Dean Diana Hess named a new senior associate dean, in addition to announcing new associate deans for the arts, health, and education as the School of Education pulls together a new academic leadership team ahead of the 2021-22 academic year.
Members of the new leadership team, who will begin their posts Aug. 23, 2021, are:
- Adam Nelson, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies, is becoming the School’s senior associate dean for academic programs. In this role, Nelson will focus on program quality, including program reviews and reporting, as well as the approval of new courses, programs, certificates, and majors. He will also be responsible for summer term, strategic planning, and senior staff meeting agendas.
- Faisal Abdu’Allah, the Chazen Family Distinguished Chair in Art with the Art Department, will be serving as the School’s associate dean for the arts. Abdu’Allah will provide strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and non-pooled programs for arts cluster departments (Art, Dance, and Theatre and Drama).
- Gary Diffee, the William H. and Virginia F. Marsh Professor with the Department of Kinesiology, is the next associate dean for health. In this role, Diffee will provide strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and non-pooled programs and graduate student funding, as well as support for the School’s health cluster departments (Counseling Psychology, Kinesiology, and Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education.
- Stacey Lee, the Frederick Erickson WARF Professor with the Department of Educational Policy Studies, is taking on the role of associate dean for education. Lee’s efforts will center on providing leadership and strategic planning and program support for development of new programs, certificates, and non-pooled programs for the School’s education cluster departments (Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, and Educational Psychology.)
“These positions provide important representation and leadership support for our diverse array of departments,” says Hess. “I’m so excited these talented faculty members are committed to working as part of the administrative team in the Dean’s Office to carry out a strong, unified vision that supports the mission and goals for the School.”
The associate dean positions are part-time appointments for three years, and are renewable.
Carolyn Kelley has served since 2016 as the senior associate dean for academic programs, and will continue on through the end of 2021 in a mentorship role to this new team.
Hess thanked Kelley and the current associate deans — John Hitchcock (associate dean for the arts), Bill Hoyt (associate dean for health) and Julie Mead (associate dean for education) — for their service to the School.
“This team has worked extremely well together — often in very challenging times over the past year — to help our School maintain its excellence and excel. I’m grateful for your commitment and ongoing ability to get things done.”