Message about School of Education Dean Fouad Abd-El-Khalick
In a campus email, Provost J. Christopher Clemens announced that Abd-El-Khalick has been named provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, effective July 1.
Dear Carolina Community,
I am writing to share that School of Education Dean Fouad Abd-El-Khalick has been named provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, effective July 1. During his eight-year tenure at Carolina, Abd-El-Khalick created an extraordinary legacy at the School of Education and significantly increased the school’s ability to change lives through its research, teaching and service.
Notably, the school has quadrupled its total ($5.7 to $22.2 million) and per faculty ($127,000 to $529,000) annual research expenditures, greatly expanding its ability to better serve the people of North Carolina and beyond. In U.S. News & World Report rankings, it rose 14 places to 21st among all, and 13th among public, schools of education across the nation. In addition, the school created and reimagined several undergraduate and graduate programs resulting in a 26% increase in residential student enrollment.
In 2022, Abd-El-Khalick oversaw the launch of the Carolina Community Academy, our K-2 laboratory school, in partnership with Person County Schools. The innovative school integrates evidence-based practices, an improved curriculum, social-emotional learning and robust wraparound services that have already transformed learning outcomes for students. As part of those efforts, he also has led a campus-wide coalition of University schools and units that have brought the best of what Carolina has to offer to both the school and Roxboro community.
Abd-El-Khalick has secured generous public and private support to help prepare teachers and school leaders through programs including the North Carolina Teaching Fellows, DREAM, UNC LEADS, Fellows for Inclusive Excellence and Helping Heels. He’s empowered his faculty members to collaborate with partners from across the state and globe to convene important conversations, including hosting the World Anti-Bullying Forum last year.
Abd-El-Khalick also launched Pathway to Practice NC, an online teacher licensure program, in partnership with NC State University to increase the pipeline of qualified educators in North Carolina. To date, nearly 500 residency license teachers across 84 North Carolina school districts have earned or are working toward licensures at their own pace. He also introduced other online and HyFlex programs, including two master’s programs and Carolina’s recently announced first fully online doctoral degree program in education.
To help support this work, Abd-El-Khalick actively engaged University donors, alumni and friends, raising $26.8 million in the Campaign for Carolina.
I am enormously grateful to Fouad and all that he has accomplished. When he leaves Carolina at the end of June, the school will be well poised for continued success.
In the coming weeks, I will announce an interim leader while we launch a national search for a new dean. Until then, please join me in congratulating and thanking Dean Fouad Abd-El-Khalick and wishing him well in his new role.
Sincerely,
J. Christopher Clemens
Provost
