Putting heads together

If you’ve been inside the TV Radio building or Ernie Pyle Hall in the last several months, you most certainly have heard about the merger between the Telecommunications, Communications and Cultures and Journalism departments at IU.

The problem is that somewhere along the way, someone told the student body that University decisions were meant to be made democratically.

I have some sad news — it isn’t true.

A significant number of students have grown frustrated that the University asked for feedback on the proposed merger, yet didn’t stop the process when the students voiced their opposition.

I have no idea where these people came up with the idea that the world is fair, but welcome to reality.

As an academic institution, IU is running a business. They have an obligation to market a product competitive on the academic market and keep graduates competitive in their careers.

If students don’t like the product the University is putting together, they are more than welcome to find another institution that better fits their needs.

You didn’t see Apple asking users whether they wanted certain features on the new iPhone. They created the product, with limited requests for beta testing, and then gave the public the end result. If someone didn’t like that end result, they could go to any other phone provider. Anyone who expects the academic world to work any differently is in for a shock.

According to the Media School’s plans, the new college will not be fully operational until the fall of 2015, at the earliest.

This means that fewer than half of currently enrolled students will still be here by that time. This allows students looking for a more traditional journalism experience or telecom education to find other opportunities.

This decision is one clearly researched thoroughly before taking it to the student body. The merger was more or less official long before it ever hit the public for debate.

IU is clearly aware of growing trends toward electronic media. They are clearly aware that newspapers as a print media have been declining and that many of the most illustrious newspapers, including the relatively local and famous Chicago Tribune, are filing for bankruptcy.

IU is clearly aware that, to provide students with the most useful education possible, changes need to be made to remain current and competitive.

The University thinks it will best accomplish this through the merger.

As a senior in telecom, I am not the target audience. My input is for the improvement of the program as a whole, not my own education.

The plan is happening whether I like it or not, and my job as a student is to give constructive feedback for how to make it better.

The debate will undoubtedly continue, as it should. It is important for all students to consider how media are changing and growing.

The expectation that the University is beholden to the student body, though, is simply not based in fact.

­— azoot@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Austin Zoot on Twitter @austinzoot12.