Berkeley J-School dean stepping down

HENRY

Neil Henry is stepping down as dean of the UC-Berkeley journalism school 10 months after he was hospitalized for an undisclosed illness and then disappeared from campus. A press release from UC-Berkeley says he will return to teaching journalism and will serve as special assistant to the Athletic Study Center, helping student-athletes to maximize their academic experience during their time at Berkeley.

Journalist, author and Berkeley professor Tom Goldstein, who served as dean of the J-School from 1988 to 1996 and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism from 1997 to 2002, will assume the role of interim dean for the coming academic year.

The search for a new dean will begin shortly, according to Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer, who said he expects that the school will have a full-term leader in place by July 2012.