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K-State Today

August 24, 2017

Gregory Paul named interim communication studies department head

Submitted by Melissa Winkel

Gregory Paul

Gregory Paul, associate professor of communication, has been selected to serve as the interim head of the communication studies department in K-State's College of Arts and Sciences, effective Aug. 13.

"We are glad to welcome Dr. Paul to this new role," said Amit Chakrabarti, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "He was a standout candidate and we are excited to see the positive impact his leadership will have on the department."

Paul came to K-State in 2013 as an assistant professor before becoming an associate professor in 2016. Prior to joining the department, he was an assistant professor at Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania, for four years. Paul earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in communication from Texas A&M University.

Paul's research has focused extensively on conflict management and restorative justice in communities and workplaces. In 2015, supported by the Center for Engagement and Community Development and the Kettering Foundation, Paul examined how communities in Kansas utilize restorative justice and social support systems for times when youth break the law, helping to facilitate conversations in four locations across the state. At the heart of Paul's research and teaching is an interest in community-building and dialogue.

"It's a privilege to be able to serve as interim department head of communication studies," Paul said. "I'm eager to support the continued growth and success of the department in the classroom, in research, in our teams, and in our communities."

Paul replaces Tim Steffensmeier, associate professor in the Staley School of Leadership Studies and director of the leadership communication doctoral program, who is now serving as research director for the Kansas Leadership Center.

"Dr. Paul has fully embraced this new role," Steffensmeier said. "Greg's analytical skills and commitment to communication studies are tremendous assets for the department's continued growth."

Communication studies is home to more than 150 undergraduate majors taking courses in one of four tracks: legal communication, organizational communication, political communication and relational communication. The department also offers a master's degree in communication and is a core department of the interdisciplinary doctoral program in leadership communication that will launch in fall 2018.