Abstract
This article traces the evolution of the Department of Speech Communication at Northern Illinois University into Communication Studies and its proposed development into a School of Communication. It examines how the department maintained a liberal arts tradition while adapting to new technologies, curricular demands, and disciplinary specialization. The discussion reviews changes in degree emphases, including the expansion of radio-television-film, the addition of organizational and corporate communication, and the continued role of rhetorical studies as a curricular foundation. Faculty organization by research interest, cross-teaching assignments, and collaborative governance are highlighted as strategies for preserving breadth and balance. The proposed merger with journalism raised questions about differing professional and liberal arts philosophies, but committee recommendations emphasized preserving a liberal arts framework. The article concludes that curriculum design, faculty structure, and administrative organization all serve as essential mechanisms for sustaining liberal arts values within communication programs.
Recommended Citation
Powell, Jon T.
(1987)
"A School of Communication with a Liberal Arts Tradition,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 62, Article 21.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol62/iss1/21
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