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The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
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Monday, March 9, 2015 — 3A

taken that course?” Mangrulkar 
asked.

Steven Gay, assistant dean 

for admissions, also discussed 
the logic behind requiring profi-
ciency in topics rather than class 
credit. He said the old require-
ments did not take into account 
that students may learn neces-
sary material outside of the con-
ventional classroom.

“We see a number of students 

right now … with advanced 
degrees, or who have spent exten-
sive time in labs,” Gay said. “I 
think we should give students the 
opportunity if they are learning 
in those innovative and different 
ways not to have to repeat things 
unnecessarily.”

Mangrulkar 
said 
the 
new 

application process is meant to 
create a dialogue in which stu-
dents can reflect on how they 
have earned the knowledge they 
need, whether it be from a class or 
from another experience.

“The student will be able to 

say, ‘alright, these are the expec-
tations, let me reflect on what 
I’ve done and show how these 
all meet those different crite-
ria,’” Mangrulkar said. “That’s 
a better way to have a conversa-
tion than what we’ve had in the 
past, which is basically a student 
saying ‘I took this class, is this 
okay?’”

Gay said that, though students 

have the freedom to gain knowl-
edge in unique ways under the 
new requirements, taking classes 
is still the easiest way to fulfill the 
prerequisites.

Listed with the new prerequi-

sites is a group of Core Competen-
cies. The four competencies are 

analytical thought and problem-
solving skills, written and verbal 
communication, 
mathematical/

statistical analysis and applica-
tion of hypothesis-driven meth-
ods of research. Mangrulkar 
said these competencies began 
as expectations for residents, but 
have now trickled down to the 
pre-medical level.

“It started triggering a discus-

sion in our realm saying, ‘What 
are our competencies and how do 
they line up with the fact that 98 
to 99 percent of medical students 
go on to do a residency?’ ” he said. 
“Shouldn’t there be some align-
ment?”

Mangrulkar added that the 

University’s 
changed 
require-

ments are part of an overall 
shift in pre-medical education 
in the United States. He said the 
changes stem, in part, from col-
laboration with the Association 
of American Medical Colleges, 
a national organization that is 
strongly allied with many medi-
cal school admissions teams.

“There 
were 
sessions 
and 

conferences asking what are the 
issues with pre-medical require-
ments,” Mangrulkar said. “I think 
the fundamental premise is that 
all of medical education is moving 
towards much more specificity on 
what we, as a profession, expect 
physicians to be able to do.”

Implicit in the new pre-med 

requirements is a push for well-
rounded pre-med students who 
have knowledge and experi-
ence beyond what one gains in 
the classroom. Mangrulkar said 
the medical profession has been 
searching for this type of student 
for some time.

“I think for the longest time 

the profession has wanted stu-
dents who are not only academi-

cally excellent,” Mangrulkar said. 
“If students think that by getting 
the A in biochemistry and getting 
an outstanding MCAT score, that 
that is a ticket to medical school, 
that has not been the case for a 
long time, it really hasn’t.”

Mangrulkar 
added 
that, 

ultimately, what the Medical 
School looks for in its students 
are the same qualities that a 
patient would seek in his or her 
doctor.

“If we’re not aligned, our edu-

cation program, with what our 
patients want in their doctor, 
then there’s a disconnect there,” 
he said.

Gay also spoke to the qualities 

that make a good applicant.

“Great applicants have expe-

riences that not every applicant 
for medical school has,” Gay said. 
“They may do Teach for America, 
they may do the Peace Corps, they 
may work in the lab, they may 
work on Wall Street, they may 
build programs and do things as 
undergraduates that give them 
the opportunity to learn in great 
depth a lot of the topics that we 
look at.”

Students in the Class of 2016 

will have the option of completing 
either the new or the old require-
ments. Mangrulkar said the 2016 
cycle is meant to serve as a transi-
tion period.

Though the difference between 

the old and the new requirements 
may seem drastic, Mangrulkar 
said it really isn’t.

“The movement in the pre-

med requirements, I wouldn’t 
see as being that big a deal,” he 
said. “It just allows us to be more 
specific, and actually to be more 
inclusive, giving credit for the 
stuff that our pre-med students 
already do.”

the MedEx Academy, presented 
the conference’s keynote speech.

The conference also included 

22 workshop sessions around 
campus, which focused leader-
ship and workplace development 
pertaining to this year’s theme.

Inspired 
by 
the 
WCTF’s 

programs, GHS created their 
own professional development 
opportunities for women of 
color. The initiative ultimately 
resulted in an alliance between 
the University and GHS to fur-
ther 
increase 
development 

opportunities for people at both 
institutions.

As a director of operations, 

training and human resources, 
Squire promotes diversity and 
leadership development at dif-
ferent institutions by mentoring 
staff. He helps organizations and 
individuals achieve success by 

promoting mutual respect and 
investing in “human capital.”

Squire discussed GHS’s slow 

evolution to a diverse communi-
ty throughout the years and his 
involvement as a director there.

“My personal mission is to 

educate, enable and empower 
individuals and teams to achieve 
excellence,” Squire said.

During his speech, Squire 

focused on how “color groups” 
can be used to represent work 
performance. He discussed how 
people could be broken into red, 
yellow and green groups to indi-
cate differences in work moti-
vation, skills and performances 
among the workforce.

“Colors 
reflect 
our 
lives 

because we all have them,” 
Squire said. “We bring them 
to our work. They bring up 
the question — what color are 
you? Are you the manager who 
never provides follow up to 
your instructions? Are you the 
person in the team who always 

complains and tries to bring the 
team down? Or are you a differ-
ent color because you are always 
sincere in work and take risks to 
achieve your goals?”

Using this concept of colors — 

where green is considered the best 
of the workforce — Squire also 
discussed implementing changes 
to increase the staff’s efficiency 
and satisfaction and to understand 
problems stemming from a lack 
of communication, initiative and 
awareness of consequences.

“The most important respon-

sibilities of leadership are to 
recognize, respond and reward,” 
Squire said. “Then you can have 
your work done the way you 
want it done every day.”

Squire concluded his speech 

by emphasizing the importance 
of a diverse workforce.

“We are the most creative when 

we are not homogenous,” Squire 
said. 
“Working 
with 
various 

groups of people can create the 
most effective leadership skills.”

ADMISSIONS
From Page 1A

Carson, who was born in 

Detroit, enrolled at the University 
after completing his undergradu-
ate education at Yale University. 
He graduated from the University 
in 1977 and spent his career prac-
ticing pediatric neurosurgery at 
Johns Hopkins University.

Carson became the first sur-

geon to separate twins con-
joined at the head. He went on 
to perform the surgery several 
times and develop a method to 
remove deeply embedded brain 
tumors, before retiring from 
medicine in 2013.

After Carson’s 2013 speech at 

the National Prayer Breakfast, 
prominent 
Republican 
John 

Philip Sousa IV created the 
National Draft Ben Carson for 
President Committee dedicated 
to helping Carson gain a nomi-
nation for the 2016 presidential 
election. The committee’s catch-
phrase is “Run, Ben, Run.”

A 
month 
later, 
Carson 

returned to the University to 
give a lecture hosted by the 
Alpha Omega Alpha medical 
honor society and the Depart-
ment of Neuroscience.

In the lecture, Carson encour-

aged future physicians to branch 
out into the political sphere, 
emphasizing that doctors are 
the best people to talk about 
health care policies, as they deal 
with these programs and regu-

lations every day.

During a speech at the 2015 

Conservative Political Action 
Conference in February, Car-
son outlined several broad plat-
form ideas, including welfare 
reform and the replacement of 
the Affordable Care Act with a 
health saving accounts system.

With health saving accounts, 

individuals can contribute a spe-
cific amount of money per year 
towards healthcare expenses 
that is not subject to federal 
income tax. Individuals, not the 
government or a corporation, 
own the accounts. They are cur-
rently only available to those 
who have health care plans with 
high deductibles.

“It is not affordable,” Car-

son said of the ACA. “And it is 
absolutely about redistribution 
and control. If we really wanted 
to use our intellect, we would 
come up with something that 
works for everybody.”

Last week, Carson attracted 

widespread 
media 
attention 

for comments during a CNN 
interview in which he said 
homosexuality is a choice, cit-
ing that people “go into prison 
straight, and when they come 
out, they‘re gay.”

He later apologized for the 

remarks, but said he would not 
address gay rights issues for the dura-
tion of his presidential campaign.

Contact information for a 

Carson spokesperson was not 
immediately available.

Aaron Kall, director of the 

University’s debate team and 
an expert in election politics, 
said Carson probably did not 
get involved in politics while at 
the University because he came 
for graduate school.

“I think that his time at 

Michigan, just being a medical 
student, and all of the rigorous 
amount of time and everything, 
I don’t know how much time he 
had to dabble into politics while 
in graduate school,” Kall said.

In the two years that have 

passed 
since 
he 
spoke 
at 

the University, Carson has 
advanced from a name thrown 
around when talking about the 
2016 presidential election to a 
serious contender.

“(Carson is) not a frontrun-

ner in the GOP, but certainly a 
candidate, a legitimate candi-
date,” Kall said.

This year’s CPAC straw poll 

placed Carson fourth among 
likely Republican candidates, 
pulling 11.4 percent of the vote. 
He placed behind Kentucky 
Sen. Rand Paul, Wisconsin Gov. 
Scott Walker and Texas Sen. 
Ted Cruz, but ahead of former 
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Even so, Kall said he has 

doubts about Carson’s ability to 
gain the nomination.

“He got about just over 10 

percent of the vote, showing 
that he’s a legitimate candidate 
in 2016,” Kall said. “But I don’t 
think that he would be consid-
ered one of the very top most 
formidable favorites.”

“What’s different about the 

Medical School?” Pierce asked. 
“Many of the faculty are like 
myself. We teach medical stu-
dents, we work with residents, 
we treat patients, which is a very 
big part of our time. We are also 
doing research, we are also get-
ting grants, we are also publish-
ing papers.”

***

Typically, the journey to tenure 

commences at the beginning of a 
professor’s career, when he or she 
is an assistant professor.

Using LSA as an example, LSA 

Dean Andrew Martin said assis-
tant professors are often evalu-
ated for promotion at the end of 
their fifth academic year at the 
University.

At this time, action begins at 

the departmental level, where the 
faculty member in question starts 
by giving his or her respective 
department a teaching statement, 
research statement, statement of 
service, curriculum vitae and a 
portfolio of published works.

Martin said the teaching state-

ment “describes their pedagogy 
(and) describes their teaching 
experience.”

Once these items have been 

submitted, the department then 
solicits letters of evaluation from 
leading scholars in the faculty 
member’s field of study — typical-
ly amassing 10 to 12 letters total.

All of this happens between 

the end of one school year and the 
beginning of the next. By Octo-
ber, all items have been provided 
to the department, and by Novem-
ber, 
the 
department 
decides 

whether or not it will recommend 
the faculty member to be consid-
ered for tenure by administrative 
bodies in LSA.

At this level, Martin said, there 

are three main criteria for exam-
ining a professor’s overall qual-
ity: Whether or not the professor 
is an “outstanding scholar” who 
has completed original research; 
whether or not the professor is 
a distinguished and committed 
teacher, something that is quanti-
tatively and qualitatively decided 
by student course evaluations and 
observations by already-tenured 
faculty; and whether or not the 
professor has done “service” to 
the institution through advising 
roles and committee work, and 
to his or her profession overall 
through work with professional 
associations, for example.

Martin added that the third 

criterion regarding service is less 
important in regards to the tran-
sition from assistant professor to 
associate professor with tenure, 
and more important at a higher-
level promotion, like full profes-

sor.

If the transition from assistant 

to associate represents recogni-
tion of scholarship, Martin said, 
then the transition from associ-
ate to full or higher denotes an 
expanding breadth of study. How-
ever, the benefits of tenure remain 
the same, whether a member of 
the faculty is an associate or full 
professor.

“In addition to supporting aca-

demic freedom, tenure also pro-
vides security,” Martin said. “And 
we would expect our best faculty 
members, once they’re tenured, to 
begin to focus a little bit beyond 
the core things that they’re 
invested in.”

“The way I view it is, when we 

tenure someone, we’re making 
a huge investment in them, and 
our expectation is that they’re 
going to continue to make a big 
investment in the University not 
just through research and teach-
ing, but in other ways as well,” he 
added.

The first administrative body to 

examine the departmental port-
folio is the Divisional Executive 
Committee. LSA is split into three 
divisions: Humanities, Social Sci-
ences and Natural Sciences. Two 
representatives from each of the 
three divisions and four other 
elected faculty representatives 
from within LSA comprise the 
DEC — which doesn’t vote on the 
faculty member’s pending tenure, 
but instead aims to “discuss and 
characterize 
the 
scholarship,” 

Martin noted.

This discussion is then submit-

ted in the form of a report with 
the departmental portfolio to the 
College Executive Committee. 
This body votes to recommend a 
faculty member for tenure to the 
Office of the Provost.

The CEC is smaller than the 

DEC, and is comprised of two 
members from each of the three 
LSA divisions. Martin sits on the 
committee as an ex officio, and 
only votes if there is a tie.

This entire process is meant to 

evaluate a faculty member solely 
upon his or her academic excel-
lence, and not upon other intan-
gible qualities.

“One thing that this college has 

done with some really great lead-
ership over the last few decades is 
to think very carefully about our 
promotion and tenure process to 
remove sources of bias,” Martin 
said.

This yields “a real rigid follow-

ing of our process … to remove 
those intangibles.” For example, 
talking about race, gender, reli-
gion, age or any part of a person’s 
background is completely off the 
table, Martin said.

Once the CEC recommends a 

faculty member for tenure to the 
Office of the Provost, the vice 
provosts and University Provost 
Martha Pollack conduct a final 

review of the faculty member’s 
portfolio by mid-February.

Pollack reads each casebook 

and evaluates the CEC’s recom-
mendation, re-reading the faculty 
member’s portfolio and looking 
for context. For example, Pollack 
said, in examining teaching excel-
lence, she looks to see whether or 
not a faculty member innovated 
in his or her teaching methods, or 
if that person mentored students 
outside of the classroom.

“I think what has evolved for 

me is a broad appreciation of how 
these fundamental questions play 
out differently in different dis-
ciplines,” Pollack said. “I mean, 
I have this bird’s eye view … and 
what it means to have impact 
when you’re a medical research-
er is very different from what 
it means to have impact when 
you’re an English professor. But 
in both cases, that’s what we’re 
looking at.”

Ultimately, if the Office of 

the Provost approves the fac-
ulty member for tenure, Pollack 
submits a report to the Board 
of Regents, which has the final 
say.

***

Blair and Pierce said it’s not 

entirely uncommon for faculty 
members who are being recruited 
by other institutions to perhaps 
try and fast track their tenure 
process. However, as Martin 
noted, the process is rigid in its 
search for excellence.

“Never once have I seen a 

shoddy casebook,” Pollack said. 
“The process is always very 
careful, because it’s so impor-
tant.”

“It’s not exactly a marketplace,” 

Blair said. “As an institution, we 
take tenure very seriously. The 
process for granting tenure is 
absolutely the same whether it’s 
a Nobel Prize-winning physicist 
who is coming to us from outside, 
or someone on our faculty is being 
recruited (elsewhere), or a young 
assistant professor who came up 
through the ranks here. We stand 
behind the process.”

And according to Pollack, that 

process is not just important, 
but essential to the growth of 
academia. Pollack is a tenured 
professor in the School of Infor-
mation.

“Tenure is a right to express 

your opinion without fear of 
losing your job, but it’s also a 
responsibility in my view,” she 
said. “It’s a responsibility to 
seek the truth and to speak the 
truth, and speak up when you 
think that views that are being 
expressed are inaccurate. And 
I think that’s a very powerful 
mechanism for getting people to 
make sure that they grapple with 
difficult issues.”

TENURE
From Page 1A

CONFERENCE
From Page 1A

CARSON
From Page 1A

CSG launched an initiative not 
specifically featured in Make 
Michigan’s 2014-2015 platform.

The Wolverine Support Net-

work, which launched in Sep-
tember, aims to address mental 
health issues on campus through 
peer support groups and com-
munity events.

CSG Vice President Emily 

Lustig, an LSA senior, said she 
is most proud of the assembly’s 
work developing the Wolverine 
Support Network.

“I think everyone has, if it’s 

not themselves or a family mem-
ber, some connection to men-
tal health or mental wellness,” 
Lustig said. “Enacting a program 
with the ability to change peo-
ple’s lives and addressing mental 
health, and trying to break the 
mental health stigma is some-
thing that is so important.”

Though some feel there has 

been progress in certain areas of 
policy, LSA senior Emily Sexton, 
a CSG representative, said the 
assembly’s actions thus far have 
been somewhat insignificant.

“This year, I’ve felt like 

we haven’t done anything or 
brought any really great reso-
lutions,” she said. “We haven’t 
taken any risks. It just feels like 
CSG isn’t important.”

She said CSG’s executive leader-

ship have accomplished their indi-
vidual goals, but haven’t expanded 
much beyond those efforts.

“I just think that the assembly 

is kind of there to aid (Dishell 
and Lustig) to get the things 
done that they want to get done,” 
Sexton added.

LSA junior Jacob Ruby, a CSG 

representative and chair of the 
assembly’s finance committee, 
said two resolutions in particu-
lar have been markers of success 
during his term.

“I, for one, sponsored a resolu-

tion that’s going to add 60 charg-
ing stations in the UGLi,” he 
said. “There’s (also) an upcoming 
resolution that should help with 
some of the safety and cleanli-
ness concerns in the CCRB and 
IM (Building). Just a lot of really 
good things coming up.”

However, 
he 
added 
that 

addressing issues of diversity 
on campus has not been a strong 
point for the assembly.

“One of the main concerns 

I’ve seen here on CSG is minor-
ity enrollment,” he said “There 

have been a lot of resolutions that 
have been passed and commit-
tees formed, and there just hasn’t 
been that much actual results.”

Increasing minority enroll-

ment through on-site admis-
sions at schools in the Detroit 
area was a point on Make Michi-
gan’s original platform.

In December, CSG passed a 

resolution to support such pro-
grams, creating a task force to 
work with the Office of Admis-
sions. The group would have 
until March to report back with 
strategies for implementing an 
on-site admissions program or 
reasons why the initiative would 
be unfeasible for the University.

In this vein, one element of 

Dishell’s presidential platform 
that did not come to fruition was 
partnering with the University’s 
Alumni Association to fund 
more LEAD scholarships.

LEAD scholarships are mer-

it-based monies for minority 
applicants. Though the assembly 
approved funds for the project, 
they were barred from providing 
funding under state law since 
University funds cannot be used 
for scholarships to specifically 
promote diversity, and CSG’s 
budget comes from student fees.

CSG
From Page 1A