Committee moves forward in search for S.C.M.A. dean

Oswego State’s School of Communication, Media and the Arts (SCMA) Interim Dean Fritz Messere has been named a finalist in Ithaca College’s search for dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications.

Messere is one of three finalists for the dean position at Ithaca College.
Ithaca’s search coincides with Oswego State’s own search to find a founding dean for the now two-year-old School of Communication, Media and the Arts (S.C.M.A.)

Messere has also applied to the position here at Oswego.

The dean committee is currently in the process of reviewing all applications for the position, according to Oswego State Art Department Chair Cynthia Clabough, who is leading the search committee.

As the founding dean of the school, the position will be tasked with moving forward in the development of a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that will merge fine and performing arts along with communications and media studies. Having a permanent dean allows the school to develop its core focus over the next five to ten years.

“It fully establishes the school of communications, media and the arts as a school,” Clabough said. “It’s a chance to bring to full fruition the idea of the school.”

Clabough expects to have finalists for the position on campus by April with hopes of having the position filled by summer. Students and faculty are encouraged to get involved with the process.

“Everyone will be invited to meet with the candidates,” Oswego State Provost Susan Coultrap-McQuin said. “I really encourage students to be engaged in the process when candidates are on 
 campus and to provide their feedback to the search committee on forms 
 that will be available at the meetings and on line.”

Oswego State’s fledgling school encompasses over 1080 undergraduate and graduate students and has 10 undergraduate degree programs that employ 56 FTE faculty. Emerging from within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2007, the school combines the departments of art, theater, music and communications.