UA Professor Named First Billingsley Chair in Educational Research and Policy Studies

Fayetteville, Ark. - Dr. Sean Mulvenon, University of Arkansas professor specializing in educational statistics and director of the National Office for Research, Measurement and Evaluation Systems, has been named the first holder of the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Educational Research and Policy Studies.

His appointment will be celebrated at a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, in the foyer of the Graduate Education Building Auditorium.

The chair was endowed by the Billingsleys to focus primarily on the development of leading-edge computer-based systems in education policy, research and statistics in coordination with multidisciplinary programs across campus.

UA Chancellor John A. White said, "This is a great day for the University of Arkansas and the College of Education and Health Professions. Endowed chairs play a critical role in recruiting and retaining world-class faculty. George and Boyce Billingsley's vision is helping the UA vision become a reality. We are grateful for their generosity, which will have a lasting and positive impact on this campus and across the state."

Reed Greenwood, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions, said, "In just nine years with the university, Dr. Mulvenon has made a significant contribution towards our mission of serving Arkansas and the world. Through the systems he developed that make complex data usable by every school in the state, Dr. Mulvenon will have a long-lasting impact on education in Arkansas. He and the staff he directs at NORMES are recognized nationally for fresh approaches to using data to benefit our children."

Mulvenon began NORMES with a $500 grant in 1996 and has grown the office to an organization with funding in excess of $1 million annually. He owns more than 200 copyrighted programs developed through his work at NORMES.

Mulvenon has worked extensively with the Arkansas Department of Education in developing measurement and assessment models for the state school accountability program. Since 1998, he has written more than 20 proprietary reports for the Arkansas Department of Education, Community Care Foundation, National Science Foundation and Arkansas school districts.

Boyce Billingsley

Boyce and the late George Billingsleymade an $8.3 million commitment to the University of Arkansas to fund several endowed chairs and scholarships and to support the libraries and Razorback athletics. The portion of the gift designated for the George M. and Boyce W. Billingsley Endowed Chair in Educational Research and Policy Studies will receive matching funds from the Matching Gift Program.

George Billingsley

The Billingsleys have said that their interest in supporting the University of Arkansas is motivated by a desire to give back to their alma mater and to support the concept of Arkansas as the "Land of Opportunity" by providing opportunities for people to succeed in the state.

They chose to support faculty and research efforts primarily, George Billingsley said in a 2001 interview, because of the potential effect of faculty research on the state as a whole. The Billingsleys are UA alumni: George Billingsley is a 1957 history graduate and Boyce Billingsley a 1955 graduate in finance and banking. George Billingsley died in 2002.

Mulvenon's research interests include longitudinal data modeling, educational assessment procedures and methodological designs for educational research. He is a member of the National Research Advisory Board for the National Center for Educational Accountability and of the National Research Advisory Panel for Study on Teacher Preparation Programs.

His scholarship and professional record includes 40 journal publications, a book and more than 100 national and international professional presentations. His research and service initiatives have generated $3.7 million in external funding for the University of Arkansas.

Mulvenon completed his doctoral work at Arizona State University in 1993 with his dissertation "Analytical Power Formulae for Repeated Measures Designs." He served as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Illinois in 1993-1995 and joined the faculty of the UA department of educational leadership, counseling and foundations in 1995.

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