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Every five years, a new dean's team, composed of vice deans and project managers, is appointed by the Dean to represent him or her in specific tasks. This year, Professor Nadine Houede has been appointed Vice Dean for Finance. She will soon succeed Vice Dean Messner in this role. Read her interview here to find out more about her career and the projects she hopes to implement as part of her role!

You were appointed by Dean Isabelle Laffont. Can you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?

With two doctorates in medicine and biostatistics, I had the opportunity to spend two years in Canada at the end of my studies, which allowed me to gain solid experience in urological oncology and research dynamics. I spent the first part of my career as an oncologist at the Bordeaux Cancer Center, head of the onco-urology department and early-phase trials unit, and an active member of French and American oncology societies.

Currently head of department at Nîmes University Hospital and deputy head of the division, I lead numerous research programs within an INSERM unit in Montpellier and strive to ensure that research advances are made available quickly for the benefit of patients.

 

How do you plan to balance your duties as vice dean with your other professional obligations?

I am fortunate to be supported by a young and dynamic team in oncology. I hold two positions inherent to my academic status: director of Cancéropole Grand Sud-Ouest, working closely with cancer research teams, and now vice-dean in charge of finance, supporting faculty and student projects.

 

What will your contributions and objectives be? What projects do you want to carry out in your role?

As the Dean has placed her trust in me with this appointment, I wish to assist her as best I can in the management tasks assigned to me, both in terms of her specific actions relating to DI and DIU and in relation to the university. I will work to achieve a balanced budget in order to offer students and teachers the best possible teaching conditions.

 

What motivated you to accept this appointment?

While I must emphasize that numbers are in my nature, two factors motivated me to accept this position: on the one hand, my gratitude to the faculty that appointed me Professor in 2015 and my desire to contribute all my resources to the pursuit of its actions; on the other hand, the kind mentorship of my predecessor, Professor Patrick Messner.

Every five years, a new dean's team, composed of vice deans and project managers, is appointed by the Dean to represent him or her in specific areas. This year, Professor Gérald Chanques was appointed Vice Dean for General Affairs, Heritage, and Campus Life. Read his interview here to find out more about his career and the projects he hopes to implement as part of his role!

 

You were appointed by Dean Isabelle Laffont. Can you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?

I completed my high school diploma and my studies in Montpellier, so you could say that I am one-quarter Parisian and three-quarters Montpellier native. I loved my studies so much that it was difficult for me to choose a "specialty." I chose anesthesia and intensive care for several reasons, primarily because of the cross-disciplinary nature of the medical knowledge involved, but also because of the human and material resources available to our teams to provide safe care, including pain management and treatment of the most critical situations.

 

How do you plan to balance your duties as vice dean with your other professional obligations?

This is a project that has been developed within my hospital department with my colleagues and my head of department, who has always supported and encouraged me in my professional career. My involvement in the faculty has grown gradually since my appointment eight years ago. I continue to work clinically, which constantly enriches my teaching and research. Conversely, my understanding of academic institutions shapes all my duties as a university hospital professor. The faculty and its unique history, as well as the university (I am an elected member of the training and university life committee and the academic council's disciplinary sections), make me reflect on all aspects of my work, from healthcare to teaching and innovation. The societal change that is taking place in our relationships with others (the fight against inequality, sexual and sexist violence, etc.) is a major and long-awaited turning point for our institutions.

 

What will your contributions and objectives be? What projects do you want to carry out in your role?

I gradually discovered the importance of teaching and passing on knowledge to younger generations, as well as the importance of having a faculty spread across several campuses (Nîmes and Montpellier, modernity and heritage) and a university spirit with a capital U that is meaningful to our patients, our students, and society. The faculty has an urban history. It is at the interface with the general public.

Today, our faculty faces multiple challenges in terms of the organization of the institution, its campuses, and the promotion of its heritage: the university community (students, faculty, and administrators) must embrace this past and future history by sharing it with others, our colleagues in other parts of the university, our healthcare colleagues, and the general public. Among the general public are potential patients. The image we project of the faculty through our history and heritage must be in line with today's requirements, innovation, excellence in care, but also consideration for precariousness and access to care. This is what makes our faculty what it is, and we cannot rest easy if we do not strive to address all these issues. The unity of the management team around our dean will be the strength of the institution, involving all its teachers and administrators, those from previous teams, and those preparing future generations.

 

What motivated you to accept this appointment?

My desire to help with a deanery project focused on community and kindness, listening, with ambitious goals for the institution. I was very grateful for this appointment because it allows me to continue the work I have been doing for several years with Dean Mondain and Vice Dean Lavabre-Bertrand on complex projects (preparation of regional state plan contracts for long-term work on the historic building, studies for the learning center, liaison with the general affairs departments of the Faculty and the University for the development of a large number of projects involving institutions, local authorities, and businesses in the context of the 800th anniversary, etc.).

Every five years, a new dean's team, composed of vice-deans and project managers, is appointed by the Dean to represent him or her in specific tasks. This year, Professor Émilie Olié has been appointed Student Well-being Project Manager. Read her interview here to find out more about her background and the projects she hopes to implement as part of her role!

 

You were appointed by Dean Isabelle Laffont to the position of Student Well-being Officer. Can you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?

I am a psychiatrist specializing in mood disorders and suicidal behavior. After studying medicine in Paris, I completed my residency and clinical training in psychiatry in Montpellier.

As far as my career is concerned, a few years ago I developed a real interest in student well-being. We set up a project involving psychotherapy sessions to prevent burnout among medical students. In this context , Dean Mondain asked me to be the point person for the former CNA (Conseil National d'Appui, or National Support Council) for the quality of life of health students, which was renewed by the Dean with the new CNA-ES, and the position of project manager came about later.

 

How do you plan to balance your duties as a project manager with your other professional obligations?

I think that my activities as a project manager and my professional obligations are quite complementary. As part of my specialty, I am called upon to guide or even support students who are experiencing psychological difficulties. I intend to use my skills to promote student well-being.

 

You are the student welfare officer. What will your contributions and objectives be? What projects do you hope to carry out?

The first area of action concerns psychological health: strengthening psychological support within the Faculty, whether in terms of listening or guidance, raising awareness of the support mechanisms in place, and setting up training initiatives for students and administrative staff to enable them to identify and refer people in difficulty.

The second area of action concerns the implementation of measures to combat gender-based and sexual violence.

 

What motivated you to accept this appointment?

Firstly, because it is a worthy cause. We want students to thrive in the Faculty and to ensure that their studies are a positive experience. Secondly, because this appointment as Student Well-being Officer perfectly matches my specialty, which is to improve the daily lives of people who are suffering.

 

Each year, a new Vice Dean is elected by the students to represent them before the Dean and in the various faculty bodies (management council, teaching council, etc.). This year, Florian is succeeding Salomé. Read his interview here to find out more about him, his role in supporting students, and the projects he hopes to implement throughout this academic year. Let's meet him.

 

Hello Florian! You were recently elected Vice Dean of Students at the Montpellier-Nîmes Faculty of Medicine. Can you tell us more about yourself?

Hello! My name is Florian Mary, I am currently in my fourth year of medical school in Montpellier, and I am originally from Perpignan (Go USAP! 🟡🔴). 

In short, you know, I don't think there are good or bad situations, but I think that, like many people, I haven't yet decided on my future situation. I have several ideas for specializations in mind, including general medicine. 

 

You are now Vice Dean for Student Affairs: what does your role involve?

It is important to note that the VDE is first and foremost an elected student representative, and like any elected representative, my term of office will last for two years. 

Our shared task is therefore to represent students before the faculty's educational and administrative bodies (the UFR, to be precise), whether during council meetings or committee meetings.

Nevertheless, for one year, I will be in charge of specific VDE tasks, which include acting as the main point of contact for the Dean and faculty representatives for all student-related issues, and managing the team of elected representatives and ADEMMOOS in order to be as effective as possible in handling various issues and developing the association.

Furthermore, communication with other associations and departments within the faculty is essential, whether in relation to project ideas, student representation, or the facilitation of certain exchanges. I believe that these connections offer us new perspectives for reflection and allow us to lift each other up. 

What motivated you to take on this role? Was it something you wanted to commit to from the start of your studies?

Before my term as an elected representative and VDE, I had already spent two years immersed in the world of associations, first as a tutor, then as VP Representation at the Montpellier Medical Student Union, driven by a desire to be there to help students. 

And I must say that the experience and encounters I had during this year at ACM, whether it was with everyone in my student body, the "old" VP Reprez and Salomé of course, played a big part in that. 

I was curious and found that this position was a great opportunity to continue investing in students and faculty life. 

 

How do you juggle your duties as Vice Dean with your obligations as a student? 

So it requires a certain amount of organization, and last year was particularly helpful in that regard, especially because I combined very intensive work with associations and university studies. 

But I reserve my association slots at lunchtime so that I can generally keep my working hours in the evening. 

 

What are your goals for this term? What projects do you want to carry out?

So the primary objective is to continue the projects of previous administrations, whether it be flu vaccinations, the Intern Futures Forum, etc. 

This year, we have a clever mix of experience and new ideas, and this is evident in the projects. 

We want to boost communication in the same vein as last year, particularly with ADEMMOOS' Instagram account (👉 go follow if you haven't already), but also by remaining active on other networks. 

Reforms are, of course, at the heart of our mandates, and well-being and sustainable development are also areas in which ideas are born. 

 

What are the most common requests from students?

Generally, it means installing a beer tap in the coffee shop. 

More seriously, these are mainly questions about the organization of our studies and proposals for changes that require discussion with the school administration and teachers. 

Elected representatives act as a conduit for students, ensuring their voices are heard, and this is reflected in many of the messages. 

 

The health situation is having a major impact on students' lives right now. Do you have a message you would like to share at this time?

I think that with the times we are going through, it is important to take care of ourselves and others. 

Reach out to your family and friends, exchange ideas, discuss, talk with them, but don't stay alone, and if necessary, you can turn to us, there will always be someone to respond. 

And take the opportunity to watch some movie classics—no more excuses for missing out on The Green Mile or Forrest Gump. 

 

If students have questions for you or want to bring something up with the management board, how can they contact you?

It's very simple: via ADEMMOOS' Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, or by email 📩 for purists at ademmos.elus.etudiants@gmail.com

Or they can also come and talk to us—we're all very friendly and we don't bite!

 

One last question: what advice would you give to students who want to become Vice Dean? How can they achieve this, and what qualities do you think are essential for this role?

So, I already think that knowing the non-profit sector, whatever it may be, can help and will give you additional skills for the job, as well as allowing you to gain experience. 

Next, you need to be aware of the amount of work involved and the importance of the position, but don't worry—good organization and a desire to do well will make all the difference in your favor. 

Finally, you are not alone, and being a VDE means above all being part of an office. 

Having a good team like the one I belong to is therefore essential for fulfilling the mandate as best as possible! 

 

Thank you very much for your time! We wish you all the best for your term of office and thank you for your commitment!