Boston University announced yesterday University of Wisconsin-Madison psychology professor and veteran educator Hardin Coleman will be the School of Education’s permanent dean.
Coleman accepted BU’s offer Feb. 27, and will replace interim Dean Charles Glenn, who was appointed in July 2006 following the resignation of Douglas Sears. The counseling psychology professor hails from UW-Madison, where current College of Arts and Sciences Dean Virginia Saprio served as vice provost for teaching and learning before coming to BU this academic year. Coleman’s research has focused on minority achievement, and he said SED’s mission matches his research.
“I’m at a point where I’m very interested in the broader points of education — especially around achievement and getting quality teachers into new schools,” Coleman said. “I was looking for a position that would allow me to be involved in the training of teachers more directly and challenges of educations and opportunities . . . I was interested in a place that wanted to work in a local community, particularly public urban education from a high quality practice perspective.”
Coleman, who worked for nearly 30 years as an educator, said it would be too bold to make statements about plans for SED already. He will work with the faculty and administration to learn the school’s culture before he decides what needs to be done.
Coleman said he would like to get SED professors more engaged in research, without detracting from teacher training. He said he wants BU to have a reputation for helping local public schools.
Glenn said he has enjoyed working as interim dean of SED, but is ready to pass the torch and get back into the classroom.
“He’s great. I’ve met with him three times now, and we send emails back and forth several times a day,” Glenn said. “I’m delighted, and I’m delighted I’m stepping down. I only agreed to do it one year, and it’s turned into two years. I’m very happy to get back to doing what I love, which is teaching and writing books.”
Glenn replaced Sears, who resigned after losing some faculty support following the revelation that he had applied for the presidency at Warren Wilson College, according to a March 21, 2006 Daily Free Press article. Former BU President John Silber appointed Sears as interim dean in 2001 and made him permanent dean without a formal dean search.
Glenn worked with the Boston Public School’s Step Up program and worked to involve non-SED students in education as interim dean.
“Well, I think the most fun thing has been creating the two-credit courses and persuading hundreds of undergraduates across the university to have a taste of what the education university is like,” Glenn said.
Lauren Katzman, SED curriculum and teaching professor, said the school’s staff “loved” Glenn while he was in office.
“He’s been phenomenal,” she said. “He’s brilliant at pulling us together as a faculty and brilliant in just making our program stronger.”
However, Katzman said the faculty is also very excited for the new dean to arrive.
“It’s almost giddy,” she said. “The feeling of possibilities and hope and optimism is extremely high.”
Alan Kibbe Gaynor, an SED professor, echoed Katzman’s sentiments.
“He was marvelous,” he said. “He had a vision for this school. He moved us forward, and he paved the way for the new dean.”