1 ie~ diari 0ailj N I It q 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 TOMORROW - Lo. 23 GOT A NEWS TIP? NEW ON MICHIGANDA LYCOM Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail Social Disorder: Accepting evolution news@michlgandaily.com and let us know. MICHIGANDAILY.COM/BLOGS INDEX NEWS ............................2 ARTS ............................. 5 Vol.,CXXIV, No.84 SUDOKU ........................2 CLASSIFIEDS .................6 2014The MichigarDaily OPINION .......................4 SPORTS .. . . ....6 michigondilycomh 4 A