Rick Ginsberg wasn’t looking for a job at Kansas University. But after being recruited for the top seat as dean of the School of Education, he quickly warmed to the opportunity.

Ginsberg has been director of Colorado State University’s School of Education. He will earn $160,000 a year at KU when he begins in August.

He holds degrees from the University of Chicago and the State University of New York at Albany. He also has worked at the University of South Carolina, University of New Orleans and the City Colleges of Chicago.

Ginsberg has written three books and more than 50 articles and chapters in more than two dozen books. His research and writings cover such topics as school reform, learning disabilities, minorities in higher education, administrator training and school law.

Improving programs and moving up in the rankings are among Ginsberg’s goals. He said he would continue to develop what already is a very strong teacher preparation program.

He plans to have strong ties with area K-12 schools.

“I bring a real passion for having close relationships with the K-12 world,” he said.

He wants the university to continue to have a strong presence in the Kansas City area. And he sees the school as an important purveyor of information to help policymakers.

“I would like the school of education to participate in discussions about school finance and anything at the state level,” he said.

The school has 600 undergraduate students in five programs and 1,300 graduate studies in 16 programs. It is ranked 20th in the nation among public universities by U.S. News & World Report magazine, and its special-education program has ranked first at public universities for 10 out of the past 11 years.

Ginsberg’s wife, Lauri Herrmann-Ginsberg, will be a faculty member of the School of Education.