Dean of the School of Education to step down, return to faculty

Michael S. Rosenberg, dean of the School of Education, has announced his plans to end his service as dean and to return to the faculty as professor of special education in the Department of Teaching and Learning, effective at the end of the 2018-19 academic year.

SUNY New Paltz will initiate a nationwide search during the 2018-19 academic year to have a new dean in place by summer 2019.

“Serving as dean of the School of Education has been a most rewarding professional experience, and I believe the School is well poised for continued growth and success,” Rosenberg said. “The School of Education today possesses a solid leadership team and strong community partnerships that position it as the leading resource for teachers and teacher candidates in the Hudson Valley, and I am excited to continue working alongside engaged faculty colleagues and enthusiastic students as I return to the classroom.”

Rosenberg came to SUNY New Paltz in 2012 after 26 years at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., during which time he served as professor and department chair in the Department of Special Education and associate dean for research in the School of Education.

As dean of the School of Education at New Paltz, Rosenberg has been a strong advocate for engaging in and enhancing community partnerships with school districts, education non-profits and professional organizations.

“Dean Rosenberg has been instrumental in helping our School of Education, and the College as a whole, establish mutually beneficial relationships with the regional p-12 community of educators,” said Provost Lorin Basden Arnold. “He has brought enthusiasm and wisdom to many initiatives, on and off campus, and offers a unique perspective that will be hard to replace. We know that his students will benefit immensely from his return to the classroom.”

Rosenberg played a lead role in developing relationships with the Mid-Hudson School Study Council, which is now working with the College to recruit and train candidates to fill needs in supervisory positions and principalships in local districts, and with the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, which has created hands-on, applied learning opportunities for SUNY New Paltz students to work with children in after-school programs.

He has also made contributions to the health and structure of the School of Education that will benefit students and faculty for years to come. He oversaw efforts to earn reaccreditation with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), a years-long endeavor that culminated in 2015, and also provided leadership through the 2016 restructuring of the School of Education, which streamlined the number of departments from four to two (without eliminating programs), providing conceptual clarity and an organizational model in line with contemporary best practices in teacher and administrator training.

During Rosenberg’s tenure as dean, SUNY New Paltz became one of four original SUNY host campuses for the New York State Master Teacher Program, placing the School of Education at the center of an initiative that provides professional development opportunities for the best-of-the-best regional educators.

In addition to his activities on campus and in the region, Rosenberg has actively engaged with statewide teacher preparation policymaking, helping ensure that SUNY New Paltz has a place at the table in discussing and affecting education policy. He has served on the TeachNY Advisory Council, the New York State Education Department’s Professional Standards and Practices Board, and is currently a co-convener of the SUNY Deans/Directors of Education Policy Group.

Rosenberg remained an active scholar as well during his time as dean, publishing frequently on topics related to his expertise in special education teacher preparation policy and practice as well as culturally responsive pedagogy.

His community activities have included service as co-chair of the Community Impact Committee of the United Way of Dutchess and Orange Counties and vice chair of the Woodland Pond Board of Directors.

Upon stepping down as dean at the conclusion of the 2018-19 academic year, Rosenberg will be on sabbatical during the fall 2019 semester, and will prepare to assume a typical teaching, research and service load beginning in spring 2020.