I listened to a good chunk of that. The conversation is more about the HOSPITAL, not so much the medical center. The state hospitals in Brooklyn are a mess, and the board is trying to figure out what to do in straightening out the balance sheet. They mainly talked about figuring out how to lower employee costs via non-unionized workers, private sale to a third party, etc. One trustee member did propose consolidating to Upstate and Stony Brook, but they didn't really discuss it.
On the topic of the medical school itself, the main concern is that LCME accreditation would be adversely affected if the financial situation with University Hospital isn't figured out. (because there would be no clear way for good clinical training for students if the hospital were to suddenly fail due to finances) However, the trustees did point out that there are numerous hospitals in Brooklyn/NYC where clinical training is happening (they cited DS as the largest SUNY residency program, and most of the students don't train at University Hospital), not to mention Kings County. They discussed a "plan B" where the LCME accreditation could "fall back" on the numerous affiliated clinical sites/building new relationships with other hospitals if the university hospital financial situation is still a mess early next year.
Otherwise, it sounds like DS is doing well in other areas in the accreditation: top 10% nationally in diversity (faculty and students), 100% step 1 pass rate, 99% step 2 pass rate, 40+% increase in federal research expenditure, new grants from the AAMC/NIH, new curriculum implemented that lines up with the national standard. The trustees overall seem to be invested in the idea of fighting to keep DS alive, not to mention that it would be an equally painful logistical nightmare to realistically close/shut down the largest undergraduate/graduate SUNY med program.
