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Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc. |
The letter is signed by the university, Northeast Community College and Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk and spells out guidelines for the partnership between the three organizations. The letter contains plans for governance and authority, financial commitments, curricula, clinical training, student quotas and research and clinical practice.
Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said the college is pleased with the regents’ vote of approval.
“I’m delighted the regents have approved the letter of intent,” Dr. Tilden said. “It allows us to move ahead to work on the joint operating and academic affiliation agreements.”
The joint operating agreement and an academic affiliation agreement, which are expected to be completed next year, are the other two conditions that must be met for the proposal to be approved.
The new division would offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing. A new facility would be constructed to house the division as well as Northeast Community College’s two-year nursing program and would be funded with public and private sources. UNMC currently has divisions in Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney and Scottsbluff.
“The spirit of cooperation among the partners is evident and will prove rewarding as the partnership moves forward,” said University of Nebraska President James B. Milliken. “A major component of the university’s mission is to ensure that all of Nebraska’s citizens have access to the benefits of higher education and this partnership will help the university achieve that.”
Leaders in northeast and north central Nebraska communities have shown a commitment to making this public-private partnership succeed, said UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D.
“We appreciate the enthusiasm they’ve shown to launch this effort and work with us to increase the numbers of nurses with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the state,” Dr. Maurer said.
The Norfolk division would address a growing regional demand for health services — especially acute care — and a significant workforce shortage in the area, officials said.
The region’s favorable population demographics showing growth and a strong economy also justify bringing a nursing division to Norfolk, officials said.
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Charles Wilson, M.D. |
“The partnership is making good progress toward the goal of establishing this new division, which will be a resource for quality nursing education,” Dr. Wilson said.
The proposed Norfolk division was prompted by an inquiry in April 2006 from state Sen. Michael Flood of Norfolk to help address the growing demand for acute care in north and northeast Nebraska and the associated need to increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s and graduate degrees.
Last October, Milliken asked the regents to review and make recommendations of a feasibility study for the proposed division. The study was presented to the regents last November.
Once fully operational, the nursing division could admit 48 students each year to its bachelor’s degree in nursing program, 10 to 20 in its master’s degree in nursing program, and some doctoral students. UNMC officials say the first class of students graduating from the new division could boost the workforce in the region by about 13 percent.
Initially, the division would need to recruit 10 faculty and an assistant dean. Once the program reached student capacity of students, an additional five faculty would be needed for a total of 15 full-time faculty. Projected costs of a 35,000-square-foot-facility are $10.8 million.