UHS Governing Board Convenes for First Time

The first meeting of the Executive Board of University Health Services (UHS) last month began the organization’s administrative shift from a sole director to a governing board.

The six-person board first met in late October to set a future agenda, although it took no formal action, according to Acting Provost Dennis F. Thompson.

Like a board of directors at a hospital, UHS’ Executive Board will meet quarterly and will advise UHS in order to ensure that it complies with both federal and state regulations, such as those set by the Board of Registration in Medicine and the Joint Committee on Accreditation of Hospitals.

UHS Director Dr. David S. Rosenthal ’59 said he hopes the creation of the new board will formalize UHS’ link with the Harvard Board of Overseers, President Summers and the Harvard Corporation.

Currently Thompson is chairing the board as acting provost, but Steven E. Hyman will take over when he assumes the job of provost in two weeks.

“The new provost has been briefed about the board and the UHS, and there should be no problem at all with the transition,” Thompson said.

Rosenthal noted the possibility that new members may be added to the existing board.

The board members will discuss the possibility at future meetings and will be responsible for the decision, subject to the approval of Hyman as well as President Lawrence H. Summers.

Thompson said that it is unlikely that the board would choose to add more than two members and, unlike the other members of the board, they would probably be outside experts with some knowledge of the management of large-scale health organizations.

At present, all members are Harvard faculty, with the exception of Lorraine D. Siggins, who is a faculty member at Yale University and the Yale University Health Services Psychiatrist-in-Chief. She was also the chair of the visiting committee that recently assessed and reported on UHS Mental Health Services.

The next Executive Board meeting will be held in mid-January.

—Staff writer Emma R.F. Nothmann can be reached at nothman@fas.harvard.edu.