We hope it will take effect Fall 1999. The proposal carries the name School of Communications. It will consist of separate B.A. degree programs in Journalism and in Communication and an M.A. program in Communication. In the future, we would like to invite other communication and media-related programs to join. We also plan, with this stronger base and expanded faculty, to develop new programs, such as a Center for International Journalism, which will combine teaching, research and professional application.
Journalism remains fully accredited through the current academic year.
We are working closely with the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication to maintain that status for the following six years. Both of these concerns are central to our proposed consolidation structure. We expect the chair of the Council's 1998 Site Visit Team will return in the Spring for a subsequent, and positive, review.