Mayborn to move into College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
The Mayborn School of Journalism will join the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science as a “stand-alone entity” within the college, UNT Provost Jennifer Cowley said.
This and other changes coming to the Mayborn were announced at a meeting with faculty and staff Thursday. The Mayborn was previously a part of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences until 2009.
“I truly believe these changes are in the best interest of the students we serve and will allow the school to build off its strengths, modernize facilities and create the best learning environment possible for our students,” Cowley said in an email.
The Mayborn “will retain a significant degree of autonomy,” according to an email sent to Mayborn faculty and staff from Cowley.
Journalism professor Dr. Tracy Everbach said there have been faculty meetings since January about the future of the Mayborn.
In a recent meeting, a majority of Mayborn faculty voted in favor of remaining a separate school. Everbach said faculty not present at the meeting were able to vote electronically.
Everbach said there are advantages and disadvantages to joining the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. She said “the biggest negative” is that the Mayborn will be less independent.
“Moving into the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, we still will be a school of journalism and we still will have the Mayborn name, we’ll just be part of a larger bureaucracy,” Everbach said. “As a smaller unit, sometimes it was difficult for us to get our voices heard because [the Mayborn is a small school], but being independent meant that we could set our curriculum how we wanted it to be.”
Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Michael McPherson will serve as acting dean for the Mayborn starting Aug. 1. Dean Dorothy Bland announced in January that she would not seek renewal of her position and was not available for further comment.
McPherson also said he will work with making the transition into the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences smooth.
“I am very excited to take on this challenge,” McPherson said. “The Mayborn is a fantastic unit. The faculty are world-class, and [we have] the best students in the university. I am really looking forward to working with all of them.”
Cowley said UNT will have a national search for a new dean beginning in the fall. She said she will hire a firm and form a search committee to find a new dean.
“Dr. McPherson brings significant strength, respect and a leadership style that will allow the school to move forward during this time of transition,” Cowley said.
In the email, Cowley also said the two colleges will begin creating an integrated broadcast curriculum between the Department of Media Arts and Mayborn’s broadcast department to “[provide] a robust and next-generation education in a rapidly evolving news landscape.”
The two colleges will also share media production facilities. Plans are being made “to create an additional studio to support the success of our students and faculty.”
These changes are set to happen over the next year.
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