Penn GSE Appoints Inaugural Associate Dean for Community, Climate, and Doctoral Education

Penn GSE has appointed Professor Janine Remillard as its inaugural associate dean for community, climate, and doctoral education, an important new leadership role shaped directly by the recommendations of faculty and staff.

The position emerges from a school-wide process led by the Committee on Climate and Community (CCC), which undertook a comprehensive review of how Penn GSE can sustain and strengthen an inclusive, supportive academic environment. Co-chaired by Professors Ed Brockenbrough and Nelson Flores, the committee engaged faculty and staff across the school to gather input and identify priorities for the future.

That process yielded a clear consensus: to establish a faculty associate dean position, supported by dedicated staff, to lead this work. The recommendation— endorsed by Penn GSE’s Executive Committee—is now being implemented with Remillard’s appointment. Remillard, a longtime member of the Penn GSE community, brings deep institutional knowledge and a sustained commitment to advancing the school’s mission.

“This role reflects the collective vision of our faculty and staff to strengthen the ways we support one another as an academic community,” said Remillard. “I’m honored to help advance that work—particularly at the intersection of community, doctoral education, and teaching – all areas I care deeply about. We have a real opportunity to deepen both our impact and our sense of shared purpose.”

In her new role, she will oversee three interconnected areas critical to the school’s future:

• Community and Climate: Leading the Office of Community and Climate, Remillard will continue and expand ongoing efforts to foster an inclusive and supportive environment, including advancing recommendations from the Committee of Climate and Community’s 2025 report.
• Doctoral Education: She will guide the implementation of recommendations from the 2025 Collaborative Planning Initiative Steering Group on Doctoral Student Support and serve as Graduate Group Chair.
• Teaching Quality: Building on recent faculty-led work, she will help advance efforts to elevate teaching as central to the Penn GSE experience.
   

The role also reflects the school’s evolving priorities, including an intentional emphasis on “community” as foundational to its work.

Dean Katharine O. Strunk expressed gratitude to the faculty and staff whose input helped shape the new position and to the committees whose work informed its design, underscoring that the appointment represents a collective vision for Penn GSE’s future.