Beth Schermer Appointed Vice Dean For
Administration,
UA College of
Medicine-Phoenix
Contact:
George Humphrey, (520)
626-7301
Aug. 23,
2005
Susan Guthrie, (602)
631-6555
The
University of Arizona College of Medicine has appointed Beth Schermer, a noted Phoenix attorney who has
worked in health care law for more than 25 years, to a one-year appointment as
Vice Dean for Administration, UA College of
Medicine-Phoenix.
The appointment takes effect Sept. 6; the UA College of
Medicine soon will begin a national search for a permanent Vice Dean for the UA
College of Medicine-Phoenix, whose duties will include all academic matters,
such as curriculum development, instruction and faculty
development.
Ms. Schermer, who has been a partner at Coppersmith,
Gordon, Schermer, Owens & Nelson, PLC, since 1998, will take a one-year
leave from the firm to help lead the UA effort to expand its College of Medicine into Downtown Phoenix, in collaboration with
Arizona
State University. Her responsibilities
will focus on building excellent relationships and facilitating open
communications with the myriad stakeholders critical to the project’s success --
health care organizations, hospitals, educational institutions, governmental
bodies, industry and foundations, among many others.
UA College of Medicine Dean Keith Joiner, MD, MPH, said, “We’re
extremely fortunate that Beth Schermer has agreed to serve as Vice Dean for
Administration in Phoenix. Her vast knowledge of health
care policy and law, as well as her strong relationships with Arizona hospitals and
health care organizations, will be a tremendous asset to this important effort.
Because the medical school expansion is extremely fast-paced and complex, we
needed someone immediately to help enhance communication and build stronger
relationships in Maricopa County. We believe Beth Schermer is
the ideal person to serve in this role.”
Ms. Schermer has served as lead counsel to the
Arizona
Hospital and Healthcare
Association, where she was responsible for coordinating legal services for
health care advocacy and legislation. She also co-authored AzHHA’s
compliance manual. A former president of the American Health Lawyers
Association, her past experience also includes strategic planning for health
care providers and negotiation of multi-party arrangements for health care joint
ventures, contracts and settlements. She has taught health law as an
adjunct professor at the W.P.
Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and currently serves on the
Flinn Foundation’s Translational Research Project Advisory Committee. She
graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Yale College
in 1977 and then received her law degree from Harvard Law School in
1980.
UA President Peter
Likins, PhD, said, “We are excited to have the benefit of Beth’s
experience, wisdom and skills as the Vice Dean for Administration. She
will represent Dean Joiner and her new UA colleagues as our full-time Phoenix representative, facilitating collaborations in
Maricopa
County and improving
critical communication pathways. I deeply appreciate her willingness to
take leave from her law firm to serve a cause so critical to the people of
Arizona.”
Arizona Regent Bob
Bulla said, “The appointment of Beth Schermer is another major step
forward in collaboratively advancing this expansion of medical education and
research in Phoenix – an initiative that is of
critical importance to the citizens of Maricopa County and the State of Arizona.”
ASU President Michael
Crow, PhD, added, “The new branch of the medical college in Phoenix is a strategically important project for all of
Arizona.
Beth Schermer will provide the skills and experience needed to move the
enterprise forward.”
The interim appointment is part of a reorganization of
the leadership structure at the current Phoenix campus in preparation for the
expansion. A comprehensive plan outlining the details for the expansion
was approved as to concept and content Aug. 16 by Arizona Board of
Regents. The plan will be presented to the Joint Legislative Budget
Committee as part of the requirements of SB 1517, which appropriated funding for
the initial expansion. The new campus is expected to open in July 2006 and
the first class of 24 first-year students will begin in July 2007.
Ultimately, the campus is expected to graduate as many as 150 physicians per
year.
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Susan
Guthrie
Senior Public Affairs
Coordinator
University of Arizona, College of Medicine
Phoenix Campus
4001 N. Third Street, Suite
401
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
602-631-6555 (office) 480-241-7738
(cell)
sguthrie@email.arizona.edu