The University of Miami inaugurated Dr. Julio Frenk as its new president on Friday, positioning the internationally known public health expert to begin implementing his plans for the university's future.
In his inaugural address at the BankUnited Center, Frenk outlined development plans he created based on the conversations he had with students, faculty, alumni and administrators during his first 100 days in office. Most notably, Frenk announced a $100 million donation by Phillip and Patricia Frost, which will go toward developing the school's basic and applied sciences and engineering programs.
Frenk also said he hopes to create a "critical mass" of researchers by endowing 100 new faculty positions before UM's centennial anniversary in 2025, and that he wants to expand the university's connections to institutions in Latin America.
UM is uniquely positioned to be a "hemispheric university," Frenk said. "When I think about the opportunities ahead... I think about building bridges."
Along those lines, Frenk, the university's first Hispanic president, said that based on conversations with black and gender non-conforming students he wants to emphasize diversity and empathy during his tenure.
Frenk's appointment to the UM post follows an impressive series of international health care leadership roles.
He came to UM from Harvard, where he had been dean of the school of public health since 2009. He has also worked for the World Health Organization and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. From 200o to 2006, Frenk served as Mexico's minister of health and introduced a universal health insurance program, Seguro Popular, that provided health care coverage to millions of previously uninsured Mexicans.
Frenk's inauguration came as the university health system continues efforts to improve relations with Miami-Dade's public hospital network, the Jackson Health System. A 60-plus-year partnership between Jackson and the University of Miami Health System deteriorated in 2007 after the university purchased and began operating the Cedars Medical Center, leading critics to accuse it of taking patients from the Jackson system.
Frenk did not speak extensively about UM's health system or address its relations with Jackson. However, health care was otherwise a recurring theme in the inauguration. The master of ceremonies, Dr. Michael Barron, is chief medical officer of the University of Miami Medical Group, and both the salutation from faculty and the salutation from staff were delivered by personnel from the university's Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
Frenk replaces Donna Shalala, who left UM in 2015 to become president of the Clinton Foundation. Shalala attended the inauguration and was recognized several times by inaugural speakers.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information about the $100 million donation by Phillip and Patricia Frost. The donation will go towards developing UM's engineering and basic and applied sciences programs.
