Jerry Ceppos, newly appointed dean of the Manship School of Mass Communication, said he plans on running the school “like a newsroom” — lively, fun and up-to-date on current news.
Ceppos, who stepped into the position July 1, said he is “a little bothered” about the University’s lack of emphasis on student knowledge of the latest technological trends. He said he doesn’t think enough is being done to help students stay current on the possibilities of using technology for journalistic purposes. He said professors in the school recently received iPad 2s in order to learn about newer forms of technology and share their discoveries with students. 
Ceppos most recently served as dean of the Reynolds School of Journalism and professor at the University of Nevada in Reno. He also worked as vice president for news at Knight Ridder, a media company bought in 2006, and executive editor and senior vice president for the San Jose Mercury News, among other positions. 
Seated on a leather couch in his Manship School office with a Diet Coke in his hand, Ceppos said technology is one of his two biggest goals for the school. He said he hopes the professors’ iPads will be used for classroom purposes and that students can gain insight into the future of technology through their professors’ experiences with the product. 
“We owe our students the chance to be prepared for what’s to come,” he said.
Ceppos, who has more than 35 years of experience in journalism, said he would also like to initiate a program in Washington, D.C., to further develop what he calls the “signature” feature of the school — a combination of public affairs and media. He said students of all concentrations and even students outside the school could benefit from a D.C. program. 
Ceppos said the idea is in an early stage of development and logistics, including credit transfer, student housing and program duration, have not yet been worked out.
“We’re determined to make it work,” he said. “The exciting thing to me is that others [at the University] want to hospitality.” He said they were pleasantly surprised when three sets of neighbors visited and brought meals during their first weekend in Louisiana.
Ceppos said the best advice he can give to mass communication students is to develop clear writing and critical thinking skills, as he learned important journalistic skills early on as a student editor.
“Three words: write, write and write,”  Ceppos said.
 
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Contact Catherine Parsiola at [email protected]