Search for new College of Education dean continues; new interim dean announced

On Monday, Elisha R. "Bear" Baker IV, interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, announced the latest in UAA's College of Education's search for a new dean. Below is thefull announcement.

"The search committee for the College of Education (COE) dean position has reconvened and will soon launch a second national search for a new COE dean. Patricia Chesbro, who has worked hard as interim dean this past year, has been looking forward to her second retirement and will formally leave UAA on July 18. I'm pleased to announce that Ed McLain, Ed.D., has agreed to serve as the interim dean of the COE following Pat's departure and until a new dean is hired. The search committee's goal is to bring a second round of candidates to campus for visits this fall.

Ed McLain is entering his 42nd year in the field of education. Since coming to Alaska in 1981, he's served as a principal-teacher, vice principal, district superintendent and as the deputy commissioner of education and early development for the state of Alaska. After retiring from state service in 2002, Ed joined the Anchorage School District to direct its research, assessment and evaluation services. Since 2004, he's served as an associate professor of education at UAA.

Ed earned his B.A. from Rutgers, an M.A. from Columbia, two M.Ed.'s--one from Columbia and one from University of Texas at Austin--and his Ed.D. in educational leadership from the University of Wyoming, where his doctoral research focused on the influence of organizational culture on school staff and the construct of the school as a learning community.

Please join me in thanking Pat Chesbro for her service and leadership as the COE's interim dean, as well as the time she has given to the university for over a decade and in welcoming Ed McLain to his new interim role."