The search for a new dean at Kansas University’s William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications will continue into the next school year, KU officials announced Tuesday.

Provost David Shulenburger said the search committee appointed to find a dean was not satisfied with current candidates and would continue the search this fall. The new dean will replace James Gentry, who is returning to full-time teaching and research after seven years as dean.

“It is vitally important to find the right person to replace Dean Gentry,” Shulenburger said.

Ann Brill, associate professor and chairwoman of the news and information sequence for the school, will serve as interim dean until a full-time replacement is found.

Brill, who has been at KU since 2000, has worked for newspapers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Montana. She also taught eight years at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

“The school and the university are very fortunate that Professor Brill has agreed to serve next year while the search for a permanent replacement gears up again,” Shulenburger said. “She enjoys the respect of the faculty, students and the profession. I am confident that the school will be in good hands under her guidance.”

Search committee members had hoped to recommend a candidate to hire by July. They had narrowed the search to one — Will Norton, dean of the University of Nebraska journalism school — in February, but he later withdrew his name from consideration.

One candidate, Maria Marron, chairwoman of the journalism department at Central Michigan University, has interviewed at KU since Norton announced he was withdrawing his name.