Posted 08/17/2007

Richter to leave deanship to head new institute

Dr. Donna L. Richter, dean of the Arnold School of Public Health, will be leaving her current role at the beginning of the Fall 2007 semester.  Richter, who has served as dean of the Arnold School since December 2003, will now lead a broader venture to promote public health priorities statewide. 

Richter will serve as executive director of the South Carolina Public Health Institute.  This new initiative will be based at USC and will serve as a catalyst in promoting collaboration and innovation in addressing public health challenges and emerging threats. 

“This institute will elevate the discourse on public health priorities in South Carolina and do so by reaching beyond the university in bringing together key stakeholders across all public health sectors,” said Dr. Harris Pastides, USC vice president for research and health sciences.  “The mission of this institute will promote effective responses to critical public health challenges while focusing, in part, on policy issues.” 

Richter will build upon existing efforts of the Arnold School and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in establishing the new institute.  During her tenure as dean of the Arnold School, Richter has been instrumental in forging a strong partnership between the Arnold School and DHEC through the South Carolina Public Health Consortium. 

"The current work of the consortium has demonstrated the synergy that is possible when key public health entities work together with a common purpose," said Dr Lisa Waddell, Deputy Commissioner for Health Services, DHEC.  "Dr. Richter's leadership and vision will ensure a successful launch of this critically important institute for our state." 

Richter envisions building on the consortium model by engaging all of the health sciences at USC along with other academic institutions and key public and private-sector partners.  

“I look forward to playing a founding role in what will be a bold new step to address the public health issues of our time,” said Richter.  “This is an exciting opportunity to galvanize partners and optimize efforts to improve the public's health.” 

The South Carolina Public Health Institute is the outgrowth of many years of work.  The foundation for this venture dates back to efforts in 2000 under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Turning Point Initiative and more recent work in 2003 under the CDC’s Academic Health Department grant program.   

Currently, Richter is principal investigator on another grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that fosters such emerging institutes.  Waddell, representing DHEC, serves as co-principal investigator. 

“It is this funding and other support that will be used to move the concept of the South Carolina Public Health Institute to the next level,” said Richter.  “It will now be possible for our state to be more actively engaged in the national network of public health institutes that exist in more than half the states.” 

The USC-based institute will benefit from a close partnership with the South Carolina Public Health Consortium and the Arnold School’s Office of Public Health Practice, both under the direction of Dr. Lillian Smith.  Additional leadership in the development of the institute will be provided by Dr. Lee Pearson and Ms. Regina Fields.  

During Richter’s tenure as dean, the Arnold School experienced many significant advances: 

• Overall research awards increased by 38%, while NIH awards increased 55%;
• Aggressive efforts to increase faculty ranks produced numerous hires through both the Centenary Plan and Faculty Excellence Initiative;
• Student enrollment increased at both the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• The Arnold School’s website was completely redeveloped to provide more timely and useful information for all of the school’s constituents;
• The Public Health Research Center opened as the first building in the University’s new Innovista research campus;
• The first alumni achievement awards were created under the ongoing generosity of Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold;
• The Office of Public Health Practice was reestablished with a broader mission encompassing stronger relations with practice partners and expanded opportunities for faculty, staff and students.

While serving as dean, Richter continued her own research agenda garnering over $8 million in grant funding as principal investigator. 

Richter has also served on numerous national boards and committees during her tenure as dean.  Currently, she serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) and chairs the Association’s Diversity Committee as well as their Kellogg Task Force on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.  Richter is also a current member of the Public Health Workforce Enumeration Task Force and the Education Committee for ASPH. 

The USC Office of Research and Health Sciences plans to announce an appointment for interim dean of the Arnold School in the coming days and will provide more information about a search process at that time.