IU medical dean named new science VP

INDIANAPOLIS -- The IU board of trustees has approved of President Adam Herbert's appointment of IU School of Medicine Dean Craig Brater to a new position as vice president of life sciences. \nThe trustees unanimously approved the move Friday during their business meeting at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis. The appointment will take effect Jan. 1, 2006, and Brater will continue in his capacities as School of Medicine dean in addition to the new position. \n"This has been in discussion for some time so it was not really a surprise," Brater said. "The need has become increasingly apparent and the idea matured to this being the propitious time to do it."\nThe move highlights one of Herbert's highest priorities of improving the life sciences department. \n"One missing element that we had was we did not have a formal spokesperson for the department," Herbert said. "He will represent us in a wide range of other important life science operations in the state. And he will be the University coordinator of the life sciences strategic plan."\nHerbert said the appointment would considerably increase the collaboration between the medical school, Bloomington campus and the faculty at IU.\n"Life sciences is one of top priorities for the University and to bring us to that top level we need a vice president whose responsibilities are to coordinate and develop our efforts," said Stephen Ferguson, president of the board of trustees. "He was the natural choice with his background in life sciences, his great vision, and he is a very bright individual."\nOne of the prominent roles Brater will hold is to be a public figure for the department and act as its main spokesperson. \nTrustee Thomas Reilly Jr. said the new spokesperson will help the University secure grants and recruit new personnel. He also said it will increase the visibility and stature of the department. \nAs Brater now has to juggle responsibilities of being both a University vice president and dean of a prestigious medical school, he joked that one of his goals is to try get at least an hour of sleep a night -- whether he needs it or not. \nBrater went on to say that he hopes to be able to enhance the research footprint in a statewide manner, which would make "Indiana become a destination point for students, faculty and business in the life sciences." \nThe position does not come without its difficulties. Herbert has stated many times that he has very ambitious goals for life sciences, including making IU a top-five research institution in the country. \n"To make any initiative work, you need resources and usually lots of them," Brater said. "Ultimately, there is a limit to what we can accomplish internally, and we will need substantial support from the state."\nAs a medical doctor, trustee William Cast said he recognizes the need for the position in order to improve life sciences at IU. \n"To me it represents something we should be doing in terms of institutional structure," Cast said. "It's a reflection of reality that this should happen at this time"