TUW to Rename School of Health and Human Services in Honor of Dr. Edith Neumann
Touro University Worldwide will rename its School of Health and Human Services after Dr. Edith Neumann, who passed on February 17, 2018.
Dr. Neumann served as a provost and professor of Health Sciences at TUW. She played a key role in the development and success of the university’s online degree programs, opening the gift of education to students around the world.
In a letter to TUW’s Chancellor and CEO, Dr. Yoram Neumann (Dr. Edith Neumann’s husband), President of The Touro College and University System, Dr. Alan Kadish wrote that the school “seeks to foster the legacy of our dear Provost and your wife, Edith Neumann, Ph.D.”
Further, Dr. Kadish stated that the school is “intent on renaming the TUW School of Health and Human Services as the Edith Neumann School of Health and Human Services.”
An Education Pioneer
Dr. Neumann was one of the founders of the first regionally accredited, fully online university called Touro University International (TUI). Under her guidance, TUI offered accredited undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. programs fully online.
Dr. Neumann founded the TUI Colleges of Health and Education and served as Dean of the school for nine years. Until February 2010, she also was Vice President for Academic Affairs of TUI.
Dr, Neumann also conducted numerous program evaluations and need assessments funded by local, state, federal and international agencies. The many programs Dr. Neumann was involved in included “Healthy Communities for the LA Hispanic Community” as well as entrepreneurship development for underserved populations.
She also authored papers and book chapters on program evaluation, policy assessment, motivation and stress-burnout in organizations. Much of her work focused on higher education administration and the development of quality college programs that resulted in success for graduates.
In 2012, Dr. Neumann and the original TUI team developed Touro Worldwide University. She became Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Her contributions to TUW helped create a 440% percent growth in TUW students. She also influenced the strong financial status of the university and creation of 14 regionally accredited associate, bachelor, masters and doctorate programs.
An Accomplished Academic
Dr. Neumann earned her PhD in medical sociology from Boston University. She majored in healthcare organizations with a specialization in program evaluation and needs assessment.
She also earned a M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering and Management and a B.A in Behavioral Sciences-Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. She also earned a nursing degree.
Dr. Neumann worked as a senior research associate at the Center for Applied Social Sciences and a professor of research at Boston University. She also was Director of Program Evaluation and Development at the University Affiliated Programs at the Kennedy-Shriver Center at Waltham, Mass.
She later served as a Dean for the School of Health that included the statewide nursing program at California State University Dominguez Hills, where she was a professor of Health Sciences and director of the Center for Policy Research and Evaluation.
In addition to all these extraordinary accomplishments, Dr. Neumann also was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Emergency and Disaster Management. She received many awards, including the Lyle Gibson Excellence in Teaching Award from California State.
In a memorial page dedicated to Dr. Edith Neumann, people remembered her as “inspirational,” a “visionary leader” and a person who set “an example of excellence.”
