UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism has finally found a dean — the one who has been there all along.
Cal Provost George Breslauer confirmed that Neil Henry who has been interim dean for the past 18 months will be appointed to a full five year term. He’ll be the first permanent African American dean of the school.
The appointment of Henry has saved Cal from having to launch a third and even more embarassing search than the previous two.
Here’s what Provost Breslauer had to say:
Chancellor Birgeneau and I are pleased to inform you that Neil Henry has accepted our offer to extend his appointment as dean of the Graduate School of Journalism to a full five-year term. We make this announcement to you with great enthusiasm
Dean Henry has served the Graduate School and the University with utmost competence, dedication, and skill since accepting his leadership post under the most trying of circumstances in July, 2007. He has eased divisiveness in the GSJ community, built understanding and trust among its varied constituencies, and succeeded hugely as a fund raiser.
Dean Henry’s stewardship of the School has seen the birth of a nationally leading digital news initiative funded by the Ford Foundation to serve neglected Bay Area communities in a time of crisis. He has strengthened ties to private donors and new major philanthropies. He has launched the first-ever collaboration between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a school of journalism.
Dean Henry also has worked to maintain Berkeley’s place as a central player in the national discussion about the future of journalism and new media. Next fall the school will host an eagerly anticipated national conference at Google dedicated to future business models for media and journalism. A widely recognized author, beloved teacher, and distinguished former correspondent for the Washington Post and Newsweek magazine, his brief tenure as dean has already seen some of the most innovative new media curricular reforms in the nation.
In the past year alone, Dean Henry has raised more than $5 million for the School’s new initiatives, including two endowed chairs under the Hewlett Challenge.
Dean Henry declined our request to apply for the permanent position when the national search for a new dean was launched last fall in order not to interfere with efforts to recruit the best possible candidate pool. As many of you are aware, that search recently ended without an offer being made to any of the finalists. Yet throughout this process, Dean Henry has remained supportive, gracious, and deeply loyal to the School and its public service mission. His commitment to faculty, students, staff, andalumni, and his exceptional talents for calm administration, have been proven beyond measure.
Sincerely,
George W. Breslauer
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
In light of this performance, we are convinced more than ever that the
finest possible dean for GSJ, at this time and going forward, is the
person who has led it through these past two years with such class and
devotion.
We are grateful that Dean Henry has accepted this appointment. I hope you
will all join us in expressing our thanks and appreciation to him for his
continued service to the university, the School, and the profession.
