University of Rochester President Joel Seligman today announced a national search process to identify a successor to C. McCollister Evarts, M.D., Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). Evarts has led the University of Rochester Medical Center since July of 2003. His term ends on June 30, 2006. He has agreed to continue until June 30th or until a successor is chosen, whichever is later, to ensure a smooth transition.
"Mac Evarts provided great leadership to the Medical Center during the past three consequential years," Seligman said. He has done much to strengthen a great institution and brought wisdom and stability that has been lauded by all with whom he has worked."
A 1957 graduate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and former chair of the Medical Center's department of Orthopaedics, Evarts also served as the CEO of the Milton Hershey Medical Center at Pennsylvania State University. He returned to Rochester in early 2003 after retiring from Penn State, where he also served as Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the College of Medicine. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine.
"It has been a privilege and honor to lead the institution that is my academic and professional home," Evarts said. "I am confident that this institution is poised for greatness and I look forward to continuing to be part of its march toward national prominence."
Seligman has recommended to the University Board of Trustees that Evarts be appointed Distinguished University Professor, affording him lifetime rights and privileges as a senior member of the University of Rochester faculty. "Mac is a published academic scholar, an accomplished academic administrator, a gifted and compassionate clinician-teacher, and a graduate of this University," Seligman said. "I can think of no more appropriate honor." President Seligman will host a gala on May 19, 2006 to celebrate Evarts' achievements.
About the Search
Seligman will chair the Search Committee, which also will include Provost Charles Phelps, Ph.D., as Vice Chair; Vice President and General Secretary Paul Burgett, Ph.D.; Chair of Microbiology and Immunology Barbara Iglewski, Ph.D.; Director of the Center for Biomedical Genetics Hartmut Land, Ph.D.; Chair of Pediatrics Elizabeth McAnarney, M.D.; Director of the Center for Vaccine Biology and Immunology Timothy Mossman, Ph.D.; Associate Professor of Pediatrics Michael O'Reilly, Ph.D.; Chair of Neurobiology and Anatomy Gary Paige, M.D., Ph.D.; Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences Kevin Parker, Ph.D.; Strong Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer Kathleen Parrinello, Ph.D.; Chair of Surgery Jeffrey Peters, M.D.; Professor of Nursing Bethel Powers, R.N., Ph.D.; Chair of Orthopaedics Randy Rosier, M.D., Ph.D.; and Chief of Cardiology Mark Taubman, M.D.
Assisting in the search will be four advisory committees. The University of Rochester Board of Trustees Advisory Committee will be chaired by William A. Peck, M.D.; the other Board members include G. Robert Witmer, Jr.; Robert H. Hurlbut; Louis G. Lange, M.D.; Ernest A. Bates, M.D.; Thomas S. Richards; Cathy E. Minehan; Roger Friedlander; and Nathaniel Wisch, M.D.
Three other advisory committees soon be named will include community representatives and URMC patient care leaders; education and research faculty within URMC; and medical students, fellows, residents, and graduate students at the Medical Center. An executive search firm will soon be selected to assist the process.
Editor's Note: The position is being re-titled to "Senior Vice President for Health Sciences" versus "Senior Vice President for Health Affairs" in order to reflect the nature and scope of the responsibilities.