Educational leader and scholar to help lead EPIC
Contact: William J. Mathis, (802) 247-6720, William.Mathis@colorado.edu
Kevin Welner, 303-492-8370, Kevin.Welner@colorado.edu
BOULDER, Colo. (August 11, 2009) -- William J. Mathis, a researcher, college instructor, and award-winning school superintendent, will assume duties as the managing director at the Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder on August 17, 2009. Professor Kevin Welner will remain as general director of the policy center.
The EPIC policy center produces research-based resources concerning education policy issues through a network of 100 policy fellows throughout the United States, including many of the nation's most distinguished scholars. In this way, the center helps bring the best in research knowledge to a broad audience of practitioners, policy makers, the press, and other researchers.
Mathis has a long history of educational service and scholarship, including school superintendent in Vermont, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for New Jersey, teaching at the University of Vermont and other higher education institutions, and work as a guidance counselor and school psychologist. He was recognized as Vermont superintendent of the year and was a finalist for national superintendent of the year.
In addition, Mathis' writing skillfully explains research findings to practitioner audiences, having published widely in journals such as Phi Delta Kappan, School Administrator and Education Week. His recent work has focused on the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act, educational finance, and school reform.
"We are delighted to have Bill join us," said Professor Welner. "He brings a unique blend of school administrator, state agency, and research expertise to the position. His years in the field add perspective and credibility to his work. EPIC strives to combine rigorous scholarship with resources that are oriented toward policy makers and practitioners. Bill brings an ideal mix of skills to the position."
Mathis explained that he welcomes the challenges of this new position and will focus his efforts on helping advance research-based decision-making. "While high-quality research is regularly conducted across the nation, it is often not available to policy makers at the right time and in a useful form. Also, it is difficult for policy makers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the research they encounter. This position appeals to me because I will be able to help bridge that gap. As a long-time superintendent, I know that wise, research-driven policies can greatly improve the daily experiences of educators and students," Mathis said.
CONTACT:
William J. Mathis
(802) 247-6720
William.Mathis@colorado.edu
Kevin Welner
(303) 492-8370
kevin.welner@colorado.edu
About the Education and the Public Interest Center
The mission of Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder is to promote well-informed democratic deliberation about education policy by providing academic as well as non-academic audiences with useful information and high quality analyses. In collaboration with the Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU) at Arizona State University, EPIC produces policy briefs, think tank reviews, and other resources to help inform that deliberation.
Visit EPIC at http://epicpolicy.org/
EPIC and EPRU are members of the Education Policy Alliance
(http://educationpolicyalliance.org).