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Articles 991 - 1020 of 1139

Full-Text Articles in Educational Administration and Supervision

To What Extent Should Instructors Be Held Accountable For Students' Value-Added Skills?, Jack Douglas Apr 1987

To What Extent Should Instructors Be Held Accountable For Students' Value-Added Skills?, Jack Douglas

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the applicability of the value-added model of learning to speech communication education and the degree to which instructors should be held accountable for students’ growth. Douglas critiques the model’s economic and industrial origins, which frame students as products and teachers as assembly-line workers. While the model provides clarity through measurable objectives and feedback mechanisms, it risks narrowing learning to easily quantifiable skills at the expense of creativity, individuality, and higher-order symbolic development. The paper argues that the model can be useful for assessing basic, observable skills, but is inadequate for capturing the organic, non-linear nature of human …

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The Essential Undergraduate Curriculum In Speech Communication: A Progress Report, Roger Smitter, Bonnie W. Buzza Apr 1987

The Essential Undergraduate Curriculum In Speech Communication: A Progress Report, Roger Smitter, Bonnie W. Buzza

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This report documents the outcomes of two national conferences (1985 and 1986) convened to develop an essential undergraduate curriculum in speech communication. Against the backdrop of widespread critiques of liberal arts education and rapid enrollment growth in communication programs, the conferences brought together faculty from small colleges to identify core knowledge, courses, and curricular structures for the discipline. Participants affirmed the place of speech communication within the liberal arts and articulated goals of producing effective and ethically responsible communicators. The 1985 conference identified five core courses—public speaking, interpersonal communication, small group communication, understanding media, and communication and rhetorical theory—alongside additional …

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A Comparison Between The Usa And Australia In The Administration Of Communication Studies In Higher Education, Michael Kaye, Bobby H. Patton Apr 1987

A Comparison Between The Usa And Australia In The Administration Of Communication Studies In Higher Education, Michael Kaye, Bobby H. Patton

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article compares the administration of communication studies programs in the United States and Australia, using a faculty exchange between the University of Kansas and Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education as a case study. The analysis identifies three major areas of difference: historical development, philosophical orientation, and administrative policies. In the United States, communication programs largely evolved from speech departments with strong rhetorical and skills-based traditions, while in Australia the field developed more recently with interdisciplinary and critical orientations. Philosophical divergences are evident in curricular emphases, with American programs often stressing public speaking and skills training, and Australian programs incorporating …

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Development Of Quality Factors For College And University Theatre Programs, Kelvie C. Comer Apr 1987

Development Of Quality Factors For College And University Theatre Programs, Kelvie C. Comer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the meaning and application of “quality” in theatre programs within higher education. It emphasizes that quality must be defined not only in abstract terms but also through practical factors that affect program success and survival. Key considerations include curriculum design, student admission standards, faculty recruitment and retention, and the establishment of appropriate evaluative criteria. The discussion highlights the influence of external judgments, such as accreditation and professional expectations, as well as the role of internal leadership in shaping program direction. The article argues that quality is not an accidental byproduct but the result of conscious decisions that …

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A Response To Assessment, Pamela J. Cooper Apr 1987

A Response To Assessment, Pamela J. Cooper

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This response piece engages with ongoing discussions of assessment and value-added testing in speech communication education. While affirming the necessity of assessment to ensure disciplinary credibility, it raises critical questions about how competence is defined, whether economic models such as value-added learning are appropriate for communication, and whether assessment should emphasize process as well as product. Concerns are also raised about the feasibility of implementing costly instruments like the ACT Speaking Skills Assessment and the CCAI without institutional support. The argument emphasizes that communication is a creative, individual, and process-oriented activity that risks being constrained by overly linear models of …

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Promotion, Tenure, And Merit Decisions At Colorado State University, G. Jack Gravlee Apr 1987

Promotion, Tenure, And Merit Decisions At Colorado State University, G. Jack Gravlee

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article provides a detailed account of promotion, tenure, and merit procedures at Colorado State University. Advancement is shown to depend primarily on published research, which carries greater weight than teaching or service in faculty evaluations. The analysis specifies the hierarchy of publication types, the documentation required, and the multi-level review process leading to tenure and promotion decisions. Differences in faculty adaptation to these standards are noted, particularly between newer faculty oriented toward research productivity and mid-career faculty trained under earlier, less stringent expectations. The paper concludes with projections concerning faculty turnover and policy changes, emphasizing the institution’s continuing prioritization …

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Making It In Academe: Advice To Young Faculty, Bob Yowell Apr 1987

Making It In Academe: Advice To Young Faculty, Bob Yowell

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article offers guidance for new faculty members seeking to establish successful academic careers, particularly in theatre and related fields. The discussion emphasizes the importance of appropriate academic credentials, realistic expectations regarding salary, and strategies for navigating institutional culture. It warns against association with negative colleagues, underscores the need for sustained motivation in teaching and production, and highlights the value of balancing creative work with research and service. Practical considerations such as understanding tenure procedures, building relationships with senior faculty, and contributing to departmental governance are presented as central to long-term success. The article concludes that persistence, professional engagement, and …

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Advice To Young Faculty, Jack Wann Apr 1987

Advice To Young Faculty, Jack Wann

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article provides guidance for new faculty members pursuing careers in theatre education. It emphasizes the importance of commitment to the profession, noting that success depends less on innate talent than on openness, energy, and flexibility. The discussion advises young faculty to focus on substantive work—teaching, directing, research, and professional engagement—rather than on political or social distractions within academic life. It further suggests reframing challenges as opportunities for constructive projects, thereby maintaining productivity and avoiding cynicism. The article concludes that sustained enthusiasm, professional activity, and a commitment to teaching and creative practice are central to long-term academic success.

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Determining How Well Graduates Are Prepared For The Real World, Bob Bohiken Apr 1987

Determining How Well Graduates Are Prepared For The Real World, Bob Bohiken

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study describes an effort to evaluate the preparation of communication graduates at Northwest Missouri State University for professional employment. Surveys were administered to recent graduates and their immediate supervisors to assess employment patterns, adequacy of training, application of coursework to job responsibilities, and continuing professional development. Separate instruments were designed for general speech communication, organizational communication, public relations, and speech/theatre education graduates. Response rates were 35% for graduates and 20% for supervisors. Results did not yield consensus on specific program strengths or weaknesses but provided baseline data and a viable evaluation method. The study concludes that systematic feedback from …

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The Other Side Of New Technology For The Theatre, Richard R. Ranta Apr 1987

The Other Side Of New Technology For The Theatre, Richard R. Ranta

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article explores the benefits and challenges of adopting advanced technologies in university theatre programs. It outlines the extensive use of computerized lighting systems, digital recording equipment, synthesizers, video facilities, and computer terminals to enhance productions and instruction. While such innovations expand creative possibilities and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, they also bring significant concerns about long-term maintenance, staffing, and training. The discussion emphasizes that acquisition costs are often easier to secure than operational support, and that departments must carefully plan for upkeep, security, and backup systems. Ultimately, technology is described as a powerful tool that should enhance, rather than overshadow, artistic …

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How Effectively Can Speech Communication Instructors Be Trained To Develop Value-Added Skills In Their Students?, Robert C. Dick Apr 1987

How Effectively Can Speech Communication Instructors Be Trained To Develop Value-Added Skills In Their Students?, Robert C. Dick

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article addresses whether speech communication instructors can be effectively trained to develop “value-added” skills in their students—measurable improvements in oral communication across the undergraduate experience. The discussion situates value-added testing within broader debates about accountability in higher education, noting legislative pressures and institutional experiments with longitudinal assessment. Dick argues that such testing can provide evidence of teaching effectiveness and reinforce the discipline’s claims about skill development. The paper explores advantages, including greater public confidence and faculty-driven assessment, as well as concerns about punitive misuse, oversimplification, and standardized teaching pressures. Examples of assessment instruments, such as the Communication Competency Assessment …

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Standards For Promotion, Tenure, And Merit Decisions, Ronald R. Young Apr 1987

Standards For Promotion, Tenure, And Merit Decisions, Ronald R. Young

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article addresses the complexities of promotion, tenure, and merit decisions in higher education, emphasizing the variability of criteria across institutions and even within campuses. While teaching, scholarship, and service remain the standard categories, their definitions, relative weight, and assessment methods differ widely, creating uncertainty for faculty and administrators alike. The discussion highlights how personal commitments and oral statements by administrators often conflict with the institutional memory, which rests solely on written records. To ensure fairness and consistency, the argument stresses the importance of documenting expectations, criteria, and evaluations in writing, thereby protecting both faculty and institutions. Ultimately, clear, written …

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And These Few Precepts In Thy Memory...., Charlotte J. Headrick Apr 1987

And These Few Precepts In Thy Memory...., Charlotte J. Headrick

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article offers structured advice to junior faculty entering academic careers in theatre. The discussion emphasizes the need to balance personal integrity with institutional expectations, particularly in relation to tenure and promotion. It highlights the importance of understanding departmental and institutional criteria early, documenting scholarly and creative work, and engaging in professional organizations at state, regional, and national levels. Attention is given to the pressures on theatre faculty to validate their contributions within broader university contexts, often by working harder and producing more than colleagues in other disciplines. Additional guidance includes maintaining professionalism in interpersonal relations, approaching colleagues with cooperation …

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Programs In Organizational Communication And Public Relations, Robert Ross Apr 1987

Programs In Organizational Communication And Public Relations, Robert Ross

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study reports findings from a survey of members of the International Communication Association’s Organizational Division regarding the status of organizational communication and public relations programs in higher education. Data from seventy-nine respondents indicate that relatively few institutions offer full baccalaureate degrees in these areas, with most providing emphases or cognates within broader communication or journalism programs. Content analysis of definitions shows organizational communication conceived as encompassing all communication processes contributing to organizational functioning, while public relations is framed as boundary-spanning communication directed primarily toward external publics. Curricular patterns reveal overlap in courses such as public speaking, interpersonal, and small …

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Do Students Repay High Grades With High Evaluations? An Old Question Revisited, Bena H. Harper Apr 1987

Do Students Repay High Grades With High Evaluations? An Old Question Revisited, Bena H. Harper

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study investigates whether students reward lenient grading with higher course and instructor evaluations. The research examined data from fourteen graduate teaching assistants and 1,335 students enrolled in the basic hybrid speech course at Oklahoma State University across the 1983–1984 academic year. Grades awarded by instructors were compared with mean student evaluations of both the instructor and the course. While significant differences were found between the grade distributions of easier and harder graders, no significant differences emerged in corresponding instructor or course evaluation scores. These findings suggest that although grading practices vary, higher grades do not automatically result in more …

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A Survey Of Hiring Practices In The Communication Arts And Sciences, Robert F. Ross, Philip Emmert Feb 1987

A Survey Of Hiring Practices In The Communication Arts And Sciences, Robert F. Ross, Philip Emmert

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study reports findings from a national survey examining faculty hiring practices in communication departments across the United States. Questionnaires were distributed at the 1985 Speech Communication Association Convention Placement Center to three respondent groups: department chairs, search committee members, and job applicants. Results from 99 returned surveys provide quantitative data on departmental structures, search procedures, evaluative criteria, and interview formats. Most departments reported frequent searches and high proportions of tenure-track openings, indicating an active job market. Analyses of hiring roles showed that department chairs are centrally involved throughout the process, from forming committees to final salary negotiation. Across institutions, …

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Promoting The Department Within The Institution, Thomas M. Scheidel Jan 1987

Promoting The Department Within The Institution, Thomas M. Scheidel

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article outlines effective strategies for departmental leadership and institutional advocacy based on a case study from the University of Washington’s Department of Speech Communication. Emphasizing the chair’s central role in promoting departmental visibility and influence, the discussion identifies two essential requirements: active advocacy and evidence-based representation. The chair must serve as a visible and persuasive representative of the department through continual institutional engagement, cultivating relationships across administrative levels, and contributing to governance through service on committees. Equally important is the use of demonstrable evidence—teaching excellence, curricular strength, scholarly productivity, and faculty service—to substantiate departmental claims of quality. Drawing on …

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Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Iacocca: An Autobiography, Ladonna Mcmurray Geddes Jan 1987

Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Iacocca: An Autobiography, Ladonna Mcmurray Geddes

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article interprets Lee Iacocca’s managerial philosophy for application in academic and communication administration. Framing Iacocca’s principles of motivation, accountability, and leadership within a university context, the discussion explores how participatory management and clear goal articulation can improve departmental performance. The analysis emphasizes Iacocca’s model of “management by wandering around” as a strategy for maintaining visibility and fostering open communication. It also adapts his quarterly review system and “equality of sacrifice” concepts to faculty evaluation and workload distribution. Drawing from administrative experience, the author proposes a Distribution of Effort Agreement to formalize faculty commitments across teaching, research, and service, aligning …

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Aca News Jan 1987

Aca News

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This issue of ACA News provides organizational updates and reports on leadership transitions, conference activities, and new administrative initiatives within the Association for Communication Administration (ACA). J. Robert Wills of the University of Texas at Austin assumed the ACA presidency, succeeding Robert K. Tiemens, while Robert M. Smith of Wichita State University was named President-Elect. Newly elected Executive Committee members included Robert E. Davis, Martha Nell Hardy, and James Symons. The bulletin also lists referees and paper submission data for the 1986 publication year, reflecting high participation and a 32% acceptance rate. Salary data from national sources are summarized for …

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The State Of Mass Communication, Ellen Wartella Jan 1987

The State Of Mass Communication, Ellen Wartella

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article evaluates the state of mass communication as an academic field, examining its organizational, educational, and theoretical conditions in the mid-1980s. The discussion situates mass communication within a context of growing public, institutional, and industrial interest in media and communication technologies. Three major areas are identified. Organizationally, the field is experiencing departmental consolidation and debate over nomenclature as traditional speech and journalism programs merge into unified communication units. Educationally, enrollments are expanding rapidly, yet faculty shortages and an industrial hiring model threaten academic rigor. Theoretically, the discipline faces tensions between professional training and liberal arts orientations, as well as …

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Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Theatre, Douglas N. Cook Jan 1987

Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Theatre, Douglas N. Cook

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article assesses the overall condition of theatre as both a professional and academic field within the broader context of the performing arts. Using a metaphor of medical diagnosis, the analysis identifies theatre as a “fabulous invalid”—ailing but resilient. National data demonstrate the expansion of regional and nonprofit theatre, with significant growth in professional companies, productions, and employment since the 1970s, despite persistent financial instability. The discussion links this professional growth to developments in theatre education, including the proliferation of degree programs, the acceptance of the MFA as a terminal degree, and the emergence of cooperative relationships between professional and …

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Reflections Of A First-Year Department Head, Blaine Goss Jan 1987

Reflections Of A First-Year Department Head, Blaine Goss

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This reflective essay documents the first year of administrative experience as a new department head at New Mexico State University. Organized around three themes—learning the job, learning the system, and being the “new man in town”—the narrative traces the author’s transition from faculty member to administrator. The discussion emphasizes the paradoxical nature of departmental leadership: the chair functions simultaneously as manager, faculty colleague, and intermediary between conflicting demands. Early lessons concern balancing responsiveness to faculty, staff, and central administration, navigating institutional routines and politics, and managing expectations from multiple constituencies. The essay highlights the emotional and cognitive challenges of leadership, …

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A Leader Among Peers: The New Department Head's Role In Faculty Development, Lorayne W. Lester Jan 1987

A Leader Among Peers: The New Department Head's Role In Faculty Development, Lorayne W. Lester

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the department chair’s role in fostering faculty development as a central dimension of effective academic leadership. Arguing that professional growth is too often treated as a peripheral administrative concern, the discussion contends that faculty development must be understood as a continuous and reciprocal process that benefits both the department and the chair. Drawing on research on administrative burnout and personal experience, the analysis distinguishes between chairs who overextend themselves in operational management and those who sustain professional vitality through active teaching and scholarship. Faculty development, the article maintains, requires the cultivation of research productivity, teaching quality, and …

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The Piper, The Animals, And The Hustler, Patti P. Gillespie Jan 1987

The Piper, The Animals, And The Hustler, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the economic and ideological transformations confronting higher education during the Reagan era and their implications for academic independence. It identifies three interrelated developments: the increasing dependence of universities on corporate funding, the widening salary disparities among faculty, and the evolution of the department chair into a fund-raising administrator. The discussion warns that emerging partnerships between universities, government, and private industry threaten to form a “military-industrial-educational complex,” compromising scholarly autonomy and reshaping curricula toward corporate priorities. Faculty marketization, driven by differential utility to corporate sponsors, is shown to exacerbate internal inequities and distort academic values. Finally, the paper …

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Hiring Practices In An Ma Program, Kenneth D. Frandsen Jan 1987

Hiring Practices In An Ma Program, Kenneth D. Frandsen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article provides a detailed account of faculty recruitment and hiring practices in the Department of Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico, focusing on strategies for achieving program stability within a master’s-level institution. The discussion identifies the department’s dual challenge: maintaining rigorous hiring standards while managing the instability created by faculty turnover. Operating as a “committee of the whole,” the faculty conducts affirmative action–compliant searches that emphasize collaboration, transparency, and collective decision making. Candidates are assessed for their fit within the department’s tripartite mission of teaching, research, and service, with balanced competence across all areas preferred. Particular attention …

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Hiring Faculty At Doctoral Institutions, Patti P. Gillespie Jan 1987

Hiring Faculty At Doctoral Institutions, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the distinct challenges of faculty recruitment in doctoral-granting institutions, proposing a structured framework for balancing departmental needs, institutional goals, and candidate qualifications. Gillespie articulates six “laws of hiring” that collectively emphasize balance, probability, faculty quality, publication assessment, student feedback, and long-term recruitment strategy. The first principle defines hiring as a process of equilibrium—balancing competing departmental and institutional interests. The second underscores the probabilistic nature of selection, advocating for evidence-based rather than intuitive decisions. The third and fourth stress the importance of institutional pedigree and demonstrable scholarly productivity, while the fifth highlights consultation with former graduate students as …

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Part-Time And Temporary Faculty In Theatre, Patti P. Gillespie Jan 1987

Part-Time And Temporary Faculty In Theatre, Patti P. Gillespie

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the increasing reliance on part-time and temporary faculty in university theatre programs and identifies the pedagogical, artistic, and administrative implications of their use. It argues that part-time and temporary faculty fulfill three primary functions: they introduce new ideas and creative approaches into established departments; they maintain vital links between academic and professional theatre; and they provide specialized expertise that complements permanent faculty strengths. The discussion distinguishes theatre from other disciplines whose centers of innovation are academic, emphasizing that the creative core of theatre remains in professional practice. Accordingly, guest artists, designers, and actors serve as essential conduits …

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The Rights Of Part-Time And Temporary Theatre Faculty, Joe Filippo Jan 1987

The Rights Of Part-Time And Temporary Theatre Faculty, Joe Filippo

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article critically examines the working conditions and institutional treatment of part-time and temporary theatre faculty in higher education. Drawing on practical examples from departmental experience, the discussion identifies pervasive inequities in pay, benefits, job security, and professional recognition. It argues that adjunct instructors—often highly qualified and essential to departmental operations—are constrained by structural hierarchies that deny them access to institutional resources, decision-making privileges, and equitable workloads. The analysis highlights how such disparities perpetuate a two-tier faculty system, eroding morale and academic cohesion. Specific issues include inadequate office space, exclusion from faculty governance, limited access to secretarial or developmental support, …

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Suggestions For Stimulating Research, J. David Johnson Jan 1987

Suggestions For Stimulating Research, J. David Johnson

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article outlines specific strategies department chairs can use to promote and sustain faculty research within academic communication programs. Recognizing research as a cornerstone of departmental credibility, faculty advancement, and institutional growth, the paper categorizes thirty-two initiatives into three levels of administrative commitment—minimal, moderate, and maximum effort. Minimal strategies include public recognition of research, promotion of internal grants, and mentoring partnerships between experienced and inexperienced faculty. Moderate proposals expand to include research colloquia, merit-based incentives, clerical and travel support, and formal structures such as a departmental research committee. Maximum-effort initiatives involve establishing research centers, securing computing and clerical resources, and …

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Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Speech Communication, Kenneth E. Andersen Jan 1987

Assessing The Health Of The Profession: A Diagnosis Of Speech Communication, Kenneth E. Andersen

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article assesses the condition of the speech communication discipline amid ongoing financial pressures, demographic shifts, and institutional change in higher education. Reviewing the retrenchment concerns of the early 1980s, the discussion finds that while some departments merged or closed, overall disciplinary health remains stable, with new programs emerging in community colleges and other expanding institutions. The analysis identifies continuing challenges—declining faculty salaries, growing reliance on part-time instructors, and intensifying competition for resources—while noting the opportunities presented by rising student interest in applied and professional communication. The paper emphasizes the need for departments to maintain flexibility, strengthen political and administrative …

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