July 18, 2013 – The University of Utah named Dr. María E. Fránquiz as dean of the College of Education, effective January 6, 2014, contingent upon the approval of President David Pershing and the University Board of Trustees.

“María Fránquiz is a nationally recognized scholar in the field of education who brings to Utah and the university a rich and extensive background of teaching, research and community engagement,” said Michael Hardman, interim senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “She is committed to the highest quality faculty scholarship, has a lifelong passion for teaching and possesses a deep understanding of literacy, learning and culture.”

Fránquiz received her doctorate at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1995 and currently teaches qualitative research methods and bilingual teacher education at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is also affiliate faculty in the Center for Mexican American Studies. She holds the Maxine Foreman Zarrow Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Education and serves as assistant dean of Faculty Development in the College of Education.

Fránquiz has coedited two books and is author of numerous publications in professional journals and academic books. She is coeditor of the “Bilingual Research Journal,” the premier journal in the field of bilingual education, and has served on various national and international editorial boards.

María Fránquiz is a native of Puerto Rico but was taught in diverse communities during her elementary and secondary education, including Panama and Germany as well as several states in the U.S. Her passion for bilingual and multicultural education stems from these experiences.

“The outstanding work, reputation and commitment of the faculty and staff in addressing the issues facing education during challenging economic times led me to accept the invitation for this position,” Fránquiz said. “I’m especially looking forward to strengthening existing school-community-university partnerships recognized in the region and beyond.”

Fránquiz replaces Michael Hardman who served as dean of the College of Education until 2012 and is currently the interim senior vice president for Academic Affairs. Hardman has recently been appointed the university’s chief global officer. John McDonnell, who is currently the interim dean of the College of Education, will step down on Aug. 1, and Michael Gardner, professor of educational psychology, will serve as acting dean until Fránquiz’s arrival in January.