A New Era for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

This week William F. Owen Jr. became president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He is the first African American to lead the university and one of the first blacks to head a major medical school that is not at a historically black college or university.

A kidney specialist, Dr. Owen is a graduate of Brown University. He received his medical degree at Tufts University and completed his internship and residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Owen is the author of two books and approximately 200 journal articles on kidney dialysis and transplantation.

In past years the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey has been plagued by serious issues of institutional integrity and improper political influences.

The Owen appointment was made by a reconstituted board of trustees chaired by Robert Del Tufo, former attorney general of New Jersey. The board has taken a number of measures, including the Owen appointment, to bring new standards of transparency and governance to the university.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.