Thursday, December 20, 2012

Regents Approve New College of Education, Health & Human Services


On December 13, 2012 the University of Michigan Board of Regents approved a name change for the School of Education (SOE). Effective September 2013, the name of the school will be the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS).

In announcing this Regents action to the campus, Chancellor Daniel Little wrote: “It has been the university’s longstanding goal to develop a suite of health programs to meet increased student and industry demand, grow enrollment and provide distinctive programs in southeast Michigan... The creation of the CEHHS will allow the university to realize metropolitan impact in much-needed skill areas by creatively leveraging the academic and administrative resources of UM-Dearborn. While there is much work to be done, Regental approval allows us to continue to build on the work of the faculty and staff to create quality programming for potential students.”

The formation of the new college emerged from the work of a Health Programs Committee comprised of faculty representing scholarly disciplines across academic units and colleges as well as key staff members. This group was created by Provost Catherine Davy in fall 2011 and charged to study the character, demand and market viability of new health programs for the UM-Dearborn campus. The committee recommended 10 potential interdisciplinary health-related programs that draw on existing courses and faculty expertise across the campus. The committee also looked at existing health-related ventures on campus, including the School of Education’s existing partnerships with Oakwood Healthcare. The school is deeply engaged in research projects with Oakwood’s Center for Exceptional Families and, most recently, the hospital and university jointly funded a research scientist position to focus on children with special needs. Based on SOE’s existing and expanding partnerships with the healthcare industry, and extensive market research, including studies from Hanover Research Group, the committee recommended that health-related programs be housed in a revamped college.

Along with adding health programs to the existing education programs, the plan is to offer an undergraduate Social Work degree on the UM-Dearborn campus, possibly in collaboration with the UM-Flint Department of Social Work. Through this innovative partnership, students will have the opportunity to earn an accredited undergraduate social work degree.

This past fall we have celebrated the Regents decision 25 years ago to form the School of Education on this campus. The Regents decision to form CEHHS marks another important moment in the evolution of education programming at UM-Dearborn. Moreover, it is a landmark in the history of the campus itself, both affirming the excellence of the School of Education as an anchor for the new college and signaling a commitment to grow the campus in new directions that will enhance our collective ability to draw undergraduate and graduate students to UM-Dearborn and expand our capacity to meet the needs of professionals who serve and improve the lives of children and families in southeast Michigan.


School of Education Honors Professor Richard Moyer

On December 7, 2012 a celebration was held to honor the career of Dr. Richard Moyer as he retires from the University of Michigan-Dearborn after 37 years of service. Numerous friends and family members, professional colleagues from inside and outside the university, and former students joined in recounting Dick’s many contributions and accomplishments. 

Dr. Richard Moyer came to UM-Dearborn after completing his doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado in 1975. His initial appointment was as assistant professor in science education in the Division of Urban Education, which subsequently became the School of Education. He was the Division's ninth faculty member and first science educator. 

At that time, there was only one science education course for undergraduates. Today, the science education program in the School of Education at UM-Dearborn is recognized as exemplary and has four tenured faculty members. In addition, Moyer was instrumental in the organization of the Inquiry Institute, a UM-Dearborn interdisciplinary endeavor primarily between scientists in the Department of Natural Sciences and science educators in the School of Education. A Master of Science in Science Education degree (MSSE), developed by the Inquiry Institute, accepted its first students in September of 2003 under Dr. Moyer’s coordination.

As the students who spoke at the retirement event attested Professor Moyer has a well-deserved reputation as an outstanding teacher. He is one of only two faculty members on campus who received the campus Distinguished Teaching Award more than once. Moyer was first recognized in the untenured category when he received his first award in 1981and then, a second time in 1991, in the tenured category. 


Moyer has also been a prolific writer and scholar, publishing more than 200 books, book chapters, and journal articles. One of his recent publications, Everyday Engineering, which is co-authored with SOE Associate Professor Susan Everett, is among the most popular teaching resources published by the National Science Teachers Association.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn School of Education is pleased to recognize Professor Richard Moyer for 37 years of outstanding service as a member of the faculty; for his innovative contributions to the preparation and continuing education of science teachers; and for his leadership and mentorship. 


Bravo and bon voyage!


Monday, December 17, 2012

SOE Grads and Honorees at Fall 2012 Commencement

On Saturday, December 15, more than 600 students had degrees conferred upon them at the Commencement ceremony on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Among the graduates were more than 130 students from the School of Education:  75 received graduate degrees, either the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, or Master of Science, and 57  received undergraduate degrees, either the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of General Studies, or Bachelor of Science. In addition, the pool of CASL graduates included 5 who completed the requirements for secondary teacher certification.

SOE Chancellor's Medallion winner, Brooke Holman, was recognized at the commencement ceremony, and she received the medallion at a luncheon event preceding commencement. Brooke earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in early childhood education and minors in social studies and integrated science. Another Chancellor's Medallion winner from CASL, Amanda Raupp, was among the CASL students who completed secondary teacher certification with a major in mathematics and a minor in psychology.

Please join me in congratulating all of the graduates and in wishing them great success now and in the future.