Irwin-DeVitis Stepping Down as Dean of Education

May 28, 2013

Linda Irwin-DeVitis

Linda Irwin-DeVitis, dean of the Darden College of Education since July 2010, will step down from the position for health reasons, effective July 1, to return to teaching and research in the college's Department of Teaching and Learning. Provost Carol Simpson announced the news in a letter to faculty and administrators on May 24.

Simpson thanked Irwin-DeVitis for her service as dean, saying, "In the three years that Dr. DeVitis has headed the Darden College, she has seen the college rise in the rankings to No. 65 nationally, oversaw a successful NCATE reaccreditation as well as several important discipline-specific reaccreditations, and led the planning for the new Education Building, among many other initiatives. I am grateful to Dr. DeVitis for her leadership in these areas."

Old Dominion will initiate a national search for a new dean immediately, Simpson said in her letter. "Meanwhile, we are engaging the executive search firm AGB Search to assist in identifying an interim dean to assume leadership of the college in July."

Simpson added: "I hope you will join with me in celebrating what Dr. DeVitis has accomplished for the Darden College and in wishing her a speedy recovery to full health."