A veteran journalist and a film producer with a doctorate are the two finalists to succeed David Rubin as dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Lorraine Branham, director of the School of Journalism at the University of Texas – Austin and Sam L. Grogg, dean of the School of Communications at the University of Miami (Fla.), are the two being considered to replace Rubin, according to an e-mail from the dean search committee obtained by the Daily Orange.

The committee invited both to campus for interviews later this month with representatives from Newhouse and the university, according to an e-mail. The e-mail was sent to the Newhouse faculty and staff Monday from David C. Smith, chair of the search committee and SU’s vice president of administrative planning,

Rubin will retire at the end of the spring semester, after 18 years as dean. He announced he would be stepping down last April.

The career paths of the two recommended by the committee to replace him share little in common.

But there are a couple common threads. Both currently head up journalism schools. Both share editing experience – Branham for two decades at newspapers and Grogg for three editions of an American Film Institute college course guide.

After that, the two diverge.

Before Branham, 55, took her current position at Texas in the fall of 2002, she had been assistant to the publisher at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She’s also had stints as an editor at the Tallahassee Democrat, Philadelphia Inquirer and the Baltimore Sun. Before moving to an editor’s desk she spent a decade as a reporter.

Branham taught journalism classes across the nation throughout her career as well, including stretches at the University of Missouri, the University of Florida and the University of California-Berkley.

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Temple University in 1976. Branham holds no other degrees, a rarity in the dean ranks of higher education. Yet, Newhouse, more so than other schools and colleges, has focused on educators with practical experience and not necessarily doctorates. Rubin holds both a doctorate and master’s degree from Stanford University.

Like Rubin, Grogg’s resume glitters with the prizes of academia.

The Miami dean, 60, holds a doctorate in English and American literature and drama from Bowling Green University, to go along with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Illinois University.

He’s worked in a variety of different positions in both the film and academic worlds, including holding the deanship at the American Film Institute Conservatory, serving as the founding dean of the School of Filmmaking at the North Carolina School of the Arts and founding multiple production companies such as FilmDallas and Magic Pictures.

Grogg’s time as a producer and financier includes work with the 1985 film ‘The Kiss of the Spider Woman.’ He was named dean at Miami in 2005.

Grogg will interview with SU representatives first, according to the e-mail. He is scheduled to be on campus Jan. 24 and 25. Branham will visit four days later, meeting on Jan. 29 and 30.

Published on January 15, 2008 at 12:00 pm