Published Wednesday, July 24, 2019 | 9:22 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, July 24, 2019 | 10:25 a.m.
Barbara Atkinson
UNLV School of Medicine Dean Barbara Atkinson has announced she will transition from dean into an advisory leadership role with the school, effective Sept. 1.
Atkinson, who has led the UNLV School of Medicine since its inception, first announced the transition and pending national search for a new dean in February.
An interim dean will lead the day-to-day operations of the medical school until a permanent dean is hired, the school said in a news release. Atkinson will be a consultant in the process for selecting a new dean, who will ultimately be chosen by a search committee within the next school year, officials hope.
“There’s a search firm that has been working on finding candidates for the (new) dean. They hope to be interviewing people in approximately September,” said Atkinson, who was hired as the school’s planning dean in 2014 and was named founding dean in 2015.
Officials expect to announce an interim dean sometime in August, said Tony Allen, senior director of the UNLV Office of Media Relations.
Atkinson said a recent family tragedy prompted her to move into a less time-consuming role at the school, which will give her more time to spend with family.
“To have as much responsibility as being dean of the school, it was just too much at this point in my life,” Atkinson said.
The decision to change the timeline for selecting the school's new leadership was mutually agreed upon by Atkinson and top officials at UNLV, Allen said.
"Dr. Atkinson will remain in an advisory leadership role with the school, and we’re thankful that she’ll continue to share her great wisdom and experience as the school continues its development," Allen wrote in an email.
Atkinson’s new role will focus on the accreditation process, community outreach and help in the planning for the new medical education building, officials said.
The school has attained provisional accreditation, but Atkinson expects officials will receive an update on its accreditation status in October. Full accreditation won’t be reached until next fall at the earliest, when the first class of students enters its senior year, she said.
As for the planned new medical education building, Atkinson said she is “absolutely confident” it will move forward. The Nevada Board of Regents approved funding and design for a the proposed $125 million, 140,000-square-foot building Friday, she said.
“That means we can go ahead and begin the details planning for the building – even more detailed (plans) than we already have,” Atkinson said.
UNLV President Marta Meana said Atkinson’s “vision and experience have and continue to be tremendous assets to UNLV and the School of Medicine.”
“Under her leadership, the school has attracted outstanding students, faculty and staff, and the positive impact of her passion for academic medicine and this school will be felt for years to come,” Meana said in a statement.
