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MUSC president highlights 98/99 year Dear Friends and Colleagues;  It is with a mixed sense of pride and regret that I submit this status report of my last full Fiscal Year serving as president of the Medical University of South Carolina.  Pride in the fact that we have continued to attain new heights of excellence and achievement for yet another year. Regret in that I will miss working directly with all of you after 17 wonderful years.  In addition to listing some of our achievements, the report includes our university priorities for the Fiscal Year 1999-2000.  These priorities were finalized at a recent retreat by the President’s Council after input from all levels of our organization. I have been blessed with many remarkable opportunities and experiences over a lifetime of professional and public work; however, none have been quite as challenging and rewarding as serving at the helm of this comprehensive academic health sciences center. The past several years have been a period of unprecedented change in almost every aspect of health education, research, and patient care. It is a tribute to our talented MUSC team that the university has successfully and steadily moved forward in best serving the people of South Carolina. I will do all in my power to help assure this continues with an effective transfer of duties to my successor. I know that all of you will do the same.  Let me take this opportunity to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to each of you for the dedication and hard work that has made our advancement possible.  It has been a privilege and honor to serve as a member of the MUSC family.  Sincerely, James B. Edwards, DMD President   Major recruitments included vice president for Development (Jim Fisher); dean of Health Professions (Danielle Ripich, Ph.D.); chair, Department of Biometry and Epidemiology (Barbara C. Tilley, Ph.D.); chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (Janice M. Lage, M.D.); chair, Department of Otolaryngology (Paul Ray Lambert, M.D.); chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Yusuf A. Hannun, M.D.); and chair, Department of Physiology (Peter Kalivas, Ph.D.) Dental Medicine students ranked 5 out of 54 dental schools on the National Boards II exam (pass rate of 97.9 percent) Record breaking total of $103 million in new grants and contracts (14 percent increase) Medical Center received TACE Organization Quality Award for business excellence and quality achievement, and winner of 1998 Quality Leader Award by National Research Corporation Completed renovations and opened Rutledge Tower as well as four new floors of the Storm Eye Institute Completed most successful fundraising year in history, $18.2 million in new gifts/pledges (26 percent increase) with Health Sciences Foundation investments reaching market value of more than $114 million and assets exceeding $142 million  Achieved goal of “20 fully funded Chairs by 2000” with four additional chairs well on the way Benefitted immensely from legislative approval of State Authority for the Medical Center as well as $10 million in state bonds to expand Hollings Cancer Center The President’s Report  Goals and Objectives 1999-2000 Universitywide Provide a smooth transition of the University Presidency Pursue operational efficiencies, including recommendations by Value 2000 committees and Mission Based Management Raise $ 24 million in current gifts, $ 9 million in deferred gifts, and begin assessment phase for a major capital campaign Improve accessibility to campus through increased parking capacity Assess, update, and improve information systems, including Y2K preparedness, for education and research, patient care, and operational needs  Expand the Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative on campus  Education Support increased funding to the research universities in better meeting state needs Complete joint report with College of Charleston regarding additional graduate opportunities for the Lowcountry Initiate public-private fundraising campaigns for new facilities of the Colleges of Dental Medicine and Health Professions  Promote diversity among MUSC faculty, staff, and students  Continue to implement curriculum changes to prepare graduates for the evolving health care environment Continue to expand off-campus educational and training sites as well as community service opportunities Research Continue to enhance research activity in all six colleges Fully implement a research compliance program Begin initial development of a structural biology initiative Continue to be the pacesetter among South Carolina universities in extramural research funding Begin construction of the addition to the Basic Sciences Building, complete architectural plans for the Hollings Cancer expansion, and begin development activities for the next research building and a Charleston research incubator facility Patient Care Continue successful transition of MUSC Medical Center to a state authority With other state health providers, seek and obtain more equitable state match for federal disproportionate funds supporting uninsured patients Maintain patient care quality while maximizing operational efficiencies Continue development and implementation of necessary upgrades and expansion of clinical facilities to meet patient care needs (Editor’s note: The President’s Report is an annual compilation of the university’s  achievements during the past fiscal year and its goals for the coming year. It is printed here in its entirety.)