We have received the report of the Consultative Review Committee on the Reappointment of Antonia M. Villarruel as Dean of the School of Nursing, and are delighted to recommend to the Trustees the reappointment of Dean Villarruel for a second term, to run through June 30, 2026.

As our University, nation, and world continue to grapple with a crippling health crisis, as well as a consistent and urgent cry for social justice, it is an especially critical time for nursing education, research, and practice. Historically marginalized and disadvantaged populations face a higher burden of illness, injury, disability, and mortality, and their access to and use of care is limited. Nursing, and specifically Penn Nursing, has long focused on social justice and improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable. The Committee was unanimous that Dean Villarruel has the vision, energy, skills, and broad support needed to thrive and succeed in a second term as Dean, especially in these challenging times. We enthusiastically agree.

Dean Villarruel’s first term was one of significant accomplishment. Under Dean Villarruel’s leadership, Penn Nursing has been ranked by QS World University as the top nursing school in the world annually since 2017. The Committee found especially notable the comprehensive, inclusive, and far-reaching strategic plan—titled Leading to a Healthier Future—that guided the Dean’s first term. The strategic plan has catalyzed progress across the entire Penn Nursing enterprise, including: a near-doubling of NIH funding, from $7.8 million in FY15 to $15.3 million in FY19; the launch of a post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice; the establishment of a formal Academic Practice Partnership with Penn Medicine; the successful transition of the Living Independently for Elders (LIFE) program to Trinity Health; and, among myriad other accomplishments, the creation of strategic global initiatives in regions including Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

The Review Committee also commended Dean Villarruel for her exemplary leadership of the School of Nursing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Dean Villarruel’s response to the present pandemic, the Committee noted, embodies resilience in all its forms. We join with the Review Committee in thanking Dean Villarruel for her inspired and inspiring leadership, and we join with so many others in voicing our appreciation for the truly heroic work of nurses near and far.

We are especially grateful, as well, to the members of the Review Committee for their time and effort throughout this important process. After receiving its charge from us in March 2020, the Committee—both in formal meetings and through its chair, Andrew M. Hoffman, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine—interviewed Dean Villarruel; conducted informational interviews and conversations with various members of the faculty, staff, student body, and alumni community; and held open meetings for faculty and staff within the School. The Committee also examined a comprehensive selection of data and documents concerning the School, including detailed budget, enrollment, and employment data. The Committee met five times over a period of eight weeks.

The Committee’s final report to us assessed and analyzed the accomplishments of the Dean and the School over the past five years in a wide array of domains, including: strategic vision and planning; faculty recruitment, retention, and diversity; academic programs and student quality; research and scholarly programs; clinical programs and services; School administration and staff; finances and philanthropy; facilities and infrastructure; and engagement with alumni, the professional community, and the general public.

We believe that Dean Villarruel is exceptionally well-positioned to lead the School of Nursing through a period characterized by great opportunity and change. We wholeheartedly agree with the unanimous sentiment of the Review Committee and will enthusiastically recommend to the Trustees that Antonia M. Villarruel be reappointed as Dean of the School of Nursing. 

—Amy Gutmann, President 
—Wendell Pritchett, Provost