Dr. Ernest Yoder, Founding Dean, Envisions Role of CMU Medical College
140 Saginaw Volunteers Updated on Medical College, $25 Million Fund Drive
June 20, 2010
By: Dave Rogers
Approximately 140 volunteers gathered at the Temple Theater in Saginaw recently with CMU President George Ross to hear plans for fundraising for a new College of Medicine.
Dr. Ernest Yoder, founding dean of the Central Michigan University College of Medicine.
Dr. Ernest L. Yoder, vice president of medical education and research for St. John Health and Ascension Health in Michigan, will take over July 1 as founding dean of the new Central Michigan University College of Medicine.
Dr. Yoder also is a clinical professor at Wayne State University's School of Medicine and has served as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Yoder said: "The innovative medical school curriculum is being designed to prepare students for practice in mid- to northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, with particular attention to primary care needs in the region. The CMU College of Medicine plans to welcome its inaugural class in the fall of 2012."
Yoder will take over for interim Dean Cam Enarson, who reportedly declined the job.
The CMU Life student newspaper commented editorially:
"Like the hiring of the university president and the football coach, the administration refused to let the CMU community be a part of the screening process.
"Central Michigan University has no specific guidelines when it comes to hiring administrators. This is unacceptable for such a large university. CMU should have a hiring policy that involves the public and those that are directly influenced by the administration."
Dr. Enarson recently announced the first major gift -- a total of $250,000 -- but would not give the total amount raised so far in the campaign. Fundraising, he said, will take several years.
Annually, $5 million will be set aside from CMU's operating budget for the medical college.
Dr. Enarson has known Dr. Yoder for 15 years through service on national committees.
"Dr. Yoder is nationally known for his work in medical education, and I am very glad that he will be the founding dean of the medical school," Dr. Enarson said.
Yoder said he is enthused with the position -- largely because of the open opportunity ahead.
"It is less than a once in a lifetime opportunity to start a medical school," Dr. Yoder said. "I am extraordinarily excited about the opportunity to build the right kind of school with the right experiences and the right culture and the culture is so critical to this."
Interim Provost Gary Shapiro said Dr. Yoder was the best candidate, commenting: "He brings a wealth of experience."
Enarson declined the position in January, but will continue as interim through June 30. Doctors Enarson and Yoder have been working together since June 1 to smooth the transition.
Dr. Yoder's application came in after Dr. Enarson declined the position, Shapiro said.
Yoder will earn an annual base salary of $385,000 -- $35,000 more than University President George Ross' base salary, according to CMU sources.
"It's a competitive salary reflecting what is being paid to other medical schools," Shapiro said.
In addition to his salary, Yoder could potentially earn up to $150,000 in performance incentives between 2011 and 2016.
CMU officials said they did not hold open forums for Dr. Yoder because of privacy concerns.
Since most potential candidates hold other jobs, they were reluctant to apply for the position because of the publicity of the CMU search, Shapiro said.
In December, three finalists for the position were named, including Dr. Enarson. All three candidates had forums scheduled for mid-December, but the other two candidates withdrew, leaving Enarson alone to do a forum.
Enarson declined to comment on Yoder's hiring.
Chris Ingersoll, chairman of the search committee and dean of the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, said CMU aligned with the processes of other universities to keep the search private.
Yoder has a doctor of medicine degree from Wayne and a Ph.D in education.
"He's an excellent fit for CMU," Ingersoll said. "His background is outstanding for this position."
Approximately 140 volunteers met in Saginaw recently to learn more about plans for the CMU College of Medicine and a $25 million fundraising campaign. The college is expected to partner with Saginaw-area hospitals that will provide clinical experience for students in years three and four of the program.
CMU President George E. Ross and campaign organizers provided a progress report on development of the College of Medicine, which plans to enroll its inaugural class of 100 students in the fall of 2012.
It was announced that construction of a $24 million, 60,000-square-foot addition to the CMU Health Professions Building, which will house the College of Medicine, has begun and that affiliation and operating agreements with Covenant Health Care, St. Mary's of Michigan and Synergy Medical Education Alliance are nearing completion.
Work began last week on a $24 million addition to the Health Professions Building on CMU's Mount Pleasant campus. The 60,000-square-foot addition will house the College of Medicine.
The $25 million capital campaign will supplement another $25 million allocated by CMU for startup and operational costs for the College of Medicine.
The capital campaign will provide $10 million for the addition to the CMU Health Professions Building, $5 million for educational space in Saginaw to support clinical training, $8 million for student scholarships and $2 million to support operations during the startup of the college.