NEWS

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James, NYU administrator, scholar to lead Carolina’s School of Education

CHAPEL HILL – Dr. Thomas James, interim dean of the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University, has been named the dean of the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

James’ appointment, effective Nov. 1, was approved today (July 24) by the UNC Board of Trustees.

At NYU, James also is vice dean and professor of educational history. As vice dean, he has served as the school’s chief operating officer and plays a key role in managing academic, financial, faculty, legal and planning matters. He also has held key faculty and administrative posts, including chair of the education department, at Brown University during a distinguished academic career.

"Tom James brings with him an outstanding record of scholarship and instruction in education to draw from in leading our School of Education," said Chancellor James Moeser. "North Carolina’s future depends on high-quality public education and teacher training, and I look forward to the school’s continued contributions in these areas for the people of our state and beyond under his leadership.

"Tom possesses a rare ability to connect with and lead a variety of diverse constituencies that are critical to the school’s success," he said. "During our search and selection process, he has appealed universally to members of these groups. We are most fortunate to have attracted Tom to Carolina."

Said James, "The School of Education, the university and the state of North Carolina are well-poised for advances in teaching and learning that will be of national significance, as well as of great benefit to people seeking educational opportunity. This is an important time for schools of education and the vital role they play in helping children learn."

UNC’s School of Education has 63 full-time faculty, 860 students and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Besides teachers, the school trains administrators, counselors, psychologists and student support services personnel for K-12 classrooms, education researchers and future higher education faculty. It offers courses leading to licenses in such specialties as teaching special education.

In April, the school tied for first among public schools of education in one survey of superintendents published by U.S. News & World Report magazine’s "Best Graduate Schools"

guidebook. In recent years, nearly half of the North Carolina Teachers of the Year were Carolina education school graduates. One became superintendent of the year. About 200 school alumni are N.C. principals, while about a quarter of the state’s superintendents are school graduates.

James has visited North Carolina often in his work with the North Carolina Outward Bound School, one of 48 such schools worldwide dedicated to learning through adventure and service. James is a school trustee, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for Expeditionary Learning, a national organization dedicated to school reform, educational opportunity and active learning for young people.

At NYU, his initiatives included strengthening doctoral studies and nurturing research by faculty and graduate students that leads to improvements in education. He worked on better connecting education faculty with colleagues in other disciplines to ensure they remained up-to-date on new knowledge. That is important in key subjects such as biology and neuroscience, which have seen vast advances in recent years regarding knowledge of the brain. James also helped make the Steinhardt School’s teacher education programs relevant to the needs of a changing society, an experience that has helped prepare him for the changing demographics and work structure he has seen in North Carolina.

He joined NYU in 1996 as associate dean for academic affairs and professor of educational history. He became vice dean three years later. Previously, he was chair of the education department at Brown University, which he joined in 1997 as assistant professor of education and public policy. He also served on the faculty at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

James’ research interests include the history of education, public policy and the politics of education, and the role of experience in education. His book, "Exile Within: The Schooling of Japanese Americans, 1942-1945" (1987), won the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights award for "best scholarship on the subject of intolerance in the United States." Among his other publications is "Adventurous Teachers, Excellent Schools" (1991), which suggests creative strategies for professional development in schools. He also wrote "Research and the Renewal of Education" (1991), a study of educational research funding priorities for the National Academy of Education.

A Wisconsin native, James earned a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University in 1970, and was awarded the distinction of magna cum laude for his undergraduate thesis. He received master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University, specializing in the history of education.

James succeeds Dr. Madeleine Grumet, who returned to teaching and research. A search committee chaired by Law School Dean Gene Nichol recommended James’ appointment to Provost Robert Shelton and Moeser. Dr. Fenwick English, a professor of educational leadership, is interim dean.

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Photo URL: http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/faculty/deans/james_thomas2.jpg

School of Education contacts: Laurie Norman, 919-843-6979, laurie_norman@unc.edu
News Services contact: L.J. Toler, 919-962-8589, laura_toler@unc.edu