Two South County residents
named associate deans at URI
Early childhood education, physical therapy
professors join leadership team
KINGSTON, R.I. — November 1, 2002 — Wakefield residents Diane M. Horm and Susan E. Roush have been named associate deans of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Human Science and Services.
Dean W. Lynn McKinney named them to the posts earlier this semester.
“I couldn’t have been happier that Diane and Susan were willing to work with me to move the College forward,” McKinney said.
Horm and Roush will serve in their new positions on a half-time basis so they can continue to teach and conduct research in their fields. Horm is a professor of human development and family studies and Roush is an associate professor of physical therapy.
With 1,874 students and 55 faculty members, the College of Human Science and Services is the second-largest college at URI, and houses such diverse programs as the School of Education, the Department of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design and the Department of Communicative Disorders.
“This is a nice combination because Susan represents the health aspects of the College while I represent the traditional land-grant and educational roles of the University,” said Horm, who arrived as an assistant professor in Kingston in 1987. “What is great about our College is we have amazing faculty who are doing exciting work that is important to people in the state and the nation.”
While serving as a professor, Horm also worked as interim associate dean of the College from January 2002 to June 2002. Since 1992, she has also been the director of the URI Child Development Centers. In 2002, she received an “outstanding research award” that recognized her role in developing the Rhode Island Early Childhood Summer Institute, a program sponsored by several URI offices, several state agencies and agencies such as Head Start, Rhode Island Parent Information Network, and RI KIDSCOUNT. Through grants from the state and University, Horm has directed institutes on quality early childhood education, early childhood program development for public school leaders, and early literacy and school readiness.
Roush joined the URI faculty in 1991 as an assistant professor in the URI Graduate Program in Physical Therapy where she has distinguished herself as an instructor, researcher and advocate for people with disabilities. In addition, she is a founder and co-director of the Institute for Quality of Life, a consulting firm whose mission it is to enhance research, education and services for people with disabilities. Her research focuses on relationships between patients and health care professionals, attitudes about people with disabilities and patient satisfaction in physical therapy.
“We may be among the Colleges at URI most involved with communities across the state,” Roush said. “Whether it is through our teacher training programs, our physical therapy services, speech and hearing clinics or our physical education programs, we touch thousands in Rhode Island every year.”
The associate dean’s appointment is Roush’s first experience in academic administration. “It’s already been very interesting because I am functioning in a broader context. Having an impact on the bigger picture at URI is exciting.”
For Information: Lynn McKinney 874-4014