By the time you read this, I hope your Labor Day holiday went well .

• Let me remind everyone of our most important fund-raising event of the year---the 15^th Annual “Jazz at Drew.”  It is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2005, on campus.  There will also be activities related to health and research.  For details, read the notices on this event and visit our Drew website.  I challenge each clinical department; each administrative unit; and each Board of Trustee, Dean and Vice President to purchase one table on either or both days!  VIP reserved table for 4 costs $300, $400 or $550.  General admission is $45 in advance and $50 at the gate. Call 323-563-9390 or visit the trailer on 118^th St, east of Cobb building for ticket purchase.

• I have previously sent notices on the recent appointments of Randall Foster, MHA, as Vice President for Development, External Affairs and Administration and Keith Norris, M.D., Vice President for Research.  Both have outstanding records of accomplishments and will play major roles in the growth and continued excellence of Drew.  Mr. Foster replaces Dr. Walter Strong.  Dr. Norris was most recently Associate Dean for Research in the College of Medicine at Drew.

• For the first time to my knowledge, the Board of Trustees of Drew had a 2-day retreat at which Drew administrative leadership and key faculty participated in jointly developing immediate and future priorities for the University.  A true partnership was begun between the fiduciary leadership, administration and faculty.  This indeed was the beginning of “a new day” in the history of Drew.  I will soon summarize for you the outcome of that retreat.

• We will soon be soliciting your input
  for a University slogan with an accompanying logo (separate from
  our official Drew logo).  Once we make a decision on this new slogan/logo,
  the Board of Trustees will have to approve it.

• Drew sends out our heartfelt sympathy and prayers for the victims and their family members of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.  We will be establishing a
  fund from your contributions, which
  will be forwarded to the American
  Red Cross.  Your support is greatly needed now and the many months ahead.

• Congratulations to Dean Gary Sayed and the faculty/students of the College of Health and Science on the opening
  of the new facility that will house the Department of Biomedical Sciences.  This will be Drew’s first 4-year bachelor degree program and completes the pipeline education track that Drew is
  so well known for  - “From Head Start
  to Medical Residency”.  The ribbon-cutting ceremony, tour, and reception were held on September 1, 2005.  We thank Ms. Pat Miller of Supervisor Yvonne Burke’s office for attending the ceremony along with our Board representative, Dr. C. Freeman.