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FOR INFORMATION
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S-90-28
• ?
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
MEMORANDUM
To: ?
Senate ?
From:
Liora Salter
Chair, SCAP
Subject: External Review of Communications:
Date:
March 14, 1990
Response of the Department
The Senate Committee on Academic Planning, at its meeting of February 14, 1990, approved
a motion to accept the response of the Department of Communication to its External Review
(S.89-12).
The response is attached for the information of Senate.
S
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ScfP
ctO3
Simon Fraser University
?
MEMO
To: Senate Committee on
?
From:
Martin Laba,
Academic Planning
? Department Chair,
Communication
Re:
Report on Review Document ?
Date:
9 January 1990
Recommendations,
Department of Communication
This report provides a detailed account of the Department's
response to, and fulfillment of, the recommendations of the
Review Document, Department of Communication (January 1988).
(1) New
Faculty Appointments and Curriculum Rationalization.
The single most important means of achieving the Review
Document recommendations concerned with curriculum
rationalization has been the three recent faculty
appointments to the Department of Communication. These
appointments were specifically defined on the basis of the
recommendations of the Review Document.
Dr. Linda Harasim provides the badly needed expertise in one
of the three areas of specialization in the Department --
technology. Dr. Harasim's research, publications and
teaching experience fits precisely with the recommendations
of the Review Document; specifically, that the Department
focus more attention on "technologically-oriented work"
within the discipline, particularly in the areas of computer
information, technology and communication, "person-machine"
interface, and appropriate methodology.
At the undergraduate curriculum level, the Review Document
noted that the greatest attention must be paid to the
technology area.
?
The Department has responded with the
appointment of Dr. Harasim. Two existing courses --
CMNS 253-3 and CMNS 362
.
-4 -- will be taught by Dr. Harasim
in her first semester (90-1), and she is currently designing
further courses in both the issues of social impacts of
communication technology and computer information research
and methodology.
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Report to SCAP, Jan. 1990, page 2
The appointments of Dr. Stephen Kline and Dr. Robert Hackett
fulfill the recommendation that the extremely high and
increasing student demand in the area of media be adequately
met by the Department. The needs were identified as media
content analysis, advertising and communication, and
methodology (in the context of the Department's Media
Analysis Laboratory). Dr. Kline provides an internationally
renowned expertise in media content analysis, advertising
(with a current research and publications emphasis on
children's television programming), and media analysis
methodologies tied to the technological capabilities of the
Media Analysis Laboratory. Dr. Kline will become the
Director of the Media Analysis Laboratory beginning in
January 1990.
Dr. Hackett's appointment represents the Department's
response to, and fulfillment of the recommendation that the
entire media area of specialization in the Department be
enhanced and expanded to meet the growing needs and demands
in both teaching and research. Dr. Hackett offers a
critical expertise in this regard -- content and
quantitative analytical methods in media research. His
research focus in news and news analysis serves as an
effective context within which the recommendation with
regard to media analysis can be met. As well, Dr. Hackett
will contribute significantly to the work in the Media
Analysis Laboratory, specifically in the area of news
analysis, ?
and political campaigns,
?
mass media and
communication.
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(2) The Undergraduate Program.
Since its placement in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, the
Department has created a tightly integrated curriculum with
three areas of concentration -- media, policy and
technology. As the Review Document notes, the Department
has effectively refocussed its work on applied and
technologically-oriented issues, while both maintaining and
enhancing its core interdisciplinary program. At present,
33% of the Senate-approved courses in the curriculum are
new, or have been substantially revised to reflect the
current orientation of the Department.
Within this integrated curriculum, the new area of
concentration -- "technology" -- received considerable
attention in program planning. The Review Document noted
this fact, and suggested that there is room and need in the
program for even further development of this area of
concentration.
3•
Report to SCAP, Jan.. 1990, page 3
.
?
The Department responded before and after the Review
Document by: (a) the development of three new courses
dealing expressly with science and technology; (b) a
substantial revision of four courses to ensure their "fit"
with the technology concentration; (c) the definition of the
area of technology as a hiring priority for a new CFL
position (Harasim), and for any subsequent CFL positions;
and (d) the adoption of the area of technology as a guiding
principle in the structuring of new Departmental program
• initiatives including the Centre for International
Communication at Harbour Centre and the Canadian Centre for
Studies in Publishing.
In all of these strategies, the Department has met the
recommendations of the Review Document to focus the
"greatest attention" in the undergraduate program on
technology, and particularly "person-machine interface".
(3) The Graduate Program.
The Review Document notes that there is "a strong argument
for not revising the graduate program significantly because
of its success in the current format." However, a number of
areas of the program were cited for further attention:
. (a) The need for a graduate course in international
communication, to be offered by Jan Walls in
conjunction with CMNS 346-4. This need has been met,
and in addition, Bob Anderson offers a graduate course
on ?
international ?
development
?
and ?
communication?
(CMNS 845-5)
(b)
The, need for a graduate course in media content
analysis focussing on methods of discourse and program
content research and using the Media Analysis
Laboratory. Steve Kline, who is arriving for the 90-1
semester, and Robert Hackett are currently working on
such an offering. It will make full use of the Media
Analysis Laboratory.
(c)
The need for a graduate course on the human context of
science and technology, and on theoretical issues
related to the information society. Linda Harasim is
currently working on such a course to be proposed next
semester.
(d)
A graduate course (offered in conjunction with the
undergraduate offering CMNS 334-4) in Canadian cultural
policy. Alison Beale will offer a graduate section to
this course in the 90-3 semester.
.
4
.
Report to SCAP, Jan. 1990, page 4
(e) The need to increase the number of M.A. students in the
program considering the extraordinary enrolment
pressures in the Department. The Review Document
suggested that this increase should be done carefully,
without sacrificing the high standards and excellence
of the graduate program. The Department has responded
by increasing the number of M.A. students for 89-3, and
indeed, the overall complement of graduate students in
the Department.
?
This increase has been accomplished
?
through a strategic management of Department resources.
(4) Conclusion.
The Department has considered the Review Document as a
comprehensive and detailed set of guidelines for the growth
and development of Communication at Simon Fraser University.
The Review Document detailed and emphasized the outstanding
accomplishments of the Department, and concluded that its
placement in the Faculty of Applied Sciences has been highly
beneficial to faculty research and funding, to the success
of the Department's teaching program, to the Faculty of
Applied Sciences, and to the university as a whole. The
recommendations of the Review Document offered concrete and
positive suggestions for enhancing the Communications
program, and, as outlined above, these recommendations have
been followed closely and thoroughly.
ML:lcm
L24 .SCAP .doc
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