Brigham Young University Academic Vice President John S. Tanner has announced the appointment of Beth V. Cole as dean of the College of Nursing effective July 1, 2007.
She will replace interim dean Mary Williams, who will rejoin the College of Nursing faculty.
In his introduction of the new dean, Tanner mentioned Cole’s affiliation with BYU in that she earned her doctorate at BYU and her daughter, Christina Cole, graduated from the BYU College of Nursing.
“It will be a pleasure to join in meeting the mission and goals of BYU,” said Cole to a group of faculty and students assembled for her introduction on March 27. “To the faculty I pledge to do my best. We can work together to accomplish much. To students I promise I will work to bring them the best education I can.”
A professor and director of the Hope and Comfort Grief Program with the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Cole received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Cincinnati and her master’s degree from Boston University with a focus in child psychiatric nursing.
Cole has been teaching psychiatric nursing for more than 30 years and has written articles and book chapters on a variety of subjects related to psychiatric/mental health nursing, keeping families as her focus. For many years she has worked with Marge Pett on issues related to divorced and married parents of preschool children. For the past five years she has written on domestic violence and clinical practice.
Her current research and clinical work is with grieving families as they adjust to the death of a family member.
Elaine S. Marshall served as dean of the College of Nursing from 1999-2006. Mary Williams began service as interim dean in January 2007 and will continue in that capacity through June 2007.
For more information, contact Rose Ann Jarrett at (801) 422-4143.
Writer: Rose Ann Jarrett
