Dean Jane Bray sent the following message to the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies faculty and staff community on January 23, 2020. - Ed.

January 23, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

The spring semester has gotten off to a fast start, and Darden College of Education and Professional Studies faculty, staff and students continue to take on impressive roles in advancing our communities through research, teaching and service activities.

Thanks to your hard work and dedication, the Darden College has experienced another exceptional year in 2019. As a result, our online education master's programs rose 27 spots to No. 78 out of 303 in the U.S. News & World Report's 2020 Best Online Programs rankings released on January 14.

As we launch into a new decade, our focus will continue on enrollments to meet the workforce needs and market demands. Enhancing recruitment and partnership opportunities is a shared labor by all in the Darden College and I want to thank each of you for your efforts.

Our second focus area for 2020 is to strengthen an inclusive campus environment that advances equity and diversity for all students, faculty and staff. Should your schedule permit, please join us for a college-wide discussion of Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 12:20 - 1:20 p.m. Lunch will be served, and this will be a wonderful opportunity to discuss the first half of the book as a college community. If you haven't already RSVP'd, you may do so online at: http://bit.ly/2sPyCNC

Lastly, it is important for us to continue to support and facilitate research that creates new knowledge, addresses problems of practice and supports communities. The research and expertise of faculty from the Darden College allows us to address challenges and problems facing our region, state and the world. I couldn't be prouder of the research coming out of the Darden College and I look forward to supporting our faculty in expanding and new research areas.

Best wishes for a wonderful spring semester!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jane S. Bray
Dean, Darden College of Education and Professional Studies