The University of Tennessee

Background and Personal Roles

  • Speaker identifies as the eldest of five siblings, implying responsibility and leadership.

  • Discusses having two siblings in Japan: an older sister who works and a younger brother university student in Tokyo.

Transition and Living Experience

  • Moved to the United States when in first grade, settling in Farragut, Tennessee.

  • Reflects on a colleague named Koichi Yamamoto, who has a unique background in art and communication.

Academic Structure

  • Currently serves as divisional dean for Arts and Humanities at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

  • Oversees eight departments:

    • Art

    • Theater

    • English

    • History

    • Classics

    • Religious Studies

    • Philosophy

    • World Languages and Culture

  • Arts and Humanities is one of three divisions in the College of Arts and Sciences, which encompasses various disciplines including social sciences and natural sciences.

Administrative Responsibilities

  • Supports faculty in research, teaching, and service, including evaluations and goal setting.

  • Works on interdisciplinary programs like Visual Interactive Storytelling and Digital Humanities.

  • Introduced the SCOPE trial centennial project to foster political and scientific discourse related to historical events.

Challenges Within Academia

  • Addresses the difficulties of specialization in academia, with the expectation for faculty to learn about diverse disciplines.

  • Highlights the importance of decision-making in academic leadership, contrasting procrastination with the need for timely actions.

Communication Skills in Management

  • Emphasizes the need for strong written and oral communication skills.

  • Manages a weekly digest of updates for department heads to efficiently prioritize communication and reduce information overload.

  • Suggests that effective communication is like playing telephone, where clarity and organization are essential.

Qualities of Effective Communication

  • Discusses the qualities needed for new employees:

    • Good eye contact and body language during interviews.

    • Ability to be concise yet clear in communication.

  • Addresses learning as a fundamental skill in communication, with a mix of extroverted and introverted characteristics seen in effective communicators.

Teaching and Learning Environment

  • Refers to his extensive teaching career spanning 45 years, blending experiential learning with theory.

  • Discusses the importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication in classroom settings.

Career Preparation Advice

  • Encourages pursuing a double major or minor to stand out in the job market, particularly in his field of communication.

  • Suggests obtaining a terminal degree like a PhD or MFA to advance in academic leadership roles.

  • Advises that aspiring professionals start as faculty members to open pathways to leadership positions in academia.