EHS dean candidate, NIU's Charles Howell: 'I'd be an advocate ... to get the college what it wants'
The College of Education and Human Services continues to search for its next dean.
On Monday, 14 Central Michigan University faculty and staff gathered in the Lake Superior Room of the Bovee University Center to evaluate Charles Howell.
Howell, chairman of the College of Education’s leadership, educational psychology and foundations department at Northern Illinois University, is one of three finalists seeking to become CMU’s next dean of the College of Education and Human Services.
Throughout the hour-long discussion, Howell noted the resources, challenges and aspirations he believes hold true at many universities, including CMU.
If chosen to be dean, Howell said he hopes to help underrepresented students while also working to increase national visibility, regional leadership and professional resources.
“The dean needs to make sure the college is a sustainable operation,” Howell said. “I’d be an advocate, a strategizer, to get the college what it wants.”
One of the main challenges Howell spoke of altering was faculty and staff workload. Although he did not say he could lighten workload, Howell did express interest in making sure everyone involved in activities is engaged with energized focus, involvement and success.
“We need to figure out ways to do more with less,” he said. “I want people to enjoy what they’re doing. That will internally motivate people.”
Using personal examples from the past, Howell answered many questions dealing with leadership, accreditation, diversity and faculty positions.
Supportive of a high-quality online educational program, Howell is also interested in co-teaching opportunities and making sure EHS programs have the resources they need to ensure everything is correctly accomplished.
Howell said he also believes in the importance of keeping alumni involved.
“Get to know all of your alumni,” Howell said. “It means a lot to people to stay connected.”
In addition to alumni, Howell spoke about the importance of both fixed-term and tenure faculty.
It is extremely important to have fixed-term and tenure there; both have a vital role and we couldn’t get by without them, he said.
“I want people to be motivated and achieve what they want to do,” Howell said. “It’s important to make sure that the faculty and staff are enthusiastic and appreciated.”
Howell has held his current position since 2007. His additional higher education experience includes positions at Minnesota State University Moorhead, Hamilton College and Syracuse University, according to iCentral.
Next week the final two EHS dean competitors will be evaluated.
Both Henry Clark, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University and Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson, associate dean of the College of Education at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas will hold open discussions.
Clark’s forum is scheduled for Feb. 6 and Pehrsson’s forum is scheduled for Feb. 7. Both evaluations will be held in the Lake Superior Room of the Bovee University Center from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
All candidate forums are open to the public.
