By SUSAN JONES
The Pitt Board of Trustees meeting last week was free from any major news and from the protests and disruptions that have marked some recent meetings.
The meeting was held at the Assembly building, which opened in 2022 on Centre Avenue about a mile from the Cathedral of Learning. It houses several Pitt researchers from the Pitt and UPMC National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, and Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy.
Board chair John Verbanac said having meetings at different locations is a way to educate the board about Pitt facilities and reduce the burden on the William Pitt Union, where meetings have traditionally been held, particularly since the board has increased the number of meetings it holds each year.
He said going forward, “We will work to incorporate meetings at University facilities as they align with our agendas and developments associated with the Plan for Pitt 2028.”
The Sept. 26 meeting also included a report from Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for health sciences, and Jeremy Rich, neurooncologist and interim director of UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, on the research happening at the Assembly.
Shekhar noted that about one-fifth of the $1 billion in research funding that the schools of the Health Sciences receive, “happens in this building.”
Chancellor’s report
Chancellor Joan Gabel gave shoutouts to several areas of the University and gave an update on the Plan for Pitt. Included in her presentation were:
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The new freespeech.pitt.edu website, which addresses common questions around free speech issues on campus for faculty, staff and students. The site doesn’t have new policies, but consolidates them all into one place.
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Welcome Week, which brought in “one of the largest, most academically qualified classes.” She cited the partnership between Student Affairs and the Office of University Communication and Marketing and the launch of the “It’s Possible at Pitt” brand.
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The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and Vice Provost Marc Harding for “their excellent work under less than ideal conditions,” brought on by the FAFSA problems.
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Vice Provost Amanda Godley and the graduate studies team for their work in increasing graduate and professional applications by 7.5%.
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The women’s volleyball and men’s soccer teams for their first-ever No. 1 rankings, the first time Pitt has had two teams ranked at the top of their fields. And the Pitt football team for its 4-0 start.
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The latest U.S. News college rankings, which put Pitt at No. 70 nationally and No. 32 among U.S. publics.
Her full annual report can be found on the chancellor’s website.
In her update on the Plan for Pitt, Gabel covered much of the ground she had shared with the University Times in September. She noted that Pitt’s economic impact in the state is up 24% to $6.6 billion and that applications for first-time students hit a new record this year of 60,892.
Several Plan for Pitt goals have already been achieved and can be found on a progress card on the chancellor’s website. The administration also is on track to complete by the end of the year:
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Administrative cost analysis and benchmarking.
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Set baseline for the percentage of staff representation related to the Pa. census.
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Exploring alternatives to setting target for Academic Progress Rate for Athletics.
In other action, the board:
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Heard a report from Alumni Association President Bill Pierce, who said the group is aligning its actions with the Plan for Pitt 2028. It has focused on one of the plan’s pillars, cultivating student success, by increasing 121.4% connections on career platforms, like Ask Alumni and Pitt Commons, with students; promoting mentorship programs; and launching the Pitt Alumni Career Design Fellowship.
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Approved spending $25 million to renovate the east side of the 16th floor of the Thomas Starzl Biomedical Science Tower for the new Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center. The work will include new wet labs, workstations, offices, and new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems to optimize energy efficiency and meet current University design standards. The project will be funded by School of Medicine debt and repaid by the School of Medicine operating budget.
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Honored Dave DeJong, former senior vice chancellor for business and operations, for his many years of service to the University (see related story).
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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