UT President Lloyd Jacobs announced in an email Thursday to trustees and University leaders a series of administrative transitions and appointments that he plans to present to the board following Dr. Jeffrey Gold’s acceptance of the chancellorship of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
“We will separate the chancellor role from the dean of the College of Medicine role,” Jacobs wrote, announcing the appointment of Dr. Ron McGinnis to serve as the college’s interim dean and chair of the board of University of Toledo Physicians.
“At the same time, Dr. Imran Ali will be nominated as senior associate dean for education in the College of Medicine, and Dr. Mary Wroblewski will be nominated to assistant dean for student affairs,” Jacobs wrote.
Jacobs said that Norma Tomlinson, interim executive director and associate vice president of UTMC, will continue in that role but will report to David Morlock as chief executive officer of the hospitals and health centers. The UT Medical Assurance Co. also will report directly to Morlock, who will report to Jacobs in both roles.
“The deans of the colleges of Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, and Medicine will constitute a Council of Deans, which will have access to me after consultation with one another,” Jacobs wrote.
The president also announced the formation of a search advisory committee as UT works to recruit a permanent dean of the College of Medicine. The committee will be co-chaired by Dr. Robert Mrak, professor and chair of pathology, and Dr. Nagi Naganathan, dean of the College of Engineering.
Other members will be:
• Dr. Karen Bjorkman, dean of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, and Distinguished University Professor;
• Dr. Andrew Casabianca, associate professor and medical director of operating services;
• Dr. Tim Gaspar, dean of the College of Nursing;
• Laura Halpin, student representative from the College of Medicine and Life Sciences;
• Dr. Patricia Hogue, UT associate professor and chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and assistant dean of diversity, student recruitment and retention in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences;
• Chuck Lehnert, vice president for corporate relations;
• Dr. Bill Maltese, professor and chair and McMaster Endowed Chair in Biochemistry;
• Bryan Pyles, associate vice president for finance and strategic planning;
• Tammy Scarborough, chief financial officer of the UT Physicians Group;
• Tomlinson;
• Dr. Gerald Zelenock, professor and chair of surgery;
• Dr. Joe Sferra of ProMedica; and
• A representative from Mercy to be named.
Jacobs emphasized that the organizational changes are transitional and could change as recruitment of a College of Medicine dean proceeds, particularly depending on the interests and qualifications of the candidates available.
The president also thanked Gold for his many contributions to the University as he begins his new role in Omaha in the beginning of February.
“I have, of course, great ambiguity of feeling about this as I am very grateful to him for his tremendous contributions to The University of Toledo and am experiencing a keen sense of loss, as I count him a personal friend, but wish also to congratulate him,” Jacobs wrote.
