Hunt for new Nursing School dean continues through October

When Nursing School Dean Claire Fagin announced that she was going to step down as head of the school, her 14-year tenure in a dean's post was the longest of any at the University. Now, the search to find her successor is threatening to become the longest of any at the University. Over 15 months later, Fagin still remains at the helm of Nursing, and the search committee set up to find her replacement continues to report that a new dean will be selected soon. The search committee is currently considering four candidates, but "the search is still open," according to Barbara Lowery, search committee chairperson. "I think we are making progress," Lowery said. "We still hope we'll have someone in place next semester." Lowery said this summer she hoped to have someone selected by last month. Fagin has repeatedly postponed the date she will leave to become president of the National League of Nursing, in order to ease the school's transition to a new dean. However, Fagin said she has decided that she will not stay past this semester, "with or without a new dean." Linda Koons, executive assistant to the provost, said yesterday that Provost Michael Aiken has not received a short list from the search committee yet. "[Aiken is] still hoping by the end of the semester that they'll have someone in place," Koons said. And while committee members would not comment on why the search is taking so long, some Nursing students believe that the committee is searching for a person of equal caliber to Fagin. "I think it's because they're looking for someone who is very qualified to follow in Dean Fagin's footsteps," said Senior Class Board Nursing representative Christina Smith. "I think that's what the holdup is." "I know how hard [the search committee] works; I don't think it would do any good for the students to push," Smith continued. "They're not settling for second best, it would be worse to get someone who isn't an innovative and progressive leader." Lowery said she sees two options if a new dean is not chosen by January when the spring semester begins. "[The administration] can encourage [Fagin] to stay on, and she says she's not going to do that, or appoint someone for the interim," said Lowery. Fagin plans to remain on the Nursing faculty. She is also hoping to conduct research concerning nursing home regulations and the health care systems in other countries.

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