University of New England

UNE names new dean of College of Health Professions

Following a national search, David M. Ward, Ph.D., of Charleston, South Carolina, has been selected as the new dean of the College of Health Professions at the University of New England. Ward will start his new position on January 15, 2007.

Ward is currently associate dean for planning with the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). In that position he took a leadership role in the College’s recent building project and technology upgrade, installing $2.1 million in audio-visual equipment to complement classroom instruction.

In her announcement to the UNE community, President Danielle Ripich noted that she had “worked closely with David when I was the dean of MUSC’s College of Health Professions and I know him to be an extremely intelligent, creative and highly effective administrator.”

Previous Position
In his previous position as chair of MUSC’s Department of Health Administration and Policy, Ward led a number of impressive accomplishments that included new graduate and undergraduate degree programs, increased enrollment, enhanced student technology, increased research funding, recruitment of top-notch faculty and the creation of the Center for Health Economic and Policy Studies.

As the department’s financial manager, he took the department from a nearly million-dollar deficit to a $260,000 surplus.

Ward is a researcher and a recognized scholar in his areas of expertise, which include the management, allocation and cost-analysis of healthcare resources. He has co-written several books on cost accounting for healthcare organizations, one of which is considered the standard textbook on the subject.

He has been the principal or co-investigator on a number of federal and state research grant projects. In 1998 he was named Developing Scholar of the Year and was named Teacher of the Year in 2003.

Ward earned an M.P.A. (1989) and Ph.D. (1996) at New York University. He graduated from Colgate University in 1986.

UNE College of Health Professions
The College of Health Professions is housed on UNE’s Westbrook College Campus in Portland. The College’s I2H2 (Integrated, Interdisciplinary Health and Healing) Initiative and its high-tech human patient simulators have brought it national recognition as a leader in innovative health care education.

(Press release issued Oct. 26, 2006)