A Message From Dean Murray

05/28/2019

Dear friends and colleagues,

I have been humbled by the privilege and honor to serve as leader of the Saint Louis University School of Nursing for the last thirteen years, first as director (2006) then as dean (2008).

The School has achieved many successes during my 13-year tenure:

• There has been exponential enrollment growth in all degree programs, from 700 to 1200+ students.

• There was the development of a new degree program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (2006), new pathways within existing programs, the Accelerated Master of Science in Nursing (AMSN and post-licensure CNL), and other seamless educational degree options for students, the BSN to DNP or BSN to PhD.

• The certification and national pass rates of our exceptional students have
consistently exceeded the state and national pass rates.

• Faculty lines were added to an already strong faculty of excellence, including two fully endowed positions, a professorship and chair; both expected to bring world class expertise to the School of Nursing. Additionally, we have raised the funds needed to endow the deanship so the position will be extremely attractive to its next leader.

• We have received the largest scholarship and donor gifts in the history of the School, totaling more than $18 million dollars, and continue to have a growing base of alumni and friends that provide support and scholarships to the School of Nursing.

• There have been multiple renovation projects with the School’s building including the addition of two new smart conference rooms and three state-of-the-art simulation labs.

• We received the full ten-year Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation through 2025 and the five-year Missouri State Board of Nursing regulatory approval.

• Established the first ever School of Nursing magazine, Cura Personalis.

• The School now runs a nurse managed interprofessional clinic through the Health Resource Center in an urban, highly impoverished area of the City of St. Louis, in keeping with our Jesuit mission of service for and with others.

• Established the first-ever White Coat Ceremony for the nursing students

• Received the funding to endow the deanship, Joan Hrubetz Endowed Chair

We are currently in the process of completing a three-year strategic-plan, 2019 – 2021 with a set of priorities in place designed to foster the success and satisfaction of students, faculty, and staff. The plan has five strategic objectives:

1) Ensure Academic Excellence; 2) Develop a Culture of Research and Scholarship; 3) Sustain Service and Community Engagement; 4) Recruit and Retain Qualified, Diverse, Collaborative, Faculty, Staff, and Students, and 5) Strengthen Operational Effectiveness. Thus, the School is well positioned for its next leader.

I have been most privileged to work with a stellar faculty and staff whose collective commitment to the success of the School continues to amaze me. The School's impressive administrators, faculty, and staff are the bedrock of the School's success. We attract top tier students who are committed to the Jesuit ideals of social justice. The caliber of the students who attend the School of Nursing is stunning, their dedication, commitment to serve others, and professionalism are remarkable. Our students leave us with well-developed minds, generous hearts, and reflective souls.

My University colleagues are the best, always there, always serving, and always supporting. It has been an amazing 13-year journey. I’ve learned a lot, grown tremendously, and formed many life long bonds and connections. Despite all the many great things at Saint Louis University School of Nursing, I believe it is time to step away. Personally, I have grown tremendously while serving as dean of the School of Nursing. As dean, I was fortunate to be able to maintain my national reputation as a leader and scholar, receive significant external funding, and maintain consistent publications in peer-reviewed, high impact journals in nursing education. Thus, I look forward to continuing these strong contributions to the University and School in the faculty role when I return from a sabbatical. I am grateful and committed to Saint Louis University, as a three-time alumnus (BSN, MSN, & PhD), as leader in my role as dean, and next as a scholar in the faculty role.

With much gratitude, I’ll say so long but not good bye!

Teri A. Murray, Ph.D., PHNA-BC, RN, FAAN
Dean and Professor
Saint Louis University School of Nursing