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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, March18, 2014
michigandaily.com
HOSPITAL
Pescovitz to
step down
from CEO
role in June
LUCK OF THE IRISH
Coleman recommends
Emory University
prof. to fill top health
system position
By IAN DILLINGHAM
Daily News Editor
Ora Pescovitz, CEO of the Uni-
versity of Michigan Health System
and executive vice president for
medical affairs, announced in a blog
post Monday morning that she will
step down from her position after
her five-year term ends on June 1.
Pescovitz, the first woman to
serve as the head of the health sys-
tem,hasworkedinher currentposi-
tionsince her2009 appointment.
"I want to express my deep
appreciation to Dr. Pescovitz for
her commitment to Michigan and
for ensuring that the Health System
remains sound and strong, which is
an enormous accomplishment given
our complex environment and the
changingnational health care land-
scape," Coleman wrote in an e-mail
to faculty and staff on Monday.
As EVPMA, Pescovitz oversaw
the University's medical operations
- three main hospitals, 40 outpa-
tient locations and more than 120
clinics around the state - as well as
the Medical School, School of Nurs-
ing and various research initiatives
through various departments and
institutes.
Under Pescovitz's tenure, UMHS
has implemented major renovation
projects, most notably the construc-
tion of the $754 million C.S. Mott
Children's Hospital and Women's
Hospital, completed in 2011. She
also oversaw the transfer of sev-
eral research departments from the
medical campus to the North Cam-
pus Research Complex after the
University purchased the former
Pfizer property in 2009 at a cost of
$108 million.
In a communication to the Uni-
versity's Board of Regents, Univer-
sity President Mary Sue Coleman
recommended Michael Johns, pro
fessor of otolaryngology and health
policy at Emory University, to serve
as interim EVPMA effective June 2.
A Detroit native, Johns gradu-
ated from the University's medi-
cal school in 1969 after obtaining a
bachelor's and graduate degree in
biology from Wayne State Univer-
sity.
"I look forward to the leadership,
depth of experience, and vision that
Dr. Johns will bring to the Univer-
sity," Coleman wrote. "I appreciate
his willingness to serve his alma
mater and his home state in this
important way."
Johns formerly served as dean of
the Johns Hopkins School of Medi-
cine and vice president of Medical
Faculty from 1990 to 1996. He later
became the executive vice presi-
dent for health affairs at Emory
before serving as chancellor from
See PESCOVITZ, Page 3
m -
ADAM GLANZMAN/DalIly
LEFT and LOWER: Dancers from the O'Hare School of Dance perform traditional Irish dances at Conor O'Neills Monday. CENTER: Green beer at
Ashley's Pub on State Street. TOP RIGHT: The Diggers perform at Conor O'Neill's for St. Patricks Day.
ADMINISTRATION
Boar-d to approve projects
Regents to
consider host of
renovation plans at
Thursday meeting
By CLAIRE BRYAN
and YARDAIN AMRON
Daily StaffReporters
The University's Board of
Regents will convene Thurs-
day afternoon in the Michigan
Union's Anderson Room to
consider multiple construction
projects, as well as the elimi-
nation of an academic program
within the School of Kinesiol-
ogy. Initiatives slated for the Art
and Architecture Building, the
Ross School of Business and the
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital
and Von Voigtlander Women's
Hospital, among others, are
expected to receive approval.
Regents to approve Art and
Architecture Building Reno-
vations
The regents will vote to
approve renovations of the Art
and Architecture Building on
North Campus, which houses
the Taubman College of Archi-
tecture and Urban Planning and
the School of Art & Design. If
approved, the renovations will
consist of an addition to the
original building, which was
constructed in 1974, as well as
minor renovations to the exist-
ing building.
The project will add new
classrooms, studio spaces and
faculty offices.
The project is estimated to
cost $28 million, $12.5 million
of which will come from a gift
from real estate mogul A. Alfred
Taubman, who donated $30
million in 1998 to the College of
Architecture and Urban Plan-
ning, which now bears his name.
In a separate agenda item, the
regents will also vote to name
the addition the A. Alfred Taub-
man Wing in his honor.
Taubman has also funded the
A. Alfred Taubman Health Sci-
ences Library and the A. Alfred
Taubman Medical Research
Institute as well as support for
an expansion of the University
of Michigan Museum of Art.
Pending approval by the
regents, the University will
appoint architecture firm Inte-
grated Design Solutions and
the Preston Scott Cohen firm as
project designers.
Mobility Transformation
Facility moves ahead
Initial schematic designs
and bids for construction con-
tracts of a Mobility Transfor-
mation Facility will also receive
approval. The research facility
- which received approval in
the fall - will simulate auto-
mated and connected driving in
everyday conditions.
For $6.5 million, the facility
See BOARD, Page 3
ANN ARBOR
City Council
vote to lead
to creation
of new park
Councilmembers in
favor of resolution
say park will provide
safe public space
By EMMA KERR
Daily StaffReporter
Ann Arbor City Council mem-
bers passed a resolution Monday
night granting official council
dedication to the establishment
of an urban park near the Ann
Arbor District Library.
However, councilmem-
bers and community members
debated many concerns with
the resolution, including a lack
of organization and financial
planning, safety and patrol ques-
tions and inconclusiveness as to
whether the property would be
publicly or privately owned and
developed.
Josie Parker, the Ann Arbor
District Library Director who
represented its board, opposed
the creation of a park near the
library due to safety concerns
as well as issues surrounding
the financial and organizational
aspects of the potential park.
According to Parker, Ann Arbor
See COUNCIL, Page 3
SENATE A SSEMBLY
Proceedings for
faculty removal
raise questions
ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Jonathan Cohn, senior editor at The New Republic, and Avik Roy, opinion editor at Forbes, debate the U.S. Health
System and potential reform at the Ford School of Public Policy Monday.
Journalists debate issues
surrounding Obamacare
Governance body
also picks four new
members of SACUA
By ANDREW ALMANI
Daily StaffReporter
On Monday, the University's
Senate Assembly met at Palmer
Commons to select new members
for its executive body, the Senate
Advisory Committee for Univer-
sity Affairs.
Although the necessary quo-
rum to initiate a Senate Assem-
bly meeting was not reached,
the new SACUA members were
elected and members held a dis-
cussion about adjustments to
University policy regarding the
removal of faculty.
The newly-elected SACUA
members include John Lehman,
professor of ecology and evolu-
tionary biology, Pharmaceuti-
cal Sciences Prof. David Smith,
William Schultz, professor of
mechanical engineering, naval
architecture and marine engi-
neering and Silke-Maria Wei-
neck, chair of the Department
of Comparative Literature and
associate professor of German
Studies.
The election process began
with candidates delivering brief
remarks about why they areinter-
ested in the position and which
issues they find most important.
Common themes included con-
cern about future administrative
decisions such as the Adminis-
trative ServicesTransformation,
the lack of faculty input in the
AST decision-making process,
diversity and the importance of
the humanities in the 21st cen-
tury.
The group later examined the
proposed Fitness for Duty section
of the Standard Practice Guide,
concerning proper procedures in
situations where faculty mem-
bers need to be removed involun-
tarily.
SACUA first received a draft
of the SPG in January 2013 from
Christina Whitman, vice provost
for academic and faculty affairs.
Upon review, SACUA founda few
points of concern in the policy
and spent time revising it dur-
ing the summer, returning a new
draft to the University in the fall.
The most recent edition of the
policy, which includes changes
reflecting feedback from SACUA,
was first presented in January
2014 and was discussed at the
See SENATE ASSEMBLY, Page 3
Ford School talk
examines how to
reform healthcare
in the U.S.
ByCHARLOTTE JENKINS
Daily StaffReporter
Journalist Jonathan Cohn
and Avik Roy, a senior fellow
at the Manhattan Institute,
engaged in a debate on the
recent roll out of the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care
Act and its impacts on health
care cost and quality at the
Gerald R. Ford School of Public
Policy Tuesday.
Both Roy and Cohn focused
on the theme of compromise
in the healthcare system in the
event, "Obamacare and Beyond:
How to Reform the U.S. Health
System."
"The truth of all public policy
- liberal, conservative - is that
there are tradeoffs," Cohn said.
Roy worked as a health care
policy adviser to presidential
candidate Mitt Romney in 2012.
He is also currently the opinion
editor at Forbes Magazine. As
the voice of the other side of the
debate, Cohn works as a senior
editor at the New Republic and
the author of "Sick: The Untold
Story of America's Health Care
Crisis."
The debate was often framed
as abalance between health care
services and high healthcare
costs.
Roy said he believes health,
insurance is too expensive.
Referring to the ACA's mandate
that every person in the United
States have health insurance,
See HEALTHCARE, Page 3
WEATHER HI: 41
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