Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Information Sources Used By High School Seniors, Charles Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

College choice is a critical decision facing many high school students. Although some research has examined where students go for help in making college choices, few studies have examined how race or gender differences of the students or differences in their standardized test scores affect their information sources. Entering college freshmen (N=3,708) indicated which ~f nine information sources (college students, friends, high school counselor, college publication, family, alumni, high school teacher, newspaper, tel~vision) they used in selecting a college. Responses were analyzed separately for females and males, blacks and whites, in each of four American College Testing (ACT) score categories. …

Task Force On Faculty Recognition: Report To The Academic Vice President, Wku University Senate

Faculty Senate

Recommended strategies fro recognizing faculty achievement.

Ua3/7/7 Scrapbook File, Wku President's Office - Alexander

WKU Administration Documents

Clippings regarding WKU during April 1987.

Ua35/1 Faculty Handbook, 12th Edition, Wku Provost

WKU Administration Documents

WKU faculty handbook designed to provide members of the faculty with general information about WKU, its history, philosophy, organization, policies and procedures, faculty responsibilities and benefits, and various services and facilities.

Pod Network News: Newsletter Spring 1987, Marilla D. Svinicki

Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education: POD Network News

OUR THANKS TO BETTE LASERE ERICKSON

AND SPEAKING OF THE CHICAGO CORE MEETING

AAHE SESSION AND RECEPTION

1987 CONFERENCE NEWS

HANDBOOK FOR NEW PRACTITIONERS SURVEY

MORE PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES

LETTERS, WE GET LETTERS

CONFERENCES

AND MATERIALS

So The Football Team Was 10-2! How Are The Fine Arts Here?, Paul A. Distler

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article reflects on the evolving relationship between administrators and arts educators in higher education. Once marked by misunderstanding and tension, these groups increasingly recognized the arts as a vital resource for institutional success. Anecdotes illustrate how strong arts programs became assets in recruiting distinguished faculty, attracting top-level students, and appealing to parents seeking well-rounded educational opportunities. The arts also played growing roles in alumni relations and fundraising, demonstrating their ability to enhance institutional prestige and financial support. The discussion emphasizes that administrators came to view the arts much like athletics—an area with broad value for visibility, engagement, and development. …

The Communication Chairperson As An Agent Of Change, Betty Jo Welch

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the role of the communication department chairperson as a change agent within academic institutions. Drawing from situational leadership and the “linking pin” concept, the discussion emphasizes how chairs connect faculty with higher administration, often mediating change initiated from above. The process of planned change is outlined through seven phases, from recognizing the need for assistance to stabilizing and generalizing new practices. The chair’s responsibilities include diagnosing problems, assessing motivations and capacities for change, establishing collaborative relationships, guiding the process, and evaluating outcomes. The article stresses that resistance to change is natural and should be managed constructively, with …

Running An Intern Program: An Administrative View, Susan A. Hellweg

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article explores the perspectives of university administrators toward internship programs in the communication arts and sciences. Despite the prevalence of faculty and student viewpoints in prior literature, administrators’ attitudes had not been systematically studied. Using a survey of deans and higher-level administrators across U.S. institutions, the study examined the presence, structure, and perceived value of internship programs. Results indicated widespread adoption of undergraduate internships, particularly in speech communication, journalism, and drama/theatre, with more limited offerings at the graduate level. Administrators valued internships primarily for providing opportunities to apply theory in practice, improve employability, and build professional networks. They emphasized …

Measuring Speech Communication Skills, Edwin C. Carpenter

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines whether speech communication skills acquired in the college classroom can be effectively measured and how such assessment supports accountability in higher education. Carpenter argues that public demand for demonstrable educational outcomes requires communication programs to adopt rigorous, standardized methods of evaluating student achievement. While faculty may resist external measures, he contends that effective instruments already exist, including the Communication Competency Assessment Instrument (CCAI) and the ACT Speaking Skills Assessment, which focus on observable speaking and listening behaviors. The paper highlights the importance of faculty-defined performance criteria, consistent evaluation practices, and feedback systems for continuous program improvement. Drawing …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Celebrating Aca’S Legacy: Founder Correspondence, 1987, Ernest E. Ettlich, Robley D. Rhine

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

In late 1986, Ernest E. Ettlich, Interim President of Southern Oregon State College, and Robley D. Rhine, Chair at the University of Colorado at Denver, sent letters of appreciation to the Association for Communication Administration. Both expressed gratitude for commemorative plaques marking ACA’s fifteenth anniversary and reflected on their roles in the organization’s founding. Ettlich emphasized his pride in ACA’s continued vitality and its contributions to developing administrative leadership. Rhine recalled the early San Francisco meeting, acknowledged ACA’s growth, and noted ongoing efforts to advocate for the centrality of communication within liberal arts programs. Their correspondence underscored the historical significance …

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 …

Program Quality And Departmental Responsibility, Richard M. Clark

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the vulnerability of theatre departments in higher education and the factors that contribute to program discontinuance or restructuring. It argues that departments often play a role in their own decline by failing to recognize weaknesses, respond to warning signs, or engage constructively with administrative concerns. Key indicators of trouble include declining enrollment, poor faculty retention, weak curricular vitality, budget mismanagement, and insular hiring practices. The discussion emphasizes that resentment toward administrative actions is counterproductive; instead, departments must proactively demonstrate quality through alignment with institutional goals, strong student outcomes, faculty development, and effective governance. Failure to address shortcomings …

The Presentation Of Convention Papers As An Indicator Of The Quantity Of Faculty Productivity, Mark Hickson Iii, Sidney R. Hill Jr., Hal W. Fulmer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study examined whether the number of convention papers presented at professional meetings could serve as an indicator of faculty productivity. Focusing on fifteen years of data from the Southern Speech Communication Association, the analysis documented trends in paper presentations by faculty, departments, and institutions. Findings highlighted the uneven distribution of productivity, with a small number of institutions and individuals accounting for a disproportionate share of activity. The study emphasized the usefulness of convention papers as a measure of scholarly output, while also acknowledging limitations such as varying conference acceptance policies and the distinction between quantity and quality of research. …

Department Chair As Change Agent, John I. Sisco

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the role of the department chair as a catalyst for change within academic institutions. It considers the origins of chairs—whether promoted internally, recruited from other institutions, or brought in with prior administrative experience—and how these backgrounds shape their effectiveness. The discussion distinguishes between changes typically sought by administration, such as reorganizing programs for efficiency or shifting institutional identity toward research, and those sought by faculty, including greater resources and improved recognition of departmental contributions. Emphasis is placed on setting realistic, short-term goals that engage all faculty members, thereby building momentum and visibility for the department. The article …

The Department Chair As An Agent Of Change, Edward L. Mcglone

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay explores the department chair’s role as an agent of change within academic institutions. It examines the nature of organizational change, highlighting that it often occurs when departments themselves are ready rather than when leaders desire it. The discussion reviews the complex and varied expectations of the chair’s position, dispelling myths about charisma, workaholism, and “honeymoon” periods as prerequisites for effectiveness. Instead, effective leadership is described as grounded in intelligence, interpersonal skill, humor, and the ability to cultivate a supportive environment. The essay emphasizes that chairs cannot enact change unilaterally but must recognize readiness, build consensus, and create conditions …

Running An Intern Program: A Faculty View, R. Wayne Pace

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the role of faculty in designing and administering effective internship programs in higher education. Pace argues that internships are not merely supplemental experiences but integral to a career-oriented curriculum that emphasizes application of knowledge across disciplines. Drawing on philosophical approaches to education and insights from Peter Drucker, the article highlights how programs organized around application better prepare students for the interdisciplinary nature of professional work. From a faculty perspective, running a strong internship program requires three critical investments: (1) implementing a career curriculum that culminates in student portfolios; (2) preparing students through resumes, applications, site analyses, and …

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 …

Alternatives For Salary Advancement And Promotion, Lynn K. Wells

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article critiques conventional salary advancement systems in higher education, particularly merit pay debates and degree- or credit-based scales, for their tendency to undermine faculty initiative and professional growth. As an alternative, it outlines portfolio-based models of evaluation that incorporate diverse forms of faculty achievement, including curriculum development, research and writing, grants, artistic performance, and community service. The discussion emphasizes the role of joint faculty–administration committees, clear evaluative procedures, and structured timelines in ensuring fairness and consistency. Drawing on examples from multiple institutions, the article demonstrates how broadened criteria for advancement can more effectively promote professional development and institutional quality …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

Aca News

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

In 1987, the Association for Communication Administration announced six candidates for its Executive Committee, with elections scheduled for the fall and terms beginning January 1988. The slate represented administrators and faculty from a range of institutions, disciplines, and leadership experiences. Candidate statements emphasized challenges in balancing departmental needs with service to broader academic communities, the importance of fostering professional networks, and the role of ACA in supporting reflective leadership and collaboration across communication fields. Proposals included expanding services to new communication disciplines, strengthening ties with related associations, improving data collection on trends in communication education, and promoting integrative approaches to …

Objective Characteristics Of Graduate Programs In Speech Communication, Renee Edwards, Elliott Pood

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This study established baseline data for graduate programs in speech communication across the United States, offering administrators a foundation for comparison and evaluation. Using survey responses from 82 institutions—37 master’s-only and 30 doctoral programs—the research documented program size, faculty characteristics, salaries, research productivity, assistantship support, and available concentrations. Results indicated substantial variation among programs but clear differences between master’s and doctoral institutions: doctoral programs tended to be housed at larger universities, employed more faculty, offered higher salaries, produced more publications, and provided greater financial support to students. The data underscored the importance of such benchmarking for departmental identity, administrative decision-making, …

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 …

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 …

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 …