Office of the President
The 21st-Century USM
From: President Selma Botman
February 26, 2009
This is the sixth update of the new semester. I'll be using this format for official communications and, later I will be posting to a new blog for more informal communications. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly at president@usm.maine.edu.
New Academic Leaders Recommended for Appointment
Last December, during the early part of the semester break, I had decided to halt the search for new deans at Lewiston-Auburn College and in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. I believed at the time that it was prudent to delay these searches, and to postpone other initiatives, until we had a clearer path forward through this economic crisis.
I listened carefully to your concerns about leadership in these two Colleges and, as a result, will be recommending for appointment new academic leaders as of July 1, 2009, pending the approval of the University of Maine System Board of Trustees.
Details on these recommended appointments appear below.
LEWISTON-AUBURN COLLEGE
Dr. Joyce Taylor Gibson, an associate professor of education at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, will be recommended as the next dean of USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College.
Dr. Gibson specializes in higher education administration, and is an administrator with a proven track record of supporting under-represented student populations. I thank Marv Druker for his dedicated service to the College and I am sure that Marv will help Dr. Gibson in her transition.
She brings to us the kind of experiences and skills needed to lead Lewiston-Auburn College. She will be a strong community leader in the Lewiston-Auburn region and a respected administrator at the College. In addition, she will provide expertise in enrollment management and creative perspectives on student success.
Dr. Gibson, the recipient of a Faculty Teaching Award, also has served as a senior-level student services administrator who has championed the integration of student services with the academic mission. She is credited with increasing undergraduate enrollment and retention. In her role as co-director of Lowell’s Center for Family Work and Community, Dr. Gibson brought the university community together with community partners to work on regional problems related to the environment, schools, and the workplace. Earlier in her career, she served as director of the Office of Minority Education and associate dean of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
She holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Florida, an M.A. in rehabilitation counseling from George Washington University, and a B.S.in psychology from Howard University.
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH PROFESSIONS
USM Professor of Nursing, Judith A. Spross, Ph.D., R.N., has been named interim dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Dr. Spross will replace Interim Dean Brian Toy, who will return to the faculty. I extend deep thanks to Brian for his leadership and commitment.
Prior to her doctoral work, Judy had a distinguished career in practice as a clinical specialist in oncology and pain management nursing, leading the nursing profession in defining advanced nursing practice and advocating for effective pain management by health professionals. In 1992, she was elected to the American Academy of Nursing, in recognition of her scholarly work and professional leadership. Among her publications, is the widely acclaimed and adopted graduate textbook she co-edited, Advanced Practice Nursing: An Integrative Approach (4th edition 2009).
Before joining USM in 2003, Judy was a senior scientist at Education Development Center, Inc., a non-profit R&D organization. She was co-investigator and project manager for interdisciplinary health services research and technical assistance projects aimed at improving clinical practice in pain management and palliative care. In her role as coordinator of support services for faculty scholarship, Judy mentors CONHP faculty as they engage in research and scholarship. She chairs USM’s Research Council, a group that promotes the research and scholarship of USM faculty.
Judy brings to the position a combination of talents. She is an experienced and accomplished scholar, a talented teacher, a student advocate, and a dedicated citizen of the College and the University. I know she will inspire her colleagues both inside and outside the College as we navigate through these challenging times.
Judy earned her Ph.D. in nursing at Boston College, an M.S. at Virginia Commonwealth University, and a B.S. in nursing at Villanova University.
I want to thank the members of both Colleges for your advice and wisdom.
