Neal Simon, JD……………………………….AUA President and Co-Founder
Len Sclafani……………………………………Senior Vice President & General Counsel
Robert Mallin, MD…………………………..University Provost
Peter Bell, MD…………………………………Vice President Global Medical Education & Executive Dean, Clinical Sciences
John Yergan, MD, MPH……………………Acting Executive Dean of Preclinical Sciences
Vernon Solomon………………………………..Vice President for Administration
Craig Hauser……………………………………Associate Vice President for Academic Administration
The American University of Antigua basic sciences faculty meets on a regularly scheduled basis under the auspices of the AUA Faculty Senate Bylaws (Attachment A). The Faculty Senate reports to the Faculty HR Director as well the Executive Dean of Basic Sciences.
The American University of Antigua has two types of faculty committees: standing and ad hoc.
The standing committees are permanent and meet on a regularly scheduled basis. Each standing committee has a Chair who is selected by the Executive Dean. The ad hoc committees are formed at the discretion of the Deans’ Council. They are formed from time to time as necessary to address particular problems or issues that are not within the purview of the standing committees. Ad hoc committees are temporary and function only until the particular problem or issue is resolved.
Academic Advising Committee
This standing committee will be responsible for making the policy and procedures for student/faculty advisor program. The committee will also monitor the success and effectiveness of the program.
Academic Computing Committee
This standing committee evaluates electronic aids, including those used in the classroom, the library, and for remote education. The committee recommends specific items to be purchased and monitors their installation. The committee also plays a vital role in supporting faculty and student awareness of new technology as it becomes available and teaches them how to best use it.
Admissions Committee
This standing committee is responsible for all academic aspects of student admission. The Committee reviews applications for admission and evaluates (1) the applicant’s prior education (including schools, colleges, and universities attended, courses taken, GPA, and letters of reference or recommendation); and (2) a summary of a personal interview, which includes an assessment and evaluation of the applicant’s personality and interests.
This Committee evaluates and ranks all applications for admission on the basis of: academic performance; interview evaluation; letters of reference; and applicant’s personality and interests. The Admissions Committee is chaired by the Associate Dean of Admissions and works in close cooperation with the Admissions Department in New York.
Appeals Committee
This is a standing committee whose function is to hear student appeals concerning decisions made by the Promotions Committee. The AUA Appeals Committee reviews two types of appeals—grade change appeals and academic dismissals. After hearing an appeal and reviewing the evidence, the Appeals Committee makes a recommendation to the and Executive Dean, who renders a final decision on the appeal. The Appeals Committee consists of five permanent members each with the right to vote on all appeals.
Center for Research and Evaluation
This standing committee encourages active research by faculty members and organizes seminars and presentations of the research findings. The committee reviews research proposals and provides feedback on their scientific soundness, ethical considerations, and general merit. The committee supports the faculty in continuing their professional development. Once every semester the committee schedules, organizes, and conducts an AUA-sponsored Research Day. The committee may also support other seminars and events of academic or professional nature.
Community Outreach Committee
This standing committee provides service to the Antiguan community through partnership with local non-profit organizations, while offering learning opportunities to our students through their volunteered service. AUA strives to contribute to the local community and strengthen our relationship with Antiguan non-profit organizations. In furtherance of our humanitarian services, we provide non-renewable funding opportunities designed to supplement and enhance volunteer efforts.
Continuous Quality Improvement Committee
This standing committee of faculty uses the principles of CQI, this committee identifies problems in the processes and systems within both the administrative and academic areas of AUA (excluding curriculum). The members of the committee then examine the contributing issues and identify means to improve these issues and develop improved protocols. CQI reports to the Vice President for Administrative Services and Community Affairs.
In light of the committee’s charge, the committee is expected to do the following:
1. Solicit areas of problem from all faculty and SGA representatives by direct contact invit-ing their comments.
2. Contact administrative areas including student affairs, finance, housekeeping, security, faculty assistants, and human resources to monitor for areas of quality concerns.
3. Explore the existing protocols to identify the course of the quality concern.
4. Identify routes of improvement by reviewing existing processes and protocols in the light of the concerns.
5. Formulate a proposal for improving the processes and present constructive suggestions for change to the Dean of Academic Affairs and Vice president for Administrative Ser-vices and Community Affairs.
6. Review the revised processes to ensure improved quality of outcomes.
Curriculum Committee
This standing committee is responsible for the design of the AUA Medical School curriculum; a continuous review of all aspects including course credit assignments, total contact hour assignments, and modes of course delivery (e.g., lecture, laboratory, small group active learning, or tutorial); evaluating proposals for changes to the curriculum. The committee makes recommendations to the Senior Associate Dean of Medical Education or Executive Dean who seeks approval by the faculty and/or the Provost as deemed necessary and appropriate.
Curriculum Implementation Committee
This standing committee comprises of faculty and is responsible for implementing the curriculum. The responsibilities of the committee are: scheduling classes for all semesters, coordinating with Operations and IT to ensure readiness and maintenance of small group and lecture rooms for scheduled classes, designing and implementing a system for Blackboard organization and for access by users, make recommendations to the Curriculum Committee and Executive Dean regarding observed academic problems and make recommendations to the Executive Dean and/or facilities and/or IT regarding other problems to be addressed
Dean’s Council
The Deans, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans and other campus faculty leaders meet weekly to consider all academic and non-academic matters that may have an impact on the school. Agenda items are collected from each member and discussed by the council. Reports are provided to the Executive Dean as well as the other Deans. The faculty is informed, as necessary.
Examinations Committee
This standing committee controls the conduct of examinations. The committee, chaired by the Chief Campus Proctor, with membership consisting of all Basic Sciences Chairs, is responsible for developing and implementing standards for all examinations and the operation of the Examinations Center.
The Examinations Center is responsible for developing detailed examination schedules, for organizing the logistics of all examinations administered at AUA, for evaluating the examination process, and for ensuring that exam results are reported to Academic advisors, System coordinators and students in a timely manner.
Faculty Promotions Committee
This standing committee reviews applications for promotions of faculty, referred by the Chair of the respective department or a Chair in another department. and makes recommendations regarding faculty promotion to the Executive Dean. A points system is used for work done by faculty in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship. The Committee will review the completed Faculty Self-evaluation form (Attachment C), tabulate the points system table and make a decision after discussion.
Library Committee
The purpose of the Library Committee is to provide advice and guidance on the development of AUA Library services, information resources, and policies. Membership will consist of Director of Library Services and at least three but no more eight faculty members. Faculty members are appointed by the Dean. Students appointed by SGA may also serve on the committee, and the on-campus Library Supervisor serves as an ex-officio member. Member duties include soliciting peer input on Library matters and conveying peer input to the committee and the Chair and informing peers of Library services and resources as appropriate.
Faculty members have access to all online library resources whether on or off campus via the OCLC EZProxy authentication system. All faculty are encouraged to contact the Director of Library Services and/or members of this committee with suggestions and requests for books, periodicals, databases, and other information resources, as well as new library services. Faculty are also encouraged to contact the Director of Library Service to request personal services such as InterLibrary Loan requests. literature searches, and recommendations for and identification of resources for their courses.
Professional Standards Committee
This Committee is the “investigative and judicial arm of the Offices of the Executive Deans in matters involving violations by students of non-academic university rules, regulations, policies, and codes of conduct and ethical behavior. It has no authority over academic matters except insofar any such matters also substantially involve non-academic issues such as cheating or academic dishonesty” (Student Handbook, Fall 2020, p 98, para 3). Faculty members serving on the committee are appointed by the Deans. Faculty members may serve on hearing panels established by the Committee as members of the panel or as chairperson of the panel as requested by the Committee. Members of hearing panels are “drawn from the Committee, AUA’s student body, and AUA’s faculty members, including AUA’s faculty at its affiliated clinical sites. It is the responsibility and obligation of all students and faculty to participate as members of hearing panels as requested by the Committee. It is also the responsibility and obligation of faculty as members of the university community to report to the Office of the Dean of Students any violations of the University’s codes of conduct and ethical behavior by students which any member becomes aware of, and to cooperate with the Committee and its hearing panels in the performance of its work and to provide information and evidence they may have or know that the Committee or its hearing panels may request (Student Handbook, , Fall 2020, p. 98).
The Committee receives and evaluates complaints about violations by students of University rules, regulations, policies, and codes of conduct and ethical behavior from the Office of the Dean of Students. The committee investigates circumstances that led to the complaints, gathers evidence in support of the charge(s) brought against the accused student(s) and conducts hearings to arrive at recommendations that will be sent to the Executive Dean of the department (Basic Sciences or Clinical Sciences) in which the student(s) were enrolled at the time he or she violated the University rules, regulations, policies, codes of conduct or ethical behavior giving rise to the charge(s) brought against him or her.
Recognition & Awards Committee
This standing committee will be responsible for creating a culture of recognition and appreciation for service(s) by developing a successful recognition and awards program for faculty. The committee will be responsible for determining parameters and eligibility, recognition and awards nominations and selections, promotion of recognitions and awards, and holding a ceremony where recognitions and awards will be given. The committee will also monitor the success and effectiveness of the process.
The committee will:
• Establish a successful recognition and awards program.
• Identify formal and informal recognition and awards program objectives.
• Determine types of recognitions and awards based on the budget available.
• Identify and develop recognition and awards selection and eligibility criteria, frequency, and selection process of candidates for both formal and informal programs.
• Define nomination process.
• Promote the recognition and awards process.
• Plan and organize the recognition and awards ceremonies.
• Monitor the recognition and awards programs and their effectiveness.
Simulation Advisory Committee
Advises the academic leadership in matters pertaining to the use of simulation technology in medical education at AUA.
Student Promotions Committee
At the end of each semester, this standing committee reviews the grades of each student and evaluates the student’s overall academic progress. Based on this review, the committee makes a recommendation to the Executive Dean regarding promotion, academic probation, or academic dismissal.
Wellness and Inclusion Committee
Responsible for working closely with the Office of Wellness and Inclusion in the development administration and evaluation of wellness activities to improve the health and wellness of students, faculty and staff in the AUA community.