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Our History


Mission: 

To develop ethical and critical understanding, as well as practical abilities, in communication.  Well-educated communicators show competence through relationships, analyzing communication situations and proposing meaningful responses, developing persuasive verbal and visual messages, and choosing the right match of technologies to convey messages.The Department of Communication values all human beings and pays particular attention to diverse voices and experiences.

 

Chronologies 

Dept of Speech & Theatre comes into being

1968 (Established with Randall Capps as Head)
Broadcasting joins the Speech & Theatre Dept.
1978
Speech and Theatre dept changes name to Communication & Broadcasting 1978
Speech Pathology added to Dept.

1974 (As a Preprofessional Program)

1980 (As either a Certificate Program or as a Preprofessional Program)

Speech Pathology becomes separate program

1979 (As a Preprofessional Program)

1981 (As either a Certificate Program or as a Preprofessional Program)

Corporate & Organizational Comm major added
1987
A speech course is first required for every student as a Gen Ed
1993
Theatre leaves to form own department 1995
Broadcasting leaves to join Journalism
2001
Advertising & Public Relations join the dept 2017
Chronology of Dept Heads chairs
  • Randall Capps (1968-1978)

  • J. Regis O'Connor - Interim (1978-1979)

  • Randall Capps (1979-1980)

  • J. Regis O'Connor (1980-1987)

  • William E. Leonard - Acting (1987-1989)

  • Randall Capps (1989-1995)

  • Larry Winn - Interim (1995-1997)

  • Larry Winn (1997-2001)

  • Sally J. Ray (2001-2008)

  • Carl Kell (2008-2009)

  • Daniel Modaff (2009-2010)

  • Lawrence Snyder - Interim (2010-2011)

  • Helen Sterk (2011-2021)

  • Tony Harkins - Interim (2021-2023)

 


 


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 Last Modified 8/25/22