In a message sent to Manship School of Mass Communication students this afternoon, Dean Jack Hamilton formally addressed his recent decision to resign.”When I came to the school in 1992 I had a brand new brief case,” Hamilton said in the e-mail. “The handle is now in tatters. I take it as a sign.”Hamilton said he wants to make sure there is a smooth transition between leadership at the school. He will resign from his post June 30, 2011, but take a leave of absence for research starting Dec. 2010. Mass communication professor Ralph Izard will be the acting dean of the school during that time.”This will ensure ample time to find a good successor,” Hamilton said.Hamilton — the University’s senior dean on campus — said he wants to work as an LSU faculty member in the future. 2011 will mark his 19th year at the University. —-Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]