Office of the Dean
As the college’s chief academic and administrative officer, the Dean provides vision and leadership to ensure the College’s learning and research activities are of the highest levels of excellence. The Dean works closely with the College’s associate and assistant deans, department heads, faculty, staff, and student leaders to foster a culture of academic excellence and inclusiveness.
About
About the Office
The Dean provides leadership for interdisciplinary teacher education programs from the six colleges that collaborate on teacher preparation at Purdue University: Education, Science, Agriculture, Liberal Arts, Health and Human Sciences, and the Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
The Dean works collaboratively with local and national educational leaders to advocate for equitable, accessible and high-quality education for all students.
A Message from the Dean
Since June 1, 2022, I have been honored to serve as the Interim Dean of the College of Education. I have been blessed to have a variety of experiences over my nearly three decades at Purdue, and I will draw on all of these in continuing to move the College forward as we leverage the momentum we have built with our cutting-edge curriculum that has transformed our teacher education programs—as well as our other highly successful, nationally-ranked programs across both departments.
My primary goal has been to be the College’s “cheerleader-in-chief”—to share the amazing successes of our faculty, students, and staff. I’ve been using a metaphor to encourage folks to share these successes. Economic theory tells us that markets only work perfectly when they trade in commodities such as barrels of oil or bins of coal—or bushels of wheat. Too often, Colleges of Education are viewed as interchangeable bushels of wheat. But each success we celebrate helps define us as quinoa in a field of wheat!
We pride ourselves on offering our students “a small college experience in a Big Ten environment” and I invite you to come to the College of Education to see for yourself what it means to be a Boilermaker Educator!
Phillip J. VanFossen
Interim Dean and Ackerman Distinguished Professor
Meet Our Team
Councils
Administrative Council
The Administrative Council is convened by the dean and advises the dean. Its purpose is to function as a representative and leadership-oriented body of both departments, academic services, and the College as a collective to address college-level issues and initiatives, and to propose, discuss, revise, and determine directions in policies and procedures that impact personnel and students in the College. Members include the dean, associate deans, assistant dean, and department heads. Meets: 2nd Tuesday/month from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Expanded Administrative Council
The Expanded Administrative Council is convened by the dean and advises the dean. Its purpose is to function as a representative body of key stakeholders within the College to foster collegial support between individual units and to reinforce an atmosphere of collaboration and awareness while reviewing activities, plans, and general policies and procedures that may impact the College. Members include the dean, associate deans, assistant dean, department heads, chief development officer, manager of Online Programs, director and assistant director of financial affairs; and directors of the Evaluation and Learning Research Center (ELRC), Office of Communications, Office of Information and Technology, Office of Assessment and Accreditation, Office of Student Success and Global Engagement, Office of Graduate Studies, and Faculty Affairs Committee representatives. Meets 4th Tuesday/month from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
COMMITTEES
Faculty Committee Assignments
Area Promotion and Tenure Committee
The Area Promotion and Tenure Committee serves to review and recommend faculty members for tenure and promotion in accordance with university regulations.
Members
- Phil VanFossen, Chair
- EDCI – Laura Bofferding
- EDCI – Bill Watson
- EDCI – OPEN
- EDCI – Brenda Capobianco
- EDCI – Victoria Lowell
- EDST – Eric Deemer
- EDST – OPEN
- EDST – Hua Hua Chang
- EDST – Rick Olenchak
- EDST – Alice Johnson
- Department of Curriculum and Instruction – Selcen Guzey, Head
- Department of Educational Studies Head – Christine Kiracofe, Head
Ex Officio Members
- Tara Johnson, Associate Dean
- Wayne Wright, Associate Dean
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee publicizes, solicits nominations, and administers College-level awards. The COE Awards Committee makes final selections of the recipients of the College faculty, staff, and student awards.
Members
- EDCI – John Broome, Chair
- EDCI – Muhsin Menekse
- EDST – Jennifer Smith
- EDST – Xiang Zhou
Ex Officio and Student Members
- Wayne Wright, Associate Dean
- EDCI – Rose Mbewe, Graduate Student
- EDST – Fangfang Mo, Graduate Student
- Staff – Amanda Goodwin Bowman
- Staff – Ted Fondak
- Administrative Support – Julie Correll
Curriculum Committee
The Curriculum Committee reviews and approves degree and curriculum additions and/or revisions, and articulation agreements with outside agencies, as proposed for approval by departments pursuant to each department’s policies and procedures for curriculum changes.
Members
- EDST – Jasmine Begeske, Chair
- EDCI – Virak Chan
- EDCI – Janine Duncan
- EDCI – Laura Bofferding
- EDST – Anne Traynor
- EDST – Terron Phillips
Ex Officio Members
- Tara Johnson, Associate Dean
- Amanda Goodwin Bowman, Dir. of OGS
- Jackie Thomas-Miller, Dir. of Advising
- Joy Garton Krueger, Asst. Dir. of OTL
- Jodie Conner, Administrative Support
Diversity and Equity Committee
The Diversity and Equity Committee addresses matters pertaining to the construction and effective maintenance of programming and an organizational climate that is hospitable to equity in the context of diversity and inclusion.
Members
- EDCI – Chrystal Johnson, Chair
- EDCI – Ofelia Schepers
- EDCI – Amber Neal-Stanley
- EDST – Xiang Zhou
- EDST – David Stanley
- EDST – Juliana Aguilar
Ex Officio and Student Members
- EDCI – OPEN, Graduate Student
- EDST – Abigael Johnson Allen, Graduate Student
- Jackie Thomas-Miller, Dir. of Academic Advising
- Tatyanna Jordan, Academic Advisor
- Brittne Paramore, Director, Office of Student Success & Global Engagement
- Sunnie Watson, Assistant Dean for Diversity
Faculty Affairs Committee
The Faculty Affairs Committee shall serve as a liaison between the faculty and COE leadership, including the Dean and leadership team. To this end, the chair meets regularly with the leadership team to share faculty concerns, advise the council on issues pertaining to faculty, and facilitate collaboration and shared decision-making.
Members
- EDCI – Christy Wessel-Powell
- EDCI – Bill Watson, Co-chair
- EDCI – Amber Neal-Stanley
- EDCI – Virak Chan
- EDST – Rick Olenchak
- EDST – Xiang Zhou, Co-chair
- EDST – Lisa Snodgrass
- EDST – Jennifer Smith
Ex Officio Members
- Wayne Wright, Associate Dean
International Education Committee
The International Education Committee advances the international goals of the strategic plan of the college.
Members
- EDCI – John Broome
- EDCI – Marisa Exter
- EDCI – OPEN
- EDST – Juliana Aguilar
- EDST – Kristen Seward
- EDST – Yukiko Maeda
Ex Officio and Student Members
- Sunnie Watson, Assistant Dean for Diversity
- EDCI Grad: OPEN
- EDST Grad: Enheang Nol
Nominations and Elections Committee
The Nominations and Elections Committee oversees the nominations and elections within the College.
Members
- EDCI – Victoria Lowell
- EDCI – Jake Burdick
- EDST – Yan Ping Xin
- EDST – LaMonica Williams
University Committee Assignments
University Faculty Mediation Committee
COE – Jill Newton
University Graduate Council
EDCI – Stephanie Masta
EDST – Lisa Snodgrass
University Grievance Hearing Committee
EDCI – Marisa Exter
EDST – LaMonica Williams
At-Large – Stephanie Oudghiri Scherer
University Honors Faculty Governance Committee
COE – Tara Johnson
University P & T Representatives
COE – Yan Ping Xin
University Undergraduate Curriculum Council
COE – Jasmine Begeske
University Senate Representatives
EDCI – Trish Morita-Mullaney
EDST – Alice Johnson
At-Large – Janet Alsup
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