The Mass Communication Department will offer students a valuable educational experience.
Objective
Teaching Effectiveness
The Mass Communication Faculty will be effective teachers.
KPI
Assessing Teaching Effectiveness
The Mass Communication Department employed the Individual Development and Educational Assessment (IDEA) System as a quantitative instrument to assess teaching 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. The faculty in the MCM Department will collectively score above the University average on the IDEA System in specific quantitative assessment of Excellent Teacher and Excellent Course.
Result
IDEA Assessment Of Excellent Course/Teacher
In terms of Excellent Teacher IDEA assessments, 63% of the teachers in the MCOM Department were rated at or above the institutional average (4.2/5). In terms of Excellent Course IDEA assessments, 60% of the courses in the MCOM Department were rated at or above the institutional average.
Action
Continued Assessment Of Teaching Effectiveness
In 2014-15 teaching effectiveness in the MCOM Department will be assessed by using IDEA data to compare Excellent Course/Excellent Teacher ratings in the department to ratings in these categories in the overall IDEA Database.
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.
KPI
Publication And Exhibition Venues
The Mass Communication Faculty will pursue grants, present and exhibit research, journalism and creative work in published books, recognized journals and conferences, newspapers and magazines, and vetted exhibitions. On an annual basis each tenure track faculty member on the research track will 1) publish a journal/proceedings article or a book chapter; OR 2) present two research papers at academic conferences; OR exhibit a creative work at a vetted site; OR publish two articles in recognized newspapers/magazines/vetted online sites; OR receive a grant of at least $3,000.
Result
Faculty Productivity
All 7 tenure-track faculty on the research track achieved acceptable productivity levels. The tenure-track faculty on the research track collectively published one book, 4 peer reviewed research articles, 8 conference presentations, and one film (documentary) distributed.
Action
Encouraging Faculty Productivity
Two new tenure-track faculty will join the department in Fall 2014 and both will need financial support for research/travel. As a result, the department's overall support for research/creative work will be strapped. The Chair will pursue new funding in support of faculty productivity with the Dean of COFAMC.
Goal
Hybrid Skills-Sets Of Faculty
The Mass Communication Department will hire faculty who can present students with a hybrid course of study that offers a unique mix of theory-based courses and hands-on professional courses.
Objective
Faculty With Hybrid Skills-Sets
The Mass Communication Department will hire, maintain, and support a faculty with varied skill-sets.
KPI
Faculty For Proposed Digital Media Program
The Mass Communication Department will actively recruit and support faculty with professional and/or creative experience in the communications industry. This coming academic year MCOM will fill two (of three) open tenure track positions to support the developing MA Degree in Digital Media.
Result
Hiring Of Faculty With Hybrid Skill Sets
Two faculty were hired into tenure-track positions. One new hire specializes in multi-platform journalism and social media; and one new hire specializes in documentary/digital production. Both can teach in the Digital Media graduate program.
Action
Hiring Additional Faculty
The MCOM Department currently has one more tenure-track position to fill. Currently that position is held by a one-year Visiting Assistant Professorship. MCOM will convene a Search Committee to begin to process of hiring another full-time faculty member who can teach in the Digital Media graduate program.