Finalists to become the next dean of the University of Oregon College of Education will be Eugene in February to meet with campus stakeholders.
Faculty members, staff and students will be invited to meet with each of the finalists during the weeks of Feb. 16 and 23. Up to four candidates will be visiting campus, and each finalist will engage in a public talk, conducted in hybrid mode.
Details about the candidates will be released in advance of their visits on the Office of the Provost website, along with an online survey where community members can share their observations.
“The College of Education is a cornerstone of research and innovation in our state, and the search for its next dean comes at a pivotal moment,” said Christopher P. Long, provost and senior vice president. “As education and teacher preparation take on renewed urgency nationwide, this leadership role will be critical to strengthening the college’s impact and advancing its distinctive research footprint.”
Reporting to the provost and senior vice president, the dean of the College of Education is responsible for strategic leadership in all areas of the college development, academics, budget and operations, and fosters campus, community, statewide and regional support for the COE and its mission.
The College of Education has more than 550 faculty and staff members and is home to more than 750 undergraduate students and over 700 graduate students pursuing degrees in the college’s 19 programs.
Established in 1910, the College of Education has a decades-long record of national and international research and development in special education, counseling psychology, educational leadership, school psychology and more.
Emily Tanner-Smith, a Thomson Professor in the Counseling Psychology and Human Services Department and Executive Director of the HEDCO Institute, has been serving as interim dean since June 2025.
The search committee includes education faculty, staff, students and advisory board members, and is co-chaired by Bruce Blonigen, Edward Maletis Dean of the Lundquist College of Business, and John Seeley, professor and associate dean of research in the College of Education. The university has hired the firm WittKieffer to assist with the national search.