Space: The Next Frontier, May 25, 2005

Dear Colleague,

One of the greatest challenges I work to manage is the issue of space - lab
space, office space, classroom space, clinic space, hospital space, even
hallway space.  When I take a moment to reflect, it's rather remarkable the
number of issues revolving around space, and the relative lack of it, that
affect the work we do here at the University's Academic Health
Center.  Clearly, space is one of the three key ingredients for success,
the other two being faculty/staff and money.

Having said that, there is some good news to share about space - our new
lab facilities are set to open on time with a festive grand opening of the
McGuire Translational Research Facility planned for Tuesday, June
14th.  That building will add 97,000 square feet of new research space to
our portfolio.  And now that it's done - we move on to begin planning for
the next new research facility to accommodate new recruits.  Yes, it is
entirely possible that the University will ask the state for bonding for
another AHC research building in the 2006 Legislative session, which is the
usual session for capital projects.  In our competitive realm, we will need
to continually begin, complete, and then plan for the next new research lab.

Other good news comes in the form of the signed bonding bill from the 2005
Legislative session - that $17.6 million in funding means we're moving
ahead with much needed renovations for education space.  To begin, we're
renovating the old Sostanza space on the first floor of Moos Tower as
classroom space that is also suitable for distance learning. Our facilities
team also is planning a simulation center, renovation of existing
classrooms, renovations of the Mayo Auditorium and classrooms, as well as
renovation of the Old Dairy Barn as the Pomeroy Student Services Center on
the St. Paul campus for our veterinary students.  We also received $15.2
million for renovation of the Life Sciences Building on the Duluth campus
for our expanded pharmacy program.

The University has also completed the purchase of the Minnesota Department
of Health building on Delaware Street which adds more than 125,000 square
feet of lab and office space for potential expansion.  We will be
performing a structural analysis this summer to evaluate the condition of
the building itself and its suitability for use as research space.  Plans
for the use of this space need to be coordinated with the new clinical
facilities revitalization.

Our clinical sciences facilities are overdue for updating, and that
includes the full range of our clinical programs.  I've written of the need
to redo our children's hospital on campus - it must be updated to meet
patient and family needs and expectations.  Our UMPhysicians clinic
requires new facilities to compete in the marketplace - a well-identified
need that is recognized across the campus.  Our clinical programs that
support the Cancer Center and the Lillehei Heart Institute also require new
facilities that more adequately meet the needs of faculty, staff, and
physicians.  A leadership group from Fairview, UMP, and AHC/University has
been working very hard to locate the footprint of the new clinic and the
facility to support children's services.  Part of this plan also is to
perform upgrades on the University of Minnesota Medical Center, a division
of Fairview, for the adult patients we serve.  The work on the location of
the footprints has considered a large number of options.  As you might
expect, there are a series of compromises that must occur to get to the
final footprints, including accommodations for such factors as pedestrian
and vehicle traffic, infrastructure, efficiencies provided by physical
connections, and costs.  All involved hope that the footprints will be
known in the next few weeks.  Then the real work begins, with deciding
program needs, pre-design, financial modeling, and so on.  There will be
plenty of work for you to be involved in - even fundraising.

Also within the Regents' Capital Plan for the University are several other
projects, including the Lillehei Heart Instutite, an education building,
and a building to help consolidate the School of Public Health.  Along the
way are a few remodeling projects within Moos Tower and the Weaver-Densford
complex.

We're hard at work on efforts to move these facilities forward.  Each will
require a partnership funding model with some state support and private
philanthropic support, as well as the help of the University, and Fairview
where appropriate.  We will need your help and partnership to accomplish
all of these and we'll keep you informed as we go.

This is exciting work and all part of what it means to be at a University
committed to positioning itself in the top three public research
institutions in the nation.

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