After approval of the Minutes, Dr. Allen Spiegel gave the Dean’s report. His report consisted of updates on 4 topics. The first related to the last LCME survey visit on November 2016 when 7 of 100 accreditation elements were found to be unsatisfactory; the Dean reported that these are no longer unsatisfactory items and expects that after the next LCME meeting on February, the School will have full accreditation. The second update relates to the search for a new Director for the Cancer Center; Dr. Spiegel reported that he expects that by mid-February the search committee will start considering candidates. The third topic related to the improvements and upgrades of the student housing which will occur over a one year period. The fourth item related to the diversity and inclusion initiative; Dr. Spiegel presented a report published by the AAMC on the ethnic, gender, and rank distribution of faculty in US medical Schools.

In his Speaker’s Report, Dr. Jeffrey Segall briefly reported on the last Senate Council meeting where the new Senate Council introduced itself.

Dr. Kelvin Davies, the Chair of the Committee on Committees, informed the Senate that the Committee on Committees approved Mr. Garret Bernz, Director of Housing, as new member of the Quality of Life Committee. Dr. Davies presented the bylaws concerning the reappointment of the Dean; he presented for approval of the Senate, the names of six faculty members that will together with the elected Senate Council members comprise the Senate Advisory Committee on the appointment of the Dean. The Senate approved unanimously the 6 additional members.

The last item of the agenda, presented by the Senate Speaker, was related to a motion presented by the Dean during the previous Senate meeting. The motion was to form a committee to recommend to the Dean guidelines for acceptable public discourse at officially sponsored campus meeting. After extensive discussion, the Senate voted against the motion.