RIT Department of Communication records

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: RITArc-0402

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Department of Communication records contain information about the events, lectures and curriculum offered. Many of the promotions and correspondence relate to the William A. Kern Conference. This is an annual 3-day event hosted by the department that examines issues relating to the communication field. Also included are student handbooks about the Professional and Technical Communication undergraduate degree, which is no longer offered. These handbooks outline the various courses offered, the curriculum for the department and answers to frequently asked questions. There are also various promotions and information brochures on lectures that the department hosted.

In a letter to the College of Liberal Arts faculty and staff at Rochester Institute of Technology, Dean James Winebrake announced that the Department of Communication will be named the School of Communication effective Oct. 1, 2014. Patrick Scanlon is serving as the School's first director. A celebration was held where pink and blue cigars were handed out announcing It's A School at the Strathallan in Rochester, NY.

Dates

Creation: 1984-2014

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

The Department of Communication, housed within RIT's College of Liberal Arts, is home to a number of undergraduate degree programs, including Advertising & Public Relations, Criminal Justice, Journalism, Economics, International and Global Studies, Sociology and Anthropology, Museum Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology and Public Policy. Graduate programs include Communication & Media Technologies (CMT)1 and Science, Criminal Justice, Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology and Science,Technology and Public Policy.

The Department also serves RIT students enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts Communication Minor, the College's Communication Concentration, and all RIT students who select junior and senior level communication Liberal Arts electives. The Department produces Liberal Smarts, the twice annual newsletter prepared by students enrolled in Liberal Arts degree programs. They also organize the university's Public Speaking Contest, an Ethics and Communication Writing Contest and annual Undergraduate Research Conference in Communication.

Selected Department activities, events and students are supported by the William A. Kern Endowment for research in communication.

As of October 1, 2014, the department officially became the School of Communication. An opening reception was held.

Extent

6 Folder(s) (1 box containing 6 Folders. )

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

The collection includes various correspondence, promotions, handbooks and curriculum information related to the Department of Communication at RIT which is part of the College of Liberal Arts.

Arrangement

Materials are arranged in 5 folders.

Other Finding Aids

In addition to this finding aid, an inventory is available below. For more information, please contact the RIT Archive Collections.

RIT Department of Communication records

Related Materials

College of Liberal Arts, Division of Language, Literature and Communication records

Bibliography

Patrick M. Scanlon, A discipline the university didn't know it wanted : a brief history of the Department of Communication at Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, N.Y.: P. Scanlon, 2010.