June 30, 2008, will mark the closing of the Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy (CRDEUL). The Center received most of its financial support from the General College, which closed on June 30, 2006. Although we appreciate the additional 2 years to continue the work of CRDEUL, it has been a difficult time for all of us. In order for CRDEUL to have the financial means to remain open long enough to complete and disseminate projects already underway, Dana Lundell, director of CRDEUL since its inception, tendered her resignation effective June 2007. Dana’s farewell column appears elsewhere in this publication. All of us who worked with Dana understood her decision and are pleased that she is sharing her knowledge and skills with graduate students through her new teaching job at Argosy University. But for the rest of the faculty and staff affiliated with CRDEUL, the void she left behind is inescapable.

As part-time (10%) interim director, it is not my goal to attempt to fill Dana’s shoes. During its “sunset year” CRDEUL is continuing many of its programs and services, but on a lesser scale, including:

• Offering forums (but fewer)
• Collaborating with the Pedagogy and Student Services for Institutional Transformation (PASS IT) project to publish a new book (see separate article by Goff and Higbee)
• Disseminating the 2007 monograph, Diversity and the Postsecondary Experience, at professional meetings, such as the 40th annual conference of the College Reading and Learning Association
• Providing a research library of publications related to developmental education and multicultural postsecondary education
• Maintaining the Web site, including downloadable copies of all CRDEUL publications
• Responding to requests from faculty and staff throughout the United States for information related to developmental education and learning support
• Engaging in developing grant proposals in collaboration with other units both at the University of Minnesota and elsewhere
• Presenting a workshop via the Graduate School and providing individual mentoring for graduate students related to writing for publication

We hope that readers will continue to make use of the center’s services for the duration of its sunset year. Yes, we still keep the candy baskets overflowing and are happy to see people stop by, whether it is for an occasional chocolate “pick-me-up” or to “pick our brains.” We encourage readers to pick up rapidly disappearing copies of CRDEUL’s previous publications while they are still available in print format.

It is difficult to reflect on our work in CRDEUL and think only in terms of the past and present, knowing the center does not have a future. One of the joys of my own involvement with CRDEUL has been being part of a team engaged in thinking strategically; setting goals; brainstorming new ideas for programs, publications, and services; and then implementing them. Every aspect of the work of the center has been a collaborative endeavor. We offer our thanks to everyone who has made this work so rewarding.