FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                   

For more information, contact:

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Communications & Marketing

Sheila Champlin – (901) 448-4957, schampli@uthsc.edu

 

Three Finalists Selected in Search for Dean, College of Nursing,

at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

______________________________________

Memphis, Tenn. (January 20, 2012) – The search committee charged with finding top candidates to fill the position of dean for the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) has selected three finalists.  During the next few weeks, each of the finalists will visit the main UTHSC campus in Memphis for interviews.

The finalists include:

·         Sally J. Reel, PhD, RN, FNP, BC, FAAN, FAANP, associate dean for Academic Practice and clinical professor, College of Nursing, and director, Arizona Area Health Education Centers Program, University of Arizona

·         Laura A. Talbot, PhD, EdD, RN, GCNS-BC, Dean W. Colvard Distinguished Professor in Nursing, professor, and director of the Health Services Research PhD Program, College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

·         Sarah Ann Thompson, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor and associate dean of Academic Programs in the College of Nursing, and professor in the College of Public Health, Department of Health Services Research and Administration, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Co-chaired by Kennard Brown, JD, MPA, PhD, executive vice chancellor and chief operations officer at UTHSC, and David Stern, MD, executive dean of the College of Medicine and interim vice chancellor of Research at UTHSC, the 14-member search committee represents a broad-based group of faculty, students, alumni and UTHSC hospital partners.

“As a committee, our mission is to recommend to Chancellor Steve Schwab a list of proven leaders who will aggressively promote the continued success of the College of Nursing’s academic programs, research initiatives and national reputation of excellence,” Dr. Brown said.

            “We are pleased with the initial, diverse pool of applicants we reviewed.  We think each of the three finalists is a well-qualified, capable leader, and we look forward to hosting them on our campus,” he added.

Each finalist will take part in two full days of meetings in Memphis.  The campus visits will provide UTHSC administrators, faculty and staff a chance to familiarize themselves with each candidate, as well as give each candidate an opportunity to get acquainted with the main UTHSC campus.

The search for a new dean began in August 2011.  The search committee, with the assistance of Parker Executive Search, an Atlanta-based firm, considered 14 candidates.  Six were chosen for a round of preliminary interviews in December.  From that group, the three finalists were selected.  After the campus interviews, the committee will provide Chancellor Schwab with its evaluation of the candidates.

The dean for the College of Nursing is the chief academic and administrative officer who provides inspirational leadership for the College of Nursing, administers the annual budget, and serves as the principal external representative of the college. The dean is expected to develop an effective, collegial environment that supports excellence in education, research, clinical care and public service. The dean reports to the chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and will be part of the leadership team.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service.  In 2011, UT Health Science Center celebrated its centennial: 100 years advancing the future of health care.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  UTHSC has additional colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy plus an Allied Health Sciences unit in Knoxville, as well as a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga.  Since its founding in 1911, UTHSC has educated and trained more than 53,000 health care professionals on campuses and in health care facilities across the state.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

###