Jennifer L. Knapp has been named dean of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts (SCMA) at SUNY Oswego, effective March 30, 2023. Knapp is no stranger to Oswego's academic community and is uniquely positioned to lead the SCMA and its more than 1,500 undergraduate and graduate students, and nearly 100 full-time faculty.
Reporting to Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Scott R. Furlong, Knapp will serve as an important member of the Academic Affairs leadership team, including the Provost's Council. She will support the recruitment, development and evaluation of the SCMA faculty and staff; oversee the development, implementation, assessment and improvement of SCMA programs in tandem with chairs and faculty; develop and support initiatives to build and strengthen collegiality and collaborations within the school and across the university; develop and write grant proposals; oversee accreditation efforts in the SCMA; and provide leadership in fiscal management and external relations.
“I am very excited to have Jen join the Academic Affairs team as dean of the School of Communication, Media, and the Arts,” Furlong said. “Throughout her time here at SUNY Oswego, she has taken on greater responsibilities –- all of which have enhanced opportunities for our faculty and students. She works well with the faculty and staff, and possesses strong listening and problem-solving skills, which will continue to serve her well. The SCMA continued to move forward during her time as interim dean and now as dean I see Jen taking SCMA to the next level during this very exciting time at SUNY Oswego.”
Knapp, who was appointed interim dean of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts in July 2022, has served SCMA as a professor, department chair and associate dean, and has participated in key initiatives for SUNY Oswego since her arrival in 2008.
As the administrative officer leading the work of the SCMA, Knapp will oversee the completion of an $80 million renovation of Hewitt Hall; lead the school in advancing its goals through a shared governance model that draws from and elevates the strengths of SCMA’s diverse departments, programs, faculty and students; engage in the university’s enrollment and retention efforts; uphold the institutional priority of inclusive community; and support the work of the SCMA Advisory Board composed of alumni working in the fields represented across the SCMA.
“I am a proud member of the School of Communication, Media and the Arts, so to have the opportunity to lead the school into its next chapter is thrilling,” said Knapp. “The completed renovation of Tyler Hall and the current renovation of Hewitt Hall are a testament to the university’s commitment to our programs, and will allow our students, faculty and staff to continue to demonstrate that we are the premiere university for these programs. Other than when SCMA was first created, this might be the most exciting time in its history. I am grateful to Provost Furlong for the opportunity and I look forward to furthering SCMA’s mission of fostering innovative thinking, dynamic collaboration, and scholarly and artistic achievement.”
Prior to her time at SUNY Oswego, Knapp served as an instructor and member of the faculty at West Virginia University, Fairmont State University, and Lycoming College. She is a member of the Eastern Communication Association, National Communication Association, serves as the Oswego chapter secretary to Phi Kappa Phi, and has been a Title IX Committee member and investigator at SUNY Oswego since 2015. She has presented at countless professional conferences and has authored or co-authored several publications with communication colleagues.
Knapp received a doctor of education (in educational psychology with a concentration in instructional communication) from West Virginia University, a master of arts (in communication studies) from West Virginia University, and earned her bachelor of arts (in communication studies) from Canisius College.