During David H. Auston’s time as president (1999–2001), he oversaw the completion of the College of Arts and Sciences’ $90 million-plus fundraising campaign and the introduction of the Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship (SAGES) curriculum.
The tension that followed the 1992 affiliation agreement between Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals (UH) came to define Auston’s leadership, however. UH terminated its agreement with the university in 1999, and issues at stake included UH’s status among other affiliate hospitals, financial questions and federal grants. While Auston led the purchase of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center property, he resigned from the presidency in 2001 amid a tense negotiation.
