As we welcome a new year, it’s always a good time to reflect on the past and to look to the future.
Many will remember 2012 as the year the medical center launched its initiative for a Cancer Center Campus, along with a new ambulatory facility for non-cancer clinical services, which will likely prove to be the most significant building project in the medical center’s history.
However, many other things have been going on as well. Also on the construction front, I’m happy to report that the Truhlsen Eye Institute is nearing completion. The grand opening event is set for May 22, but occupation of the building is expected to begin sometime in March. Three new department chairs and three new division chiefs in the Department of Surgery have been named in the past year.
Since taking over as dean 18 months ago, one of my primary goals has been to look for ways to better communicate with faculty and staff in the College of Medicine. The monthly InterCOM newsletter has been an important communication tool to keep people abreast of what is going on in the college. But, more needs to be done.
In 2012, I initiated a “State of the College of Medicine” address. This year’s “State of the College” address will be at 5 p.m., Feb. 7, in room 3001 of the Sorrell Center. I hope you will put this on your calendar and plan to attend. It will provide important insight into the goals, vision and mission of the college.
As another means of increasing communication in the college, I’ve been annually visiting faculty meetings for each of the college’s 19 departments. I’ve probably been to about a dozen of the departments, and I hope to get to the remaining departments before the end of this year. These interactions have been extremely helpful for me in gaining a better understanding of the college and the unique issues and challenges faced by each department.
In the coming year, I hope to:
- Hold regularly scheduled open forums for faculty and staff; and
- Start using social media (Twitter and Facebook) to increase the college’s visibility.
Communication is always best when it’s a two-way conversation. I encourage all of you to feel free to email or call me whenever you have something important you want to share.
Best wishes for a happy and productive new year!