My week has been a blur of activity. Since I posted my last blog I’ve done almost nothing except work on getting the non-competing progress report for our CCSG renewal out the door. I have not been alone in this endeavor. In fact, this monumental task would not have been accomplished without the focus and dedication of Peter Shields and Ellen McLaughlin, among others. Ellen has been remarkably effective in pulling together the necessary complex array of information from various groups in the cancer center.
Although this effort has had fewer moving parts than our competitive renewal did in 2009, I must admit that I had an anniversary reaction as we scrambled to get everything done. This iteration, however, feels like a better product and was achieved more expertly this time around. It pays to have experience!
Thanks to everyone who contributed their pieces of this lengthy report, which total more than 400 pages. I sure hope someone on the other end at the NCI reads it!
As a reminder, the components of this progress report will form the basis of our presentation to our new External Advisory Board (EAB) when it convenes in late spring. We will likely need to revise and update some sections prior to that meeting, but it has been an invaluable experience to make this particular process more than just a pro forma exercise. I know that this process has helped refine my thinking about how we should be organizing our science and presenting our strengths.
On Wednesday morning, we had a C.O.R.E. sector meeting with Howard Federoff and his administrative team, at which we discussed a financial plan for the next four years for the Medical Center. This plan appears to have realistic projections and assumptions, which is of course reassuring.
Interestingly, this plan foresees significant revenues from NHS’ online nursing degree program, which was recently approved and will be starting in collaboration with 2tor, a provider of online educational technology services. I hope this program exceeds all expectations that have been set for it. Congratulations to NHS Dean Julie DeLoia and her colleagues for getting this exciting initiative off the ground.
This Sunday I will fly out to San Diego for the Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP) meeting, which all U54 grant holders are encouraged to attend. I can only stay through Monday afternoon, so I’ll be spending basically as much time on an airplane as I will in San Diego. While I am sure it will be a very interesting meeting, I am only going at the urging of Bob Clarke. Bob promised to take me golfing at some undetermined date in the future as compensation for my making this odyssey. However, since Bob doesn’t play golf, I have to view his offer with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Bob, I hear the Ballybunion is a wonderful course. I’ll buy the Irish Whisky.
That’s all for now.