March 17-18, 2005

ITEM 126-2001-R0305:  Authorization to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Communications upon Victoria O'Donnell; Montana State University-Bozeman

THAT: Upon the occasion of the retirement of Victoria O'Donnell from the faculty of Montana State University, the Board of Regents wishes to express its appreciation for her service to the University, the Montana University System, and the people of the State of Montana.

 

EXPLANATION: Dr. O'Donnell earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees as well as a Ph.D. in Speech Communications, from The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. O'Donnell came to MSU in 1991 from Oregon State University, where she was Chair of the Department of Speech Communication. Prior to that, she was on the faculty of the University of North Texas for 22 years, the last eight of which she chaired the Division of Communication and Public Address. Dr. O'Donnell served as Director of the University Honors Program for 12 of her 14 years at MSU-Bozeman.

She has published articles and chapters in a wide range of journals and books on topics concerning persuasion, the social effects of media, women in film and television, British politics, Nazi propaganda, and collective memory. She made a film entitled Women, War, and Work: Shaping Space for Productivity in the Shipyards During World War II for Montana PBS, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals. The recipient of numerous research grants, honors, and teaching awards, including the Honor Professorship at the University of North Texas and the Montana State University Alumni Association and Bozeman Chamber of Commerce Award of Excellence, she has been a Danforth Foundation Associate and a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholar. She has taught in Germany and has been a visiting lecturer at universities in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Wales.

Recently, she completed the 4th edition of Propaganda and Persuasion for Sage Publications and edited a new compilation book for Persuasion and Propaganda. Bothwill be published in July 2005. She is currently finishing work on another book for Sage Publications entitled Television Criticism.

As the University Honors Program Director, she oversaw a substantial increase in enrollment in the program. Under her leadership the program expanded from 240 students to its current number of almost 600. She was a tireless supporter of students, and not only encouraged, but assisted many students in their successful applications for Goldwater, Rhodes, Mitchell, and Udall Scholarships. During the Fall of 1988 she was a visiting Professor at the American Institute for Foreign Studies, University of London.

For these and other contributions, the Board of Regents of Higher Education is pleased to confer upon Victoria O'Donnell the rank of Professor Emeritus of Communications at Montana State University and wishes her well for many years in the future.