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School of Nursing: Three New Associate Deans

A new structure  has been established at the School of Nursing with three associate deans who bear the responsibility for Research, for Practice and Community Affairs, and for Education, overseeing both undergraduate and graduate affairs, Dean Afaf Meleis announced.

Several additional changes have taken place recently at the School including revisions to the school's by-laws, selection of a faculty member--Dr. Julie Fairman--to head the School of Nursing's Faculty Senate, and the consolidation and reduction of the number of committees and the size of each committee. The School's Senate committees are chaired by faculty and report to the Chair of the School's Faculty Senate.

Research

Dr. Linda A. McCauley, will be joining the School as a professor of nursing and as the Associate Dean for Research in January. She will have primary administrative responsibility for the School's Research initiatives; including policy making and oversight, and the promotion and facilitation of all research activities in the School; and will articulate, represent, and sustain these programs within the University. Dr. McCauley will provide the vision and leadership for the research portion of the School's strategic plan in concert with the University's strategic plan, and the School's research efforts in compliance with the School's mission, including quantity and quality benchmarks.

Dr. McCauley is currently a scientist in the Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) at the Oregon Health & Science University where she  is also a professor of nursing in the Family and Community Health Division. Dr. McCauley's research focuses on how toxins in the environment or workplace affect workers' health.

Practice and Community Affairs

Dr. Eileen Sullivan-Marx, associate professor of nursing, is the new Associate Dean for Practice and Community Affairs. Dr. Sullivan-Marx is also a member of the Family Community Health Division. She has been the Director of the Adult Health Nurse Practitioner Program since 1996 and Director of the Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program since 2000; Senior Consultant for the Gerontological Nursing Consultation Service within the Penn Nursing Network since 1995, and the Faculty Director of the Gerontological Nursing Consultation Service since 2002.

"Dr. Sullivan-Marx is dynamic, and well qualified to lead and coordinate our strategic vision and agenda in practice and community relations. She is also well positioned to participate in advancing the science and shape the structure and quality of health care and the educational mission of the school," said Dean Afaf Meleis.

One of Dr. Sullivan-Marx's chief objectives is to launch the "Healthy in Philadelphia" initiative, a health care partnership planned with the community to help meet the needs of the West Philadelphia community. (For more on this initiative, see Benchmarks.)

Academic Programs

With 35 years on the Penn faculty, Dr. Anne Keane is the new Associate Dean for Academic Programs. Dr. Keane is an associate professor of nursing and a member of the Foundational Sciences and Health Systems Division. Twice now, Dr. Keane has "graciously and successfully led the School's graduate education mission," added Dean Meleis. She has been the interim associate dean since January 2002. Before taking this position, she held a variety of leadership positions within the School. She was division chair a number of times, director of various masters programs, and served, either as member or chair, of several critical leadership committees, was chair of 20 and member of  seven doctoral dissertation committees, and has been a mentor to many post-doctoral fellows. She is a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and other awards that recognize her many contributions and service to teaching, research, and practice. Her research on responses to fire and trauma received local and national funding and resulted in publications in top journals and chapters and many invited presentations.

"Dr. Anne Keane, whose counsel is sought on the development of educational programs both nationally and internationally, is well qualified to lead and coordinate our strategic vision and agenda toward achieving our educational mission. She is well positioned on campus to advance our educational program goals and her historical wisdom is balanced by her vision for creating our educational future," said Dean Meleis.