Thursday, Nov. 16 was the second of three meetings held by the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees and the first where all of its voting members were present.
Halfway through the eight hour meeting members of the WWAMI Medical Education program including Casey Pikla, a second-year medical student and President of the Medical Student Association, along with three first-year medical students, Quinton Brooks, Tatiana Smith and Hiram Ruby gave public testimony to the BOT.
Pikla and others shared a student focused perspective and rising concerns following last months vote of no confidence against the Dean of the College of Health Sciences, Jacob Warren and the proceeding forced resignations of two of the seven division leaders at the college including the ex-Director of the WWAMI Medical Education program, Dr. Brant Schumaker.
“The leadership of our university and the legislators of our state often tell the merits of this program. And that is why the prior 5 weeks following the removal of our director have felt so incongruous. We want to extol the importance of this program and the well-being of our state citizens. I must tell you that the recent lived student experience does not reflect that sentiment,” said Pikla.
Pikla continued by advocating for Dr. Schumaker as a professional and Director of the program, before stating, “I am here to say that if a decision is made to remove a director in the middle of a semester with very little insight into the nature of that decision it creates a high bar for ensuing leadership, vision and healing needed to navigate the fallout. To date we as students do not feel that this bar has been met.”
Brooks also advocated for Dr. Schumaker, saying “each of us have ties with Dr. Schumaker. He worked very hard to build trust with us as students, and his dismissal has created a void so we want to bring that to attention.”
Pikla also emphasized how the nature and execution of Dean Warren’s decision to seek Dr. Schumakers resignation and lack of communication from university leadership is both concerning, and has cultivated “dismay, frustration and uncertainty” among UW WWAMI students.
Pikla concluded his speech by offering a question to the BOT.
“In the aftermath of an unprecedented action that has negatively impacted the experience and reputation of a prized division of our university. How will you restore trust, alleviate uncertainty and ensure that a program that fills a truly dire need in our state remains a program of excellence? We’ve sought answers to this question since October eleventh and have yet to receive an adequate response.”
Initially the BOT and members of the administration did not offer any comments or questions when directed by Chairman and Trustee John McKinley, who said that conversations regarding the matter were occurring and that “we look forward to the continued success of the WWAMI program.”
Trustee Kermit Brown eventually offered a comment to Pikla and the other WWAMI students, saying “my hope would be that I might restore a little bit of trust. I think I can tell you that the board is fully aware of the events you’ve discussed, that we probably move with glacial speed which is just the way these things work … I want you to be assured the University of Washington knows about this. They’ve had some involvement and so it’s a coordinated effort, and from your point of view I want you guys to trust us, that we understand the situation and that it’s being addressed.”
The rest of Thursday’s meeting consisted of several proposals of new potential degree programs and those under review for elimination, a detailed list of which was sent in an email from the Provost to UW students and faculty on Nov. 16, 2023.
