Communication dean finalist for spot at Syracuse

POSTED JAN. 15, 2008 AT 10:05 P.M.
UPDATED 10:48 P.M.

Only in his junior year, one University of Miami dean is a candidate for the same post at one of the nation’s foremost communication schools.

The Daily Orange reported Tuesday that School of Communication Dean Sam L. Grogg was one of two finalists for the top spot at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

While The Orange reported Grogg would visit Syracuse from Jan. 24 to 25 for “discussion and consideration for the post,” the dean told The Miami Hurricane Tuesday night that he did not know whether he would visit.

Syracuse approached him in fall 2007, Grogg told The Hurricane. He sent an e-mail to communication faculty members Tuesday afternoon saying he was flattered that Newhouse is interested, but has “no intention” of leaving UM.

Karla Hernandez, UM’s director of media relations, said the university does not comment on personnel matters.

Previously serving as dean at the American Film Institute’s Conservatory, Grogg came to UM in 2005. He succeeded the School of Communication’s founding dean, Edward J. Pfister.

Grogg, who has a Ph.D. in popular culture and film from Bowling Green University, led the school last year when it was awarded a $10 million grant from the Knight Foundation, which created the Knight Center for International Media. The two chairs for the center will be announced Wednesday.

Lorraine E. Branham, director of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas, is the other finalist for the Newhouse position.

The Miami Hurricane is affiliated with the School of Communication, but is editorially independent.

Check TheMiamiHurricane.com for updates.

Greg Linch may be contacted at gregl@miami.edu.