John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine

The title of this post has not been hacked.  All will be revealed soon.

Review: the University of California - Davis Pepper Spray Incident

We just discussed the now infamous pepper spraying of peaceful student protesters at the University of California.  We noted our previous concerns about the leadership of the university Chancellor who presided over this incident because she had previously seemed disconnected from the prime mission of the university (but instead pushed its role as a developer and marketer of biotechnology) (see this post), and defended the nearly one million dollar compensation for the medical center CEO at a time when the university's finances became increasingly fragile (see this post).

Since then, the Chancellor, Linda P B Katehi, vaguely apologized for the incident at a student rally where many speakers called for her resignation (see, for example, this story in the San Francisco Chronicle).

A University Chancellor in Proximity to the One Percent as Director of John Wiley and Sons

There is a certain irony to all this.  While the overriding theme of the "occupy" movement has been to advocate for the "99 percent" of Americans who feel increasingly powerless, the original protest at UC-Davis was not so much against the plutocratic one percent, as against "tuition increases and state cuts in higher education," (per the Chronicle)   Yet the person who is now at the focus of the Occupy UC-Davis group's wrath is closer to the one percent than most protesters realized.

A quick search on Google revealed that Chancellor Katehi started a new part time job in 2011.  She is now a member of the board of directors of John Wiley and Sons, Inc, a $2.8 billion market market capitalization "global  publisher of print and electronic products."  Note that this position on not listed on her official bio on the UC - Davis web-site as of 23 November, 2011, nor on her official curriculum vita (from 2010) available on that web-site. 

As a board member, she can expect over $100,000 yearly as compensation, based on fees paid in 2010 reported in the 2011 company proxy statement.  Since last year, the board approved compensation for the five highest paid executives ranging from over $1.8 million to over $5.3 million.  So a position on the board certainly put Ms Katehi in the proximity of the one percent.

Furthermore, as we have noted previously, compliant, if not crony board members have been blamed for the huge increase in the compensation of top corporate executives who now make up the majority of the "one percent."  Since most board members seem to be current or retired high-ranking executives, their enthusiasm for raising their fellow hired executives' compensation should not be surprising.  Note that Ms Katehi is effectively the "CEO" of UC- Davis.

A Conflict of Interest

In some cases, board members' disinclination to challenge the executives they are supposed to be supervising may arise from conflicts of interest.  Note regarding the current example that John Wiley and Sons is a leading publisher of text books and professional journals in medicine, the life sciences, and many other subjects relevant to the curriculum of many of the schools and departments at UC-Davis, and particularly to the medical school and academic medical center.  More importantly, as we noted here, John Wiley and Sons' Wiley-Blackwell subsidiary includes a medical education and communications unit. 

On its website, this entity promises:

Our Global Corporate Sales Team of more than 100 people is dedicated to serving the publishing and communication needs of your industry. Through our extensive range of clinical and professional publications, we can develop a customized communications plan to support your promotional strategy, maximizing the impact of your brand.

Whether you are looking for global or localized campaigns, for strategic or tactical support, our publishing teams are knowledgeable at all levels and are easy to reach in your time zone by phone, email or in person.

We provide an expert service, competitive pricing, dedicated project management and the flexibility to provide peer-reviewed support for your brand from pre-launch to maturity, achieving strong credibility.

Among the services provided are "continuing professional development," including "conferences and training schemes," and establishing "advisory boards to provide direction on issues surrounding new products or developing brands. We draw on our close relationships with industry leaders...." Thus, like other medical education and communication companies (MECCs), this subsidiary can use a variety of tactics to infiltrate marketing messages into what appears to be medical education. 

By accepting a position on the board of directors of an academic and medical publisher that also runs a MECC, Ms Katehi has taken on fiduciary responsibility for the company, and thus seems to have a potentially intense conflict of interest, particularly affecting her leadership of a medical school and academic medical center (see our first discussion of what then appeared to be a "new species" of conflict of interest due to academic medical leaders' membership on a board of a health care corporation here.) 

Summary

I can only speculate that proximity to the one per cent, and the conflict of interest induced by fiduciary responsibility for the stewardship of an academic and medical publisher and a medical education and communication company might have left Ms Katehi feeling distant from protesters who claimed "we are the 99 per cent," and hence more inclined to support clearing them from the campus by whatever means.

In any case, it turns out that Occupy UC -Davis took on a more appropriate opponent than they realized. 

This case illustrates how the complex web of relationships among the top leaders of society, including leaders of health acre organizations, is more sticky and pervasive than was heretofore apparent. 

In any case, it underlines our repeated call....  To reform health care, we must reverse the managers' coup d'etat, and restore leadership of health care organizations that puts the mission, and the health of patients and the population first, and is accountable to corporate owners (when applicable) and to patients and the public.  But that will mean now going up against those who have made themselves the richest and most powerful people in the country and the world, who will not lightly give up their oligarchy.

National Best Practices Brief Released!

As a part of the Healthy Eating Assessment, the third HKHC Buffalo policy brief was released!  This brief highlights national best policy practices as it pertains to healthy eating.  The brief takes a comprehensive look at food systems policy - from production to post-waste.  The next brief, to be released shortly, specifically focuses on the City of Buffalo and it's governing regulations.  Stay tuned!

Download the third brief: Planning to Eat? Innovative Local Government Plans and Policies to Build Healthy Food Systems in the United States

i'm kind of having a purple moment right now.....
how cute is that VW....i bet i could haul a lot of fabric in that!!

*images courtesy of pinterest, sacramento street, cute things, angie hranowsky/glam lamb, vintage home/architectural digest

Yn ogystal â’m balchder amlwg i wrth wylio athletwyr Cymru a’n timau cenedlaethol ni’n cipio medalau a thlysau, gweld mwy o bobl yn cymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon ac yn dysgu am waith ysbrydoledig ein hyfforddwyr a’n gwirfoddolwyr ni yw un o fy hoff agweddau i ar fy rôl i yn Chwaraeon Cymru.

Yng Ngwobrau Hyfforddwr y Flwyddyn Chwaraeon Cymru yng Nghaerdydd yn ddiweddar, cafwyd cyfle gwych i gyfarfod rhai unigolion eithriadol nodedig. Dyma’r bobl y mae eu gwaith nhw’n golygu ein bod ni’n gallu cynnig i blant eu blas cyntaf ar chwaraeon, bob cam drwodd hyd at roi sglein ar berfformiadau’r athletwyr hynny a fydd yn ennill medalau ym mhencampwriaethau’r byd.

O bob cefndir mewn bywyd ac o bob cornel yng Nghymru, dyma’r bobl i’w dilyn a’u hefelychu.

Y llynedd, addawodd Chwaraeon Cymru, ochr yn ochr â’n partneriaid ni, i ddyblu nifer yr hyfforddwyr a’r gwirfoddolwyr yng Nghymru, o tua 110,000 i tua 250,000 erbyn 2016 – tua 10% o’r boblogaeth. Mae’n darged hynod uchel ond yn un y gallwn ni ei gyrraedd yn fy marn i fel rhan o’n Gweledigaeth gyfan ni ar gyfer Chwaraeon. Mae ein gwaith ymchwil ni’n dangos bod 9% o oedolion yn dymuno gwirfoddoli’n amlach, felly mae’r ewyllys yn bodoli.

Fodd bynnag, rydw i’n teimlo bod y cynnydd wedi bod yn araf hyd yma. Mae’n rhaid i’r sector chwaraeon – ac rydw i’n cynnwys Chwaraeon Cymru yn y sector – godi ei gêm yn sylweddol.                 

Mae’n rhaid i’r dystiolaeth am y cynnydd sydd wedi’i wneud drwy waith yn cynyddu’r fyddin o wirfoddolwyr ddod yn amlycach yn awr. Nid ydym yn gweld datblygu hyfforddwyr a’r gweithlu chwaraeon yn cael y flaenoriaeth maent yn ei haeddu yn y sector ac mae hynny’n golygu y byddwn ni’n cael ein dal yn ôl gyda’n Gweledigaeth ar gyfer Chwaraeon.

Fel un enghraifft, mae nifer yr hyfforddwyr gweithredol yn ein cyrff rheoli cenedlaethol ni wedi cynyddu o 14,604 i 16,397 yn ystod y flwydddyn rhwng 2010 a 2011 – cynnydd o 12%. Os ydym ni am gynnal y lefel honno o gynnydd dros gyfnod o bum mlynedd, byddai hynny’n golygu ein bod ni’ sicrhau cynnydd o 60-65%, yn hytrach na’r cynnydd o 100% rydym ni wedi bod yn chwilio amdano. Wrth gwrs, nid dim ond ffigurau sy’n bwysig, ond hefyd y math o hyfforddwyr a’r lefel o hyfforddwyr rydym ni eu hangen, a ble maent yn cael eu defnyddio. Mae’n rhaid wrth ansawdd yn ogystal â niferoedd, ond hoffwn gadarnhau fy nyhead i i’n gweld ni’n sicrhau cynnydd yn gynt.       

Gyda Llundain 2012 a Glasgow 2014 ar y gorwel, a hefyd Pencampwriaethau Athletau’r Byd sydd i’w cynnal yn Llundain yn 2017 yn dilyn cyhoeddiad diweddar, bydd plant a phobl ifanc yn arbennig yn dymuno efelychu eu harwyr yn y byd chwaraeon. Wedi perfformiad ardderchog Dai Greene ym Mhencampwriaethau Athletau’r Byd yr haf hwn, pan gipiodd fedal aur, derbyniodd ei glwb, sef clwb Harriers Abertawe, lawer o geisiadau gan ieuenctid a oedd yn dymuno dilyn yn ôl ei droed ar y trac, ac ymuno â’r clwb.

Fy her i i’r chwaraewyr allweddol yn y byd chwaraeon yng Nghymru yw, ydym ni’n barod i fanteisio ar y diddordeb hwn?

Rydym ni i gyd yn gwybod ein bod ni angen byddin o hyfforddwyr a gwirfoddolwyr sy’n fodlon gwneud yn siŵr bod y profiadau cyntaf a gaiff plant mewn chwaraeon yn rhai cadarnhaol a hwyliog. Mae’n rhaid i ni ddechrau recriwtio nawr.

Mae llwybr taith gyfnewid y Fflam Olympaidd wedi cael ei gyhoeddi yn ddiweddar ac roeddwn i’n hynod falch o weld Cymru’n cael lle amlwg ar y llwybr, gan gynnwys taith i gopa’r Wyddfa.    

Rydw i wrth fy modd yn cael clywed am y gwahanol ddigwyddiadau cymunedol a fydd yn cael eu cynnal wrth i’r fflam deithio ar hyd a lled y wlad. Mae’n rhaid i ni i gyd gofio bod y cyfle i ddefnyddio grym yr achlysur hwn i annog mwy o bobl ifanc i gymryd rhan mewn chwaraeon yn gyfle y mae’n rhaid i bob un ohonom ni fanteisio arno.

Ceir sawl ffordd i bobl gymryd rhan ond, mewn nifer o achosion, mae’n rhaid i ni weithredu’n gynt yn hytrach nag yn hwyrach er mwyn osgoi cael ein gadael ar ôl. Er enghraifft, mae gan ysgolion hyd at Ragfyr 16^eg i ymuno â Rhwydwaith Get Set – rhaglen addysgol swyddogol Llundain 2012. Drwy ymuno, gall ysgolion Cymru warantu cyfran o docynnau Olympaidd a Pharalympaidd i’w disgyblion.       

Er hynny, mae’n fy mhryderu i mai dim ond ychydig dros 10% o ysgolion Cymru sydd wedi cofrestru’n llawn gyda’r cynllun hwn (ffigur o ddechrau mis Tachwedd). Mae hyn yn golygu y bydd llawer o’n plant ysgol ni’n colli cyfle gwych, gyda thocynnau’n cael eu rhannu ar hyd a lled y DU. Bydd disgybl o Loegr, yr Alban neu Ogledd Iwerddon yn gwylio digwyddiad yn fyw pan allai’r disgybl hwnnw fod wedi dod o ysgol yng Nghymru. 

Ni allwn ni adael i’r cyfle hwn fynd heibio heb grybwyll perfformiad ffantastig ein tîm rygbi ni yng Nghwpan Rygbi’r Undeb y Byd. Cododd Warren Gatland a’i chwaraewyr a’i staff galonnau’r genedl gyfan, gan brofi bod gwaith caled ac ymroddiad yn talu ar ei ganfed.         

Dyma enghraifft eto o Gymru’n rhagori ar wledydd llawer mwy i ddangos ein bod ni’n genedl chwaraeon sy’n gallu cystadlu ar y lefel uchaf un.

Pan rydych chi’n gweld 60,000 o bobl yn Stadiwm y Mileniwm am 8.30am ar fore Sadwrn i wylio rygbi ar sgrin fawr, ni all unrhyw un ddadlau nad yw chwaraeon yn gyfrwng pwerus.

Roeddwn i’n ddigon ffodus i weld rhai o Bencampwriaethau Boccia PF a gynhaliwyd yn y Ganolfan Genedlaethol yng Nghaerdydd ychydig wythnosau yn ôl. Daeth 36 o chwaraewyr gorau’r DU at ei gilydd yng Nghaerdydd i herio ei gilydd ar gyfer y teitl pwysig – Pencampwr PF.

Yn y grŵp BC2, enillodd Andrew Williams o’r Wyddgrug yng Ngogledd Cymru, yr aur gyda buddugoliaeth o 4-3 yn y rownd derfynol. Yn y dosbarth BC3, cipiodd Jacob Thomas o Sir Benfro fuddugoliaeth arall i Gymru ac enillodd Rhodri Tudor o Abertawe fedal efydd yn y gystadleuaeth BC1. Cyflawniadau ffantastig a oedd yn glod iddyn nhw eu hunain ac i bawb sydd wedi eu helpu i gyrraedd y lefel hon. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at eu gweld yn cyflawni mwy.

Yn fwy diweddar, sicrhaodd Andrew Selby a Fred Evans le yn y tîm bocsio ar gyfer Llundain 2012 – ac mae cael dau focsiwr mewn tîm Olympaidd yn orchest gyntaf arall i Gymru.                                   

Wrth i’r cloc sy’n cyfrif i lawr at Glasgow 2014 symud o dan 1000 o ddyddiau tan y Gemau yn ddiweddar, cefais fy atgoffa o’r targedau a’r dyheadau rydym ni wedi’u pennu ar gyfer chwaraeon yng Nghymru.

Ni fyddaf yn gadael i ni wyro oddi wrth ein Gweledigaeth i gael pob plentyn wedi gwirioni ar chwaraeon am oes a chreu cenedl o bencampwyr. Mae’n rhaid i ni ddal ati i geisio codi ein gêm, rhoi cynnig ar ddulliau newydd o weithio a chanolbwyntio ar yr hyn sydd raid i ni ei wneud er mwyn bod yn llwyddiannus.

Yr Athro Laura McAllister

Cadeirydd, Chwaraeon Cymru 

The latest look at Welsh sport

In our latest blog spot Sport Wales Chair, Professor Laura McAllister reflects on recent Welsh sporting success and highlights the need to get more coaches and volunteers at all levels.

As well as my obvious pride in seeing Welsh athletes and our national teams pick up medals and trophies, seeing more people take part in sport and learning about the inspirational work of our coaches and volunteers is one of my favourite parts of my role at Sport Wales.

At the recent Sport Wales Coach of the Year Awards in Cardiff, it was a great chance to meet some truly outstanding individuals. They are the people whose work means we can offer young kids their first taste of sport, right the way up to polishing the performances of those athletes who will win medals at world championships.

From all walks of life and every corner of Wales, they are the people to follow and emulate.

Last year Sport Wales, along with our partners, committed to doubling the number of coaches and volunteers in Wales, from around 110,000 to around 250,000 by 2016 – around 10% of the population. It is a hugely aspirational target but one I believe we can meet as part of our whole Vision for Sport. Our research shows that 9% of adults would like to volunteer more often, so the will is there.

However, I feel that progress has been too slow to date. The sporting sector – and I include Sport Wales in that – must up its game considerably.

Evidence of the progress made through work to increase the volunteer base now needs to become more prominent. We are not seeing development of coaches and the sporting workforce being given the priority it deserves in the sector and that means we will be held back in our Vision for Sport.

As an example, the number of active coaches in our national governing bodies increased from 14,604 to 16,397 in the year from 2010 to 2011 – an increase of 12%. If we maintain that level of increase over five years the progress would put us at about 60-65%, rather than the 100% increase we are looking for. Of course, it is not just about numbers but about the type and level of coaches we need and where they are deployed. It is quality as well as quantity, but I reinforce my desire for us to progress at pace.

With London 2012, Glasgow 2014 and the recently announced World Athletics Championships in London in 2017 just over the horizon, children and young people especially will want to copy their sporting heroes. Following Dai Greene’s magnificent performance and gold medal in the World Athletics Championships this summer, his Swansea Harriers club received lots of requests from youngsters wanting to follow in his footsteps on the track and join up.

My challenge to the key players in Welsh sport is, are we ready to capture this interest?

We all know we need an army of willing coaches and volunteers to make sure that children’s first experiences of sport is a positive, fun one. We need to start recruiting now.

The London 2012 torch relay route has recently been announced and I’m pleased to see that Wales features so prominently, including a trip to the top of Snowdon.

I’ve been delighted to hear about the different community events that will be held as the torch travels through the country. We must all bear in mind that the opportunity to use the power of this event to encourage more young people to get involved in sport is one we must grasp.

There are numerous ways in which people can get involved, but in many cases we have to act sooner rather than later to avoid being left behind. For example, schools have until December 16^th to join-up to the Get Set Network – the official education programme for London 2012. By joining up, Welsh schools can guarantee a share of Olympic and Paralympic tickets for their pupils.

However, it concerns me that only just over 10% of schools in Wales are fully signed up to this scheme (figure from early November). This means our schoolchildren will miss out, with tickets being shared out across the UK. A pupil from England, Scotland or Northern Ireland will be watching an event live when it could have been someone from a Welsh school.

I could not let this opportunity go by without mentioning the fantastic performance of our team at the Rugby Union World Cup. Warren Gatland and his players and staff gave the nation such a lift and proved that hard work and dedication can bring rewards.

Wales again outmuscling much larger nations to show we are a sporting nation that can compete at the very top level.

When you see 60,000 people in the Millennium Stadium at 8.30 on a Saturday morning to watch rugby on a big screen, no-one can dispute the impact of sport.

I was lucky enough to see some of the GB Boccia Championships held at the National Centre in Cardiff a few weeks back. 36 of the best players in the UK converged on Cardiff to take each other on for the ultimate title – GB Champion.

In the BC2 group, Andrew Williams from Mold, North Wales, took gold with a 4-3 final win. In the BC3 class, Jacob Thomas from Pembrokeshire grabbed another Welsh win, while Swansea’s Rhodri Tudor took a bronze in the BC1 event. Fantastic achievements and a credit to them and all those who have helped get them to this level. I look forward to seeing more of their achievements.

Most recently, Andrew Selby and Fred Evans secured places on the boxing team for London 2012 – two fighters on an Olympic team being another first for Wales.

As the countdown clock to Glasgow 2014 ticked under 1000 days to go, it reminded me of the targets and aspirations we have set for sport in Wales.

I will not let us slip from our Vision to get every child hooked on sport for life and create a nation of champions. We must continually look to up our game, try new approaches and focus on what we need to do to be successful.

Cofion cynnes,

Laura