Leaders named in academic affairs, graduate studies

Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dele Davies, M.D., has announced leadership changes in academic affairs and graduate studies at UNMC.

Effective Jan. 1:

• Rowen Zetterman, M.D., will become associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.
• Kendra Schmid, Ph.D., will become the campuswide director of assessment and assistant dean for graduate studies.
• Pamela Carmines, Ph.D., will become the executive associate dean for graduate studies.

The reorganization is in response to the upcoming Dec. 31 retirement of James Turpen, Ph.D., the current UNMC associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and executive associate dean for graduate studies.

See biographical sketches of Drs. Carmines, Schmid and Zetterman.

“With Dr. Turpen retiring, it’s an opportunity to reorganize some of the roles,” Dr. Davies said.

“We are, of course, very fortunate to have Dr. Zetterman,” he said. “Dr. Schmid has the capability to take our campuswide assessment procedure to a new level. Dr. Carmines has been working in graduate studies with Dr. Turpen, and she more than fits the bill to step into her new role.”

Dr. Zetterman will increase his FTE to full time from his current 0.75, and Dr. Carmines will continue in the 0.5 FTE role she currently serves as assistant dean. Dr. Schmid will be 0.5 FTE in her new roles.

“To have three people who can step into roles like this, people who are so well-qualified, is a major plus for UNMC,” Dr. Davies said.

Dr. Zetterman said he was excited by the potential of the new leadership team.

“It’s an excellent group of people working together,” he said. “It also shows you how big a role Dr. Turpen had.

“The assessment piece really needs someone the caliber of Dr. Schmid; she has the skills and the background to excel at that. Dr. Carmines is a long-time educator and basic science investigator, and the role of executive associate dean is a perfect opportunity for her.”

Dr. Carmines, an educator with 30 years of experience, said the new position would allow her to expand her horizons into academic affairs areas within Graduate Studies, ranging from coordinating program reviews to resolving student/mentor issues.

“But at the same time, I’m not giving up the responsibilities that let me interact with students,” she said.

Dr. Schmid said her new position would allow her to develop a campuswide assessment strategy while still providing biostatistical support to research projects.

“The areas of accreditation and assessment are extremely important in higher education and the process of continual evaluation, assessment, and self-improvement is fascinating to me,” she said.