Dean's Office: Overview
Deborah
Loewenberg Ball
, Dean of the school, is the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor of Education and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and a member of the faculty in mathematics education and teacher education within the Educational Studies program.
As dean, she is responsible for the academic mission of the school and for the management of its budget, infrastructure, and physical facility. She leads strategic planning for the school, supports faculty and staff, and provides the best possible academic and professional environments for students.
Dean Ball’s professional career began with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and elementary education from Michigan State University in 1976. Subsequently, she earned a Master of Arts degree in teacher education in 1982 and a PhD in curriculum, teaching, and educational policy in 1988, also from Michigan State University.
Dean Ball was an elementary school teacher before joining the faculty at Michigan State University in 1988. She came to the U-M School of Education in 1996 as a professor of educational studies and became dean in 2005. Ball continued to teach elementary school mathematics after she became a faculty member at Michigan State University and has taught regularly since coming to the University of Michigan.
Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, is the Jean and Charles Walgreen Jr. Chair of Reading and Literacy, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, and member of the faculty in Educational Studies. She teaches in the Literacy, Language, and Culture teacher education and doctoral programs.
Her administrative responsibilities include overseeing the Office of Student Affairs, chairing the Graduate Affairs Committee, serving as the liaison between the school and Rackham Graduate School in matters of education and financial aid, and coordinating relationships with College of Literature, Science, and the Arts and other university administrative units concerned with undergraduate programs and student affairs. In addition, she is the dean’s office liaison with the Graduate Student Community Organization of the school.
Dean Palincsar works with program chairs, faculty, staff, and students to develop and implement academic program procedures and policies and to ensure efficient and equitable use of resources in the school’s academic programs. She also works with the Graduate Affairs Committee to support students’ opportunities for competitive university and external awards and fellowships.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in special education from Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts in 1972. She went on to earn a Master of Science degree in special education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1974 and a PhD in education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1982.
Early in her career, Dean Palincsar taught elementary school for several years before turning to the administration of special education programs in K-12 schools. She turned to higher education in 1982 with faculty appointments at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and subsequently at Michigan State University. She joined the faculty of the U-M School of Education in 1989.
Joseph Krajcik, Associate Dean for Research, is Professor of Science Education.
Associate Dean Krajcik’s responsibilities relate to the research infrastructure at the school, including providing support for grant writing, developing mechanisms for sharing costs of common resources, and facilitating coordination across research functions and activities. He develops and monitors the school’s policies and procedures for grants and research and supervises the financial management of externally funded projects.
He represents the school’s interests on the university’s Research Dean’s Group and serves as the liaison between the school and the university’s Office of the Vice President for Research and the Division of Research Development and Administration.
Associate Dean Krajcik also provides mentoring and support for faculty members who are in the beginning stages of their careers.
Professor Krajcik earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in communication and philosophy and in chemistry and broad field natural sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before going on to earn a Master of Science degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a PhD in science education at the University of Iowa.
He taught chemistry and other science courses at several colleges and universities before joining the faculty of the University of Maryland College of Education in 1986. He came to the U-M School of Education in 1990.
Henry Meares is Assistant Dean for K-16 Relations and Special Projects.
Dr. Meares develops and maintains partnerships and collaborations with various outside constituents, works with the dean on special projects involving K-12 schools, teachers, and students. He leads the school in participating in the university’s campus-wide Martin Luther King Day activities.
Assistant Dean Meares earned a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Fayetteville State University, a Master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Illinois, and an EdD from the University of Illinois.
He was a math teacher in elementary schools. Later, he served as assistant principal of a junior-high school, and as associate principal and then principal of a high school. He served the U-M School of Education as assistant dean for student affairs and outreach, and then as assistant dean for multicultural initiatives, external relations, and student affairs, before assuming his current role.
Lori Helvey is Chief Administrative Officer.
Lori Helvey is responsible for development and administration of the budget for the school and for units within the school. She works with the dean and the Executive Committee on strategic planning and policy decisions. She is the chief personnel administrator for the school. She performs analyses and prepares reports and briefing materials for the dean.
Ms. Helvey also represents the school’s interests on several university policy and advisory committees and task forces. She is the liaison between the dean, the associate and assistant deans, and the school’s program chairs, faculty, unit administrators, and staff.
She received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a specialization in finance from the University of Toledo in 1998 and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Toledo in the spring of 2006. Prior to coming to the U-M School of Education, she held the position of business manager at the University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education.
Dean’s Office Staff:
The Dean’s Office is located in room 1110.
Mary DeLano
Assistant to the Dean
Telephone: 734-647-1637
Email:
mdelano@umich.edu
Ms. DeLano manages the dean’s calendar and email and is responsible for supporting the dean’s meetings, correspondence, and travel. She informs and prepares the dean for meetings, prepares appropriate background materials and secures meetings sites and technical equipment. She coordinates the dean’s travel and acts as a liaison to U-M executive officers and deans, college administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, local and national press representatives, and the general public.
Danielle (Dani) Smith
Assistant to the Dean
Telephone: 734-936-1862
Email:
drsmith@umich.edu
Ms. Smith provides administrative support to the dean and staffs the Executive Committee, the Academic Leadership Group, and the Promotion and Tenure Committee. She assists the dean with new faculty hires, joint appointments, sabbaticals, retirements, and out-of-season promotions. In addition she manages requests for tenure-clock extensions/exclusions and tenure track switches. She supervises and coordinates the work of the dean’s office staff.
Becki Spangler
Executive Secretary, Dean's Office
Phone: 734-615-4415
Email:
spangler@umich.edu
Ms. Spangler is the initial contact for visitors to the dean’s office. She manages the calendars for and supports the work of Associate Deans Annemarie Palincsar, Joseph Krajcik, and the chief administrative officer, Lori Helvey. She also works with graduate students in activities ranging from social to academic.
