Michael Rodriguez named interim CEHD dean

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Rodriguez will serve as interim CEHD dean effective August 17, 2020, for a term of one year. During this time, we will relaunch and complete a paused national search for the next permanent dean of the college.

A tenured faculty member in the Department of Educational Psychology, Michael has served as associate dean of Undergraduate Education, Diversity, and International Initiatives since last summer. He is director and cofounder of the Educational Equity Resource Center and since 2013 has held the Campbell Leadership Chair in Education and Human Development, supporting University work to reduce achievement gaps and expand collaborations to improve educational access and success. His teaching and research focus on educational equity, educational testing and assessment, and social-emotional learning and youth development.

Michael will work productively with Dean Jean Quam to ensure a smooth transition for the college. Please join us in thanking Michael for his willingness to serve as interim dean and in thanking Jean for her outstanding leadership over the last decade as dean of the college.  Since becoming dean, Jean has addressed her fair share of challenges while implementing an ambitious plan to guide the college throughout her tenure. She put the college on a firm financial footing and ushered in tremendous strides in three foundational pillars: excellence in research, diversity and internationalization, and technology and innovation. Jean’s leadership over the past 10 years has positioned the college exceptionally well for the future. We are happy that Jean will stay with us as she transitions back to the faculty of the School of Social Work in the college. We are indeed lucky to have had Jean, and now Michael, at the helm of CEHD.