professor of education policy, organization and leadership in the College of Education
Education: Ph.D. (educational policy studies), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; M.A. (educational foundations), B.A. (political science), California State University of Los Angeles
Courses teaching: EOL 549, Administration Theory
Research interests: His research interests include alternative education for students who have been unable to matriculate through traditional public schools, and the intersection between school choice and disruptive students.
“Chris is an excellent addition to our faculty,” said James D. Anderson, the head of the department of education policy, organization and leadership and the Gutgsell Professor. “He joins us from Michigan State University, where he was a professor of K-12 educational administration and the coordinator of the urban education specialization in the College of Education.
“He brings a strong background in education leadership that dovetails with our new undergraduate program in learning and education science, and enhances our increasing partnerships with local school communities. He’s a perfect fit for our new initiative in Chicago to help train the city’s next generation of school principals, as well as teach into the urban education strand of interest to the Chicago Public Schools,” Anderson said.
Why Illinois? “I chose to come to Illinois for several reasons,” Dunbar said. “Illinois attracts a diverse body of students who are smart, as well as world-class scholars who are on the cutting edge of research in multiple fields of inquiry. The faculty are present and ready to engage students and colleagues in and around challenging research. In addition, the university has an extraordinary library. And, Illinois is my alma mater. I am delighted to reconnect with this great institution.”