UH Manoa School of Nursing & Dental Hygiene Announces Leadership Change

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Posted: Nov 28, 2001

The University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa‘s School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene has announced that Dean Rosanne Harrigan has resigned after nine years of service to focus on her continued quest for excellence.

During Harrigan‘s tenure, the school has grown and developed programmatically as well as in research and service endeavors. Although the state-supported budget has decreased continually during her tenure, extramural funding has increased by 76 percent, allowing for increased access, quality, diversity, and breadth of programs.

"Dean Harrigan has been a significant asset to the University of Hawaiʻi School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene over the past nine years, contributing to the growth of the school in its research and academic reach," said University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa Interim Chancellor Deane Neubauer. "The university will develop an orderly transition in leadership for these two programs and embark on an effort to recruit a new dean to extend the vision of the school and carry forward its efforts to achieve quality and meet the needs of Hawaiʻi‘s population."

Harrigan‘s other notable accomplishments have included administrative, research and scholarship, and instructional improvements. During her tenure, the name of the school was changed to reflect the role of the dental hygiene program, collaboration with the community increased through the provision of funding for instructional positions permitting admission of additional students, and a state-of-the-art information technology system and infrastructure for distance education was established. There was also an increase in extramural support, scholarly productivity, and collaboration with other schools and institutes within the University of Hawaiʻi.

The school also saw increased enrollment and the approval and implementation of a doctorate program in nursing, as well as two successful accreditation cycles and a rise in national ratings for both the nursing and dental hygiene departments. It also achieved sustained 100-percent pass rates on the National Council of Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and National Dental Hygiene Board examinations.

In addition, Harrigan maintained a funded research program focused on improving the health of at-risk families and increasing both the diversity and size of the nursing workforce. She also maintains a practice at Waimanalo Health Center on Saturdays.
Harrigan is in the process of solidifying her next developmental challenge. She is looking forward to future challenges in the profession while maintaining her commitment to the health of the people, especially women with leadership roles in the family.

A search committee will be appointed in January 2002 to seek new leadership for the school. Many opportunities await the new dean. Interested candidates should watch for a position advertisement early next year.