Nursing Dean to Retire

To: Knoxville-area UT Faculty and Staff
From: Susan Martin, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

I wanted to let you know that Joan Creasia, dean of the College of Nursing, will retire at the end of the academic year.

Joan began serving as the college's third dean on Oct. 1, 1995. Of all current deans on the UT Knoxville campus, she is the longest-serving. Throughout her 14-year tenure, she has been among the most highly regarded and highly rated administrators by faculty members.

Joan has provided strong leadership for the college through many challenges as well as significant changes in the health care industry. As the faculty and the curriculum have adapted, the commitment to delivering the highest level of nursing instruction has never faltered.

To the credit of the dean and its faculty, the College of Nursing has maintained its leadership role among the state's nursing programs and ensured that our graduates become the most sought professionals in the industry.

Joan has led the effort to address our high demand by bringing the RN-BSN degree and some Ph.D. courses online. Our students also have benefitted from the college's increase in partnerships with area health care organizations and enhanced community and global outreach efforts.

Our goal is to recruit a new dean to coincide with Joan's retirement. Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, will chair the search. Committee members are Susan Speraw, Marian Roman, Gary Ramsey, Mark Priestley, Peggy Pierce, Carole Myers, Mary Gunther, Nan Gaylord and Lora Beebe, all of the College of Nursing, as well as Rita Geier, associate to the chancellor.

I will keep you posted on the search. In the meantime, I hope you will join me in the coming months in giving thanks to Joan for her leadership and service to the college, the university and the nursing profession.

Posted: November 5, 2009