Cynthia Gerstl-Pepin, professor of educational leadership and policy studies and associate dean for academic affairs and research, has been named interim dean of the College of Education and Social Services, effective July 1, 2015.

Gerstl-Pepin, a highly regarded scholar who has published extensively on how social justice issues and other forms of discrimination are enmeshed with inequitable education outcomes, has held a number of leadership positions since arriving at UVM in 2002. She has served as associate dean and as program director for the Ph.D program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies since 2011. Prior to becoming associate dean, she served as chairperson of the Department of Education for four years.

“I am very excited to take over this role because I work with amazing faculty, students and staff, and I think we’re in a great position and really primed to blossom and grow as a college,” Gerstl-Pepin said. “I’m really looking forward to working with my colleagues to move us along.”

Gerstl-Pepin said she plans to focus on three primary areas: academic excellence and scholarship; efficiency with an eye on the bottom line related to the cost of education; and equity and social justice. She doesn’t see the three as mutually exclusive, however. “I don’t think you can focus on excellence and efficiencies without also thinking about equity,” she said. “My vision over the next year is to really think about the intersection of these areas and to push us toward greater collaboration within the college and with the rest of the university."

Despite assuming increasingly demanding leadership roles over the years, Gerstl-Pepin has managed to remain a prolific scholar. Her most recent work focuses on the disconnect between academic research and meaningful policy solutions. She co-authored a book on the topic with Cynthia Reyes, associate professor of middle level education and literacy education, titled “Reimagining the Public Intellectual in Education: Making Scholarship Matter (2015)."

Gerstl-Pepin has served as the primary adviser for numerous doctoral dissertations, was a Fulbright Scholar, and currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of the Educational Foundations.

“Dr. Gerstl-Pepin has proven to be a generous and effective mentor to junior faculty in the College of Education and Social Services," UVM President Thomas Sullivan said. "We are confident that Dr. Gerstl-Pepin will provide vision and leadership to the college and look forward to working closely with her in the coming year.” 

Senior Vice President and Provost David Rosowsky said, "We are deeply grateful to Dr. Gerstl-Pepin for her dedication and leadership to the college during this important transition time. We also express our thanks to the faculty and staff with whom we met over the last month, for their guidance and consultation.”

Gerstl-Pepin takes over the position with the departure of longtime dean Fayneese Miller, who has been named president of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. Miller will work closely with Gerstl-Pepin and the other members of the leadership team in the college to effect a smooth and sound transition in the next several weeks.