Date:
1/18/2005
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
PORTALES — Dr. Jerry Harmon is the newdean of the College of Education and Technology at Eastern New MexicoUniversity in Portales. He replaces Dr. Steven Russell, who accepted aposition at another school.
Dr.Harmon comes to Eastern from Western New Mexico University, where hehad been the dean of Education since 1998. Also a full professor, Dr.Harmon has a 1988 doctor of education from Oregon State University, a1979 master of science in education from Black Hills State Universityin South Dakota, and a 1974 bachelor of arts in elementary educationfrom Huron University in South Dakota.
"Iam impressed with the resources at Eastern for planning, growth andassessment," Dr. Harmon said in a recent interview. "Eastern is aregional, comprehensive, holistic university with a very steady,credible reputation. Its faculty and programs are very strong."
From1996-98, Dr. Harmon was an associate professor and the director ofField Experience at Western. From 1990-95, he served in variouscapacities at Northern State University in South Dakota, includingbeing the assistant dean for Clinical Services and the director ofField Experience for student teachers.
Themarried father of two grown daughters, three high-school and onemiddle-school-age sons, says that he has three major goals for theCollege of Education. The first is enhancing the growth of distanceeducation in various cities through different mediums, such as theInternet and Instructional Television. The second is to continuerecruiting highly qualified faculty to meet the growth potential ofeducation majors. The third is to concentrate on the next focused visitof NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education)in 2006 which will examine Eastern's assessment of its educationprogram.
The former elementaryeducation teacher says that he is pleased that New Mexico's Center forTeaching Excellence is located at Eastern. "With the Center forTeaching Excellence being located on our campus, it gives us anexciting opportunity to learn from the newest strategies in teachereducation. One of the most innovative is Action Research-a process bywhich teachers study how well students learn from their teachingpractices. It becomes a habit of mind. The more we can prepareeducators to do that, the more all students will learn. Having theCenter for Teaching Excellence on campus is a huge advantage."
Dr.Harmon, the author of numerous scholarly publications, is alsoimpressed with the Professional Development School that Easternoperates in conjunction with James Elementary in Portales.
"OurProfessional Development School (PDS) at James gives our students achance to learn from expert practitioners-the professional teachers atJames. This resource helps root our students into the habit of usingbest practices. Having a PDS in a public school, including another onewe have in Roswell, is a unique and cutting-edge program resource fortraining future educators."
Dr.Harmon, who received the 2001 New Mexico Association for Supervisionand Curriculum Development Excellence in Education Award, says that,despite living in the mountainous/forested area of Silver City, theHigh Plains of Portales is not a culture shock.
"Youhave to remember that I used to live in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I toldmy wife the other day that you could blindfold me and spin me around afew times in either downtown, and when you took the blindfold off Iwouldn't know if I was in Aberdeen or Portales."