Sub-departments across the Bloomsburg campus are requesting to become independent from their larger departments. 

Breaking away from these super departments (large departments made up of smaller departments) will allow the sub-departments to have a better focus on their specific majors, and give a clear picture of what they offer to students as well as their families.

The background 

Commonwealth University is going from a four-college model to a six-college model. This gives the opportunity for departments to either move into the new colleges as they currently are, or give feedback that they would like to be in a different arrangement. 

Michele Kiec, the university Provost, said that the following are the departments that have requested to become independent from their super departments. 

• Communication Studies, Media and Journalism has split into
  • Communication Studies
  • Media and Journalism
• Early Childhood Education and Exceptionality Programs has split into
  • Exceptionality Programs
  • PK-6 Education (Early Childhood Education has changed their name to this)
• Biological and Health Sciences has split into
  • Biological Sciences
  • Health Sciences
• Business, Innovation and Technology has split into
  • Accounting, Economics, Finance and Law
  • Technology, Business and Marketingn

 “For the departments that wanted a different configuration, we looked at their proposal and talked with them… and then made a decision if it would go forward or if it would stay with what we have right now,” Kiec said. 

The media & journalism department received approval for independence 

An example of a sub-department requesting independence is the Media & Journalism department, who already got approval. 

Two years ago, Media & Journalism (MEDJ) became a part of a super department with Communication Studies. However, when the opportunity to undo their reorganization arose, they felt it was best to take advantage of it.

“This was a product of the prior administration trying to save some money, and we weren’t really convinced of the effectiveness,” says Jason Genovese, MEDJ Chairperson and associate professor. “We had a consensus that we would prefer to be our own standalone department.”

Dennis Frohlich, an associate MEDJ professor and University-wide Curriculum Chair, says that having a clear identity would help with student recruitment and alumni. 

“It’s a little bit confusing to mention this long name because sometimes students aren’t sure which major to go to… Having this huge thing together is a little bit harder to keep track of,” Frohlich said. 

Frohlich says that Communication Studies is right down the hall and the departments are friends, however they just exist side by side. They don’t share faculty or classes. 

The student response to Media & Journalism’s independence 

“I think it’ll definitely be a nice change for the department,” says Colton Davy, a junior media & journalism student. “This way MEDJ students can feel more properly supported and recognized.”

The Voice will continue reporting on this story as it develops.