Dr. Lloyd Jacobs explains what it takes to merge a once free-standing medical school with a multi-disciplinary university.

For 40 years, the University of Toledo and the Medical University of Ohio sat a mere three miles apart. Although the two institutions collaborated extensively, it wasn’t until July 1, 2006 that the state legislature passed a bill allowing them to become one multifaceted university.

According to Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, president of the new entity, it wasn’t hard to see the benefits of merging. For starters, the once free-standing Medical University of Ohio could benefit from being part of a larger, multi-disciplined university. Jacobs explained that the majority of successful medical schools—110 of the 125 in the country—have adopted the same model. Second, each institution was relatively small, in the $300 million range. Together they stand as a $700 million university with a broader, deeper footprint and greater market clout.

But the most exciting benefit, in Jacobs’ mind, is the creativity that has been unleashed by merging the two institutions. “Universities with many disciplines are often more creative than those with a narrow focus. There are synergies to be gained between nursing and law, between law and medicine, etc. The merger has created 20 to 30 interfaces among disciplines, and they have begun to bear fruit already.”

Dr. Lloyd Jacobs

Another benefit to the merger is cost savings. Already, UT has seen a $3 million to $4 million reduction in costs simply by removing redundancies. When the two institutions came together, it had two of everything, and complexities were lurking behind every corner. For instance, a police force is not allowed to carry more than one type of gun. “When we merged, UT’s police force carried a different gun than the Medical University of Ohio’s police force. When we merged the two together, we had to choose one gun,” Jacobs recalled.

Culture blend
Today, UT consists of 11 academic colleges and professional programs, and the health science campus (formerly the Medical University of Ohio) is home to UT Medical Center hospitals and clinics. Of course, the university has a long road ahead, especially when it comes to integrating technology. The university immediately installed a single e-mail system to make communicating easier, and it is currently in the midst of installing an ERP system at the main campus and an EMR at the medical campus. However, the hardest task will be merging the two cultures.

Jacobs started by hosting hot dog roasts at each campus to get employees and faculty mingling. He has also merged the two university’s newspapers into one and spends many of his days between the two campuses speaking to a common set of expectations and values. Efforts are now underway to merge the two faculty senates and foundations.

Perhaps the most influential move was bringing people from both campuses together in a strategic planning effort within six weeks of the merger. According to Jacobs, most strategic planning efforts result in a document that, after it is approved by the board, collects dust for three years. “We don’t believe in that. We have created a working, living document that includes a statement of values to which I refer on a regular basis.”

UT’s new mission is to improve the human condition; to advance knowledge through excellence in learning, discovery, and engagement; and to serve as a diverse, student-centered public metropolitan research university. “It is a gratifying moment when I go to a meeting and hear others quoting our mission statement,” said Jacobs. “To me, that means it has become meaningful to the larger organization.”

Prior to the merger, both institutions had let several renovation projects fall by the wayside. Jacobs got them back in the works in an effort to boost morale and let employees and faculty know UT is going places.

A major project was to move the university’s original college of pharmacy to the health science campus, on which an orthopedic center is also being built. The main campus will see an addition to the college of business, as well as an information commons in the library. In addition, UT will be renovating a historic field house into state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, and it is gearing up to give the basketball arena a full face lift. To get students involved, the university has plans to renovate 50 classrooms over the next year and asked students for their input as to which classrooms should be chosen.

Student centeredness
Throughout the transition, UT has kept student relationships top of mind. Jacobs created the Commission on Student Centeredness, a program that allows the university community to nominate faculty and staff for a monthly student centeredness award. The winner receives $100 gift cards, which is presented by Jacobs himself. “I surprise the winners in their classrooms. It’s only one small way to let them know how much we appreciate them.” At the end of the year, one of the monthly winners is chosen to receive the annual student centeredness award of $1,500.

UT is taking student centeredness a step further by promising not to hike tuition for at least one semester. Jacobs explained that for the past 10 years, college and university tuition has increased at least two and a half times inflation. “We declared our intention on Martin Luther King Day, as it speaks to his belief that all human beings should have access to education. Our actions send a message to our students that they are our customers,” Jacobs concluded.