Allen

Jan Allen, associate dean for Ph.D. programs at Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, has been named associate dean for academic and student affairs at Cornell's Graduate School, effective Aug. 15. Allen, who succeeds J. Ellen Gainor, will join Sheri Notaro and Sarah Hale Wicker as one of the Graduate School's three associate deans.

"I am delighted that Jan Allen has accepted this important position," said Barbara A. Knuth, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School. "Jan brings an ideal blend of leadership, professional experience and scholarship to this position. Her presence will be a superb addition to our leadership team."

At the Graduate School, Allen will provide vision, direction and coordination for academic and student life programs, initiatives and policies. She will work with students on academic progress and relationships with their faculty committees and fields as well as provide oversight of the graduate student grievance process. In addition to serving as the point person on academic integrity matters and the graduate curriculum registration processes, Allen will oversee the Graduate School's Office of Student Life and be the liaison with other offices on campus related to student academic programs.

"I am thrilled to be part of the Graduate School with its strong leadership team, professional staff and outstanding graduate and professional students, and to be working with Cornell's productive faculty," Allen said. "I truly look forward to joining the Cornell community."

Allen joins Cornell with 20 years of experience as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and 14 years of administrative leadership experiences. Prior to her post at Columbia, she served as associate dean at Northwestern University's Graduate School and as assistant dean at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Allen's recent research and publications have focused on graduate student research and academic ethics, graduate student mentoring, the transition to graduate school and preparing future faculty. Prior research focused on children's moral reasoning, children's political knowledge and socialization, and children and stress. She is the co-author of a textbook on early childhood development and education.

Allen holds a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and a master's degree from the University of Oklahoma. She earned her doctorate from Purdue University in child development. As a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, Allen received the Chancellor's Teacher-Scholar Award, the Faculty Excellence Award and the Outstanding Educator Award.

Elizabeth Ellis is communications director at the Graduate School.