The atrium of Sangren Hall during the 2000s.
Dr. David England becomes the new dean of the College of Education, replacing Dr. Frank Rapley.
The Merze Tate Center for Research on School Reform receives a three-year grant for Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology. This program prepares all pre-service elementary teaching students to master the College of Education's rigorous technology standards required for their graduation.
The Midwest Educational Reform Consortium, a three-state collegiate consortium of which WMU is a partner, is awarded $14 million by the U.S. Department of Education's Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs to establish GEAR UP learning centers in Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. The program is administered in the College of Education and is affiliated with its Merze Tate Center for Research on School Reform.
The College of Education gives its first monthly Way to Go! Award (to a faculty member) and Trail Blazer Award (to a graduate student).
2001
On Mar. 27, the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation's offices and facilities are closed during President George W. Bush's speech in the Student Recreation Center. The press occupies the department's SPELL laboratory facilities on the first floor, while the Secret Service utilizes its third-floor offices and maintenance room.
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences offers a new family science program with child development emphasis, the first such program in Michigan.
The College of Education creates a new position, coordinator of educational data, which provides all data needed for the college's academic operations.
The College of Education gives its first monthly High Five! Award (to a staff member).
The college presents its first annual College of Education Awards to staff, students and faculty.
2002
Dr. Rollin Douma becomes the new dean of the College of Education, replacing Dr. David England.
WMU renames its academic year's terms fall, spring, summer I, summer II.
The Department of Educational Studies offers a master's degree program in educational technology. It also launches programs for master's and doctoral degrees in evaluation, measurement and research.
The Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology and the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences begin a joint master's degree program in marriage and family therapy.
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences offers its first courses for the Ed.D. in educational leadership with concentration in career and technical education. It is a cooperative program with Ferris State University.
The Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership enrolls 5,000 undergraduates from WMU's 23,000 undergraduate students. One thousand graduate students are enrolled in the department. On a scale of 1-5, the students rate the department's quality of instruction at 4.5. Its excellent reputation draws teaching students from most states and many countries.
Overall, the College of Education is WMU's largest professional college, granting over one-fourth of all of the University's graduate degrees.
2003
Sangren Hall during the 2000s.
The College of Education begins the centennial celebration of its beginning as Western State Normal School.
Dr. Gary Wegenke becomes the new dean of the College of Education, replacing Dr. Rollin Douma.
WMU awards varsity letters to its women student-athletes who competed at WMU from the 1940s through the 1970s, years during which female intercollegiate athletes did not receive letters and WMU women's athletics was part of the Department of Physical Education for Women.
The Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership begins a Ph.D. program in educational leadership with concentration in higher education.
The College of Education collaborates with several other WMU colleges on a Ph.D. program with concentration in evaluation.
2006
After an extensive review, multiple departments within the College of Education were renamed and reconfigured. Three new academic departments will be formed and named. The new Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology contains the programs, courses and faculty associated with educational leadership; evaluation, measurement and research; and educational technology. The new Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies contains the programs, courses and faculty associated with special education and reading. And the new Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies contains the programs, courses and faculty associated with early childhood education, elementary education, middle level education, secondary education and socio-cultural foundations.
The Department of Educational Studies was deleted, with programs, courses and faculty transferred. Special education programs and faculty moved to Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies; programs and faculty in educational technology and evaluation, measurement and research moved to the new Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology; and socio-cultural foundations moved to the new Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies.
The other departmental change involved the Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership, which was deleted. Programs, courses and faculty in early childhood education, elementary education, middle level education, secondary education and education and professional development moved to the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies, while educational leadership courses and faculty moved to the new Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology.
2009
The WMU Board of Trustees approved a name change for the college to the College of Education and Human Development. The rationale supporting the change was: "Approximately, one-third of the students in programs in the College of Education do not relate to the preparation of teachers. A few of these programs include athletic training, exercise science, recreation, family studies, dietetics, interior design, textiles and apparel studies, as well as many students in our graduate programs. In order to project a sense of 'inclusiveness' for all students and programs within the college and, in turn assist faculty in planning programs and seeking recognition for their work within the college's organizational structure; the new name was approved by most faculty, staff and appropriate curriculum review groups within the University."
