Nursing dean stepping down

Norma Lang will take a year-long sabbatical and then teach at Penn. Nursing School Dean Norma Lang submitted her resignation to University President Judith Rodin on Monday, after leading the school for eight years. Lang announced that she would accept an endowed professorship at the school and return to teaching and research after serving as an administrator for the past 20 years. The resignation will take effect in August, at which time Lang will take a leave of absence for a year before returning to Penn. "Everyone from time to time reexamines where they are in their particular position," Lang said. "The school is in a very good position and it's a good time for me to step down." Under her leadership, the Nursing School's endowment has grown from $5 million to the $25 million it enjoys today. The school also continuously maintains a top ranking in the U.S. World & News Report's rankings, tying for second with Washington University's school this year. And among nursing schools, Penn's Nursing School is the No. 1 recipient of National Institutes of Health funding, receiving $6.3 million dollars in federal grants. With Lang at the helm, the school has pursued a three-tiered mission, developing its strengths in research, teaching and practice. "The University is deeply grateful to Dean Lang for the record of accomplishment the School has achieved under her leadership," Rodin said in a press release. Upon her return, Lang will assume a full-time teaching position. Lang is an expert in health care systems, nursing leadership, the assessment of quality of care and informatics -- a field concerned with the language of nursing. She will also take an active role in guiding undergraduates and will advise seniors. "We're delighted that Norma is staying at the Nursing School," University spokesman Ken Wildes said. "She has a wonderful background and experience that is a great resource for the school, faculty and students." Nursing students and professors praised Lang's accomplishments as a leader within the only undergraduate Ivy League nursing school. "We'll miss her a lot for her contributions to having a visionary scope with a tripartite mission," Nursing Professor Jan Deatrick said. "[Although] they are known for their research and teaching, for an Ivy League school to play a leadership role in nurse practitioning is unique." An interim dean has not been announced, but the press release said a search committee will be assembled soon. Lang has also been responsible for the many interdisciplinary and joint-degree programs conducted with the Engineering School, the Law School and the Wharton School. "We're no longer simply nursing degrees: It's become multifaceted," said Lance Feldman, a Nursing student in the Nursing-Law program and president of Student Nurses at Penn. Feldman praised Lang for her strong involvement with students, citing her willingness to accept criticism and act upon it. Before coming to Penn, Lang headed up the nursing school at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

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