Stewart L. Tubbs

Stewart L. Tubbs (September 6, 1943 – February 18, 2023) was an American communication researcher, author, and academic administrator best known for his contributions to the fields of organizational communication and leadership. He spent the majority of his career at Eastern Michigan University, where he held an endowed professorship and served as dean of the College of Business. He is known for introducing a systems approach to small group communication in 1978 that includes explanations on the orientation, conflict, consensus, and closure in the group dynamics. Tubbs is a celebrated textbook author, his works on human communication and small group communication, which were initially co-written with psychologist and poet Sylvia Moss, have gone through over ten editions since their first publication.

Education and career Tubbs was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Edwin and Mary Tubbs. He grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, where he attended Lakewood High School, graduating in 1961. He went on to earn a BS in biological sciences in 1965 and a MA in communication in 1966, both from Bowling Green State University. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in Communication and Organizational Behavior at the University of Kansas in 1969.

Books