Emily Metzgar, director of Kent State University’s School of Media and Journalism, outlined three initiatives and gave insight into her past research and academia experience during a public forum with students, faculty and staff Monday as part of her three-day interview process to be Gaylord College dean.
Metzgar detailed a three-pronged vision for Gaylord College, which includes recruiting high-achieving students to the college for a scholars program, creating partnerships to invest and support local newsrooms and investing in cutting-edge technology for students to collaborate inside and outside the college.
If chosen as dean, Metzgar said she would strive to be Gaylord College’s “chief cheerleader” and use her skills to further the success she’s seen from students and staff, build upon them and tell the story of the college to donors.
Metzgar said during the forum that she joined Kent State University in 2020, during a time of instability in the School of Media and Journalism. Prior to joining Kent State University, Metzgar worked at Indiana University’s The Media School for 12 years as an associate professor, director of the honors program and of undergraduate studies. There, she said she supported study abroad programming, both within classes and as outside programs and went on several trips with students to China, Japan and the United Kingdom. She earned her doctorate from Louisiana State University.
Metzgar’s experience is primarily in academia, research and writing about foreign affairs and its intersection with media and the role of media in society. She characterized her research and varied experience during the public forum as focused on public diplomacy. She is a former U.S. diplomat and the author of “The JET Program and the U.S.-Japan Relationship,” according to her LinkedIn.
Visions, programs, fundraising
The first initiative Metzgar would introduce is a program, she said during the public forum, called Gaylord Scholars.
Gaylord Scholars would be a four-year cohort program, aimed at recruiting high-performing high school graduates interested in a Gaylord degree. Metzgar said each cohort would range from 16 to 20 students, who would take a course in their first semester taught by a faculty member serving as their mentor.
Metzgar said the college could leverage relationships with the Oklahoma Scholastic Media Association, the Gaylord College Board of Visitors and the Gaylord College Alumni Association in this program. She envisions a scholarship aspect to this program, should students remain in good academic standing and engage with student organizations and activities related to their professional interests.
Two programs at Gaylord College are similar in mission to Gaylord Scholars: Dean’s Leadership Class and Gaylord Ambassadors. Dean’s Leadership Class consists of freshmen who are chosen during the application process. Gaylord Ambassadors is composed of undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in outreach activities on behalf of Gaylord College.
Metzgar said she was aware of the impending changes to University College, which would include a new Academic Success Center under the provost’s office and have first-year students directly enter their colleges instead of the University College advising office.
Metzgar said the Gaylord Scholars program would present a new way to engage freshmen earlier in their college experiences, given the University College changes pending Board of Regents approval. Metzgar also sees fundraising opportunities within the program.
“(This) opportunity would be a chance to get our hands on really impressive young people who are interested in studying at Gaylord, nurturing them in their time here,” Metzgar said. “It would also provide a wonderful fundraising opportunity, being able to get out and tell the story and help market what we do here.”
The second program Metzgar presented was Gaylord Connect, which would aim to engage the college in news and academic partnerships. Metzgar said the program could complement Gaylord News by allowing students to produce content possibly in partnership with local media organizations around the state. Metzgar also said she would utilize her pre-existing relationships with journalism college dean and directors around the country, some of whom are already engaging in projects like this under Press Forward, which is a coalition and fundraiser aiming to support local newsrooms and advance public policy.
Metzgar said this initiative would also provide fundraising opportunities.
Metzgar said a big part of this is making Gaylord College a more nationally recognized brand through student competitions, conferences and relationship-building to better interact with other colleges, organizations and more.
Her third proposal is a Gaylord Virtual Production Lab, which would be a space in the college housing state-of-the-art technology, such as tools to aid in immersive story and virtual reality filmmaking efforts. Metzgar said this lab would provide all Gaylord majors, but especially creative media productions, because of its versatility, and it could open doors for partnerships across campus.
“This is about virtual production and engaging with the hardware and software at the forefront of storytelling in all its forms,” Metzgar said. “Imagine that sort of collaboration here on campus. It would be a wonderful opportunity to break down barriers across different departments and colleges on campus.”
Metzgar said the lab would aid the visibility of Gaylord College to potential partners, all while giving students a chance to learn technological skills.
To a question about her fundraising goals from OU Daily, Metzgar said doesn’t have direct experience in fundraising, and she’s engaged in situations with donors as much as she’s been allowed to participate in. She said she has experience in prioritizing relationships with donors and negotiating.
Student and faculty engagement, balancing politics
Metzgar said she would prioritize communication with students, staff and faculty by specifically dedicating time weekly to meet with students. During her first month as dean, Metzgar said she would ensure that she communicates with all stakeholders in Gaylord.
Her short-term goals include having one-on-one meetings with every faculty and staff member, listening to what students need and begin to learn about alumni and the work produced by Gaylord College.
Metzgar said she plans to reach out to the Board of Visitors and gain their perspectives on how the college currently operates. On campus, Metzgar wants to reach out to her potential counterparts to learn Gaylord’s reputation at OU.
“I think the way that someone new coming in can, at least in the short term, try to help continue the sense of belonging is to demonstrate sort of a sincere openness to conversation, wanting to hear what’s going on and then working with the students in particular to find out what you all say you need,” Metzgar said.
In the long term, Metzgar aims to apply conversations she would have to develop a path that includes input from all stakeholders. Metzgar said she believes in faculty governance and transparency.
Metzgar said she would prioritize and continue facilitating a sense of belonging at Gaylord College by connecting with students, whether through one-on-ones or through meetings of student organizations.
“The role of a dean is to help facilitate (belongingness), to make sure that it’s clear that the door is open,” Metzgar said. “I think any dean should avail around herself of that resource and engage in real genuine conversation.”
On diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Metzgar said she believes there is a way to promote DEI values without using language that is politically charged. At its core, Metzgar believes DEI programs establish communities for all students
“We’re talking about ensuring that everyone feels welcomed, everyone has an opportunity, that we do everything we can to ensure while people are here, they feel like they belong. That we provide resources to help retain students and get them out the door,” Metzgar said.
Metzgar said she would aim to ensure Gaylord College’s curriculum is as up-to-date as possible by seeking out feedback from professionals in those fields. She would prioritize ethics and media literacy within the curriculum to further prepare students to enter their professional fields.
“The way to weather political storms where there might be negative feelings toward some of the things that we teach, in terms of skills and the professions we train people for, I think to navigate that is by being the best we can with ethical construction embedded in what we’re doing,” Metzgar said.
Gaylord dean search
Metzgar will meet with Gaylord students at 4 p.m. Monday She will later meet with the Gaylord Board of Visitors, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and Senior Vice President and Provost for OU André-Denis Wright.
The first candidate for the Gaylord College dean position, OU professor and distinguished veteran network news correspondent Mike Boettcher, does not hold a bachelor’s degree, but has extensive professional journalism experience that few could rival. Boettcher told OU Daily and OU Nightly reporters in an interview that he considers his years as a correspondent with CNN, NBC News and ABC as his Ph.D.
The second candidate, professor and former dean of Texas Tech University’s College of Media and Communication David Perlmutter, previously served as director of University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He’s also worked as associate dean for graduate studies at Louisiana State University and at University of Kansas. His career was mainly focused on academia over professional media experience. His interview was conducted last week.
The fourth candidate, Andrea Miller, dean and director of Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas, joined UNT in 2019. She previously worked professionally in broadcast journalism starting in 1990 at KAMU-TV, at WFAA-TV in 1993 and then KTVT-TV in 1994, where she later became a producer. She previously was a professor and associate dean for undergraduate studies at the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University. There, she taught courses in crisis communications, broadcast news and multimedia reporting.
The final candidate Avery Holton, chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Utah, also serves as the co-coordinator of research for the university’s Utah Center of Excellence in ELSI Research, which focuses on genetics and communication. He previously worked in media as a freelance sports reporter with the Austin American-Statesman and as director of communications for the Round Rock Express, the Texas Rangers’ triple-A affiliate.
Wright told OU Daily in September that once the search committee made its selection of finalists, those would be made public. Some faculty and staff were notified Friday that Boettcher was one candidate, according to an interview schedule and email obtained by OU Daily that day.
At the time the dean candidate qualifications and requirements were announced, many faculty and staff questioned the composition of the search committee approved by the OU Board of Regents in September.
The search committee, chaired by Price College of Business Dean Corey Phelps, includes Gaylord College professors Robert Kerr, Doyle Yoon, Erin Kökdil, Jensen Moore, senior academic adviser Joshua Kahoe, Director of Student Services Kathy Sawyer and Gaylord Board of Visitors member Roger Frizzell.
Two students within the college, graduate student Alex Eschbach and public relations senior Acacia McDonald, are on the committee. Outside of the college, professor in the Department of Communication John Banas, classics and letters professor Daniela Garofalo, executive director of advancement for the OU Foundation Emily Reed and senior program officer at the Inasmuch Foundation Tyler Tokarczyk also joined the committee.
The five finalists were officially announced to faculty and staff Sunday night. OU Daily’s report came out early Monday morning and the announcements for Perlmutter and Boettcher’s public forums were sent to the OU community Monday afternoon.
Metzgar will be on campus until March 12. The fourth candidate, Miller, will be on campus from March 11-13, and the fifth candidate, Holton, will be on campus after spring break on March 24-26.
OU shared the qualifications and requirements for the position in October, stating that “candidates must have a record of accomplishments (academic or professional) to qualify for appointment at the rank of Professor. A Ph.D. is preferred.”
The qualifications and requirements for the position, as outlined in a document prepared by search firm Greenwood Asher & Associates, described the college’s ideal next dean as possessing “a vision that prioritizes community, educational rigor, traditional and applied scholarship, teaching, a global presence, and public service.”
This story was edited by Karoline Leonard and Anusha Fathepure.
