Dean Jane Bray sent the following message to the Darden College of Education faculty and staff community on May 2, 2018. - Ed.

Dear Colleagues,

As I reflect back on the 2017-2018 academic year, I am in awe of the accomplishments we have collectively achieved in the Darden College of Education. I must emphasize the word collectively because I am keenly aware of the fact that the success of the College is absolutely and fundamentally linked to - and determined by - our faculty, students and staff. You are full of grit and determination, which is making a difference outside of Old Dominion University.

We continue to be an institutional leader for research - ranking No. 2 in grant expenditures for the University - in discovering new knowledge and ideas essential in driving our future of society and humanity. Furthermore, The Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education was the largest grant producer of all departments on campus with over $1 million in 2017.

Our steps forward ensuring that our curriculum meets the future professional needs of students have been innovative. The new graduate certificate in Community College Leadership, for example, allows working professionals to stay in their jobs as they earn a high-quality credential from a nationally-recognized Community College Leadership Program. A new Transfer Pathway Agreement allows students from community college's General Studies Degree to receive credit for specific programs. Other innovative curriculum changes are underway as well in Addiction Prevention, Industrial Technology and Fashion Merchandising.

We conducted an inclusive process to gather ideas and data to recommend a new name for the College that best represents all of our academic programs. The six-member committee researched the top Colleges of Education, peer institutions and aspirational colleges. After reviewing the lists, the committee rank ordered them, cross-referenced the names with possible college names submitted by our faculty garnered from a college-wide survey. The top names were then taken to the departments where focus groups were conducted. I would like to share my sincere appreciation for the work of our College Naming Committee. Chaired by Dr. Ed Neukrug, the members of the committee included Dr. Felicia Commodore, Dr. Angela Eckhoff, Dr. Eddie Hill, Dr. Corrin Richels and Dr. Jill Stefaniak.

We made a strong commitment to accreditation to ensure our academic programs are meeting and exceeding the standards of quality. Our Industrial Technology Program was awarded full accreditation by the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineers (ATMAE), a leading technology and engineering organization. Our Speech-Language Pathology Program was reaccredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Our Human Services Program had a most energizing and successful first accreditation visit in April. While official word of our accreditation from the Council for Standards in Human Services Education remains to be seen, the exit interview leads us to believe we have an outstanding program. Finally, our Children's Learning and Research Center also was reaccredited by Advanced Ed, and in addition, they also received licensing from the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Let me end by saying that our meaningful actions have impacted the landscape of the Darden College of Education. We were ranked among the nation's best Graduate Schools in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report list, up seven spots from last year. The Master's in Secondary Education ranked 3 out of 15 universities for a nationally ranking by the Top Master's in Education. And the Human Services Program ranked 9 out of 25 national programs as the Best and Most Affordable Online Colleges by SR Education Group.

I am incredibility proud and appreciative of all your efforts in teaching, research, service and supporting our students to have the best educational experience. I hope you relish the upcoming Commencement ceremonies as we celebrate the achievements of our graduating students and take a most deserved rest over the summer months.

Warmest Regards,
Dr. Jane S. Bray
Dean, Darden College of Education