College Names Reese Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Erin Geisler

AUSTIN, Texas -- Aug. 17, 2005 -- Dr. Stephen Reese, a longtime professor in the School of Journalism, has been named associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. He replaces Dr. Nikhil Sinha who left the college for the private sector.

As associate dean for academic affairs, Reese will oversee the college's international and interdisciplinary programs, in addition to faculty development, promotions and awards.

"Steve's prolific research, teaching background and administrative experience, combine to make him an especially strong fit to lead academic affairs," said Dr. Roderick P. Hart, dean of the College of Communication. "What's more, he has a long-standing commitment to the university and has earned the respect of faculty across the college's departments."

Reese's research focuses on a wide range of issues concerning media effects and press performance. Last spring he was the Kurt Baschwitz Visiting Professor at the University of Amsterdam. In addition to his teaching and research, he was director of the School of Journalism for seven years, as well as graduate adviser, and has held various other School and college positions.

Co-author of "Mediating the Message: Theories of Influence on Mass Media Content" -- which Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly cited as one of the "significant journalism and communication books" of the 20th century -- Reese's most recent work is "Framing Public Life: Perspectives on the Media and How We Understand the Social World," an edited volume of research on how public issues are shaped through the media.

He has held major editorial and administrative positions with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) and served as political communication division head for the International Communication Association. He was awarded AEJMC's Krieghbaum Under-40 Award for outstanding achievement in research, teaching and public service.

Reese earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and his master's and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has been a member of The University of Texas at Austin faculty since 1982.

Contact: Erin Geisler, (512) 475-8071