Any growth agenda needs to be realistic, achievable and based on demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage our resources in a responsible fashion. We must confront the realities of current economics, manage our finances professionally, do the necessary belt tightening, but have a growth agenda to look forward to. In general terms, our agenda for growth should be based on excellence and, importantly, built on our traditions. The history of NYU in every decade lists giants who have made major contributions to science and medicine through scholarship. I deeply believe that a unifying theme for the next period of growth at our School should be rooted in research.
Scholarly activity is fundamental to our core missions of teaching and patient care.
What distinguishes us as an academic medical center is our ability to carry out research that is relevant to human health. We need a continuum of scientists, pursuing new knowledge from the most basic to the most patient-oriented. Therefore, a portion of our growth will be in our clinical departments, selecting important areas for human health on which to concentrate our energies. Much of our growth will be multidisciplinary. To address problems of heart disease, cancer and neurologic disease, groups of scientists, basic and clinical, need to work together.