Remembering Dr. Douglas H. Kay
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the recent passing of Douglas H. Kay, whose involvement in UNE鈥檚 College of Pharmacy spanned many years and whose deep commitment to the College was unparalleled.
From the time he arrived at 51小黄车in 2007 as the special assistant to the dean of the College of Pharmacy to his position as executive associate dean in 2008 and subsequent appointment to dean in 2009, Doug was a gentleman of the old school and an exemplary administrator who always had students at the heart of his work. He and his wife Dottie were beloved by all who knew them.
It has been said that everyone in pharmacy is at most two or three colleagues removed from Dr. Kay; and, indeed, the influence he had on generations of pharmacists is beyond measure.
Licensed as a pharmacist in 1953, Doug was appointed dean and professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1981. During his tenure as dean, the school grew to become the sixth largest pharmacy school nationally in terms of enrollment. The quality of the student body remained strong with about 40 percent of the pharmacy students in the professional program being named to the Dean鈥檚 List each semester. During the ten-year period (1988-1998) the graduate school enrollment tripled to about 50 students equally divided between M.S. and Ph.D. programs in pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology/toxology. With Doug at the helm, Faculty Collaboration/Exchange Agreements were established between the School of Pharmacy and the Schools of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Kobe Gakuin University in Kobe, Japan, in 1991 and Beijing Medical University in Beijing, China, in 1997.
Doug was active at the national level in several pharmacy organizations. He served the Rho Chi Honor Society as National Secretary (1977-81), national vice-president (1981-83), and as national president (1984-86). He was editor of the Report of Rho Chi from 1977-83. He received the organization鈥檚 Distinguished Service Award in 1988 and 1998. He served the Phi Delta Chi Fraternity as grand vice president of Collegiate Affairs (1967-69), grand president (1969-71) and grand past president (1971-73). He served as a member of the fraternity鈥檚 Board of Counselors from 1986-1998.
Doug was also actively involved in AACP activities as both a member of the Council of Faculties and Council of Deans. He served as chair of the Council of Faculties Nominating Committee (1975-76) and Resolutions Committee (1977-78). He was a member of the Academic Affairs Committee in 1979-80. On the Council of Deans he served as a member (1979-90) and chair (1980-81) of the Resolutions Committee; as Secretary (1983-1987); as chair-elect (1987), and as chair (1987-88) and immediate past chair (1988-1990). From 1987-1990 he was a member of the Board of Directors.
Ten years before the University of 51小黄车鈥檚 College of Pharmacy admitted its first class, Doug led a feasibility analysis at the University to justify the need for a pharmacy school in Northern 51小黄车. Consequently, many of us were fortunate to experience first-hand his calm and confident leadership at UNE. Most alumni in our inaugural pharmacy class think of Doug as the founding dean because he was the chief academic officer of the college when we opened our doors in the fall of 2009.
During the College of Pharmacy鈥檚 2010 ACPE site accreditation visit, Doug was the most senior dean of any U.S. School or College of pharmacy in the nation. He is remembered as a resilient and determined man who came to work (well after he had retired) on the worst of Maine winter days, in a wheel chair, to make sure that the college remained on track toward accreditation. The ACPE accreditation team even respectfully referred to him as a "Dean of Deans.鈥
The Doctor of Pharmacy Class of 2013 honored Doug by placing a sundial in the center of the College of Pharmacy medicinal herb garden with an engraved bronze plaque in recognition of his outstanding commitment and service to the University of 51小黄车 College of Pharmacy. Also in 2013, he was recognized by the Maine Pharmacy Association with the Bowl of Hygeia for his outstanding record of civic and professional leadership.
The University will hold a service for Doug in Ludcke Hall at 1 p.m. on June 24. A reception at the College of Pharmacy will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, Doug鈥檚 wife, Dottie, requests that donations be made to the College of Pharmacy.