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Deans and their support staff

The Dean's office is responsible for academic, budgetary, and human resource concerns for the Departments organized within the School of Education and Professional Studies. The staff of the office are available to help applicants, students, faculty, and staff as follows.

Information about the services provided to Graduate students

    • General information about Departments within the School
    • What to do with forms needing a Dean's signature
    • How to make appointments with a Dean
    • Who might be able to answer specific questions
    • Social Media and Website

    • Faculty travel processing and availability of AAUP funding
    • Faculty, staff, and student hiring procedures and paperwork
    • Faculty and staff key and computer access requests
    • Department budgets, purchase orders, and payment requests
    • Dean's Cabinet meetings

    • Student probations and dismissals
    • Student grievances and concerns
    • Faculty load credits
    • Approval of student forms (including, but not limited to Internships, Independent studies, and Change of Grades)
    • Data analysis
    • Course schedule approval
    • Certification of Education Candidates

    • Accreditation
    • Assessment
    • Curriculum
    • Department Bylaws, Minutes, and Annual Reports
    • Human Resources concerns
    • Research Support
    • Strategic Planning
Interim Dean Niti Pandey

Dean

Niti Pandey Dean Pandey earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and an M.A. and B.A. in Psychology from the University of Delhi, India. Dr. Pandey has taught and conducted research in the areas of employment relations (human resource management, negotiation, small group dynamics), corporate social responsibility, and labor relations.
Interim Dean Niti Pandey

Assistant Dean

Ryan Colwell

Assistant Dean Colwell earned his B.S. in Elementary Education and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Colwell taught second and third grade in two Connecticut public school districts. Following his elementary school teaching, Dr. Colwell spent ten years as a faculty member in the Educational Studies and Teacher Preparation Department at Fairfield University, serving as Elementary Education Program Director, and Department Chair.

Dr. Colwell has taught elementary methods courses in literacy, math, science, and social studies, as well as student teaching seminars for Elementary Education candidates. Dr. Colwell’s scholarship focuses on how elementary school teachers integrate three different types of models (children’s literature, teacher writing, and student writing) to enhance their classroom writing instruction. He also explores how elementary school teachers use children’s literature to help students process, discuss, and take action regarding contemporary, real-world issues.