Administration

New college dean named

Robert McPherson, the newly appointed dean, has ambitious plans for the future of the College of Education. For the past five years, McPherson had served as executive associate dean of the College of Education. | Courtesy of Dean Robert McPherson

Robert McPherson, the newly appointed dean, has ambitious plans for the future of the College of Education. For the past five years, McPherson had served as executive associate dean of the College of Education. | Courtesy of Dean Robert McPherson

The College of Education hopes to continue to make strides in educational research and leadership within the college and the community under the guidance of a new dean.

Provost John Antel has named Dr. Robert McPherson as the dean of the College of Education.

McPherson is already working toward making initiatives to bring the college to the forefront of the city and the nation.

“In the year ahead, we will be launching a strategic effort to raise the national profile of the College of Education’s academic programs and faculty research efforts,“ McPherson said.

The College of Education’s award winning program in teacher education, the Executive Ed.D. program in Professional Leadership, has become a national model for Carnegie Foundation reform efforts addressing professional graduate training in education, McPherson said.

He also praises the college’s other doctoral programs, saying they are well positioned for national ranking.

“Like the rest of the University of Houston, you will see the College recognized for its excellence and contributions to research and practice in education,” McPherson said.

According to Antel, UH and the College of Education need to get back into what they are supposed to be doing in their capacity as a professional school.

“It’s up to the University of Houston to serve workforce needs for the Houston community and the metropolitan area,” Antel said.

Antel believes this can be accomplished by focusing on teacher and education leadership training.

“We need to get more involved with training better teachers and get more involved with training better school principals and school superintendents,” he said.

Houston is ground zero for the unprecedented economic and social challenges facing public schools. The College of Education is striving to be a major player in research to address these challenges.

Despite lofty aspirations, Antel said there is room to grow.

“The College of Education has done some good things, but I think we can take it to a new level,” he said. “We’re just going to get better and better.”

3 Comments

  • “We need to get more involved with training better teachers and get more involved with training better school principals and school superintendents,” he said. – please start with our professors and administrators!!

  • you guys really are preparing journalism students well. they will be able to go take govt press releases and report them uncritically as news with the rest of the mainstream media now! well done

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