Dean’s Transition and Reflections on Seven Years of Progress

September 16, 2025

Dear Alumni and Friends of the College of Education,

When I came to The University of Texas at Austin seven years ago, I was drawn to the role of dean at the College of Education because of a clear sense that the college was ideally positioned to build upon its foundation of excellence and become the most impactful college of education in the country. Our college provided the opportunity to join a dedicated community of scholars, educators, students, and staff committed to transforming lives through education and health. The promise of working alongside colleagues who share an unwavering focus on serving all of Texas, leading innovation, and delivering the world-class education needed to ensure a vibrant future inspired me then and continues to do so today.

You may know that I am among the longest serving current academic leaders at UT. Although I have expressed my commitment to continue serving as your dean as we work to mature and sustain the success we have achieved over these past seven years, it is important to acknowledge this time of significant change in higher education. With new leadership in place at UT, our president and provost are working to build the team they need to advance their vision and priorities within this changing landscape. As such, I will be concluding my service as dean at the end of this academic year. I know that our college community is committed to charting a course for the future that will continue to enhance our transformative impact, and I am confident that our college will continue to thrive and that UT’s leadership will look to you—our alumni and friends—as they guide us into the next chapter.

As I reflect on our journey together, I am filled with profound pride in the accomplishments we have achieved as a college. We have expanded our research portfolio, deepened our connections with communities across Texas, fostered a culture of collaboration and belonging, and prepared generations of Longhorns to shape the future of education, health, and sport. These collective efforts have elevated the college’s reputation, fortified its foundations, and reaffirmed our dedication to excellence and opportunity for all.

Our accomplishments together in the College of Education over the past seven years are extraordinary, but here are a few highlights:

Graduate school rankings have risen ten points in the past two years alone. This year we are ranked No. 4 among public colleges of education and No. 6 overall, making us the highest ranked graduate school or college at UT.
Undergraduate enrollment has increased by more than 40% in the last six years, and we have grown more (by percent) than any college or school at UT during that time.
Our 82% four-year graduation rate sets a new benchmark for student success and ranks among the very top at UT.
We have seen a 70% increase in the number of faculty engaged in externally funded research, and our research expenditures rank us third among UT colleges and schools.
We have refined numerous degree programs in response to the changing workforce landscape in Texas and have launched new interdisciplinary graduate programs that address the most pressing challenges in our field, most recently in prevention science.
With strong and trusted partnerships, we have organized the college to transform education and health outcomes statewide through programmatic innovation, including the Texas Education THRIVE teacher mentoring program and the LONESTARP3 research-practice-policy network.
Thanks to generous champions and our ability to inspire their passion and dedication to our mission, we have more than doubled our ambitious fundraising goal set early in the What Starts Here campaign, providing historic and enduring levels of support for student scholarships, academic programs, bold research initiatives, and student-facing facilities in the Sánchez Building and Bellmont Hall.

Throughout my 30-year career, I have never experienced such remarkable impact with such a talented, courageous, and far-reaching team. Undoubtedly, we have been the right people at the right time. It has been an extraordinary privilege to work alongside all of you to create lasting impact. Serving as your dean has been the highest honor of my professional life.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to every member of our community for your trust, your partnership, your authenticity, and your dedication to the mission that unites us. I am especially grateful to our Advisory Council Members, donors, alumni, and community partners across Texas for your ongoing engagement, generosity and support. You have been critical collaborators and advocates for making these successes possible. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming year, and to cheering on the College of Education as it continues to achieve new heights in service to our university, our communities, our state, and the world.

With gratitude and optimism,

CHARLES R. MARTINEZ, JR., Dean
The University of Texas at Austin | College of Education