TULANE TALK

December 13, 2006

Good Morning:

Paul Whelton, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine, has informed me that he will leave Tulane University January 31 to assume the presidency of Loyola University Health System in Chicago.

An internationally recognized epidemiologist, Paul began his tenure at Tulane in January 1997 as dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. He advanced to the position of interim and then permanent senior vice president for health sciences in 2000 and assumed the role of dean of the School of Medicine in December 2005.

During his nearly ten years at Tulane, Paul expanded and strengthened the educational programs of the School of Medicine and the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, championing support of the MD/MPH program and initiating the MD/PhD track in the School of Medicine and the bachelor’s program in public health in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Paul was instrumental in more than doubling research awards to the Health Sciences Center, which has significantly improved the university’s NIH award rankings. Paul also encouraged expansion, repositioning and strengthening of Tulaneís clinical mission with the opening of new clinic sites as well as the addition of Lakeside Hospital in Metairie as a component of Tulane University Hospital and Clinic.

In addition Paul played a role in creating a new home for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in the Tidewater Building and acquiring a new space for the School of Medicine in the 1555 Poydras Building. His leadership was instrumental in the recovery of the Health Sciences Center (HSC), especially the School of Medicine, following Hurricane Katrina. Finally, Paul was responsible for championing several partnerships with LSU in areas of mutual interest.

Please join me in thanking Paul for the many contributions he has made to our university and wishing him and his family the best in this new endeavor.

It is my plan, after consultation with the School’s leadership, to appoint an interim dean of the School of Medicine as soon as possible. I also plan to begin immediately a national search for a permanent dean and to consult with the Health Sciences Center leadership about the future structure of the HSC.