Dean's Perspectives

Achieving tenure and promotion is a landmark event in the career of a faculty member. It means you’ve proven yourself through your teaching and service and, at a major university such as Washington State, through your research productivity. Tenure is a sign of approval from your peers and an indication of what you have to offer students.

This year, the College of Education has four newly tenured faculty and one newly promoted clinical faculty member, representing both departments and three campuses. They are:

Michael Dunn, Vancouver, whose focus is on strategies for helping students learn to read. If you want to understand RTI (response to intervention), Mike is the fellow to ask.

Paul Pitre, an expert in school leadership and policy, with a special interest in what it takes to help minority students succeed. This academic year, he is on leave from his Vancouver position while he puts his talents to use overseeing WSU’s efforts in Everett.

Tom Salsbury, on the Pullman campus, whose specialty is language learning and applied linguistics. Last year, he co-authored the outstanding article of the year chosen by the editors of the journal Language Learning. (I see that Tom has joined me in the blogosphere — he’s writing about bicycling.)

Danny Talbot, promoted to clinical associate professor, is one of our K-12 experts with special interest in the work of principals and the role of social justice. As proof of his collegiality, he was honored with the 2010 WSU Tri-Cities Departmental Award for Building Partnerships and Networking.

John Wong of the sport management faculty in Pullman. He is well known for his work in sport history, especially as it relates to hockey. And he can tell you a lot about the career of martial arts movie star Bruce Lee.

For more information about these associate professors, click here. And if you haven’t already done so, give them a high five and a hip-hip-hooray.