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University of the Sciences names Cooper Med School dean as new president

The University of the Sciences on Monday named the founding dean of Camden's Cooper Medical School of Rowan University as its 25th president.

Paul Katz, founding dean of Camden’s Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, will become the 25th president of the University of the Sciences.
Paul Katz, founding dean of Camden’s Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, will become the 25th president of the University of the Sciences.Read more

The University of the Sciences on Monday named the founding dean of Camden's Cooper Medical School of Rowan University as its 25th president.

Paul Katz, 68, a physician who specializes in rheumatology and has spent more than 40 years in health care and higher education, will take over at the West Philadelphia university on Sept. 1.

He replaces Kathleen R. Mayes, interim leader since Helen F. Giles-Gee resigned in December 2014, 21/2 years into her presidency.

"I have enormous respect for Paul," said Marvin Samson, the school's board chairman. "I've always felt that he's been a real visionary not only in health care but in higher education. I'm very, very excited. I see it as a new beginning."

Samson said he would like to see Katz focus on raising enrollment, increasing fund-raising, and rebuilding the administration. Some positions have been filled on an interim basis since Giles-Gee's departure.

The university enrolls 2,664 undergraduate and graduate students, down from about 2,800 in 2014. Tuition, fees, and room and board for 2016-17 will run $54,038.

Katz's hire culminates a national search that drew 50 applications.

The university, which specializes in health care and science, declined to disclose Katz's salary.

Katz had served as dean of the Cooper Medical School since 2010. He previously was the founding vice dean for faculty and clinical affairs and professor of medicine at Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton. Before that, he worked at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Fla., Georgetown University Hospital, the University of Florida, and the National Institutes of Health.

He got his medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine and his bachelor's degree in general science from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. He lives in Center City with his wife, Anne-Marie.

Katz said he got to know the University of the Sciences better when Cooper and the university created a student-run, faculty-supervised patient-care clinic in Camden, at which Cooper medical students learned and provided care alongside pharmacy students from the University of the Sciences.

"It was very appealing to me," he said.

Katz said he looks forward to "really getting involved with helping to redefine health education and how health care is practiced."

The announcement comes six months after the school decided against a merger with Salus University in Elkins Park.

"I'm not looking at other deals right now," Samson said. "The most important thing is to put our house in order and make sure we're ready for the future."

Katz said the time is right for leaving Cooper. The medical school recently graduated its first class, and one week ago was notified that it is fully accredited, he said.

"It's a good time to go," he said.

ssnyder@phillynews.com

215-854-4693 @ssnyderinq

www.philly.com/campusinq