Ann M. Brill, interim dean of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, has been named the school's seventh permanent dean, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor David Shulenburger announced today. Brill's selection follows a national search in which she emerged as the leading candidate.

Brill, who was chair of the school’s news and information track before being appointed to the interim post in July, succeeds James Gentry, who stepped down after seven years as dean to resume full-time teaching and research.

"I was pleased when Ann Brill agreed to become interim dean and I'm delighted that she has now agreed to take the position permanently,” Shulenburger said. “Ann has demonstrated great energy and vision since July. I know she will continue this momentum in leading the School to new levels of success."

During her tenure as interim dean, Brill has led the school’s preparation for its reaccreditation visit in February and revitalized its annual Kansas Editor’s Day event this fall, which drew more than 150 editors to hear Pulitzer Prize-winning political correspondent Walter Mears. The school also dedicated in August its new Stan and Madeline Stauffer Multimedia Newsroom for students working on the University Daily Kansan newspaper, KUJH-TV station and KJHK radio station, and opened the new Bremner Editing Center.

The journalism school enrolls about 725 undergraduate majors and about 100 master's degree candidates. Journalism classes have been taught at KU since 1903. The professional school was established in 1948

Brill, who is the school’s first female dean, has worked for newspapers in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Montana. She teaches courses in Online Journalism, E-commerce and the Media, Survey of Mass Media and Popular Culture, and Research Methods. She has research interests in new media technology, copy editing, reporting, multiculturalism, media law and scholastic journalism. Brill is married to Larry Schmitz, a certified substance abuse specialist with Heartland RADAC.

"It is an honor to be selected as dean of the KU School of Journalism,” Brill said. “The faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the school are among the best in the nation, and we will be working together to bring excellence and integrity to everything we do."

She is the chair of the Professional Freedom & Responsibility committee for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and has served on numerous journalism accreditation committees. She also is an editorial board member of the Journal of Interactive Advertising.

Brill came to KU in 2000 from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she taught for eight years and developed one of the world's first online newspapers, The Digital Missourian. She directed the Dow Jones Online Editing Workshop from 1996 to 2002 and was named outstanding faculty member by Missouri’s Panhellenic Council.

She has a doctorate in mass communication from the University of Minnesota, a master's degree in journalism from Marquette University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Journalism deans at KU:
2004 Ann M. Brill
1997-2004 James Gentry
1987-1997 Mike Kautsch
1986-1987 Lee Young (interim)
1974-1986 Del Brinkman
1970-1974 Ed Bassett
1969-1970 Lee Young (interim)
1965-1969 Warren Agee
1960-1961 Calder Pickett (acting dean while Burton Marvin was out of the country for a year)
1948-1965 Burton Marvin