Feb. 6, 2020— Northern Kentucky University names Dr. Ginni Fair as dean of the College of Education. Dr. Fair will join NKU on July 1, 2020.
Dr. Fair currently serves as a professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). She has been instrumental in developing and implementing the strategic plan for EKU’s College of Education. Dr. Fair’s successful contributions to Educational Professional Standards Board, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Council for Postsecondary Education and Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation program reviews reflect her attention to data-informed continuous improvement and have influenced her leadership values.
“We are pleased to welcome Ginni as dean of the College of Education. Her depth of experience within higher education in Kentucky will be valuable as she leads the college to develop the next generation of educators,” said NKU Provost Sue Ott Rowlands.
As a faculty member at EKU, Dr. Fair’s research interests were related to literacy, adolescent development and disciplinary approaches to content literacy. One of her early articles, written for “Middle Ground” in 2012, remains among the Top 15 most-read articles for the Association of Middle Level Education. As her roles have transitioned toward leadership, and supplemented by her completion of the Management Development Program at Harvard University, Dr. Fair has begun investigating and initiating community/career partnerships, diversity related initiatives and innovative practices in colleges of education. Dr. Fair also taught middle school English for 10 years at Lexington Traditional Magnet School and Model Laboratory School in Richmond.
“I am looking forward to joining NKU and leading the College of Education,” said Dr. Fair. “The way we prepare educators for the classroom continues to evolve, and I’m excited to bring in best practices and new learning experiences to Northern Kentucky.”
An active leader in Kentucky, Dr. Fair served as a university representative in the Kentucky Leadership Network for Southeast/Southcentral Cooperative. She also assisted with the development of the newly adopted English/Language Arts standards for Kentucky students. Dr. Fair served on the Kentucky Reading Association Board and currently serves as a member of the Board for the Kentucky Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. She has also served the profession more broadly as a reviewer for multiple organizations, including the International Reading Association, Association for Middle Level Education and the Learning Communities Journal.
Dr. Fair earned her Ed.D. in Instruction and Administration from the University of Kentucky. She assumes the position from Dr. James Allen, who has been serving as interim dean since July 2019.
Dr. Fair appreciates good music, adolescent literature and a fun family game night with her husband, Jason, and their four children: Chase, Kalli, Kenedee and Jenna. For more information on NKU’s College of Education, visit its website.
About NKU: Founded in 1968, we are a growing metropolitan university of more than 15,000 students served by more than 2,000 faculty and staff on a thriving suburban campus near Cincinnati. Located in the quiet suburb of Highland Heights, Kentucky—just seven miles southeast of Cincinnati—we have become a leader in Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky by providing a private school education for a fraction of the cost. While we are one of the fastest growing universities in Kentucky, our professors still know our students' names. For more information, visit nku.edu.
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