With the end of the school’s fiscal year, Dean Christopher Morphew reported a number of notable changes at the School of Education. The combined effect will bring the school an infusion of fresh talent as well as enhance its research community by collecting several efforts under one roof.
Facilities
Renovations to the Education Building’s fourth floor are expected to be completed in October, enabling staff of the Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS) and the Baltimore Education Research Coalition (BERC) to join their School of Education colleagues at 2800 North Charles.
This summer, the building will also receive an upgrade to its street-level visibility through improved signage and a number of light-pole banners featuring SOE degree candidates and alumni. Future renovations to the Education Building will include replacing approximately 210 existing windows with high-efficiency glazing that will lower operational costs and improve the building’s aesthetics.
Faculty
Jim Diamond, currently senior research associate with the Educational Development Center, and Christopher J. Devers, currently associate professor and director of research education at Indiana Wesleyan University, will join the Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology program as assistant professors (clinical) this fall.
Sterling Travis, who recently earned his PhD from the College of William and Mary, and Yiying Xiong, who received her PhD from the Ohio University in 2017, will join the school this August as assistant professors in clinical mental health counseling.
Associate Professor Marc L. Stein, who is also research co-director of BERC and a CSOS faculty affiliate, assumed the role of director of the PhD program on July 1.
In the EdD program, Karen Karp was promoted to professor (clinical) and will serve as the program’s advisement coordinator. Wendy Osefo, currently a visiting professor, will join the program this fall as assistant professor (clinical). In other faculty news, Marcy Davis, who has been associated with CSOS since 2006 and also teaches in EdD program, was promoted to associate professor, research track.
Staff
Mary Beth Regan, currently senior editor for the university’s Whiting School of Engineering, will come on board as SOE’s new director of communications and marketing on August 6. John Robertson, formerly creative director, has been promoted to manager of creative communications in recognition of his growing strategic responsibilities on the external relations team.
Teresa “Teri” Sabatelli will be begin her role as the new director of student affairs on August 15. Teri is currently director of student affairs and enrollment management at Penn State, Berks College.
Other important staff positions expected to be filled by the fall include senior associate dean for operations and finance, assistant dean for faculty development, and director of grants services.
Budget
After entering FY18 with a projected budget deficit of more than $2 million, the school is expected to show a more nearly balanced, or positive, result once the books are finalized. Morphew noted that the positive change is largely due to better-than-projected enrollments in several programs; better-than-projected research expenditures and indirect costs; and an accounting change that tabulated two summer enrollment periods over the course of the same fiscal year.
The dean further projected a $3 million deficit for FY19 and, while expecting a positive annual budget by FY20, stressed the need “to create a reserve equal to at least 60 days of operating expenses,” to ensure future fiscal stability.
