In the midst of ongoing competition among public universities to remain at the forefront of the research field, administrators with a proven record are highly valued and sought. UW-Madison recently lost such an administrator to the University of Minnesota, a comparable national research university.
R. Timothy Mulcahy, associate dean for biological sciences in the Graduate School and associate vice chancellor of research policy was selected vice president for research at the University of Minnesota, according to a statement. He will take on his new role Feb. 1, 2005.
Over the past 25 years in his roles as student, faculty member and administrator, Mulcahy contributed to many critical research issues at UW-Madison. In the field of stem cell research, Mulcahy supported research confidentiality and ethics, cluster-hiring of stem cell researchers and the establishment of the Wisconsin Stem Cell Research Program. As associate vice chancellor of research policy, Mulcahy helped ensure the fair treatment of animal and human test subjects in biological research.
The University of Minnesota, very similar to UW-Madison in rank and funding, is currently in a position to benefit from the research and policy experience of Mulcahy.
For Mulcahy, the Minnesota position represents a chance to oversee the entire research portfolio of a major university.
\It's just a great opportunity for me to expand my responsibilities and [meet] some new challenges in regard to helping provide some research leadership,"" Mulcahy said. Mulcahy's decision to leave will have far-reaching implications for UW-Madison, both positive and negative.
Alta Charo, professor of law and medical ethics at UW-Madison, sees the move as an opportunity for collaboration between the two universities.
""One of the positive aspects that might emerge is a closer relationship with the University of Minnesota,"" she said. ""We have a lot of common research interests. If we're fortunate, collaboration might be one thing that happens.""
Graduate School Dean Martin Cadwallader acknowledges the loss.
""Tim will be missed. He has been a pivotal member of the Graduate School team and has provided the campus with invaluable leadership across a wide range of issues,"" Cadwallader said in a statement.
According to the statement, the Graduate School will appoint an interim administrator for the 2005 spring term, but will not select a permanent replacement until the fall.
