University of Michigan - Flint

Jack Kay is Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Acting Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, and Professor of Communication at the University of Michigan-Flint.  From January, 2007, to August, 2008, he served as Interim Chancellor.  Prior to joining the University of Michigan-Flint in September 2005, Kay was Associate Provost for Student Services and Professor of Communication at Wayne State University.  Kay was awarded the Ph.D. in Communication from Wayne State University in 1979, the M.S. in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1975, and the B.A. in Speech Communication and Political Science from Wayne State University in 1974.

Kay is author of numerous articles and books, including Argumentation: Inquiry and Advocacy. Kay’s research specialty is the power of language.  He has conducted extensive research on extremist groups, focusing on the communication strategies of groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and Neo-Nazi Skinheads.  In addition to publications in scholarly journals, Kay’s research is cited in newspapers, radio, and television. He has testified before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and has been a consultant to law enforcement.  He has received numerous awards for research, teaching, and service, including a 1999 Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award by the Wayne State University Graduate School.  Kay has served as dissertation advisor to forty-four Ph.D. graduates in the discipline of communication.  His research activity includes a grant from the U.S. Department of State to work on democratization efforts with journalists and press secretaries in Siberia, Russia.  Kay has been active in promoting excellence in student leadership through his involvement in programs such as Multi-Cultural Education and Leadership Development and Alternate Spring Break.