How Aaron Lazare’s leadership renewed a medical school

Dr. Aaron Lazare, who died July 14, took over the chancellorship of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1991, and deftly guided it toward excellence.

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By Richard J. Stanton Special To The Worcester Business Journal

Massachusetts lost one of its truly great leaders last month when Dr. Aaron Lazare passed away at the age of 79.

I don't pretend to know whether greatness is a function of ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances, or whether extraordinary people transform ordinary events, but I do know what Aaron accomplished as chancellor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School at a unique point in its history, when a good institution was confronted with falling into mediocrity and was, rather, led to greatness.

To understand that, one needs some history. In the 1960s, the legislature was committed to support institutions of public higher education to stand alongside the commonwealth's historically strong private institutions. At the top of that commitment was the desire to give the sons and daughters of Massachusetts' working families the opportunity to become doctors. Second was the goal of educating and training primary care physicians to serve Massachusetts citizens. These commitments coincided with national efforts to expand the quality and number of physicians. Thus, the medical school was born.

But by the late 1980s, the institution was at a crossroads, facing challenges that jeopardized its financial and community support. Without it, the medical school was also challenged to define its core values and reason for existence. A steep cut in the direct state appropriation, elimination of crucial subsidies to the fringe benefit rate, neglect of capital needs and a morale-crushing furlough program combined to threaten the institution's ability to survive.

This was the institution Aaron Lazare inherited and the one which, over the next 16 years, he led, nurtured and cajoled, healing wounds inflicted over years of conflict, restoring relationships, and innovating in the areas of curriculum, clinical practice, research, technology and community outreach to achieve national distinction.

Aaron was a leader who set the tone and made organizational transformation possible. He was unquestionably quick and clever, but more importantly, he was thoughtful and resolute. Not controlling and domineering, but empowering and supporting. Aaron involved and solicited from many, challenging them to work with him to find answers.

The proof of Aaron's leadership lies in the results. The medical school was transformed into a leader in education, research, clinical care and public service. A young scientist, recruited in 1992 with resources Aaron provided, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2006. Aaron transformed an institution that saw itself only as part of a public university system into an enterprise that saw itself capable of national distinction in teaching, discovery and service to underserved populations.

The medical school has become a recognized national leader in medical education and has broken into the ranks of leadership among research institutions. It's also a valued partner for delivering services to the people of Massachusetts and other states, and a dominant regional clinical force.

Under Aaron Lazare's guidance, the school became the jewel of the University of Massachusetts system, led by a jewel of a leader.

Richard J. Stanton is associate vice chancellor and associate dean for finance and administration at the Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. From 1992-2008, he was deputy chancellor for administration and finance at UMass Medical School.