University News
Retirement Celebration Set for WIU President Taylor
April 2, 2002
MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University's current President and former Dean of the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) will be honored at a retirement celebration from 4-6 p.m. Friday, May 3 in the Union Grand Ballroom.
David R. Taylor will be recognized for his years of service and contributions to the University. Taylor will retire and step down from the president's post June 30, a role he assumed Dec. 8 when Donald Spencer retired. The campus community and Macomb-area community members are invited to attend the retirement celebration which will be hosted by the President's Office and the College of Education and Human Services. Taylor will speak briefly at 5 p.m.
Taylor has been dean of Western's COEHS since 1979. Prior to that appointment he served as assistant dean of education at Western Michigan University. For the past two decades at WIU, Taylor has been actively involved with interactive distance learning projects and integrating technology into education at all levels of instruction. He has supported Western's participation in a teacher education pilot program initiated by the Illinois State Board of Education, which places WIU pre-service teachers into field training in diverse educational areas.
He was instrumental in establishing the Western Illinois University-Illinois State Board of Education Satellite Network and is vice chair of the United Star Distance Learning Consortium (USDLC), serving as director of the Star Schools Engaged Learning Project. WIU is the only higher education institution to have received multiple USDE Star School Grants. Taylor serves as a consultant to the Governor's Illinois Technology Team, serves on the Illinois State Coalition for Technology and has been appointed to the AACTE Technology in Teacher Education Committee.
He also is a member of the Apple Computer Deans Roundtable. Taylor worked with the Illinois legislature to establish guidelines for the use of distance learning technologies, and he works with corporations, educational institutions and government agencies to incorporate technologies to deliver satellite and asynchronous instruction to urban and rural areas.
Taylor has served terms as secretary, regional coordinator and regional representative to the Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities. He served as an elected trustee of Spoon River College.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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