Birgit Wassmuth, the Chair of the Department of Communication, tendered her resignation March 19 in a letter to Dr. Robin Dorff, Dean of the College of Humanities effective March 20.
Wassmuth began her career with KSU in 2006 joining the Department of Communication as Chair.
“During my seven and a half years as Department chair at [KSU] I have successfully stabilized the department, managed growth, and helped put this department on the national/international map,” she said in her letter of resignation.
Since joining the Communication Department, Wassmuth has overseen the addition of 49 new classes, 34 new faculty and 842 new majors. According to her letter, during her tenure the department also began sponsoring an annual public speaking showcase in partnership with CNN and the creation of the Center for Sustainable Journalism.
“Together, we created a 2007- 2012 Strategic Plan, and I am proud to say that we completed 95 percent of all action steps by December 2012,” said the letter.
Originally from Germany, Wassmuth studied in the U.S. on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Minnisota- Minneappolis. She received her master’s and doctorate degrees in Mass Communication from the same university. She taught at Drake University, University of Missouri, University of Florida, Temple University and the University of Kassel in Germany before coming to KSU.
“We have no comment to add to her letter of resignation,” the Department of Communication told The Sentinel in a phone call.
Wassmuth did not mention where she had accepted another position but only said she had accepted a position as director of an accredited School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
According to the 2012 KSU Fact Book, her absence leaves 20 full-time faculty and 1,174 Communication students without a department chair.
The Department of Communication has not announced an interim chair as of now.
