David Perlmutter has a shot at his dream.
One of three finalists vying to replace Jean Folkerts as the dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Perlmutter said he’s coveted the position since he began working in higher education.
“I’ve admired the University of North Carolina from afar for many years,” he said Monday.
He added that although he’s honored to be considered, he realizes there will be challenges ahead.
“I’m really worried about the future of higher education in general, particularly how to sustain growth and innovation in difficult budget times,” he said.
The other finalists are John Pavlik of Rutgers and Carol Pardun of the University of South Carolina.
Perlmutter, the director of the journalism school at the University of Iowa, told a UNC crowd he would navigate through tough budget times if selected.
Despite budget constraints at Iowa, Perlmutter said he’s managed to hire 16 new tenured faculty, bring in new staff members and raise $100,000 in funding to expand current programs.
Perlmutter said he doesn’t have a large support staff and handles most administrative duties personally, including soliciting donations.