Spring Break
Kent State names new dean of CCI
Wearden promoted after almost 25 years of service with KSU
Brittany Schenk
Issue date: 6/17/09 Section: News
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Wearden will officially take office July 1.
He is replacing former dean James Gaudino who accepted a position as president of Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash.
Before coming to Kent State, Wearden earned his bachelor's in English from Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University) in Wheeling, W.Va., spent four years as the Coordinator of Media and Public Relations for Shawnee Hills Community Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center Inc. in West Virginia, and worked as a technical writer for West Virginia University where he earned his master's in journalism.
"(I) always had a combined interest in science and writing," Wearden said.
After leaving West Virginia University, he spent three years at the University of North Carolina and earned a doctorate in mass communication research.
In August of 1984, Wearden came to Kent State as an assistant professor of journalism and worked up through the ranks until becoming the dean of CCI.
"I have a familiarity with a lot of what happens around this college," said Wearden, which is a result of his academic career and nearly 25 years of service at Kent State. "(I am) excited to be able to carry along the vision (of the college) from the beginning."
As dean, Wearden plans to work on maintaining the "fiscal soundness of the college."
He, along with all deans on campus, is focusing on transitioning to Responsibility Centered Management, which is a budgeting model centered on gaining revenue for the college through attracting promising students who will stay and enhance the university.
Other projects include maintaining the full-service marketing agency located in downtown Kent, developing the Kent State Sports Network and launching a new doctorate program that includes visual communication and design as well as journalism and communications.
Wearden said he plans on making himself available to students and faculty as much as possible.
"As director, I had an open door policy for student and faculty, and I plan to continue that as dean," Wearden said. "When I am here, my door will be open."
Contact news correspondent Brittany Schenk at bschenk@kent.edu.
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