Butler University Creates New Communication College
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Butler University announced today the creation of its sixth college — College of Communication (CCOM), which includes programs from the Department of Media Arts, the Department of Communication Studies and the Eugene S. Pulliam School of Journalism.
The College begins operating immediately, with freshmen coming in this fall as CCOM students. Longtime Butler Professor of Communication Studies Bill Neher ’66 has been appointed Interim Dean of the College.
The College of Communication — Butler’s first new college since the Jordan College of Music (now the Jordan College of Fine Arts) in 1951 — “will prepare students for success in our digital and global society,” according to its mission statement. “Students will develop the ability to critically analyze and synthesize human and mediated communication, and learn to speak, write and create responsible messages across dynamic communication contexts and media platforms.”
Program areas that will be available in CCOM include: Digital Media Production; Recording Industry Studies; Critical Media Studies; Film; Rhetorical Theory; Communication Sciences & Disorders; Journalism: Print, Broadcast & Online; Strategic Communication: Advertising and Public Relations; and Organizational Communication and Leadership.
“The College elevates the visibility of these already strong communication programs and allows the faculty to work more closely to build curriculum that will prepare students for the contemporary world of work in the communication industry,” Provost Jamie Comstock said. “It honors the legacy programs but moves beyond that into these converged platforms, while exposing all students to theory, research and professional ethics.”
She noted that communication “is a process that serves many functions,” whether it’s to promote understanding among individuals, delivery of information as news, strategic communication such as PR and advertising, provide entertainment, lead organizations, or build personal and professional relationships.
By having all these and other related subjects within one college, Butler students will be well prepared for their careers.
“When students graduate, they will be better able to compete for jobs because they will have experience in all the relevant communication platforms and understand the convergence of those platforms in today’s communication environment,” Comstock said. “And at Butler, we don’t just want to prepare students for entry-level positions; we prepare them to accept leadership positions as well. That’s another reason exposure to all areas of communication – from journalistic writing, to digital production to organizational communication and leadership – is very important to all students.”
Comstock noted the success of students in communication areas such as journalism, advertising, speech and debate, this year.
The Butler Collegian won 14 awards from the Indiana Collegiate Press Association this year and ADrenaline, the University’s advertising team, won first place at the regional American Advertising Federation Student Advertising Competition. Butler’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) was among eight college or university chapters to participate in the “Cotton. From Blue to Green” campaign and, in the process, collected 2,500 pairs of jeans to be turned into insulation. Lastly, the University’s Speech and Debate team won several awards at the March 2010 Phi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament.
“Communication is a pocket of excellence for us,” Comstock said. “We believe we deliver these programs so well that we want to showcase them.”
Contact: Courtney Tuell
(317) 940-9807
ctuell@butler.edu
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