Hope your first week of classes went alright and you are looking forward to the coming weeks of the fall semester.  There have been lots of changes here in your home Department of Communication, too many to detail here, so I’ll try to be brief.  First, please join me in congratulating Dr. Carey Adams on his appointment to Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. As you may remember, Dr. Adams has served as the department head of communication (since 2001 actually). He served the department very well and now continues his great work as our dean.

You may also remember that in previous years, Dr. Adams sent out a weekly electronic newsletter called In-Common every Monday. I’m going to continue that tradition, but in my own way. So, welcome to the new and improved In-Common Blog. This is the first in series of weekly updates from me about the goings on in the department. News you can use.  My idea is for the “newsletter” to be more interactive by giving everyone the chance share comments on the various things going on. You can post comments on the blog related to departmental events and such. As with any blog, you can read at will, but you will need to register in order to post comments.  Go here to register.

Second, Dr. Adams’ departure from the department meant that we needed a new department head, and I have stepped into that role. It’s my pleasure to serve you and the department as a whole.  I’d like you to communicate with me via email and comments to this blog to let me know what’s on your mind and how I can serve you better.

Third, there are lots of events this year that will keep the both the faculty, myself, and you busy. Here’s a quick run down:

•    September 17-21, COM Week 2007, Master classes and networking luncheon (see more below).
•    September 25-27, visit from external consultant to review our major programs.
•    November 15-18, National Communication Association convention in Chicago.
•    December-January, visits on campus from prospective faculty members and department head.

These activities will involve all students in some way. Look for details from me in upcoming posts, as well as from your faculty members.

COM WEEK 2007
Please put on your calendars Friday, September 21 for our annual Student-Alumni Networking luncheon from 11-1 in the student union.  For those of you new to this event, you will register for this luncheon and have an opportunity to mingle and network with some our most recent graduates of the program. These alums are very interested in talking with you about their experiences with getting jobs, as well as helping YOU in your search for a job after college. Additionally from Monday-Thursday, each day from 3:30-4:45 we’ll have a master class for which you may also register. These classes are also taught by alum and professionals in the field on a variety of topics to help you prepare for your first job, internships and any special situations you may face while on the job. The COM Week t-shirt will also be available soon. Look for flyers and posters in the coming weeks for more information.

There’s a lot more to share, but this is enough for now. Look for my weekly In-Common blog on Mondays and I hope to hear from you often!  You are always welcome to stop by Craig 375 for questions or comments or just to say hi and introduce yourself.

Have a GREAT semester!