FA-5008 Starting a New Department or Department Name Change at VTCSOM

1.0      Purpose

The desire to form a new VTCSOM department may arise based on any number of possible scenarios involving clinical or non-clinical faculty.  Possible examples include the growth of a division or section of a clinical department; or a group of non-clinical researchers or other doctoral professionals not currently within a VTCSOM department.

2.0      Policy

A consistent process shall be followed when starting a new department and/or changing the name of an existing department, in observance of university policies and procedures as well as current affiliation agreements. 

3.0      Procedures

Starting a New Clinical Department

Existing affiliation agreements between VTCSOM and Carilion Clinic identify Carilion as the primary clinical teaching institution for VTCSOM. Hence, any new clinical department must be developed as a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech, VTCSOM and Carilion Clinic.  The formal review process will involve several levels at the university, medical school and Carilion Clinic.  Endorsement by all participants in the review process is required.

Any group of physicians wishing to develop a new clinical VTCSOM department shall initiate discussions with the chair of the existing department under which faculty appointments currently reside, the Chief Medical Officer of Carilion Clinic, and the Dean of VTCSOM.  These entities will work together to develop initial plans for the proposed new department.  It is recognized that, while a department in VTCSOM exists primarily for academic activity, there are likely to be other issues (e.g., clinical access, financial) that are of considerable relevance and importance to all entities involved in determining whether a new department is warranted.

Individuals designated by the Dean will also present the plan for establishing the new department to:

• The appropriate unit of the university, whereby guidance will be received concerning the necessary steps of the university governance approval process as well as the external approval process by SCHEV (State Council on Higher Education in Virginia)
• The appropriate governing board(s) of Carilion Clinic
• The VTCSOM Faculty Governance and Academic Committees
• The chairs of existing departments
• If the clinical department will be engaged in providing a new required clinical clerkship or rotation for medical students, the VTCSOM Medical Curriculum Committee.

Documentation of review by VTCSOM committees will be reflected in committee meeting minutes.  The establishment of the new department will not be considered as official until all designated levels of review and approval have been achieved.

Starting a New Non-Clinical Department

Any group of non-clinical faculty or professionals wishing to develop a new VTCSOM department shall initiate discussions with the chair of the two existing non-clinical departments (Basic Science Education, Health Systems and Implementation Science).  Discussions will also be held with the Dean of VTCSOM.  These parties will work together to develop initial plans for the proposed new department.  At the discretion of the Dean, the review process may also include discussions with the Director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI), Carilion Clinic and/or Radford University Carilion (RUC).  The formal review process will involve several levels at the university and the medical school.  Endorsement by all participants in the review process is required. 

Once the review process has concluded, designated individuals will present the plan for establishing the new department to:

• The appropriate unit of the university, whereby guidance will be received concerning the necessary steps of the university governance approval process as well as the external approval process by SCHEV (State Council on Higher Education in Virginia)
• The VTCSOM Faculty Governance and Academic Committees
• The chairs of existing departments
• If the department will be engaged in providing required curriculum content for medical students, the VTCSOM Medical Curriculum Committee.

Documentation of review by VTCSOM committees will be reflected in committee meeting minutes.  The establishment of the new department will not be considered as official until all designated levels of review and approval have been achieved.

Changing a Department Name

Circumstances may develop in which a department wishes to change its name to better reflect clinical, research, or educational activities. The chair of the department has the responsibility to champion the name change, and to seek agreement to the name change from the Dean of VTCSOM. If the department is a clinical department, the chair should seek additional agreement from the Chief Medical Officer and/or other leadership of Carilion Clinic.

The process of changing a department name will follow a similar process of review by the university, VTCSOM, and (for clinical departments) Carilion Clinic as described previously for establishing a new department.

State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV)

In all instances of creating a new department or re-naming an existing department, such actions are ratified by SCHEV upon the request of university personnel designated to serve as official SCHEV liaisons.  The time frames involved in receiving SCHEV approvals are often lengthy; appropriate advanced planning is therefore necessary.

4.0      Procedures

• VTCSOM Faculty Association
• State Council on Higher Education in Virginia