Brooke Barnett, associate provost for academic and inclusive excellence at Elon University, has been named dean of the College of Communication at Butler University in Indianapolis. She begins the job June 1.
Barnett was also a finalist for the dean of the School of Communications position this spring after founding dean Paul Parsons stepped down. After a nationwide search, the search committee selected Rochelle Ford, the former chair of the public relations department at Syracuse University.
Barnett has worked at Elon since 2001, starting as an assistant professor in the School of Communications to a full professor in 2012. She earned both her masters and doctorate degrees at Indiana University. As associate provost for academic and inclusive excellence, Barnett has served on the president's senior staff since 2010.
"Dr. Barnett will bring with her to Butler a wealth of experience as a teacher, scholar, and administrator," said Kate Morris, provost of Butler, in a press release. "During her time as a faculty member at Elon University, she has been part of a strategic effort to grow a relatively small academic program into a signature school of communication. As an academic administrator, she developed and grew various academic programs, with a special emphasis on building a diverse and inclusive community.
"I believe that the combination of the excellent faculty and staff in CCOM and the experienced and engaged leadership Dr. Barnett will bring as Dean, our College of Communication is poised for a successful and exciting future."
Barnett will continue to serve in her role as associate provost through the spring semester. During that time, Steven House, provost and executive vice president at Elon, said he will work with his staff to ensure a smooth transition.
“Brooke Barnett has been a driving force in making Elon a more welcoming and diverse community as she helped implement goals of the Elon Commitment strategic plan,” House said in a press release. “She has made considerable contributions to advance the university through her work as a tireless, caring and talented administrator as well as a distinguished teacher-scholar-mentor in communications. We thank her for her outstanding service to Elon and wish her the best in her new role at Butler University. Her selection as dean is a testament to her wide-ranging skills and strong passion for student success.”