Trustees meet, discuss university’s future in changing environment

William P. Wiesmann elected new Shepley trustee

The Washington University Board of Trustees discussed the future of Washington University and the challenges it faces during the Dec. 6 and 7 meeting, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.

The board also elected a new trustee. William P. Wiesmann, president, CEO and founder of BioSTAR Group of Germantown, Md., was elected as a new Ethan A.H. Shepley Trustee for a four-year term ending December 2016.

Following a presentation by Wrighton, “The Future of Washington University: Succeeding in a Constrained, Changing Environment,” the trustees broke into six small group discussions around the following topics: campaign financial and programmatic objectives; controlling costs; affordability, student cost and financial aid; online education; federal relations and research; and federal relations and clinical revenue.

In his report to the trustees, Wrighton noted that applications for the fall 2013 freshman class continue to come in ahead of last year’s pace, although the deadline is not until Jan. 15. Final results will be reported at the March board meeting. The Admissions Committee has nearly completed its review of the early decision applications and notices to those students will be released by Dec. 15.

Wrighton gave an update on construction projects on both the Danforth and Medical campuses. On the Danforth Campus, construction of Bauer and Knight halls for the Olin Business School — an expansion of and addition to the Knight Center for Executive Education — continues on schedule. Planning for the Delmar Loop Student Living Initiative continues with bidding in process. Construction is expected to begin in January. Design work for the Brown School expansion is in process.

At the School of Medicine, the South County Cancer Center will be completed and ready for move-in early in 2013. A number of construction projects on the Medical Campus are continuing, including office space renovation on the second floor of the Taylor Avenue building for the surgery division of the Department of Public Health Services; open labs on the eighth floor of the McDonnell Building for Anatomy, Neurobiology and the Department of Medicine; new offices for orthopedic surgery on the fifth floor of the BJC Institute for Health; and upgrades to the radiology labs on the fourth floor of the Biotechnology Center.

In 2013, construction will begin for a new access ramp on I-64 at Tower Grove Avenue. The project will take about 18 months under the management of the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Eight new professorship installations recently took place or will happen in the next few months, Wrighton told the trustees. In Arts & Sciences, Bradley Jolliff, PhD, was installed Nov. 13 as the Scott Rudolph Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Timothy Moore, PhD, was installed Nov. 20 as the John and Penelope Biggs Distinguished Professor of Classics; Dolores Pesce, PhD, was installed Nov. 30 as the Avis H. Blewett Professor of Music; Vince Sherry, PhD, will be installed Jan. 24 as the Howard Nemerov Professor in the Humanities; Regina Frey, PhD, will be installed Jan. 31 as the Florence Moog Professor of STEM Education; and Rodolfo Manuelli, PhD, will be installed Feb. 25 as the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor.

At the School of Medicine, Matthew Silva, PhD, was installed Nov. 14 as the Julia and Walter R. Peterson Orthopaedic Research Professor; and Lynn Cornelius, MD, was installed Nov. 16 as the Winfred A. and Emma R. Showman Professor of Dermatology.

Wrighton reported that WUSTL is helping shape the future of online education by being a catalyst in bringing together a consortium of the nation’s leading colleges and universities to launch Semester Online. This program is a transformative new model for online education, offering undergraduate students the opportunity to take rigorous online courses for credit from consortium schools.

Wrighton told the trustees about a number of recent announcements and awards, including:

• Two Arts & Sciences seniors were among 212 U.S. finalists for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. They are Madeleine Daepp, an economics and mathematics student with an interest in agricultural policy, and Jeremy Pivor, an environmental biology major with a passion for ocean conservation.

• Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Nov. 8 the appointment of three new science envoys, including Barbara A. Schaal, PhD, the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences. The science envoys advise the White House, the U.S. Department of State and the national scientific community. Schaal becomes WUSTL’s next dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences in January.

• Ross Brownson, PhD, professor of medicine and of social work, has been named president-elect of the American College of Epidemiology.

• Wayne M. Yokoyama, MD, and Charles F. Zorumski, MD, have been elected to the Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences. Membership in the organization is one of the highest honors physician-scientists in the United States can receive.

• More than 1,100 School of Law alumni and friends returned to campus Oct. 26 for Alumni Weekend and to celebrate Professor David M. Becker’s 50th year of teaching. Becker, associate dean for external relations and the Joseph H. Zumbalen Professor Emeritus of the Law of Property, is a popular teacher and mentor known for his service and dedication to the law school.

• Jennifer R. Smith, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, is one of eight U.S. citizens selected to go abroad in 2013 as an Eisenhower USA fellow. Smith will spend a month in India next summer on an intensive individualized professional program, working on innovative ideas in higher education.

Philanthropy activities by faculty, staff and students are alive and well on campus this year, said Wrighton, noting especially the hugely successful Dance Marathon held Nov. 3-4 to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of Greater St. Louis – St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Some 900 students danced all night and raised more than $128,500.

In addition, thanks to generous faculty, staff and retirees, the WUSTL community has raised more than $712,000 in its United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign, surpassing the university’s stated goal of $675,000.

Wrighton noted that documentary filmmaker Ken Burns received WUSTL’s 2012 International Humanities Medal and accompanying $25,000 Humanities Prize Nov. 16. While on campus, Burns delivered an Assembly Series talk, met with students and previewed three of his upcoming films. The event was sponsored by the Center for the Humanities and University Libraries.

The WUSTL Bears had a number of successful fall sports seasons, Wrighton reported. Most notably, the women’s soccer team finished the season with a school record 19-2-1 overall mark, won their eighth UAA championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. The men’s team captured a share of the UAA title before falling in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

In cross country, junior Kevin Sparks finished fourth individually to lead the men’s team to a fifth-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Sophomore Lucy Cheadle placed 21st overall to earn her second-straight All-America honors for the women.

Although still early in the basketball season, Wrighton noted good starts for both teams, with the men’s team ranked 6th in NCAA Division III and the women’s team ranked 5th. Both teams won their home tournaments this year, the 29th Annual Lopata Classic for the men and the 12th Annual McWilliams Classic for the women.

Wrighton announced that former student-athlete Elizabeth Phillips was named the 2012 NCAA Woman of the Year. Phillips is only the third NCAA Division III student-athlete to ever win the award.

In addition, the board heard reports from the following standing committees: development, educational policy, nominating and governance, university finance, and the Alumni Board of Governors.

William P. Wiesmann

Wiesmann, who received his MD from the School of Medicine in 1972, is the founder, president and CEO of BioSTAR Group, which includes BioSTAR Inc. (biomedical consulting and program management); Synedgen Inc. (bioengineering and biomaterials); Sekos Inc. (medical monitoring equipment); HemCon Inc. (trauma and surgical support); Tissue Genesis Inc. (vascular biology); AutoMedx Inc. (medical support technology); and the Hugh & Carolyn Shelton Military Neurotrauma Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving outcomes for battlefield neurotrauma injuries.

Prior to founding BioSTAR Group, Wiesmann served as director for combat casualty care at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command Post at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md. He retired from the Army as a full colonel in 1998. Throughout his military career, he led the design and development of novel technologies for improved battlefield survival, including many devices and techniques that are now the standard of care for the U.S. military.

He has been published in more than 70 scientific publications, authored several book chapters and holds more than 45 patents awarded and pending.