Get to Know Our Home Sweet Home
At the College of Communication and Information, we strive to ignite students’ passions so they can carry on the torch of excellence. Once they become a part of the CCI community, they’ll learn to be innovative leaders, thinkers, and Volunteers in whatever calling they choose to follow in the communication and information world.
We are part of a Land Grant Institution embedded in communities to make those communities a better place. Our alumni, students, faculty, and staff strive to positively impact the lives of people in our state through our teaching, scholarship, creative work, and through our engagement and service. CCI as a college is well poised to deliver upon all of those areas to become the most nationally distinctive but locally relevant College of Communication and Information in the country.
Accreditation Statement
In addition, Programs for which accrediting is available are fully accredited. The college’s undergraduate programs in advertising, journalism and electronic media, and public relations are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Information Sciences is accredited by the American Library Association and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
Strategic Plan
College Governance
Leadership Team
Suzie Allard
Associate Dean for Research,
Director of the CCI Research & Innovation Center
Abebe Rorissa
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Director of the School of Information Sciences
Courtney Childers
Interim Director, School of Journalism and Electronic Media
Elizabeth Avery Foster
Director of the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations
Bylaws
All bylaws are in PDF format.
CCI Committees 2022-23
2022-2023 CCI Master Calendar
2022-2023 CCI Committee Roster (PDF file)
STANDING COMMITTEES
Faculty Affairs Committee
Member Composition: 2 tenured/tenure track faculty elected per School; 2-year terms staggered within School
ADPR: Mariea Hoy (2023)
ADPR: Robyn Blakeman (2024)
SIS: Vandana Singh (2023)
SIS: Dania Bilal (2024)
JEM: Stuart Brotman (2023)
JEM: Julie Andsager (2024)
CS: Joan Rentsch (2023)
CS: Emily Paskewitz (2024)
Graduate Studies Committee
Member Composition: 1 tenured/tenure-track faculty per School; staggered 2-year terms
ADPR: Moonhee Cho (2024)
SIS: Devendra Potnis (2024)
JEM: Nick Geidner (2023)
CS: Mike Kotowski (2023)
PhD C&I: Shelby Luttman (PBRL)
MS C&I: Kathryn Fellhoelter (JEM)
MSIS: Catherine Cubera
Ex-Officio: Virginia Kupritz
Undergraduate Studies Committee
Member Composition: 1 tenured/tenure-track faculty elected per School; staggered 2-year terms
ADPR: Eric Haley (2024)
JEM: Erin Whiteside (2024)
SIS: Carolyn Hank (2023)
CS: Courtney Wright (2023)
Ex-Officio: Julie Longmire
ADPR: Eric Haley (2024)
JEM: Erin Whiteside (2024)
SIS: Carolyn Hank (2023)
CS: Courtney Wright (2023)
Ex-Officio: Julie Longmire
Departmental Review Committee (DRC) for Human Subjects Research
Member Composition: 2 reps from ADPR; 1 from CS; 2 reps from JEM; and 2 reps from IS; 1-year terms
ADPR: Sifan Xu (2023)
ADPR: Mariea Hoy (2023)
SIS: Wade Bishop (2023)
SIS: Xiaohua (Awa) Zhu (2023)
JEM: Mark Harmon (2023)
JEM: Barb Kaye (2023)
CS: Jenny Crowley (2023)
Administrative: Beth Meko
Research Advisory Committee
Member Composition: 2 tenured/tenure-track faculty elected per School, staggered 2-year terms; 1 doctoral student appointed by Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, 1-year term; one RIC staff member is ex-officio
Suzie Allard – Chair
ADPR: Courtney Childers (2023)
ADPR: Christina Najera (2024)
SIS: Brian Dobreski (2023)
SIS: Jiangen He (2024)
JEM: Joy Jenkins (2023)
JEM: Guy Harrison (2024)
CS: Laura Miller (2023)
CS: Joan Rentsch (2024)
PhD C&I: Sarah Devereux (CS)
RIC Standing Members:
Amy Forrester
Beth Meko
Karen Jones-Zach
Meghana Pamidi
Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Member Composition:1 tenured/tenure-track faculty elected per School, staggered 2-year terms; 1 exempt staff/1 non-exempt staff/1 non-tenure track faculty member/1 doctoral and 1 undergraduate student appointed by Dean, 1-year term
Vandana Singh – Chair
ADPR: Christina Najera (2023)
SIS: Devendra Potnis (2024)
JEM: Amber Roessner (2023)
CS: Michelle Violanti (2023)
Non-tenure track faculty: Nicholas Meade (CS)
Exempt staff: Byron Keys (DSLS Representative)
Non-exempt staff: Dionne George
Doctoral student (SIS): Nanda Rajarathnam
Undergraduate student: vacant
ADVISORY COUNCILS
Dean’s Advisory Council
Member Composition: 1 tenured/tenure track faculty elected from each School, 1-year term; 1 exempt staff/1 non-exempt staff/1 non-tenure track faculty member appointed by Dean, 1-year term
ADPR: Minjie Li
SIS: Wade Bishop
JEM: Mark Littmann
CS: Quinten Bernhold
Non-tenure track faculty: Cathy Cuevas
Exempt staff: Alexis Anderson
Non-exempt staff: Pamela Durban
Ex-Officio: Joe Mazer
Dean’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Council
Member Composition: Student presidents (or designee) from CCI Undergraduate Student Organizations
Com Studies Club:
Ad Club: Emma Herrington
PRSSA: Mazie Dee
SPJ: Jack Foster
Diversity Student Leaders Society: Madisun Richardson
Dean’s Graduate Student Advisory Council
MS C&I: Gideon Amankwah (JEM)
MS C&I: Jasmine Fehr (AD)
MSIS: Catherine Cubera (IS)
MSIS: Chad Lanctot (IS)
PhD C&I: Anna McClure (CS)
PhD C&I: Carla White (PBRL)
AD HOC COMMITTEES
CCI Global Programs Committee
Laura Miller – Chair
ADPR: Moonhee Cho
JEM: Mark Harmon
CS: Laura Miller
IS: Dania Bilal
UNIVERSITY-WIDE SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES
Faculty serve on many committees throughout UTK as part of their service and/or administrative responsibilities. The following commitments require the college to elect representatives on a regular basis.
Faculty Senate
CCI has five senators. Senators serve three-year terms, plus one of the at-large faculty senators representing all UT lecturers.
Dania Bilal (First Term, First Year, 2025)
Joy Marie Doan (First Term, First Year, 2025)
Matthew Pittman (First Term, Second Year, 2024) (CCI Caucus Chair)
Amber Roessner (First Term, Second Term, 2024, Faculty Senate Vice President, Faculty Senate Leadership Team until 2024-25)
Robyn Blakeman (One-Year Appointment for Candace’s Third Term, 2023)
Carolyn Hank (Alternate CCI Senator for 2022-23 who will attend if any CCI Senators are unable to attend Senate Meetings)
Graduate Council
Three-year terms; two representatives and two proxies
Moonhee Cho (ADPR) (2025)
Nick Geidner (JEM) (2025)
Proxy: Laura Miller (CS), Devendra Potnis (SIS)
Ex-Officio: Virginia Kupritz
Undergraduate Council
Three-year terms. Dates shown are when the term expires
Eric Haley (July 31, 2023)
Carolyn Hank (July 31, 2025)
Ex-Officio: Julie Longmire
Periodic Post-Tenure Performance Review Committee Members
1 tenured full-time faculty (full professor if faculty member being reviewed is a full professor) from each School, 1-year term
SIS: Vandana Singh
JEM: Rob Heller
CS: Joan Rentsch
CCI Graduate Student Association (GSA)
(2022-2023 officers)
Scott Greeves (JEM), CCI Graduate Student Association, President (C&I, PhD, ADPR)
Jess Barfield, CCI Graduate Student Association, Vice President (C& I PhD, SIS)
Jalen Blue, CCI Graduate Student Association, Vice President (C&I PhD, CS)
Traci Lively, CCI Graduate Student Association, Vice President (C&I, PhD, CS)
Najwa Albaqami, CCI Graduate Student Association, Vice President (C&I PhD, PR)
Emma Herbert, CCI Graduate Student Association, Vice President (C&I, MS, PR)
CCI Graduate Student Senate (GSS)
(2022-2023 senators)
Josh Shockley (C&I MS, PBRL)
Jess Barfield (C&I PhD, SIS)
Aman Misra (C&I PhD, JEM)
Francesca Watkins (MSIS)
Dusty Bryan (MSIS)
Winston Roberts (MS C&I, PR)
CCI Faculty and Staff Awards
The College of Communication and Information recognizes outstanding achievement through its annual college faculty awards. All tenure and tenure-track faculty are eligible. In 2020, CCI added two staff award categories: the Volunteer Spirit Award and the Big Orange Award.
Faculty Awards
Faculty Research Award
This award recognizes outstanding research by a tenured or tenure track faculty member in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Sifan Xu |
| 2022 | Quentin Bernhold, Devendra Potnis |
| 2021 | Vandana Singh |
| 2020 | Jenny Crowley |
| 2019 | Barb Kaye |
| 2018 | Moonhee Cho |
| 2017 | Beth Foster |
| 2016 | Wade Bishop |
| 2015 | Amber Roessner |
| 2014 | Jin Seong Park |
| 2013 | Courtney Wright |
| 2012 | Erin Whiteside |
| 2010 | Elizabeth J. Avery |
| 2009 | Mariea G. Hoy |
| 2008 | Michael J. Palenchar |
| 2006 – 2007 | Lisa T. Fall |
| 2006 – 2007 | Dania Bilal |
| 2005 – 2006 | Catherine A. Luther |
| 2004 – 2005 | Dwight L. Teeter, Jr. |
| 2003 – 2004 | Barbara K. Kaye |
| 2002 – 2003 | Michael Hoefges |
| 2002 – 2003 | Dania Bilal |
| 2001 – 2002 | Mark D. Harmon |
| 2000 – 2001 | Sally J. McMillan |
| 1999 – 2000 | Mark E. Littmann |
| 1999 – 2000 | Daniel J. Foley |
| 1998 – 1999 | Ronald E. Taylor |
| 1997 – 1998 | Charles E. Caudill |
| 1996 – 1997 | Mariea G. Hoy |
| 1995 – 1996 | Benjamin J. Bates |
| 1994 – 1995 | Ronald E. Taylor |
| 1993 – 1994 | Mariea G. Hoy |
| 1992 – 1993 | Dorothy A. Bowles |
| 1991 – 1992 | Dhyana Ziegler |
| 1990 – 1991 | Susan M. Caudill |
| 1989 – 1990 | Charles E. Caudill |
| 1988 – 1989 | Herbert H. Howard |
| 1987 – 1988 | Charles E. Caudill |
| 1986 – 1987 | Herbert H. Howard |
| 1985 – 1986 | Paul G. Ashdown |
| 1984 – 1985 | M. Mark Miller |
| 1983 – 1984 | Herbert H. Howard |
Faculty Teaching Award
This award recognizes outstanding classroom instruction by a tenured or tenure track faculty member in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Brian Dobreski |
| 2022 | Guy Harrison |
| 2021 | Derrick Holland |
| 2020 | Devendra Potnis |
| 2019 | Awa Zhu |
| 2018 | Nick Geidner |
| 2017 | Rachel Fleming-May |
| 2016 | Carolyn Hank |
| 2015 | Robyn Blakeman |
| 2014 | Abbey Levenshus |
| 2013 | Laura Miller |
| 2012 | Rachel Fleming-May |
| 2011 | Elizabeth M. Hendrickson |
| 2010 | Courtney C. Childers |
| 2009 | Mark E. Littmann |
| 2008 | Kenneth J. Levine |
| 2006 – 2007 | Carolyn R. Lepre |
| 2006 – 2007 | Daniel M. Haygood |
| 2005 – 2006 | William C. Robinson |
| 2005 – 2006 | John W. Haas |
| 2004 – 2005 | Suzanne L. Allard |
| 2003 – 2004 | Lisa T. Fall |
| 2002 – 2003 | Margaret A. Morrison |
| 2001 – 2002 | Candace L. White |
| 2000 – 2001 | Bonnie P. Riechert |
| 1999 – 2000 | Mark D. Harmon |
| 1998 – 1999 | J. Eric Haley |
| 1998 – 1999 | Margaret A. Morrison |
| 1997 – 1998 | Candace L. White |
| 1996 – 1997 | Mariea G. Hoy |
| 1995 – 1996 | Margaret A. Morrison |
| 1994 – 1995 | Bonnie L. Hufford |
| 1993 – 1994 | Jerry L. Morrow |
| 1992 – 1993 | J. Eric Haley |
| 1991 – 1992 | Paul G. Ashdown |
| 1990 – 1991 | Robert B. Heller |
| 1989 – 1990 | Michael J. Stankey |
| 1988 – 1989 | Herbert H. Howard |
| 1987 – 1988 | Dhyana Ziegler |
| 1987 – 1988 | George C. Johnson |
| 1986 – 1987 | Bonnie L. Hufford |
| 1985 – 1986 | DeForrest Jackson |
| 1984 – 1985 | Jerry L. Morrow |
| 1984 – 1985 | Ronald E. Taylor |
| 1983 – 1984 | DeForrest Jackson |
| 1982 – 1983 | Paul G. Ashdown |
Faculty Service/Outreach Award
This award recognizes outstanding service/outreach by a tenured or tenure track faculty member in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2022 | Amber Roesnner |
| 2021 | Eric Haley |
| 2020 | Emily Paskewitz |
| 2019 | Vandana Singh |
| 2018 | Courtney Childers |
| 2017 | Candace White |
| 2016 | Lisa Fall |
| 2015 | Rob Heller |
| 2014 | Michael J. Palenchar |
| 2013 | Bharat Mehra |
| 2011 | Michael J. Palenchar |
| 2010 | Mark D. Harmon |
| 2009 | Michael J. Palenchar |
| 2008 | Lisa T. Fall |
| 2007 | Bharat Mehra |
| 2007 | J. Eric Haley |
| 2006 | Naeemah Clark |
| 2005 | Candace L. White |
Non-Tenure Track Faculty Teaching Award
This award recognizes outstanding classroom instruction by a non-tenure track faculty member in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2022 | Carolyn Hank |
| 2021 | Melanie Faizer |
| 2019 | Sharon Toedte |
| 2018 | Megan Fields |
| 2017 | Stephen Bales |
| 2016 | Lisa Gary |
| 2015 | Pete Finch |
| 2014 | Melanie Faizer |
| 2013 | Suzy Prentiss |
| 2010 | Michelle E. Garland |
| 2010 | Sharon L. Toedte |
| 2009 | Lisa B. Gary |
| 2008 | Thomasena F. Shaw |
| 2007 | Andrew C. Tollison |
| 2004 – 2005 | Laura Arnett Smith |
| 2004 – 2005 | Thomasena F. Shaw |
| 2004 – 2005 | Lisa B. Gary |
Non-Tenure Track Faculty Service/Outreach Award
This award recognizes outstanding service/outreach by a non-tenure track faculty member in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2022 | Joe Stabb |
| 2020 | Cindy Welch |
Part-Time Lecturer Teaching Award
This award recognizes outstanding classroom instruction by a part-time lecturer in the college.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Becky Huckaby |
| 2021 | Phil Kaplan |
| 2020 | Scot Smith |
C.W. (Bud) Minkel International/Intercultural Award
This award recognizes superlative international/intercultural research, teaching and/or service by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2022 | Moonche Cho |
| 2019 | Devendra Potnis |
| 2018 | Laura Miller |
| 2017 | Mark Harmon |
| 2016 | Candace White |
| 2015 | Sam Swan |
| 2013 | Kenneth Levine |
| 2009 | Edwin M. Cortez |
| 2008 | Catherine A. Luther |
| 2007 | Robert B. Heller |
| 2001 – 2002 | C.W. (Bud) Minkel |
Extraordinary Service Award
This award is given at the discretion of the Dean of the college in recognition of extraordinary service by a faculty member to the college and/or university.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2013 | Dwight Teeter |
| 2010 | Sally J. McMillan |
| 2009 | Edward A. Spray |
| 2006 | Gregory D. Reed |
| 2003 – 2005 | Douglas Raber |
| 2004 – 2005 | James A. Crook |
| 2003 – 2004 | Barbara A. Moore |
| 2002 – 2003 | Patricia L. Fisher |
| 2002 – 2003 | M. Mark Miller |
| 2002 – 2003 | Michael W. Singletary |
| 2001 – 2002 | J. Eric Haley |
| 2000 – 2001 | Robert W. Glenn |
| 2000 – 2001 | James A. Crook |
| 1999 – 2000 | M. Mark Miller |
| 1998 – 1999 | Herbert H. Howard |
| 1997 – 1998 | Roxanne Hovland |
| 1996 – 1997 | Dorothy A. Bowles |
| 1995 – 1996 | George A. Everett |
Staff Awards
Volunteer Spirit Award
This award recognizes a full-time CCI staff member for outstanding customer service, positive attitude, strong work ethic, and/or work efficiency/productivity to CCI.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Kendra Norman |
| 2022 | Sandy Cabbage |
| 2021 | Clint Elmore |
| 2020 | Pamela Durban |
Big Orange Award
This award recognizes a full-time CCI staff member for outstanding administrative, advising, technical, outreach, and/or research service to CCI.
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | Dionne George, Yana Truman |
| 2022 | Dan Greene |
| 2021 | Margaret Taylor |
| 2020 | Tanya Arnold |