Two internal searches for associate deans who will further the strategic vision for the College of Communication and Information’s continuing growth have been concluded with exceptional candidates being appointed to each.
Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations Professor and Interim Director of the School of Journalism and Media Courtney Childers will step into the new role of associate dean for academic affairs and student success; and School of Information Sciences Professor Wade Bishop will step into associate dean for faculty development. Childers and Bishop will begin their appointments on July 1, 2024.
“Both Dr. Childers and Dr. Bishop have displayed strong leadership in their recent responsibilities and I know they will continue to do so as they move into these roles to guide the future of CCI’s students and faculty. I have great confidence in their ability to be an integral part of our college’s ongoing upward trajectory, and I look forward to partnering with them to move CCI forward,” said CCI Dean Joseph Mazer.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success
Childers is entering this newly formed role intended to continue shaping the experience and curriculum for CCI students. This position will oversee both graduate and undergraduate programs within the college as well as work with CCI’s Office of Undergraduate Programs and Advising and the Office of Career Development. Childers’ responsibilities will include those currently held by Professor Virginia Kupritz, who is stepping down from her role this summer after serving as CCI’s associate dean for graduate programs since 2019.
“I am honored to serve the college in this new associate dean role. Student success has always been a priority for me. I look forward to working with, and being an advocate for, all the wonderful staff members leading important initiatives for CCI,” Childers said.
A member of the CCI faculty since 2006, Childers has served as interim director of the School of Journalism and Media since January 2023. Childers brings to the associate dean role a deep commitment to student success, as well as significant research, teaching, and service experiences, including leadership of the Adam Brown Social Media Command Center and a host of school, college, and university committees and strategic planning initiatives. In May, she will graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Chancellor’s Leadership Academy.
As associate dean for academic affairs and student success, Childers will implement a unified approach to student success, as detailed in the college’s strategic plan, and oversee CCI’s academic programs and functional areas related to undergraduate and graduate student recruitment, retention, and support including, undergraduate programs and advising, career development, global programs, college-wide online programs, student recruitment, and residential college-wide graduate programs.
Associate Dean for Faculty Development
Bishop enters the position of associate dean for faculty development after serving as the director of graduate studies for the School of Information Sciences for the past year. He is following in the footsteps of SIS Director Abebe Rorissa, who has served in a limited-duration appointment as associate dean for faculty affairs since 2022.
“I give thanks in advance to all of those helping us work together for a brighter CCI future. I will give my all and I know what that means. It is a gift to be in this role,” Bishop said.
He brings to the associate dean role a deep commitment to faculty success, as well as significant research, teaching, and service experiences, including leadership of a host of school, college, and university committees, faculty and staff hiring committees, faculty advisory councils, and strategic planning initiatives. A member of the CCI faculty since 2013, Bishop has served in several leadership roles including SIS director of graduate studies, research security ambassador, research data management certificate coordinator, and research integrity officer in the Office of Research and Engagement.
Bishop’s scholarship emphasizes research data management, data discovery, geographic information science, as well as the study of data occupations, education, and training. He has other research expertise that includes physical access for users to the nation’s public libraries—using geographic information systems (GIS)—and the evaluation of many other services and resources in academic and public libraries. He serves as associate editor for Telematics and Informatics and on several other editorial boards.
As associate dean for faculty development, Bishop will provide leadership and direction for the college’s tenure and promotion processes, faculty hiring, faculty annual review process, and peer review of teaching. In partnership with the associate dean for research, he will oversee development for faculty of all ranks, including early career faculty, recently tenured faculty, and faculty from underrepresented groups.