Loma Linda University News
March 2, 2000
- SAC Health System receives $99,000 grant
- Healthy People 2000 presenters will focus
on "carbo-phobia" and dairy products at next conference
- Local senior wins gold at World Senior Games
- LLU Board of Trustees approves revised sexual harassment policy
- Annual Postgraduate Convention 2000 to be held March 3 in Coleman Pavilion
- Loma Linda University Board of Trustees meets in full session and approves policy for computer, network, Intranet, Extranet, Internet use
SAC Health System receives $99,000 grant
In a letter dated December 13, 1999, the Alliance Healthcare Foundation announced that it had approved a two-year grant of $99,000 to be given to the Social Action Community (SAC) Health System.
The grant will help fund the salaries of two nurse practitioners who will provide primary care at two satellite SAC clinics located in San Bernardino and Redlands.
The Alliance Healthcare Foundation, with offices in San Diego, funds charitable, educational, and research programs and projects.
"We are very pleased to award these funds to SAC Health System," the letter from Ruth Lyn Riedel, PhD, chief executive officer of the Foundation, reads, "and wish you and your colleagues well in this important endeavor."
The SAC Health System is headquartered in the 42,300-square-foot SAC-Norton clinic, located on the former Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino.
The health system also operates four satellite clinics, including SAC-Frazee and SAC-Arrowhead in San Bernardino; SAC-Redlands located in Redlands; and SAC-West End/Montclair, the western-most clinic, which operates in the city of Montclair.
SAC-Arrowhead clinic, located in north San Bernardino, and SAC-Redlands clinic, which operates in north Redlands, will both benefit from this grant.
"We are deeply grateful to the Alliance Healthcare Foundation for partnering with us," says Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH, dean of the School of Public Health and president of SAC Health System. "This grant will subsidize the activities of two of our satellite clinics, helping them become more self-sufficient."
For more than 30 years, SAC Health System has been providing primary health care for those in the Inland Empire who both fail to qualify for MediCal and cannot afford health-care insurance. Of the 478,000 individuals living in the health system's service area, 40 percent are welfare-dependent. Nearly all of the service census tracts served by the clinics are federally classified as Medically Underserved Areas (MUA).
The SAC clinics provide low-cost (sliding fee) or no-cost health-care for these individuals.
In 1995, the SAC Health System began providing full-time, low-cost, comprehensive community care with the addition of the SAC-Norton clinic.
Today, a full complement of services are available, including medical and dental (20 dental operatories); physical, occupational, and speech therapy; pre-natal, immunization, health promotion, and preventive care; mental health, social work, and counseling; and services relating to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV.
These services are provided through combined efforts by SAC clinic staff and the faculty, staff, and students of Loma Linda University.
Healthy People 2000 presenters will focus on "carbo-phobia" and dairy products at next conference
The recent phenomenon, coined "carbo-phobia," has been the subject of great national discussion lately. Numerous high-protein diets have received large followings.
Presenters at Healthy People 2000, organized by the School of Public Health office of extended programs, will focus on the high-protein diet craze, as well as important questions regarding the consumption of dairy products which are troubling some Seventh-day Adventists.
Healthy People 2000 presentations will begin on Tuesday, March 7, at 8:55 a.m., and continue through Friday, March 10.
Presenters will include a number of internationally known experts in health and nutrition.
Internationally recognized calcium expert Robert Heaney, MD, professor of nutrition at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, will speak on the topic "Dairy Calcium: Bones and Beyond."
Gerald Reaven, MD, of Shaman Pharmaceutical, Inc., San Francisco, whose name has become identified with Syndrome X, will speak on "Insulin Resistance, Hyper insulinemia, and Health and Disease."
Frank Q. Nuttall, MD, PhD, chief of the metabolic/endocrine section and professor of medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, will address "The Hormonal and Metabolic Response to Ingested Proteins." Dr. Nuttall is internationally known as an expert on insulin production.
Katherine Milton, PhD, an expert on the diets of the hunter/gatherer societies of early mankind, as well as the diets of non-human contemporary primates, will speak on "Eating What Comes Naturally: Do the Diets of Wild Primates Have Lessons for Us?" Dr. Milton is professor in the department of environmental science, policy, and management, division of insect biology, University of California, Berkeley.
Linda Detwiler, DVM, senior staff veterinarian, U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture, and a leading expert on "Mad Cow Disease," will approach the topic "Dairy Products and the Transmission of Disease from Animals to Man."
Mark Messina, PhD, adjunct associate professor of public health, LLU School of Public Health, and president of Nutrition Matters, Inc., will present an "Overview of Issues in Carbohydrate Nutrition."
Ellen Smit, PhD, RD, SPH'90, returns to her alma mater from Johns Hopkins University, where she is an assistant professor of epidemiology in the School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Smit will talk about "Dairy Products and Cancer: What is the Epidemiological Evidence?"
These are only a sample of the presentations for
Healthy People 2000. For more information about the program, or for registration,
call (909) 558-4595.
Local senior wins gold at World Senior Games
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| Joseph Fleischmann, a senior athlete in Loma Linda, won two gold medals during the World Senior Games, held this past October. |
A local senior and regular at Loma Linda University's Drayson Center struck gold twice at the World Senior Games, held October 11 to 22, 1999, in St. George, Utah.
Joseph Fleischmann, a Loma Linda senior athlete, won the gold medal in both the triathlon relay and 5K run during the Huntsman Senior Games, sponsored by the Jon & Karen Huntsman Foundation.
This year's World Senior Games marks the 13th such event. More than 4,500 individuals 50 years of age and older took part, representing all 50 states, as well as 38 countries worldwide.
Venues include tennis, golf, swimming, basketball (3-on-3 and 5-on-5), basketball free throw and three-point shooting, softball, cycling, mountain biking, track and field, racquetball, road races, horseshoes, bowling, bridge, half marathon, table tennis, volleyball, the triathlon, and square dancing.
The Senior Games also provide health screening and education, as well as various social events for participants.
During the year 2000, the Huntsman World Senior Games will once again take place in St. George, Utah, October 9 to 20. For information, call (800) 562-1268 or stop by the official web site at <http://www.infowest. com/hwsg>.
LLU Board of Trustees approves revised sexual harassment policy
The Loma Linda University Board of Trustees meeting in full session on Monday, February 7, approved the following revision to the sexual harassment policy. This revised policy supersedes the policy found in the Faculty, Staff, and Administrative Handbooks.
* * *
1. Rationale
(a) Sexual harassment is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by the University. It subverts the mission of the University, and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, employees, and patients. Relationships involving sexual harassment or discrimination have no place within the University. In both obvious and subtle ways, the very possibility of sexual harassment is destructive to individual students, faculty, employees, patients, and the University community as a whole. When, through fear of reprisal, a student, faculty member, employee, or patient submits or is pressured to submit, to inappropriate sexual attention, the University's ability to carry out its mission is undermined.
(b) Sexual harassment is especially serious when it threatens relationships between teacher and student, supervisor and subordinate, or clinician and patient. In such situations, sexual harassment exploits unfairly the power inherent in a faculty member's, supervisor's, or clinician's position. Through grades, wage increases, recommendation for graduate study, promotion, clinical priority, and the like, a person in a position of power can have a decisive influence on the future of the student, faculty member, employee, or patient.
(c) While sexual harassment most often takes place in situations of a power differential between the persons involved, the University also recognizes that sexual harassment may occur between persons of the same University status. The University will not tolerate behavior between or among members of the University community which creates an unacceptable educational, working, or clinical environment.
2. Prohibited acts
No member of the University shall engage in sexual harassment. For the purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined as inappropriate sexual advances, such as requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Harassment is considered to have occurred if:
(a) submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment or status in a course, program, or activity;
(b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for an educational, employment, or clinical decision affecting an individual;
(c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's academic, work, or clinical performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for learning, work or therapy;
(d) there are inappropriate or unwanted sexual approaches.
3. Examples of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment encompasses any sexual attention that is unwanted or inappropriate. Examples of the verbal or physical conduct prohibited by Section 2 above include, but are not limited to:
(a) physical assault;
(b) direct or implied threats that submission to sexual advances will be a condition of grades, letters of recommendation, employment, promotion, or therapy;
(c) direct propositions of a sexual nature;
(d) subtle pressure for sexual activity;
(e) a pattern of conduct not legitimately related to the educational, work, or clinical context intended to discomfort or humiliate, or both, that includes one or more of the following:
(1) comments of a sexual nature;
(2) sexually explicit statements, questions, jokes, or anecdotes;
(f) A pattern of conduct that would discomfort or humiliate, or both, a person at whom the conduct was directed that includes one or more of the following:
(1) unnecessary touching, patting, hugging, or brushing against a person's body;
(2) remarks of a sexual nature about a person's clothing or body;
(3) remarks about sexual activity or speculations about previous sexual experience;
4. Isolated and inadvertent offenses
(a) Members of the University community who, without establishing a pattern of doing so, engage in isolated conduct of the kind described in Subsections 3(e) and (f) or who exhibit a pattern of engaging in such conduct but fail to realize that their actions discomfort or humiliate, demonstrate insensitivity that necessitates remedial measures. When University administrators become aware that such activities are occurring in their areas, they should direct that those engaged in such conduct undertake an educational program designed to help them understand the harm that they are doing.
(b) If, after participating in the educational program or failing to participate after being directed to do so, a person continues to engage in the conduct described in Subsection 4(a), he or she will be deemed to have engaged in a pattern of conduct intended to discomfort or humiliate the one at whom the actions or statements are directed.
5. Procedures
(a) Because of the sensitive nature of situations involving sexual harassment and to assure speedy and discreet resolution of these issues, the University has established informal mediation procedures and formal investigation procedures for handling complaints involving sexual harassment. Informal procedures may be utilized, but are not required to precede the formal procedures.
[In describing these procedures, complainant refers to any student, faculty member, employee, or patient who complains about being sexually harassed. Accused or respondent refers to any student, faculty member, or employee who is accused of sexually harassing a student, faculty member, employee, or patient.]
If a complaint is directed against an individual who would otherwise play a role in investigating and attempting to resolve the complaint, the function assigned to that person by these procedures will be delegated to another person designated by the appropriate dean of a School or administrator.
(b) Informal procedures: University ombudspersons panel
The president shall appoint a panel of up to 16 members to serve as counselors and third-party ombudspersons to members of the University community. Terms of appointment shall be two years. The function of a University ombudsperson shall be to attempt to resolve informally complaints of sexual harassment brought to them by members of the University community. Any student, faculty, or staff member may select an ombudsperson of his/her choice from the panel. Informal proceedings may also be initiated by an administrative official of the University. Each ombudsperson will function individually to mediate complaints, but all ombudspersons will follow consistent procedures. Training of ombudspersons shall be the responsibility of the office of the president.
Ombudspersons shall:
1. Listen to the complaint, and assist the complainant in clarifying his/her experiences and feelings.
2. Advise complainant on his/her options, both informal and formal.
3. Inform the responsible dean of the School or administrator before any inquiry is begun.
4. At the request of the complainant, talk to the accused without revealing the identify of the complainant, in an attempt to work out a satisfactory solution, and convey to the complainant the results of that discussion.
5. If both parties are satisfied with the outcome of the ombudsperson process, the matter may end there. However, the accused must be informed that even if the complainant is satisfied, the dean and affirmative action officer may feel it needs further action.
6. If the accused is not willing to participate in the ombudsperson process, the ombudsperson will inform him/her of the formal procedures, and will explain the options available to him/her.
7. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, he/she may take the matter through the appropriate formal investigation procedures.
(c) Formal procedures
Formal procedures may be initiated by the aggrieved person or an administrative official of the University subsequent to the failure of informal efforts to resolve the problem. A formal complaint of sexual harassment or other forms of discriminatory personal behavior may be initiated by any student, faculty member, employee, or patient either in lieu of informal efforts or where informal efforts have failed.
6. Investigation prior to formal action
(a) A complainant wishing to make a formal complaint and have it pursued should file it with the office of affirmative action, which will consult with the appropriate dean or administrative officer to determine the method by which the investigation will be conducted.
(b) The purpose of the investigation is to establish whether there is a reasonable basis for believing that the alleged violation of this policy has occurred. In conducting the investigation, the appropriate administrator will be assisted by no more than three persons who may interview the complainant, the accused, and other persons believed to have pertinent factual knowledge. At all times, the administrator conducting the investigation will take steps to ensure discretion by all participants.
(c) The investigation will afford the accused a full opportunity to respond to the allegations after the accused has reviewed the written allegations.
(d) Possible outcomes of the investigation are:
(1) a judgment that the allegations are not warranted;
(2) a negotiated settlement of the complaint;
(3) institution of formal action described in succeeding sections of the this policy.
7. Process of taking formal action
(a) Formal action regarding complaints about sexual harassment will be taken by one of the following individuals:
(1) If the accused is a faculty member, graduate assistant, or employee responsible to an academic administrator, formal action will be taken by the dean of the School of the accused or by the dean's designee.
(2) If the accused is an employee of a nonacademic unit of the University, formal action will be taken by the supervisor who makes decisions about the employment status of the accused.
(3) If the accused is a student, formal action will be taken by the dean of the School in which the student is enrolled, or by the dean's designee.
(b) If, after reviewing the report of the investigation, the appropriate administrative official as described in Subsection 7(a) concludes that there is a reasonable basis for believing that the alleged violation of this policy has occurred and a negotiated settlement cannot be reached, a formal action will be taken.
8. Formal action
Except as specifically modified by other provisions of this policy, formal action involving allegations of:
(a) Violations of this policy by faculty members will be taken by the dean of the School employing the accused faculty member and will be governed by the procedures for discipline and severance set forth in this Handbook.
(b) Violations of this policy by staff members in academic units of the University will be taken by the dean of the School employing the staff member and will be governed by the procedures for discipline and severance set forth in the Staff Handbook.
(c) Violations of this policy by an employee of a nonacademic unit of the University will be taken by the administrator who makes decisions about the employment status of the accused and will be governed by the procedures for discipline and severance set forth in the Staff Handbook.
(d) Violations of this policy by students, including graduate assistants, will be governed by the disciplinary procedures of the Student Handbook.
A report of the final outcome of the formal action will be submitted in writing to the office of affirmative action, the complainant, and the accused.
9. Protection of complainant and others
(a) Investigations of complaints will be initiated if relevant information exists which indicate such conduct may have occurred.
(b) All reasonable action will be taken to assure that complainant and those testifying on behalf of the complainant or supporting the complainant in other ways will suffer no retaliation as the result of their activities in regard to the process. Steps to avoid retaliation might include:
(1) lateral transfers of one or more of the parties in an employment setting and a comparable move if a classroom setting is involved, and
(2) arrangements that academic and/or employment evaluations concerning the complainant or others be made by an appropriate individual other than the accused.
(c) In extraordinary circumstances after reviewing the allegations and interviewing the accused, the complainant, and, if it seems appropriate, some other relevant persons, the administrator taking formal action may, at any time during or after an investigation of a sexual harassment complaint, suspend the accused if the administrator finds that it is reasonably certain that:
(1) the alleged sexual harassment has occurred
(2) serious and immediate harm will ensue if the accused is not suspended.
10. Protection of the accused
(a) Upon receipt of a formal complaint, prompt review will be made of the facts provided. This review may include a preliminary investigation to identify witnesses and clarify the issues involved in the complaint. Once it is determined that adequate testimony and/or information exists to proceed with a formal inquiry, the accused will be informed of the allegations and that the investigation is proceeding.
(b) In the event the allegations are not substantiated, all reasonable steps will be taken to restore the reputation of the accused if it was damaged by the proceeding.
(c) A complainant found to have been intentionally dishonest in making the allegations or to have made them maliciously is subject to University discipline.
11. Protecting both parties
(a) To the extent possible, the proceedings will be conducted with appropriate discretion to protect the interests of both parties.
(b) After the investigation, the parties will be informed of the relevant findings developed in the course of the investigation.
(c) The parties will be informed within thirty (30) days about the outcome of the proceedings.
12. Education as a key element of University policy
Educational efforts are essential to the establishment of a campus environment that is as free as possible of sexual harassment. There are at least four goals to be achieved through education:
(1) ensuring that all victims and potential victims are aware of their rights;
(2) notifying individuals of conduct that is prescribed;
(3) informing administrators about the proper way to address complaints of violations of this policy;
(4) helping educate the insensitive about the problems this policy addresses.
13. Preparation and dissemination of information
The office of the president is charged with distributing copies of this policy to all current members of the University community and to all those who join the community in the future. An annual letter from the office of affirmative action will be sent to all faculty and staff to remind them of the contents of the sexual harassment policy, including the provisions added to it by this policy. A copy of the sexual harassment policy will be included in student, faculty, and employee orientation materials. In addition, copies of that policy will be made continually available at appropriate campus centers and offices.
Annual Postgraduate Convention 2000 to be held March 3 in Coleman Pavilion
The Loma Linda University School of Medicine Alumni Association Annual Postgraduate Convention (APC) 2000 commences Friday, March 3, in Coleman Pavilion's Wong Kerlee International Conference Center.
Each year brings significant changes and challenges to the practice of medicine; as it has done since 1933, the Alumni Association endeavors to promote continuing medical education relevant to practitioners facing these changes. Additionally, the convention provides an environment for spiritual refreshment, fellowship with colleagues, and a time to celebrate traditions unique to LLU.
This year, the School of Medicine Family Day activities will join the APC for a combined opening session, held Friday morning in the University Church. For the first time, the freshman class of the School of Medicine, with their parents, will participate in an education seminar sponsored by the APC. The keynote speaker, Frank Meskens, MD, director of the Chow Family Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, will highlight recent advances in pharmacological agents useful in cancer prevention. Dr. Meskens brings a wealth of knowledge, having conducted several National Cancer Institute-sponsored prevention trials over the last decade. Please arrive early to pick up your registration packets on the lower level of Coleman Pavilion.
As the week progresses, participants can choose courses among four symposia offered each day. Among the fascinating lectures highlighting recent advances in medical knowledge are "Prenatal Programming and Health as an Adult" given by Lawrence D. Longo, MD, director of perinatal biology; "State of the Art Treatment for Breast Cancer" by Helena Chang, MD; "Live Donor Liver Transplantation" by Waldo Concepcion, MD, director of the LLUMC Transplant Institute; and "Advances in Stem Cell Transplantation," by Frank Howard IV, MD, PhD, director of oncology for the School of Medicine. Recent advances in medical science specific to LLU will be discussed at the Cancer Institute symposium, including proton beam therapy for treatment of prostate cancer and brain tumors.
Through the years the University has been richly blessed with a wealth of knowledge related to practical lifestyle changes and nutritional therapies that have a significant beneficial impact on prevention and treatment of chronic illness. Those who share this interest are encouraged to attend the nutrition seminar, chaired by Stanley C. Condon, MD, associate professor of gastroenterology. Speakers will discuss nutritional therapy of atherosclerosis, obesity, and food allergies. A second nutritional symposium, Healthy People 2000, sponsored by the School of Public Health, will focus extensively on the impact dairy products have on public health. Those interested in the basics of primary care will have ample courses to choose from, including topics in rheumatology, infectious disease, ophthalmology, orthopeadic surgery, general surgery, neurology, neurosurgery and more. In all, the APC provides an opportunity to accumulate more than 25 hours of continuing medical education credit, plus additional credit for the Cardiology and Healthy People 2000 symposiums. Additionally, one can recertify in basic and advanced life support, or attend the new course in pediatric life support offered by the pediatrics department.
Incredible advances in computer technology will revolutionize patient care in the new millennium. Every practitioner will undoubtedly face significant changes in clinical medicine, especially in recording and retrieving information. A new symposia, "Medical Informatics," will explore the electronic medical record in the outpatient setting. Incipient changes in electronic charting raise the spector of serious ethical problems. These issues will be addressed by the keynote speaker for the Percy T. Magan Lectureship. The speaker, Richard K. Harding, MD, vice chair of clinical services in the department of neuropsychiatry and behavioral science at the University of South Carolina, is well-qualified, having testified as an expert witness on patient privacy before the United States Congress. Dr. Harding will address the Plenary Session on Tuesday morning in the University Church of Seventh-day Adventists.
Returning APC participants will notice significant changes. APC 2000 registration and the commercial exhibits will be located in Coleman Pavilion, providing a more central campus location than Gentry Gym, which has been used in the past. More than 100 posters representing research endeavors of School of Medicine students and residents will be displayed on the second floor just above the main hospital lobby entrance.
Spiritual uplift will be provided each day at the morning devotional held by Lloyd A. Dayes, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery. Dr. Dayes will also present the Sabbath School lesson, just as he has done weekly at his local church for the past decade.
Sabbath afternoon activities include an update on worldwide mission activities at a symposium featuring Allan Handysides, MBChB, director of health ministries of the General Conference. Afternoon vespers, sponsored by the National Medical Auxiliary, will include a musical presentation by the Wedgwood Trio.
The Saturday evening program will feature guest speaker Beck Weathers, MD, who will relate his struggle to survive the deadliest storm to hit Mt. Everest. Dr. Beck was trapped in a snow field just beyond the safety of his high camp at 21,000 feet as a severe storm threatened his life. Having been injured by frostbite, debilitated by altitude sickness, and unable to walk, his life was saved by the heroic efforts of the Nepali Air Force, who performed a daring and dangerous helicopter rescue. His story has been featured on several television documentaries, including the ABC news program "20/20."
Monday night brings the annual banquet at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario, featuring the 25th and 50th anniversary classes, honored alumni, and light entertainment provided by the Gary Bonner Singers.
Other traditional events planned for APC include the Golf Tournament on Friday, the Fellowship Luncheon on Sabbath, the WEMS/Alumni-Faculty/Holding Fund Buffet on Sunday, class reunions, the Alumni Fund/ Dean's Donor Reception on Monday, and the Women in Medicine Annual Dinner on Tuesday.
Editor's note: This article was written by John D. McCracken, MD, APC governing board chair and associate professor of gastroen terology. It was published in the September-December, 1999, issue of the Alumni Journal.
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