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Last modified: Friday, May 10, 2013

Interim dean named for IU School of Journalism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2013

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Lauren Robel, Indiana University executive vice president and provost of the Bloomington campus, has announced that she will recommend the appointment of Lesa Hatley Major as interim dean of the School of Journalism.

Lesa Hatley Major

Lesa Hatley Major

Print-Quality Photo

Hatley Major, the journalism school's senior associate dean, succeeds Michael Evans, who leaves June 30 to become provost and vice president of academic affairs of Unity College. She will begin serving as interim dean on July 1, pending approval of the IU trustees.

"Lesa is an admired teacher, scholar and journalist, with the respect of her colleagues in journalism," Robel said. "She has already been given responsibility, working closely with Associate Dean Bonnie Brownlee, to lead the transition planning for the school. This has permitted Interim Dean Michael Evans to focus on end-of-year responsibilities as he thinks about the transition to his new position at Unity College."

Hatley Major joined the IU School of Journalism in 2006 and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses. Before entering academia, she worked in radio and television news as a general reporter, health reporter, assistant news director and anchor.

In 2006, she earned her Ph.D. in mass communication and public affairs from Louisiana State University, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in the Manship School of Mass Communication. She also has taught journalism and counseling courses at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, where she earned bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism.

Her research focuses on health communication and public policy, and she has studied efforts to strengthen public support for policy changes regarding lung cancer, obesity and mental health. She also has researched news messages about AIDS for African-American audiences and creating public support for AIDS interventions.

She is the author of numerous articles and is a frequent presenter at conferences, often with the doctoral students she mentors. She also advised the Ernie Pyle Scholars Class of 2012.