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In Conversation with Interim Dean Rachel Davis Mersey
By Logan Dubel, Editor-in-Chief
When Dean Jay Bernhardt announced in January his departure from Moody College after seven years, UT said it would embark on a national search for the institution’s next leader. Provost Sharon Wood composed an advisory group that includes numerous professors, industry professionals and even a student, Communication Council’s own Madison Morris, who will consult in the selection process for the next dean, slated to take over in 2024.
Until then, Moody requires someone at the helm to continue its traditions and upward trajectory. Wood announced in April that Dr. Rachel Davis Mersey would be that someone, serving as interim dean.
“When you lead an institution, especially a public institution, you’re a steward of the place,” Mersey said. “When (Provost Wood) asked me, I felt honored to continue moving the college forward in a way that puts it in the best place for a permanent dean.”
Mersey’s tenure begins at a challenging time for not only communication but higher education. Moody’s Dr. Kathleen McElroy made national headlines this summer after announcing her move to Texas A&M’s revitalized journalism program, only to return to UT weeks later after the A&M administration watered down her job o er in response to complaints about her previous initiatives promoting media diversity.
When we spoke just days after the story unraveled, Mersey praised McElroy’s leadership and expertise, which she said initially drew her to Austin.
“(McElroy) was a big part of my Texas story. … She’s an incredible educator and researcher, and we’re thrilled she’s going to continue as our colleague,” Mersey said. “Our students are going to continue to benefit from her teaching and mentorship.”
But A&M’s hiring debacle, which led to the resignation of the university’s president, illustrates the ongoing battle across Texas campuses following the passage of a state law banning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Much remains unclear about what will happen once the legislation takes effect in January.
“UT and Moody have a commitment to attracting, supporting and retaining exceptionally talented faculty, students and staff with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and fostering and celebrating diversity,” she said. “We are waiting on guidance from the UT System on how we accomplish that within the scope of the new law. … We want to be responsive to both of those pieces.”
Mersey’s Moody story began in 2020 when she arrived as Associate Dean for Research and a professor in the School of Journalism and Media. This fall not only marks the start of Mersey’s new role but her return to campus. She spent two years at Meta, laying the groundwork for research partnerships between the tech giant and academic institutions.
“I’m excited to get back to campus because that’ll feel like a magical moment. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to get to know the Moody community better coming o of two years on leave,” Mersey said. “I’m grateful to the previous team for giving me the space to do it after only being here a year. It helped me be better at my career.”
The dean’s professional journey has taken her across the country. She began in Phoenix, where she covered lifestyle for the Arizona Republic and worked in television news, then moved to Chicago, where she spent a dozen years at Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism.
Now a veteran academic who’s deeply committed to understanding “the why” behind our evolving media habits, Mersey said she remains energized about exploring the industry’s latest innovations, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). But she cautions people against being naive about the possibilities for integrating these new technologies into their industries.
“I think we have ‘extra freaked out’ about everything that came along. It’s just that the freakout you’re in always feels even bigger,” Mersey said. “Ten years ago, it wasn’t AI, but it was social. Ten years before that, it was a disruption to print. We work in industries that are rapidly changing, and that’s the advantage of the breadth of the Moody education.”
Mersey said she hopes students leave Moody well-equipped for whatever comes next no matter their industry.
“You can’t always predict the future, but you can have a deep understanding that allows you to be a responsive practitioner,” she said. “It’s thinking about all those pieces… whether it’s in journalism, or if you’re in Speech, Language and Hearing, where technology is changing how you think about treatment for patients.”
Despite her extensive research on journalism’s future, Mersey herself isn’t ready to let go, quite literally, of the “old days.” Students can expect to see Mersey strolling to her office with a copy of the day’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal in hand, along with stacks of fashion magazines (her favorites include Vogue and the former InStyle) — a few of which she waved on camera during our Zoom conversation.
“I’m just going to pull them (newspapers) out of my bag here. You know, I’m still old enough to do that,” Mersey joked. “I still crave the ‘thing,’ but it doesn’t mean everyone does.”
I told Dean Mersey she was in good company as I pointed out my copies of The New Yorker and Texas Monthly sitting beside me, to which she replied, “Thank you for not making me feel so old.”
Since beginning her new role in June, Mersey has visited many incoming and current students, including in Los Angeles at the UTLA program. After posting pictures from the Golden State on Instagram, she said she even received a few DMs from engaged parents. For a girl who grew up a Navy brat with a black-and-white television, and more recently resisted giving up her landline, Mersey said these exchanges with parents further demonstrate how what was once unheard of becomes the norm.
“The way we communicate completely evolves, and it’s important to be open to that,” Mersey said. “We can call it radical, but the reality is, in your career, you’re going to feel many more radical moments, and I hope you do. That means the world is moving forward.”
Whether Mersey serves as interim dean until January or next fall entirely depends on the search process. But no matter how long her tenure, Mersey said that success will be less about her and more about the institution she serves.
“It’s about continuing the momentum and the trajectory for Moody’s next chapter. Maybe your goal as interim is not to be remembered,” Mersey said. “The magic of this place is the staff, faculty and students. When you’re an interim, you don’t want to be forgotten, but you want to be the least relevant part of the story. I hope the stories that get told about this year have other people’s names and tons of exclamation points.”
