Happy Holidays!

My almost 2-year stint as interim dean is coming to an end. Fortunate to be working with these great colleagues. Next step: Sabbatical for Spring 2023.
 

Celebrating our graduating students

Here is the platform party for our College of Communication commencement ceremony yesterday. What a great group of people!

Student trip to Chicago

A group of our journalism and sports media students are visiting media companies in Chicago. Last night, we were able to watch the Fox32 newscast from the studio. Other visits include NBC Sports, Intersport, Stadium and the Museum of  Broadcast Communication. A big thank you to news anchor Corey McPherrin for making this happen!

What makes a good Journalism and Mass Communication Leader?

 

Jennifer Greer, Elanie Steyn, Mia Moody-Ramirez, and Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh

Roundtable Discussion at AEJMC Midwinter Conference: What makes a good Journalism and Mass Communication leader? 

Job advertisements for JMC leaders typically include a long list of attributes and experiences needed to be the successful candidate. Most schools look for someone who understands the discipline and who also has a bold vision for the future. But JMC leaders need many more skills, including the ability to manage a budget, collaborate with colleagues, recruit students and faculty, raise funds, foster an inclusive atmosphere, be an advocate, and solve problems. In this roundtable discussion, we ask: “What makes a good JMC leader?” We hope to have a dialogue among ourselves and with audience members, as we consider perspectives of JMC leaders, faculty members, search committee members and senior campus leadership. Panelists will also discuss questions to ask yourself as you think about becoming a JMC leader. 

Participants:

• Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh, interim dean, College of Communication, Butler University 

• Jennifer Greer, dean, College of Communication and Information, University of Kentucky 

• Mia Moody-Ramirez, department chair, Journalism, Public Relations and New Media, Baylor University 

• Bey-Ling Sha, dean, College of Communications, California State University, Fullerton (virtual presentation)

• Elanie Steyn, associate dean, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Oklahoma

ASJMC conference in Las Vegas

Over the past two days, I attended the annual Winter Workshop of the Association of Schools in Journalism and Mass Communication in Las Vegas. See http://asjmc.org/events/ for the full schedule. Some highlights of the workshop included strategies for increasing enrollment in JMC programs, tips for engaging with young alumni and information on the ACEJMC's accreditation standards. Overall a very inspiring conference with great networking opportunities!

Bulldogs in Chicago

The Butler MBB team beat De Paul last night. Here is a happy group of Bulldogs in Chicago.

Butler Bound

On Friday, we welcome more than 50 admitted students and their parents to Butler as part of the Butler Bound event. What a great team of faculty members!

New Live Production Truck

We are thrilled to introduce the new CCOM Live Production Truck. Also see the WRTV story!

Fundraising Course

I completed a certificate in Principles & Techniques of Fundraising at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy today. Learned a lot and thankful to have had this opportunity!

Named Interim Dean of College of Communication

Dr. Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh has been named the Interim Dean of Butler University’s College of Communication (CCOM), effective April 1. Geertsema-Sligh has served as Director of the Eugene S. Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media since June 2016.

Geertsema-Sligh joined Butler in August 2005 as an Assistant Professor and received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2011. She was promoted to Professor in 2017 and holds the Richard M. Fairbanks Chair of Communication. She served as Director of Global and Historical Studies for four years before her appointment as Director of the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media. Geertsema-Sligh’s teaching and research focus on global media, gender and news, and global women’s issues. 

“I am delighted that Margaretha is stepping into this new role as Interim Dean and I know that she will provide excellent leadership for the college during this time of transition,” says Dr. Brooke Barnett, the current CCOM Dean who was recently named Butler’s Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “She has already made a tremendous impact as Director of the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media and I look forward to seeing the ways she continues to shape and support the CCOM community.”

During her time as Director of the Pulliam School of Journalism and Creative Media, Geertsema-Sligh provided leadership for majors in Creative Media and Entertainment, Journalism, Music Industry Studies, Sports Media, and Web Design and Development. She worked closely with faculty in each of these programs to implement curricular changes over the past years. In addition to her work as Director, Geertsema-Sligh served as chair of CCOM’s Professional Standards Committee, International Committee, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Development Committee. She was also a member of President James Danko’s Faculty Advisory Committee.

Geertsema-Sligh earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from North-West University in South Africa, where she worked for five years in journalism and public relations before coming to the United States to attend graduate school. She received her master’s degree in Communication from Washington State University and her doctorate in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.

“I am excited to serve CCOM as the Interim Dean until a permanent Provost has been appointed,” Geertsema-Sligh says. “I definitely have some big shoes to fill with Dr. Brooke Barnett’s move to the position of Interim Provost. I look forward to working closely with the talented faculty and staff of our college to ensure the best experiences for students in all the CCOM majors and across the University.”
 
Interim Dean of College of Communication