Alfonzo ThurmanDean, School of Education
Professor, Department of Administrative Leadership

Alfonzo Thurman, in his seventh year as Dean of the School of Education, continues to lead the School toward its vision of becoming a premier urban school of education recognized for its diversity and known for excellence in teaching, learning and research through pursuit of its mission “to provide leadership and inspiration for learning and human development in urban communities.”

Improving the diversity of the School’s faculty, staff and students has been a priority goal for several years and the dean has stressed the need for continual attention to this area of the School’s initiatives. The School has among the largest percentage of diverse faculty of schools of education in the nation and the highest at UWM with over one-third of the tenured and tenure track faculty being persons of color. In the doctoral programs over 40 percent of students are students of color while over 20 percent of the master’s degree students are students of color. The undergraduate level has been steady at just under 20 percent and additional efforts will be directed at improving the numbers and percentages of undergraduate and graduate degree students of color.

Expanding research productivity is another of the School’s priority goals. Dean Thurman assigned a leading faculty member to coordinate the review of the research needs of the School and accepted the report in Spring 2007. He looks to expand on the three-year average of $4.3 million research grants per year as he looks to hire a “grants coordinator” to work directly with faculty in determining what grants to pursue and providing assistance to faculty along with enhancing the support for those who obtain grants. He proudly notes that the School of Education ranks second in acquiring research grant monies within the University.

Dean Thurman continues to advocate for and support the School of Education’s partnership activities with the Milwaukee Public Schools, other institutions of higher education and the community through his leadership in the nationally recognized Milwaukee Partnership Academy in which he serves on its board of directors on behalf of the Chancellor and has chaired several major committees. The dean is also president of The Holmes Partnership a national consortium of over 50 institutions of higher education, schools and districts, teachers associations and community organizations. Much of the dean’s current research, consultation and speaking engagements have focused on school/university/community partnerships, education leadership and diversity issues in higher education.

Thurman says his challenge is to increase undergraduate and graduate enrollments and its diversity, continue building the research and teaching strength of the School through increased faculty size and improving and enriching the School’s infrastructure with primary attention to developing its support staff, enhancing computing and other technology, online delivery of courses and degree programs and extending outreach initiatives.

Contact Information
e-mail: athurman@uwm.edu
phone: 414-229-4181

Location:
Enderis Hall 595, 2400 E. Hartford Ave.

Mailing Address:
UWM School of Education
P.O. Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413