Nursing professor Kathleen McCauley was appointed as the School of Nursing's interim associate dean and director of undergraduate studies earlier this week.
McCauley will be replacing Linda Brown, who resigned from the post, effective June 30. Brown will continue to be a member of the Nursing faculty, but on a reduced role due to a partial disability.
"Dr. McCauley will work closely with Dr. Linda Brown and me to ensure a smooth transition," Interim Nursing Dean Neville Strumpf said in an e-mail.
For McCauley, this position is nothing new, as she served in the same capacity for a period of a year and a half between January 1998 and June 1999, before Brown was appointed.
"We are indeed fortunate to again draw on her wisdom and expertise," Strumpf said.
The length of McCauley's current appointment is unknown, however, since the Nursing School is still searching for a permanent dean. Strumpf has been serving in the interim capacity since June of last year, after former Dean Norma Lang stepped down.
The search process for a permanent Nursing dean is being headed by Graduate School of Education Dean Susan Fuhrman.
Brown, who was appointed associate dean and director of undergraduate studies in June 1999, worked during her tenure to enhance community-based clinical opportunities for students and promoted the presence of men in nursing.
Brown also worked to develop the Mathias J. Brunner Instructional Technology Center, a high-tech patient simulator to allow students to better develop nurse-patient relationships.
According to McCauley, she will continue to work towards many of the same objectives.
Among her priorities as associate dean include the strengthening of educational programs available to students.
"While we aren't planning any major course changes, we are always looking at tweaking some courses to better serve students," McCauley said.
In addition, McCauley will continue to develop the Brunner labs to "think about the best ways to use and maximize the potential of the labs."
Because the nursing profession as a whole is experiencing a nursing shortage, McCauley will also focus on attracting more students to the school.
"Recruiting nurses in the middle of a horrific nursing shortage is always important," McCauley said. "At Penn, we need to emphasize our clinical programs and other unique benefits."
Strumpf also believed that recruitment should be one of the dominant focuses.
"[McCauley] will provide the vision and leadership for development and evaluation of the undergraduate curriculum and participate in undergraduate student recruitment, selection and retention," Strumpf said.
In her present capacity, McCauley will work with the undergraduate deans from Penn's three other undergraduate schools -- the College of Arts and Sciences, the Wharton School and the School of Engineering and Applied Science.
This collaboration will enable the development and enhancement of the undergraduate curriculum in areas such as classes and joint-degree program options.
McCauley is also present on a number of university academic committees, including the University Provost's Academic Integrity Task Force.
