University of Phoenix announced the appointment of Dr. Troy Hutchings to serve as Research Chair for Education in the University’s College of Education and School of Advanced Studies. As Research Chair for Education, Dr. Hutchings will engage in research and provide thought leadership for scholarly initiatives in Education by bringing leading-edge counsel into the ethics courses offered in University of Phoenix education programs.
Dr. Hutchings brings more than 28 years of experience in the education field as a high school teacher and administrator, and most recently as Northern Arizona University’s Director of Student Services in the College of Education and an instructor in the Educational Leadership Department. Dr. Hutchings’ expertise and research spans the areas of teacher sexual misconduct, educator decision-making, and the professional continuum-of-responsibility associated with development of a professional framework for a moral and legal teaching practice.
“Dr. Hutchings is an international ethics expert on issues that are important to future teachers, including issues about relationship boundaries and behavioral models that protect both the teacher and student,” said University of Phoenix School of Advanced Studies Executive Dean Dr. Jeremy Moreland. “University of Phoenix education students and faculty will benefit from Dr. Hutchings’ insight into the field as he continues to lead national dialogue and advances his scholarly inquiry.”
Dr. Hutchings has been a featured speaker on education leadership topics at a variety of events for state policy groups, school administrators, state teacher associations, department of education leaders, and licensing officials across the country. He has also assisted in the development of university curricula on educator ethics and law. Additionally, Dr. Hutchings has collaborated with the Province of Ontario, Canada, the United States Army JROTC and other agencies. He has served as the subject expert on a full-length interactive film dealing with teacher sexual misconduct, served as an expert witness, and has participated in a number of other educator ethics and law projects. His contributions to educator professional practices were recognized nationally by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification in 2009, when he received the Annual Doug Bates Award and delivered the associated lecture.
“Dr. Hutchings’ work in educator ethics and misconduct is well respected in the education field,” said University of Phoenix College of Education Dean Dr. Meredith Curley. “His work provides a solid framework for teacher preparation and ethics best practices in education, and we are excited to apply his expertise to University of Phoenix education programs to better prepare our future teacher leaders.”
Dr. Hutchings earned his Bachelor of Science in English Education from the University of South Dakota, Master of Education in Secondary Education from Arizona State University, Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University.
