Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 5)

ON CAMPUS academics SASSO NAMED DEAN OF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Gary M. Sasso, Ph.D., chairman of the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Iowa, will become the seventh dean of Lehigh’s College of Education on July 1. Sasso has earned a national reputation among the special education community for his research in social and behavioral disorders. A faculty member since 1985, Sasso has held his current leadership role for the past seven years. “Gary is a scholar, highly respected faculty member, and leader, who brings to Lehigh the kind of experience and leadership qualities that will help the college continue to excel,” says Alice P. Gast, president of Lehigh University. Sasso’s passion for scholarly research and his commitment to Iowa impressed Lehigh’s dean search committee and, in particular, Provost Mohammad El-Aasser, who announced Sasso’s appointment on March 14. “It was clear from day one that Gary had a ﬁrm understanding of the educational landscape,” El-Aasser says. “He’s quick to recognize excellence in others and will be a strong and personable role model for his colleagues. He’ll be a great ﬁt for Lehigh.” Sasso comes from a program considered to be among the nation’s elite, ranking 31th in the 2009 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools. He says Lehigh’s graduate program, which the same report ranked 40th, has a well-earned reputation. “Everyone at Lehigh shares the same core values and goals. That is, a rigorous insistence on quality teaching and research, combined with a strong sense of academic community,” Sasso says. “This core philosophy regarding higher education is exactly what I was looking for in a college of education—and a university.” With its newly formed comparative and international education program and crossdisciplinary research centers, the College of Education offers a borderless learning environment. Sasso will build on Lehigh’s history of excellence, says Anne Meltzer, dean of the College of Arts and Science and chairwoman of the College of Education dean search committee. “Gary has a strong commitment to teach- ing and research and a clear understanding of the issues facing pre-K-to-12th-grade education and human service delivery,” she says. “He is truly interested in supporting a community of scholars, and his collaborative management style will help faculty to achieve success both within and across programs.” Sasso will take the reins from J. Gary Lutz, who has served as interim dean since July 2007. “Gary has really done an admirable job at the helm of the college over the past academic year,” El-Aasser says. “I join my colleagues in thanking him for his service and commitment to Lehigh.” Lehigh.”—Tom Yencho LEHIGH EARNS “A” IN READER’S DIGEST SAFETY SURVEY Lehigh University was recently awarded “A” status for its campus security programs by Reader’s Digest, which ranked 135 of the nation’s top college campuses this past fall.The results of the survey, which placed Lehigh 35th, were published in the March 2008 edition of the widely distributed magazine. Lehigh shares the “A” rating with schools such as Johns Hopkins University (ranked No. 1 in the country), Syracuse, Boston University, New York University, Columbia, and Tufts. The story—titled “Safe at School?”—examined safety issues such as programs, procedures, safety equipment, and crime statistics. Data were compiled from a questionnaire completed by the participating institutions and statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Nineteen variables were used to construct the Safety Preparedness Index. Participating schools were ranked in the order of their preparedness and ranked under the general grades of A, B, or C. Reader’s Digest editor Peggy Northrup noted that her magazine’s efforts to conduct a comprehensive survey and assign campus safety rankings could help prospective students and their parents make informed choices about colleges and universities. John Smeaton, vice provost for Student Affairs at Lehigh, said that the top ranking earned by Lehigh is “evidence of our long-standing and ongoing commitment to campus safety. [Lehigh’s approach] is a comprehensive one that draws on our fully accredited and well-equipped police department, our residential life staff, and the use of the latest technology to foster campus safety.” PHOTO BY IAN BRADSHAW spring 2008 5

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Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Alumni News Cover Story: In Galileo's Wake Technically Funny The Healing Game Looking for America The Last Word

Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008

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