Susan King has been dean of the school since January 1, 2012. King came to the school from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, where she was vice president for external affairs and program director for the journalism initiative. Dulcie Straughan was interim dean of the school in 2011. Jean Folkerts served as dean of the school from 2006 to 2011. Folkerts followed Tom Bowers, who had served as interim dean for one year and had been on the faculty since 1971. Bowers followed Richard Cole, who was dean of the School for 26 years, from 1979-2005.