UC Names New Dean for College of Education Date: May 2, 2000 Story by: Dawn Fuller Phone: (513) 556-1823 Photo by: Lisa Ventre Archive: Campus News, General News Lawrence J. Johnson, an internationally recognized education researcher, has been appointed Dean of the University of Cincinnati College of Education. The announcement came from Senior Vice President and Provost for Baccalaureate Education Anthony J. Perzigian. Johnson had been serving as interim dean since fall, 1999. "I'm very honored and look forward to taking on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead," says Johnson. "Larry Johnson has all of the requisite skills to lead the College of Education effectively and to raise significantly the national standing of its programs. He is a natural advocate. His boundless energy, strong values and high standards are among his assets. I am confident that faculty and students will be well served as the College of Education assumes an even higher standing in the professions and in the community," said Perzigian. Johnson came to UC in August 1990 as professor and head of the College of Education's Division of Early Childhood and Special Education. While serving as interim dean, Johnson was also associate dean of research and development and executive director of UC's Arlitt Child and Family Research and Education Center. Before that, Johnson was associate professor and chair of the Early Childhood Special Education program he established at the University of Alabama, and in 1984 he served as assistant director of a research and development center focusing on the needs of young children and their families at the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign. Johnson grew up in Chicago and earned his bachelor's degree in special education from Western Illinois University. He received his master's degree in special education from the University of Illinois in Chicago and his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research specializes in training teachers to educate children with mild learning and behavior problems. In addition, he focuses on educational research and analysis. For years, Johnson has served as an educational advocate for Cincinnati and most recently, his efforts were directed toward community revitalization. For example, he has been involved in research and analysis of Head Start programs nationally, as well as on the state and local levels. The College of Education is nationally known for the Cincinnati Initiative for Teacher Education (CITE), a partnership with Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers which provides paid teaching internships for UC students in the Cincinnati Public Schools.