Bowles rejects UNCG pharmacy plan : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — In a move that has shocked university and local business leaders, UNC system President Erskine Bowles has decided the time is not right for a UNCG School of Pharmacy.

Instead, Bowles will recommend that the UNC Board of Governors give UNC-Chapel Hill the go-ahead to start a satellite pharmacy program in Asheville.

UNC-CH’s plan for a satellite campus has financial backing, with no need for money from the state.

Bowles has recommended that plan as an efficient, cost-effective way of meeting the state’s pharmacy needs, said Hannah Gage, chairwoman of the Board of Governors.

Bowles is also recommending that UNCG and N.C. A&T develop a research plan in drug discovery and development, also in conjunction with UNC-CH.

UNC system officials want to re-evaluate building a pharmacy school in Greensboro in two years. If there’s a need, they suggest a joint venture with UNC-CH.

UNCG Chancellor Linda Brady, who received the news from Bowles on Monday in a phone call, said she is disappointed and surprised.

“We believed that there was a need in the Triad, particularly for a research-intensive school of pharmacy that would not only train pharmacists, but would indeed be heavily engaged in research in areas consistent with our mission and our commitment to nanoscience and our partnership, as well, with Wake Forest (University School of Medicine),” she said.

Businesses leaders, who threw their support behind the proposed school, are also baffled.

“I don’t think anybody here would know what to do to put a better case on the table,” said Pat Danahy, CEO and president of the Greensboro Partnership, which manages the city’s three major economic development groups. “I would consider the potential as being a big deal.”

Danahy and other business leaders had felt confident in recent weeks about Greensboro’s chances to win the school. Those who met last month with the UNC system’s consultants on the school felt the meeting went well.

“We’re more than a little surprised and very disappointed with the recommendation of the consultants,” Danahy said.

Gage said she was impressed by the community’s show of support. Bowles’ recommendation is a strong one, she said, but the matter is not a done deal. The board’s planning committee will meet Thursday to discuss the proposals and Bowles’ recommendations.

Brady said she will make a final pitch on the merits of the pharmacy program. The full board will vote Friday.

“It’s a lot of education that will have to go on this week because we (the Board of Governors) haven’t had a full discussion of it at all,” Gage said.
But cost has to be a consideration, Gage said, because the “new normal” has changed how higher education operates.

“As far down the road as we can see, we will be dealing with limited resources,” Gage said. “The questions everyone will have to ask are, 'Can we afford new startup schools, or can we take what we have and try to stretch it through technology and other things?’ ”

The UNC-CH program would likely require no additional state funding, according to a report issued by the UNC General Administration. The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has pledged to raise $2.5 million for UNC-CH’s program, and Buncombe County has committed $600,000, according to the report.

UNCG would need about $10 million in startup funds, the report said.

But funding would be addressed if UNCG is granted approval to continue its planning, Brady said.

“During the planning process we would have proceeded to solicit the same kinds of commitments that UNC-Chapel Hill obviously solicited in support of their Asheville proposal,” she said.

The university had received a commitment of four acres owned by the Weaver Foundation as a site for the school.

The team of former and current pharmacy school deans who visited UNCG and UNC-CH in March cited other arguments against UNCG’s proposal.

It said UNCG’s plan does not adequately address regional pharmacy manpower needs, would be challenged to recruit quality faculty, and would produce more pharmacists “in an area that has one of the highest number per population of pharmacists.”

Staff writer Richard M. Barron contributed to this report.

Contact Jonnelle Davis at 373-7080 or jonnelle.davis@news-record.com

nclawkid

April 6, 2010 - 2:49 pm EDT

From the report: "The visiting team was advised as we were finalizing this report of the recently announced
commitment by Wingate University to establish a program in Asheville/Hendersonville which will
impact this consideration. It is unlikely that both an expanded UNC‐CH program and a Wingate
program are needed and would have sufficient clinical sites for training. We believe the UNC‐CH
expansion would better serve the needs of the citizens of the region for a high quality, lower cost,
accessible pharmacy program based on the highly regarded pharmacy practice and education model
at UNC‐CH. This decision may be impacted as well by the status of Wingate’s discussions regarding
affiliation agreements with hospitals, health systems and other practice sites in the Asheville area.
The team was impressed with the Asheville Health Care and business community’s commitment to
UNC‐CH clinical education and practice development model."

So basically Bowles is icing UNCG's plans even though UNC full admits that both it's program and the one at Wingate can't happen together. There aren't enough resources or sites available for both. And the writers of this report say the satellite plan by UNC is financially responsible even though the report says that long term funding costs are "unknown." How do you call something financially responsible if you don't know what it will cost after 4 years?

It sounds like UNC, the crown jewel of the state, will once again get what it wants even though facts and logic don't necessarily make it the right choice.

thirstytarheel

April 6, 2010 - 3:05 pm EDT

Facts & logic should never get in the way when it comes to making decisions in higher education. Bowles is just another democratic political hack who needed a job after being rebuffed twice by the voters of NC who said we don't need your services. His cronies in the legislature said "don't worry, we'll find you a job somewhere" so they made him president of the UNC system. This is another example of the good ole boy network at its best.

nippded twistle

April 6, 2010 - 8:30 pm EDT

"Facts & logic should never get in the way when it come to making decisions in high education."

With logic like that you'll never be an assistant associate vice provost of redundancy. You'd better stick to legitimate work.

49RFBN

April 6, 2010 - 4:09 pm EDT

Isn't it nice to know that we'll always have Chapel Hill to look out for what's in Chapel Hill's.....cough, cough, the STATE'S best interests?

batshalom

April 6, 2010 - 4:29 pm EDT

Gee. What a shocker (riiiight). Appointing a syncophant as chancellor of UNCG is working out pretty darn well for Erskine Bowles. This would be funny if it weren't so sad and disgusting.

whyus

April 6, 2010 - 4:39 pm EDT

Guess who is going to be one of Obama's economic advisors when he steps down from ruining the UNC system? Erskine Bowles. Heaven help us.

bad attitude

April 6, 2010 - 5:20 pm EDT

No one should be surprised at this. After 2-3 years of hearing about the importance of economic development statewide through the UNC Tomorrow initiative, UNCG had the audacity to push a program that could do great things for the Triad and state. Instead, Erskine “Ee-Bee” Bowles will bag this solid gold proposal by UNCG, with almost universal support in the Triad, in favor of the UNC flagship plan.

He calls himself a Greensboro Boy, but how much political pandering is that? Like Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi, Ee-Bee gets to be the Program Nazi for the UNC system – “No pharmacy school for you – Triad!”

Here’s the N&R’s follow-up headline for the Board of Governors’ meeting story: “Bowles to Triad – Drop Dead.”

jdwatki2

April 6, 2010 - 5:23 pm EDT

As a pharmacist in the area and recent graduate of pharmacy school, I see development of a pharmacy school at UNCG a complete waste of funds and resources. For the last 10 years or so, there has been a SEVERE Pharmacist shortage in NC but as of 2009 graduating class, this shortage is rapidly disappearing. I had folks in my graduating class who could not find jobs. In the greenville area alone, one pharmacy chain alone has received 164 applications for 2 positions this Spring. It is completely unnecessary and unwarranted. I really hope that my tax dollars aren't wasted on supporting this unnecessary program.

Terrell

April 6, 2010 - 5:55 pm EDT

Spoken like a truly selfish person jd.

Why not let others have a chance at bettering themselves? So the answer is keep out competition? That does not sound very American.

Supply and Demand are best for consumers.

Crew Commander

April 6, 2010 - 8:55 pm EDT

I trust the perspective of the pharmacist. He's in a position to be more objective about this situation. Apparently we already have too much supply.

April 6, 2010 - 11:09 pm EDT

How is my opinion not allowing others to better themselves? Go right ahead, enroll in one of the 3 existing Pharmacy schools in the state. As far as keeping out competition -- there is no way to compete with a public school program that ranks 2nd in the nation. Why compete when we already have awesome programs? It's not about keeping out competition, it's more about not diluting the education. It is difficult to get into Pharmacy School for a reason. If we start slapping up programs left and right, how are we to ensure the best of the best is getting into the profession. This is the case with any other professional program.

Also, in order to complete the PharmD degree and sit for the boards, an entire year of course work must be completed in the field. I completed my training in the Greensboro AHEC and they couldn't find enough training spots for the students that are already in Pharmacy Schools in the state. Where are we going to put the 60-90 students from another Pharmacy program? Again, training and education would be diluted.

I am not trying to be selfish, just extremely concerned about my profession.

bs_dash

April 7, 2010 - 8:57 am EDT

Did you miss the part where they are going to add another school of Pharmacy anyways? It's just not going to be UNCG's school. It is some thrown together plan by Chapel Hill. So, if you were worrying that the number of pharmacists was going to increase and dillute the profession then you should continue to worry.

dex99

April 7, 2010 - 1:15 pm EDT

I agree with Jdwatki2. As a current pharmacy student at one of the three schools that already exist in NC, the shortage of pharmacists has gone down and there isn't a need for a new program like there once was 5 years ago. This is due to numerous factors such as the economy, but also keep in mind the growth of pharmacy schools around the NC area, such as Appalachian SOP in Virginia and Presbyterian College in SC. There are more planned throughout the east coast. Just coming from the profession's standpoint, it is troubling to see the Pharm. D degree soon becomining the next law degree or mba...where everyone and their mother has one (over-exageration but you get the point). The pharmacy governing bodies are not as advocating for the profession as, say medicine, so it's been easy for universities to open up pharmacy schools in the name of profit in reponse to the "shortage". Not to mention the competition for the rotation and residency sites that Wingate, UNC-CH and Campbell currently have. A lot of the current pharmacists and the professors I talk to agree that there is not a need for a new school in NC

End rant.

But yes I did read the article and saw that Wingate is opening up a satellite to mirror UNC-CH's Elizabeth City satellite. This does cause some concern for me but not as much as an entirely new program opening up when the need is no longer there.

Now having all of that said....I completely understand the economic benefit to the triad area of opening up the UNCG pharmacy school. I attended UNCG and it is a great school. My opinions are solely based off of a future pharmacist caring about his career.

April 7, 2010 - 2:59 pm EDT

I understand your argument. One campus will graduate 10 new professionals a year versus 90. However, UNCG's plan has been in the works for several years. I've read quite a few articles from deans of other schools (not named UNC-CH) talking about how this was an expanding field. Has demand changed that much in a year? Did UNCG's plan have to get all the way until the end to find out that there wasn't a demand.

Unfortuantely, I'm not buying that this isn't UNC-CH not wanting a sister university to have a competing professional school. I'd bet a UNCG Law School would make Chapel Hill yell too.

Sorry guys, this looks too much like a set-up to not be a set-up.

April 6, 2010 - 6:35 pm EDT

I just don't see how the board of governors could approve UNC's proposal now that Wingate has announced its own plans to open a campus in Asheville. UNC readily admits that they're aren't enough resources for both schools there, yet it wants to move forward anyway. The recommendation cited a "potential" pharmacy school by Elon as a weakness to UNCG's proposal. If that's the case a DEFINITE school by Wingate should not be considered a mere weakness but a proposal killer to UNC's plans.

The recommendation also talks about a potential partnership between UNCG and UNC for a new school in Greensboro as an alternative. That proposal should at least be looked at more in depth before the Board of Governors rubber stamps UNC's proposal, especially in light of Wingate's plans.

The report says UNCG's financing is not well developed but at least it's developed at all. UNC's financing is stated as unknown after the first few years. It's plan received kudos for commitments for funding from local governments in Asheville. But if given the chance, I'm sure the same thing would have happened here. And private foundations have always shown great strength in supporting higher education in Greensboro. Just look at Elon law. That wouldn't have been possible without Greensboro's Bryan Foundation.

UNCG has been working on this proposal for more than a year and Chapel Hill swoops in at the last minute and of course they get their way.

mizcharlotte

April 6, 2010 - 9:23 pm EDT

Hopefully, the UNC Board of Governors isn't entirely in Bowles' pocket - they could certainly override Bowles' recommendation (and that of his staff, who he has beaten into submission). The UNCG chancellor a Bowles-synocphant - not a reality at all.

Look up the BOG members, and start calling them (www.northcarolina.edu) and let them know how important this is to the Triad - - - -

And! Ask your own local pharmacist what she/he thinks about this Greensboro proposal - my guess is that you'll find (like I did) that they would gladly welcome a Triad Pharmacy school and provide many opportunities for these students.

Finally: the Board of Governors is beginning their search for Bowles REPLACEMENT! Tell them that you want someone who will SUPPORT the University system's commitment (and UNCG's) to the NC citizens and their own UNC Tomorrow study - and not TEAR DOWN a system of higher education that is the envy of every state that touches ours - and the states that touch those! Bowles loves to tout the achievements of his predecessors - and not a one of them (Friday, Spangler, and Broad) ever deliberately threw the Triad under the bus - certainly not on something this significant for our regional economy and which will have such a positive impact on our society.

"Bowles to Triad - Drop Dead" (see previous comment) couldn't be more accurate. Hurry up and go to Washington, Ee-Bee!

uncgfriend

April 6, 2010 - 10:51 pm EDT

President Molly Broad would have been pilloried for such an obviously political process. Unless the Board of Governors really surprise me, President Bowles will not pay such a price and will get his way (with hardly a 'but wait a minute' from his bosses).

This would be a significant loss for the Triad and the region and, by the Committee Report's own narrative, locating the program in Asheville will make no sense if Wingate University's plans move forward. No such argument exists about UNCG's proposal. That's not to say that there isn't a similar argument, but no such case is made.

UNC Board of Governors: Do the right thing. If UNC-CH/UNCA gets the approval, please honor the citizenry by explaining yourselves and avoid the appearance that the Good Old Boys are back in town. The UNC system deserves far better.

A Friend and (older) Student at UNCG

April 7, 2010 - 10:07 am EDT

Thank god we have private schools in this state to at least take away some of the monopoly power of the "mother ship". It's obvious that the UNC system administrators (much like UNC-Chapel Hill itself) look down their noses at all of other state schools. Guess we'll just go on producing teachers and nurses while they hold every major professional school under their own thumb.

news-record.com

NEWS