Chapter II: Organization and Governance

The Board of Trustees of Icahn School of Medicine has responsibilities and authority as set forth in the corporate charter and Bylaws of the School of Medicine.

The Dean is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer of the School of Medicine. The Dean has responsibility for all decision-making that affect the academic policies and administrative operations of the School, and for reporting directly to the President/Chief Executive Officer of the Health System and to the Board of Trustees. The Dean will consult with the President and the Dean’s Leadership Board before making institution-wide policy decisions.

The Dean will make periodic reports to the Dean’s Leadership Board. During the academic year the Dean or designee meets with all Department Chairpersons and Institute Directors (as a group), the Faculty Council and/or the Executive Committee of the Faculty Council, and the Steering Committee of the Student Council.

Serving under the Dean’s authority are the Department Chairs and Institute Directors, the Deans, Senior Associate Deans, Associate Deans and Assistant Deans.

Committees of the Dean include the Executive Oversight Committee; Student Admissions Committee; Student Promotions Committee; Program for the Protection of Human Subjects/Institutional Review Board; Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; Financial Conflicts of Interest in Research Committee; Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure; Committee on Special Awards and Grants; Mistreatment Committee; and ad hoc committees as required.

Updated September 2024

Dean Emeritus

Qualifications

This title may only be awarded to the Dean of the School of Medicine upon the Dean leaving the Dean’s position. A Dean Emeritus may be, but need not be, employed by the School.

Appointment and Term

Appointment to the Dean Emeritus position is by the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the School and is without term. Regardless of whether the Dean Emeritus is employed by the School or not, the Dean Emeritus shall retain the academic rank and tenure that the Dean Emeritus held while serving as Dean. If the Dean Emeritus is not employed by the School, then 18 months after leaving the Dean’s position and after no more than 24 months after leaving the Dean’s position, the Dean Emeritus will be entitled to return to being employed full time by the School at the same academic rank and tenure held as Dean.

Updated July 2018

Charge
The Dean’s Leadership Board will:

1. Receive updates on the School and Health System from the Dean, the President and the Faculty Council President
2. Review and vote on major School proposals prior to presentation to the Board of Trustees
3. Consider reports and recommendations from the Faculty Council and determine whether further action is warranted

Members may participate in the preparation of each meeting agenda by recommending discussion topics and collaborating on presentations. Members will serve as liaisons to their Departments, Institutes and the Faculty Council, and will report back to their respective constituencies on issues as appropriate

Composition
The Dean’s Leadership Board will be chaired by the Dean of Icahn School of Medicine and will include the following voting members:

1. All Department Chairs
2. All Institute Directors
3. President of Faculty Council
4. President of Associated Attending Staff
5. President of Alumni Association
6. Four tenured professors appointed by the Dean

The following will attend in an ex-officio, non-voting capacity: Chief Executive Officer; Deans; President-Elect of Faculty Council; and Past President of Faculty Council. Others may attend at the Dean’s invitation.

Meetings
The Dean’s Leadership Board will meet at least annually to discuss and resolve matters of importance to the School. A quorum for purposes of transacting business will be the majority of voting members in attendance at a meeting.  If an issue requiring action arises between meetings, the Dean's Leadership Board may conduct an email discussion and vote; in such cases, the approval of a majority of voting members will be considered a quorum.

Updated August 2017

Student Council represents the degree granting programs of The School of Medicine and works to improve all aspects of student life. Student Council meets once a month to discuss ideas and promote new projects. Members also meet with the school administration monthly for updates.

Please see Student Resources to learn more about Mount Sinai's Student Council.

Faculty Council

Committees of the Dean

The Department Chairpersons and Institute Directors, appointed by the Board of Trustees, are responsible to the Dean. The Chairpersons and Directors are responsible for the administration of various departmental functions, which may include recommendations for appointment and promotion, academic affairs, teaching assignments, space allocation within the Department or Institute and administration of the Departmental or Institute budget. Specific governance for each Department and Institute will depend upon the requirements of the individual Departments and Institutes and guidelines established by each Department Chairperson and Institute Director. Each Department and Institute, however, should establish a procedure to deal with such issues as professional conduct, credentials, appointments, promotions, quality assurance and faculty grievances.

An amendment to these rules of governance may be proposed by the Dean after consultation with the Dean’s Leadership Board and the Faculty Council, by the Dean’s Leadership Board, or by the Faculty Council. If approved by the Dean’s Leadership Board and the Dean, the amendment will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for final review. If an amendment is approved by the Board of Trustees, it will be incorporated in the governance of the School of Medicine.