News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 7/13/04   Click on image for publication quality photo DIANE D. ALLEN JOINS SOUTHEASTERN AS DEAN OF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT        HAMMOND -- Diane D. Allen has assumed her duties as the new dean of Southeastern Louisiana University’s College of Education and Human Development.        Allen comes to Southeastern from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where she was associate dean for Outreach, Research and Professional Development. A native of Memphis, Tenn., she earned her doctoral and master's degrees in curriculum and instruction from Oklahoma State University and her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis.        “Dr. Allen’s impressive academic credentials, demonstrated leadership abilities, and vision for the College of Education and Human Development convince us that she will be a strong advocate for both the college and the university,” said President Randy Moffett.       A specialist in the areas of reading and literacy, Allen said Southeastern's reputation as an excellent school of education, as well as the warmth and enthusiasm of the faculty, were major factors in attracting her to the university.        She said she is looking forward to implementing the university’s new joint doctoral degree program in education, increasing external funding for the College of Education and Human Development, and expanding partnerships with the Southeastern Lab School and other area schools.       As a member of the University of North Texas faculty since 1991, Allen developed a significant body of scholarly work including book chapters, articles and presentations. In addition, she taught numerous graduate and undergraduate courses and participated in many service activities at the department, college and university level.        At the University of North Texas, Allen increased the College of Education's external funding from $3.6 million to $10.7 million in three years, wrote the proposal that became the university's first congressional earmark funding, and developed the first outreach plan for the UNT College of Education. She also established an educational living community for freshmen residence hall students who indicated an interest in careers in education, and created a faculty newsletter and an annual publication highlighting faculty research.       Allen previously was a professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, a graduate assistant at the Oklahoma State University, and a secondary and elementary public school teacher for 12 years in North Carolina and Oklahoma.        She is co-editor of the College Reading Association’s “Reading Research and Instruction” publication, and is a member of the proposal and manuscript review board of the International Reading Association. She was chosen in 2001 as a recipient of the Leadership Texas Scholarship, was named a “Developing Scholar” at the University of North Texas in 1996, and received “Outstanding Article” citations from the “Journal of Reading Education” in 1995 and 1991.       Allen succeeds interim dean Martha Thornhill, who has been named a special liaison to the provost for teacher education initiatives.