UTM is forming a search committee to recommend a new director for the Institute of Culture, Communication, and Information Technology.
Chaired by VP academic and dean Amy Mullin, the search committee will consist of ICCIT teaching staff, a representative from the School of Graduate Studies, undergraduate students, and other staff members.
Professor Anthony Wensley, the current director whose term ends on June 30, spoke about his experience over his five-year term. “I couldn’t imagine doing a job I like more than the job I do, in sort of really every aspect, whether because of the interaction with students, whether it is in the planning we engage in, or whether it’s just coming to work every day and working with the people I work with,” he said. “Those are the highlights of my life. I can’t imagine a job that is more satisfying and in a sense more difficult to leave.”
According to Wensley, there are currently “six and a half” 10-year faculty in the ICCIT, the “half” member being shared with another department.
By the end of his term next June, Wensley said that the ICCIT is hoping to add two additional faculty. He said they moved from zero to eight and a half faculty by the end of his term.
Wensley has expressed his interest in continuing in his position as ICCIT director. While he is not guaranteed the position, he would be considered among the other candidates.
Amy Mullin said that her plans for the ICCIT are to continue expanding the faculty, introduce more diversity of courses, and build on “research strengths”, including human-computer interaction, mobile technologies, and information and communication policies.
Mullin added that the ICCIT is carrying out two additional searches this year, one for an assistant professor and another for an associate professor. She expects more appointments to follow in later years.
Mullin expects that a number of students in other programs would express interest in courses about how to design new media communications, effective social media campaigns, and ethical and information policy issues.
“As more faculty are hired, ICCIT might be able to expand its offerings of courses to students who are not enrolled in its programs,” said Mullin.
