Ellen D. Durnin, Ph.D.
Dean, Graduate Studies and External Programs
Dr. Ellen Durnin currently serves as Dean of Graduate Studies and External Programs at WCSU.
Dr. Durnin attended schools in New York State and graduated from Wagner College with a B.A. in Sociology. After working in the field of organized labor, she returned to school and pursued a Masters of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and Baruch College. She completed her Ph.D. in Organization Policy Studies at City University and Graduate Center, New York, NY.
Dr. Durnin has been involved in higher education since 1983, teaching at both Western Connecticut and Southern Connecticut State Universities. She served as Chair of the Management department from 1997 through 2000. During that time, she implemented a collaborative program with the College of the Bahamas to deliver WestConn's Masters of Health Administration program to 21 Bahamian health care professionals.
In 2000, Dr. Durnin was named Dean of Western Connecticut State University and Central Connecticut State University at Waterbury, and created an offsite location delivering bachelor degree-completion programs on the campus of Naugatuck Valley Community College.
Dr. Durnin accepted the newly-created position of Dean of Graduate Studies and External Programs in 2002, where she works closely with the school deans to ensure the academic integrity of all graduate programs, including the university's new Ed.D. program in Instructional Leadership.
Dr. Durnin's research interests are in human resource management, negotiation and conflict resolution in the workplace, and work/life balance programs.
