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July 29, 2005
Dennison Honor Adds Luster to MU Journalism Program
By Adam Brown
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington, WV (HNN) - As one of only 104 accredited journalism programs in
the U.S., W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications is known
for producing leaders in the mass media field. Similarly, Corley Dennison,
dean of the SOJMC is one of 13 deans selected to participate in the
inaugural JMC Leadership Institute.
Sponsored by the Association of Schools of Journalism
and Mass Communication, the selective program is
designed for new deans and includes participants from
Arizona State University, University of Nevada-Las
Vegas, and the University of Kansas.
"I hope to be able to see how other schools are
handling similar situations that we are not alone in
facing," Dennison said. "MU has a wonderful tradition.
We're in there with the top schools and I think we'll
compare favorably."
The institute, which runs until 2007, will consist of
four face-to-face meetings a year.
"We have meetings plus material to read and we'll have
discussion meetings on the phone," Dennison said. "I
expect it will be like taking a class."
In addition to communicating regularly with other
participants, each dean will have an executive coach
to help with intricacies of the fellowship, Dennison added.
"The executive coach will be someone with experience
in higher education who has fought the bureaucratic
battles," Dennison said.
Dennison said two of his concerns are changing
technology and the curriculum.
"Our main concern is to keep current with the
equipment," Dennison said. "We've made good progress
and we need to keep rising to the trend especially
with TV mandated to go digital in 2009. We also need
to ask our faculty to look at the curriculum to be
sure it remains relevant."
Charlie Nickell, a senior advertising major from Ronceverte, WV, said he is
proud of Dennison and the
school of journalism. "Dr. Dennison has done a superb job and we should all
feel proud that he and the school of journalism has
received such recognition."
