Christine E. Beswick Named Associate Dean for Administration at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information
The Rutgers School of Communication and Information has named Christine E. Beswick Associate Dean for Administration, effective September 8, 2026.
Beswick, who currently serves as Director of Administrative Operations for Rutgers University–Camden School of Arts and Sciences (SAS-C), will succeed Associate Dean for Administration Karen Novick, who will retire in January 2027.
“I am thrilled to welcome Christine Beswick to our SC&I leadership team,” said Dean William Klein. “She brings an outstanding record of administrative leadership on many dimensions, and she already has the experience of working successfully with a new Dean in her previous appointment. She is a true Scarlet Knight as both an alumna and devoted staff member, and we are very fortunate to have her continue her Rutgers legacy as a member of the SC&I community. I am also exceptionally grateful to Karen Novick for going above and beyond in carrying out the duties of this position for 20 years. We wish her well in retirement.”
Beswick brings more than a decade of experience leading complex academic and administrative initiatives across Rutgers University and Rowan University. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of strategy, operations, people, and organizational change, with a particular focus on bringing diverse groups together around shared goals.
“I have always believed that effective administration is ultimately about people,” Beswick said. “The best work happens when people feel heard, supported, respected, and connected to a shared purpose. My approach to leadership is grounded in collaboration, clarity, and building strong relationships. I am at my best when I can help an organization navigate complexity while keeping its people and mission at the center.”
In her current role at Rutgers–Camden, which she has held since 2022, Beswick serves as the Director of Administration to the Rutgers University-Camden School of Arts and Sciences. She provides leadership across a highly complex academic enterprise encompassing three colleges, 18 departments and centers, more than 180 full-time faculty members, approximately 800 lecturers and co-adjunct faculty, and more than 100 staff members.
I am particularly excited about the opportunity to contribute to SC&I at a time when communication and information have never been more important.
Christine E. Beswick
Beswick oversees and coordinates core administrative and operational functions, including strategic planning, resource allocation, organizational effectiveness, and executive leadership support. She also plays a central role in managing an $80 million annual budget, partnering with finance leadership to develop budgets, align investments with strategic priorities, and steward institutional resources responsibly.
Her experience also includes significant work in strategic planning and organizational growth. As Director of Planning, Program Development and Special Projects at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Beswick led a comprehensive strategic planning initiative that contributed to measurable institutional growth, including a doubling of class size, expansion of research services, and strengthened student and alumni engagement.
That work reinforced an aspect of leadership that remains central to Beswick’s approach: meaningful change is built through relationships and shared ownership.
“Some of the work I am most proud of has been work where I was able to bring people together who saw a challenge from very different perspectives and help create a path forward,” Beswick said. “I love the complexity of higher education, but I also love the people who make our institutions what they are. Faculty, staff, and students bring tremendous expertise, creativity, and passion to their work. I see my role as helping create an environment where that expertise and passion can flourish.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Beswick served as a core team member of the Rowan Medicine Vaccination Center, a public health initiative sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health. The experience strengthened her commitment to collaborative leadership and the importance of remaining calm, adaptable, and people-centered during periods of significant uncertainty.
While at Rowan, Beswick also served as Board Chair of Rowan University’s Women’s Alliance Network. Appointed by the university president, she led a 12-member volunteer board responsible for developing and implementing professional development programs for the university community and the Southern New Jersey region.
Beswick earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University and a Master of Arts in Wellness and Lifestyle Management from Rowan University.
“I am particularly excited about the opportunity to contribute to SC&I at a time when communication and information have never been more important,” Beswick said. “The work happening in this school touches so many aspects of our society, and I am looking forward to learning from the faculty, staff, and students who make SC&I such a special place.”
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