Greetings from Interim Dean

Welcome to the University of Saskatchewan College of Nursing.

I would like to begin this message by introducing myself. My name is Cindy Peternelj-Taylor and I am the current Interim Dean at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing. My appointment commenced May 1^st, 2020.

I began my academic career with the USask College of Nursing in 1983 in a one-year limited-term lecturer position, followed by an assistant professor appointment in 1987; I have been a full professor since 1998. In addition to my teaching, and now administrative duties, my research and scholarship focuses on professional role development for nurses and healthcare professionals who work with vulnerable populations in forensic psychiatric and correctional settings.

I am delighted to bring greetings to both new and returning College of Nursing students, our faculty and staff, and our community partners. At the same time, I don’t want to ignore the realities of the global pandemic and its impact on the people of our province, our college, and all of us as individuals. That being said, amongst all the uncertainty we’ve experienced as of late, one thing I know for sure - nurses are resilient. We are creative thinkers, dedicated to collaboration with others, and we are strong. If there is a group of people who can push through uncertainty, adapt well to constant change and think on their feet, it is nurses.  

When I look back over the last six months, I am proud of the way in which both the University of Saskatchewan and the College of Nursing have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working closely with public health and Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, USask has put the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff at the forefront of every decision, while trying to determine the best way forward to run an institution of this size, under such difficult circumstances. I encourage you to read the most recent University of Saskatchewan updates regarding COVID-19 here.  

Everyone within the College of Nursing has been working diligently in the delivery of our theory classes, labs, and clinical experiences. It is especially challenging to plan for the future under these unprecedented times, where every day brings a new reality. I am confident the decisions being made within the College of Nursing reflect the best interests of students, while continuing to prioritize everyone’s safety and well-being. Over the coming weeks and months, I want to assure everyone that we will continue to communicate all College of Nursing updates and plans in as timely a manner as possible.  

Although everything feels different at the moment, some things are the same. We have recently welcomed new undergraduate and graduate students into our programs, we continue to deliver our programming throughout Saskatchewan and our faculty have carried forward with their programs of research.

I would also like to share some exciting news for the College of Nursing. The University of Saskatchewan purchased and renovated a facility located in the heart of Prince Albert, which has now become the official University of Saskatchewan Prince Albert Campus. As a College, we have a long history in Prince Albert, having offered the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program there for over fifteen years, during which time over 450 nurses completed their degrees. Now after over 10 years in the making, there is a beautiful, stand-alone University of Saskatchewan campus for our nursing students. Our faculty and staff are excited to join our Prince Albert USask colleagues on the new campus. We recently welcomed our newest class of just over 60 nursing students, as well as our returning nursing students, to this wonderful new University of Saskatchewan space. Welcome home Prince Albert nursing students!

I close this greeting by repeating what I said earlier, “if there is a group of people who can push through uncertainty, adapt well to constant change and think on their feet, it is nurses.” Although there may be bumps in the road over the course of the next year as I serve as Interim Dean, I am confident we will all get through this -- united stronger as one – students, faculty, staff and community partners. We will work together to make the most of these extraordinary times. During this challenging time in our history, I have been comforted by Dr. Bonnie Henry’s sage mantra, “be kind, be calm, and be safe”. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

I think of each of you during this challenging time. I hope you are well and I hope you are safe.

Sincerely,

Cindy Peternelj-Taylor
Interim Dean
College of Nursing
University of Saskatchewan