9:44 a.m., Sept. 16, 2009----John Sawyer, professor of business administration in the Lerner College of Business and Economics, has been appointed associate provost for professional education for a three-year term effective September 2009, it was announced recently by Debra Hess Norris, vice provost for graduate and professional education.

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“As associate provost for professional education, John will provide critical leadership and strategic direction to integrate the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies into the Office of Graduate and Professional Education,” Norris said. “Together, those units will develop programs that provide excellence, uniqueness, impact, and response to societal needs, identify needs and mechanisms to support professional graduate programs across campus, and strengthen implementation strategies to increase professional program enrollment.”

Achieving excellence in professional education is one of the six strategic milestones in the University's Path to Prominence strategic plan. The Office of Graduate and Professional Education and each of the colleges have defined goals for professional education. The Council on Professional Master's Programs, chaired by Sawyer and composed of the deans or deans' designates from each college, serves an advisory function and coordinates efforts across the colleges targeted at professional education.

Sawyer will collaborate with deans, department chairs, institute directors, and faculty in providing University-wide leadership to support the continued development and enhancement of professional education, Norris said.

The integration of the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies to the Office of Graduate and Professional Education offers significant opportunities to enhance the visibility of programs and engagement with partners in the community to meet current and future professional education needs.

Sawyer will continue his work to assist and coordinate efforts to develop and support professional master's degree programs, including seeking certification by the Council of Graduate Schools of new and existing professional science master's degree programs.

Sawyer has been serving as a faculty fellow in the vice provost's office. In addition to his faculty appointment, he will continue to direct the Lerner College's Organizational Effectiveness, Development and Change program.

Sawyer joined the UD faculty in 1991. He received a bachelor's degree from California State University Long Beach, a master's from California State University Fresno and a doctorate in organizational psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.