Dr. Manuel Vargas
The School of Education and Human Performance (SEHP) at Winston-Salem State University is establishing two new departments, the Department of Secondary Education and the Department of Educational Leadership, Counseling and Professional Studies effective July 1. Creating these departments and the resignation of Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond as dean of the School also created new personnel appointments.
“These two new departments will allow us to focus special attention on preparing students to teach high school English, mathematics and science and to delegate full responsibility to the SEHP for its own graduate programs,” said Dr. Brenda Allen, university provost. “We are also fortunate that we have people willing to assume new leadership roles as we work through the restructuring of the School.”
Dr. Madu Ireh
As part of the changes in leadership, Dr. Manuel Vargas moved from associate dean to interim dean when Jackson-Hammond left the university in June to become provost at Coppin State University. Also, Dr. Madu Ireh, associate professor of education and director of technology in the SEHP, will now serve as interim chair of the Department of Education.
Dr. Cynthia Williams Brown
The Department of Secondary Education will be housed in undergraduate teacher education programs in English, mathematics, science and physical education with Dr. Cynthia Williams-Brown, former chair of the Department of Human Performance and Sports Science, heading this new area. Bringing these programs into one department will create a greater focus on teacher training in addition to the academic subject matter. The English, mathematics and science programs were housed in the College of Arts and Sciences and the physical education program was in the Department of Human Performance and Sports Science. Dr. Travis Teague, coordinator of the Motorsports Management program, will now serve as interim chair for Human Performance and Sports Science.
All of the graduate programs in SEHP will now be located in the Department of Educational Leadership, Counseling and Professional Studies. The department will include the Master’s degree programs for elementary education, rehabilitation counseling, teaching, English as a second language and applied linguistics. Starting in summer of 2011, it will also include the Master’s degree in school administration. Dr. Edwin Bell, professor of education, will serve as interim chair of the department.
“By reorganizing our efforts in the SEHP we can better serve our students who want to be teachers,” said Vargas. “These changes also create an environment that supports the university’s Strategic Plan and its focus on academic excellence at the undergraduate and graduate levels.”
