THUNDER BAY — The dean, president and CEO of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine is giving assurances the institution will retain a strong presence in Thunder Bay.
In an interview Monday, Sarita Verma rebuked but didn't name the authors of what she described as a significant and inappropriate "communications campaign" over the last couple of months which she said had caused upset among NOSM staff as well as students.
Criticism of the province's plan to make NOSM a standalone university, and how it might affect Thunder Bay and Lakehead University began immediately after the announcement was made in April.
"It was harmful and distressing for people. Students were receiving emails and direct phone calls...staff and faculty were being told their jobs were in jeopardy."
Verma said the rumours were "just silly, and "we had alumni who were being told their degrees were going to be useless...that's just wrong."
She added that Thunder Bay has "nothing to fear. We're not sure why it went to that escalation, especially the city council, to the MPPs. There's nothing scary that's going to happen to Thunder Bay, in fact we expect to build the health and welfare of Thunder Bay."
Lakehead University President Moira McPherson has taken strong exception to the absence of consultation with Lakehead and other stakeholders affected by NOSM becoming independent.
However, McPherson said in a statement Friday "we must now turn our attention to the future. There are still many important details that need to be explored" related to NOSM's split from Lakehead and Laurentian University.
Verma said NOSM wants to help Lakehead continue to succeed, and Laurentian – which is insolvent – "reincarnate itself."
She noted that the medical school has 15 years remaining on leases on its facilities at both universities.
"We have relationships there. They are our flagship campuses, so we're not going to be doing things that are drastic."
Verma said she sees post-secondary institutions across Northern Ontario including Lakehead, Laurentian, Algoma University, Nipissing University and community colleges working together "with NOSM being the main integrator" to improve the health and welfare of the entire region.
Lakehead, however, now faces the prospect of competition for scarce donor dollars.
"We will be looking to fundraise for NOSM University," Verma stated.
Colleges and Universities Minister Ross Romano also announced Friday on Twitter that NOSM University will be able to offer "new opportunities to offer more degrees and programs "
Asked about those prospects, Verma predicted that graduate programs "will definitely increase," but will need to go through a government approval process.
In partnership with other universities, NOSM currently offers a physician assistants program, a dietetic internship program, and other health professional programs such as radiation therapy and physiotherapy/occupational therapy.
Verma said she sees an opportunity "to grow many more health professional programs," but "if we expand out to any of the arts and humanities, that's not our skills set. But we would want to collaborate with other universities like Laurentian and Lakehead."
She raised the possibility of an arrangement with Lakehead to offer a joint MD/Doctor of Laws degree.
