Presents a series of "self-evident truths" based on the personal experiences of department chairs. Groups the 22 truths into 4 areas: departments are cultural and social entities; departments are connected to other units as well as to various constituencies; there are personal skills, feelings, and values involved; and there are philosophical…

Examines teaching effectiveness as it affects faculty and administrators in departments of speech communication. Summarizes a survey of current evaluation practices in these departments. Discusses what these practices mean for both faculty who are seeking promotion and tenure and administrators who participate in these decisions. (MS)

Analyzes why it is important to establish professional advisory councils for communication programs. Discusses their implementation and maintenance. (SR)

Defines the legitimacy of speech/language pathology and audiology as an academic field of study within a college of liberal arts and sciences. (PD)

Outlines ways to ensure the place of speech communication in the general education curriculum. (PD)

Survey of departments offering majors in radio and television provides information on curricula, budgets, and equipment relative to department structure, funding type, campus size, and region. (PD)

Surveys departmental members of the Speech Communication Association. Discusses (1) the nature, prevalence, and satisfaction with strategic planning in their academic units; and (2) the issues and goals facing the departments. (SR)

Discusses benefits and problems of locating a communication department in a professional college, thus identifying it is an applied professional program rather than a liberal arts course of study. (SR)

Focuses on the issue of deciding whether or not to place theatre specialists on tenure track, non-tenure track, guest artist, or staff lines. Lists factors which require analysis, such as type of institution, departmental mission, departmental size, and requirements for promotion and tenure. (MS)

Discusses the role of the administrator in communication programs. Considers educational goals and values of students; variations in enrollments; historically under-represented student populations; and faculty turnover and replacement. (MS)

Relates the experience of a speech communication faculty who chose, in a campus reorganization, to locate themselves in a professional college. Discusses benefits and difficulties. (SR)

Discusses the merger of Central Missouri State University's speech and mass communication departments. Describes the university administration's reasons for the merger and the departments' reactions. Examines the departments' involvement in planning for the change. Reports that the new department remains committed to academic and professional…

Analyzes the relationship of Saddleback Community College's structure to functions and outcomes in the context of current changes in structure at the state level. (KEH)

Discusses departmental program reviews and evaluations in terms of the growing body of information on quality assessment application. Suggests five essential operational and substantive characteristics for inclusion in a departmental handbook. (KEH)

Analyzes the structure of a communications department at a rural comprehensive community college by focusing on the grouping of components as well as their place in the status framework. Discusses the behavior of the system as a consequence of the structure as well as its evolution. (KEH)