Published November 29, 2017
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that I recently completed a review of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research administrative structure. While this review was prompted by Denise McCartney’s retirement, I believe that the changes I am introducing will sustain and enhance our services to faculty and staff involved in the Washington University research community. The changes outlined below will become effective on December 1, 2017.
Melanie Roewe will be promoted to Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Development & Contracts. In her new role, she will continue to oversee the Joint Research Office of Contracts. She will also assume new responsibilities for enhancing the support for faculty to expand their research portfolio by working with me, the Deans and Holden Thorp to design new mechanisms to enable these goals; she will also assume responsibility for the current limited submission process. Additionally, Melanie will provide administrative leadership and support for the work Holden Thorp and I are doing to provide navigation services to faculty interested in exploring entrepreneurial activities. Part of this new role will include working closely with a new Faculty Entrepreneurial Committee chaired by Ralph Quatrano, and charged with facilitating faculty entrepreneurs in their collaborations with the university.
Joe Gindhart, Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Sponsored Projects, will continue to lead the Office of Sponsored Research Services and the Sponsored Projects Accounting. Additionally, he will assume the Chair of the project to replace the grants system and more responsibility for the information technology services essential to the efficiency of our research proposal, award and financial reporting efforts (e.g., WashU IT Strategic Governance and the Administrative Systems Replacement Roadmap).
I have initiated a national search for an Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Integrity and Ethics, which will lead the offices responsible for compliance, quality assurance and improvement and education. This new position will be charged with enhancing the services, support, and problem resolution for our faculty, staff and students who must comply with federal and sponsor regulations. This individual will be responsible for the offices providing administrative support to the Conflicts of Interest, Institutional Conflicts of Interest, Research Misconduct, IACUC, Research Education and Human Research Quality Assurance and Improvement faculty committees. During the search, Jeneane Braden, currently the Director of the Research Ethics and Compliance Office, will serve in an interim leadership role.
Finally, I have also initiated a search for an Assistant Vice Chancellor/Chief of Staff to work closely with me to assure the success of new strategic initiatives, facilitate solutions to complex problems and work closely with external and internal stakeholders interested in the success and quality of our research enterprise.
If you have suggestions or recommendations for either of these positions, please reach out to Mark Prosperi at prosperim@wustl.edu.
Sincerely,
Jennifer K. Lodge
Vice Chancellor for Research