Mathematics professor named new dean of School of Communication

Andrew Moshier, a professor for 26 years at Chapman University, has been named incoming dean of the School of Communication once Lisa Sparks steps down May 31. CLARISSE GUEVARRA, Staff Photographer

The version of Andrew Moshier 40 years ago certainly never expected to wind up as the dean of Chapman University’s School of Communication.

That Moshier was a longer-haired music major at California State University, Long Beach, who eventually dropped out to play in a band. Two years later, Moshier reenrolled at California State University, Fullerton, where he worked toward a degree in computer science. Shortly after graduating, a former professor called and offered him a grant from IBM — one that funded his entire doctorate education at the University of Michigan. 

A few weeks later, Moshier and his wife packed up, sold their house in Paramount, California, and moved to the marshy wetlands of the Midwest to earn a Ph.D. in computer science, with a focus in computational linguistics.

“I thought, ‘Well, this is nuts,’ because I hadn’t even been thinking about it,’” Moshier said. “The academy kind of picked me out, rather than me picking it.”

In late January 2021, Moshier was picked out again — this time by Chapman Provost Glenn Pfeiffer. The two met to discuss the future opening for the School of Communciation’s dean position after current Dean Lisa Sparks steps down May 31 to take a year-long research sabbatical. 

Andrew Moshier, incoming School of Communication dean. Photo courtesy of Moshier

Moshier wasn’t expecting it. He’s been a computer science and mathematics professor at Chapman for 26 years — far removed from communication studies. But after conversations about the position’s responsibilities and the current state of the School of Communication, eventually accepting the position in late March, he and faculty alike seem excited about the new era he’ll bring to a young school that opened its doors just five years ago.

“Of course, I am a little bit scared,” Moshier said. “I mean, this is a big task, right?”

Moshier describes himself as an “eclectic” thinker. In particular, he approaches right-brained, creative topics like music and communication studies with a left-brained perspective. Moshier has in part realized he was initially interested in music because of his individual passion for mathematics and computer science. A musical score, he explained, is essentially a computer program — its notation gives a specific set of instructions in order to produce a certain output.

He’s developed a similar interest in communication over the years, particularly in terms of how logically we can influence one another through specific language. 

“I’ve always had a lifelong interest in communication … in the sense of just an intellectual pursuit for me,” Moshier said. “So, it was not a stretch for me to think that I could at least talk intelligently with people in this other area, because their interests are similar but they’re coming at it with a whole other set of tools.” 

He has plenty of managerial experience, too, serving as the chair of Chapman’s department of Math and Computer Science from 1997 through 2006. Moshier first fell in love with the university because he was “thrown in” and made friends with a wide range of academics — historians, philosophers, filmmakers. At any time, he can call up another professor and have a discussion about how their disciplines intersect. 

“I find (collaboration) to be enormously attractive,” Moshier said. “This deanship just gives me a chance to do more of that, because now I’m interacting with a whole bunch of people on a daily basis that I would’ve only met once in a while. So I just find that really great.”

Faculty like Keith Weber, director of the health and strategic communication program in the School of Communication, are excited about Moshier’s arrival. 

“We were really worried about who they might give us,” Weber said. “When they actually announced it was Drew, I think we were all pretty happy … He seems like a very fair person and he seems like he’s dedicated to trying to make things better within the school.”

Weber wasn’t the only one to praise Moshier. Sparks called him “a strong, rigorous thinker” in an April 21 email to The Panther. Jennifer Waldeck, the associate dean of academic programs and faculty development, was the faculty favorite to pick up Sparks’ empty post. However, Waldeck will be moving on along with Sparks at the end of the year to a new position closer to family in Ohio, expressing similar faith in Moshier and telling The Panther that he was “fair, kind, innovative and intelligent.” 

The incoming dean has stopped by Weber’s office for a discussion on supporting the graduate director’s work. In fact, after he officially accepted the position from Pfeiffer, Moshier has made a point of having the same conversation with all 13 tenure or tenure-track faculty within the School of Communication. He aims to speak individually with all its 28 professors in the coming months. 

Weber believes the ability to have open conversations is an important quality in a dean, after professors have voiced concerns about clear communication from the school’s leadership.

“One of the things that Drew is going to bring is (a sense of) transparency, a sense of responsibility and a sense of dedication to the school, faculty and students,” Weber said. “I think that’s what’s been missing, is we haven’t felt that way. Under the previous dean, we didn’t feel that there was sort of a dedication to the students or the faculty.”

Sparks, the founding dean of the School of Communication did not specifically respond to The Panther’s request to comment on her community perception, but praised Moshier and expressed excitement at his appointment.

Moshier said one of his goals as dean is to foster cross-program synergy between the School of Communication and other colleges within Chapman. Sparks echoed that hope for him and the school moving forward. 

“I also hope that we can move forward a conversation between Dodge College (of Film and Media Arts) and the School of Communication, about the possibility of merging some of the disciplines that would naturally belong together,” Sparks wrote in an April 21 email to The Panther. “I had some preliminary conversations with Dean (Stephen) Galloway in the past, and I hope these conversations will continue.”

Ultimately, in simple managerial skills, Moshier compared himself to a software program that can release updates twice a day if they feel something needs improvement. Moshier’s door, or at least his email inbox or Zoom calendar, will be open for faculty to share their concerns. Perhaps they’ll even get to meet his dog — a 9-year-old part-Chihuahua, part-Miniature Pinscher named Mr. Waffles — along the way.