McGill University names new Dean of Faculty of Education
Dr Roger C. Slee has been appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Education of McGill University for a five-year term beginning January 17, 2004 and ending December 31, 2008. The announcement was made by Principal Heather Munroe-Blum and Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Luc Vinet, following approval by the Board of Governors of the University.
Dr Slee, a graduate of La Trobe University (Australia), is a specialist in inclusive education and disability studies. He comes to McGill from his positions as Dean of the Faculty of Education and Head of Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia. Through an agreement with that university, he is currently Deputy Director-General of Education at the Queensland Ministry of Education. Dr Slee was the founding director of the Centre for Inclusive Education at the University of Western Australia and, prior to this, held the position of Professor of Education Studies at the University of London (Goldsmith College), where he was Head of the Department of Educational Studies.
During the course of his career Dr Slee has established an international reputation as an expert in inclusive education. He has collaborated with academics in the U.K., China and Australia, and has consulted for a number of educational authorities. He led a state-wide project to bring all the Queensland universities into a joint venture with government agencies to establish the Institute for Educational Research and Policy Evaluation. Among his numerous publications, noteworthy is his most recent monograph, The Inclusive School, published in London by Falmer Press. He is also the founding editor of the International Journal of Inclusive Education.
Roger Slee is known for his intellectual rigor, high standards, and direct leadership style. He has been described as "an extremely gifted and rare individual and administrator." He will bring to the Faculty of Education not only his significant international scholarly expertise but also considerable management and negotiating skills, based on experience in government agencies, the corporate sector and educational authorities. As one of his colleagues put it: "There are very few people who can excel at the range of things he has done."
"We are confident that Dr Slee's contribution to the Faculty of Education and University as a whole will be a lasting one," said Principal Munroe-Blum. "We would like to thank Dr Slee for accepting the responsibility and challenge associated with leadership of this important faculty and wish him much success."
