Acclaimed UW nursing school struggles with budget cuts

The University of Washington’s highly-ranked school of nursing is plagued with low-morale, internal strife and a lack of trust between faculty and the department head, according to a new report.

The report by the Seattle consulting firm MacDonald Boyd and Associates attributed the deep divisions largely to choices made over budget cuts.  The state has slashed funding for University of Washington by more than 50-percent in the past 3 years. (Follow the link to the consultant's report)

Read the consultant's report.

The Seattle Times reports budget cuts prompted nursing school dean Marla Salmon to increase teaching loads, reduce teaching assistance and cut the school’s popular study-abroad program in Costa Rica and Thailand. 

Salmon commissioned the report with the help of top UW administrators.  She turned in her resignation last month, but will stay in the position until school ends next year.