John Pavlik, chair of journalism and media studies and professor of journalism at Rutgers University, said he hopes to bring technological innovation to the Park School if chosen as dean.

Pavlik, who is the second of three dean candidates to visit Ithaca College in the past two weeks, held four separate meetings and presentations  Tuesday for faculty, staff and students as part of his interview to become the full-time dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications. In the morning he met with Park staff and then later with faculty. He then continued his conversation with an open session with communications students and, finally, a presentation detailing his vision for the Park School open to the campus community.

Before working at Rutgers, Pavlik worked as the executive director of the Center for New Media at Columbia University and was a founding director of the School of Communication at San Diego State University. Pavlik holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree and doctorate in mass media from the University of Minnesota.

In his presentation, Pavlik said there were several questions and challenges within the current communications industry and, by allowing Park students to become innovators and leaders of the industry, the Park School will be able to further its prominence within the communications field.

“With technological experimentation, we can reinvent the way we teach and learn,” Pavlik said. “We can do more and more with mobile media, so students have 24/7 learning.”

Pavlik also said he would like to see more students and faculty working together to foster a higher level of educational success.

“I would like to see students moving as learning partners rather than learning subjects,” he said.

Pavlik’s second session of the day was a question-and-answer session with Park faculty. Pavlik took questions on topics including staff members working closer with faculty members, tangible fundraising goals and whether he will need to adjust to a smaller campus community coming from large institutions.

“I do not have a hierarchal approach, but a flat and collaborative approach based on communication,” Pavlik said about his leadership strategy.

Pavlik’s third presentation was an open dialogue with Park students that focused on topics including career and internship opportunities, interdisciplinary programs at the college, transfer student transitions and student-administration relationships.

“I want being dean to be my life,” Pavlik said. “I don’t just want to engage academically and professionally; I want to engage with Park constituents and create a social atmosphere based on community.”

When asked what he envisioned a “Park School education” would mean  to students in the future he replied:

“I would love every Park graduate to go on to be as successful as Rod Sterling,” Pavlik said. “There is no reason why you can’t be innovators and entrepreneurs.”

Junior Alexandria Taylor said she was happy that Pavlik wanted more interdepartmental communication.

Pavlik later held a presentation in Klingenstein Lounge titled “The Future of Communications Education” that was attended by more than 30 faculty members, including members of the dean search committee chaired by Leslie Lewis, the dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences.

Pavlik discussed reconsidering the way students are taught, citing the possibilities of augmented reality and learning in a virtual classroom. Pavlik also said he would like to expand Park’s presence both domestically and internationally.

“We can strengthen our connection with the communication industry by expanding opportunities in New York, building on the program in Los Angeles and establishing programs in others parts of the world,” he said.

Rob Gearhart, the associate dean of graduate and professional studies and director of online learning initiatives, attended the presentation and said he liked hearing that Pavlik was interested in more professional education opportunities for the Park School.

“He expressed interest and desire to look at how we can educate as a thought-leader and not just undergraduates, but how we can perhaps provide a more continuative education for professionals in the field,” Gearhart said.

Interim Dean Diane Gayeski was the first dean candidate interviewed for the position last week. The third and final candidate Fritz Joseph Messere, the interim dean of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts at SUNY-Oswego, will speak to students at 2:45 p.m. Thursday in the Park Auditorium, followed by an open presentation and reception at 4 p.m. in Clark Lounge.