History of the College of Nursing
- History of the College
- History of UMass Dartmouth
- Our Students
- History of the University of Massachusetts
History of the College
Both the southeastern Massachusetts region and the profession of nursing
were developing in the 1960s. The need for a baccalaureate program in nursing
came to the attention of local legislators, and in 1966, a bill was introduced
in the state legislature
to establish such a program at UMass Dartmouth's predecessor
school, Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute. The Advisory Committee
to the Board of Higher Education endorsed the program in 1967. The College
of Nursing was established in 1969, with Sister Madeleine Clemence Vaillot
as the first dean of the College. Two departments were established: the Department
of Adult and Child Nursing and the Department of Community Nursing.
The College of Nursing received initial accreditation of the undergraduate
program from the National League for Nursing in 1973. It has been continuously
accredited since that time. In May, 1977, Dr. Joyce
Passos was appointed as the second dean and the college grew. She expanded
the basic program to allow for a flexible path for Registered Nurse students,
broadened the mission beyond teaching to include scholarship and service, and
expanded the community-based focus of care. A graduate program in nursing
was established, currently offering three options: Adult
Health Clinical Specialist or Nurse Educator (AHN); Adult
Nurse Practitioner (ANP); and Community
Health Clinical
Specialist & Nurse Educator (CHN). The graduate program was approved
in 1987 and received initial accreditation from the National League for Nursing
in 1993.
In 1986, the Theta
Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau was
established at the College of Nursing. This chapter has won key awards for
its outstanding work related to chapter goals.
In 1993, Dr. Elisabeth Pennington was appointed as the third Dean of the College
of Nursing. Under her direction, the faculty were encouraged to embrace change,
knowing that quick response to a changing world was necessary. The College's
Mission and Goal statement was revised and the Philosophy refined.
In spring, 2005, Dr. James Fain was appointed Dean of the College. He brings to the position experience as a nurse, nursing educator, nurse researcher, and administrator.
In 2008, the College admitted its first cohort of PhD students to an innovative program of study that addresses the nursing faculty shortage and advances nursing knowledge in the care of people with chronic illness.
The College serves as the administrator of the University Lead Poisoning
Education Project. This project, which is federally and state funded, educates,
inspects, and supports lead abatement processes. The College of Nursing
oversees the Gerontology minor and certificate programs. This program
is now part of the Ora
M. DeJesus Gerontology Center.
History of UMass Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is located in the southeastern
region of Massachusetts ("The Southcoast"). This area
of the state is rich in cultural diversity dominated by the growth of individuals
and families from Portugal and the Azores (added to previous communities of
French, Irish, and Polish people). More recently, the area has seen growth
in both Cambodian and Vietnamese populations. Employment in this region has
historically been centered on whaling, textile, and fishing industries. As
society has moved toward a service and information orientation, these industries
are in flux and the need for higher education has become ever more important.
The region is dominated by two small cities, Fall River and New Bedford. Each community supported a textile school in the late 19th century. Over the years, both the New Bedford Textile School and Bradford Durfee Textile School, in response to a growing need for higher education, evolved and expanded their offerings and became multi-purpose institutions. In 1964, these two institutions were merged and formed the Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute (SMTI); ground breaking for a common campus in the town of Dartmouth, mid-point between the two cities, took place. Eventually, the state legislature recognized the need for a comprehensive university in this region and voted that SMTI become Southeastern Massachusetts University (SMU). SMU was established with five colleges: Arts and Science, Business and Industry, Engineering, Nursing, and Visual and Performing Arts. Further development of SMU occurred when the Swain School of Design in New Bedford merged with the College of Visual and Performing Arts in 1988.
Our Students
As noted above, the southeastern region of Massachusetts is rich with cultural and ethnic diversity. Portuguese is the predominant culture and includes people from the Azorean and Cape Verde Islands. There are approximately 7,000 students in attendance. Our students come from Southeastern Massachusetts, other New England states, and the Mid-Atlantic states, as well as from several foreign countries.
Many undergraduate students are the first in their families to attend college. Approximately one-half of the students live on campus, and the other commute from off-campus housing or home.
In addition, during our 40 year history, registered nurses from Southeastern
Massachusetts, seeking to advance in their professional careers,
have attended our RN-to-BS, MS, and (as of 2009) our PhD in Nursing programs.
History of University of Massachusetts
The University of Massachusetts was founded in Amherst, in 1863, as a public land-grant institution. Later it expanded to include the Worcester Medical School and Boston State College, becoming a three school system. In 1991, the system expanded further and included the University of Lowell and Southeastern Massachusetts University. Thus a five campus system was established and SMU became the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The UMass system is administered by President William Bulger and a single Board of Trustees. Each of the five autonomous campuses is administered by a chancellor.