Dean, Moody College of Communication

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the premier universities in the world.

Founded in 1883, it is the state’s flagship university.  UT’s main campus spans 431 acres with 55,000 students, 4,700 faculty members and more than 10,000 staff members.  

The University leads in many fields, including energy, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, entrepreneurship and national security. It is one of just four universities to have at least 50 of its graduate programs rank in the top 10 in the United States. UT is among the top producers of doctoral degrees in the nation, and its alumni and faculty include Nobel laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners. In total, UT offers more than 150 undergraduate degree programs and 230 graduate programs across 17 colleges and schools in the sciences, arts, humanities and professions.

Rankings and Research by the Numbers
No. 1 among Texas public universities, U.S. News & World Report
No. 7 among American public universities, U.S. News & World Report
76 graduate and undergraduate programs in the top 10, U.S. News
No. 3 in the world for most patents granted (UT System-wide), National Academy of Inventors
No. 1 in the nation for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding
$1.14 billion in research expenditures (FY2024)
1,291 patents issued in the last 10 years
4,660 externally sponsored research projects

Located in Austin, Texas—one of the nation’s most dynamic centers for creative industries, live music and technological innovation—the Moody College of Communication offers students exceptional opportunities for hands-on learning in a rapidly changing communication environment. As part of The University of Texas at Austin, one of the world’s leading public research universities, Moody connects students and faculty to a broad interdisciplinary community and to the in-demand skills, experiences and professional pathways that define communication careers today and bring a view to the future.

The college comprises five departments and schools (as well as an interdisciplinary degree in Communication and Leadership):
1. Department of Communication Studies
2. Department of Radio-Television-Film
3. Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
4. School of Journalism and Media
5. Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations

Across these units, Moody faculty are widely recognized for excellence in research, teaching, creative work, clinical training and professional practice. The College also offers a four-year undergraduate honors program that connects classroom learning with research, service and leadership development.
Moody’s departments and schools consistently earn national and global recognition:

Rankings for Moody programs
#1 Public University in Communication and Media Studies in the U.S., QS, 2025
#3 Worldwide in Communication and Media Studies, QS, 2025
#1 Public Film School, The Hollywood Reporter, 2025
#1 BS in Advertising, Best Accredited Colleges, 2023
#2 Public Relations and Advertising, Best Accredited Colleges, 2023
#5 Best Journalism Schools, PrepScholar, 2025
#13 Graduate Speech-Language Pathology, U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#18 Doctor of Audiology, U.S. News & World Report, 2026
 
Moody is also home to the award-winning public radio stations KUT and KUTX and to Texas Student Media, including The Daily Texan student newspaper. These enterprises generate revenue to cover their operating costs. Their leadership is part of the Dean’s senior staff. They bring attention to the college, create experiential-learning opportunities for students and add to Moody’s unique breadth.
 
In addition to its five academic units and one interdisciplinary undergraduate degree program, Moody is home to 14 centers, institutes and programs that work in areas including civic life, global change, health communication, immersive technologies, journalism, media ethics, speech and hearing, sports communication and stuttering. Together they foster interdisciplinary collaboration, serve the community, and connect Moody faculty and students with partners across the university and beyond.
 
Its newest building, the G.B. Dealey Center for New Media, builds on these strengths and promotes new models for communication research and education. The college also maintains deep connections to various industries through its talented faculty, strong alumni base and industry partnerships, including its locations in Los Angeles (UTLA) and New York (UTNY). Moody’s impact extends through a global alumni community of more than 58,000, including Oscar, Pulitzer and Emmy winners.
 
Moody enrolls approximately 4,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students and employs 91 tenured/tenure-track faculty and 125 professional-track faculty, in addition to a staff of approximately 350. Moody awards more than 1,000 undergraduate bachelor’s degrees and 100 graduate degrees each year. Degrees offered span bachelor, master’s and doctoral levels and include seven undergraduate degrees, 13 undergraduate minors and 17 graduate degrees, along with master’s degree programs that do not receive state formula funding.

Position Title: Dean

Location: Austin, TX

Reports To: Executive Vice President and Provost

Major Priorities and Characteristics Sought in the Next Dean

Visionary Leadership
The successful candidate will bring visionary leadership grounded in a sophisticated understanding of the rapidly evolving communication landscape across multiple domains. This leader will navigate advances in artificial intelligence, shifts in global media ecosystems and changing models of teaching, learning, and credentialing. The Dean should understand artificial intelligence and emerging platforms in both strategic and ethical terms and develop a strategy that integrates academic rigor, creative innovation, experiential learning and technological fluency, ensuring that Moody helps shape the future of communication and its role within higher education and industry.

Industry-Facing Expertise and Academic Commitment
The successful candidate will bring a strong commitment to academic excellence and industry engagement. This may include distinction in scholarly research or professional accomplishment in fields such as media, speech and hearing science, communication or communication-related technology. The Dean will engage with industry leaders while also championing rigorous scholarship and teaching excellence. This leader will also strengthen pathways from the classroom to careers—ensuring that students graduate with the skills, experiences and professional networks needed to thrive in a dynamic and competitive marketplace.

Commitment to Student Success and Career Readiness
The successful candidate will be committed to student success and preparing graduates for meaningful careers. This leader will champion student interests and expanding opportunities for experiential learning, internships and industry-connected experiences. The Dean will support the development of curricula and co-curricular initiatives that equip students with both foundational knowledge and adaptable skills, including critical thinking, communication and technological fluency. This next leader will also be charged with oversight for UT’s New York and Los Angeles campuses (UTNY and UTLA) and should develop a vision for fully leveraging those sites for excellence in student learning and career preparation.

Faculty Excellence, Recruitment and a Thriving Academic Community
The successful candidate will be committed to building and sustaining an exceptional faculty community across Moody College’s wide-ranging fields. This leader will recruit and retain outstanding scholars, teachers, creators, clinicians, staff and professionals, and will ensure that faculty and staff can flourish in their work. The Dean will foster a culture of transparency, collaboration and respect, strengthening shared purpose across the College’s diverse units and areas of excellence. By investing in people, communicating with clarity, and supporting professional growth, the Dean will help Moody continue to attract top talent and deepen its standing as one of the world’s leading colleges of communication.

Resource Development, External Relations and Organizational Leadership
The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong capacity for fundraising, external relations and financial stewardship in support of the College’s mission and strategic priorities. As UT completes a successful $7 billion “What Starts Here” campaign (of which more than $263 million has been committed so far to Moody) and begins preparing for the next campaign, the Dean will lead in cultivating relationships with donors, alumni, industry partners and the broader community, and securing investments that enhance faculty excellence, student opportunities, interdisciplinary innovation and the College’s public impact.
The successful candidate will oversee a budget of $77 million, as well as personnel and administrative functions while ensuring alignment with the College’s strategic priorities. The Dean will promote transparency, accountability and data-informed decision-making, and will work collaboratively with faculty, staff and university leadership.

Support for Intellectual Freedom, Pluralism and Academic Integrity
The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to intellectual freedom and the highest standards of academic integrity. This leader will cultivate an environment where rigorous scholarship, creative expression, clinical practice and professional work can thrive. The Dean will champion a culture of intellectual pluralism, diverse viewpoints and respectful dialogue, recognizing that the strength of a public research university—and of disciplines such as journalism, media and communication sciences—lies in the free exchange of ideas and perspectives, and that innovation requires thoughtful risk-taking. Given the College’s significant public-facing impact, the Dean will also uphold and reinforce principles of accuracy, ethics and trust in the creation and dissemination of knowledge and content. This will ensure that teaching, research and creative work are conducted with integrity, accountability, and a shared responsibility to both the academic community and the broader public.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities and Collaborations Across the 40 Acres
The successful candidate will embrace the interdisciplinary opportunities that define both Moody College and The University of Texas at Austin. This leader will foster meaningful collaboration across the “40 Acres,” building partnerships with schools and colleges spanning technology, business, public affairs, education, fine arts, medicine and the health sciences. The Dean will encourage initiatives that integrate communication with fields such as data science, public policy, entrepreneurship, business, sports and human health, recognizing the increasingly interconnected nature of knowledge and practice.

Qualifications and Experience
The search committee understands that no single candidate may have all of these ideal qualifications, but prefers candidates with a meaningful plurality of the following experiences and abilities:

• Academic or professional qualifications in one or more of the College’s fields, including a terminal degree and/or an outstanding record of academic or professional achievement, with impact commensurate with appointment as a full professor with tenure

• Understanding of research-intensive academic culture, including tenure, promotion, sponsored research, and faculty governance 

• A strong record of motivational leadership and effective management in a large, complex organization, with the ability to lead across scholarly, professional, and clinical domains 

• Intellectual depth and strategic thinking; the capacity to translate ideas into actions with meaningful impact  

• Demonstrated success in establishing a vision and executing a strategic plan, experience with the alignment of resources with strategic goals 

• A global outlook, with a strong commitment to realizing the potential contributions of the Moody College of Communication to strengthening strategic engagement with local, national, and international communities and with partners in industry and government 

• A strong record of promoting community within communication
  
  Click here for full job description.

• Nominations, applications, and inquiries are welcome. For immediate applications, please submit a CV, cover letter, and any other relevant information and materials to this link.
  
  To nominate a potential candidate or for any other inquiries, please reach out to: UTMoody@stockexecsearch.com.
  
  The Stock Executive Search team involved in this search includes:
• Toby Stock, Founder & CEO
• Corrie Willson, Director of Operations and Growth
• Stephanie Robson, Consulting Associate
  
  The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities and admissions.

Faculty Members:

• Courtney Byrd
  Dale and Tina Holder Endowed Chair in Stuttering Leadership, F.J. Heyne Centennial Professor in Communication, and Executive Director, Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research

• Michael Mackert
  John B. McGovern Regents Professor in Health and Medical Science Communication, Director, Center for Health Communication and Professor, School of Advertising and Public Relations

• Natalie (Talia) Jomini Stroud
  E.M. “Ted” Dealey Professor in the Business of Journalism, Communication Studies and the School of Journalism and Media (by courtesy) and Director, Center for Media Engagement

Deans Council Representative:

• Ramón H Rivera-Servera (Chair)
  Dean, College of Fine Arts 

Advisory Council Representatives:

• Wofford Denius
  Of Counsel, Eisner, LLP
• Gordon Johndroe
  Principal, Trinity River Strategies
• Marsha Jones
  Consultant, HillCo Partners

Tasha Beretvas, senior vice provost for Faculty Affairs, is an ex-officio member of the committee from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. Stock Executive Search will serve as the search consultants.