If they had their way with our curriculum, we would become a trade school rather than a university. At the same time, our surveys of our graduates who have been working in mass communications at least a few years tell us the opposite. Simulation and role playing are an effective way of addressing this problem. It doesn't come easy to today's students at middle level colleges and universities, but I have found it to be effective. My strategy is to enhance the value of the case by setting it even more strongly in a simulated, but highly realistic, management environment.
People are the key to that.
We are fortunate in having in our market many professionals in virtually all of the mass communications industries who are willing to share their time and experience with our students. Even with the time constraints of the seven-week term, we were able to include a number of television managers and allied professionals in the students' simulated management world. The eight students created two four-person station management teams. Aside from some minor assignments to ensure they sample the texts for help, the entire creative effort is focused on the case. To add a final note of management realism, we are inviting students, faculty and professionals to attend the presentations on May 11, and play the role of corporate management.