Trustees meet, hear presentations on orthopedic surgery developments ​​​

Chancellor reports on university achievements, coming events and campus construction projects

At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting Thursday and Friday, Feb. 28 and March 1, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton reported on a number of recent developments on the Medical and Danforth campuses. Trustees also heard special reports on innovations and developments in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the School of Medicine.

During Friday’s meeting, the trustees received an update on the Leading Together campaign from Larry J. Shapiro, MD, executive vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine, and also heard a presentation on the Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research from Charles F. Zorumski, MD, the Samuel B. Guze Professor of Psychiatry.

In addressing the board, Wrighton said that the Admissions office reports that applications topped 30,000 for the fall 2013 freshman class, an increase of approximately 10 percent over last year. A smaller number of students will be admitted this year, he said, with a goal of enrolling a freshman class of 1,600 students — a bit smaller than last fall’s class. Admissions will release decision notices soon.

Wrighton made special note of the naming of University of North Carolina Chancellor Holden Thorp, PhD, to succeed Edward S. Macias, PhD, as the next WUSTL provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, effective July 1.

Wrighton also mentioned a welcome reception that was held Jan. 16 in honor of Barbara A. Schaal, PhD, the new dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, who assumed her new responsibilities Jan. 1.

About 1,200 college students from across the globe, including 200 from WUSTL, will participate in the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) at Washington University April 5-7, 2013, Wrighton said.

The initiative brings together students, youth organizations, topic experts and celebrities to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. To date, scheduled speakers include Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy, in addition to President Bill Clinton.

Wrighton reported that the MySci Resource Center, the new hub of WUSTL’s Institute for School Partnership, opened Feb. 18 in University City to great fanfare.

The center hopes to change the way children think about science by offering a hands-on approach to learning. Refurbished with the help of a $2.2 million grant from the Monsanto Fund, the MySci Resource Center houses classrooms, meeting rooms and a warehouse of educational science materials available to every school in the region.

Wrighton gave an update on a number of construction projects, noting especially that demolition began Feb. 4 in preparation for construction of the Loop Student Living Initiative, a residential and retail complex on the Delmar Loop. Phase 1 of the project will be completed and ready for move-in by August 2014.

On the Danforth Campus, the Olin Business School expansion is on schedule, Wrighton said, with steel framing for the atrium and floor slabs in place. Planning has begun for the Public Health expansion of the Brown School. Renovations and an addition to McMillan Hall are on schedule. Renovations on the 560 Music Building will begin following Commencement, and the fifth floor renovation of Monsanto Hall will be completed by early May.

Last year’s makeover of century-old Umrath Hall is winning awards, Wrighton said, including a Keystone Award from the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis and an award for best practices in pre-project planning from the St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers.

On the Medical Campus, work on a new access ramp from I-64 at Tower Grove Avenue began Jan. 21 under the direction of the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Planning continues for the Environmental, Health and Safety Building, and a new cyclotron facility is under construction. The new open lab space on the 8th floor of the McDonnell Building for the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and the Department of Medicine has been completed, and new offices for orthopaedic surgery are expected to be completed this month.

Wrighton reported that William H. Danforth, WUSTL chancellor emeritus and chairman of the board of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, received the 2012 St. Louis Award. Danforth received the award for outstanding leadership and commitment to the St. Louis region, particularly for his role in establishing the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

Wrighton said that he traveled to Ghana in February and signed papers making the University of Ghana the first partner in Africa — and the 28th overall — in the McDonnell International Scholars Academy.

Wrighton mentioned two new programs from the Olin Business School —the expansion of its top-ranked executive MBA to Denver beginning in September, and the new Global Master of Finance dual degree program designed to prepare students for success in finance-related careers worldwide, which will be offered with Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University.

The St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council recently named WUSTL its Institution of the Year, Wrighton said. The award recognizes the university’s ongoing efforts to seek out minority-owned businesses for campus goods, services and projects.

Wrighton mentioned the recent deaths of three highly esteemed faculty members: Udo Kultermann, the Ruth and Norman Moore Professor Emeritus of Architecture, who died Feb. 9, 2013, in New York at age 85; Todd H. Wasserman, MD, professor emeritus of radiation oncology at the School of Medicine, who died Jan. 22, 2012, at age 66; and Rita Levi-Montalcini, MD, a Nobel Prize-winning neurologist who performed the majority of her research at Washington University in St. Louis from 1947-1977, who died Dec. 30, 2012, at her home in Rome at age 103.

Wrighton reported on another successful year for athletics. The men’s basketball team has a 20-5 overall record and was co-champs in the University Athletic Association. The Bears host Spalding University Saturday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The women’s basketball team has an identical 20-5 record and received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after placing third in the UAA. The Bears take on Texas-Dallas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday in Memphis.

The women’s swimming and diving team placed third and the men took home fifth-place honors at the UAA Championships, held Feb. 14-16, in Chicago. Sophomore Zane Turpin was named the UAA Men’s Swimmer of the Year after winning a pair of individual titles at the three-day meet. He is the first men’s swimmer of the year honoree in school history.

On Thursday afternoon, prior to the business meeting on Friday, the trustees heard reports from School of Medicine faculty from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery on the growth of the department and innovations in a number of surgical areas. Those reports were:

• “The Washington University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery: A Case Study in the Development of a New Department,” presented by Larry J. Shapiro, MD, executive vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine;
• “Strategic Development of a New Department,” presented by Richard H. Gelberman, MD, the Fred C. Reynolds Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery;
• “Building an Orthopaedic Surgery Center Using the LEAN Approach,” presented by Charles A. Goldfarb, MD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery;
• “Results Over the Past 18 Years,” presented by Gelberman.
• “Development of a Musculoskeletal Research Center,” presented by Linda J. Sandell, PhD, the Mildred B. Simon Research Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery;
• “Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at Washington University,” presented by Ken Yamaguchi, MD, the Sam and Marilyn Fox Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery;
• “Orthopaedic Spine Surgery at Washington University,” presented by Lawrence G. Lenke, MD, the Jerome J. Gilden Distinguished Professor of
Orthopaedic Surgery; and
• “Challenges of the Next 10 Years,” presented by Gelberman.

In addition, the board received reports from the following standing committees: development, educational policy, university finance, medical finance, honorary degree, nominating and governance, global engagement, audit and the alumni board of governors.