Dr. Jonathan Ellen resigned earlier this week as CEO of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital after an investigation by the Tampa Bay Times into the hospital's mortality rate for heart surgery patients.
Now, Ellen is stepping down from other leadership roles as well.
Since late March, Ellen had served as the chair of the University of South Florida consolidation task force, where he was in charge of helping craft a plan that will unify the accreditations of the school's three campuses.
He resigned from that position in an email to the State Board of Governors Tuesday night, and has been replaced by task force member Mike Griffin, the former chair of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.
“I have complete confidence that this task force will continue its forward momentum under Mike Griffin’s leadership,” Ned Lautenbach, chair of the Board of Governors, said in a press release. “The State University System remains committed to a seamless consolidation for USF and its students.”
Griffin is the senior managing editor for Savills Studley Occupier Services, a Tampa commercial real estate firm. He was the chair of the task force's subcommittee on student success, academic programs and campus identity. He'll be replaced in that role by former USF trustee and chair of of the USF St. Petersburg Campus Board Debbie Sembler, who is also filling the empty seat on the task force.
Griffin, a graduate of USF, also served two terms as student body president.
“USF is an incredible asset to the Tampa Bay region that will only become stronger through the consolidation process,” Griffin said. “Our task force has already spent countless hours listening to the university community, gathering public input and exchanging ideas with local leaders. We have built great momentum and I look forward to finalizing our recommendations soon.”
The 13-member consolidation task force must submit its recommendations to the USF Board of Trustees by February 15, 2019. The USF Board of Trustees must then adopt and submit an implementation plan to the Board of Governors no later than March 15.
The task force has two meetings left before the February deadline: a call on December 19, and and a meeting in Tampa on January 23, 2019.
Ellen also resigned as president of the St. Petersburg Innovation District, a collection of top medical, education, marine science and research institutions near downtown. He's been replaced there on an interim basis by USF St. Pete regional chancellor Martin Tadlock.
