The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications says it wants student input in choosing Dean David Rubin’s successor.

Now students have their second chance.

Lorraine Branham, candidate for dean of the Newhouse school will speak to students at 1:45 p.m. She is the second candidate to visit the school.

‘It’s not so much a committee enterprise anymore,’ said David C. Smith, vice president for administrative planning. ‘The focus is really shifting away from the committee’s role and much more to the community’s role.’

Miranda Villei, undergraduate student committee member, viewed the new dean selection process as more than just a committee issue.

‘I think from a student perspective, the new dean should be someone with a vision for Newhouse and be involved with the student body, someone students can ultimately learn from,’ Villei said.

Branham is the second candidate to visit Syracuse University in an effort to include the community in the decisions made by the Newhouse search committee.

Branham will speak in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse III, and all SU students are encouraged to attend. She will also meet with SU faculty and staff during her visit.

Students will be able to ask questions about the dean candidate and have an open discussion. The hour-long question-and-answer session will allow all SU students to learn about the change that will be taking place in Newhouse come fall 2008.

Sam L. Grogg, the other candidate to replace current dean David Rubin, spoke last Thursday to students with questions and concerns about his commitment to Newhouse and his intentions in joining the school’s team.

David C. Smith, the chair of the search committee, said even students not associated with Newhouse would notice the effects of a new dean.

‘Students that have the most at stake would be Newhouse students or in duel majors in the Newhouse school, but this is a community issue,’ Smith said. ‘Deans are people who not only play a role in their school, but in the broader context of policy and the culture of the institution.’

A driving concern for Talya Shlang, sophomore public relations major, is the potential relationship between the new dean and the current and incoming students.

‘Newhouse is a challenging and demanding school, and I hope that the new dean, whoever it may be, will be an approachable individual who students feel comfortable going to,’ Shlang said. ‘I also think a change of authority will be a nice addition to the Newhouse school.’

The two candidates are most familiar with two different disciplines of communication. Branham is most proficient in print media aspect, and is now the director of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. Grogg has expertise in film, and is the dean of the School of Communication at the University of Miami.

‘Her journalism background is deep, and now she runs one of the best journalism schools in the country,’ said Joel Kaplan, professor and committee member for the dean search, of Branham’s past experiences.

After reviewing 300 candidate resumes, the committee narrowed the search down to 13 qualified candidates. Now, the committee has chosen two candidates, and one will be selected for dean by the start of the fall 2008 semester.

Today, students have an opportunity to direct their questions to Branham.

The two visits to SU by the candidates will hopefully involve the community enough so that its voice can be heard, Smith said.

‘I think the key message that I would want to get across is that the process going forward really depends on participation,’ he said. ‘The hope is that anyone who can possibly come to be part of the discussion will.’

Published on January 28, 2008 at 12:00 pm