The Mass Communication Department will offer students a valuable educational experience.
Objective
Teaching Effectiveness
The Mass Communication Faculty will be effective teachers.
Indicator
Assessing Teaching Effectiveness
The Mass Communication Department employed the IDEA System as a quantitative instrument to assess teraching performance. The IDEA System of Instruction system quantitatively solicits student feedback for individual classes in terms of 20 instructional strategies and teaching methods. The assessment also surveys instructors regarding their overall in-class goals.
Criterion
Student Evaluation Of Faculty
The faculty in The Mass Communication Department will collectively score above the national average on the IDEA System quantitative assessment of teaching effectiveness.
Finding
IDEA Scores
For Fall 2008 the collective score for the faculty in the MCM Department (3.9) slightly exceeded the national average on the IDEA (3.8) quantitative assessment of teaching effectiveness. In addition the IDEA scores for the MCM Department improved more (by 44%) than any other department in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Three tenure-track faculty scored below the national average on the national IDEA assessment of teaching.
Action
Improving IDEA Scores
The Department will continue to monitor faculty completion of IDEA Forms and faculty will again be encouraged to attend the annual IDEA Evaluation session at the CHSS summer Teaching Conference. If possible, faculty with lower IDEA scores should be assigned to appropriate and/or smaller classes. The three faculty who scored below the national average on IDEA scores will meet with the Chair of the MCM program to assess performance and devise appropriate adjustments in pedagogical strategies.
Goal
Faculty Productivity
The Mass Communication Department will engage in academic, journalistic and creative activity
Objective
Faculty Productivity
The Mass Communication Faculty will be productive in pursuing research/creative agendas.
Indicator
Publication And Exhibition Venues
The Mass Communication Faculty will publish, present and exhibit research, journalism and creative work in published books, recognized journals and conferences, newspapers and magazines and appropriate, vetted exhibitions.
Criterion
Research Productivity Levels
On an annual basis, each tenured or tenure track faculty member will: publish a journal article or book chapter or book; or present a major research paper at a national conference; or exhibit a creative work at a vetted exhibition site; or publish two articles in a recognized and vetted newspaper/magazine or online site.
Finding
Faculty Production
The Faculty in the Mass Communication Department presented five original academic papers at major conferences, published one journal article, published three book chapters, published two newspaper articles and one magazine article and one online article, published one encyclopedia entry, engaged in one Fulbright research project and received one research grant. One tenure-track faculty member did not publish or present research or exhibit creative work.
Action
Supporting Faculty Productivity
The Mass Communication Department will continue to support scholarly/creative activity by faculty by adjusting teaching schedules and providing travel-to-conference funding. Moreover, the MCM Department will make every effort to fill new faculty positions with candidates who have active and successful research agendas. One faculty member did not meet the criterion stated. The Chair of the program will meet with this faculty member to devise a strategy to improve research productivity. At the annual retreat, faculty with active and successful research/creative agenda's will be asked to share their research-agenda's and their conference/publication/exhibition strategies with less productive faculty members.
Goal
Hybrid Curriculum
The Mass Communication Department will offer students a hybrid course of study that offers a unique mix of theory-based courses and hands-on professional courses.
Objective
Curriculum Categories
The Mass Communication Department will hire, maintain and support a faculty with varied skill-sets.
Indicator
Clinical Associate Position
The Mass Communication Department will actively recruit and support faculty with professional experience in the communications industry.
Criterion
Support for Clinical Associate Position
The Mass Communication Department will maintain at least two Clinical Faculty positions designated for faculty with hands-on, professional experience.
Finding
Recruitment and Support
One Clinical Associate Position has been approved, funding made available and the position filled (as of Fall 2009).
Action
Recruitment
A second Clinical Associate Position will be requested, supported and recruited in 2009-2010.