USC names UGa professor as its next communications dean

The University of South Carolina’s communications school soon will have a new dean.

USC said Monday it has hired Tom Reichert, the head of the University of Georgia’s advertising and public relations department, to succeed Charles Bierbauer as dean of its College of Information and Communications.

Bierbauer, a former CNN and ABC News correspondent and USC’s longest serving active dean, announced last August he would step down at the end of the academic year. He took the job in 2002.

Reichert starts on Aug. 1, before students arrive later that month.

“I’m looking to build upon the wonderful foundation laid by Dean Bierbauer and the faculty,” he said in a press release. “We’ll be focusing on excellent teaching, maximizing our research potential and service to ensure each program is best-in-class while looking for synergy. What comes out of this program is mission critical to the country right now.”

This story was originally published June 5, 2017 at 3:54 PM with the headline "USC names UGa professor as its next communications dean."