Dean's Message: This Farewell is not a Goodbye

Del Brinkman

I feel a bit awkward writing the Dean's Message when I am no longer dean, having begun my retirement a few weeks ago. I write to you from Bloomington, Ind., where my wife, Carolyn, and I bought a home some time ago with the plan to retire there someday in a place where she had lived for 25 years and where I had lived for five years as a student while getting two graduate degrees from Indiana University. Our retirement, which was effective March 15, came a bit sooner than we had planned.

I agonized for a long time before deciding, with much regret, great sadness and a sense of frustration, that I had to step down as dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

My life changed with my open-heart surgery last year on July 7, and the past nine months have been a period of recovery, rehabilitation and much reflection. While my doctors and I feel that I have made good progress in the recovery from the double bypass surgery and the repair of a burst aortic aneurysm, I still have lingering health issues that keep me from being at full strength, with the energy to handle the dean's job in the way I know it should be handled. Although I returned to work in September, I fully realized that my physical and emotional state of being was not what it needed to be to continue as dean.

This was not an easy decision. I am not one to walk away from a job before I feel I have made a positive impact. I accepted the deanship in 2000 with a commitment to do it for whatever length of time circumstances would dictate and allow. But, as I passed my 65th birthday in February, I realized that my world had changed. I am lucky to be alive. The timely decisions and unquestioned skill of a team of doctors at Boulder Community Hospital saved my life and changed it forever.

My priorities now are to pursue a healthy life and to spend more time with my family. I left the deanship with much regret. But the School needs a healthy and vigorous leader to realize the great potential and growth that I know is possible.

I had wonderful support from President Betsy Hoffman, Chancellor Dick Byyny, Provost Phil DiStefano, the faculty, staff, students, members of the Advisory Board, alumni and friends of the School. I know that a new dean will move into a positive situation with the potential to carry all aspects of the School to greater heights and accomplishments.

In a short time, I came to love the people, the attitudes and the values of the University of Colorado. What was once for me just a pretty place with great potential has become a wonderful part of my professional and personal life in a beautiful part of the world.

I know nothing lasts forever and that people come and go, especially in universities. While my time at CU was short, I think it would have been a mistake for me, my family, the School and the University if I had tried to continue as dean. Because I was not at the top of my game and could not be in it for the long haul, I think it was best for all concerned for me to step down and remove the uncertainty from my life and from the life of the School.

I hope you understand, appreciate and accept my decision. Being a dean is not without its rewards, but it certainly carries with it a lot of hard work and some stressful times.

I have done what I can to assure a smooth transition. The willingness of Stewart Hoover to once again take on a leadership role as interim dean means that the School can continue to move forward as it strives for a level of excellence that I think is close at hand. The School is in a strong position and is developing greater strengths in almost all areas. I think a new dean will find a solid foundation on which to build an even greater School.

I sense that the faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of the School are poised to make some significant strides forward. In the past two years, the School has added strength to its faculty with two hires last year and two more this spring. Progress has been made on plans for a new building for the School, thanks in great part to the help of a loyal alum. The long-range strategic planning committee has staged an exciting comprehensive review that will result in changes and enhancements that the entire University can embrace as the School moves closer to being a center of excellence for the campus.

Important connections and reconnections have been made with a broad variety of professional constituents. The membership of the Advisory Board has been broadened to include more people of national stature and more input from professionals in Colorado.

The quality of students continues to improve at all levels of undergraduate and graduate programs. Student organizations are active in the life of the School. The Student Government Board has been particularly effective in supporting the School and working on issues of concern to all students.

With the support of the School's Advisory Board, fund-raising has brought significant contributions for programs with national and international reputations. Major gifts, including those for a new building, support of the Omnicom laboratory, continued support for the Center for Environmental Journalism and additional endowed chairs and professorships are possible in the near future. Much background work has been done to help make those things happen.

Overall, the state of the School is strong and getting stronger. The future of the School looks bright indeed. Once again, I thank you for your patience and support, especially over these past nine months. I ask for your continued friendship, understanding and support, both for the School and for me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives and to work with you. I wish you and the School well, wherever the future may take it. I hope our paths cross often, and I hope you will always consider me a member of the CU and SJMC family. Colorado has an important and lasting place in my mended heart.