Abstract
This article identifies three administrative challenges likely to confront communication arts and sciences units in the near future. The first concerns shifts in student interest, which have historically expanded and contracted across disciplines. Rapid growth in communication enrollments may reverse, producing budget reductions similar to those experienced by education and humanities programs. The second issue involves the difficulty of adapting curricula to fast changing communication technologies. Institutional procedures for course approval often lag behind technological innovation, leaving students without formal exposure to emerging areas such as cable operations, common carrier regulation, and new telecommunication systems. The article argues that departments must plan for rapid curriculum revision, faculty retraining, and the addition or removal of courses to remain current. The third problem involves increasing salary disparities within and across subfields. Market driven hiring pressures, especially in areas such as advertising, have produced wide gaps between assistant and full professors, creating morale and equity concerns. The article concludes that these problems represent only a fraction of the administrative burdens ahead and suggests that communication leaders will continue to face substantial challenges in maintaining program viability.
Recommended Citation
Bettinghaus, Erwin P.
(1985)
"Future Problems for the Communication Arts and Sciences Administrator,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 52, Article 13.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol52/iss1/13
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