College of Education News

Investiture held to honor Stafford Hood as inaugural Sheila M. Miller Professor of Education

May 06, 2009

On April 28th, Dean Kalantzis, Chancellor Richard Herman, and numerous faculty, students, and friends of the College of Education celebrated the investiture of Dr. Stafford Hood as the inaugural Sheila M. Miller Professor of Education. Hood, who joined the faculty in the fall of 2008 as head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, is widely recognized as a change agent in the field of education.

“We are honored to have Stafford Hood join our college as Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction,” said Mary Kalantzis, Dean of the College of Education. “His commitment to both first-rate research and policy activism are perfectly in line with our vision for the College. Our students and faculty will benefit greatly from his considerable experience and leadership in assessment policy and practice.”

Following the completion of his Ph.D. under the direction of Dr. James Anderson at the University of Illinois, Hood led efforts to minimize cultural bias in Illinois testing and education policy. He later continued this work at Northern Illinois University and co-founded the Relevance of Assessment and Culture in Evaluation (RACE) conference, a national forum on the social and political dimensions of assessment policy. Most recently, Hood served as Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Psychology in Education at Arizona State University.

Speakers at the investiture ceremony applauded Hood’s accomplishments and described him as a valuable addition to the College of Education and the department of Curriculum and Instruction. Terry Denny, Professor Emeritus in Educational Psychology, and Professor Jim Anderson of Educational Policy Studies shared anecdotes from Stafford’s time as a graduate student here and thanked him for his substantial contributions to the Illinois educational system and to the field of educational research. Hood acknowledged many colleagues, mentors, and friends in the audience, particularly thanking his wife, Denice.

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