Saw this, and had to share: School of Nursing Dean to Step Down - KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo, TX: newschannel10.com

After serving for almost a decade as dean of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing, Alexia Green, Ph.D., R.N., has announced she will step down from the position effective Jan. 17 due to urgent family circumstances.

Chandice Covington, Ph.D., R.N., the Florence Thelma Hall Endowed Chair for Nursing Excellence in Women's Health, will serve in an interim role effective Jan. 18 until a new dean is appointed. Covington joined TTUHSC last year from the College of Nursing at the University of North Dakota where she served as dean.

"Dean Green has and will continue to be a valued member of the Health Sciences Center team," said TTUHSC Interim President Elmo Cavin. "She has done an outstanding job addressing issues such as the critical nursing shortage, and through her efforts, has brought the Perry School of Nursing to a nationally-recognized level."

Cavin added, "Although Dr. Green has left some large shoes to fill, Dr. Covington is an important asset to the Perry School of Nursing, and I am confident that her qualifications will make the transition seamless."

Green was named the school's third dean in June 2000. She also has served concurrently as a professor within the school. During her tenure, she has focused on teaching and scholarship in the areas of patient safety and health policy.

Under Green's leadership, the Perry School of Nursing has experienced growth and success in many areas. The school was ranked for three consecutive years (2005-2007) among the nation's top nursing schools by the U.S. News & World Report and was ranked first in Texas for 2008 graduation performance at 96.43 percent and with an NCLEX pass rate of 86.86 percent by the Advisory Committee on RN Nursing Education.

The school has seen tremendous growth under Green's leadership. Overall student enrollment has increased exponentially since academic year 2001 to almost 1,000 students for academic year 2009. In addition, the school has expanded throughout Texas including the TTUHSC Highland Lakes campus in Marble Falls, the TTUHSC Abilene campus, and the TTUHSC El Paso campus.