Tony Weaver begins tenure as associate dean of the School of Communications

For more than 15 years, Professor Tony Weaver has been a constant presence at Elon University, producing a curriculum vitae built around thoughtful research, a commitment to classroom instruction, and supporting student and faculty success. This week, Weaver takes on new responsibilities as the School of Communications’ associate dean for undergraduate affairs and assessment.

Weaver, the one-time chair of the Sport Management Department – a role he held from December 2015 to May 2020 – will transition into the dean’s suite in Schar Hall, where he will support Communications Dean Rochelle Ford and help guide the undergraduate academic programs in collaboration with department chairs, program directors and faculty members. He will be involved with course scheduling, curriculum changes, faculty hires, academic advising and core course requirements, among other responsibilities.

In his new position, Weaver will also oversee the school’s Internship Office with Amber Moser, and assist Professors Naeemah Clark and Julie Lellis in their respective roles as director of assessment and accreditation, and director of the communications core and minor. Many of Weaver’s new responsibilities were previously held by longtime School of Communications administrator Don Grady, who retired in December.

“We are elated to welcome Dr. Tony Weaver as our school’s new associate dean,” Ford said. “Tony has a tremendous record of teaching excellence, collaborative research and effective leadership that make him an ideal fit for the position. While he has been synonymous with our Sport Management Department during his tenure at Elon, we are excited to have him bring his wisdom, insight and passion to all of the school’s academic programs and majors. Tony will be a great resource and true ally for our 1,400 students and 60-plus faculty members. He is the definition of a teacher-scholar-mentor.”

As he settled into his new office on the first workday of 2021, Weaver expressed excitement about his associate dean role, its specific focus on undergraduate programs and undergraduate affairs, and the opportunity to help shape the vision of the school.

“One of the strengths I bring to this position is my experience with experiential learning requirements and high-impact practices,” he said. “I will be paying close attention to undergraduate opportunities both in and out of the classroom, and how can I help our chairs and faculty do things that are important to the mission of Elon.”

With a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction and a concentration in higher education administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Weaver called his new role “a natural progression in my next phase of administration.”

Weaver said one of his priorities will be to assist the department chairs and program directors as they continue to advance the school’s new departmental structure, which was adopted in 2019. As part of the change, the school moved from two to five departments to accommodate its growth in students and faculty members over the previous decade.

“In the new structure we are in, I want to help support the chairs as they implement their departmental curriculum and vision, helping the chairs create some autonomy,” Weaver said. “It will take some time and there will be challenges, but I enjoy challenges. I think we have some significant decisions ahead of us as we maintain excellence as a school. We are nationally recognized and it is an incredible responsibility to maintain that and to find ways to improve upon our successes.”

While Weaver is assuming his new role in the middle of the academic year, he called the timing “ideal.” He recently completed a sabbatical during the fall semester and said he looked forward to the new year and his new challenges. He noted that it is an exciting time at Elon as the university moves forward with its Boldly Elon strategic plan, organized around the themes of Learn, Thrive, Connect and Rise.

“We have been very fortunate with the great leadership that has directed the School of Communications over the years,” Weaver said. “And as the university rolls out its new strategic plan, I think there will be great opportunities for us and our school in the future. I want to work with faculty and staff across all of our departments and programs to provide the best possible learning experience for our students. To deliver programs, scholarships and facilities that will help ensure that our students succeed. That is something I want to be a part of – and look forward to being a part of.”