Travis Vogan has been named the Erich Funke Professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, effective July 2026. Dr. Vogan is a leading voice in the field of sport media and culture. He has published widely in the major journals in this interdisciplinary field and has authored several books that have established him as a leading expert and intellectual. His books on ABC Sports, ESPN, and the NFL are major contributions to the field. He has also written extensively on sports documentary. Dr. Vogan has served as an associate editor for Journal of Sport History since 2017 and will soon step into the editor role.

Dr. Vogan teaches core courses in sport media and culture, including a popular general education course on sport and the media. His classes introduce students to the roles sports play in society as social, cultural, and political spaces.

Brett Johnson has been named the John Kamp Associate Professor of Media Law and Policy, effective July 2026. Dr. Johnson has published in major peer-reviewed journals in his field and in law reviews, ensuring that his work reaches relevant audiences across disciplines. His current work explores the law and ethics of AI, and he was selected in the first cohort of Iowa AI Fellows. He is also active as a public scholar and speaks regularly on issues of free speech and the First Amendment. 

Dr. Johnson teaches core courses in media law and ethics. His Freedom of Expression course is part of the general education curriculum and serves an important role in the Journalism and Mass Communication
program as a required course for JMC majors.