2019/2020 YEAR IN REVIEW
01

It Begins with Leadership.

Our vision is simple: to make RFU the premier interprofessional health sciences university. And our leaders work relentlessly to make that vision a reality.
01

It Begins with Leadership.

Our vision is simple: to make RFU the premier interprofessional health sciences university. And our leaders work relentlessly to make that vision a reality.
Share Our Leadership Story

Leadership Message


Building on Our Legacy – With an Eye to the Future.

Rosalind Franklin University is steering a course toward a future of health that will be shaped by a global pandemic, an economic recession and a national reckoning on racism. People are hurting. Communities are struggling. Frontline healthcare workers, including our own faculty and alumni, are risking their lives to care for their patients.

The human tragedies of COVID-19 and persistent health inequities compel us to act. Our first responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of our university community, and that responsibility radiates out to our neighboring communities, with particular attention to those most in need.

As SARS-CoV-2 surged in the spring, we expanded our Clinical Immunology Lab to accommodate the need for diagnostic and serology testing. Our drive-thru testing site continues to serve the RFU community and the community at large, including local social service agencies, public and private schools, and colleges. As the spread of the virus and death rates laid bare glaring inequities in health among people of color, we intensified our outreach to the underserved.

Times of crisis can plunge us into fear and uncertainty, but they also give rise to new opportunities and push us to find solutions. Our communities desperately need the essential health and biomedical professionals we’re training to offer compassionate, culturally competent care, discover new means of prevention and treatment — and lead the future of health.

Our pre-pandemic investments in information and simulation technology and academic support have paid off, allowing us to quickly deploy remote teaching and learning when public health depended on physical distancing. Digital platforms, online collaboration tools and expertise in telehealth also helped us safely reopen resources that had been closed and bring students back.

We are at the forefront of the education and training of professionals who will lead interprofessional healthcare teams that offer comprehensive, high-value care in the management of complex conditions. Our researchers, who have persevered in their investigations throughout the pandemic, continue to submit extramural grant applications, dive into data analysis and develop new collaborations.

What does our future hold? We aim to expand our nursing programs, housed within a new College of Nursing, in collaboration with regional academic and clinical partners. New course content will emphasize public and population health; race and health; and artificial intelligence and telehealth. Curricula in a new lifestyle medicine degree program will also be integrated across academic programs. These initiatives will build a stronger healthcare workforce, tackle health disparities, and improve the health and wellness of our most vulnerable populations.

RFU owes so much to so many. Your support helps us fulfill our mission, drive innovation and stay the course toward improved health and well-being. We thank you for your confidence and support throughout the years.

Very Sincerely,
Wendy Rheault, PT, PhD, FASAHP, FNAP, DipACLM
President and CEO

Elizabeth A. Coulson, PT, MBA
Chair, Board of Trustees

University Leadership


Board Of Trustees

Rosalind Franklin University’s Board of Trustees is the governing body of our institution, responsible for our mission as well as the financial health and welfare of the university. Our trustees bring a vast knowledge of higher education, law, government, the U.S. military, nonprofit management and marketing. The board provides leadership and guidance to RFU while shaping the university’s goals, policies and practices.

Seema Bhatia
Board of Directors
Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinics 

Sandra Bruce
(Retired) President and CEO
Presence Health 

Shaundra Clay
Managing Director
JP Morgan Chase 

Allan Cohen
(Retired) Managing Director
First Analysis Corporation 

Elizabeth Coulson
(Retired) State Representative
Illinois General Assembly, 1997-2011 

Michael C. Foltz
Principal
Balasa Dinverno Foltz, LLC 

Rosalind Franklin
Senior Vice President
Boyden

John Grady
Director of Podiatric Residencies
Advocate Christ Medical Center
Advocate Children’s Hospital 

Elder Granger
(Retired) Army Major General
Commander, Task Force 44th Medical Command 
President and CEO of The 5 P's, LLC

Cheryl Kraff-Cooper
Ophthalmologist
Kraff Eye Institute 

Sylvia Manning
Chancellor Emerita
University of Illinois at Chicago 

Karen Miller
Sr. Vice Chancellor, Dean and Professor Emerita
University of Kansas Medical Center 

Thomas G. Moore
(Retired) President
Hospira USA 

Wendy Rheault
President and CEO
Rosalind Franklin University 

Lee Sacks
(Retired) Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer
Advocate Health Care 

Pamela Scholl
Chairman and President
Dr. Scholl Foundation 

Manuel von Schulenburg
Senior Vice President, International Wealth Advisor
Merrill Lynch 

Alan Weinstein
(Retired) Executive Vice President
Illinois Hospital Association 

Gail Warden, Trustee Emeritus
President Emeritus
Henry Ford Health System 

University Administration

Wendy Rheault, PT, PhD, FASAHP, FNAP, DipACLM
President and CEO

Marc S. Abel, PhD
Dean, College of Pharmacy

James Carlson, PhD, PA-C, CHSE
Vice President for Interprofessional Education and Simulation

Moreen Carvan, EdD
Interim Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD
Dean, Chicago Medical School, Vice President for Medical Affairs

Lee Concha, MA
Senior Vice President for University Enhancement, Chief of Staff

Joseph X. DiMario, PhD
Dean, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Rebecca Durkin, MA
Vice President for Student Success and Inclusion

Ronald Kaplan, PhD
Executive Vice President for Research

Sandra Larson, PhD, CRNA, APN, FNAP
Interim Dean of Nursing, Vice President of Partnerships

Richard Loesch, MBA, CGEIT
Associate Vice President for Technology and Learning Resources, Chief Information Officer

Bret Moberg, JD, LLM
Compliance Counsel

John Nylen, MBA
Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Nancy L. Parsley, DPM, MHPE
Provost

Andrew Romero, COP ’22
Executive Student Council President

Chad B. Ruback, MSEd, MBA
Vice President for Institutional Advancement

John Vitale, PhD, MHS, PA(ASCP)
Dean, College of Health Professions

Carl White, PhD
Faculty Senate President

Stephanie Wu, DPM, MSc, FACFAS
Dean, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine

Financial Report


Financial Report

Rosalind Franklin University ended fiscal year 2020 showing a $2.4 million operating deficit, which outperformed budgeted expectations by $1.3 million. On a cash basis (eliminating depreciation and adding capital expenses), RFU ended the year with a $1.9 million surplus. While the pandemic had an effect on the operational results, RFU was able to end the year financially strong without the need for layoffs or reductions in staffing or services.

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Change in Total Net Assets

Reflects, on an annual basis, the increase
or decrease of assets minus liabilities.

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Research Awards

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Student Enrollment

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