BURLINGTON, Vt.–Champlain College announced it has hired two new deans as part of a restructuring of the Colleges academic divisions. Dr. Jeffrey Rutenbeck of the University of Denver was named dean of the Communication and Creative Media Division and Dr. Wayne H. J. Cunningham of Iona College was appointed dean of the Business Division. The new deans join the College in July, bringing with them a wealth of experience in their fields.Rutenbeck takes the helm of Champlains newly formed Communication and Creative Media Division, having most recently served as the director of Digital Media Studies at the University of Denver. Rutenbeck founded that innovative program, which integrates design, technical and critical approaches to digital media; it is one of the Universitys fastest growing programs.Rutenbecks professional background includes working for and consulting for Microsoft, as well as consulting for Time Warner, US Air Force Space Command and the Guangzhou Daily Press Group in China. He was the founding president of the International Digital Media and Arts Association and is now the chairman of the board.Jeff is a national leader in digital media and he has a long history of innovative program development, said Dr. Russell Willis, Champlains provost and chief academic officer. Hes an award-winning teacher who was highly respected at the University of Denver.Rutenbeck received his doctorate in communication from the University of Washington. He earned a bachelors degree at Colorado College and a masters in journalism at University of Missouri-Columbia.Cunningham becomes the dean of the restructured Business Division. He most recently served as dean of the Hagan School of Business at Iona College in New York. Before Iona, he was director of the MBA Program and the interim dean of Dexter Hanley College for adult and non-traditional students at the University of Scranton.At the Hagan School, Cunningham developed a new vision for the school and moved forward the accreditation process. Throughout his career, he has been a leader in establishing business programs, speaker series, internships and advising programs. He has taught business, management, and operations management and statistics at Iona College, University of Scranton, Bucknell University, University of North Florida and The Pennsylvania State University. He also taught a special MBA course at Tongji University in Shanghai, China.Wayne brings both administrative experience at the dean level and an entrepreneurial spirit to the new business division, Willis said. His expertise in accreditation and assessment will serve the College and the division very well.Cunningham received his doctorate in business administration at The Pennsylvania State University, as well as his MBA and bachelors degree.In May, Champlain College restructured and renamed its four academic divisions to increase their academic and administrative effectiveness. Our restructuring allows us to link programs more easily for faculty collaboration, marketing and alliances with the business community, Willis said.The new divisions were three years in the making. They are:· the Communication & Creative Media Division· the Business Division· the Information Technology & Sciences Division· the Education & Human Studies DivisionThe new division deans will serve as strategic academic leaders with a special focus on faculty and program quality, tuition revenue and fundraising for their programs. They will oversee new program development, including additional graduate programs in their fields. The deans will establish strategic plans for their divisions that express the Colleges strategic plan, Willis said. They will be advocates for academic excellence.The new deans will also be faculty members who interact with students on a regular basis. Theyll be leaders with respect to our students, too, Willis said.The College will turn its attention to hiring two deans for the Information Technology & Sciences Division and the Education & Human Studies Division. They would start work in July 2007.Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a private, baccalaureate institution that offers professionally focused programs balanced by a liberal arts foundation.# # #