Brooklyn College is pleased to welcome two new deans this fall. April Whatley Bedford will lead the School of Education and Richard Greenwald will lead the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. These senior administrators come to the college with impressive academic credentials and forward-looking approaches to creating access to affordable higher education. With one of the lowest student debt ratios in the nation—six out of 10 full-time CUNY undergraduates attend tuition free—many graduates leave Brooklyn College without the overwhelming burden of debt, which now exceeds $30,000 per student, nationwide. “We serve a diverse population of students who share a common drive for success,” says Brooklyn College President Karen L. Gould. “It is vital that our students focus on their education and not become overwhelmed with how to pay for it.” The college is ranked 21 on the 2014 Forbes Top 25 Best Value Colleges list and #1 “Best Bang for the Buck” in the United States by Washington Monthly “Because our rigorous curriculum is so affordable, students can really focus on getting the most out of their education instead of being hampered by crushing student loans,” says Bedford, who holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, with a certificate in women’s studies, from Texas A&M University, and is an expert on literacy and teacher education. She received her bachelor’s degree in curriculum and instruction, elementary education, from Texas A&M and earned her M.S.Ed. in curriculum and instruction, gifted education endorsement, at Baylor University. Most recently, Bedford served as the interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of New Orleans. With close to 1,000 graduates annually, the Brooklyn College School of Education is one of the premiere schools of education in the country. A 2013 report by the New York City Department of Education says Brooklyn College sends the highest percentage of qualified teachers into the New York City public school system. According to The Princeton Review, the School of Education at Brooklyn College is ranked among the top 20 in the country for graduates who go on to be the best teachers in New York City. Brooklyn College is also named by the Princeton Review as one of the best value colleges in 2014. “A solid liberal arts education is one of the keys to entering a competitive workforce,” says Greenwald, who holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Queens College, CUNY, and a master’s in philosophy and Ph.D. in American history from New York University. “Employers want students to not only contribute their academic insights, but their real world experiences to the workplace. Brooklyn College provides that essential mix of both.” Greenwald is an accomplished author and expert in economic and urban development. His most recent book is Labor Rising: The Past and Future of American Workers (New Press, 2012). His other works include The Triangle Fire, the Protocols of Peace and Industrial Democracy in Progressive Era New York (Temple University Press, 2005) and Sweatshop USA: The American Sweatshop in Historical and Global Perspective (Routledge, 2003). Prior to joining Brooklyn College, he was executive dean of the Brooklyn campus of St. Joseph’s College, where he was also a professor of history and sociology. Bedford and Greenwald join deans Willie Hopkins of the School of Business, Kleanthis Psarris of the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, and Maria Ann Conelli of the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts in providing a strategic vision for their respective schools and strong leadership that enhances student learning and supports competitive scholarly work.
