Not every professor gets an invitation to the Academy Awards.

But Douglas Biklen, the newly appointed dean of the School of Education, got his invitation last spring.

Biklen, the author of several books and producer of the critically acclaimed documentary ‘Autism is a World,’ was named dean on Aug. 1.

‘Doug was chosen for a variety of reasons,’ said Kevin Morrow, Syracuse University’s director of News Services. ‘We think he is a fine choice to be the dean of the School of Education.’

Beginning his work as dean on Aug. 1, Biklen spent his first three weeks acquainting himself with his new position.

‘I wouldn’t say it was difficult yet. I’m in the transition right now,’ Biklen said. ‘If you ask me in six months, I’m sure it’ll be different.’

Biklen is best known among the faculty and staff of both the School of Education and SU as a man with great leadership skills, Morrow said. He is also a highly effective spokesperson and is greatly respected in his field and among the schools faculty and staff.’The work he has done shows incredible leadership,’ said Sari Biklen, the new dean’s wife. ‘Also, he has a lot of ideas and knows how to put them into action.’

A graduate from Bowdoin College in Maine, Dean Biklen has spent the past 32 years at SU as a professor in the School of Education’s Cultural Foundations and Teaching and Leadership programs.

He began his professional career observing children with mental and physical disabilities. After a few years, his observations were put into action when he began working with the College of Law, filing law suits against those who denied the disabled their rights to an education.

Biklen continues fighting for school inclusion, but his focus has shifted from filing law suits into seeing how best to include and educate the disabled. He has written several books on the subject of inclusion such as ‘Regular Lives,’ which described the conditions of effective school inclusion.

He said he has also done extensive research on autism. He has written and spoken on the subject, and last year his documentary, ‘Autism is a World,’ received critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination.

Tying into Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s desire to bring together the community and university, the new dean plans to continue bridging the gap between the school’s students and the city school district.

‘I’m going to look at what we already have in place and include it with the chancellor’s plans,’ Dean Biklen said.

Dean Biklen said the school’s students work with over 5,000 students in the Syracuse city schools.

‘The School of Education has tremendous ties with the Syracuse education system,’ Morrow said. ‘Doug will be leading that effort to tie the university to the community.’

Additionally, he wants to expand the School of Education’s abroad program in London, while developing educational ties to schools in China and Latin America. In addition to the challenges he faces within the workplace, Biklen finds his job will force him to make sacrifices in his private life.

The Biklen family owns a home in Vermont, a place where he and Sari Biklen spend their summers. After with his work in the Peace Corps, Biklen became an avid photographer. His office is full of pieces he has taken himself and he has even had his art displayed in galleries in both Syracuse and Vermont.

‘That’s one of the things he has to give up,’ Sari Biklen said. ‘This summer he would be working during the week and go to Vermont on the weekends.’

As the dean of the School of Education, Biklen said he is required to work throughout the summer months, which will take away from his vacation time in his home in Vermont and his photographs.

‘I think he is an amazing photographer; he has a definite style in his pictures,’ Sari Biklen said. ‘He has to put it on the back burner now and it’s going to take a lot of effort on his part.’

Within the university, Biklen said he wants to develop programs that bring students from each of the nine colleges together. He thinks this will not only help make each SU student’s education more well rounded, but will also help each of the schools collaborate and share ideas.

In addition to his ambitious explorations, Biklen also plans to continue teaching in the school.

‘I think it is important for administration to keep in touch with teaching,’ he said. ‘I know I’ll keep my hand in research, but I’ll work with faculty and other researchers instead of heading my own projects.’

However, he faces many challenges as he assumes his new position. The ever-evolving field of education clashes with stringent federal regulations and a poor enrollment of male students.

‘There are a lot of challenges in education,’ he said. ‘We live in a society that’s very much a consumer society and working in education is more seen as charitable work than as intellectually challenging.’

Published on August 28, 2005 at 12:00 pm