Tennessee State University in Nashville has named Jerri A. Haynes as the new dean of the College of Education. Dr. Haynes was an associate professor and assistant dean of the College of Education at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. There, she also served as director of assessment and accreditation. Earlier in her career, Dr. Haynes was ESOL coordinator and department chair at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In accepting the appointment, Dr. Haynes stated that “I am excited about being at Tennessee State University. This is an opportunity for me to make a difference in the College of Education and pretty much leave my legacy as to how we can move forward in the 21st century.”
In stating her priorities and goals, Dr. Haynes said “first, we must make students our priority, be more supportive of students. It is more than just about getting students to the university and say, ‘You are here and it’s now up to you to complete the process.’ We must realize that they have aspirations and that it is our responsibility to help them resolve those aspirations. This means that faculty must rethink the way they teach. They definitely have to rethink how they approach students in the 21st century. We have to build relationships with the students.”
Dr. Haynes holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Florida A&M University and a doctoral degree in child and youth studies from Nova Southeastern University.
