09-11-2006

Internationally recognized deaf educator and advocate Roslyn “Roz” Rosen has been appointed director of California State University, Northridge’s (CSUN) acclaimed National Center on Deafness (NCOD).

Rosen spent 33 years at Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, before retiring in 2003. She served in several capacities at Gallaudet, ranging from professor to vice president for academic affairs. She subsequently became the executive director of the Council on Education of the Deaf, consultant on international affairs with the Communication Services for the Deaf, and international officer with the World Federation of the Deaf. She assumes her new post September 25.

“We are very fortunate to have someone of Dr. Rosen’s experience, expertise, and reputation joining us as director of NCOD,” says Terry Piper, CSUN’s vice president for student affairs. “She will bring new ideas, new energy, and an absolute commitment to the educational and personal success of our deaf and hard of hearing students.”

CSUN President Jolene Koester agreed.

“NCOD has a long history of providing quality services to deaf and hard of hearing students,” she says. “With Dr. Rosen’s leadership, I am confident that we will attain even higher levels of excellence in providing learning opportunities in and outside the classroom.”

NCOD has served more than 2,500 students who are deaf and hard of hearing since its inception more than 40 years ago. NCOD provides communication access, leadership opportunities, scholarships, academic advisement, tutoring, and direct communication classes each year for approximately 200-250 students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Established at CSUN in 1964, NCOD was the first postsecondary program in the nation to provide paid sign language interpreters for interactive mainstream programming, for undergraduate and for graduate students in its National Leadership Training Program.

Piper said CSUN was satisfied that the best possible candidate was recruited for NCOD. Rosen said she was looking forward to coming to Northridge.

“I’m excited about joining the vibrant CSUN family and collaborating with diverse constituencies to achieve a networked, successful, accessible and exemplary learning-centered environment for all students,” she says. “CSUN has a proud record as a top notch university for deaf and hard of hearing students, and I look forward to becoming part of its positive future.”

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Gallaudet University and her doctorate in education administration from Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

[SOURCE: CSUN, September 6, 2006]