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 The collective score for the faculty in The Mass Communication Department (3.8 on a 5-point scale) was slightly below the national average on the IDEA System (3.9) quantitative assessment of teaching effectiveness. |
| Action | Improving IDEA Scores Some faculty inaccurately filled out their Faculty Information Forms for the IDEA evaluations. These faculty have been made aware of this problem. Additionally, next semester all MCM faculty will be observed in class by the Chair of the MCM Department. |
| 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 faculty of the MCM Department 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 five original academic papers at major conferences, published two book chapters, published three books and published three newspaper articles. |
| Action | Supporting Future Productivity The Mass Communication Department will support scholarly activity by new faculty by 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 The CHSS is planning to make available two Clinical Associate positions in the MCM Department. |
| Action | Recruitment Chair of MCM is reviewing job descriptions for Clinical Associate positions. |