Office of the President

August 21, 2023



Dear William Paterson Faculty and Staff,


I am pleased to share news of two important developments that, together, will mean great things for the future of nursing programs at William Paterson University and for healthcare in New Jersey. Next Monday, we will welcome Minerva Salinas Guttman, EdD, RN, APN, to campus as founding Associate Dean of the new School of Nursing (SON) at William Paterson University. The SON will operate within the College of Science and Health under Dean Venkat Sharma

Dr. Guttman brings significant experience to this new role, serving most recently as tenured Professor and Ferguson Endowed Chair in the Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She has also served as the Assistant Dean of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers) School of Nursing and Chairperson of  UMDNJ / Middlesex County College. A recognized leader in nursing curriculum and program development at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, Dr. Guttman has also been instrumental in building community, business, and industry connections at the institutions she has served. She earned her EdD., M.Ed. (Adult Ed.) and M.A. in Nursing Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.S. (Nursing) from the University of Philippines. 


Dr. Guttman’s extensive skills and experience will be invaluable in her new leadership role working with Dean Sharma, Provost Josh Powers, and others to launch the School of Nursing within the College of Science and Health, where she will help sustain and leverage the tremendous growth of both our on-campus and WP Online nursing programs for the benefit of our students, faculty, and staff. 


William Paterson has grown in recent years to become one of the largest producers of nursing graduates in New Jersey, and our nursing programs are critical in meeting the growing healthcare needs of New Jersey and our nation. A dedicated School of Nursing will allow for the kind of infrastructure and visibility that will help us build on that success through critical partnerships with health care providers.


I want to thank the members of the search committee, including its chair, Dr. Jonathan Lincoln, as well as Dr. Vivek AgnihotriDaniella ColonJackie KierceDr. Jill NocellaMary Patricia Sullivan, and Dr. Mel Zeleke, as well as Dean Sharma for their good work in bringing Dr. Guttman into this important new role.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Helldobler, Ph.D.
President
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