School of Media and Public Affairs Director Silvio Waisbord is stepping down from his post after nearly three years in the role, and Peter Loge, an associate professor and the school’s current associate director, will take his place.
Waisbord said in an email to the SMPA community Tuesday the school’s faculty elected Loge to serve as director for the next three academic years. Loge will assume the position July 1, according to the email.
“It has been my great pleasure to work with Professor Loge, especially as we collaborated on multiple activities in recent years,” Waisbord said in the email. “I have no doubts that he will be an exceptional leader in the years ahead, as we continue to chart our future.”
Waisbord said Loge brings “extensive” experience to the role because of his expertise in politics, strategic communication and academia. He said Loge has taught at SMPA for two decades, first in a part-time adjunct professor role and then in a full-time capacity starting in 2017.
He said Loge “regularly” appears in national media and informally and formally advises campaigns and organizations. Loge is also the founding director of the Project on Ethics in Political Communication and a senior fellow at the Agirre Lehendakaria Center in Bilbao, Spain, Waisbord said.
“Professor Loge has deep knowledge of political communication and media, as well as the administrative and management experience for the job,” Waisbord said.
Waisbord became director in July 2020 when former director Frank Sesno stepped down from the position after serving in the role for 11 years. Waisbord first agreed to serve as the school’s director for one academic year while officials searched for a long-term replacement, but stayed in the role for another year amid a University-wide hiring freeze in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Waisbord previously served as SMPA’s associate director in 2012 and from 2017 to 2018 after joining the school as an associate professor of media and public affairs in 2007, according to his resume.
As director, Waisbord oversaw the University’s transition to virtual learning during COVID-19 and emphasized diversity by aiming to hire diverse faculty and encouraging professors to include class materials that cover all “experiences and interests” in their courses.
“It has been my honor to serve this community as Director,” Waisbord said. “I will go back to teaching, research and writing, with a few projects in mind, and the incredible opportunity to be the next President of the International Communication Association.”
