Our Work at the Legislature, March 7, 2005

March 7, 2005

Dear Colleague:

We’re entering that stretch of late winter when the idea of Spring Break is very attractive. Certainly this year, I feel there’s an added end-of-winter tension in the air coming from a variety of quarters here at the University.

Some of that tension may be caused by the flurry of activities taking place with the Legislature – this Academic Health Center has been fully engaged to ensure state funding continues to support the work we do.

Some of the tension could arise from approaching grant deadlines for the highly productive faculty and staff here – we know we’re competing with the best in the nation, and there’s always one more piece of data to collect.

Or, we all could be affected by the very real change taking shape within the University as we move to a much clearer vision for a successful future for our institution. Although the hours I’ve spent engaged in this task have been long, I believe we will be a much stronger University when the work is done.

Here in the Academic Health Center we’ve learned the value of a strategic vision and plan to guide that change. When completed in 2000, the AHC Strategic Plan provided a roadmap that has helped us remain focused on core objectives and outcomes. Much has been completed and that plan has been updated. Go to the current version online at www.ahc.umn.edu/about/cerra/strategicplan to see the priorities we’re pursuing now.

Simply stated – we’re focusing on our faculty and our facilities. It’s you, the people who make this place work well. The faculty who are dedicated to teaching the next generation and who continue to discover new knowledge in labs and clinics are the lifeblood of this institution. We need to ensure we’re appropriately supporting and serving that faculty enterprise.

And for faculty to work well, we need facilities to support their work. First, we need a new clinic for UMPhysicians and the other practice plans who serve patients in the AHC. We now are moving forward on completing the details. In addition, Fairview is working with the Minnesota Medical Foundation to undertake the fundraising necessary to renovate and upgrade our children’s hospital. There will be more news on that in the next several months.

And the Translational Research Facility is on time and on budget for completion in June. It’s an amazing research facility, and if you haven’t done so, you should take a walk over by Mariucci to see it. With its completion near, we now need to find additional research space to meet the ever-increasing productivity of the faculty.

And that brings me back to the beginning. The tension around us is very real right now, and I just wanted to remind you that what you do makes a difference. Our work in the AHC improves the quality of life for Minnesota – and that’s important.

Frank B. Cerra M.D.
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences
McKnight Presidential Leadership Chair