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Merrill College

Merrill College Dean Lucy Dalglish's Appointment Extended By One Year, Through June 2023

Lucy Dalglish

COLLEGE PARK -- Lucy A. Dalglish, dean of the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism, agreed to extend her term by one additional year until June 30, 2023, UMD Provost Mary Ann Rankin announced.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Merrill College’s students, faculty and staff a bit longer,” Dalglish said. “The contract extension will allow me to lead the college through the next re-accreditation process, which was delayed by COVID and now will occur during the 2022-23 school year.

"I take great pride in having seen Merrill develop into a national journalism education leader during my time as dean. This is a special place full of talented young journalists, and I'm thrilled to be staying on beyond my current term."

Deans at UMD are appointed for five-year terms, and Dalglish has led Merrill College since 2012. Rankin noted in her announcement that it is “unusual” for a dean to serve longer than 10 years, but Merrill College has accomplished so much during Dalglish’s tenure. 

“I am grateful for her outstanding leadership of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, and delighted to extend her appointment for an additional year beyond the end of her second term,” said Rankin, who will step down as provost this week. “Please join me in thanking Dean Dalglish for continued commitment to excellence for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism and to the university. I am joined in this decision by interim provost Dr. Ann Wylie.”

Under Dalglish’s leadership, Merrill College has secured major donor support and grants, including a $3 million grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation to establish the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism. “Code Red: Baltimore’s Climate Divide,” a 2019 collaboration between NPR and the Howard Center, received six major professional national journalism awards. 

Also during her tenure, the college created the George Solomon Endowed Chair in Sports Journalism with support from Maury Povich and Connie Chung ('69), and many others. Merrill College has also engaged in innovations in curriculum design that prepare students for a dynamic and rapidly changing field.

"Thanks to Lucy's leadership, the college has been transformed in every area, from teaching and research to fundraising and innovation, and more,” said Rafael Lorente, Merrill College’s associate dean of academic affairs. “At every level -- Ph.D., master's and undergraduate -- Merrill students are winning awards and landing terrific positions. 

“Not to be outdone, our faculty are leaders in teaching, research and practice. We have grown stronger, more diverse and more creative since Lucy came to the college. In 2021, any discussion of the best journalism programs in the country must include Merrill."

Before coming to Merrill College in 2012, Dalglish served as executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press from 2000-12. The Reporters Committee provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists.

Prior to assuming the Reporters Committee position, Dalglish was a media lawyer for almost five years in the trial department of the Minneapolis law firm of Dorsey & Whitney.

Dalglish is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs around the country, for the American Bar Association and the Practising Law Institute, on issues of First Amendment law and journalism ethics. 

Dalglish appears frequently in print, online and broadcast stories about issues involving the media and the First Amendment. 

From 1980-93, Dalglish was a reporter and editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. As a reporter, she covered beats ranging from general assignment and suburbs to education and courts. During her last three years at the Pioneer Press, she served as night city editor, assistant news editor and national/ foreign editor.

Dalglish was awarded the Kiplinger Award by the National Press Foundation in 2012 for her service to journalism. She was also awarded the Wells Memorial Key, the highest honor bestowed by the Society of Professional Journalists, in 1995. A year later, she was one of 24 journalists, lawyers, lawmakers, educators, researchers, librarians and historians inducted into the charter class of the National Freedom of Information Act Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C.

She has been a national leader in supporting open meeting and open records laws at the state and federal level, as well as a key player in the effort to pass state and federal reporters “shield laws.” She serves on the board of the News Leaders Association, formerly known as the American Society of News Editors. Dalglish represents American schools of journalism and communication on the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and frequently serves as a site-team member for accreditation visits at other journalism schools.

Dalglish earned a juris doctor degree from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1995; a master of studies in law degree from Yale Law School in 1988; and a bachelor of arts in journalism from the University of North Dakota in 1980. While attending UND, Dalglish worked as managing editor of the Dakota Student and as a reporter and editor for the Grand Forks Herald. She lives in McLean, Virginia, with her husband, Mark McNair.

For more information, contact:
Josh Land
joshland@umd.edu
301-405-1321

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