Jan. 24, 2003

Contact: Anne Merydith-Wolf, International Programs, (785) 864-4963.

KU professor elected vice president of communication studies association

LAWRENCE -- Diana B. Carlin, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, has been chosen by her peers to serve as vice president of the Central States Communication Association, a professional association for faculty and graduate students of communication studies. She will assume her duties at the association's April convention in Omaha, Neb.

Carlin, on the KU communication studies faculty since 1987 and who also is dean of the Graduate School and international programs, will serve three years as vice president, president-elect and then president for the 13-state professional association, which ranges from Oklahoma to Ohio. She will be responsible for planning the spring 2005 conference, which will be in Kansas City, and will leave office in April 2006.

"This is recognition of Diana's leadership abilities and of her own research in this field," said Robert Rowland, chair of communication studies at KU. "We're proud and excited for her. This means a great deal."

Carlin joins three other faculty in the communication studies department who have gone before her as president: Professors Donn Parson and Will Linkugel and Associate Professor Ellen Reid Gold. According to Rowland, KU faculty have played an important influential role in the association over the years and that having four faculty elected to the top post is one more example of how KU's communication studies program is one of the top in the nation.

Carlin has served the association in several capacities since 1978, including as member-at-large for three years. She has been a reviewer for the scholarly journal Communication Studies since 1995 and has received an Outstanding Young Teacher Award.