Note from the Chair

David Domke, left, and 2009 Ph.D. candidate Jessica Harvey at the Department’s 2009 graduation ceremony.

I write to you today as the new chair of the Department of Communication, fresh off one of the best moments of my brief tenure. A few days ago we graduated dozens of graduate students and hundreds of undergraduate students, and I am still smiling from sharing their joy, hope, and energy. What a moment!

In early April, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences asked if I would succeed Jerry Baldasty as permanent chair of the Department. Baldasty had served as the leader of Communication since 2002, when the new Department was formed from a merger of the School of Communications and the Department of Speech Communication. In early 2009, Baldasty was named the permanent dean of the Graduate School, and afterward the Department went through a substantial review process—involving faculty, staff and students—to choose a new chair. Ultimately, the dean asked if I would serve for a five-year appointment, and I agreed to do so.

I consider it a great privilege to serve as chair, and my goals are twofold: to shepherd the Department through the budgetary challenges in sturdy fashion, and to provide an environment in which innovative research and teaching flourish. On the first matter, the Department is facing a 10% budget cut for next year, and this has necessitated staff layoffs and a reduced cohort of graduate students for next year. These are unfortunate, real and painful decisions. But in the midst of this we also are developing new programs and expanding other—exactly the kind of innovation that is a hallmark of what the UW offers.

Consider just a few examples in Communication.

1. We have created a “Speech Lab,” in which students practice public speaking, are videotaped, and receive feedback from faculty and peer tutors.
2. We’ve become a national leader on the dynamic media environment, with new multimedia emphases in a transformed and recently re-accredited journalism program, a highly respected group of scholars in the area of communication technology and society, and an innovative self-sustaining Master’s program in Digital Media.
3. Each year Communication students go abroad for study in Rome and Switzerland, and this summer we have provided scholarships to support students working as journalists in China, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Peru.
4. A record number of eight Communication students presented their scholarly work at the UW’s Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in May. This group of students was by far the largest representation among departments in the Social Sciences Division of the College of Arts & Sciences.
5. Each quarter we have 30-40 students working with community organizations in internships. It's the largest internship program at the UW.

I also plan to continue and grow our dedication to a strong partnership with our alumni and friends. I consider our relationship with Communication alumni and members of the communication community an important part of the excellence we can offer our undergraduate and graduate students.

The times are tough, very tough. But I want to assure you that the Department of Communication will meet this moment. We welcome your support.

David Domke, Chair
Department of Communication