Disconnect between UMKC campuses?
Nelson-Atkins proposes cultural arts district
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October 27, 2014
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UMKC’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 82, ISSUE 10
Steven L. Kanter:
A dean’s story
RAFAEL LOzANO STAFF WRITER
UMKC’s School of Medicine selected Steven L. Kanter, M.D., to serve as the school’s new dean after Dr. Betty Drees, who held the position for 12 years. Kanter, a neurosurgeon, was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania since 1991, and served as vice dean from 2002-2014. He received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&I University and earned his M.D. at the University of Texas Medical School in San Antonio. He completed residencies in general surgery and neurological surgery in 1982 and 1987, respectively, at the University of Florida. He also served as the Editorin-Chief of Academic Medicine, the Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges from 2008-2012. He received the Merrell Flair Award, the highest award given by the AAMC’s Group of Educational Affairs, for his contributions to the journal. “This is an important juncture in the history of the UMKC School of Medicine because it is nearing the end of its first half-century, and that raises interesting questions about what should be the directions and strategies and goals for its second 50 years,” Kanter said.
Kanter aims to use his past experience as vice dean at other medical institutions to lead UMKC’s School of Medicine down the right path. He said that his work at the University of Pittsburgh helped him transition into his new position as UMKC’s dean of the School of Medicine because he is used to working with urban populations in metropolitan areas. “I am enthusiastic about beginning a process with students, staff, faculty, alumni and other key stakeholders to contemplate in what ways the school should build on its existing strengths as it prepares to embark on this next very important phase of its journey.” Along with his clinical and administrative experience, Kanter brings his knowledge of medical informatics, which is the use of information to improve the quality of care for patients. Medical informatics also helps evaluate large amounts of data on patient populations so methods can be developed to maximize patient care and improve medical practices. One of the first things on Kanter’s to-do list as the new dean is to meet with students, faculty, staff, alumni and others on what he calls a “listening tour.” His aim is to gather as much information as he can about all aspects of the school,
so he can identify things that the school needs to address. My approach will be to pursue identifying those areas in a collaborative fashion, tapping the collective intellectual capital of those who come everyday to work and learn on Hospital Hill as well as many on the Volker campus and other sites,” Kanter said. Kanter said that Drees’ work over the last 12 years and the team in the dean’s office has helped make his switch from Pittsburgh to UMKC easier. Outside of his position as dean, Kanter enjoys showing and raising his two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, one of which is an American Kennel Club Champion. He enjoys learning new recipes, reading and traveling when he finds time outside of his administrative work. —rlozano@unews.com
UMKC hosts Chicano Studies conference HOPE AUSTIN STAFF WRITER
UMKC hosted The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Midwest FOCO Conference for the first time last week. The conference’s theme was “Latinas & Latinos in the Midwest: Past, Present and Future.”According to Chancellor Leo E. Morton, the theme encourages participants to remember Latino history and assess the needs of today. “Then, using our combined information, ideas, perspectives, candid interaction and feedback,” Morton said in a letter to conference guests, “we can plan for a better tomorrow—a tomorrow where each of has feels the dignity and appreciation for our unique heritage that gives our identity.” The event was open to the community and free for UMKC students, and many attendees were graduate students, Ph.D. candidates and professors from Midwestern universities. Students and professors held hour-and-a-half-long sessions to share and discuss ideas concerning Latino studies. The topics ranged from sociological to literary. Other sessions involved addressing institutional issues, such as demographic and budget concerns. In the session “Reshaping
the Multicultural Landscape at a Midwestern University,” Dr. Marcelo Sabatés, associate professor of philosophy and associate provost for international programs, and Dr. Gabriela Diaz De Sabatés, instructor of women’s studies, both from Kansas State University, discussed how to tackle the issue of Latino representation in the academic world. Some solutions included offering spaces that facilitate discussions between faculty and students; validating students’ culture and experiences and establishing community spaces that encourage peer collaboration across disciplines. In the closing plenary speech, Dr. Nancy “Rusty” Barceló, president of Northern New Mexico College praised the conference for helping establish legitimacy in the academic arena. “The Midwest FOCO, I believe, marks the culmination of our long journey toward recognition and legitimacy in the academy,” Barceló said. “It is also a reminder of how far we’ve come since the days when our voices were silenced and we were invisible in the academy. But some of us still are.” According to Barceló, the fight for legitimacy is far from over. “For far too long, ethnic studies are still viewed by
many in the academic world as elevating inferior or marginal works to an unearned status in competition with the established canon,” Barceló said. In the closing remarks, SGA President Juan BettancourtGarcia praised UMKC’s Latino/ Latina Studies program for breaking stereotypes that often hold ethnic studies back. “Time and time again, the Latino/Latina studies here at UMKC has proven to be an exciting interdisciplinary field where students engage with premier professors over the Latino transnational, transcultural and trans-linguistic experience and the significance of this important reality in the context of America’s diversity,” Bettancourt-Garcia said. Dr. Norma Cantú and Dr. Theresa Torres co-chaired the conference. Cantú jokingly called her desire to hold the conference “selfish” because she enjoyed seeing the collaboration between attendees. “I love to see people connect. I love to see students talking to professors and professors to professors. I love the questions and answers in the sessions,” Cantú said. Kansas State University is considering hosting the conference next year.
—haustin@unews.com
Faculty Senate highlights issues with administration, faculty ERIN HAMER STAFF WRITER
The Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 21 gave insight into the inner workings of University professors and administration. The first topic on the agenda examined the recent national university rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. Provost Gail Hackett proposed focusing on the metrics used for the report rather than focusing on the specific rankings. According to the U.S. News report, UMKC was ranked in the top 75 percent of schools this year, and ranked well in faculty resources due to small class sizes and a 13:1 facultystudent ratio. UMKC continues to struggle with graduation and retention rates, but according to Hackett, UMKC has shown improvement in these areas, and has moved up seven points in the last five years. Hackett announced that the University budget has been balanced on paper, and University administration will not be in a position to make further cuts. The committee members on research integrity proposed creating a sub-committee to examine possible deficiencies in the administration from a faculty point of view. The subcommittee would provide an element of transparency on cost/benefit ratios in research and education. Dr. Susan B. Wilson, vice chancellor of the Division of Diversity and Inclusion, presented a strategic plan for embracing diversity at UMKC. The plan aims to achieve a diverse and inclusive University environment, according to Dr. Wilson. The plan works in a collaborative mode of assistance by helping to problem solve and provide resources in education and training. The plan will look at other universities to find the
most cost effective strategies while encouraging feedback on retention and success and aims to create a dialogue between administrators and staff about these issues. The Division of Diversity and Inclusion will host a lecture on social justice featuring Rebecca Skloot, best-selling author of “The Immortal Live of Henrietta Lacks,” on Nov. 13. The final presentation, “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” featured a panel of professors from the College of Arts & Sciences. They expressed concern about the priorities and policies regarding allocation of UMKC’s resources, and presented research based on feedback from other professors in the College of Arts & Sciences. The research showed a loss of 31 faculty members in the last three years, including eight tenured and tenure track positions. In an anonymous poll, faculty members expressed they felt a lack of support from UMKC’s administration. The presentation stated that spending on research has decreased 13 percent, , tenured and tenure track faculty has declined by nearly 12 percent and due to the recent hiring freeze, departments have found it difficult to hire tenured faculty in these vacant positions. The presentation showed that UMKC’s administration has added 30 people to executive, managerial and senior level positions. The panel of A&S professors argued that UMKC should focus on attracting, retaining and developing good faculty to help with retention rates and graduation. Hackett, however, expressed doubts over the validity of some of the research, and asked that it be reviewed.
—ehamer@unews.com