On Feb. 13, San Diego State’s College of Education held the first of three presentations to choose its next dean. Joseph F. Johnson Jr., who has been the interim dean since July spoke about why he should be chosen as the official dean.

Johnson Jr. highlighted areas he wants to continue to focus on if he is made the permanent dean.

“For us to be better it’s about three essential things,” Johnson Jr. said.  “Climate and culture, programmatic excellence and fiscal strength.”

Johnson Jr. said he wants to cultivate a culture where people love their work.

“If we are going to be a strong college, we need to create a college where people are excited with what they are doing and are excited with who they are doing it with,” Johnson said. “While we’re working on climate and culture we have to be working on programmatic excellence also. It has got to be about substantive continuous self-improvement.”

As with many colleges, the budget is one of Johnson Jr.’s primary concerns. 

“There are colleges here that have been able to create other revenue streams and I’m convinced we can do it too, but it’s about planning,” Johnson Jr. said. “If I don’t have a plan or we don’t have a plan we won’t get very far.  We need to challenge ourselves for how we tap into other revenue streams.” 

Johnson said working with the College of Extended Studies and accessing its resources and connections is a possible way for more revenue to be brought to the College of Education.

During the question and answer portion of the event, Johnson Jr. took inquiries ranging from diversity and fiscal ideas to his thought process of deciding his desire to be the full time dean and not the interim.

“I see the need, and if someone doesn’t step in to do these things we miss a lot,” Johnson Jr. said. “I have the capacity to do these things.”

Laura J. Hall, a professor in the College of Education, is the chairwoman of the committee that is responsible for finding the next dean. 

“We provide input to the provost and president of the school, and ultimately the decision for who is the next dean is made by them,” Hall said.“We expect a decision for who will be the next dean in April.”

Two more candidate presentations are planned for March 6 and March 20.

Photo by Carol Sonstein