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A newsletter of the College of Media at Illinois | April 2011 | View in browser
Note from Dean Jan Slater
Happy Spring! Indeed, we have survived a long winter here in Central Illinois. But the sun is out, the flowers are in bloom, and we are in the last full month of the 2010-2011 academic year.
It was just a year ago that the College of Media was under review by the campus' Stewarding Excellence Committee. We've come a long way since then. We've been restructuring the College offices and consolidating services. This activity is happening across campus to provide cost savings and gain efficiencies. The College of Media took advantage of this opportunity when several of our staff chose to retire last year. We've been able to streamline the work of the departments with the work in the Dean's office. This has created more synergies within the departments and has created a more balanced workflow for the staff. It really has helped us do more with less.
We have implemented a new strategic approach to managing our finances, and this enables us to forecast enrollments and tuition under a new campus model, as well as plan and manage for outside revenue opportunities. This is an important step for the College, as we seek to wean our dependence on resources from the state and rely on our tuition income, which was the goal when we switched to a four-year College in 2007. We anticipate being able to achieve success with the new tuition model by end of fiscal year 2013.
Additionally, all three departments in the College are in the process of curriculum reviews and revisions. With the media environment in constant flux, we need to ensure our curriculum remains flexible enough to adapt to whatever happens to be "new media" and that our faculty keep current with the changes. Just as our disciplines are being redefined regularly, we are redefining advertising, journalism, and media and cinema studies education.
Just as with start of Spring, the College of Media is in a time of renewal, rebirth, and regrowth. We have survived the winter storms, the winds have calmed, and the clouds have cleared. Our outlook is as bright as the sun, and our plans for reaching our goals are being planted. The future is ours to grow, and we know our students will reap the benefits of our hard work. We'll be in touch regularly so you can see our progress. Thanks for your ongoing support and interest in where we are headed. We couldn't do this without you.
All the best,
Jan
slaterj@illinois.edu | 217-333-2350
Headlines | Click for all College News
Students
 Students earn awards in Society of Professional Journalists regional Mark of Excellence competition
Students in the Department of Journalism and the Illinois campus brought home four first-place prizes and two second-place prizes this year.
 Students and professors recognized at annual Honors Reception
On April 2, 2011, the University of Illinois Alice Campbell Alumni Center on the Urbana campus filled with proud students, parents, and teachers.
 Journalism student wins third prize for personality/profile writing in Hearst Journalism Awards
Allison Copenbarger '11 JOURN won third prize for personality/profile writing in the 51st annual William Randolph Hearst Foundation's Journalism Awards Program.
 Mediapalooza recruitment event wows admitted students
The College of Media hosted its second annual Mediapalooza event Saturday, March 12, welcoming the admitted students to explore life in the College.
Faculty
 Documentary by journalism professor Jay Rosenstein wins 2010 Peabody Award
The Lord Is Not On Trial Here Today, a documentary by associate professor of journalism and filmmaker Rosenstein, was one of the winners of the 70th Annual Peabody Awards.
 Valdivia honored by International Communications Association for feminist scholarship
The ICA's Feminist Scholarship Division awarded the 2011 Teresa Award for the Advancement of Feminist Scholarship to MACS professor Angharad Valdivia.
 Media scholars presented at American Academy of Advertising conference in March
Advertising professors Chang Dae Ham and Michelle Nelson, Interim Dean Jan Slater, and communications PhD candidate Sang Do Oh presented research in March.
Alumni
 Alumnus Bill Geist to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent and "Sunday Morning" contributor Bill Geist '68 ADV received a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame.
 Journalism alumnus Justin Breen named top 25 under 35 by Editor & Publisher magazine
Justin Breen '99 JOURN has received an award from Editor & Publisher for being one of the nation's brightest journalism leaders under the age of 35.
Partners
 Joint affiliation strengthens agricultural communications program
The agricultural communications program is now jointly affiliated with the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and the College of Media.
 Ebert film fest to feature poetry, romance, murder, award-winning guests
A restored silent classic, "Metropolis," will open the 13th annual Roger Ebert's Film Festival or "Ebertfest," coming April 27 to May 1 to Champaign-Urbana.
Upcoming Events | Click for College Calendar
April 21, 2011 - 8:30 a.m.
Technologies of Asian Migration
April 27, 2011 - 3:00 p.m.
Leonard Pitts: "Junk Food: Digesting the Junk That Gets in our Heads"
April 26, 2011 - 7:30 p.m.
Ebertfest Presents: Free Movie Screening for U of I Students
April 27-30, 2011 - All Day
Roger Ebert's Film Festival
May 2, 2011 - 8:30 a.m.
Media and Cinema Studies Student Film and Video Festival
May 14, 2011 - 1:30 p.m.
College of Media Convocation Ceremonies
May 18-20, 2011 - All Day
Annual Congress on Qualitative Inquiry
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