Harold Silverman, interim provost and executive vice chancellor, announced Friday to the University Media Board that all departments of the Office of Student Media will become part of the Manship School of Mass Communication. Student Media includes The Daily Reveille, Tiger TV, KLSU, the Legacy, the Gumbo, advertising and marketing. All departments of Student Media currently reports to the Office of Student Life and Academic Services. Silverman said the change from SLAS to the Manship School will occur in July. “To some extent it is an efficiency move,” Silverman said. “It’s not really a question of debate of whether it’s solidly impacting students one way or another. It’s essentially an administrative move.” Silverman said the decision will benefit mass communication students. “I’ve looked at this and studied it more than many people would know about,” Silverman said. “I’ve been studying this for months, asking questions from a student perspective and asking questions from an administrative perspective.” Silverman stressed to the University Media Board, who appoints the student managerial positions for Student Media departments, that Student Media will continue to function as it is now, and there will be no changes within the policies of Student Media. Jack Hamilton, dean of the Manship School, said the only change will be who oversees Student Media. “Nothing changes as far as the freedom of students to do what they want to do,” Silverman said. “There is not going to be a change on what happens on a day-to-day basis.” Hamilton said having Student Media under the Manship School will improve the management and efficiency of the resources available. He also said this change will not add pressure to students from their professors and instructors. Hamilton also said members of Student Media who plagiarize or violate other policies will not be punished by the Manship School. Each department will handle the policy violation. “The fact is nothing is going to change,” Hamilton said. “We will be able to better coordinate the use of those resources. It’s a resource issue; that is all.” Silverman discussed two issues during the meeting that could result in changes for Student Media. One issue brought up included the necessity for Student Media to hire outside of mass communication majors. Silverman also discussed whether student fees should continue to support Student Media. Silverman said that based upon his notes, student fees should continue to support Student Media in the future regardless of who is chosen as provost. “It’s important to keep student fees in line, and it’s important to make sure we are supporting all students regardless of major,” Silverman said. “Those to me were the two major things that the provost office must oversee, and I feel that we’ve done that.”
—–Contact Phillip Trascher [email protected]