Louis A. Castenell, Jr.
1999-2007
Louis A. Castenell, Jr., who came to UGA in 1999 after having served 10 years as dean at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Education, was the first African-American dean of a college at the University.
Castenell’s tenure as dean was marked by significant increases in research funding and private giving, a reorganization of the college’s administrative structure, addition of new faculty and degree programs and increased public service activity.
Under Castenell’s leadership, the College’s national rankings remained high.
The college’s annual research funding more than doubled during his tenure, from $8.3 million to $19.2 million. The college received a number of large private gifts and grants that helped create a faculty chair position, four endowed professorships and 10 student support funds.
Castenell implemented an administrative reorganization that reduced the faculty administrative staff by half and centralized the college’s business office. He created an academic cabinet composed of department heads and the college senate president to provide leadership in all facets of college operations. He also established a student advisory council to provide student input on college management decisions, and an advisory committee for teacher education programs.
He oversaw the development of three undergraduate and six graduate programs at UGA’s extended campus in Gwinnett County, and helped start a doctoral program in conjunction with Fort Valley State University to serve students in central Georgia. The college also supported dual degree programs with several of UGA’s other schools and colleges.
Castenell led a five-year UGA collaboration with the Clarke County School District to create a community-wide program to encourage student achievement in local public schools. The program, which included an experimental extended school calendar and an intersession program, was recognized by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.
While serving as dean at UGA, Castenell chaired the board of directors of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) and was a board member of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, the National Board of Examiners and the American Council on Education.
He was on the national faculty of the AACTE New Dean’s Institute and was a board member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education and a member of the Georgia Council on Economic Education.
He received the Leadership Service Award from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2006, and in 2002, received the Distinguished Alumnus in Higher Education Award from the University of Illinois, where he earned his doctoral degree.
Castenell remains on the College’s faculty where he continues to teach and pursue research. He works with the UGA administration on special initiatives to increase the diversity of its student body.
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