During this process, the university deans worked in partnerships with their respective national advisory groups, called national councils, to examine ways of improving the quality of Washington University and preparing it for the challenges of the next century. The national councils were composed of alumni, experts and corporate leaders, who, together with the deans and the university administration, established priorities and developed strategies to turn visions into reality. These findings were compiled into Project 21 reports for each division, and they identified needs and opportunities of importance to the schools, students and programs.
Endowed professorships are the best way to attract and retain outstanding faculty.
The University seeks to increase the number of endowed professorships and faculty fellowships to continue to compete with America's top institutions for the best scholars and teachers. Students with outstanding promise do not always have the financial resources to match. As government support decreases and cutbacks in national fellowship programs continue, scholarships become even more essential. Scholarship support will ensure that bright and able students with limited financial resources can study at Washington University and graduate to become productive members of society. New research centers such as the Neurosciences Institute, the Cancer Center and the Heart Disease Institute will be created to meet the needs of society beyond 2000.