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Shannon appoints Canterbury interim Medical School dean

Long-time associate dean to return to return to current position afterwards

University officials announced Dr. Randolph J. Canterbury accepted his appointment to Interim Medical School Dean earlier this week. His term will begin Dec. 1, 2014.

Canterbury, the senior associate dean for education at the Medical School, will replace Medical School Dean Nancy Dunlap, who is stepping down after 18-months in the position.

Dunlap said in an email that she came to the Medical School during a period of turnover and was allotted an 18-month period to ensure everything went smoothly.

“Randy is a thoughtful individual who understands the issues that are being addressed,” Dunlap said. “I have no doubt that the transition to Randy's leadership will be smooth. The other senior associate deans are very talented and will help Randy if issues arise. We have completed a strategic planning process and are implementing our initiatives. Teams are in place to help carry out our plans.”

Dr. Richard Shannon, the executive vice president for Health Affairs, said in an email that Canterbury has been close advisor to the dean for more than a decade, and is taking on the role out of a deep sense of duty to the University.

Shannon said the interim position was not a “lame duck position” and would require skilled leadership.

“The unfinished work of the SOM [Medical School] strategic plan and important administrative restructuring will begin under Randy’s leadership,” Shannon said.

Canterbury said he has been meeting with Dunlap for the past 18 months as part of the Medical School’s management team. While the strategic plan represents an ongoing project which started nine months ago under Dunlap’s watch, implementation will continue under Canterbury.

“We have an institutional plan that was developed by members of the Medical School community with a strategy to move forward,” Canterbury said. “I think my job will be — I won’t say simple, but it’ll [be] pretty clear, and that is to implement that plan over the next 7-8 months.”

The plan includes education fellowships for faculty to improve teaching and a potential dual degree with the Education School, which Canterbury said they plan to start next summer.

According to the announcement Shannon made earlier this week, the Medical School is continuing an ongoing national search process to find a new permanent dean to succeed Canterbury. Dr. Karen Johnston and Prof. Gary Owens co-chair the search advisory committee. Shannon said he hopes the committee and the administration will find a new dean by July 2015.

When the dean position is filled, Canterbury will return to his current position as the Medical School's senior associate dean for education.

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