SACS Reaffirmation
| Objective | Teaching Effectiveness | |
| The Mass Communication Faculty will be effective teachers. Associated Goals: Educational Experience |
| Indicator | Assessing Teaching Effectiveness The Mass Communication Department will employ the IDEA System as a quantitative instrument to assess teraching performance. |
| Criteria | 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 2007 the collective score for the faculty in The Mass Communication Department (3.8) was again below the national average on the IDEA (4.1) quantitative assessment of teaching effectiveness. Spring 2008 IDEA results not yet available. |
| Action | Improving IDEA Scores Again some faculty filled out Faculty Information Forms for the IDEA evaluations inaccurately. These faculty will be encouraged to attend IDEA Evaluation session at CHSS Teaching Conference in August 2008. In addition, faculty with low IDEA scores will be assigned smaller classes. And one faculty member with high IDEA scores will be assigned four larger classes. |
| Objective | Faculty Productivity | |
| The Mass Communication Faculty will publish, present or exhibit academic research, journalistic commentary and/or creative work in recognized venues. Associated Goals: Faculty Productivity |
| 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. |
| Criteria | Research Productivity Levels On an annual basis, collectively the MCM Faculty will produce a published book, journal article or book chapter; or two articles in newspapers, magazines or trade journals; or three major convention papers; or one exhibition of creative work. |
| Finding | Faculty Production The Faculty in the Mass Communication Department presented four original academic papers at major conferences, co-authored one book, published one book chapter and wrote three newspaper articles. |
| Action | Supporting Future Productivity The Mass Communication Department will continue to support scholarly activity by faculty my adjusting teaching schedules and providing travel-to-conference funding. |
| Objective | Curriculum Categories | |
| The Mass Communication Department will hire, maintain and support a faculty with varied skill-sets. Associated Goals: Hybrid Curriculum |
| Indicator | Clinical Associate Position The Mass Communication Department will actively recruit and support faculty with professional experience in the communications industry. |
| Criteria | 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 & Support Funding is not yet available for supporting two Clinical Associate positions. |
| Action | Recruitment Support for these positions will be proposed in the MCM Five Year Plan and in the MCM proposal for a graduate program. Assessment of clinical positions at other institutions will begin. |