Dear UT Community,
I am writing to let you know that M. Lynn Crismon is planning to conclude his tenure as dean of the College of Pharmacy and return to the faculty, effective Aug. 31, 2020.
Dean Crismon’s tenure as dean began in 2007, and he has worked diligently to elevate the reputation and impact of the college. Currently, the college is the No. 3 pharmacy school in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. Dean Crismon cares deeply about public health and the success of his students, and he is a strong advocate for faculty and staff members.
President Gregory L. Fenves shared this about Dean Crismon’s contributions to UT Austin.
“For over a decade as dean, Lynn Crismon provided extraordinary leadership to the College of Pharmacy at The University of Texas. He elevated every aspect of the college by recruiting world-class faculty members and creating a culture that deeply supported both exemplary teaching and groundbreaking faculty- and graduate student-led research. In 2016, UT’s College of Pharmacy earned a number three ranking from U.S. News and World Report. It is now one of the best colleges in the nation and that is a reflection of Dean Crismon’s vision and leadership. He will continue to make vital contributions as a faculty member and his expertise will help guide the College of Pharmacy forward for many years to come.”
Dean Crismon’s accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but a few of the most significant include:
- From 2006 to 2018, total one-year competitive grant awards more than doubled, and one-year research grants from the National Institutes of Health nearly tripled.
- The number of graduate student endowed fellowships has doubled during his tenure, and he has overseen the creation of 19 new Doctor of Pharmacy scholarship endowments. This year, the college awarded UT student pharmacists more than $440,000 in college-based scholarship funds to support their academic pursuits.
- Two major curriculum revisions were designed and implemented, along with the development and implementation of a quality management program. These changes were made to keep the curriculum innovative so pharmacy graduates are competitive in an ever-changing health care market.
- He played important roles in the early planning of the new Dell Medical School and served on multiple search committees to recruit top academic leadership. He served on the advisory committee for the design of the ground-breaking Health Learning Building and also on the initial curriculum oversight committee.
When I meet alumni and current students, something I hear consistently is how deeply invested Dean Crismon is in the success of individuals and the communities they represent and serve. His combination of compassion, partnership and hard work has resulted in what can only be described as a period of excellence. I respect his integrity, and I’ve benefited from his counsel during my time here at UT.
Please join me in celebrating Dean Crismon’s accomplishments and thanking him for his service as dean.
Best,
Maurie McInnis
Executive Vice President and Provost
The University of Texas at Austin