New Leadership
Same Path to Preeminence By Jason Harper
2020 is shaping up to be a noteworthy year for the College of Education. Our students, faculty and staff have had to adapt to tremendous changes to both their education and their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of global turmoil, our faculty and staff worked to allow for a seamless transition as a new administrative team assumed charge of the college this summer. These changes were brought on by the retirement of College Dean D. Ray Reutzel and Associate Dean and School Director Suzanne Young.
Reutzel and Young served during a time of great change on campus, and although we celebrate their retirement with joy, these two dedicated administrators and educators will be dearly missed by those who have passionately worked alongside them for many years. Both administrators were dedicated and passionate leaders. They helped to hold the college together during severe budget reductions and organizational changes that deteriorated morale and created challenges to funding programs and operations. They sacrificed hours planning how to keep jobs while saving money and downsizing the operations. All of this, while also being tasked with improving the college’s programs to more effectively serve the state and its educational needs. The change in leadership, however, should not be seen as a change in direction, but rather a continued path towards preeminence in educator preparation. Five experienced and dedicated faculty members and administrators with a collective 80 years of experience at UW have assumed the leadership reins of the college this summer. A longtime College of Education faculty member and administrator has been named interim dean of the college. Leslie Rush, who has been at UW since 2002 and previously served as associate dean for Interim College Dean, undergraduate programs and director of the School of Leslie Rush Teacher Education since 2017, assumed responsibility from Reutzel on July 1. “I owe so much to the college and university for the support I have received over the years, and was both honored and humbled when I was requested to serve as interim dean of the College of Education,” says Rush. “My goal over the next year as interim dean is to provide collegial and transparent leadership during these very difficult times, and to ensure that the faculty, staff and students in the College of Education are well positioned for the future.” Joining Rush at the helm of the college are two new associate
4 • Education@UWYO 2020 Edition
