Program Review

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

College of Arts and Media

October 2015

MARSHALL UNIVERSITY

Program Review

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College/School Deans Recommendation Deans, please indicate your recommendation and submit the rationale.

Recommendation: Continuation of program at current level of activity

Rationale: (If you recommend a program for resource development identify all areas for specific development) The Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at Marshall University dates to 1927 and has a rich tradition of providing quality education. The program offers majors in journalism and mass communications that are deeply rooted in liberal arts education, it supports curricula across the university, and it offers minors to students in other majors. Furthermore, through co-curricular opportunities like The Parthenon and WMUL, it affords Marshall students, regardless of major, experiences working with news organizations in various capacities. It also serves as an important link with the Huntington community and surrounding region as the primary source of daily news, information, and diverse entertainment from campus. The programs hallmark objectives logical, critical, analytical and creative thinking; effective verbal and written communication; understanding and valuing the past; and techniques to identify, investigate, and solve problems clearly align with the universitys mission. The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications recently reaccredited

Marshalls journalism and mass communications program. As noted in the following pages of this Program Review, the Council cited weaknesses in curriculum and assessment. Those issues are addressed in this review and strategies are being developed and employed by the faculty to insure the curriculum is responsive to the needs of 21st Century students and that assessment methodologies, which are fundamentally sound, effectively close the loop on program improvement. Program enrollment has declined over the last four years of the reporting period and the School of Journalism and Mass Communications faculty understand that. The decline mirrors national trends and our JMC faculty at Marshall are discussing strategies to address the problem at the local level. As noted in this review, the school recognizes that returning students individuals who stopped out of college and are now returning and considering new majors are a likely pool of potential students. It is also noted that strategies will have to be developed to reach that pool of potential students. Obviously, pre-college students probably represent the greatest potential for enrollment and over the past several years programs have been developed to get the faculty and students into K-12 schools on a regular basis. A grant funded program (since expired) put rapid response teams of faculty and students in high schools to help bolster journalism programs. A new initiative takes students and faculty into a local elementary school to enhance story telling in the curriculum. Getting our faculty and students in front of younger students is an important component of effective recruiting and the program is committed to seeking more opportunities to do that. With the speed at which communication takes place in todays world, and with the lightning speed at which technology is evolving, immense opportunities exist for the BA in Journalism program to maintain its rich tradition and to prosper. I am confident that the work that has begun on curriculum development can result in cutting-edge programs that will attract students to Marshall who would otherwise not consider the university as a college choice. The program should be continued at the current level of activity in order to fully realize that potential.

__ Donald Van Horn ______________ ___October 14, 2015________________ Signature of the Dean Date

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Marshall University Program Review

For purposes of program review, the academic year will begin in summer and end in spring.

Program: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism__________________________ College: Arts and Media________________________________________ Date of Last Review: Academic Year 2009 2010 ___________________

I. CONSISTENCY WITH UNIVERSITY MISSION

Mission Statement

W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications

(adopted 2001 2002)

(amended 2008)

(reviewed 2014)

As a degree-granting academic unit at Marshall University, the W. Page Pitt School of

Journalism and Mass Communications pursues Marshalls general statement of purpose.

Consequently, the programs overall mission is to provide an academic experience that

seeks to enable graduates to:

think logically, critically and creatively, and be able to recognize this ability in others,

communicate ideas clearly and effectively, both in speaking and in writing,

evaluate the influences that help to shape individuals, institutions, and societies,

understand the values, achievements, and aesthetic contributions of past and present cultures, and

perceive, investigate and solve problems by enlisting the most appropriate historical, comparative, quantitative and qualitative research methods available.

The W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications programs and

curricula are based on the conviction that future journalists and mass communicators are

best prepared for life and for their careers when they are broadly educated in the liberal

arts. The importance of preparing them for the demands of the workplace is also essential.

Knowledge and skills essential to success in journalism and mass communications are also

emphasized to prepare students for full participation including leadership in their

professions. In addition, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications program

seeks to promote knowledge and awareness about mass communications among students

who do not intend to pursue careers in one of the mass communications fields.

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The SOJMC offers instruction for students seeking degrees in advertising, broadcast

journalism, online journalism, print journalism, public relations, radio-television

production and management and sports journalism. To conform to the universitys mission

and the role and realities of the mass media industries in the USA and world, the SOJMC

uses teaching, research and service to contribute to Marshalls mission and, to that end, has

adopted specific goals essential to the achievement of the Universitys mission.

The SOJMC seeks to:

provide journalism and mass communications instruction for students primarily from the state of West Virginia and the areas of Kentucky and Ohio that comprise

the Tri-State region;

graduate a pool of qualified employees for the advertising, magazine, newspaper, public relations, online journalism, radio and television industries,

provide assistance to high school media programs in the West Virginia and in the Tri-State region;

provide information to alumni about the schools activities and assist alumni with career advancement;

work with journalism and mass communications professionals on programs of mutual benefit, and

make a special effort to provide opportunities for women and racial and ethnic minorities.

And to graduate students who:

understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and

petition for redress of grievances;

demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications;

demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass

communications;

demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society;

understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information;

demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;

think critically, creatively and independently;

conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work;

write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;

critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;

apply basic numerical and statistical concepts; and

apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

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The School of Journalism and Mass Communications mission supports the university

mission in overarching philosophies and in specific tactics. Its programs and curricula are

steeped in the liberal arts tradition of broad education that best prepares students for their

careers and for their lives. Journalism and mass communications requirements combine

skills classes and courses in ethics, law and history of the field.Decision-making and

writing in all majors in the school demand critical thinking and commentary on societal

issues, and critical discourse is at the heart of journalism and mass communications.

Students in skills courses frequently work with local businesses to assist them in

crafting public messages. Media convergence is driving examination of current

applications of new technologies and demanding flexibility as students adapt to rapidly

shifting work demands. The school is currently involved in an intense, year-long

curriculum review that interlocks with the university mission of helping meet changing

needs of the state and region.

As an academic unit that produces products for public consumption, the mission of

the School of Journalism and Mass Communications meshes easily with that of the

College of Arts and Media. Publishing in any medium requires discovery, application,

transmission and advancement of knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving and

collaboration to be relevant and compelling. Information conveyed through print

publications, broadcasts, websites and commercial messages enrich the campus and the

community.

The School works closely with Information Technology collaborating on MU Report,

Basketball Friday Night and Ya Herd. WMUL-FM offers valuable experience to students from

any major. This academic year, 45 different majors are represented among its student staff

members. Of the 115 volunteers, 61 are journalism and mass communications majors, eight

are from other schools in the College of Arts and Media and 46 are from other colleges on

campus. WMUL-FM also contributes to the Universitys Title IX commitments by its

exclusive coverage of womens athletics and provides the only programming in the community

specifically geared toward minority populations. The Parthenon has served as the campus

newspaper since 1898.

The School contributes faculty members to First Year Seminar and also works with the

Honors Program providing honors courses and offering general studies credit for honors

seminars.

II. Accreditation Information

1. Name of Accrediting Organization:

Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications

2. Date of Most Recent Self-Study and Accreditation visit:

January 2015

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3. Accreditation Status: Fully accredited through the next cycle in 2020-2021.

4. Accrediting Organizations Report:

In its final report the accreditation team cited a number of strengths in the program

including a strong reputation and visibility of the program in the tri-state and beyond, a

passionate and dedicated faculty, a cohesive student body with a strong work ethic that

seizes multiple co-curricular opportunities within the school, focused, competent,

straightforward management and an over-achieving student FM radio station.

The full council, however, in discussing the site teams report, noted two particular

weaknesses of concern. First related to a need for greater currency in the curriculum. The

second tied to assessment that, although being a thorough plan that collects multiple

dimensions of direct and indirect evidence of student learning, had not been a catalyst for

transformational change. Many course changes can be linked directly to assessment data,

but the accrediting team suggested assessment findings could guide curricular change as

well.

Motivated by the accrediting councils response faculty in the School of Journalism

and Mass Communications have launched a deliberate and purposeful four-step, year-long

examination of curriculum. The first two steps focus on problem analysis, with the initial

phase concentrated on developing an inventory of things every journalism and mass

communications major needs to know, particularly in the digital arena. The next phase is

to consider possible reconfigurations of majors, divisions and courses that would aid in

implementing revisions.

Steps three and four are more action oriented. In the spring of 2016 consultants and

experts will be brought to campus to offer advice on the ideas generated in the first two

steps. Finally, course and program revisions will be formulated and proposed. The plans

for curricular revisions are discussed in detail in Section III, number 6, Current

Strengths/Weaknesses, on page 22 of this document.

The ACEJMC accreditation decision letter follows. The full report of the site team is

available upon request.

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III. Adequacy of the Program

1. Faculty:

Twelve full-time faculty members in the School of Journalism and Mass

Communications teach a complement of 80 course sections on average each year excluding

summer school sessions. About 1130 seats are filled in the 80 sections. The accrediting

agency limits enrollment to no more than 20 students in any skills class which caps the

number of individuals allowed in selected classes. In the final year of the reporting period,

the school had roughly 280 majors, making a student faculty ratio of 1:23, and enrollment

in the school comprises 44 percent of the students majoring in the College of Arts and

Media.

Among the twelve faculty members nine are tenured (75 percent), one is tenure-track

(8.3 percent) and one is term (8.3 percent). A full-time, tenure track position (8.3 percent)

is currently filled with a one-year, full-time temporary faculty member and the school is

awaiting permission to conduct a search to fill the position permanently.

A masters degree in field is a minimum requirement for all faculty. Three faculty

members have earned Ph.D.s (25 percent), one has an Ed.D (8.3 percent) and three are

A.B.D (25 percent), two in Ph.D. programs and one in the Ed.D. program. All faculty

members practiced in the profession prior to teaching and most continue to consult and

stay active in the field. Four faculty members (33 percent) are beyond the age of 60, setting

the stage for a significant turnover and replacement with non-tenured, assistant professors

and reconfiguring the composition of the faculty.

The assigned teaching load in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications is

four three-hour courses per semester. Two faculty members are assigned six-hours of

media advising of WMUL and of The Parthenon as part of their four/four loads. The

director is granted a 75 percent reassignment. The Woodson Professorship carries with it a

six-hour reassignment for grant management and coordination of a Summer Journalism

Workshop. A term faculty member is the university coordinator of First Year Seminar and

receives a 75 percent course reassignment to manage that program. Faculty members are

assigned academic advising for the majors, plus they work with student professional

organizations including the American Advertising Federation, the National Broadcasting

Society, the Public Relations Student Society of America, and the Society of Professional

Journalists.

A few adjunct faculty are in recurring positions that the school relies upon regularly.

Two highly qualified adjuncts teach online courses on a regular basis and one videographer

augments the regular broadcast and video faculty. Most other adjuncts are hired on an as

needed basis to replace faculty on sabbaticals or who are teaching in First Year Seminar or

Honors. Adjuncts also are used to extend the course offerings during a semester beyond

that which the full-time faculty can cover. The school receives funding to hire adjuncts

when faculty teach in First Year Seminar and in Honors courses in order to foster

participation in those programs.

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In the past four years the School of Journalism and Mass Communications has relied

on an uncharacteristically high number of adjunct faculty spurred by sabbatical leaves and

vacancies covered by temporary and/or part-time replacements. Adjuncts also offer courses

at the Teays Valley Regional Center and at the Mid Ohio Valley Center. Despite the need

for additional adjuncts to cover sabbatical leaves and FYS and Honors courses, the majority

of journalism and mass communications courses continue to be taught by full-time faculty.

The lowest percentage of sections taught by full-time faculty was 79 percent in the spring

of 2012 and the highest was 93 percent in the fall of 2013. On an average full-time faculty

teach 86 percent of the sections offered.

Most adjuncts are hired from a pool of area practitioners with an interest in teaching.

Only on rare occasions when exceptional graduate students present themselves does the

school rely on graduate teaching assistants.

Faculty data sheets reflect a productive faculty who have increased their scholarly and

creative activity in the past six years. The School of Journalism and Mass Communications

can demonstrate quantifiably increased scholarship and creative productivity. Fourteen

individuals (including faculty members who have come and gone during the review period)

have generated 242 scholarly and professional articles, scholarly and professional

presentations, grants, conference proceedings, encyclopedia entries, book reviews and

creative works. The total number of discrete projects rose from 153 reported in 2008 to 242

in 2014, a 58 percent increase. Grants rose from 20 in the previous report to 29 in the

current report (+45 percent), refereed journal articles moved from four to 20 (+400

percent), refereed conference paper presentations went from 18 to 58 (+222 percent),

invited professional conference presentations grew from 17 to 26 (+53 percent), and non-

refereed publications rose from 32 to 48 (+50 percent).

Within available funding the school strives to send each faculty member to at least one

academic conference for scholarly presentation and/or development each year. Since 2010

eight faculty members have attended approximately 30 national conferences and four

regional conferences (an average of 1.4 trips per year per participating faculty member).

Marshall Universitys Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is active in encouraging

effective teaching. Each fall the academic year is launched with a conference (Inquiring

Pedagogies) organized by the CTL that features a keynote breakfast speaker who addresses

his or her approach to teaching followed by a day of workshops. Not only do Journalism

and Mass Communications faculty attend on a regular basis, but five of them have

conducted workshops for the program. Most of the faculty also have attended one or more

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) workshops. Adjuncts are encouraged to participate

in the centers forums for adjunct faculty training.

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2. Students: a. Entrance Standards:

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has no admissions beyond

those required by the university

a high school diploma,

an overall high school gpa of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale and a composite ACT score of at

least 19 or a combined SAT score of at least 900; OR an over high school gpa of at

least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a composite ACT score of at least 16 on the ACT or a

combined SAT score of at least 770.

While it is not an admission criterion, a score of 77 percent on the Journalism and

Mass Communications Language Skills Exam is required before enrolling in any 300/400

level JMC courses.

b. Entrance and Exit Abilities of past five years of graduates:

Appendix II shows that the past five years of graduates entered the program with high

school GPAs that ranged from yearly means of 3.30 to 3.54. Their yearly mean composite

ACT scores ranged from 22.2 to 22.9. Yearly mean SAT Verbal scores ranged from 503.9

to 545.9, SAT Quantitative scores from 463.3 to 504.4, and SAT Analytic Writing scores

from 501.5 to 520.4. Appendix III shows that these graduates compiled respectable GPAs

during their undergraduate programs, with yearly means ranging from 3.08 to 3.25.

3. Assessment Information:

a. Please refer to Appendix IV for a summary of the programs assessment of student

learning.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has been assessing student

learning since 2002. Assessment practices have been refined over 14 years, and hard data

have been collected since 2006. The learning outcomes are closely aligned with the

Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications eleven

professional values and competencies, but adapted to meet the specific goals of the

program at Marshall and to mesh with the universitys assessment methods. Verbs

employed to describe desired outcomes vary between the ACEJMC expectations and

recommendations from the university assessment office, and the accrediting council

requires some assessment that does not neatly complement university requests.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications Learning Outcomes, or Six

Degrees of Education have been established with consensus of the faculty for all majors

in the academic unit. Curriculum in the school ensures that students are able to:

understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press,

including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and

petition for redress of grievances;

prepare and disseminate oral and written communications in Standard American

English which include;

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- understanding concepts and applying theories in the use and presentation of

images and information;

- writing correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the

communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve;

- conducting research and evaluating information by methods appropriate to the

communications professions in which they work;

- critically evaluating their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness,

clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness;

- synthesizing information from primary and secondary sources;

apply basic numerical and statistical concepts;

articulate the ethical responsibilities with which professional communicators must

concern themselves and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and

diversity;

demonstrate fundamental skills that show competency in and ability to be employed

in a mass communications field. Including

- thinking critically, creatively and independently;

- understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping

communications;

- understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate,

other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass

communications;

- understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance

and impact of mass communications in a global society; and

apply current tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions

in which they will work and understand the digital world.

Undergraduate performance is assessed using six direct instruments and six indirect

instruments, and two additional tools examine curriculum and learning issues. Direct

measures include:

a graduation portfolio;

a senior writing requirement;

entrance and exit exams to determine value added from freshman to senior;

core course pretest/posttests;

internship review (a meeting of the student employee, employer and the school

internship director); and

capstone course grade tracking.

Indirect measures include:

student focus groups;

a triennial alumni survey;

a survey of internship employers;

grade distribution;

monitoring participation/performance in contests; and

monitoring retention, probation and dismissal.

Curriculum and instruction measures include:

course syllabi review; and

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advising ratings.

While journalism and mass communications faculty are responsible for the majority of

the assessments, practitioners outside the school are brought explicitly into the assessment

process at several points. Volunteers from among the Alumni Board of Advisers or alumni

whom board members recommend join the annual review of graduation portfolios.

Professionals who supervise internships are contacted at midterm to participate in an on-

site debriefing session with the students they supervise. At the end of internships,

supervisors also complete a rating form for individual interns. Additionally, internship

supervisors are surveyed every three years to assess the internship coordinators

performance and to review the internship program overall.

Practitioners in the mass communications industry evaluate contest entries and

professional challenges. Winning and placing in these competitions is one indicator of

success, and the evaluative feedback on the submissions helps strengthen course offerings.

More informally, the Alumni Board of Advisers meets at least once a year and functions

as a focus group, freely discussing issues they believe should be of concern to the unit, and

isolating specific and prompt action to be taken.

Assessment results demonstrate the necessity of continuing to focus on writing skills,

including grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence construction, critical thinking, and

evaluating information. Students demonstrate a high comfort level with the tools and

technologies of the trade and with synthesizing information. One curious observation about

the assessment process is that while faculty express concerns in their written reflections,

the numbers they attach to portfolio artifacts are in a 3.00 to 3.75 range on a 4.0 scale (with

4 being the strongest positive response). It seems students are performing well, but the

expectations are higher.

A specific summary of assessment and outcomes can be found in Appendix IV.

b. Other Learning and Service Activities:

As a school that focuses on preparation for specific professions, students are presented

with multiple opportunities that aid in learning and that serve the campus and the

community as well.

The Parthenon is a student-produced newspaper that has been published on campus

since 1898. The paper serves as a laboratory for several journalism and mass

communications classes and as a free and independent student press for campus. Students

work as editors, reporters and designers to produce print publications on Tuesday and on

Friday and to publish online versions daily at www.marshallparthenon.com. Breaking

news is reported as it happens in the online version. The Parthenon is also available via a

mobile app, The Buzz: Marshall University. Print circulation is 6,000 copies daily, and the

website receives an average of 1,800 unique views a day. Focus in the last two years has

been on digital first delivery.

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WMUL FM 88.1, The Cutting Edge, has been broadcasting from Marshalls campus

since 1961. The student run station is on the air 24-hours a day, seven days a week and

features a mixed block format of jazz, blues, oldies, gospel, contemporary Christian, hip-

hop/urban and alternative/progressive music segments as well as extensive live sports

broadcasts and news coverage on Newscenter 88 at 5 p.m. each day. With 1400 watts of

effective radiated power the signal travels about 20 miles in any direction from campus

covering 97,285 people. The stations addition of live webstreaming from

http://www.marshall.edu/wmul/wmul-stream-2/ makes its programming available any

place listeners can connect to an internet source. WMUL-FM can also be accessed via

theNext Radio app, on Twitter and on Instagram.

Students manage the station with the assistance of a faculty manager, they announce and

DJ during scheduled air shifts and call play-by-play at numerous campus sporting events.

One sports program, Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia, last year was syndicated to

two commercial radio stations, eight public radio stations and two cable systems. The

program now simulcasts from television studio A to provide a radio signal, video and audio

and live webstream access. The station boasts nearly 90 awards each year.

MU Report is a student-produced television news show in a top-of-the-line fully digital

studio. Students report, produce and anchor the program that is shown bi-weekly on West

Virginia Public Television throughout the state and that is accessible through YouTube.

Once students wrap the shows they continue their coverage with blogs after the broadcast

in which the scripts are rewritten in print style and posted in Wordpress along with the

YouTube video of the story. Reporters then tweet the Wordpress link on Twitter to

encourage viewers to see both the print and video version of stories in the show.

Seven Arrow Creative is a fledgling advertising/public relations agency servicing

campus and local nonprofit clients. Led and staffed by students, Seven Arrow Creative has

worked to promote organ donation for Donate Life of the Tri-state, assisted the Marshall

University recruitment and retention committee with a social media campaign,

#GotoClass, to teach incoming freshmen the importance of being present and alert,

promoted the BAM Social Media Conference organized annually in Huntington, and

worked with Fusion Heating and Cooling to brand and promote that business.

Students gain additional opportunities to practice their crafts, to travel and to network

as members of student professional organizations. PRSSA, Public Relations Student

Society of America, offers interaction with professionals, represents local non-profit clients

and works with the campaigns class to stage a major fund-raising event for various local

charities that have included the Huntington Area Food Bank and River Valley Child

Development. AAF, American Advertising Federation, competes in regional and national

ad competitions, offers interactions with professionals in the field, tours agencies, attends

career conferences, and annually produces a Homecoming football program for fund-

raising. Similarly NBS, the National Broadcasting Society and SPJ, the Society of

Professional Journalists, host educational speakers and provide opportunities for travel,

competitions and contact with professionals.

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In appropriate classes, students assist local business and non-profits with advertising

and public relations campaigns. Some of the most recent clients include the Hoops

Family Childrens Hospital, the American Heart Association, Dress for Success and Create

Huntington.

c. Plans for Program Improvement:

Results of the assessment measures are reported to the journalism and mass

communications faculty during beginning of the semester faculty meetings in August and

in January and during the last faculty meeting of the year in May. The presentation of data

is always followed by a discussion of what issues were revealed in the data and what action

might mitigate these problems. While many of the issues that surface can be addressed by

individual faculty on a micro level, a number of unit-wide issues and actions have been

triggered from assessment analysis.

Exit exam

The exit exam has consistently maintained an 82 percent pass rate on average with pass

set at 70 percent. The questions that are answered incorrectly by most of the test takers

vary from year to year, but the most challenging seem to be defining actual malice and

linking specific philosophical underpinnings to current media ethics standards. The miss

rate on a question about fair use has increased as students rely more heavily on Google as

a research tool. One question about newsworthiness, a concept with which every

journalism and mass communications graduate should be well acquainted, has proved

particularly problematic. Phrasing of the question as it was originally posed could have

influenced students decisions, but new incarnations seem to be stronger. Settling on a

definition of newsworthiness is a bit contentious among the faculty, but there now seems

to be a consensus. Three configurations of the question are being tested over the next three

exam cycles to determine the best way of phrasing the question. Consensus about what

aspects of newsworthiness need emphasis should aid students in a more common

comprehension.

Timeline: The first two exam cycles were in fall of 2014 and spring of 2015. The final test

version will be administered with the fall 2015 exit exam.

Language skills exam

Because grammar, spelling and punctuation produce the lowest ratings in the portfolio

reviews, a language skills requirement has been instituted. Students must pass the exam

with at 77 percent before enrolling in any upper division courses. A preparatory course,

commonly called a grammar slammer, has also been initiated to assist with review before

the exam.

Timeline: The exam and the accompanying preparatory course were launched in the fall

2013 semester.

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Civic engagement exercises

Posttests in the media law class reflected that students tend to grasp the basic material,

so a civic engagement writing assignment was added to encourage more critical thinking

and to require more writing practice. Overall posttest scores dropped slightly but not

enough to raise serious concerns balanced against the value of the new writing assignment.

Timeline: Initiated by the professor in the 2013-14 academic year.

Concentration on capstone paper

Graduation portfolio reviews noted declining performance on the senior writing

requirement in the areas of APA style, attention to detail such as spelling and proofreading,

and research of the subject matter. An intervention in the form of extending the number of

weeks in which the paper can be prepared and, consequently, increasing feedback has, in

preliminary observations, stemmed the decline in those particular performances, but that

intervention rests solely on the faculty member teaching the class in which the writing

requirement takes place. The faculty as a whole is reconsidering the structure of the

assignment and how it should be incorporated into the class. The model for that particular

course and for the senior writing requirement is about 20-years-old and in need of a

comprehensive overhaul. Reexamination of this class is part of a deliberate and thoughtful

overall review of curriculum, not simply this course, and as such will not be ready for

launch for some time

Timeline: The class and the exam reconfiguration are to be ready for the fall 2017 semester.

JMC 101 Media Literacy - redirects

The Media Literacy professor identified a trend on posttests in the course that students

missed questions involving numbers and statistics. That raised questions that asked if the

specific numbers were the important lesson or the concepts behind them and the

discussions that grew from them. The test questions were altered to more accurately reflect

the learning objective. Also, scores related to research and theory tended to be weak,

suggesting a need for new approaches to those subjects. Scores have not been gathered yet

to determine if the new approach changes the test results.

Timeline: Launched fall 2015

Informal book clubs

A serendipitous discovery from assessment is that students do not strive to write well every

time they write; they seem to need the incentive of a grade or remuneration. The desire to

write well for all writing occasions is not one of the schools outcomes, but a trend to the

contrary is evident. To try to create a passion for writing, two faculty volunteered to

conduct informal book clubs with students on a trial basis, selecting books that are likely

to inspire and to energize students to write as professionals at all times.

Timeline: Launched fall 2015. Revisit during assessment reviews in Dec. 2016.

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Early involvement

Underclassmen in particular voiced dissatisfaction with general coursework in their

early years that didnt engage them in the major. One section of JMC 102, Information

Gathering, integrated a rudimentary video project as part of the course requirements,

another section is engaged in information gathering at WMUL. Underclassmen are also

encouraged to participate in student professional organizations in order to gain experience

that may not be offered in classes at that point in their curriculums. Again, the school is

involved in an examination of curriculum overall, and there are recommendations that 100

and 200 level classes become more engaged in the practice of journalism and mass

communications and not simply serve as introductions to basic content.

Timeline: Continue discussions and research through the 2015-16 academic year, write and

submit course revisions during the 2016-17 academic year and launch new curriculum for

the lower division courses along with a considerable curricular overhaul in the 2017-18

catalog.

Portfolio workshops

Although students are meeting the basic requirements for graduation portfolios, it is

evident they are completing the chore as quickly as possible and they are being pushed by

the deadline. Two trial workshops about portfolio preparation were conducted by a team

of three faculty members who discussed with graduating seniors the importance of the

portfolio, how it is to be assembled and the deadline. Anecdotally, portfolios have been

produced with less stress and well within the deadline, but the first portfolios to be

produced with the additional guidance have not been reviewed to ascertain if any

improvement in quality occurred.

Timeline: Workshops were conducted in the spring of 2015. The first portfolios produced

following the workshops will be reviewed in Dec. 2015.

Internship prep workshops/courses

Assessment has demonstrated that graduates of the program are well grounded in content

creation whether its for print, broadcast, web or strategic communication. Internship

reviews, however, suggest students need an introduction to workplace behaviorsarriving

on time, calling if one cannot make it to work, and wearing appropriate attire. All faculty

who have worked as internship supervisors are serving as an ad hoc committee to propose

ameliorative strategies to change the workplace behaviors.

Timeline: The ad hoc committee has been charged with having a proposal ready for review

by the full faculty at the final faculty meeting of the year in May 2016.

d. Graduate Satisfaction:

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications uses its triennial survey of

alumni and Marshall University Assessment Office data to evaluate graduate satisfaction.

The assessment office provided graduation survey results from 2010-11 to 2014-15 that

drew 123 respondents over the five-year period, n=32, 14, 34, 20 and 23 respectively.

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A number of trends can be noted over the five-year assessment office surveys.

Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduate in an average

of 9.24 semesters. Over 45 percent worked 11 to 30 hours a week during their final year

of college, and some worked more than a 30-hour week. The school requires an

internship of every student and over 50 percent said the experience helped them secure

employment. Another 20 percent said they had insufficient information upon which to

base a conclusion. The number of students who planned to continue on to graduate school

fluctuated considerably from year to year, but the average was 30 percent.

The most useful information in the survey came from three questions that used

Likert-scale measures of agreement and satisfaction with one reflecting strong agreement

or high satisfaction and 5 representing disagreement or dissatisfaction. The first was a

series of statements about abilities developed while pursuing a degree at Marshall. Scores

ranged from 1.19 to 3.0 over the reporting period and they indicated the strongest

agreement with statements about learning to write effectively, using computers, gaining

sufficient knowledge for chosen careers, learning to examine issues from multiple

perspectives, and having valuable capstone experiences. The lowest scores consistently

reflected disagreement with statements referencing ability to use math effectively,

science courses and understanding science processes, the value of writing intensive

courses, and broadening appreciation of the arts. Although responses ranged from 1.19 to

3.0 it should be noted that a 3.0 average occurred only once in relation to the statement,

I developed the ability to use mathematics effectively, and typically scores clustered

between 1.3 and 2.

Another set of similar questions was added in the past two years of the survey period

asking respondents to indicate a degree of satisfaction with a set of experiences within the

college. Here scores ranged from 1.39 to 2.26 and indicated greatest satisfaction with

availability of faculty, faculty who were helpful in pursuit of the students careers, and

support for women and racial groups. Consistently, respondents were less satisfied with

the general studies curriculum and with equipment. Oddly, the second time the trait

faculty who were helpful in pursuit of the students careers was used the score fell to a

much lower rating. Although it is possible to rank scores on a continuum, responses in

the range of 2 still reflect satisfaction.

Another set of Likert scales asked respondents to register their agreement with

statements about how well their degrees prepared them for their fields, the quality of the

programs and their propensity to recommend the program. Responses in this area

clustered more tightly than the other questions and ranged from 1.32 to 1.95, reflecting

satisfaction with their programs.

Every third year a survey is sent to graduates to determine their current employment,

to solicit their opinions about their education at the school, and to request suggestions for

improvements. The most recent survey was completed in 2014 and generated a sample of

156 respondents.

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A Qualtrics (the computer program that hosts the survey) link was sent via e-mail to all

identified contacts along with a request to snowball the survey, that is, to send it to other

individuals with whom the first recipients maintain contact. This not only increases the

sample size, but it helps re-establish contact with additional graduates.

The triennial alumni survey indicated a high regard for the School of Journalism and

Mass Communications and its professors and satisfaction with the education gained and

professional experiences while in the school. Respondents often suggested some areas that

could be improved. The majority of the most frequently mentioned improvements--

convergence, online communication, visual communication and updating equipment

have been implemented to some degree and they are constantly being refined.

Roughly 90 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their courses, their

practical experience and their professional organization activities helped in their careers.

Courses cited as most useful were profuse, with nearly every course referenced at some

point, but those that generated the greatest number of notations were campaigns, Parthenon

experience, reporting, writing, ethics, law and design.

Strengths of the program were plentiful, but without challenge professors (and

experience were most often mentioned.

The majority of respondents are working in a media related field, and with a variety of

titles. More than 70 percent indicated they found full-time employment in an area closely

related to journalism and mass communications. Of those who are not working in the field,

about 18 percent of respondents, many had worked in media related positions and then

moved into other occupations, or they simply chose not to work in the industry (9 percent).

Law school and education were frequently mentioned as attractive alternatives.

See attachment A for a copy of the triennial alumni survey.

e. Please refer to Appendix VIII for letters from the Office of Assessment

providing feedback regarding the programs assessment of student learning.

Two of the assessment issues identified in the feedback letters have been addressed.

Results have been reported and reports have been filed. The rubrics have been completed

with traits and descriptions of behaviors desired at each level. Many of the verbs used in

learning outcomes have not been changed to those that reflect higher level learning largely

because of the need to employ accreditation values and competencies in the assessments.

Those values tend to use the language of understand and demonstrate. In the rubrics,

however, descriptions associated with introductory, milestone, capstone and advanced

levels are employing verbs that reflect progression from lower to higher-level learning.

4. Previous Reviews:

At its meeting on April 22, 2010, the Marshall University Board of Governors

recommended that the BA in Journalism and Mass Communications continue at its

current level of activity.

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5. Identify weaknesses and deficiencies noted in the last program review and provide information regarding the status of improvements implemented or accomplished. Amidst the stabilization cited above, some issues have not received the support or attention necessary. These include:

Limited emphasis on faculty scholarship

Heavy faculty loads: teaching, recruitment, service, advising, professional development

Sufficient resources for teaching public relations The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has addressed each of the

weaknesses/deficiencies cited.

Limited emphasis on scholarship

Marshall University continues to be a teaching institution that is working to generate

greater scholarly and creative output. It also continues to require a 4/4 teaching load and

heavy committee commitments. Within this institutional atmosphere, the School of

Journalism and Mass Communications has concentrated on finding encouragements for

scholarly and creative activity with resource limitations.

New faculty entering the school have not been assigned advising duties, and they have

not been asked to serve on the most demanding committees. In so far as possible, course

schedules have been clustered to provide two or three instructional days in order to free

large blocks of time that can be committed to scholarly and creative work. Sabbaticals have

been actively encouraged and three faculty members have applied for and been granted

leaves. Two more faculty members have applied for leaves during the 2015-2016 academic

year. These measures have produced some degree of success in that the school can

demonstrate an increase in the number of scholarly and creative projects completed, and

an increase in submissions and acceptances to referred sources.

Research partnerships have also proved a productive strategy for increasing research

as shared responsibility reduces the time each individual must invest to bring a project to

fruition. Teaching of more lower division courses by adjuncts has also created some space

for scholarship and creative endeavors.

These practices have had some unintended consequences. One is that they have not

reduced the obligations of the unit overall, but they have dispersed some of the load to

faculty willing to assist with efforts to stimulate scholarly and creative productivity. For

instance, if one faculty member is not advising students, others are serving those advisees.

A second issue is that faculty coming into the unit presume this is standard operating

procedure and may resist when advisees, committee memberships and five days of classes

are asked of them. There is some fear continuing in this manner may create de facto faculty

tiers. Third, these policies have introduced greater reliance on adjunct faculty and graduate

teaching assistants. Claiming that full-time professors teach every class, a strong selling

point previously, is weakening.

In spite of some drawbacks of the tactics that encouraged research and publication, the

School of Journalism and Mass Communications can demonstrate increased scholarship

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and creative productivity. To reiterate the heightened productivity described on page nine

as part of Adequacy of the Program, fourteen individuals (including faculty members

who have come and gone during the review period) have generated 242 scholarly and

professional articles, scholarly and professional presentations, grants, conference

proceedings, encyclopedia entries, book reviews and creative works. The total number of

discrete projects rose from 153 reported in the 2008 to 242 in 2014, a 58 percent increase.

Grants rose from 20 in the previous report to 29 in the current report (+45 percent), refereed

journal articles moved from four to 20 (+400 percent), refereed conference paper

presentations went from 18 to 58 (+222 percent), invited professional conference

presentations grew from 17 to 26 (+53 percent), and non-refereed publications rose from

32 to 48 (+50 percent).

Heavy faculty loads: teaching, recruitment, service, advising, professional

development

Heavy loads are still typically the norm, but several new approaches are offering some

relief.

A long-time administrative assistant for the unit has moved into a new position for the

college, that of Student Support Specialist. The fact the specialist came from the School of

Journalism and Mass Communications has been particularly advantageous because of her

familiarity with its programs. Many lower classmen will see the specialist first, and she can

also flag students who are at risk so that interventions may ameliorate problems and

improve retention. Additionally, a university Student Success Center has diminished some

of the need for advising contact.

When the School of Journalism and Mass Communications functioned as an

independent unit the faculty served on school committees and on university committees.

The consolidation introduced college-level committee obligations as well. What appears to

be a heavier commitment to committee work, however, is balanced by a greater number of

individuals in the college to share the workload.

When the College of Fine Arts and the School of Journalism and Mass

Communications merged to form the College of Arts and Media, required office hours in

journalism and mass communications were reduced, from 10 hours a week to 5 hour a week

to align with colleagues from Fine Arts. Though the change was made begrudgingly for

some the tactic diminished the heavy workload somewhat. Many faculty continue to post

ten hours.

While solving a clear problem, these tactics have a drawback of eroding one of the

units traditional strengths, that of close engagement with students. Trimming obligations

to reduce workload is also paring time available to students.

Sufficient resources for teaching public relations

Public Relations is the fastest growing major in the School of Journalism and Mass

Communications. When the former dean left the school to assume duties as the associate

provost, he vacated a faculty line that had been dedicated to radio/tv. Before the line was

filled, it was shifted to a strategic communications position with an emphasis on corporate

video production. One skill missing in many of the majors, but particularly in public

relations and advertising majors, is the ability to produce videos for online dissemination.

The new position requires teaching a complement of public relations courses, corporate

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video and documentary journalism. The creation of several online versions of public

relations courses also has expanded ability to serve the majors.

6. Current Strengths/Weaknesses:

Identifying strengths and weaknesses requires a collective review of issues raised in

assessment, in alumni surveys and in accreditation. A perennial strength of the journalism

and mass communications program is in the professional, passionate, dedicated and caring

faculty. The second most noted strength is easily the hands-on, real world approach to

learning. Graduates cite their experiences with The Parthenon, WMUL, MU Report and ad

and PR campaigns as some of their most rewarding experiences in college. The strategic

communications components of the program are frequently engaged in projects with area

businesses, gaining experience, raising substantial funds for local non- profit organizations

and assisting with public messages and content creation.

Real world exposure is expanded with the requirement for a three-hour internship that

expects 100 hours of employment for one internship credit hour. Student professional

organizations that promote networking during college careers and afford opportunities to

earn awards in competitions generate excitement about students chosen professions.

Graduates repeatedly point to their ability to write effectively, solid professional

preparation, ability to work with computers, and understanding multiple viewpoints as

benefits of attending the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Rigor is standard practice. The school has a strong reputation and visibility in the region.

A state-of-the-art fully digital television studio and new digital radio broadcast studio

are clearly attractive assets as are four Macintosh computer labs. Accreditors described

WMUL-FM as an overachieving student FM radio station that offers high quality

professional opportunities to students.

Assessment has identified many course adjustments that can be made in the short run

to achieve established learning outcomes. Curriculum concerns, however, require more

studied and deliberate examination.

As with most colleges and universities, the School of Journalism and Mass

Communications at Marshall responded to shifts toward digital communications initially

with the addition of new coursesweb strategies, web design, and multimedia reporting.

The temptation was to continue generating new courses and to add and to many existing

offerings, e.g., Information Gathering and Digital Searching, Advertising and Social Media

Strategy, or News and Digital Writing. However, the school does not wish to extract digital

practices from the curriculum and flag it with a new label or create a parallel digital

curriculum.

Shaping a curriculum that will maintain in a rapidly changing media environment is

the greatest challenge facing the school currently, and it is the charge of the journalism

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and mass communications faculty this year to consider the degrees to which curriculum

needs revised, altered or overhauled.

Curriculum revision is being approached in four steps. The first two steps focus on

problem analysis while steps three and four concentrate on action planning.

Step OneWhat does every journalism and mass communications major need to know?

The first step took place in August and September of the current semester. The

concentration has been on assessing what every journalism and mass communications

major needs to know particularly in the digital realm. Faculty in three work groups

generated inventories of outcomes they thought all students should know. The exercise

generated a free-thinking catalogue of ideas that was sifted into two categories: what the

school is already doing and what still needs to be done. In the what we are already doing

category were perpetual objectives related to writing, analyzing and interviewing, all still

very necessary parts of the industry. In the what we still need to do category were the

areas in which the school will concentrate on development.

Step TwoWhat are the possible reconfigurations of majors, divisions, courses?

Each division has been charged with proposing course revisions, new course

developments, and combinations of majors that will enable the school to implement

necessary revisions.

Step ThreeConsulting with experts

During the first half of the 2016 spring semester experts will be invited to consult with

the faculty about the proposals. Experts will come from a pool of alumni who have

advanced understanding of digital communications issues. It is hoped that a panel from the

Poynter can also assist in the consultation. The Poynter Institutes mission is to assist with

curricular revisions to adapt to a digital world.

Step FourFashion revisions and formally propose

A subcommittee representing each division will be tasked with formulating revisions

and course proposals based on all previous discussions and advising that will be submitted

through formal channels for catalog revisions during the 2016-17 academic year.

IV. Viability of the Program

1. Articulation Agreements:

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has negotiated articulation

agreements with Mountwest Community and Technical College and with Ashland

Community and Technical College.

Mountwest students, upon completion of their Associates Degree as prescribed in the

agreement between the two institutions, may complete a degree at Marshall in Advertising,

Online Journalism, Public Relations or Radio/Television Production and Management.

Similarly Ashland Community and Technical College graduates may complete programs

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in Advertising, Broadcast Journalism, Online Journalism, Public Relations, Print

Journalism, Radio/Television Production and Management or Sports.

BridgeValley recently expressed interest in developing articulation agreements for

several of the programs in the school. Follow up is being scheduled for November.

(Bridgemont Community and Technical and College in Montgomery and Kanawha Valley

Community and Technical College in South Charleston joined to form BridgeValley in

2014.)

Attachment B describes the individual programs in detail.

2. Off-Campus Classes:

A number of lower division journalism and mass communications courses are

available at the Teays Valley Regional Center. JMC 101-Media Literacy, JMC 102,-

Information Gathering and Research, and JMC 330-Fundamentals of Public Relations are

offered on a fairly regular basis, depending on the availability of qualified faculty. JMC

courses have been offered at the Mid-Ohio Valley Center sporadically, but the faculty

tend to move into other positions before establishing a reliable rotation of the courses.

JMC 102-Information Gathering and Research, JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

and JMC 330-Fundamental so Public Relations have been available at MOVC in the past

five years.

Online Courses:

Six online courses are scheduled on a regular basis: JMC 100-English for Journalists,

JMC 245-Fundamentals of Strategic Communications, JMC 330- Fundamentals of Public

Relations, JMC 461-Web Strategies, JMC 462-Web Design and JMC 465-Multimedia

Reporting. JMC 245 is open to high school students under the Online College Courses

(OCCHS) in the high school program.

To accommodate overflow in high demand classes, faculty have added on occasion

online sections of their courses, including JMC 437-Public Relations Writing, JMC 438-

Public Relations Cases and JMC 461-Web Strategies in the fall of 2014.

JMC 360-Digital Imaging is a blended course, one that has some live sessions but

offer 75 percent of the content online, and is scheduled on regular basis. Blended sections

of JMC 462-Web Design and JMC 465-Multimedia Reporting are available as well as the

fully online versions.

3. Service Courses:

JMC 101-Media Literacy carries a humanities attribute that satisfies a general

education requirement for any student in the university. JMC 241-Graphics of

Communications is designated writing intensive and also satisfies a general education

requirement. The school offers minors in advertising, journalism and in public relations.

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Sports management and marketing majors in Physical Education must take JMC 330-

Fundamentals of Public Relations and JMC, 383-Advertising Layout and Design. Film

Studies minors may elect from JMC 332-Introduction to Video Production, JMC 432-

Corporate and Instructional Video, JMC 434-Advanced Video, JMC 475-Documentary

Journalism. Geographys emphasis in weather broadcasting requires JMC 332-Video

Production.

Among the interdisciplinary minors JMC 455-Women, Minorities and the Media, is an

approved course for the Womens Studies Minor and for the African and African American

Studies minor.

4. Program Course Enrollment: (See Appendix V for specific course

enrollments.)

Journalism and Mass Communications is a 120-hour major. General Education Core I

requires nine hours, First Year Seminar and six hours of critical thinking courses. Core II

requires 25 credit hours of lower division courses in Composition (six hours), Math,

Communications Studies, Fine Arts, Physical Science plus lab (four hours), Social

Science and Humanities.

The journalism and mass communications cognizance area is a 24-hour requirement

of non JMC courses that extend grounding in the liberal arts. Cognizance includes a 15-

hour diversity component (six hours of modern language, a three-hour cultural selection

from Anthropology, Sociology or Geography, a three-hour multicultural course and a

three-hour international course), any three hours of history and six hours of literature.

A 21-hour journalism core, required of all JMC majors, consists of JMC 101-Media

Literacy, JMC 102-Information Gathering and Research, JMC 402,-Law of Mass

Communications, JMC 440-Mass Communications Ethics, JMC 490-Internship and any

additional six hours of 300/400 level journalism and mass communications electives.

All students must also pass the language skills examination before enrolling in upper

division classes.

All majors have several hours of free electives, but no more than four hours may

be elected from Physical Education and Leisure courses. Courses for specific majors

complete the remaining 41 credit hours.

Mass Communications Division Majors

Advertising

JMC 221-Advertising and Continuity Writing JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 245-Fundamentals of Strategic Communications

JMC 383-Advertising Layout and Design

JMC 385-Advertising Media Planning

JMC 408-Strategic Communications Research

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JMC 415-Advertising Strategy and Execution

JMC 425-Advertising Campaigns

JMC Elective-one course from JMC 360, 432, 437, 462

Required Non JMC Courses

CMM 308-Persuasive Communication

MKT 340-Principles of Marketing

Non JMC Electives 8 hours

Public Relations

JMC 201-News Writing I

JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 301-News Reporting II

JMC 330-Fundamentals of Public Relations

JMC 360-Digital Imaging for JMC

JMC 437-Public Relations Writing

JMC 438-Public Relations Case Studies

JMC 439-Public Relations Campaign Management

JMC Elective-one course from JMC 302, 305, 383, 408, 432, 461, or 462

Required Non JMC Courses 6 hours

CMM 308-Persuasive Communication

MKT 340-Principles of Marketing

Non JMC Electives 8 hours

Radio/Television Production and Management

JMC 221-Continuity Writing OR JMC 201News Writing I

JMC 231-Audio Production

JMC 272-273-Practice in Radio (1 credit hour)

JMC 332-Video Production OR JMC 432-Corporate and Instructional Video

JMC 390-Broadcast Promotion, Sale and Underwriting

JMC 420-Electronic Media Management

JMC 436-International Mass Communications

JMC 450-Issues in RTV OR JMC 455-Women, Minorities

JMC 461-Web Strategies OR JMC 462-Web Design

JMC Elective-any additional 2 hrs. 3/400 JMC

Required Non JMC Courses

ACC 215-Principles of Accounting

MKT 231-Principles of Selling

Non JMC electives 8 hours

Journalism Division Majors

Broadcast Journalism

JMC 201-News Writing I

JMC 301-News Reporting II

JMC 340-Basic Broadcast News

JMC 360-Digital Imaging for JMC

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JMC 414-Reporting Public Affairs

JMC 451-Television Reporting

JMC 452-Advanced Television Reporting

JMC 461-Web Strategies

JMC Elective-any additional 3/400 level JMC course

Required Non JMC Courses

PSC 104-American National Government and Politics OR

PSC 202-American State Government and Politics

Non JMC Electives 11 hours

Online Journalism

JMC 201-News Writing I

JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 301-News Reporting II

JMC 360-Digital Imaging for JMC

JMC 400, 410, 451 or 475

JMC 461-Web Strategies

JMC 462-Web Design for Mass Media

JMC 465-Multimedia Reporting

JMC Elective-any additional 3/400 JMC course

Non JMC Electives 14 hours

Print Journalism

JMC 201-News Writing I

JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 301-News Reporting II

JMC 302-Advanced Editing and Design

JMC 305-Copy Editing

JMC 360-Digital Imaging for JMC

JMC 414-Reporting Public Affairs

JMC 430-Magazine Article Writing

JMC Elective any additional 3/400 JMC course

Non JMC Electives 14 hours

Sports Journalism

JMC 201-News Writing I

JMC 303-Sports News Reporting

JMC 360-Digital Imaging for JMC

JMC 461-Web Strategies or 462-Web Design for JMC

Broadcast Emphasis

JMC 231-Introduction to Audio

JMC 321-Sportscasting

6 hrs. from JMC 272, JMC 273, JMC 331, JMC 332,

JMC 372, JMC 373 (NOTE: JMC 272, 273, 372 and 373 are one-hour courses.

Although selections 1, 2 and 3 are suggested for semesters 5, 7 and 8, if the one-

hour courses are selected they need to be interspersed through more than three

semesters.)

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3 hrs. from JMC 404, JMC 414, JMC 445, JMC 455

Non-JMC Electives 14 hours

Print Emphasis

JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 302-Advanced Editing and Design

JMC 305-Copy Editing

3 hrs. from JMC 330, JMC 410, JMC 430, JMC 445, JMC 455

3 hrs. from JMC 404, JMC 414, JMC 445, JMC 455

Non-JMC Electives 14 hours

Public Relations Emphasis

JMC 241-Graphics of Communication

JMC 330-Fundamentals of Public Relations

JMC 437-Public Relations Writing

JMC 438-Public Relations Case Studies

JMC 439-Public Relations Campaign Management

Non-JMC Electives 14 hours

With careful planning students may select courses that meet more than one

requirement, freeing hours to explore other areas or complete a minor.

See Attachment C for four-year plans for each major

The Accrediting Council for Journalism and Mass Communications limits skills

classes to no more than 20 students. The introductory course required of all majors

generally enrolls over 100 students in two sections each fall and about 50 students in a

single section each spring. Other lecture style classes such as Fundamentals of Public

Relations, Introduction to Strategic Communications, Law and Ethics generally enroll

between 15 and 30 students. Most of the remaining classes are skills classes restricted to

20 students, and the availability of only 15 workstations in computer labs further reduces

the carrying capacity of several courses. Many upper division classes are designed for

specific majors and that tends to reduce class sizes naturally as students filter into several

streams. Many of these classes are offered on alternating semesters to adapt to the

fluctuating demand. Some are offered on an alternate semester rotation.

Enrollment in more specialized classes tends to fluctuate, and new course offerings

have built enrollment over time, but most enrollments seem somewhat steady.

5. Program Enrollment: (See Appendix VI and Figure 1.)

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has a total enrollment of roughly

280 undergraduate students reflecting a decline in enrollment over the five-year period

from 2010-2011 to 2014-2015. The 2011-2012 academic year showed an anomalous

increase to 343 but the remaining years reflect enrollments of 317, 311 288 and 260.

Students who have declared second and third majors in the school account for an additional

two students in 2011-2012, and 20, 15, and 23 through 2013, 2014, and 2015. Minors

account for an additional 7, 7, 8, 8, and 3 students through the five year period making a

total enrollment of 324, 353, 342, 312 and 286 respectively.

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It should be noted that the 15 journalism majors in 2010-2013 remained in the pipeline

after the journalism major was divided into six distinct majors. The Electronic Media

Management major was renamed Radio/Television Production and Management in 2008,

and a number of those students remained in the pipeline through 2012-2013. The sports

major launched in 2010.

Graduates per year have consistently remained between 50 and 60, with another

anomalous dip in 2011-2012 to 32, oddly in the same year enrollment showed a dramatic

increase. Specific graduation numbers through the five-year period are 50, 32, 56, 65, 57.

6. Enrollment Projections:

Journalism and mass communications at institutions across the nation are suffering

enrollment losses stemming from a perception that journalism is dying, a symptom of

newspaper decline and the rise of new forms of media transmission. As fans check ball

game scores on mobile devices and scan news on computer screens there is a collective

sense that a journalism profession is no longer viable. Yet reporters are still required to

make information available on digital media. The industry is moving toward content

creation rather than simple news reporting. Content that is created may be delivered via

traditional print channels or television, or it may come to consumers on their computers,

tablets, mobile devices and wristwatches. With citizen journalists posting stories

immediately via social media, it is even more imperative to have a pool of individuals who

can vet information.

Along with the misconception that mass communications is waning, is the notion that

digital content is created by computer programmers. Programmers and engineers create the

delivery tools. Communicators create the content.

Most indicators predict that journalism enrollments will remain flat for two or three

years, but that numbers will build as the profession repositions for the increase in

journalism and mass communications employment in the digital world and in non-news

organizations. A recent report from the American Press Institute stressed the growth of

journalism employment in non-news agencies as their skills are applied to broader content

creation applications. Focusing more on multimedia reporting tends to be a positive

development for schools nationwide, and it is in the online program that Marshalls School

of Journalism and Mass Communications can point to growth. Strategic communications

(advertising and public relations) is another area that is starting to show growth, and it is

the largest enrollment in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

The school is currently engaged in a year-long examination of ways in which

curriculum can be adapted to take advantage of the new opportunities.

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V. Necessity of the Program:

1. Advisory Committee

A volunteer group of 15 journalism and mass communications graduates serve on the

Alumni Board of Advisers. They represent a cross section of majors and types of businesses

for which they work. Two are attorneys who have offered informal counsel when student

publications face legal challenges. The board meets at least once a year, but projects they

launch necessitate more frequent contact. Board members speak to classes and clubs, assist

with graduation portfolio review, serve as a sounding board, work as a focus group to

examine issues of importance to the unit, advocate for the school with public contacts and

the administration on occasion and they are resurrecting the dormant Hall of Fame

recognition event and fundraiser. One board member accepted the challenge of locating

more graduates and centralizing contact with alumni. All of the board members participate

in helping maintain an active MUJMC Alums Facebook page that has become the major

form of information exchange among graduates.

2. Graduates: (See Appendix VII for figures related to graduate employment).

As conveyed in the discussion of graduate satisfaction the triennial alumni survey

indicated that the majority of respondents are working in a media related field, and with a

variety of titles. More than 70 percent indicated they have found full-time employment in

an area closely related to journalism and mass communications.

Of those who are not working in the field, about 18 percent of respondents, many

worked in media related positions and then moved into other fields to advance or they

simply chose not to work in the industry (9 percent). Law school and education were

frequently mentioned as attractive alternatives.

Graduates salaries are heavily in the $25,000 to $74,000 range with 34 percent in the

lower bracket and 30 percent at the upper range. Eight percent indicated earning $100,000

or above.

Based on data from the past five years, journalism and mass communications graduates

are finding jobs and the majority are employed in field. Thirty-three percent are employed

directly in their fields of study, 12 percent are in related fields, 15 percent are working out

of field, 10 percent are in graduate school, seminary or law school and 29 percent could

not be located.

Because many of the most recent graduates are understandably still searching for jobs,

extracting the 2014-15 data reflects stronger employment data. Thirty-seven percent are

employed in their fields of study, 12 percent are in related fields, 15 percent are working

out of field, 9 percent are in graduate school, seminary or law school and 27 percent could

not be located.

Among only those graduates who have been located, 47 percent are employed in their

fields of study, 17 percent are in related fields, 21 percent are working out of field, 14

31

percent are in graduate school, seminary or law school. Combining those who are employed

in field and in related fields, 65 percent of graduates who could be located are working in

areas related to journalism and mass communications. Those figures vary little if most

recent graduates are extracted.

3. Job Placement:

Largely graduates who seek employment in the field find jobs in the industry or in a

closely related area. Many of those working outside of journalism and mass

communications have transitioned to those areas after starting in the industry and others

have chosen deliberately to shift into other careers.

Nonetheless, the School of Journalism and Mass Communications encourages students

to engage with Career Services early in their college experiences and to take full advantage

of career fairs, business card services, resume consultation and registry with the center.

Students are provided networking opportunities in student professional organizations, and

internships often provide entry into full-time employment. It is with the interns that the

school has identified a need for training in the work-a-day world. Informal workshops

are providing guidance in proper work behaviors related to attire, failure to report to work,

how to handle absences due to illnesses and the importance of taking initiative. The

workshop may move into a one-hour credit course.

VI. RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (If applicable)

JMC Strategic Plan

B.A. and M.A.J. Programs

September 2012

(reviewed September 2013 and 2014)

Changes in technology continue to demand adaptation for mass communications

education, but internationalization and diversity remain critical for 21st Century

communications as well. Over the next five years the School of Journalism and Mass

Communications will focus on three dominant strategic areas: technology,

internationalization and diversity. The mission provides overarching philosophies to guide

the school, but it is the strategic plan that outlines tangible tactics.

Technology and digital communications

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications has been successful at

maintaining up-to-date computers and state-of the art broadcast facilities. Students study

digital imaging, web design and online reporting. These facilities and classes have

established a foundation for forays into digital communication. Reflection on the next

steps, however, has identified areas for development.

1. Fleet of foot video

Broadcast students have developed admirable skills within the confines of studio

production. The industry, however, is demanding faster, less cumbersome video products

that can be turned around quickly and posted to a website. The fleet of foot video skill is

expected not only of broadcasters, but of print reporters, advertisers and public relations

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practitioners as well. The new integrated strategic communications faculty position enables

the school to re-establish a number of video courses that have been dormant for more than

ten years and update them to meet this new demand. Students will be expected to work

with small cameras and in some cases iPads and iPhones or other technology that may

surface within the next few years, and to produce commercial products as well as news.

This tactic not only brings video to a wider student population, but also increases

opportunities for students in the broadcast and in the radio/television programs to select

from a broader menu than has been available heretofore.

Timeline: The initial steps have been taken with filling the new strategic

communications position and acquisition of cameras and mobile devices. The first of the

revitalized courses were offered in the spring of 2015 and the practice is being continued

in the spring of 2016.

2. Permeate all majors

Broadcasters are being called upon to design images for screens, and newspaper

reporters are adding video to their web stories. Students will continue to have focused

interests in various aspects of the mass communications industry such as writing news or

hatching ideas for advertisers, but all majors in the field must have rudimentary facility in

static design, kinetic design, video shooting and editing, website management and photo

editing. They also must be facile in the software programs that manage each of those skills.

Timeline: Institute a system to measure baseline skills by 2017.

3. DigiComm professor in residence

While recognizing the need to respond to new technology, current resources and the

need to continue to teach good, solid writing often limit the schools ability to respond

quickly to changing demands. One way to introduce the latest developments is to invite a

professor in residence to explore new areas that faculty who have a multitude of other

responsibilities may not be able to do.

Timeline: Seek funding by 2016, bring in a one-year resident in 2016-2017.

4. Marshall Multimedia

Three vibrant student media are producing news products on a regular basis and

expanding their deliveries into new technologies. Marshall Multimedia would create an

umbrella under which existing campus media could continue to operate independently of

one another, but also cooperate in providing access to content that could be used to supply

an aggregated channel of distribution. The multimedia media project would give students

an opportunity to use their developing skills in digital media in a truly converged setting.

Timeline: Complete a written proposal by the end of the 2015-2016 academic year. The

proposal would project a two-year development process.

International focus

After several years of drawing a substantial number of students from Vietnam and from

Saudi Arabia, international enrollment has slowed. The school will implement two

programs to strengthen international contact.

1. Marshall Universitys partnership with the INTO international recruiting company

has altered the process for bringing international students into academic programs.

International applicants are encouraged to enter the university through pathway programs

designed to ameliorate academic weaknesses prior to or concurrently with enrolling in

degree programs. Recruiters have seen enthusiasm for journalism and mass

communications in general and for broadcast specifically among students in other

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countries, especially in Southeast Asian countries. The School of Journalism has been

asked to create a pathway for the broadcast program initially, and to expand to other majors

in the program later. Participating with the INTO program will expand the number of

international students in the school.

Timeline: Complete the broadcast pathway for the 2015-2016 academic year. Some

international students may be able to start the program next fall, but the greater likelihood

is that recruiters will use the pathway to attract students for the following academic year.

2. Huntington, WV has been experiencing a quiet, slow but steady rise in Hispanic

populations. Although the increasing number of Hispanic or Latino residents is not at a

level that is viable for commercial media in the area, WMUL-FM on campus is uniquely

positioned to serve the nascent community. As a public station it has greater flexibility in

serving niche audiences. Selected portions of the broadcast week could be reserved for

Spanish language programming to serve the nascent community in Huntington.