Faculty Leader 
Memorandum of Understanding
The purpose of this document is to facilitate a shared understanding of the responsibilities of the Faculty Leader of a student-run program/organization.

The role of faculty leader is required for student-run programs/organizations that interface with persons or entities outside the WCM campus community, or that may participate in or sponsor activities that pose significant risk to students or others involved. Thus, the faculty leader will have responsibilities related to “externally-facing” groups that involve: 
  • student interaction with:
    • persons in a patient or client relationship;
    • minors (person < 18 years of age);
    • external funding agencies;
    • outside organizations;
    • the general public through a web, social media, or other media presence.
  • student participation in, or student sponsoring of, activities that pose significant risk to participants (e.g., activities outside of WCM that might result in possible physical harm, legal risk, etc.)

Faculty leaders are expected to globally supervise student leaders as they manage the group’s activities and personnel. In general, faculty oversight is expected to be direct and at frequent regular intervals for groups that are newly established and/or those experiencing challenges, and more advisory or facilitative for well-established and/or smoothly functioning groups. In addition, the faculty leader will meet with the overseeing Medical Education Dean several times per year; the frequency determined by need.
 
  • Responsibilities of the faculty leader include, but are not limited to:
    • Direct/facilitated oversight of all activities sponsored by the program/organization, including vetting operational procedures or manuals
    • Direct/facilitated oversight of all communication in the public sphere about the program/organization (social media, other media, etc.)
    • Direct/facilitated oversight of student leaders of the program/organization
    • Direct/facilitated oversight that ensures that student members involved in the program/organization comply with any rules and standards that the student group may establish and that they maintain high standards of professionalism
    • Direct/facilitated oversight that ensures that all student members have the proper training and supervision to execute their duties and have met all needed regulatory requirements needed to perform their activities (e.g., HIPAA training, etc.)
    • Funding and budget:
      • Groups may seek and receive internal and external sources of funding; usual internal funding include MSEC (Medical Student Education Committee), the central offices of Medical Education, and the WCM academic departments;
      • Faculty leaders are to have direct oversight when external funding sources are being utilized or pursued; when a student group is seeking a new external funding source, faculty leaders are to communicate this immediately to the overseeing Medical Education dean before any action is taken
      • Faculty leaders will provide direct/facilitated oversight of the student leaders’ responsibilities over managing their budget, and involved in identifying when more specialized guidance when further training on budgetary procedures or ethical considerations of budgetary disbursements is indicated
    • Direct/facilitated oversight of the student leaders’ procurement of needed resources (e.g., space, equipment, fundraising, etc.)
    • Informing the overseeing Medical Education dean in advance of any requests of funding from any sources other than MSEC
    • Direct/facilitated oversight of students’ recruitment of additional faculty; supervision of new faculty, as needed
    • Facilitating, if needed, ability of student leaders to interface with other WCM offices, as need arises (e.g., risk management, external affairs, compliance office etc.)
    • Assisting student leaders, as needed, to troubleshoot problems in operations and/or handling difficult issues about participants (e.g., other student leaders or members, other faculty co-leaders, staff, patients/clients)
    • Approving participation of non-WCM students/outside volunteers
    • Meeting with student leaders on a regular basis to discuss the organization’s operations and future plans (recommended frequency, which will be determined by the need, relative newness, and functioning of the group: biweekly initially, monthly or quarterly for well-established/smoothly-functioning groups)
    • Identifying opportunities for growth and improvement of the program/organization with the student leadership
    • Facilitating transition of your faculty leader role to a new faculty leader, with approval of the overseeing Medical Education Dean

Please review to the Governance of Medical Student Organizations and Groups (Student Handbook --> Class Officers and Representatives & Student Organizations --> Governance of Medical Student Organizations and Groups).


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