MD
David Lewis, MD
Chris Kevil, PhD
Joe McCulloch
Sandra Roerig
17 Clinical Science Departments
5 Basic Science Department
5 Allied Health Departments
450 faculty
600 residents and fellows
800 students

4. Faculty Academic Ranks at LSUHSC-S (1/2)
Basic Science Departments (5)
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Research Assistant Professor (non-tenure track)
Instructor (non-tenure track)
Medical Library Science (also listed as a Basic Science Dept)
Librarian
Associate Librarian
Assistant Librarian
General Librarian (non-tenure track)
Clinical Departments (17)
Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
Associate Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
Assistant Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
~60
~10 14
~210
~20

5. Faculty Academic Ranks at LSUHSC-S (2/2)
Allied Health (5)
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor (non-tenure track)
Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
Associate Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
Assistant Professor of Clinical _____ (non-tenure track)
~35
Total ~350
+ Administrators/other ranks = ~450
446 total faculty and administrators, according to response to Act 619

6. Problems with organizing a fragmented faculty (in no particular order)
(Perceived) lack of interaction between clinical and research faculty
(Perceived) lack of transparency from administration generates distrust
Extreme demands on physicians to see patients in an effort to raise money for institutional support (especially in dire financial circumstances)
Clinical faculty/physicians rarely show up for Medical School classroom teaching
Does not include teaching in the clinic
Same problem does not exist in Graduate School or School of Allied Health Prof.
Lack of academic experience amongst clinical faculty/physicians
Are we an academic medical center or hospital/clinical practice?
Comfortable position with 100% salary support (controversial topic)
144 medical schools in U.S., <10 offer 100% salary support

7. How do we change attitudes, and encourage faculty to take
an interest in their institution?
Perceptions amongst some faculty that we interact enough with our community
We do not; e.g. four years after separation, Shreveport residents do not understand the difference between the Medical School (state) and the hospital (private partner)
Perceptions amongst faculty that administrators (Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Dept. Chairs) do not listen to the faculty, so why bother
Authoritarian vs democratic leadership
How do you ask for a raise when the institution cannot make payroll
Perceptions that hierarchy of authority must be followed
From personal experiences, some Dept. Chairs think it is inappropriate for me in my role as President of the Faculty Senate to make requests or suggestions, because I am an Assistant Professor
Perceptions that “rocking the boat” will cause greater problems or lead to job loss
Part of confusion stems from University Health name