SYRACUSE — The most frequent question that the interim president of Upstate Medical University heard after he assumed the duties was about the health of the medical school. “It’s a very fair question, and I’m really happy to tell you that we are healthy, we are strong, and we will flourish in 2019,” said Dr. […]
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SYRACUSE — The most frequent question that the interim president of Upstate Medical University heard after he assumed the duties was about the health of the medical school.
“It’s a very fair question, and I’m really happy to tell you that we are healthy, we are strong, and we will flourish in 2019,” said Dr. Mantosh Dewan.
It’s how Dewan opened his remarks to local reporters in a Jan. 4 question-and-answer session at Weiskotten Hall, while later acknowledging that the medical school is the subject of “investigations.”
Dewan took over the position on Dec. 23 after former president Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena stepped down a day earlier.
The interim leader, a 43-year veteran of the medical school, said he is “confident” that he’s correct in making that statement. Dewan points to the 10,000 people who work at Upstate Medical University treating patients, teaching, conducting research, and spending a “fair amount of time” in the community.
“I’m really really pleased and humbled to be the interim president at this time of transition,” Dewan added.
“Investigations”
Dewan assumes the role that Laraque-Arena vacated after announcing in late September that she planned to step down as president at the end of the fall semester on Dec. 22.
The announcement of Laraque-Arena’s decision came a few weeks after the Albany Times-Union reported that the Onondaga County District Attorney’s office had started a grand-jury probe of Upstate Medical University that’s focused on “hiring decisions, severance packages, and construction projects,” according to a Sept. 7 article on the Times-Union website.
A CNYBJ reporter asked Dewan if he could confirm that the Onondaga County District Attorney’s office had started a grand-jury probe and the status of that investigation.
“All I know is that there are investigations going on. I have asked but have not been told what the focus is, if you will. Yes, there are investigations. We are happy to get any recommendations that make us move toward best practices. I’m looking for the positive outcomes of this. If there are things we can improve, we absolutely would be happy to do that,” said Dewan.
Laraque-Arena will be on “study leave” during the spring semester, SUNY said in a Sept. 27, 2018 news release announcing a “leadership transition.” She’ll then return on June 7, 2019 to her position as a faculty member with a primary appointment within the department of pediatrics, per the news release.
Upstate Medical will search for a permanent president. “The search is conducted by the Upstate council and so they will be working on setting up a committee and usually get an outside consultant [to assist] … I don’t have a timeframe for it,” Dewan said.
“The interim president is not allowed to apply,” he said when asked if he’s interested in having the top job permanently.
Mahoney’s role
Dewan was also asked if he had yet spoken with Joanie Mahoney, the former Onondaga County Executive who left that job at the end of October to become COO of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and assist SUNY on an interim basis with management matters at Upstate Medical University.
Dewan had a “very brief conversation” with Mahoney during the first week of January “and will be meeting with her in the next few weeks to firm up how she can be helpful to us.”
Nappi Longevity Institute status
Dewan was also asked about the status of the Nappi Longevity Institute, an eight-floor, 360,000-square-foot health and wellness complex that Upstate Medical announced in November 2017. Dewan replied that the planning for the project continues.
“I think that they have a preliminary proposal that they doing the final touches on, and we should hear about them soon,” he said.
The medical school had anticipated construction would start in early 2018, and Dewan was asked why it had been delayed.
“I heard that there was a change and they’re looking at redoing it and will come back with a proposal very soon,” he added.
Upstate Medical University plans to build the Nappi Longevity Institute at the corner of East Adams and Almond streets across from the Upstate Cancer Center.
Sam and Carol Nappi of Jamesville donated $8 million for the project, which Upstate announced during a gala at the Oncenter in November 2017.
Priorities
When asked about his priorities for Upstate in his time as interim president, Dewan said he needs to focus on the school, its faculty, and employees.
“When somebody gets airlifted from Fort Drum or a burn victim comes in, that’s what we need to be doing and not worry about [other matters],” said Dewan.
He also pointed to the school’s research activity, noting the Upstate secured a contract to work on a vaccine for heroin addiction.
Dewan is also interested in “more innovative” programs for education. He noted that Upstate has started an applied behavior analysis program at a master’s level that’s “just started to treat autistic children.”
Upstate Medical’s interim president also said he’s “very keen” on working with the community.
“I’m also very focused on building much much stronger relationships and bridges with our neighbors, [Syracuse University], Crouse [Health], [SUNY]ESF,” he added.
