The University of Michigan’s Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs met in the Alexander G. Ruthven Building Monday afternoon to continue discussing Work Connections — the University’s illness, injury and disability management program — denying or reducing faculty members’ requests for medical leave. The committee met with Interim University President Domenico Grasso in closed session.
SACUA Chair Derek Peterson opened the meeting by welcoming clinical pathology professor Dr. Lauren Smith, a new SACUA member. He briefed her on recent controversies, such as a lawsuit accusing the University of disability discrimination after disciplining a student for allegedly using artificial intelligence in essays.
Next, Peterson announced that Richard Arnold, interim executive director of the Division of Public Safety and Security, will join SACUA members at their next meeting on Feb. 23 to discuss campus surveillance cameras and address concerns about if data demonstrates these cameras actually reduce crime.
SACUA members then planned which topics to bring up during their meeting with Grasso. Public health lecturer Kirsten Herold raised concerns about students’ use of AI in class. Peterson advocated for speaking about diversity, equity and inclusion, while others suggested SACUA should discuss the surveillance camera use on campus. Grasso then met with the SACUA members in a private room to talk over their concerns.
After meeting with Grasso, SACUA discussed a draft document co-written by Herold and information professor Kentaro Toyama that outlines the manner in which Work Connections has operated and should operate moving forward. SACUA members acknowledged discrepancies between the time off work recommended by employees’ physicians and what Work Connections has recommended.
Herold said there were difficulties in judging employees’ ability to return to work after an injury depending on the job requirements. She believes it is important for both employees and employers to trust primary care physicians over the independent medical examinations provided by Work Connections.
“There are those who do physical work, and then those of us who sit at a computer all day,” Herold said. “I’d trust my regular doctor’s opinion more than someone I’ve only seen once.”
SACUA members expressed concerns regarding language within the drafted document that may suggest Work Connections should provide additional or substitute recommendations in place of health care providers’ advice. Peterson said doctors who are unfamiliar with patients’ jobs may not be able to provide reliable assessments of when employees should return to work.
“I don’t think it is in our collective interest for a non-expert primary care provider to make judgments for employees, not knowing the job,” Peterson said. “There’s no framework in this writing for an appeal.”
Toyama agreed, saying Work Connections is currently not a good appeals process for contested physician assessments. He highlighted the difficulty of condensing their grievances into the one-page document to send to the University’s Board of Regents.
“I’m not going to trust Work Connections to run an appeal,” Toyama said. “This is really meant for the regents, the document is only one page and it’s difficult to express everything within that.”
Herold questioned whether SACUA is capable of spearheading the initiative to improve Work Connections’ processes.
“SACUA seems to think they should be in the driver’s seat,” Herold said. “This issue is very difficult.”
Daily News Contributor Josephine Velo can be reached at velo@umich.edu.
