Washington State University’s dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication receives contract extension

Bruce Pinkleton, dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, is receiving a 5-year contract extension.

“I want to personally thank Dean Pinkleton for his leadership and service to the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication and to WSU,” Washington State University Provost and Executive Vice President Elizabeth Chilton wrote in a letter to Murrow students, faculty and staff. “I appreciate his integrity, engagement, and deep commitment to the WSU system. He is a key member of my leadership team, and I look forward to our ongoing partnership and the college’s continuing successful trajectory under his leadership.”

Pinkleton arrived to WSU as an assistant professor in the Murrow School of Communication in 1993, subsequently earning tenure and an early promotion to full professor. He’s previously served as head of the Strategic Communication degree program as well as graduate director and associate dean of the Murrow College prior to being named dean in 2018.

In her letter, Chilton praised Pinkleton success in guiding the college’s evolution through significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. She further noted that his efforts to retain and support the college’s world-class faculty, to recruit a diverse student body, and invest in the field of science communications were highlighted in his comprehensive fifth-year administrative review.

Pinkleton’s second five-year term as dean officially begins Aug. 16.