You may have read in the PD a few days ago that Mark Turner, Case's Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, resigned. I don't think this story has gotten as much press, but it is big news and not just to the Case community; Case has hired a new dean of undergraduate studies... CASE NAMES NEW DEAN FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

Jeffrey Wolcowitz, who served as associate dean for undergraduate education at Harvard University and as former associate dean and chief planning officer of Harvard College, has been named dean of undergraduate studies at Case Western Reserve University. He begins his new duties August 1.

"My first order of business will be to listen and learn," said Wolcowitz, who has either been a student, faculty member or administrator at Harvard for 30 years. "It is one thing to read about a university and quite another to see its processes and culture in person and begin to participate in them."

The new dean, Wolcowitz, who was a senior lecturer in economics at Harvard, also will hold the title of adjunct professor of economics at Case. To learn more about this, go to: http://blog.case.edu/case-news/2006/06/27/case_western_reserve_university_names_new_dean_for_undergraduate_studies

(This article was written as a progress report for the East Cleveland newsletter to residents of the city,
from my role as a technology advisor to the city, and includes very exciting developments for all of Northeast Ohio) 

The City of East Cleveland is leading Northeast Ohio into the new economy by bridging the digital divide. This means the City of East Cleveland is upgrading our internal computer network and services, increasing city bandwidth to the Internet, enhancing our website services, making sure all of our residents who want and need personal computers may have them at home, providing training in some computer programs, and helping residents get access to the Internet at the lowest possible cost or for free. This all provides a "bridge" for residents to go across the "digital divide" to the "new economy". Welcome!

 The following story with its links ran in CASE Daily (Case's online newpaper) today. Do feel like you have entrepreneurial genes? I think I do! Please post your thoughts
"Do genes influence who will be entrepreneurs?"

ABC News (Reuters), June 5, 2006
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2041245

One of the quiet treasures of northeast Ohio is taking place once again, administered by The Cleveland Foundation. The event's fact sheet summarizes its purpose in the following way:

• Established in 1935, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize outstanding
  books that contribute to our understanding of racism or appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures.
     
• The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards is the only American literary competition devoted to recognizing books that have made an important contribution to society’s understanding of racism and the diversity of cultures.  Traditionally, an academic work and a work of fiction, poetry or memoir are selected each year. 

If you attend you will have a chance to meet the authors, hear them read their works, and buy their books. For more information (including the present winners and a list of past winners), visit www.anisfield-wolf.org. Although registration has not opened as of this writing, register well in advance of the event. In recent years they have had a capacity crowd.

Location

The Coit Road Farmers Market
15000 Woodworth (between E. 152nd and Coit)
East Cleveland, Ohio 44112
(216) 249-5455
Map at www.coitmarket.org

Location

Used books are the best, so don't miss the best used book sale in Cleveland!

60th Anniversary Case Book Sale 2006, sponsored by The Association for Continuiing Education

Saturday, June 3rd 10 am -12 noon Preview ($20 Fee), 12 noon - 6 pm Free admission Begins

Location

The Board of Trustees of Case Western Reserve University announced today that it has elected Dr. Gregory L. Eastwood, MED '66, to become Interim President of the University effective June 2, 2006. Eastwood has been President of SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York since January 1993. "As an alum and member of the Board of Trustees of Case Western Reserve University, I am eager to assist the University during this transition period. I look forward to working with the faculty, students, staff, our alumni, and the Cleveland community" Eastwood said.

Ori Z. Soltes, Goldman Professorial Lecturer in Theology and Fine Arts, Georgetown University, will compare and contrast the two key Spring holidays in Jewish tradition. He will address history, myth, theology and art in the narrative context of both festivals, the importance of each in shaping Judaism and Jewish identity, and the reflection of these issues in the rich visual traditions of the Haggadah and the Megillat Esther.

Location

I've thought for some time about the issues facing East Cleveland, and thought deeply about the potential we have to uplift an underprivileged community by applying a concerted eco-development strategy.  Here I outline some of my core thoughts as framed by our six-sphere model:

Location

With the demand by Case Professor Krauss for a no-confidence vote against the Case president and provost, the levee broke flooding Case with the community sewage brimming its highest offices since hurricane Lewis smacked NEO several years ago, demanding the complete reorganization of Case. The rains since from Lewis' further public contempt for Case overflowed all the protection the president and board could retain, and now the Case community is in ruins.

I have a proposal for several actions Case may take to become the "World's Most Powerful Learning Environment", as Hundert proposes.

The first action is for the Case board and senior administration to form a panel of Blue Ribbon Advisors who are qualified and able to develop for the University a renewal plan. The panel must be expert in the subject, globally-respected and ready to begin immediately. Therefore, for the panel I recommend:

William G. Bowen, president, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, president emeritus, Princeton University

William R. Brody, president, The Johns Hopkins University

James J. Duderstadt, president emeritus, University of Michigan

Harvey Fineberg, president, The Institute of Medicine, The National Academies

Malcolm Gillis, president emeritus, Rice University

Eamon Kelly, president emeritus, Tulane University

Scott Cowen, president, Tulane University

Farris W. Womack, chief financial officer emeritus, University of Michigan

Lev Gonick, CIO of Case University and founder of OneCleveland shared the following update on OneCleveland becoming OneCommunity and the economic value of bandwidth - excellent insight!

Friends and Colleagues: Some of you may have heard that today
OneCleveland has shared its intention of generating a suprastructure
initiative called OneCommunity.org The intention of this umbrella
effort is to begin to seriously mobilize regional collaboration in
support of research, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, the arts,
and job growth. We are now committed to re-doubling our efforts to
help folks understand the upstream and downstream linkages between
broadband, application development, and economic outcomes.

We will need everyone's help and support in bringing our story
forward. I thought this overview piece might be of interest. Thanks
in advance for your continuing support.

Lev

Inputs and outcomes from the January 24, 2006 Excellence Roundtable at the City Club featuring East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer.

As it prepares for a second year, the Ingenuity Festival looks to become an annual Summer event and attraction for downtown Cleveland - in 1996, starting July 7th.

People on REALNEO’s website are used to thinking about new ideas and the way we can help create the city and region we want to live in. Rather than passive acceptance, readers at REALNEO are active shapers of the community.  Our area is increasingly considering the importance of health activities, lifestyle and the comfort and attractiveness of the region.  As a region, we are focusing on regional assets, including our parks and lake.  With that in mind, I want to discuss ClevelandBikes, a two year-old nonprofit, and our project to develop an asset to meet these goals…a bike station, a new piece of the transportation infrastructure.

More pictures from the final Waterfront Plan presentation on Tuesday.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/muscatello/sets/994365/

The July 5th NEO Excellence Roundtable attracted a most diverse and remarkable group of participants and our discussions were bright and impactful.

Bradley Whitehead - Program Director, The Cleveland Foundation

Sponsor: National City - Dialogues on Leadership New Leaders Only

Brad Whitehead is a Program Director at The Cleveland Foundation. In this role, he works with business, political, academic, and community leaders on Northeast Ohio’s economic transformation agenda. Brad joined the Foundation in March of 2002.

Location

Ideastream broadcast an interesting community discussion show called Ideas, Sunday at 11 AM (after broadcast of the City Club Forum, which is also excellent), which this week covered the Fund For Our Economic Future's annual report to the community, held last week at the Akron Inventors' Hall of Fame. The show featured a panel of foundation leaders talking about Voices & Choices, led by America Speaks (see related Plain Dealer article), a $3 million, 18 month initiative for facilitated dialogue among up to 100,000 area residents on their issues and views about the future of this region. The FFOEF believes this effort will help local leaders set agendas, and educate the public.

Are you the representative of a nonprofit organization? New to fundraising?
Learn how to get in shape to raise funds and how to
identify prospective funders. Find out how the Center's
resources can help you become a more effective grantseeker.

Location

Come and meet serial and aspiring entrepreneurs, supporters of entrepreneurship, community leaders, business leaders, deal makers, and investors at Northeast Ohio's premier networking event at Pickwick & Frolic. Make new contacts and connections while enjoying an assortment of drinks and hors d'oeuvres.Individuals from JumpStart's new portfolio companies will also be present to share their stories and insights.

Over 600 are expected. Space is Limited. Register Now!

Location

A two-part forum on: The Economics of Early Childhood Development

 Awareness: Session; One February 1, 2005, 4:00-6:00PM, Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Wade Oval in University Circle

 Alignment and Action: Session Two, February 14, 9AM to 12PM, Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development in Shaker Heights

In a recent REALNEO posting I reflected on the relationship
of optimal ICE - Information Communications Effectiveness - to political
sustainability, thus challenging the survivability of IT-ineffective public office
holders. It then occurred to me I've never seen used the term "political
sustainability" and so googled that and found a fascinating analysis of the
relationship of effective Environmental Management and political sustainability,
thus challenging the survivability of eco-insensitive public and private office holders.