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Harold M. Maurer, M.D. |
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Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc. |
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Bill Path, Ph.D. |
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Mike Hammond |
The Joint Affiliation and Operating Agreement and Academic Affiliation Agreement establish formal agreements among the Board of Regents, Northeast Community College (NECC) and Faith Regional Health Services relating to the establishment of the nursing division.
The agreements implement the conditions, commitment and expectations in funding, academic affiliation and operations. The agreement also stipulates termination provisions for the Board of Regents and Northeast Community College if financial or other conditions are not met.
The Joint Affiliation and Operating Agreement defines funding responsibilities by leaders of northeast and north central Nebraska communities, including construction of a facility. The Academic Affiliation Agreement spells out program curricula, enrollment, clinical arrangements and other academic matters.
“The regents’ approval signifies another major step in this partnership to improve the health of Nebraska,” said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. “We’ve very impressed by the passion and commitment the people of northeast and northern Nebraska have for their communities and we’re elated to be a part of this unique venture. It’s come very far very fast.”
The Omaha-based College of Nursing already has divisions in Lincoln, Kearney and Scottsbluff.
Officials say the division is needed to serve northeast and northern Nebraska, which are experiencing a shortage of nurses that is expected to worsen among growing regional demands for health services. Supporters say a program in Norfolk would mean retaining students and community members in the area, strengthening the economy and, most importantly, saving and improving lives.
Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said she is excited that the college may have the opportunity to directly serve the northeast region of the state.
“The results of our feasibility study, conducted in 2006, showed that about 15 percent of the state’s population lives in northeast Nebraska,” Dr. Tilden said. “Norfolk and the surrounding communities are economically vibrant and have a significant percent of the states younger population as well. Our mission is to serve the entire state. In addition, with our master’s and Ph.D. programs, we are a major provider of new nursing faculty who can teach in all of the state’s nursing programs. This will greatly aid the pipeline for new nurses for Nebraska.”
A division in the region means that, when combined with NECC nursing programs, six levels of nursing education will be available, from certified nursing assistant to the Ph.D. in nursing.
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“It is obvious that the Board of Regents shares our vision following its vote of confidence today,” said Bill Path, Ph.D., president of Northeast Community College. “This vote to approve the affiliation and operating agreement between Northeast Community College, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Faith Regional Health Services brings us one step closer to opening the doors to a joint facility that will revolutionize health care education in our state. We could not be more pleased with the actions taken today.”
“We’re very excited about this agreement,” said Mike Hammond, interim CEO of Faith Regional Health Services. “Having the site of this new nursing college located in northeast Nebraska will help meet the future needs of nursing within the region. We look forward to our role as being a key provider of the clinical component of the educational program.”
In January 2007, the Board of Regents adopted a resolution that required three binding agreements before the board could give its approval to the establishment of a division. They included a letter of intent, a joint operating agreement and an academic affiliation agreement.
In March 2007, the regents approved the letter of intent, which satisfied the first of three conditions for the proposed nursing division. The letter of intent is signed by officials of the University of Nebraska, UNMC, UNMC College of Nursing, Northeast Community College and Faith Regional Health Services.
Last month, leaders in northeast Nebraska launched a regional fundraising campaign for a building on the NECC campus to accommodate both UNMC’s and NECC’s nursing programs. More than $3 million of a goal of $12.9 million has been raised.
Costs will include a 34,973-square-foot facility to house NECC’s basic nurse aide, licensed practical nursing and associate degree nursing programs, and UNMC’s bachelor of science in nursing, master of science in nursing and doctoral degree programs. The tentative opening date for the nursing division is 2010. The land, valued at $500,000, has been donated by Northeast Community College.
Under the proposed division, NECC’s nursing faculty and their classes would move to the new state-of-the-art facility and be joined by a UNMC division. Initially, UNMC would recruit 10 faculty and an assistant dean plus support staff. Once the program reaches capacity of students, an additional five faculty would be recruited for a total of 15 full-time faculty.
The planned Norfolk division was prompted by an inquiry in April 2006 from state Sen. Mike Flood to help address the growing demand for acute care in northern and northeast Nebraska and the associated need to increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s and graduate degrees. It is estimated that there will be a shortfall of 1,216 full-time nurses by 2010 and 3,838 full-time nurses by 2020 in Nebraska. Northeast Nebraska, which already has fewer registered nurses and nurses with bachelor’s and master’s degrees than other regions in the state, will be hit particularly hard by this shortage, officials said.
Also on Friday, the regents approved:
- Gifts from Omaha philanthropists Ruth and Bill Scott that would allow for construction of a UNMC College of Public Health Building and an addition to the Omaha College of Nursing building;
- Funds to help restore equipment damaged during an August fire at the UNMC Central Utility Plant; and
- An agreement that would allow UNMC to use the Holland Computing Center at the Peter Kiewit Institute in 2009-2011.