College of Letters and Science Faculty Document No. 716
October 13, 2005

Recommendation of the Department of Communication and the L&S Academic Programs and Curriculum Committee to Grant the Request for Authorization to Implement a Ph.D. in Communication

Recommendation:

That the L&S faculty recommend to the Dean approval of the request for authorization to implement a Ph.D. in Communication as outlined below.

Rationale:

See below, especially sections 2 and 3.

1. PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION
   
   

   1.1	Exact Designation of Proposed Program: Doctor of Philosophy in Communication
   1.2	Department or Functional Equivalent: Department of Communication
   1.3	College, School, or Functional Equivalent: College of Letters and Science
   1.4	Timetable for Initiation: Semester I, 2008-2009

2. CONTEXT
   
   

   2.1	History of the Program The Department of Communication traces its origins to a "Department of Speech," established in 1956, as part of the newly created University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The department has offered a master's degree since 1964. The master's program has been among the largest master's programs in the College of Letters and Science with an average range of 40-50 students enrolled in any given year. Students come primarily from South East Wisconsin (and the upper Midwest), but in the past decade students from outside the region (eg., California, Missouri) and students from other countries (Italy, Poland, Serbia, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Taiwan, People's Republic of China, Thailand, and India) have entered the program. The current master's program (revised in 2000) represents a substantial evolution from the original master's program in Communication and Public Address, inaugurated in 1964, and the joint program constructed with the Department of Mass Communication in 1976. Currently, the program supports 22 students on fellowships and teaching assistantships. Historically, UW-Milwaukee department faculty members have proved to be highly productive scholars recognized in assessments of the discipline's research performance (various works published by Hickson, et. al., providing assessment of scholarly productivity by institution). The recognition of faculty productivity indicates an active and well-respected faculty that contributes to the development of new knowledge. The faculty members, both experienced and probationary, are accomplished scholars and teachers in their areas of specialization (See Appendix A - Faculty Vitae). Program students consistently distinguish themselves through publishing their research and making presentations at national and regional communication conferences (See Appendix B-Student Scholarship). Program students have been accepted to doctoral study at the highest rated graduate programs in communication (e.g., Arizona State University, Indiana University, Michigan State University, Northwestern University, Ohio University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, University of Arizona, University of Iowa, University of Illinois, University of Kentucky, University of Texas-Austin, and UW-Madison). Many of these students have earned their doctorates and joined university faculties. Graduates from the program also have taken jobs with major regional and national employers (e.g., AT&T, Blue Cross, EDS, Harley-Davidson, Manpower, Miller Brewing, MGIC, and SBC-Ameritech). A preliminary entitlement to plan a doctoral program was written and submitted to the College of Letters and Science in 1991. The administration at that time, while generally supportive of the proposal, was concerned about the College's ability to meet a presumed burden of financial support for its implementation. This same concern was reiterated in 1995 after a change in college administration. At the current time, the larger size of the faculty in the department and larger size of the graduate classes ameliorate the financial requirements of the program. Some additional resources are needed (see 5.3 for description), but these resources are not large.
   2.2	Instructional Setting of the Program The proposed Ph.D. program will be housed in the College of Letters and Science. A single faculty member, in coordination with a Graduate Affairs Committee, currently assumes the duties of Director of Graduate Studies. The director will serve as a general advisor for Ph.D. students until a student is referred to an "interim advisor" during his/her first semester in the program. The interim advisors will advise new students on course selection and help them with preliminary academic adjustments. After completing no more than 12 hours in the program, each student will be required to select a major advisor who then will serve as the student's doctoral committee chairperson, overseeing the student's curriculum, comprehensive exams, and dissertation research. The Director of Graduate Studies receives assistance in program administration from the Graduate Affairs Committee. The committee is composed of graduate faculty members from the Department of Communication; it oversees matters of curriculum, student performance, and grievances.
   2.3	Relationship to Mission Statement and Academic Plan Establishing a Ph.D. in Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee represents a natural extension of: the department's continued efforts to evolve as a nationally recognized department in the field of communication; UWM's commitment to its stature as a UWS doctoral cluster campus; and UWM's fulfillment of its mission to develop quality graduate programs consonant with a desire to serve the urban environment. Having attained recognition of its efforts at the master's level, the Department of Communication believes it is ready to direct its energies towards offering a doctoral degree that will become as well regarded as its other programs. The quality of the faculty will afford excellent research training and education for doctoral level students, and the presence of doctoral students will provide a synergistic relationship between faculty and student research activities that cannot be achieved at the current level of graduate program development. The faculty is confident these advantages can be obtained while simultaneously enhancing the stature of the department.
   2.4	Program Array History UWM's five-year program array history (2000-01 to 2004-05) New Programs: Biochemistry (BS) Global Studies (BA) Actuarial Studies (BA) Healthcare Informatics (MS) Health Sciences (Ph.D.) History (Ph.D.) Medical Informatics (Ph.D.) Liberal Studies (MS) Discontinued Programs: Health Information Administration (BS) Educational Rehabilitation Counseling (MS)

3. NEED
   
   

   3.1	3.1 Comparable Programs in Wisconsin Currently, the only other communication-related Ph.D. program in Wisconsin is at UW-Madison. The UW-Madison Communication Arts Department is an umbrella for program concentrations representing film, broadcasting, rhetoric, and communication theory. The UW-Milwaukee Department of Communication program emphasizes three elements: (a) organizational and professional communication, (b) interpersonal communication and conflict resolution, and (c) civic practice and public communication. It is distinguished by, among other things, the exclusion of the mass media and film from the curriculum, while placing a heavy emphasis on studying communication from an applied perspective. The outside reviewers of the MA program point out that "the multi-modal approach designated in the planning document is different from any other communication program offered in Wisconsin." The differences between the departments at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison represent the distinctions between viewing the study as primarily theoretical versus studying Communication from a perspective that combines theory and practical application. For example, UW-Madison's department offers one course in conflict (Theories of Conflict) but no courses in mediation. UW-Milwaukee has two graduate courses in mediation (seven sections of which it plans to offer for the 2005-2006 year). UW-Madison offers one course in health communication, while UW-Milwaukee has four courses with one more course under development. At UW-Milwaukee, the emphasis is on the examination of the practical consequences of communication action and bridging theory and application. The design of the UW-Milwaukee program thus will focus on working with various institutions in the community to evaluate and implement programs (the faculty have worked with Milwaukee County Child Protective Services, Milwaukee County Family Court and Conciliation Services, Peace Learning Center, Milwaukee Public Schools, Second Harvest, Milwaukee City Aldermen, Black Historical Society). A strong focus of the doctoral program will be research on the application of communication knowledge for community improvement.
   3.2	Comparable Programs Outside Wisconsin Geographically, two programs outside Wisconsin might be considered as competitors. These include Northwestern University in Illinois and the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. The proposed Ph.D. program at UW-Milwaukee will serve primarily the urban and southeastern Wisconsin region population, programs located in Illinois and Minnesota do not represent plausible competition as it is assumed that a significant percentage of enrollees will consider commuting distance a factor in school selection. Academically, however, the proposed program is expected to be qualitatively competitive with programs at comparable institutions, and marketing initiatives will be designed with the intent of competing with other communication doctoral programs just as the department now successfully competes with them in recruiting faculty.
   3.3	Regional, State, and National Needs The creation of a new Ph.D. program in communication will help to alleviate a growing shortage of doctoral graduates in communication at a time when they are needed. The August, 2004 UW System Market Research report entitled "Outlook for Jobs in the Communications Sector," points out that employment projections for the United States expect a growth rate of roughly 24% (p. 4) and for Wisconsin a 20% increase in the demand for post-secondary instructors. The estimates in the report are that by 2010 Wisconsin will need 150 new post-secondary communication teachers as well as another 200 replacement instructors. Given that the total number of doctoral degrees in communication granted in the United is relatively small (354 in 97-98, 347 in 98-99, 347 in 99-00, and 368 in 00-01; data provided by the Department of Education), Wisconsin institutions face a serious shortfall in instructional personnel holding a terminal degree. The result of this situation is a shortage in the number of faculty members qualified for university teaching at present and in the immediate and long term future. These findings provide a strong rationale for establishing a Ph.D. in communication at UW-Milwaukee. A Ph.D. program instituted in 2008-2009 could train new professors to alleviate the current and projected shortage of faculty members. As retirements in the UW System (and nationally) increase, a shortage of new professors is fast becoming a reality. The UWS has reported widely that it expects to lose approximately 40 percent of its faculty by 2010. This nationwide trend affects all academic disciplines and regions of the country. Wisconsin colleges and universities have a great need for communication Ph.D.s that is not being met by the current Ph.D. graduation rate at UW-Madison. This unmet demand makes the development of an additional communication doctoral program in the State desirable, and we would expect many of our doctoral graduates to remain in the State, working as faculty in educational institutions. Developing a doctoral program to train competent researchers and teachers helps alleviate this shortage and maintain the quality of instruction and research currently provided at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Moreover, since there are currently no other doctoral programs in communication offered in the Milwaukee or southeastern Wisconsin area, offering this program would contribute to the urban mission of UW-Milwaukee by increasing the stature of the campus and providing additional education opportunities for advanced communication study in the urban area. Providing an opportunity for advanced graduate work in communication at UW-Milwaukee will open the doors for many people that for myriad reasons do not want, or are unable, to commute to Madison or Chicago on a regular basis. At the same time, the relatively limited offerings at UW-Madison do not reflect many of the underlying curricular areas found in the UW-Milwaukee program. In the past decade only one UW-Milwaukee graduate has taken courses in the doctoral program at UW-Madison, eventually dropping out and earning a doctorate at the University of Iowa. The emphasis and focus of the Madison and Milwaukee programs represent different approaches to the study of communication. In addition, persons holding a doctorate in communication currently work for institutions like the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control, and Gallup Polls, as well as advertising and public relations firms. The application of communication skills is found in areas like training and development, public health campaigns, corporate public relations, in both the private and government sectors. The contribution of highly trained professionals to the Wisconsin workforce using the skill of applied communication would improve the Wisconsin economy. Several factors taken together point to the timeliness of developing a doctoral program in communication at UW-Milwaukee. The availability of graduate students with long-term commitments to doctoral study will significantly enhance the collaborative scholarship and extramural support opportunities of department faculty. The expected need for new professors in this and future decades, coupled with the fact that no other doctoral program in communication exists in Southeastern Wisconsin, indicates the need for and advantages of developing a doctoral program in communication at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Such a program would improve the quality of education provided by UW-Milwaukee, serving the growing demand for advanced communication study by citizens of Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.
   3.4	Student Demand and Projected Enrollment Surveys of master's program alumni and chairs of Departments of Communication in Wisconsin (which would be prospective employers of doctoral program graduates) indicated that a doctoral program in communication at UWM will have a sufficiently large pool of qualified applicants from which to draw as well as a variety of interested employers. A four-year cycle of projected enrollment in the program is estimated below:   2008-09    2009-10    2010-11    2011-12    2012-13  2nd Year Cohort 5 5 6 6 6 3rd Year Cohort 5 5 5 5 4th Year Cohort 3 3 3 Totals 5 10  14  17  17  Graduating Students   0 0 0 3 3 Doctoral students in communication typically take three to five years past the master's degree to complete their degrees. The estimates above assume a four-year admission cycle projecting a program size of approximately 50 percent of the master's degree census and a 50% attrition as students either drop out or suspend participation in the program.
   3.5	Collaborative or Alternative Exploration In the formation of this proposal a collaborative program was sought with the UW-Madison department. The response was that given the different composition of the two departments it would be preferable to have UW-Milwaukee develop a separate program. The Department of Communication at UW-Madison reviewed the original entitlement request for this degree and sent a letter of support for the proposal. Collaboration with Marquette for a joint program presents a number of obstacles that cannot be resolved.

4. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
   
   

   4.1	Program Objectives The Doctor of Philosophy degree program in the Department of Communication provides study and training for entry into academic career paths or professional careers that would necessitate theory-driven basic or applied research on communication practices and outcomes. The program's thrust emphasizes: studying the effects of professional communication practices and skills on organizational goals and processes, the processes of interpersonal communication and conflict resolution, and the conduct of civic practice and public communication.
   4.2	Course of Study Admission For regular status admission, a student must meet both the requirements of the UWM Graduate School, and all of the following Graduate Program in Communication requirements-as applicable: Applicants possessing the Master of Arts/Science degree in Communication (or an equivalent degree) are preferred and admitted in good standing if they possess a cumulative GPA in course work for the Master's degree of at least a 3.33 (B+). Applicants lacking the requisite GPA may be admitted on probation. Applicants without a Master of Arts/Science degree in Communication (or equivalent degree) must: (a) satisfy all requirements for admission to the Master of Arts in Communication degree program, (b) submit letters of recommendation from at least three (3) communication academic professionals attesting to the student's capability to perform satisfactorily at the doctoral level, and (c) possess an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least a 3.33 (B+) in their major and an overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 (B). Applicants without an equivalent MA in Communication may be admitted on probation and required to complete a core curriculum of up to 12 credits in approved courses. Reapplication/Readmission. UWM students who have received a master's degree in Communication must reapply for admission to the UWM Graduate School in order to continue studies toward the Ph.D. degree. Any student admitted into the doctoral program who fails to maintain continuous enrollment in the program of studies - prior to reaching dissertator status - must obtain the approval of the program's Graduate Affairs Committee, and the UWM Graduate School, before being permitted to reenter the program and continue course work. Residence. Students must meet the requirements of the UWM Graduate School and program (see below). Course of Study To obtain a Ph.D. in Communication, a student must complete at least 54 credit hours numbered 700 and above beyond the master's degree, at least 24 credits of which must be earned in residence at UWM and 33 credit hours must be taken from the Communication Department. Courses taken at UW-Milwaukee applied to the master's degree would not apply to the doctoral program of studies. Students without a master's degree should follow the course of study described in the Master of Arts in Communication degree program. Doctoral Program Requirements The 54 credit hours for the doctoral program of studies must be completed from courses numbered 700 or above and reflect the following minimum distributions of credits: a minimum of 6 credits of course work from Communication Research Tools in courses numbered 900 or above; a minimum of 15 credits reflecting the student's development in a thematic program of study combining theory and application in the study of some communication process; a minimum of 21 additional elective credits; up to 12 credits allocated to completion of the doctoral dissertation [Commun 990]. Major Professor as Advisor Initially, all doctoral students are assigned an "interim" advisor - unless a student specifically requests a particular faculty member. However, with the completion of 12 credits, a student is required to designate a faculty member whose research interests are compatible with those of the student to act as the major professor. The major professor is expected to assist the student in planning the remainder of the program of studies, chair the student's preliminary examination committee, supervise the completion of the Ph.D. dissertation, and conduct of the dissertation defense meeting. Doctoral Courses [Boldface course titles/numbers reflect possible new or revised courses.] Research Tools Commun 700: Quantitative Research in Communication (3 cr) Commun 701: Critical Analysis of Communication (3 cr) Commun 702: Qualitative Research in Communication (3 cr) Commun 770: Measurement and Evaluation in Speech Communication (3 cr) Commun 900: Philosophy and Practice of Communication (3 cr) Commun 972: Advanced Methods in Communication Research: [Subtitle] (3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr). Focal Courses Commun 710: Managerial Communication (3 cr) Commun 713: Examining the Culture of the Internet (3 cr) Commun 727: Seminar in Communication and E Learning (3cr) Commun 735: Theories of Rhetorical Communication (3 cr) Commun 762: Argumentation Theory (3 cr) Commun 768: Seminar in Theories of Speech Communication (3 cr) Commun 801: Seminar in Interpersonal Communication (3 cr) Commun 802: Marital and Family Communication (3 cr) Commun 810: Studies of Communication in Organization (3 cr) Commun 813: Seminar in Mediated Communication (3 cr) Commun 823: Seminar in Small Group Communication (3 cr) Commun 827: Seminar in Programs of Adult Communication (3 cr) Commun 835: Seminar in Contemporary Public Address (3 cr) Commun 850: Seminar in Intercultural Communication (3 cr) Commun 857: Application of Intercultural Communication (3 cr) Commun 860: Seminar: Issues in Communication (3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 9 cr) Commun 862: Public Deliberation (3 cr) Commun 864: Communication and Social Influence (3 cr) Commun 865: Theory and Practice of Mediation (3 cr) Commun 881: Communication and Health Issues (3 cr) Commun 890: Theory and Practice of International Peacebuilding (3 cr) Commun 9xx: Seminar in Intergroup Communication: [Subtitle] (3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr) Commun 9xx: Organizational Communication Research: [Subtitle] (3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr) Commun 9xx: Seminar in Information and Technology Transfer (3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr) Commun 990: Dissertation Research [requires revision to current 990] Commun 998: Internship (1-3 cr; may be retaken to a maximum of 3 cr) Commun 999: Independent Study (1-3 cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr) English 855: Seminar in Theories of Business and Technical Writing: [Subtitle] (3. cr; may be retaken with change in topic to a maximum of 6 cr) crosslisted. Comprehensive Preliminary Examination A student must pass all components of a comprehensive preliminary examination as one of the qualifications for attaining dissertator status. Qualifications. A student must meet the requirement of the UWM Graduate School. No student is permitted to attempt the preliminary examination before having attained the MA in Communication degree nor before the semester in which s/he would successfully complete 36 credits in the doctoral program of studies. Preliminary Examination Committee. The preliminary examination is developed and evaluated by an examining committee composed of the major professor and a sufficient number of other communication graduate faculty and UWM graduate faculty members to represent the areas included in the program of studies (including research tool and minor area courses). Composition of the examining committee is the decision of the major professor in consultation with the student. Administration of Preliminary Examination. All matters related to the administration and management of the examination are the responsibility of the major professor. The major professor and student shall set the examining committee's composition and schedule a planning meeting for the purpose of specifying examination coverage, length, and dates of administration. The examining committee is responsible for setting an examination schedule agreeable to all parties subject to the constraints that: (a) examinations must include at least 18 hours of questioning, and (b) must be completed in no longer than two (2) calendar weeks. The major professor must file a definitive examination plan, including committee membership, examining areas, and test date, with the Graduate Affairs Committee and program coordinator at least two months before the initial date of the examination. Evaluation of Preliminary Examination. Each member of the examining committee must read and pass the student on all examination questions the faculty member contributes. The student must receive a passing evaluation from all members of the committee on the written portion of the examination in order to attempt an oral defense of the examination. Oral Defense of Preliminary Examination. At the examination planning meeting, a date shall be set for conducting an oral defense of the student's written preliminary examination. The oral defense meeting shall be held no later than seven (7) calendar days after the last written answer to the examination has been submitted to the major professor. While the actual length of an oral defense is at the discretion of the committee, students should expect meetings to last two to three hours. Before adjourning the defense meeting, committee members shall vote on the examinee's performance and the results of this vote shall be transmitted to the student by the major professor. A majority of the members of the committee must vote to pass the student on the basis of the performance in the oral defense. An affirmative vote constitutes the committee's decision to advance the student to dissertator status. Re-administration. A student failing to pass questions submitted by one committee member, may, with the agreement of that faculty member and approval of a majority of the committee (including the major professor), retake a new examination from that committee member no later than one calendar month from the date of the previous examination. If the student fails the new examination, it cannot be retaken. A student failing to obtain a majority vote of the committee on the oral defense, may, with the agreement of a majority of the committee (including the major professor), retake the oral defense no later than one calendar month from the date of the previous defense. A student failing to obtain a majority vote of the committee on a second oral defense is not permitted to redefend the written preliminary examination without rewriting the entire examination. Appeals of Evaluations. A student who fails a second examination or vote will not advance to candidacy and, at the discretion of the major professor and with the concurrence of the Graduate Affairs Committee, may be required to retake a portion of the program of studies or will be recommended for academic dismissal. All negative appraisals of a student must be explained in writing by the major professor and copies of such appraisals filed with the graduate coordinator. Any student notified of such an action may file a written appeal of the action within thirty (30) calendar days of the action with the graduate coordinator and the Graduate Affairs Committee. All appeals are reviewed by the Graduate Affairs Committee in a meeting at which the student, together with the major professor and preliminary examination committee, shall be invited to appear and submit testimony and documentation pertinent to the appeal. The Graduate Affairs Committee must adjudicate and dispose of the appeal within seven (7) calendar days of the hearing meeting, and the Committee-through the graduate coordinator-must provide a written notice of its decision to the student, major professor, and examining committee. Students wishing to continue the appeal of the program's action may do so directly to the UWM Graduate School. Dissertator Status A student shall qualify for dissertator status upon completion of the following: (a) 36 credit hours of approved coursework, (b) the Graduate School residency requirement; c) a passing evaluation for the preliminary examinations, and (d) approval of a dissertation prospectus by the dissertation committee. Dissertation The candidate, under the supervision of the major professor, and in collaboration with a dissertation committee, must write a dissertation that demonstrates the ability to formulate a research topic and pursue an independent and original investigation of the chosen topic. Dissertation Committee. The dissertation committee shall be composed of the major professor and four additional graduate faculty members (at least three of which must be from the Communication graduate program). The dissertation committee is responsible for assessing the dissertation project, including approving the dissertation prospectus proposal, reviewing working drafts of research in progress, and, finally, evaluating the candidate's ability to defend decisions made during the course of research. Dissertation Defense. Upon submission of a reading copy of the dissertation to the faculty dissertation committee, the candidate and the major professor will schedule a committee meeting for the purpose of undertaking an oral defense of the dissertation work by the candidate. The defense should be scheduled not later than two (2) calendar weeks from the distribution of reading copies of the dissertation to the committee. The candidate should be prepared to spend two to three hours in the dissertation defense. At the conclusion of the candidate's oral remarks, the dissertation committee will vote on passing the candidate's dissertation work. A majority of the committee must vote to approve the dissertation and recommend granting of the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Re-defending the Dissertation. A dissertation committee, at its discretion (and with the agreement of the major professor), may upon a majority vote of the committee recommend that the candidate and major professor continue to work on specific facets of the dissertation and resubmit a new reading copy for a re-defense before the committee. Any resubmission of a dissertation for a new defense must take place at least one semester, but not more than one year, after the original submission. A dissertator may resubmit a dissertation only once. Failure to obtain a positive majority vote of the dissertation committee for a re-defended dissertation will lead to a recommendation for academic dismissal to the Dean of the Graduate School. Appealing Dissertation Committee Decisions. A negative vote of the dissertation committee must be relayed to the candidate by the major professor including the provision of written reasons explaining the committee's vote. The student may appeal the dissertation committee's decision (see procedures discussed for appealing decisions on preliminary examinations). The student also may pursue an appeal of the program's decision with the UWM Graduate School. Time Limit. All degree requirements must be completed with ten (10) years from the date of initial enrollment in the doctoral program. To meet the continuous-year portion of the residency requirement, students must take 8-12 credits in each of two consecutive semesters or 6 credits in each of three consecutive semesters, exclusive of summer terms. A student may petition (in writing) the Graduate Affairs Committee for exemption from the residence requirement. Any waiver by the program must be approved by the Graduate School.
   4.3	Relationships with Other Curricula As noted above, the Department of Communication has a variety of programmatic and collegial relationships with other campus graduate programs. We would expect doctoral students, when appropriate, to develop programs of studies containing cognate areas of study drawn from other programs.
   4.4	Method of Assessment or Evaluation All graduate programs, and particularly doctoral programs with their long time horizons, require significant units of time over which program assessments and reviews must be conducted. The following schedule of assessment is planned: Annual Review of Student Assessments of Faculty: The Graduate Affairs Committee will review student course assessment results as means of obtaining program-wide feedback from students. Internal Audit: Punctuating the first 4-year cycle of admissions, program faculty led by the Graduate Affairs Committee will conduct a complete analysis of program procedures, practices, and evaluation of student and faculty performance. The audit cycle will then revert to a bi-annual audit review. Alumni Assessment: Every five years program alumni (including students who left the program without finishing) will be surveyed to obtain their assessment of the program and its effects on their career opportunities and development. Peer Review: As per UW-System guidelines, the program will undergo a full review after five years and, subsequently, in conjunction with a timetable set by the UWM Graduate School and/or UW-System. The primary objectives for all assessments will be to evaluate the scholarly and professional impacts of the program. This will include, but not be limited to, such factors as: the quality and quantity of scholarly work produced by students; the professional stature of students based on their peer recognition, stature of places of employment, and rate of career advancement; quality of students recruited to the program; effects on faculty career development; and program impact on campus and community.
   4.6	Diversity The ability to attract minority students in an urban setting remains a strength of this program. A number of minority students who graduated with a master's degree in communication from UWM have been unable to pursue doctorates because no doctoral program was available in SE Wisconsin. We view this as a great opportunity to serve on an existing set of UW-Milwaukee graduates located in the area.
   4.7	Strengths or Unique Features The most compelling aspects of the proposed program are that it will: offer access to advanced graduate study in Communication to the most populated, but underserved, part of Wisconsin; provide a doctoral program of study that clearly fulfills UWM's global and urban missions; significantly elevate an already nationally recognized graduate program faculty in a discipline where there is a clear need for more access to advanced graduate study.
   4.8	Career Advising The master's program in Communication already requires its students to complete a three-credit course: Commun 800: Proseminar: The Discipline of Communication. This course is designed to introduce students to the professional and scholastic opprtunities associated with obtaining advanced degrees in communication. Students admitted to the doctoral program that have not completed a similar course will be assigned Commun 800 as a deficiency course.
   4.9	Outreach: NA
   4.10	Integration of Technology All members of the faculty are fully engaged users of desktop computing and classroom support technologies. The Department of Communication is a participant in the College Connections program (particularly the Bachelor of Organizational Administration degree in connection with the UW Colleges). The department currently offers an online Bachelor of Arts degree. The department also offers an online graduate certificate program with the Department of English focusing on Technical Communication. Several of the Master's courses are taught each year online. Nearly one-third of the department faculty has published research dealing with some aspect of communication and technology.
   4.11	Collaboration and Distance Education As indicated in 4.10, the Department of Communication is fully involved in distance education technologies and programs. The development of online doctoral study is plausible. However, the relatively small size of the program, coupled with the typical financial needs of students entering advanced graduate study, makes the distance education potential of the program difficult to gauge. Nonetheless, the department is acutely aware of the growing acceptance of, and demand for, online graduate instruction and is beginning to offer graduate classes online. Opportunities exist to work with UW-Madison for collaboration on specific courses.

5. PERSONNEL
   
   

   5.1	Graduate Faculty The current graduate faculty in Communication is described by the compilation of vitae in Appendix A. All additional faculty members will qualify for membership in the graduate faculty.
   5.2	Advisory Faculty: N/A
   5.3	Additional Faculty Requirements The addition of a doctoral program would require the department to offer about five additional courses or sections that currently are not offered each year. The small number of additional courses reflects the existence of a substantial number of master's courses currently offered. This addition can be facilitated by the addition of one faculty member over the current number in the department.
   5.4	Academic Staff Normally, academic staff would not be involved in the doctoral program.
   5.5	Classified Staff The Department of Communication has two, full-time classified staff members. One staff person is assigned to support undergraduate and graduate programs. The gradual implementation of the doctoral program should not require immediate or substantial additions to staff responsibilities or load. Some accommodations to additional staff load will be offset with student help.

6. ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
   
   

   6.1

   Library Resources The Golda Meir Library provides adequate support for communication research and instruction. The department faculty is able to use the growing number of online databases of journals and reference resources. Like many UWM departments, Communication faculty members must rely on Interlibrary Loan to supplement campus library resources. Although this causes delays in research and class preparation, it has posed more of an inconvenience than a significant impediment to scholarly activities. Recently, the Department of Communication has entered into a cost-sharing agreement with the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and GML to acquire a subscription to the online services of the Communication Institute for Online Scholarship. This membership provides, among other instructional and research resources, access to ComAbstracts (a searchable database of article abstracts to over 50 journals in communication studies) and ComIndex (a searchable database of the bibliographic information on over 80 journals in communication studies).

   6.2

   Additional Resource Support The Department of Communication expects to have an ongoing need for, and access to, multimedia computing equipment for itself and its students. The faculty expects this need to involve doctoral program students either as teaching assistants or students. The department expects to reserve a considerable amount of time in the new instructional computer laboratory being renovated in Merrill Hall Room 214. This facility should directly and indirectly involve doctoral students in various instructional and research related activities that use its unique resources for producing mediated communication.

7. FACILITIES
   
   

   7.1

   Capital Resources The department is acquiring additional space for faculty members already under recruitment and for additional teaching assistants.

   7.2

   Capital Budget Needs The items noted in 7.1 are in addition to the department's ongoing laboratory modernization needs for three existing multimedia laboratories in Merrill Hall. But, these items are not specifically tied to the development of graduate programs (except and insofar as they are related to the department's capacity for satisfying undergraduate enrollment demand). However, it would be very helpful if these budget and space issues could be resolved concurrently with the department's graduate curriculum development initiatives.

8. FINANCE
   
   

   8.1	Operating Budget Requirements There are no specific budgetary requirements (save for the items in No. 7 above) attached to this proposal. The department has sufficient resources for clerical and promotional support of the program. It expects to increasingly rely on electronic resources in providing information and connectivity to prospective and continuing students. The Dean of Letters and Science is supportive of the need for an additional faculty position. The Budget Attachment 7 indicates that the costs associated with the program will occur through reallocation. The requirements for the program are for new classes and additional faculty advising time for doctoral students.
   8.2	Operating Budget -S&E Requirements The operation of an additional program at the graduate level represents only minimal additional resources. The ongoing master's program already essentially uses many of the same resources that a doctoral program would use. We anticipate no fundamentally large increase in S&E requirements from this program.
   8.3	Operating Budget Reallocations The only significant source of budget tension will involve student support. Not all students will require assistantship or fellowship support. There is clearly a need for advanced graduate study by prospective students teaching with master's degrees in two-year and four-year institutions in the southeastern Wisconsin region. However, attracting the highest quality students, particularly from out-of-state, will require both the reallocation of some master's level assistantship funds and, possibly, additional funds as well. The department currently has strong demand in both basic and upper level undergraduate courses. Thus, additional graduate assistantship money could be a natural outgrowth of accommodating enrollment demand.
   8.4	Extramural Research Support Department of Communication faculty members have long believed their ability to compete for extramural grants and contracts has been hampered by the absence of a predictable pool of advanced graduate students to train and employ in funded research. Clearly, the vast majority of grant and contract monies in all academic disciplines are awarded to doctoral programs. Some faculty members have demonstrated modest levels of grant funding for their research. Research support has been obtained recently from various foundations and proposals sent to government agencies. Department faculty members are eager to increase efforts at obtaining extramural support. The ability to work with more experienced graduate students on multi-year research programs is one of the important synergies involved in providing doctoral education. The department also is in the formative stages of developing strategies for obtaining gifts that could help to support graduate education and research. The department's alumni are now entering an age range where career stability makes its possible for them to be of greater help if approached for contributions of money or time. The ways in which alumni can be engaged to assist the department in pursuing its goals are challenging to discover, but various cues have been provided in the past few years to make the department believe alumni are accessible and stand willing to help. The department has obtained funding for two new undergraduate scholarships and is working on proposals to assist in funding graduate opportunities as well.

Attachment 7

Budget Format

Estimated Total Costs and Income ( Word PDF )