March 2002

The University should have a public policy major or course of study. We already have top-notch resources available in the Politics department, the Law School, the Miller Center, the Center for Governmental Studies, the Institute for Practical Ethics, and other areas. Our Jeffersonian heritage also makes this initiative a natural one for the University.

Biotechnology: Interdisciplinary BIO-V complex — a new facility to hold faculty working in a variety of overlapping disciplines (biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, materials science and engineering) from SEAS, College of A&S, and School of Medicine.

The University has excellent resources in a number of schools, including Architecture, Engineering and Arts and Sciences, that can be brought to bear on issues of development of the Southeast Corridor (Atlanta through DC to Baltimore) — transportation, community and commercial development, traffic planning, etc. Perhaps these strengths could be combined into a research center.

Establish a Leadership Center or curriculum to build on the University’s Jeffersonian foundations and its emphasis on nurturing student leadership. The Center could involve faculty from all of the schools of the University, and create a curriculum requiring courses in ethics, medicine, law, history, business, government and other areas of strength at the University.

Create a Commonwealth-wide School of Medicine, with branches based in cities and other institutions around the state.

Establish an "Science and Society" Institute to address the intersection of biology, information and values.

Create a "Have/Have-Not" Center to act as the world’s leading researcher and commentator on managing this disparity.

Put resources into strengthening the Shannon Center, for recruitment and retention of the best faculty.

Establish a Rural Health Resource Center to address health promotion, disease prevention, early detection and chronic illness.

Create a University-wide Institute on Aging, with contributions from many schools including Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, Commerce, Business, Law, Architecture, etc.