Dr. Haley joined the Chaminade ‘ohana as dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions in May 2019.
When Dr. Rhoberta Haley came across the job posting for dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Chaminade University, she knew instantly it was the right fit.
“It felt like it was a blessing,” says Haley. “I think Chaminade is a great university.”
What first attracted her was the Chaminade mission and its commitment toward advancing and serving underrepresented communities
and populations.
“I love the emphasis on social justice and serving vulnerable populations. Chaminade has a wonderful mission, and nursing is a really good fit for that mission. It’s just a very nice synergy.”
Throughout her career, Haley has seen firsthand how nursing can transform communities. “A degree in nursing can be life-changing, especially if you are the first person in your family to go to college. When you become a nurse you have that healthcare knowledge, and that benefits your family, neighbors, friends and communities. You serve people everywhere you go.”
She was also drawn to the fact that Chaminade has an incredibly diverse student body. Just last year, Chaminade was listed as having the highest percentage of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students in the nation, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Haley believes nurses should represent the people they take care of, and starting with a diverse group of students is essential. “We need men and women, people from all kinds of ethnic and racial backgrounds to inform how we care for patients.”
Haley brings with her 40 years of experience in nursing and nursing education, including from academic leadership positions in California, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana and Arizona.
She sees a lot of potential at Chaminade. Amongst her highest priorities: partnering with community healthcare groups to see where Chaminade can add value, and growing the program offerings within the School of Nursing and Health Professions. She also sees an opportunity to grow the current simulation center and develop even more experiential learning opportunities for students.
“Luckily, we have a really strong faculty. They’ve been here; they’re experienced nurses and educators.” To Haley, that’s critical. “You want to have a core group of faculty that understand the university and the mission and are really dedicated to our students.”
She’s excited to work with the faculty this fall to build a comprehensive plan and vision for the school driven by research, community and regional needs, employer demands and partner support.
“We’re positioned in a really nice way. We’ve already started a really good nursing school and it’s been successful,” says Haley. “This is the time to start adding programs and growing, and offering more to our region.”
