Greetings!

As another semester draws to a close, I am thankful to have celebrated my third Thanksgiving here in America. I am also fortunate to have witnessed firsthand the democratic process of the November 4 election. We are truly living in momentous times, where our greatest challenges are presented alongside opportunities for renewal. While the economic outlook is dire, the College has positioned itself for growth and financial stability.

The field of education is constantly changing, as is our response to how teaching and learning are influenced by a world context. The college continues its involvement, engaging our leaders and shaping educational policy. Professor Richard Anderson presented at a public forum on Education Policy in Transition, hosted at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC on November 18. He and other researchers and policy leaders engaged with advisers to President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional staff in a discussion of some of the most urgent issues in educational policy.

As you will see below, the semester has been extremely busy and fulfilling. I invite you to keep up-to-date with what is happening at the College via my monthly blog at https://blogs.ed.uiuc.edu/dean/.
 

Happenings Around the College

Youth Literature Festival a Success!
The College of Education proudly hosted its first Youth Literature Festival , October 2-4, 2008. Twenty-two local and national authors participated in the festival, visiting more than 40 schools and 10 libraries within a 70 mile radius of Champaign County. Over the course of the three-day festival, more than 5000 children and their families celebrated the value of literature in the lives of youth. The events featured entertainment for children and adults of all ages, from storytelling, puppetry, readings, lectures, book signings, and discussions with the Festival authors and illustrators, to a poetry cafe for middle and high school students; from museum and library exhibits at Krannert Art Museum and Orpheum Children's Museum, to student musical performances. These events were designed to bring together families from throughout the area, those involved with the public sector, and a variety of community groups for one main goal: putting literature at the heart of our lives. All events were free and open to the public and held at various locations across the Champaign-Urbana community.

The impact of the Festival continues to be seen across Central Illinois.  Many of the schools hosting Festival authors and illustrators have "adopted" their special guest.  The schools either have obtained grants or are using existing monies to fund the cost of a return visit.  Children in many schools are engaged in an ongoing dialogue with their author or illustrator via letters, website podcasts, and Wikis.

College Hosts Reception for Project 500's 40th Anniversary
40 years ago, U of I's pioneering Project 500 brought minorities to campus in an effort to give all Illinois students access to equal educational opportunities. As a graduate student, James Anderson was pivotal in recruiting minorities into Project 500. He is now the head of the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the College of Education. Speaking at a reception at the 2008 Black Alumni Reunion, Anderson said that the effect of Project 500 was felt long beyond those often-difficult four years, when students faced discrimination both on and off campus.

Students helped form clubs and an African-American cultural center that paved the way for other cultural groups. Curriculums included more cultural and racial diversity.

"The tone and tenor of that black renaissance was very much informed by Project 500," Anderson said. "You could almost see the black student movement on campus in ascendancy."

"There were all kinds of tensions that still existed, but clearly the university was different once they arrived," he said, adding later that "the whole nation was watching as to what would happen on campus."
 
Excerpts from the News-Gazette article "UI black alumni mark Project 500's 40th anniversary" by Amy F. Reiter - November 9, 2008

Higher Education 40 Year Reunion
In 1968, the National Defense Education Act Institute was formed at the College of Education, establishing a cohort of future Higher Education professionals. Over the past forty years, alumni have represented the College in their roles with higher education, community college leadership, and continuing education. A celebration for this milestone highlighted the College's events during Homecoming 2008. This included opportunities to gather socially, a symposium featuring Higher Education faculty and alumni, and a chance to cheer on the football team.
 

Awards & Achievements

Lizanne DeStefano named the Fox Family Professor of Education
As a result of her international prominence as a researcher and evaluator, and her exemplary engagement both within the local community, the state of Illinois, and nationwide, Professor Lizanne DeStefano became the first Fox Family Professor in Education. Five campus-wide professorships were created by Peter and Kim Fox of Champaign, to recognize individuals who combine an outstanding record of academic achievement with business acumen and demonstrated success in the private sector. The investiture ceremony occured before an overflow crowd at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center on September 23, 2008. Congratulations, Dr. DeStefano!

College Receives Campus Diversity Award
On Nov. 7, 2008, Chancellor Richard Herman presented the College of Education with The Campus Diversity Award at the 23rd Celebration of Diversity at the I-Hotel in Champaign.

"The College met the criteria with its thoughtful and comprehensive diversity plan; its organizational structure for developing and implementing the plan; and representation of diverse faculty and student populations within the College,” said Linda Katehi, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, in a congratulatory letter to Dean Kalantzis.

Twenty-three years ago the award was designed to recognize affirmative action efforts in recruiting and hiring support staff, according to Larine Y. Cowan, Assistant Chancellor and Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

"This is the first time an academic unit has been included,” Cowan said, adding that the College “worked hard to recruit and retain students and faculty of color, thus making significant contributions to the campus diversity efforts."

Research Highlights

Congratulations to all our Fiscal Year 2008 grant and award recipients. Below is a selection of faculty who received FY08 funding; for a complete list visit the Bureau of Educational Research Web site: http://education.illinois.edu/grnt/.

Sarah Lubienski, Principal Investigator (Curriculum & Instruction), received $314,367 from the Institute of Education Sciences for her project, "A Longitudinal Study of Gender and Mathematics Using ECLS Data". She will explore how boys' and girls' early experiences differ at both school and home, and how those differences relate to gender disparities in K-5th grade mathematics achievement.

Michaelene Ostrosky, Principal Investigator (Special Education), received $2,997,953 from the Institute of Education Sciences for her project, "Establishing the Efficacy of the Special Friends Program". She will examine the efficacy of the Special Friends program as an effective class-wide kindergarten program that improves the social acceptance of children with disabilities.

Katherine Ryan, Principal Investigator and 
Hua-hua Chang, Co-Principal Investigator (Educational Psychology), received $1,250,000 from the Illinois State Board of Education for their project, "External Review of the ISBE Large Scale Assessment and Accountability System". They will evaluate key components of the current Illinois assessment and accountability system using a mixed-methods evaluation design.

Strategic Planning Updates

Departmental Synergy Conversations
During the Fall 2008 semester, a task force consisting of faculty members from the Educational Organization and Leadership (EOL), Educational Policy Studies (EPS), and Human Resource Education (HRE) departments has been engaged in “synergy” conversations. Because there are several areas across these three departments in which curriculum content and research interests may intersect, the committee has been discussing potential ways to reposition our departmental resources and structures to more effectively address the needs of our students, faculty, and staff. The task force has noted that a reconceptualized departmental configuration may assist in increasing faculty capacity within some of our program areas, thereby advancing our visibility in the field and ultimately contributing to higher national rankings. Working collaboratively, faculty also can be more competitive and successful with obtaining external funding. In addition, through pooling and strategically reallocating some resources, our departments potentially can maximize our limited resources and channel them into high-impact research and policy initiatives that serve the state and nation.

Task force members include the following individuals: Debra Bragg, Don Hackmann, and Richard Hunter (representing EOL), James Anderson, Nick Burbules, and Larry Parker (representing EPS), and Steven Aragon, Andrea Ellinger, and Tod Treat (representing HRE). The task force will continue to meet throughout the Spring 2009, while maintaining ongoing communications with our respective departments concerning our conversations and emerging vision for departmental synergies. The task force, following consultations with the respective departmental faculties, will forward a report to Dean Kalantzis in the Spring semester, concerning our conversations and any proposed initiatives that emerge from our discussions. Individuals—including alumni from our departments—who are interested in providing feedback regarding these synergy conversations are encouraged to contact any task force member.

Advancement Updates

Youth Literature Festival Support
Thanks to all who supported the Youth Literature Festival held in October. Cash gifts and in-kind contributions have established a strong foundation of support. Extra special thanks go out to several of our major gift sponsors, including The News-Gazette, Shirley Crouse, and Kyle & Phyllis Robeson. Individual and corporate sponsorship opportunities remain ongoing, ranging from the YLF Bookworm level up to the Platinum level.

Creative Giving
From time to time, a group of gifts will arrive at the College of Education marked “in honor of” or “in memory of.” However, the Advancement office was pleasantly surprised to receive a new kind of honorary gift. Andy Hibel, whose family has endowed an award fund at the College, chose to add to that endowment in lieu of gifts in celebration for his 40th birthday. Instead of gifts, friends were asked to contribute to the fund's endowment. Thanks, Andy. Your idea takes the cake!

Alumni and Friends Continue Impact
On November 8, 2008, more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students were recognized for their academic achievement at the annual Student Recognition Brunch. All scholarships, established both through endowment opportunities as well as annual scholarship gifts, were made possible by the generosity of alumni and friends like you. If you are interested in having a direct impact on a student's academic experience, contact the Office of Advancement at 217-244-7228.

All the best,
Dean Mary Kalantzis

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