By James Irwin
Vice Provost for Online Education and Academic Innovation Paul Berman is the new co-chair of the Innovation Task Force. He will join Meghan Chapple, ITF co-chair and director of the university’s Office of Sustainability, to lead initiatives that improve GW’s business processes and increase investment in academic learning, research and the student experience.
Mr. Berman, the former dean of GW’s Law School, has been a senior member of Provost Steven Lerman’s staff since 2012.
Established by President Steven Knapp in 2009, ITF has identified more than 70 initiatives, ranging from new online programs to implementing cloud data systems. ITF has reinvested $27 million dollars in savings or new revenues in academic priorities in fiscal year 2015.
"I am thrilled that President Knapp and Provost Lerman have asked me to play a leadership role in helping to design the future of the Innovation Task Force at GW,” Mr. Berman said. “I believe ITF can be an important catalyst as an engine to help jump-start innovative initiatives and spur creative thinking on campus. It will be great to work with Meghan Chapple on this important program."
Ms. Chapple, who has served as director of the Office of Sustainability since 2009, was named to one of the ITF co-chair positions in October, replacing Dave Lawlor, the university’s former senior associate vice president for finance.
ITF launched a second track of its $1 Million Ideas Competition in September, introducing a faculty/staff contest to complement the existing Student Scholarship Competition. Both categories invite members of the university community to pitch ideas that will reduce costs or generate revenue of $1 million or more per year for GW.
