FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Scott Flanagin, communications director for the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas, has been named executive director of student affairs communications.

Flanagin was hired as the first director of communications for the division of student affairs in January 2006. His new role expands his responsibilities to include oversight of all student media outlets, which are independent editorially, administered by the Division of Student Affairs and receive advising from faculty of the Walter J. Lemke department of journalism.

Student media consist of The Arkansas Traveler newspaper, the Razorback yearbook, UATV student television station, KXUA student radio and the recently launched Arkansas Traveler Magazine.

“Scott is uniquely qualified to steward our student media areas,” said Danny Pugh, vice provost for student affairs. “He has extensive experience in journalism as well as corporate communications and understands the practical, financial and technical specialties of each student media unit. Over the last eight years he has provided leadership to UA Productions, an award-winning group of student designers and video producers creating high-level communications for the university community. He is also a product of student media, having been a photographer for The Arkansas Traveler newspaper during his time as a student on this campus.”

Student media, though editorially independent, operates as a co-curricular program in collaboration with the Lemke department of journalism. Students studying broadcast radio and TV, advertising and public relations, or editorial news have opportunities to gain experience in these areas outside of the classroom by working in student media positions.

“Our students and staff are excited to work with Scott,” said Steve Wilkes, director of student media. “Scott’s passion surrounding communications and journalism will assist in our contributing to the university’s goal of becoming a Top 50 public research institution.”

“All of the student media outlets will benefit from Scott’s personal experience as a working journalist,” said Dale Carpenter, outgoing chair of the journalism department. “He understands what it takes to provide students, and the campus, with a dynamic student media program.”

“I am very excited by this opportunity,” Flanagin said. “When I left the University of Arkansas to pursue my journalism degree at Mizzou I hoped to come back here some day and make a difference in the lives of journalism students on this campus. These new responsibilities will allow me to do just that.”

As director of communications for the division of student affairs Flanagin has managed publications, websites, media relations, and other communication needs on behalf of the division, as well as the operations of UA Productions, which he will continue to do under his new title.

Flanagin received a bachelor of journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1990, with a major in photojournalism and a minor in psychology. He worked as a writer and photographer for several newspapers, including the Northwest Arkansas Times, and also as writer/photographer for Tyson Foods corporate communications. Flanagin was born in Russellville and graduated from Mountain Home High School in Mountain Home.