After reading the report Mohan sent out earlier this week, please list your thoughts on the new college below. As before, you can use a pseudonym and fake email address if you prefer to remain anonymous.
After reading the report Mohan sent out earlier this week, please list your thoughts on the new college below. As before, you can use a pseudonym and fake email address if you prefer to remain anonymous.
Is it possible that this move might increase our department’s funding and/or graduate student stipends? Is it possible this move could result in new, additional facilities for our department? Will it be easier to fundraise from major gifts donors within this new structure? I think we all must be cautious about saying we want to be grandfathered in because it is possible that this move may have positive impacts on some of the logistical/financial components of our departments.
I do not understand those individuals saying they are getting a different degree under this new college. At least for domestic universities, they request the name of your university and the name of your program (Communication), neither of which will change. I couldn’t imagine putting the name of my college on application materials. Does this work differently in international settings? This seems to be one of the largest concerns, but it is unfounded from my perspective. Professor Morgan is right…our degrees will still be in Communication, so that would not change.
It seems to me that funding both from the university and from external funding agencies and individuals is becoming more and more difficult for liberal arts. Perhaps that is something that we should all be bothered with, but as departmental citizens, I think we also need to consider the future and the important impact that the financial resources of our college and department has on our experience here at Purdue.
I would be interested in seeing more about the financial aspects of this move. We have heard a lot about grant funding, but surely the financial impetus and effects of this move are more broad.
I know the report is talking about new connections between departments being made, but as an MTS student I have a hard time seeing how the move will benefit my area. If anything it seems like many of the subdivisions of the Comm department (particularly MTS and Rhetoric) will see little benefit from the move and may actually be further marginalized by it. Yes, the Psych department may be joining us, which is certainly beneficial for the MTS students, but overall this seems a move designed to cater to the Health Comm students. I seriously doubt that the fantastic “research opportunities” and grants being touted as a result of this move will widely applicable to non Health Comm majors. Our department should be looking after the interests of ALL its students and areas, not just the top-rated cash cows.
I would be interested in the likelihood, as of now, for our department to join the new college. Is there strong support among those whose voices will matter most in the end? What alternatives for the department are being considered? Is opting out of the new college on the table at all? Or splitting up? Or are we likely in anyways?
A college of health and human science seems only a great structure for some research areas represented in the department. What are the benefits for the others? My concern remains that the others areas will fall short on the long run, and we are paving the way for becoming the Department of Health Communication. Is this a reasonable concern?