SHU Acquires Ethical Educational Leadership Journal

Joseph Polizzi, director of the FCE’s principal preparation graduate program, plans to expand the journal internationally

Sacred Heart University’s Farrington College of Education (FCE) has acquired the Journal of Ethical Educational Leadership, which was originally founded by the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

Joseph Polizzi, associate professor and director of the FCE’s principal preparation program and sixth-year certificate in social, emotional and academic learning, was a member of the journal’s editorial board prior to being chosen as its second editor-in-chief. The journal’s purpose is to serve scholars who are researching ethical and educational leadership. It aims to serve as a platform for the discovery, dialogue and debate of the theory and practice of educational leadership, Polizzi said.

The Journal of Ethical Educational Leadership will serve as a publishing outlet for both emerging and established scholars who wish to share their perspectives, ideas and research findings that pertain to the field of ethics in leadership. This will broadly include literature reviews, case studies, research studies on the topics of ethics, and the integration of the social and emotional aspects of leadership through compassion and empathy as part of the journal’s mission. Additionally, Polizzi plans to expand the journal internationally.

SHU’s principal preparation program centers on ethical decision-making and the social, emotional and academic components of leadership. As the journal’s editor-in-chief, Polizzi intends to ensure that student contributions remain part of the journal’s mission and vision. It will become a home for graduate students, as well as fledgling and established scholars from around the world, to find an avenue for publication and involvement, whether individually or in collaboration with others, Polizzi said.

“The global pandemic has changed the nature of schools and the requirements of how leaders must serve the social, academic and emotional needs of children, families and communities,” said Polizzi. “Schools should be a place where children, teenagers and teachers want to be. The backbone of a school leader should be comprised of broad academic knowledge, moral grounding and the ability to create an innovative environment that is, on the one hand, predictable and understanding of the complexities of teaching, learning and social life, and on the other, compassionate and flexible in its delivery.”

Currently, Polizzi hopes the journal will publish twice yearly. His goal is to produce the first issue under his leadership in spring of 2022.

“Sacred Heart University continues to establish its presence as a national university,” said Michael Alfano, dean of the FCE. “The acquisition of a peer-reviewed publication such as the Journal of Ethical Educational Leadership positions SHU and, more specifically, the Farrington College of Education, as a thought-leading institution in the area of compassionate and ethical educational leadership. This is an exciting opportunity for our faculty to shine, and I very much look forward to seeing where they will take the journal in the future.”