Cerner tells MU to alter former chancellor’s new job description

Cerner Corp. has asked the University of Missouri Curators to remove all references to Cerner and The Tiger Institute for Health Innovation from the transition agreement that defines a new role for former chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.

In a letter, made public by The Columbia Missourian, Cerner attorney Amy Freeman Pierce said Loftin’s newly defined role within the Tiger Institute was created “without the prior knowledge or consideration” of Cerner.

The transition agreement calls for Loftin to be director of research facility development at MU and director of university research at the insitute. Along with MU, North Kansas City-based Cerner is a co-operator of the institute which deals with medical records databases.

Loftin last week signed the transition agreement with the university outlining new administrative roles for him. He left the chancellor’s position following student and faculty protests on the Columbia campus.

“Cerner has no input on the university’s employment practices,” noted Cerner spokesman Dan J. Smith. As for the institute, he said Cerner and the university “with equal representation” will jointly determine matters involving Loftin’s proposed new role at the institute.

Smith said the university’s unilateral inclusion of the institute in defining Loftin’s new role “does not comply with the governance structure for oversight of the Tiger Institute.”

Loftin’s transition agreement said his institute appointment needed “the concurrence of Cerner.”

University officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Cerner tells MU to alter former chancellor’s new job description."