Search begins for new education dean
September 2009
Auburn University Provost Mary Ellen Mazey invites students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners of the College of Education to contribute their ideas to the search for a new dean.
Mazey will moderate a college-wide forum to be held Thursday, Oct. 1, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Student Center Ballroom B. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college are encouraged to attend and to share their thoughts on desired qualifications and attributes of the next dean with Mazey and members of the search committee.
Dr. Frances Kochan recently announced her decision to step down from the deanship of the College of Education in the summer of 2010. Kochan became dean of the college in 2005 after serving in an interim capacity for three years. Once a successor has been named, Kochan will return to the Department of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Technology as a professor of educational leadership. Kochan currently leads a college that offers its 2,676 students 23 bachelor's degree and 37 graduate degree options through four departments.
"It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your dean,'' Kochan said in a message to students. "I am always inspired by your commitment and desire to make the world a better place by building better futures for all.''
Under Kochan's guidance, the College of Education has continually proven itself as a standard-bearer regionally and nationally. In addition to ranking in the top 25 percent in U.S.News and World Report's 2010 survey of "Best Graduate Schools,'' the college has asserted itself as a global learning center by establishing an Office of Research and Innovation and building international partnerships with universities in Costa Rica and Korea. This year, the college continued to create opportunities for its students by offering more than 150 scholarships, fellowships and graduate assistantships for the second consecutive year.
Before becoming dean, Kochan served the College of Education as director of the Truman Pierce Institute and associate dean for administration and research. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education and English from the State University of New York-Fredonia and a master's degree in reading education from the University of Guam.
She received certification in education administration, human resource development and educational evaluation and earned a doctorate in adult education and policy studies from Florida State University. Kochan served on FSU's College of Education faculty before coming to Auburn. Florida State University's College of Education selected Kochan as its Distinguished Alumni Award winner last year and honored her with its Distinguished Educator Award in 2002.
The search committee is being chaired by Dr. June Henton, dean of the School of Human Sciences. Other members include Dr. Susan Villaume, associate dean for academic affairs and certification officer for the College of Education; Dr. Randall McDaniel, Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professor of rehabilitation; Dr. Cynthia Reed, director of the Truman Pierce Institute; Dr. Jared Russell, associate professor of kinesiology; Dr. John Saye, alumni professor of secondary social sciences; Charlotte Barnes, executive assistant to the dean and business manager for the College of Education; Michael Tullier, APR, director of external relations for the College of Education; TJ Exford, Holmes Scholar and student representative; Emily Duke, College of Education student ambassador and student representative; Jim Manley, chair of the college's National Advisory Council; Dr. Robert Locy, professor of biological sciences; and Dr. Terry Jenkins, superintendent of Auburn City Schools.
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