R. Anthony Rolle confirmed as College of Education dean

At the Tuesday Board of Trustees meeting, Anthony Rolle was confirmed as the new College of Education dean. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

R. Anthony Rolle was announced as the new Dean of the College of Education on Tuesday at the Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting, replacing Interim Dean Judith Ponticell. He will officially begin his term as dean in August. 

For the past four years Rolle served as dean of the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of Rhode Island, according to Provost Ralph Wilcox. 

Rolle also served as a department chair at the University of Houston, according to USF President Steven Currall, and he was a faculty member and chair of the former department of educational leadership and policy studies at USF from 2010 to 2014.

“I am honored to return to the University of South Florida and the College of Education,” Rolle said. 

There were many applicants for the position, according to Currall, but Rolle’s prior experience as a dean as well as his K-12 finance and policy research made him the best person to bring into the position. 

His academic and professional experiences as a dean of a college of education and professional studies and as a professor at large research universities make him an ideal candidate to lead our college’s outstanding faculty, focus on student success, and commitment to pre-K-12 community partners,” Currall said.

In his new position, Rolle will be responsible for leading the College of Education’s 2,200 students and 130 faculty members who are spread across USF’s three campuses, according to Wilcox. 

“As the new dean of the College of Education, Dr. Rolle will play a critical role in helping to shape the future of high quality, relevant and innovative undergraduate and graduate programs across the college,” Wilcox said.

Rolle will be serving in the position for a minimum of five years, and he said he is excited for the years to come and incredibly thankful for the opportunity. 

“I look forward to working with faculty, alumni and community partners to help shape an exciting and distinctive vision for the future of the College of Education while working collaboratively to strengthen the college’s commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion through faculty, staff and student recruitment, development and support, curricula enrichment, research and community engagement,” he said.