Navigate

McDiarmid to Step Down as Education Dean, Return to Teaching

Bill McDiarmid ’69, who has led the School of Education for seven years, plans to step down as dean on Jan. 1 and return to teaching as an Alumni Distinguished Professor of education.

“My tenure as dean hasn’t been without its challenges,” McDiarmid said in a statement, “including dramatic budget cuts.” But he detailed how the school has been “significantly restructured” during his tenure: “We’ve established five new named professorships, increased the size of the faculty from 49 to 56, recruited eight new faculty members from underrepresented groups and retained eight key faculty members being recruited by other institutions.”

He also cited:

  • Establishing a new model for teacher preparation, with an upcoming combination bachelor’s/master’s program;
  • Creating a new Master of Educational Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship program;
  • Setting up a minor in education, which reached five-year enrollment targets in its third year; and
  • Instituting an international education concentration in the Master of Arts in Education program and partnerships with East China Normal University and the Beijing Education Commission.

The school currently is ranked 33rd in the country among Best Education Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

Deborah Eaker-Rich ’74 (’86 MEd, ’90 PhD), senior associate dean and chief academic officer for the school, will serve as acting dean and remain in that role until a new dean has been appointed. A search committee for McDiarmid’s successor is expected to be formed soon.


 

Share via: