Communication Commons^™

Corporate Management Strategies: Applications For Communication Administrators From Managing By Harold Geneen, James E. Roever

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article adapts Harold Geneen’s corporate management principles from Managing (1984) for use in higher education and communication administration. Drawing parallels between industrial management and academic governance, it examines Geneen’s key concepts—goal-oriented planning, open communication, leadership accountability, and data-driven decision-making—and applies them to the context of colleges and universities. The discussion critiques higher education’s reliance on long-range planning at the expense of short-term results, advocating for more immediate and measurable goals. It also highlights the importance of clarifying organizational roles, promoting trust among faculty and administrators, and fostering open communication to reduce campus politicization. The article suggests that academic institutions, …

Perspectives On Hiring New Faculty, N. Edd Miller

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the faculty hiring process in higher education as a critical determinant of institutional vitality and disciplinary growth. Framing hiring as the most consequential administrative act within a university, the discussion evaluates the process from three perspectives: institutional, departmental, and candidate. Institutionally, hiring is shaped by affirmative action mandates, budget constraints, and enrollment pressures that encourage recruitment at lower ranks and limit diversity progress. From the departmental viewpoint, the essay outlines a systematic needs assessment approach encompassing curricular balance, faculty complement, and research-teaching alignment. It offers evaluative criteria addressing candidate qualifications, potential for growth, and professional fit. The …

The Master Of Fine Arts: Making Good Better, August W. Staub, B. Don Massey

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article traces the historical development, institutional acceptance, and current challenges of the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree, particularly in theatre. Originating as a terminal degree in the visual arts, the MFA evolved as a professional credential for artist-teachers and was later adopted in drama, music, and dance. The discussion reviews the MFA’s growing legitimacy as an alternative to the studio doctorate, its international appeal, and its role in integrating artistic practice with academic standards. Persistent issues identified include program proliferation, curricular dilution, and inconsistent admission practices driven by enrollment pressures. The authors note disciplinary peculiarities of theatre, where …

Uncertainties In Mfa Programs, Donald A. Drapeau

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the instability of Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs in theatre in relation to broader uncertainties within the professional theatre industry. The analysis distinguishes between two primary employment markets served by MFA programs—academic and professional—and evaluates the challenges associated with each. Limited salaries, program consolidation, and restricted hiring opportunities constrain the academic market, while the commercial and regional theatre sectors remain volatile and competitive. The discussion argues that these conditions necessitate honest reassessment of MFA missions and objectives. Recommendations include strengthening ties between programs and employment markets, revising curricula to reflect evolving industry needs, maintaining selectivity through …

The Theatre Professional As Temporary Faculty Resource, Milly S. Milly

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article explores the use of part-time and temporary professional artists as essential instructional and creative resources in university theatre programs. Framing the issue within the constraints of aging faculty, reduced hiring opportunities, and limited institutional resources, the discussion argues for rethinking traditional employment structures to accommodate the cyclical and collaborative nature of theatre production. The author proposes an “organic” model in which temporary artist-teachers contribute to the life cycle of performance—design, rehearsal, and production—while maintaining professional practice. This integration is presented not as exploitation but as mutually beneficial exchange, offering flexibility and renewal for academic programs and employment for …

The Use And Abuse Of Part-Time And Temporary Faculty, Fred Behringer

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article analyzes the structural, financial, and ethical dimensions of employing part-time and temporary faculty in university theatre programs. Based on institutional experience, it identifies both the practical necessity and systemic inequities inherent in contingent staffing models. The discussion outlines the benefits of such arrangements—access to specialized expertise, curricular flexibility, and expanded production capacity—alongside their drawbacks, including low compensation, lack of benefits, administrative instability, and risks of exploitation. The author argues that part-time staffing, while often indispensable, must be managed through flexible budgeting, administrative support, and professional respect for adjunct personnel. Examples from departmental practice demonstrate how increased autonomy in …

Excellence In Education: The States Take Charge / Education For A Democratic Future. Equity And Excellence: Toward An Agenda For School Reform, Robert W. Glenn

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Two books are reviewed: "Excellence in Education: The States Take Charge," by Denis P. Doyle and Terry W. Hartle; "Education for a Democratic Future: Equity and Excellence: Toward an Agenda for School Reform."

American Aid And Its Effect On Egyptian Agriculture (1975-1985), Menha Mahrous Bakhoum

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

0463: William D. Birke Papers, 1925-1973, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

Huntington, West Virginia newspaper publisher. Collection includes scrapbooks, photographs, certificates and an autograph letter signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower.

To view materials from this collection that are digitized and available online, search the William D. Birke Papers, 1925-1973 here.

Self Confrontation Versus The Cosby Show's Effect On Young And Old Adolescent's Value Systems, Cathy A. Sauer

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Communication Theory And The Construction Of Meaning : A Constructive Developmental Approach, Merri Lee Fraser

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the field of communication has been experiencing a movement toward newer non-tradtional approaches to the study of communication and information. Among these newer approaches is a growing body of research that focuses on interpretive behavior in the communication process.

Brenda Dervin's Sense-Making model of communication/information has been the most widely used interpretive theory of information to date. Sense-Making focuses primarily upon the role of the receiver in the communication process and how individuals construct meaning in specific situations. As a result, Sense-Making has not attended adequately to larger shared frameworks of meaning and the effects that they …

Computer Software Applications In Key Areas Of Broadcasting, James Pokrywczynski

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

The computer age has not left the broadcast industry untouched. Computer software has been developed to influence many aspects of the broadcast industry, including programming, news, sports and sales. Five computer applications have been reviewed for the National Association of Broadcasters by researchers at the University of Georgia.

0462: David S. Mcguire Typescript, 1961, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

`News Coverage in the Carter County [Kentucky] School Controversy,' possibly a research paper written for a class at Marshall College.

Access Magazine, Fall/Winter 1987, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Access Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1