SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 28, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — After a tumultuous period of nearly two weeks in the local and national spotlight, Dr. Vivian S. Lee on Friday resigned her position as Senior Vice President for Health Sciences at University of Utah, Dean of the Medical School, and CEO of the University of Utah Health Care system.
She will remain on staff as a professor.
Lee’s resignation comes 11 days after her controversial email firing of Huntsman Cancer Instutute CEO Dr. Mary Beckerle, and three days after the U of U president’s office announced Beckerle would be reinstated after protests and petition campaigns by the institute faculty, staff, and members of the public.
Also highly critical of Beckerle’s firing was Jon Huntsman Sr., whose donations helped found the cancer institute in 1993 and who continues to offer funding. He called the firing abrupt and said it left him “dumbfounded,” adding that he planned to file lawsuits against those behind what he called a horrible and unethical act.
In a resignation letter sent to faculty members and shared by the University of Utah, Lee said, in part, that she was stepping down in the belief that her decision was best for the University, given the events of the last two weeks.
“I believe our entire community can readily return to its vital focus on health sciences, health care, education, and service.”
Lee said she had taken a lot of criticism for her leadership and actions, and had not released a public response because it would not serve the best interests of the university.
“In a more private way, it is fair to say that some of the strong invective directed at my integrity and character, which was carried in the news media over the past two weeks, has been disturbing, especially to the younger members of our family in this close-knit community in Utah we have come to call home. I am hoping my decision today will help in putting that completely in the past.”
In announcing Beckerle’s reinstatement on Tuesday, University President David Pershing said Beckerle now would report directly to him rather than to Lee, as she previously had. Pershing also thanked Huntsman for his continuing funding of the institute.
The full statement sent out Friday by U of U Communications regarding Lee’s resignation follows. To see a video of one of the protests held on Beckerle’s behalf, scroll to the bottom.
See the following statement regarding the resignation of Dr. Vivian Lee, followed by the message she sent out to faculty and staff this evening.
We are grateful to Dr. Lee for her visionary leadership. Our health system is exceptionally strong and filled with incredibly talented faculty, staff and leaders. We are confident that we will continue on our current upward trajectory that we owe in large part to Dr. Lee and her tireless efforts to transform health care and medical education in our state. During Dr. Lee’s tenure, the University has seen unprecedented growth:
◦ In 2011, we secured $229M in grants, today its $281M
◦ In 2011 we had 10 community clinics, today we have 12
◦ In 2011, we had no regional affiliates, today we have 18
◦ In 2011, we had 1,000 providers, today we have 1,400
◦ In 2011, we supported 1M patient visits, today we support 1.7M
◦ In 2011 our expense budget was 2.2B, in 2017 it grew to 3.3B, an increase of 50%
◦ In 2011, we were ranked #7 in the nation in quality, today we are ranked #1 (and have been in the top 10 the past 7 years in a row)
◦ In 2011, our School of Medicine was ranked 54th in the nation for research, today it is ranked 40th
◦ In 2011, we had 82 medical students per class, today we have 122 medical students per class and a new School of Dentistry
Dr. Lee will remain at the University of Utah as a tenured professor of radiology.
• • •
Dear Colleagues of the University of Utah Health Sciences Community,
I am writing to let you know that I have decided to step down from my roles as Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, Dean of the Medical School, and CEO of the University Health Care system here at the University of Utah. This is effective today. Over the past six years, as part of our exceptionally dedicated and talented team, I have worked as hard as I could to carry forward the mission of our entire health sciences community and of the University. Taking account of the events of the last two weeks, I believe the best interests of the University are now served by the decision I am taking today.
It has been a profound honor to serve in such an extraordinary organization. Thanks to the sterling efforts of every one of you, and building on the work and inspiration of all who came before, we are now collectively in a very strong and exciting position. This is symbolized in our physical environment by the beautiful new Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences dental school building; new clinics from South Jordan/Daybreak to Farmington open and operating; the new Huntsman Cancer Institute research building which will open this summer thanks to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation; and plans and fundraising for a new Medical School Building, a new Ambulatory Care Center, a new Rehabilitation Hospital, and a new Innovation and Discovery Center well on track. Research initiatives extend from global health to the neurosciences, from health services research to the Utah Genome Project, and from personalized to population health and beyond. Major advances have taken place in the Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health, the School of Dentistry, and throughout the entire School of Medicine. We have moved forward strongly in our focus on student and professional trainee experience, patient satisfaction and patient-centered culture, physician wellness and engagement, and high quality and high value care—with the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics again ranked #1 across all U.S. academic medical centers in quality and safety.
We should not permit the events of the past two weeks to divert us from our fundamental mission, and with my decision today, I believe our entire community can readily return to its vital focus on health sciences, health care, education, and service.
I know full well that many wonderful friends and colleagues are rightly upset, and that others are at least very puzzled, by recent events. I deeply regret this and give my apologies to all. I am aware too that more than a few have felt there should be some sort of reply to the very strong criticisms of leadership and actions, directed especially at me. This absence is not because of a lack of strongly held alternative viewpoints and substantive positions, but rather a clear sense that the best interests of our University and of our entire community are to collegially embrace one another and all move forward together. I am delighted to see that this is already happening. The installation of the new interim leadership taking over in my roles, whose appointment President Pershing will soon announce, will be another important step forward.
In a more private way, it is fair to say that some of the strong invective directed at my integrity and character, which was carried in the news media over the past two weeks, has been disturbing, especially to the younger members of our family in this close-knit community in Utah we have come to call home. I am hoping my decision today will help in putting that completely in the past.
I step now into a period of personal transition, focused on the improvement and transformation of healthcare, future callings and pathways, and above all, the joy and miracle of family. I believe our entire University of Utah team of colleagues, community supporters, and friends are spectacularly positioned for a bright and rising future. Thank you all. — Vivian S. Lee
She returned because she was gracious and didn’t want to hurt Huntsman. The institute got its 250 million, she didn’t cause a scene, but ultimately she was wronged.