ALUMNI RELATIONS

AlumNews
Celebrating our past, Embracing our future

Volume 4, June 2005

COMPELLING EXCELLENCE (back to top)
Many exciting new initiatives were launched this year, including the Department of Cognitive Science in the College of Arts and Sciences. We welcome founding cognitive science department chair Merlin Donald and all the other new faculty who have recently joined Case. In other initiatives, both federal and state agencies have recognized the incredible collaboration with University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic in support of the National Center for Regenerative Medicine. A wonderful $10-million gift launched the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence. And, after two years of planning, the inaugural class entered the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine program -- the exciting collaboration between our School of Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic.

The Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship (SAGES) moved through its third and final pilot year as Case's new undergraduate education program. Next year, it takes its place as the common experience for all entering undergraduates. This, too, is Case at its best, as director Peter Whiting and all of his faculty colleagues, along with our staff and amazing undergraduates, have worked tirelessly to make SAGES the groundbreaking program it is.

As part of Case Western Reserve University's vision to create one of the most powerful learning environments in the world, the university continues to draw national attention, tapping the talents of five recognized leaders—four of whom are Case alumni—who will become new members of the university's Board of Trustees. The appointments were approved during the board's meeting on June 3.

Joining the 41-member leadership team that will help direct Case's bold vision are: Kenneth B. Chance Sr. (Case, D.D.S., 1979), professor and division chief of endodontics at the University of Kentucky's College of Dentistry; Susie Gharib, (Flora Stone Mather, B.A., 1972), co-anchor of PBS-TV's Nightly Business Report; Mary Ann Jorgenson (Case, J.D., 1975), partner with Squires, Sanders & Dempsey; George Majoros Jr. (Case, J.D., 1986), president and chief operating officer, Wasserstein & Co.; and Norma Lerner, director of MBNA Corp., Europe.

“These appointments illustrate the new face of the Case board, a bold and national presence, drawn from our alumni,” said Frank Linsalata, Chairman of the Board. “We're eager to begin work with our new trustees and incredible board, all highly esteemed in their fields, to continue to advance Case and its vision” said Case President Edward M. Hundert, M.D.

To read more about the new members of the Board of Trustees, visit http://www.case.edu/news/2005/6-05/trustees.htm.



THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (back to top)
After two years of intense effort by alumni leadership and the university administration, the Case Board of Trustees "enthusiastically and unanimously approved" a resolution recommending the creation and support of the Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University. During the June 4, 2005 board meeting, President Hundert stated that the formation of this unified alumni association will prove to be one of the critical elements in the transformation of Case to national prominence and international stature.

The resolution for the Alumni Association is the result of the work done by the Alumni Task Force which met weekly over the past six months to solicit alumni perspective and determine the structure of the organization in order to present a proposal to the Board of Trustees. Led by Harold McRae, ADL'65 and university trustee, and Laura John Nosek, '61, NUR'81, GRS'86, the Alumni Task Force has worked diligently to combine the interests and priorities of the twenty-five university-based alumni associations and affinity groups into one alumni association representing “one university.”

OUR MISSION
The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University is dedicated to fostering a lifelong relationship of mutual and enduring benefit between all present and future alumni and the university.

OUR VISION
The Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University, in partnership with our university, will accomplish its mission through excellence in communication, coordination, and collaboration. This mutually beneficial relationship will foster innovation, commitment, advocacy, and leadership.

The Alumni Association will be hosting special programs and events across the country to actively engage alumni and to celebrate the new Alumni Association. For the latest updates on the Alumni Association and upcoming events in your region, visit http://www.case.edu/alumni/stay/connect.html.


SIGNATURE EVENTS (back to top)
In September, hundreds of university faculty, staff, students, and alumni fanned out into area neighborhoods on volunteer projects for the 2nd Annual Case for Community Day to make a positive impact on many deserving people. Our dedication to helping others is one of the most important elements in our world-class learning environment. Other regional alumni chapters continued the spirit of this special day throughout the year, improving the quality of life for communities across the nation.

In October, the "Race at Case" brought Dick Cheney and John Edwards to campus for their only debate in a presidential campaign that gripped the nation. The "Race" gripped this campus, with students and others in the Case community participating enthusiastically in the series of events leading up to the culminating contest of words and will. Televised live from campus, the debate drew 1,500 media professionals from around the world, and it reached 64 million television viewers, and added $24 million to the local economy. The world saw Case at its best.

We have long wanted a signature annual lecture series on campus, one befitting this great institution, and this spring we got one. Thanks to Professor Arthur Heuer and his fellow planning committee members, the Case Distinguished Lecture Series opened with guest speaker Steven Pinker addressing a packed house in Severance Hall. We're already looking forward to next year's appearance by Jared Diamond, an American author, evolutionary biologist, physiologist, and biogeographer, on Wednesday, March 1, 2006.

52 Alumni and over 200 students participated in Case's oldest tradition, the Hudson Relay, on April 23rd, where the alumni team finished only 60 seconds behind the Sophomore Class. The Junior Class won for the third year in a row.

We recently welcomed a new class of alumni and honored two distinguished people with honorary degrees during Commencement. We were pleased to present the doctor of science to Gilbert Bukenya, vice-president of Uganda, where Case actively works on AIDS-related research; and the doctor of humane letters to Riane Eisler, president of the Center for Partnership Studies and an international leader in human rights policy.



BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH (back to top)

It's impossible to capture here the scores of research highlights that we've seen, from new approaches for treating children with autism to the first complete documenting of the songs in Shakespeare's plays, and from new strategies for tissue engineering to work on war crime prosecutions around the world. "The Value of Research," the book distributed during Research ShowCASE in April, contains an outstanding sampling of what we uniquely do as a research university. You can download a copy of the 2004-05 edition by visiting the Research ShowCASE website at http://ora.ra.cwru.edu/showcase/. Case Western Reserve University's aggressive technology transfer program has landed it among the top 10 nationally for many key indicators in the field among institutions with comparable levels of research funding. Visit http://www.case.edu/news/2005/5-05/techtransfer.htm for more information.

According to the latest survey of universities with $250 million or less in research funding, Case ranks: Number five nationally in terms of university-based start-up companies Number six in income derived from technologies developed at the university and licensed to outside companies Number seven in terms of invention disclosures Number eight in licensing income as a percentage of research funding Number 10 in overall levels of research funding

ENVISIONING A NEW CASE (back to top)
This was a year of long-awaited construction and demolition. The North Residential Village's first phase is near completion, revolutionizing both the physical space on the north campus and the way we think about undergraduate housing.

The Village at 115 is not only about a new commitment to improving the environment for students, but it also reflects Case's leadership in green and sustainable design, technology integration, and community renewal. The completion of The Village at 115 kicks off the new Case, an era of social and academic transformation, that promises to improve student life academically and socially.

Also almost complete is the dramatic upgrade of our athletic fields and program -- Dave Diles, former director of intercollegiate athletics at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and former vice president and director of athletics at St. Bonaventure University, has been named director of athletics at Case Western Reserve University.

For more information on The Village at 115 or athletics, visit http://www.case.edu/news/2005/5-05/village_architect.htm or http://www.case.edu/athletics/varsity/.

Across campus, a familiar feature at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Adelbert Road for more than 45 years, the Newton D. Baker Building has finally come down, resulting in what will be the utter transformation of this important corner on our campus.

The new landscape design will include, as a "main event," a stone path leading from the corner of Euclid Avenue at Adelbert Road into the Case quad. This space and its featured walkway will provide a more inviting entrance into the campus. The project is part of the Site and Landscape Master Plan for the university and the first of three interconnected landscape spaces. The goal of these landscaped spaces is to unify the campus.



WHAT'S TO COME IN FALL 2005-2006 (back to top)
We are also looking ahead to next year, which we expect will hold even more great things than this year did. Get a head start on Case's common reading, which will be used for Orientation 2005 and in some fall seminars as well. The book chosen by our faculty is "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World," by Tracy Kidder. It's about one man who made a difference, and it's a book you won't be able to put down once you pick it up. We're very excited that Tracy Kidder, a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner, will be on campus to deliver the Annual Fall Convocation address, on September 1, 2005.

Read "Mountains Beyond Mountains." You will be tested on it -- no, not here at Case, but for the rest of your life. We believe that you are well prepared, as the mission underlying your Case experience finds its echo in Dr. Farmer's extraordinary story.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
As a special incentive, in partnership with the university bookstore, the Alumni Association is offering you 20% OFF Tracy Kidder's book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World" with FREE SHIPPING (in the continental U.S.). Purchase your copy today for only $12.92 total at http://ur-web.case.edu/awcevent/eventDetail.aspx?ID%20=%20378.

Come back to campus October 14-16 to see with your own eyes the progress and changes being made! Alumni Weekend and Homecoming is a great opportunity to celebrate your past and relive the nostalgia of your college days. You are likely to see many changes on campus including stunning new buildings (tours of The Village at 115 will be offered), and exciting academic programs. Whether making new friends or reconnecting with old ones, you'll find something to enjoy by participating in this university tradition. Case offers a fun-filled weekend to all alumni and families, no matter what affinity keeps them connected to the university.

This year's Friday night headliner for Alumni Weekend and Homecoming is Emmy-award-winning comedian Dennis Miller. It's been said that Miller is "one of the premiere comedy talents in America today...", he is a five-time Emmy-award winner for his critically acclaimed half-hour live talk show "Dennis Miller Live," which recently ended its nine-year run after 215 episodes.

In October 2001, HarperCollins published the fourth edition of Miller's popular rants, "The Rant Zone," now in paperback. Miller's previous books, "I Rant Therefore I Am;" "Ranting Again" and "The Rants" have all been New York Times bestsellers. For two seasons, Miller called the plays alongside Al Michaels and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts on ABC's "Monday Night Football." He was also the "Weekend Update" correspondent on "Saturday Night Live" for six years, before exiting the show in 1991.

Ticket information will be announced soon. Be sure to save time before the show to reconnect with the special people who made your college experience so unforgettable amid a backdrop of memorabilia of student life at an informal gathering at Wackadoo's, Case's new on-campus pub.  Join us for dinner before the show as we recognize alumni who graduated between 1990 and 2005 (Cost $10).

For up-to-the-minute Alumni Weekend and Homecoming information, visit www.case.edu/alumni/weekend, e-mail alumniweekend@case.edu or call 800-866-6280.

"AlumNews" is a monthly e-newsletter of the Case Western Reserve University
Office of Alumni Relations, Programs, and Events
BioEnterprise Building, 4th Floor
Phone: 216/368-6280 or 800/866-6280
E-mail: alumninews@case.edu
On the Web: http://www.case.edu/alumni