AHC gets a proper review

In an email Monday, President Eric Kaler announced an upcoming external overall review of the University of Minnesota’s Academic Health Center. It’s in response to an extensive internal report completed in the fall that critics said was inadequate and lacked plans for the AHC’s future.

Kaler alluded to the possibility of an external review after he was handed the internal report in November. The external review is a welcome show of transparency and genuine interest in improvement. In the announcement, Kaler outlined his goal to “strengthen the health sciences and improve the national reputation of the Medical School.” He lists workforce needs, research and clinical care as areas the University should excel in.

Where the previous administration set lofty goals to earn national recognition, which affected affordability and accessibility, this case with the AHC should differ because it is focused on a specific area of the University — albeit a large one. The reasons in favor of the outside review are strong, and Kaler’s special attention to the faults of the internal report brings some hope that this new administration is more open to criticism.

As the external review moves forward — including campus visits by the committee to interview leaders and hold other discussions — we urge the consideration of as many points of view as possible. Past reports have uncovered areas of the AHC that have been poorly managed by an elite few with little consideration given to faculty and staff.

Those on the committee should make time to consult these important stakeholders, granting them the freedom to say what they should to ensure a true and honest assessment of the AHC without fear of it coming back to bite them.