Dean's Cabinet
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Dean’s Cabinet Charter
I. Purpose and Authority
The Dean’s Cabinet is a standing advisory body to the Dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) and serves as the principal forum for integrative, strategic discussion among the Dean, senior administrative leadership, and faculty leadership regarding institutional priorities, initiatives, and policies within the Cabinet’s purview.
Membership includes senior medical school administrators and faculty leadership whose roles span education, admissions, student affairs, faculty affairs, research, and operations, enabling the Cabinet to surface cross‑cutting considerations affecting multiple domains. The voice of the faculty at VTCSOM is represented through the faculty‑elected Chair of the Academic Committee, who serves as a standing member of the Dean’s Cabinet alongside additional faculty leaders who participate by virtue of their administrative or departmental leadership roles.
The Cabinet operates under the authority of the Dean, consistent with the VTCSOM Bylaws and institutional policies, and in alignment with LCME governance standards, including but not limited to elements LCME Element 4.6 (medical school policymaking), Elements 1.3 and 1.5 (faculty participation and bylaws), Element 1.2 (conflict of interest), Element 2.3 (decanal authority), and 8.1 (medical curriculum committee authority).
II. Scope of Responsibilities
The Dean’s Cabinet does not exercise managerial, supervisory, or operational authority over departments, standing committees, or individual administrators. Its role is integrative and strategic, facilitating coordination, alignment, and informed decision-making while respecting established governance structures and lines of responsibility. Primary responsibility for specific policy areas, such as educational policy, resides with designated committees (e.g., the Medical Curriculum Committee), with the Dean’s Cabinet providing overarching strategic guidance and institutional alignment.
The Dean’s Cabinet shall, as requested by the Dean:
- Serve as the forum in which the Dean, relevant medical school administrators, and faculty leadership periodically determine and review the school’s governance and policy-making processes.
- Review, discuss, and make recommendations regarding major initiatives of the School, including strategic planning, accreditation and continuous quality improvement.
- Facilitate coordinated execution of action plans and strategic initiatives.
- Disseminate Cabinet recommendations and key outcomes to relevant committee chairs, faculty, staff, and units to support transparent and aligned communication.
III. Membership
The Dean’s Cabinet shall consist of:
- Dean (Chair, ex officio)
- Vice Dean
- Senior/Associate Deans leading the School’s administrative units
- Chief Well-being Officer
- Four Department Chair representatives (two clinical and two non-clinical), selected by the Dean
- Chair of the Academic Committee (faculty-elected representative)
- Additional members as appointed by the Dean
Other attendees may be invited on an ad hoc basis for portions of meetings relevant to their expertise.
Membership shall be reviewed periodically by the Dean to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and organizational structure.
IV. Roles and Responsibilities
A. The Dean
- Serves as Chair of the Cabinet
- Retains final decision‑making authority for maters informed by Cabinet deliberations, consistent with the advisory role of the Cabinet and established VTCSOM governance structures
- Ensures alignment with institutional governance structures
B. Cabinet Members
- Provide informed, mission‑aligned advice to the Dean
- Represent their functional domains and stakeholder perspectives
- Ensure follow‑through on assigned action items
- Maintain confidentiality and manage conflicts of interest
C. Executive Secretary (or Designee)
- Prepares agendas and distributes materials in advance
- Records meeting minutes and action items
- Maintains official Cabinet records
- Coordinates follow‑up and reporting
V. Meetings and Procedures
- The Dean’s Cabinet will meet regularly, usually for 90 minutes on a monthly basis (or at a frequency determined by the Dean).
- Meetings will be chaired by the Dean (or designee in the Dean’s absence).
- The Dean sets the agenda, informed by input solicited from Cabinet members, Standing Committees of the School, or the Faculty Association, as appropriate.
- Agendas and supporting materials shall be distributed in advance when feasible.
- A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of standing members, who may attend meetings in person or virtually.
- Minutes shall be recorded and archived.
VI. Transparency and Communication
To support institutional transparency and shared governance:
- Summaries of Cabinet minutes and key decisions may be shared with appropriate leadership bodies (e.g., Faculty Council, standing committee chairs, and relevant administrative leadership) and communicated to faculty, staff, and learners.
- Cabinet activities shall align with institutional communication protocols.
VII. Conflict of Interest and Ethical Conduct
Cabinet members shall:
- Disclose actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
- Recuse themselves from deliberations where appropriate.
- Adhere to VTCSOM, Virginia Tech, and Carilion Clinic ethical standards.
VIII. Relationship to Other Governance Bodies
As an advisory body to the Dean, the Cabinet does not exercise authority over matters delegated by bylaws to other VTCSOM, VT, or Carilion Clinic governance bodies, and does not replace or subsume the authorities of VTCSOM Academic Committee; Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure (APT) Committee, Faculty Governance Committee, Medical Curriculum Committee, Medical Student Admissions Committee, Medical Student Performance and Promotion Committee, Library & Instructional Advisory Committee, Learning Environment Advocacy Committee, Honor Board, or Continuous Quality Improvement Committee.
IX. Review and Amendment
This Charter shall be:
- Reviewed at least every three years, or as needed
- Amended with the approval of the Dean
- Aligned with evolving LCME standards and institutional bylaws
X. Effective Date
The current Charter was approved by the Dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and endorsed by the Cabinet members on January 27, 2026.
Dean's Cabinet Members
- Lee A. Learman, MD, PhD, Dean
- Rebecca R. Pauly, MD, FACP, Vice Dean
- Michael J. Friedlander, PhD, Senior Dean for Research
- Jed Gonzalo, MD, MSc, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education
- Leslie LaConte, PhD, Associate Dean for Education
- Amanda Murchinson, MD, Associate Dean of Student Affairs
- Arthur T. Ollendorff, MD, Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education
- Melanie K. Prusakowski, MD, Associate Dean for Admissions
- David B. Trinkle, MD, Associate Dean for Community Engagement
- Sharon Barrett, CPA, MACIS, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration
- Shari Whicker, EdD, Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
- Lisa Uherick, MD, Chief Well-Being Officer
- Paul R. Skolnik, MD, FACP, FIDSA, Interim Associate Dean for Research and Chair, Basic Science Education
- Sarah Parker, PhD, Chair, Health Systems and Implementation Science
- Tristi Metcalf, MD, Chair Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Daniel Karolyi, MD, PhD, Chair, Radiology
- Charles Schleupner, MD, MSc, Chair, Academic Committee