Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications founding Dean and CEO of Arizona PBS Christopher Callahan announced in an email Nov. 21, that he is stepping down and moving to his new position of president at the University of the Pacific in California as of July 1, 2020.
The Cronkite School has yet to appoint a new dean.
Callahan was appointed the founding dean in 2005 at the Cronkite school after the journalism school moved from the Tempe campus to the downtown Phoenix campus. Callahan also serves as vice provost of ASU's downtown Phoenix campus.
Callahan used a "news teaching hospital" to model the Cronkite school to create an immersive experience through the 18 professional programs, according to ASU Now. Callahan said he hopes the Cronkite school continues on in the path that he started.
"The last 15 years have been truly amazing, but I am supremely confident that the next 15 years will be even brighter," Callahan said.
Cronkite Director Mary Cook said there already have been leadership changes prior to Callahan's announcement, and the announcement that Associate Dean Kristen Gilger is retiring from her post.
"It is going to be a search. The Provost board in Tempe is responsible for finding the new deans," Cook said.
With the loss of two Cronkite deans, there will be a change to the role in the Cronkite school.
"There's a lot of leadership changes that were planned because Dean Gilger is planning to retire," Cook said.
In a mass email to Cronkite students, Callahan announced his move to the University of the Pacific.
"I will be here with you for the next seven months – through June. But for now I just wanted to take a moment to say "thank you" for all of your hard work, passion and dedication. You are our future. And it has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your dean," Callahan said.
Students are worried about the future of the Cronkite school. Freshman Journalism student Sydney Mackie says she believes that the Cronkite school will change.
"I'm disappointed as a freshman because I still have three years left year and I am concerned that things are going to change too much, but on the other hand I have not been here that long meaning the change might be for good," Mackie said.
Mackie also states that her path a Cronkite could be very different after having a change of Deans.
"I came into Cronkite for the professional programs and I know that was something that Dean Callahan pioneered. Who knows what the future hold for those? There might be more programs, or they might remove them altogether. That really scares me because I was really looking forward to growing my journalism career through the programs," Mackie said.
Dean Callahan will be moving to the University of the Pacific in early July 2020 with his wife, who also received a position of human resources executive. Both will reside on the Stockton Campus, according to ASU Now. The Provost board on the Tempe campus is handling the appointment of a new dean.
