Dean Robert D. Moulton, Ph.D.

Dr. Robert D. Moulton became dean of the College of Education at New Mexico State University in July of 2000. Prior to that, he spent 26 years at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Lamar University is part of the Texas State University System and is a comprehensive, regional institution serving approximately 9,000 students at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.

Dr. Moulton's higher education administrative experience includes twenty-four years as director of a department-sized program, department head, acting dean, graduate dean, and associate vice president for research. He received his Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science at Michigan State University in 1974. As an undergraduate at the University of Utah, he completed majors in psychology, sociology, and communication disorders. He has a master's degree in audiology and deaf education from the University of Utah and additional graduate work at the University of Montana and at New Mexico State University.

Dr. Moulton has specialized in the education and rehabilitation of deaf people and in speech-language pathology. His experience in deaf studies includes three years as a teacher at a state residential school and 26 years in teacher training. He established the nation's only training program for Hispanic teachers of Hispanic deaf children. He played a major role in establishing and finding funding for the Lamar University deaf education doctoral program which is now one of only eight such professional training centers in the United States. As a speech-language pathologist, he worked in private practice and in two hospital-based neurological rehabilitation settings.

Since the early 80s, Dr. Moulton has been active in establishing and improving international special education programs. He has completed projects in China, Mexico, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Israel. In his most recent international project, he co-directed a program which trained professionals in deaf education, audiology, and speech-language pathology in the refugee camps of the Gaza Strip. Dr. Moulton has obtained funding for and directed special education-related projects whose combined budgets exceed $19 million. Funding sources for his projects include the U.S. Department of Education, the United Nations, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Dr. Moulton has this to say about his background and about his philosophy of education:

"I am the first college graduate from my family. My father was physically handicapped and it was a struggle to support his family, but he taught me to treasure education and to see it as a tool for improving my life and the lives of my children and their children."

"I consider education to be essential to that which is good in life. It provides tools for personal development, self-expression and problem solving. It is supportive of creative expression and helps us appreciate art, music, theater, dance, and literature. A good education teaches self reliance and responsibility and is critical for participatory government. It is a primary tool for developing a society which appreciates diversity and avoids ethnocentrism. It encourages us to consider views other than our own and to think critically. An education provides a sense of historical perspective and helps us to weigh likely long-term outcomes when making major decisions. An educated workforce is critical to economic development and stability. An education is a potent means of career entrance, enhancement, and change. Through education, each generation can improve the lives of those who follow."

What does he think of his new position?

"New Mexico State University is a great institution, located in a beautiful section of an awesome state. I was a graduate student here in the early 70s and I was so impressed with the friendly people, the pleasant climate, and the inspiring scenery. To return as dean of the College of Education is a dream come true."