Self Study - Part II, Standard 8

Professional and Public Service

Executive summary:

Individual faculty members are active in serving the profession and the public. Faculty members serve, or have recently served, as editors for journals, organizers of conferences, and reviewers for conferences and journals. Faculty members also serve on boards and committees in the community.

The professional and public service activities of the department, as a whole, have been limited during the last six years. Several programs previously conducted by the department ended after the last self-study, as interest in the programs by department leadership faded. Following a recent change in leadership, the department is now looking into starting new professional service activities.

The recent change in leadership also renewed the department’s connection with the alumni and the professional community in Chattanooga. The department recently began a semi-annual alumni email newsletter and launched a LinkedIn group. During the recent curriculum review the department also surveyed alumni and professionals to gain insight into the current needs of employers in our area. In Fall 2019, the department created an advisory board made up of professionals and alumni in the area. Throughout the last six years the department has continuously gathered feedback from professionals through our internship program. 

  1. Summarize the professional and public service activities undertaken by the unit. Include operation of campus media if under control of the unit; short courses, continuing education, institutes, high school and college press meetings; judging of contests; sponsorship of speakers addressing communication issues of public consequence and concern; and similar activities.

The department has sponsored several speakers and events addressing communication issues of public consequence and concern, including:

Jeff Johnson, “Unclaimed Legacy: Who will lead the next social movement,” Keynote presentation at the MLK Commemoration Breakfast, co-sponsored with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, January 2015.

Sheyann Webb, “Selma, Lord, Selma: Childhood Memories of the Civil Rights Days, 2016.

Dr. Randal Pinkett, Keynote presentation at the MLK Commemoration, co-sponsored with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, January 2017.

Roland Martin, political analyst for CNN, Keynote presentation at the MLK Commemoration, co-sponsored with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, January 2018.

Symone Sander, communications consultant and CNN Political Commentator, Keynote presentation at the MLK Commemoration, co-sponsored with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, January 2019.

The department’s other professional and public service activities have been limited during the last six years. Several programs previously conducted by the department ended after the last self-study, as interest in the programs by department leadership faded. Following a recent change in leadership, the department is now looking into starting new professional service activities.

  1. In a digital file, list examples of professional and public service activities undertaken by members of the faculty in the past six years (before the self-study year). Limit to five examples per faculty member. The unit has the option of providing a complete list in a separate digital file. Do not include service to the unit or institution; this information should be presented in Standard 1.

  • Jessica Freeman

Reviewer, Conference Paper, National Communication Association Convention. (2018 - Present).

  • Chandler Harris

Assessment Scorer, AAC&U. (July 15, 2019 - August 15, 2019).

Reviewer, Textbook, Media & Everyday Life (Palgrave). (April 2019).

Reviewer, Conference Paper, Mass Communication Division of the Southern States Communication Association. (2016 - 2017).

Reviewer, Textbook, Media & Culture (Macmillan). (2015).

  • Michael McCluskey

Editor, Book, Mass Communication & Society. (January 2017 - Present).

Journal Editorial Board membership, Newspaper Research Journal. (July 2012 - Present).

Editorial Review Board Member, Mass Communication & Society. (September 2009 - Present).

Article reviewer for Public Opinion Quarterly, and Newspaper Research Journal.

Paper reviewer for Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, International Communication Association.

  • Felicia McGhee

Moderator for “Learn from the Pros: Journalists & PR Professional Share their Secrets,” hosted by the Chattery, in Chattanooga, TN, May 16, 2019.

Paper reviewer for the Minorities and Communication division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (2016-2018).

  • David Sachsman

Editor, Associate Editor, Applied Environmental Education and Communication: An International Journal. (September 2006 - Present). 

Chairperson, Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression, Chattanooga, Tennessee. (September 1993 - Present).

Editorial Review Board Member, Mass Communication & Society. (September 1976 - Present).

External evaluator for promotion and tenure, Communication departments in the U.S. and overseas, including Hebrew University, Jerusalem and Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Consultant, New York Institute of Technology for the creation of a Division of Communication and Fine Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences. (2015).

  • Charlene Simmons

Board Member and Secretary, Chattanooga Area Transit Authority (CARTA), Chattanooga, TN. (October 2017 - Present).

Committee Member, TPO Multimodal Advisory Committee, Chattanooga, TN. (February 2019 - Present).

Immediate-Past Head & Named Awards Chair, Media Management, Economies & Entrepreneurship Division, AEJMC. (2015-16).

Division Head, Media Management & Economics Division, AEJMC (2014-15).

Vice Head & Program Planner, Media Management & Economics Division, AEJMC (2013-14).  

  • William Weeks

Guest Speaker, Grandfather Mt Photography Clinic, Banner Oak, NC. (August 2019).

  • Nagwan Zahry

Paper reviewer for the Science, Risk and Health Communication Division of Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (2019).

  1. Describe the unit’s contact with alumni, professionals and professional organizations to keep curriculum and instruction, whether online or on-site, current and to promote the exchange of ideas. Contact may include alumni and professional involvement in advisory boards, curriculum development, guest speaking, placement, internships, and fundraising. Provide advisory board members’ names and contact information.

The department gathers feedback from professionals and alumni through internship supervisor evaluations, our advisory board, and more recently through a survey.

The department regularly receives feedback on our curriculum from both professionals and alumni through internship supervisor evaluations. This feedback includes assessment data that is used to inform our curriculum.

The department recently reinstated an advisory board, after having dismantled it more than a decade ago. The advisory board consisted of alumni and professionals from journalism, strategic communication, business and non-profit organizations. Board members include:

  • Kay Blevins, Anchor, WDEF
  • Shawanna Kendrick, Bullseye Coordinator, Hamilton County District Attorney Office
  • Jed Mescon, Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing, Erlanger Health System
  • Chloe Morrison, Reporter, NOOGAtoday
  • Natalie Martin, Co-Founder, Heed Public Relations
  • Jeremy Callahan, Real Estate Consultant and Team Leader, Keller Williams
  • Bo Wheeler, Production Specialist, WTCI
  • Tom Henderson, News Director, WTVC
  • Kinnawa Kaitibi, Public Relations Coordinator, City of Chattanooga
  • Morgan Smith, Team Leader, Visitor Services, Chattanooga Visitors Bureau
  • Kathleen Greeson,  Photojournalist
  • David Lang, CEO & Director, Atomic Films
  • Candance Litchfield, Director of Public Relations and Advocacy, Chattanooga Visitors Bureau
  • Evan Patton, Volunteer Manager, Goodwill Industries,
  • Kimberly George, Director of Marketing and Communication, Salvation Army
  • Callie Starnes, News Director, WRCB
  • Vikki Ledbetter, Corporate Communications Manager, Unum
  • Kailee Hopkins, On-Air Personality, Hits96
  • Josiah Golson, Freelance Artist
  • JR Fitch, Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo
  • Todd Womack, CEO & President, Bridge Public Affairs

In December 2018, as part of a year long curriculum review, the department surveyed professionals and alumni. The survey results influenced the department’s curriculum proposal for a B.S. in Communication.

  1. Describe the unit’s methods for communicating with alumni, such as newsletters or other publications. Provide the web link for communication during the previous academic year or provide print copies in the workroom.

The department communicates with alumni through social media and through email.

The department’s social media accounts are available at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CommunicationUTC/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UTCComm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UTCcomm/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12217089/ (request to join the group)

The department also sends periodic email updates to alumni. Emails are written by the department and distributed by Alumni Affairs.

  1. Describe the unit’s support of scholastic (high school) journalism, including workshops, visiting lectures, critiques of student work, etc.

The department supports scholastics journalism is several ways.

Beginning in 2017, adjunct faculty member Nicole Brown, who serves as advisor for The Perch, UTC’s student-run radio station, arranged for local high school students from the Chattanooga Girls Leadership (CGLA) to host a public health radio show on a monthly basis. Each month, students from CGLA research topics and interview guest speakers on-air.

Nicole Brown also developed a radio broadcasting program for the Kappa Leadership League (KLL). KLL consists of local high school males who participate in various educational activities in the community. Brown, along with communication students, trained the KLL participants on how to produce live broadcasts, using the audio console, fundamentals of show prep, how to utilize the jock clock and station imaging. KLL trained in the studio of UTC’s student run web-based radio station (The Perch). Communication students gained experience in training, co-facilitators of the workshops and served as mentors to the KLL participants.

The department is collaborating with television production teachers at several area Hamilton County High Schools.  Each school will hold a video contest, and the top winners will be showcased at the department’s annual Photo Night. 

The department is also collaborating with Dalton Middle School in Dalton, Georgia.  The department head and a journalism teacher at the school created a project for her eighth-grade students.  The department’s photojournalism instructor will serve as a guest speaker and demonstrate the techniques of a photojournalist.

2019 Self-Study Table of Contents

Communication

Communication