UNLV communication studies professor Richard Jensen has been named senior advisor to university President Carol C. Harter.

Jensen, who has taught at UNLV since 1992, replaces Rebecca Mills, who has been named interim vice president of student life.

Jensen, who teaches courses in rhetoric, persuasion, and political communication, earned a doctoral degree in rhetoric and public address from Indiana University. He also earned a master's degree in rhetoric and public address from the University of Arizona and a bachelor's degree in speech and drama from Weber State College in Utah.

While at UNLV he has received a number of awards and honors, including being named by the Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada as an outstanding faculty member for the 1996-97 and 1999-00 academic years, being selected as outstanding researcher by the Hank Greenspun School of Communication in 1997, being chosen by the regents to receive the academic advisor award for excellence in graduate advising in 1999, and being named a Barrick Distinguished Scholar in 1999.

Before arriving at UNLV he taught for many years at the University of New Mexico. He also has taught at Indiana University, California's Humboldt State University, and the University of Oregon. He worked as a radio announcer in the Utah cities of Price and Ogden and as a high school and junior high school teacher in Utah before moving into higher education.