Pharmacy dean to retire

Professor Melvin H. Weinswig, who oversaw an era of extraordinary change at the UW School of Pharmacy, will retire as the school’s dean at the end of this academic year, Chancellor John Wiley announced today, Sept. 17.

“We are grateful for Mel’s extraordinary years of service to UW–Madison and his dedication to excellence in the School of Pharmacy’s teaching and research,” Wiley says. “He has been a creative and energetic leader. His knowledge of the fast-changing pharmacy profession and extensive experience in university administration will be sorely missed and difficult to replace.”

His retirement, effective at the end of the 2002-03 school year, comes after more than three decades at UW–Madison. Weinswig joined the university in 1969 as a professor in continuing education for pharmacy professionals. He became chair of Extension Services in Pharmacy, helping turn the school’s extension program into the largest pharmacist retraining program in the nation. He served as interim dean for nine months before being chosen to lead the school in 1995.

During his tenure Weinswig led an unprecedented fund raising campaign to build a $45 million School of Pharmacy building on the west end of the UW campus. Rennebohm Hall, named in honor of UW pharmacy alumnus and former governor, Oscar Rennebohm, was completed in 2001 and is the first building specifically designed to house the School of Pharmacy.

Weinswig also oversaw a fundamental transformation in the school’s curriculum. Reflecting the changing role of pharmacists in today’s health care, there was a dramatic national shift in pharmacist training. In response, UW adopted a four year professional pharmacy degree, the Pharm. D. degree, similar to a medical degree. As the state’s only School of Pharmacy, the UW–Madison program supplies more than 90 percent of all licensed pharmacists in Wisconsin.

One of Weinswig’s primary goals as dean was to maintain the school’s international reputation for research excellence, despite aging facilities and faculty retirements. As he leaves, Weinswig reflects on research funding that has grown considerably, the national and international recognition of faculty, and a succession of talented and visionary new faculty who are dedicated to both teaching and research. The school has about 500 students and nearly 55 faculty.

A native of the Boston area, Weinswig received BS and MS degrees in pharmacy from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Illinois. Before joining UW–Madison, Weinswig served on the faculty of College of Pharmacy at Butler University in Indianapolis. Weinswig will step away from academic life to spend more time with his family.