The significant progress of the UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center over the last four years has been a direct result of effective use of internal and external planning and evaluafion processes that have engaged the Cancer Center membership and UT Southwestern administrafion. Planning and evaluafion acfivifies are organized into three categories: An External Advisory Board, Internal Planning and Review, and Program Development. External Advisory Board: the Simmons Cancer Center has received strong guidance from an external advisory board that includes outstanding scienfists and leaders with NCI Cancer Center experience. The EAB was instrumental in guiding the UT Southwestern leadership on a plan for development of a strong matrix cancer center and recruitment of a new Director. Since Dr. Willson's recruitment the EAB has met annually in Dallas to review scientific programs, shared resources, and research thrusts. The EAB reviews the productivity, excellence and cancer focus of each program and makes recommendation on opportunifies for recruitment to address gaps in the program as well as on strategies to further enable the success of a new cancer center. These reports are reviewed by Center and Institufional leadership. Internal planning and evaluafion: The Senior Leaders Council oversees the planning and evaluafion for the Cancer Center and is supported by a series of committees including a monthly meefing of program leaders and disease oriented team members who meet monthly with the senior leaders. The Center engages membership in a highly successful and popular Center wide retreat format that is held annually and in addifion, half day retreats are convened by the Associate Directors with specific transdisciplinary thematic goals. An informal lunch is held for the entire Center membership each month to foster interacfion and membership input. Program plannino. An important component of the planning and evaluafion process is that each scientific program is empowered to conduct its own planning. Such planning and evaluafion at the program level occurs with regular program meefings as well as with special program events where outside consultants participate with program members in evaluating and planning new initiafives. A strategic plan was developed shortly after Dr. Willson's appointment as Director and used to communicate the Center's goals and direction and led to a major philanthropic gift from Annette and Harold Simmons that has supported a rapid expansion of Cancer Center faculty and programs.
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