BYU NewsNet - Bell New Dean of Undergraduate Ed.

The new dean of Undergraduate Education assumed his duties on Tuesday, hoping for a future of enriched general education classes and better assessments of their quality.

Dr. John Bell, who previously served as the chair of the Department of Zoology, approaches this position with confidence provided by his time in the College of Life Sciences dean's office, yet aware of the new duties and responsibilities he will take on as dean of Undergraduate Education.

"There are some very fine associate deans already there, and I am looking forward to working with them because they've been able to be there and observe what the dean does and participate in it whereas I have not," he said.

Academic Vice President John S. Tanner announced Bell's appointment in a news release. "Dr. Bell brings to this position not only a strong record as a teacher and a scholar but significant administrative experience as a long-time associate dean in the College of Life Sciences. In addition, he brings special passion for and nationally recognized expertise in improving student learning," Tanner said. "He has piloted ways to engage students in active learning, even in large general education classes."

Bell hopes to address two major concerns as dean: first, to help students see their general education as being a highlight of their time at BYU, and second, to find a better way to assess general education courses to continue shaping them into fulfilling, interesting courses the undergraduate student body can look forward to.

"I would hope that the kinds of comments that one hears from time to time like 'well, I'm going to hurry up and get my G.E. out of the way' as though it were a hurdle rather than an enjoyable, beloved part of the education would become just that, something they look back on fondly," he said.

In addition, Bell addressed his desire to communicate regularly with faculty. "I would like to work with the faculty members that teach general education to sort of collectively understand what constitutes a better general education experience," he said.

Bell said he hopes to make general education more enjoyable on behalf of the teachers as well as the students. By providing general guidelines and rubrics, departments may adjust their measurement tools to what resources they have and what they are comfortable with, such as questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, he said, to better accommodate students as well as faculty with strong indicative results.

Bell has been teaching at BYU since 1990, after three years as a postdoctoral fellow at University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Married and a father of three children, Bell serves in church callings, enjoys studying seashells and maintains a personal collection, and is a playwright. He has worked with several local theaters and has contributed to the Utah Shakespearean Festival.