University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media: Expansion and Restructuring
Oxford, Mississippi: The University of Mississippi’s rapidly growing School of Journalism and New Media has made an important structural change. It has reorganized into different departments, following an increase in enrollment and program diversification. The new structure aims at allowing each program to form a distinct identity along with cultivating a specific experience for the students.
Emerging as Departmentalized Model
The reorganization means the incorporation of a new department of media and communication while retaining the existing journalism and integrated marketing communications (IMC) programs. According to Andrea Hickerson, the School’s dean, the decision for structural reorganization comes in response to the robust enrollment figures. In her words, “The enrollment in the School of Journalism and New Media is very strong, and we are even outpacing the growth of the university. Each program can have its own identity and can better cultivate specific experiences for students.”
Introducing New Degree Track
As the new structural system emerges, the university aims at offering students a more well-rounded education and prepare them for the ever-evolving digital world. Consequently, a new bachelor’s degree in media and communication is in the pipeline. The proposed new degree aims at being highly flexible to accommodate a wider range of students, including those transferring credits from other universities. The faculty emphasizes that “the newer degree should be high-flex for students” and would serve as an efficient base for those desiring a career in fields entailing critical thinking and analysis.
Welcome the New Department Heads
Joining the university in July as the new heads of the restructured departments are Rashad Mammadov, Bill Cassidy, and Brian Smith. Rashad Mammadov, previously the director of the School of Communication at the University of Fraser Valley in British Columbia, has now been named the chair of the Department of Media and Communication. Mammadov, who brings over two decades of experience in digital and visual communication, journalism, and media studies, hopes to equip students with adaptability skills that will allow them to meet the unpredictable challenges of future workplaces.
Bill Cassidy, the newly appointed chair of the Department of Journalism, brings with him 18 years of experience at Northern Illinois University. During his tenure there, he also served as the director of graduate students in the Department of Communication. Bill Cassidy emphasizes the connection between journalism and functional democracy, stating that “training and educating a diverse population of journalists…will have a positive impact on the school, the university and society.”
Brian Smith, who previously served as an associate professor of public relations at Brigham Young University, is the new chair of the Department of IMC. Having also served as the associate editor of the International Journal of Strategic Communication, Brian Smith looks forward to expanding the IMC’s national and international reputation, attracting more students to enroll at the University of Mississippi.
