Panelists proctor merger Q&A

More than 50 people filed into the Ernie Pyle auditorium Tuesday evening to attend the Media School merger question and answer panel organized by the IU Journalism Student Advisory Board.

The Media School, which combines the units of the School of Journalism, Department of Communication and Culture and Department of Telecommunications, will be housed under the College of Arts and Sciences at its new location in Franklin Hall.

Lesa Hatley Major, interim dean of the School of Journalism and associate dean of the Media School, and Larry Singell, executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, answered student questions.

One student questioned whether or not there would be enough space for the three units in Franklin Hall.

“That’s exactly what we’re trying to do,” Major said. “We’re looking at what’s the best way to do this.”

It starts with a wish list, she said.

The space committee is working with student media representatives to try to give
everyone what they think they will need and then go from there, Major said.

Another student wanted to know when the move to Franklin Hall would be
completed.

Singell said it is tentatively scheduled for January 2016, but part of the building is already renovated.

The University completed renovation to Franklin Hall’s old library reading room last spring. It has been renamed President Hall.

The model of the Media School will be based on other universities like Arizona State, University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles.

Major said the goal is to connect the schools, not contain them. The goal is to create collaboration between students and faculty.

“We want faculty to be among students and students to feel welcomed,” Major said.
“We hope what happens in the classroom continues out into the hallways. So we want to have these spaces where students can sit and just meet outside the classrooms.”

Part of the vision of revitalizing the area is to bring students back into the Old Crescent, the University’s historic center, Singell said.

“If there’s any group that’s there 24/7, it’s media students,” he said, earning a laugh from the students.

One student said potential students looking for a good journalism program might shy away from IU because there is no longer an independent school of journalism.

“That’s the question I’m worried about most,” Singell said.

“The good news is we have talented people in the School of Journalism and these other units to talk about it.”

Journalism will be a prominent part of the Media school, he said, with official discussion on marketing strategy beginning Wednesday.

One sophomore asked what changes he should expect to see before graduation.

It wouldn’t change that student’s degree, Major said, and changes to curriculum will take more than a year to see.

“What I believe will happen, and what I hope you will notice, is there will be a willingness to cross boundaries before that and an understanding among the faculty about how we can work together so that there are classes you can take,” Singell said.

“Often we’re planting trees we’ll never see.”