Date: January 11, 2005
Contact: Michael Hopkins
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: m-hopkins@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, Illinois, January 11, 2005 – Governors State University announced the appointment of Diane Dates Casey as dean of Library Services and Academic Computing today.
Prior to her appointment as dean, Dates Casey served as the university’s Library director and coordinator of
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Dean Diane Dates Casey
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Academic Information Technology.As dean, Dates Casey will oversee all services of the University Library. She will also work closely with the university’s Information Technology Services (ITS) department and the Center for Online Teaching and Learning, which develops new, and converts existing, curriculum for online delivery.
The university’s provost, Dr. Paul Keys, said Dates Casey’s leadership and innovative management style have revolutionized the way the university’s technology is adapted to academic needs. He said, “Dean Dates Casey spearheads a continuing university upgrade of classroom technology. Seventeen new technology enhanced classrooms have been constructed at the university since the fall trimester, and more are scheduled to be built each year.”
Dates Casey said the technology enhanced classrooms are the product of collaborative efforts between the university’s ITS department and faculty. “ITS did a fine job. They were responsive to faculty and student needs, and worked with us to install the right technology with the right support.” Dates Casey added she will continue to work with ITS to convert every classroom on campus to a technology enhanced classroom over the next few years.
The new classrooms fully integrate technology into the learning environment, providing computers, projectors, Internet access, DVD, VHS, and productivity software for faculty.
However, Keys cautioned, “You can’t just place equipment in a room and expect miracles to happen.” He explained, “Diane understands that faculty knowledge and creativity play the largest part in any classroom dynamic. So training and support for faculty are just as important as the technology itself.”
Keys said Dates Casey has worked to develop a university-wide plan that teaches faculty to use emerging technologies to their full advantage.
Dates Casey said she also intends to continue working to upgrade student resources in the university’s library. Just two years ago, the only thing a student could do on a library computer was access a library database or do an Internet search. Today, every library computer has a full range of productivity software for students; its librarians are trained to help with software as well as research; and writing tutors are in the library to help students with their papers.
“Our partnership with the Writing Center has made the University Library full-service,” Dates Casey said. “Students can research, prepare papers and projects, and get expert help and resources all in one location. It’s what students need and should have – and they can get it right here, in the library.”
Keys pointed out that, nationally, the profession of library science has increasingly trained librarians to lead academic institutions into the digital age.
Dates Casey earned her Master’s in Library Science at Kent State in 1991. She earned an M.A. in English Literature from Ohio State, a B.A. in Sociology from SUNY, Buffalo, and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Lutheran Seminary.
Dates Casey lives in Oak Lawn with her husband, Dr. James. B. Casey, director of the Oak Lawn Public Library.
