The great catsby

He came a long way from never learning how to ride a bike to managing the fastest growing college at Texas Tech.

Born and raised in Lausanne, Switzerland, David Perlmutter, dean of the College of Media & Communication, came to the United States when he was 10 years old.

Perlmutter said he did not imagine his life would make its way to Lubbock four years ago but that he is glad it did.

“I feel I have accomplished more in the past four years here than the previous 21 years of my career,” Perlmutter said.

Perlmutter said he attended the University of Pennsylvania for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees because his parents were professors at the university.

He continued his education and graduated from the University of Minnesota for his doctorate in 1996. He said he earned all of his degrees in communication.

Perlmutter said his first job was at Louisiana State University. On Dean Perlmutter’s website, it states that he served as interim associate dean for graduate studies and research.

After 10 years at LSU, he served as the associate dean for graduate studies and research at the University of Kansas for four years. He then went to the University of Iowa in 2009 to become the director of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Perlmutter said he was interested in the job as dean at Texas Tech because he wanted a greater responsibility. As a past professor, he said he is able to help much more than he would be able to in a classroom.

“I feel satisfaction at the end of everyday because at least I’ve done a little bit for a lot of people.”

Adam Chick, a sophomore journalism major, said Perlmutter gave him a tour of the CoMC when he came his senior year of high school. Chick said that the dean was very helpful, and he knew all the information on the college.

“He is the reason I am here at Texas Tech,” Chick said.

Chick said that Perlmutter is definitely passionate and excited about his work. He said that Perlmutter still remembers his name and talks to him every time they pass each other in the hallway.

Perlmutter said that Lubbock had a strong collaborative and caring culture that he just really wanted to be a part of.

“I just really appreciate Tech, West Texas, and the people here,” Perlmutter said.

With the responsibility as the dean, Perlmutter said any free time he has goes to spending time with his family - his wife, their two teenage daughters and their three cats. He said that his cats are part of the family and live a great life.

Ariana Martell, the college recruiter for the CoMC, said that on her first day of work, the dean came to visit her office. She said that Perlmutter commented on the cat things she has in her office because they connect on another level with a personal love of cats.

Martell said that the dean is very supportive of the faculty and staff. She said Perlmutter makes sure that he tells people how much he appreciates them.

Perlmutter said he has a fantastic team of staff. He said that each person he knows in the College of Media & Communication is extremely hardworking, and he is blessed to work with all the really great people in the college.

Martell said that Perlmutter wants the students to have the best experience possible. She said that when she was a student, the dean created an atmosphere at the college that makes people feel like they belonged here and they are cared for.

“He is a great person to talk to and be lead by because you can just see the passion in his eyes for the college,” Martell said.

On the web:

David Perlmutter’s website: http://davidperlmutter-research.net