August 17, 2005
TO THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY
Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jane Close Conoley as the new dean of our Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, effective January 1, 2006.
Dr. Conoley has served as dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University since 1996, and holds a faculty position there as well. The college is highly ranked and has one of the largest undergraduate and graduate enrollments in the country. Prior to joining Texas A&M, she was a professor, department chair, and associate dean for research and curriculum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She also has held faculty positions at Texas Woman’s University and Syracuse University, and has taught in public schools in both Texas and New York. She received her B.A. in psychology from the College of New Rochelle, and her Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr. Conoley is well known for the depth and impact of her research on school psychology. She is the author or co-author of 20 books, 33 book chapters, and 30 articles on education issues, and has been the principal or co-principal investigator of grants with awards totaling over $18 million. She has just received a $3.6 million award from the Texas Education Agency. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society.
I would like to thank Dean Melvin Oliver, chair of our search advisory committee, and each of the committee members (listed on the reverse page) for their excellent work on this rigorous national search. I would also like to thank EVC Gene Lucas and our many faculty and administrative colleagues who participated in the search process.
We look forward to the extraordinary commitment and leadership that Dr. Conoley will bring to this important position as dean. Please join me in welcoming her to our UCSB community. Please also join me in extending our heartfelt thanks to Professor Gale Morrison for her leadership as acting dean and her ongoing contributions to our campus.
Sincerely,
Henry T. Yang
Chancellor
Search Advisory Committee for the Dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education
Melvin Oliver, Chair (Dean of Social Sciences; Professor, Sociology)
Betsy Brenner (Associate Professor, Education)
Carol Dixon (Associate Dean, GGSE; Senior Lecturer, Education)
Richard Duran (Professor, Education)
Michael Furlong (Professor, Education)
Hsiu-Zu Ho (Professor, Education)
Cynthia Hudley (Professor, Education)
Virginia Johns (Staff Representative)
Peggy Lamb (Chair, Dean’s Council, GGSE)
Sears McGee (Professor, History)
Claudine Michel (Professor, Black Studies)
Kenneth Millett (Professor, Mathematics; Regional Director, CAMP)
Paul Rogers (Graduate Students Association Representative)
Russell Rumberger (Professor, Education; Director, UC LMRI)
George Singer (Professor, Education)
Consultant to the committee:
Joe Castro (Coordinator, Affirmative Action Office)