HSU and McMurry reach agreement on nursing school

ABILENE—Hardin-Simmons University and McMurry University reached an agreement regarding the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing, which has operated as an intercollegiate consortium of the two Abilene universities.

In a joint statement, HSU and McMurry formally announced Nov. 16 HSU will establish its own nursing program by 2025—a move already alluded to in an earlier statement by Rick Strange, chair of the HSU board of trustees, concerning the board granting a three-year contract extension to President Eric Bruntmyer.

McMurry will retain the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing and will acquire its assets for its own nursing program.

Both nursing programs are contingent upon approval by the Texas Board of Nursing and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Lawsuit dismissed

This summer, McMurry filed a $1 million lawsuit against HSU, claiming a breach of contract regarding the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing. McMurry asserted HSU failed to honor a contract to sell its interests in the nursing school to McMurry.

The Nov. 16 public statement said the universities had resolved “prior misunderstandings,” and McMurry confirmed HSU had fulfilled all duties owed.

“As a result of this agreement, both institutions released each other of all claims asserted in the Taylor County District Court litigation and submitted a joint notice of dismissal of claims to terminate the litigation,” the public statement read.

In an email to HSU faculty, staff and students, Bruntmyer wrote: “HSU paid nothing in settlement to McMurry, nor damages of any kind, and admitted no wrongdoing whatsoever. We are gratified that McMurry was willing to confirm that HSU fulfilled all of its duties to both McMurry and to the Patty Hanks consortium, which HSU has been administering for many decades. HSU’s administrations, past and present, have always fulfilled our duties, legal and otherwise, to both entities.

“We are truly pleased with the ultimate outcome which gives us what we wanted all along, to either purchase McMurry’s interests in PHSSN and move it to our campus or, as has now been accomplished, sell our interest to McMurry in a fair deal and begin our own on-campus nursing program. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this process. The future of nursing education at HSU is bright, and we are excited for this next phase in our school’s history!”

In the public announcement, Bruntmyer said the agreement allows HSU and McMurry to “move forward with independent programs that will increase the number of nurses in the Big Country and beyond,” Bruntmyer said.

“HSU is excited to create a new nursing program delivered on campus and integrated with the rest of the university,” he added.

Sandra Harper, president of McMurry, called the agreement “a win for Abilene” and a move that “will impact the region positively by helping to fill vacant nursing positions.”

“All of us at McMurry are excited to continue our commitment to enhance nursing education by ensuring that Patty Hanks graduates are prepared to meet diverse patients’ needs and deliver safe, quality patient care,” Harper said.

Transition begins

More than 40 years ago, HSU, McMurry and Abilene Christian University created the Abilene Intercollegiate School of Nursing as a nonprofit corporation. Nearly 20 years ago, the nursing school became an unincorporated association, and the three universities entered into a consortium agreement, with HSU acting as the coordinating institution. ACU withdrew from the consortium in 2012.

During the transition to independent nursing education programs, HSU and McMurry will continue as members of the consortium, but McMurry becomes the coordinating institution effective Dec. 1. The transition is expected to be complete by January 2025, according to the Nov. 16 public statement.

In his email to the “HSU Community,” Bruntmyer provided additional details. Between now and January 2025, HSU will seek a founding program director “who will play a key role” in developing the Hardin-Simmons nursing education program, which will be housed in the Holland Health Sciences Building.

Students who enter the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing beginning in fall 2023 “are expected to complete their education and training through HSU’s new nursing program,” he wrote. Currently enrolled HSU students who are scheduled for spring 2025 graduation will graduate from the Patty Hanks Shelton School of Nursing.

Bruntmyer outlined three benefits to HSU operating its own nursing education program:

• Nursing continues to be the top program of interest indicated by prospective students.“By starting our own nursing program on campus, we can attract and accommodate more of these prospective students to grow enrollment and improve student completion rates.”
• Nursing shortages continue to be critical. “The potential for enrollment of aspiring nursing students at HSU makes this the right time to bring this program onto campus and contribute directly to our community by addressing and solving a need.”
• HSU already has a solid foundation of healthcare and science programs, plus facilities and community partnerships. “Operating an independent nursing program is a natural step in our university’s evolution as a health care education leader in the Big Country region.”