MU Sinclair School of Nursing

Dean Rosemary T. Porter

Announces Retirement Date

October 29, 2007

COLUMBIA , Mo. – As Dr. Rose Porter enters her ninth year as the MU Sinclair School of Nursing dean, she has announced her plans to retire effective September 1, 2008.

“We will miss her, but appreciate very much her long career here at MU,” said University of Missouri-Columbia 's Provost Brian Foster. “Her leadership, which has strengthened the Sinclair School of Nursing, has continued a long and proud tradition of excellence.”

With 29 years of service to Mizzou, Porter has pushed the School's small faculty and staff to accomplish larger-than-life results. During her tenure, the School's annual grant awards has increased 486 percent, increased undergraduate enrollment by adding the Accelerated BSN degree and formed a partnership with Americare Systems, Inc. to build and operate TigerPlace, an aging-in-place site that allows seniors to experience nursing assessments at the highest level.

Porter is also well known throughout the MU academic administration as the dean who inverted the pyramid content by placing students at the top and the UM president on the bottom. “Students are the reason we are here,” Porter said. “I put them at the top of the pyramid because we are all here to support them in achieving their academic goals.”

In addition to her pyramid, Porter is also recognized as an individual who strongly believes interdisciplinary efforts, whether in education, practice or research. Her enthusiasm and passion in the healthcare arena has been the impetus for collaborations with every school and college on the MU campus.

“I have enjoyed my time as the dean of the Sinclair School of Nursing, but feel it is time for new leadership to step forward to continue with the progress we have made in recent years,” says Porter.

The Office of the Provost at the University of Missouri-Columbia has initiated a search for the next Dean of the Sinclair School of Nursing. The search committee is co-chaired by Jim Thompson, College of Engineering dean, and Linda Bullock, professor of nursing.

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