Communication Studies
Mission Statement
The Butte College Communication Studies program offers lower division courses designed to culminate in AA degrees and/or Certificates that are transferable to four-year colleges and universities. The courses are structured to develop personal growth, professional communication, and critical thinking abilities with the objective of enhancing intercultural, interpersonal and public communication skills.
Program Description
The Communication Studies program at Butte College prepares students for transfer to a baccalaureate major in Communication Studies. In addition, this program offers vital communication skills that are in demand by virtually every company and organization. Students with a degree in Communication Studies are prepared to succeed in numerous professions; in fact, many studies cite "effective communication" as the number one skill in demand in today's workplace. Students majoring in Communication Studies explore communication theories and skills needed in our complex world. These include: oral and written communication, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, gender and communication, intercultural communication and sensitivity, and effective group interaction, among others. We offer two degree options. AA Degree in Communication Studies The Associate in Arts (AA) in Communication Studies degree is intended for students who plan to earn an AA degree in Communication Studies in support of career or other academic endeavors or who plan to specifically transfer to CSU, Chico. AA-T Degree in Communication Studies The Associate in Arts in Communication Studies for Transfer is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies or similar major at a CSU campus. (This section adapted from BC 2012-13 Catalog) The Communication Studies program fulfills the Butte College Mission in six distinct ways: 1. We provide our students with vital communication skills needed for today�s workplace. 2. We provide our students with required courses for lower division general education and transfer. 3. We provide our students with courses that lead to the achievement of degrees and certificates for our program, and in support of other Butte College programs. 4. We provide our students with courses that support student learning beyond the traditional classroom. 5. We provide our students with the knowledge, understanding, mindset and skills that will enable them to interact effectively and appropriately in our multicultural and changing world. 6. We provide our students with deep student learning and civic engagement opportunities. It's clear to see how our unique and varied Program Learning Outcomes offer students engaging and meaningful academic, career and life-long learning opportunities. Program Learning Outcomes (PLO's) As a result of an AA or AA-T degree in Communication Studies, the student will be able to: 1. Demonstrate skills to connect, work, and play well with others. 2. Communicate ethically, responsibly, and effectively as local, national and global citizens. 3. Research, organize, and create messages using appropriate resources. 4. Effectively present formal and informal communication to a variety of audiences in multiple contexts. 5. Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes
As noted in the lastest SLO report, the CMST department continue to hold GIFTS (Great Ideas for Teaching Speech) workshops each month in order to collaborate on assignments/assessments as they relate to student learning outcomes. The focus of the past couple of years has been how to engage students in an online learning environment and development effective assessments to measure SLOs. Overall, brief reflections indicate that the majority of students ar meeting the SLOs of our courses. Please see SLO reports for more specific details.
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments)
Even when the success rates waned in FA 17, the CMST department percentages are higher than the college's standard (70%) and six-year goal (74%). This indicates that CMST instructors are creating postive and effective learning environments in their classrooms.
The number of degrees awarded has decreased; it could be argued that this is due to much lower college enrollments because of the Camp Fire and the pandemic. As well, the CMST department has requested funding for marketing materials in past unit plans. It has yet to be funded. We have a degree that can be achieved fully online; and the majority of our courses also meet transfer GE requirements as well. With a budget, we would be able to market those unique features of our program.
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)
Strategic Direction
The CMST Department supports the college in meeting its Strategic Direction in many ways, including, but not limtied to the following ways:
1. Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
A. Prepare high school students for college by:
- CMST AA and AAT degree program/strategic map is a clear path to completion of our program.
- Collaborating with high schools with articulation agreements at four high schools and concurrent enrollment at one high school.
C. Redesign support for our diverse students by:
- CMST faculty have adopted many culturally responsive, anti-racist teaching strategies; we are committed to serving all our students with equity-minded teaching practices.
2. Supporting Student, Faculty, and Staff Success
A. Increasing Student Engagement by:
- CMST faculty all create a collaborative, active learning environment in their classrooms; experiential pedagogy is key to learning how to become a skillful, competent communicator.
C. Improving Collaborative Interactions by:
- The CMST department has created a department Canvas page that is used a repository for sharing many teaching ideas (e.g. assignments, assessments, learning resources, etc.)
- The CMST faculty also hold monthly GIFTS (Great Ideas for Teaching Speech) workshops each semester to collaborate on pedagocial processes to support student success.
5. Modeling Sustainability
B. Reduce the College’s Carbon Footprint by:
- All CMST faculty have converted much of their "paper" assignments/hand outs, etc. to electronic documents/links, etc. on Canvas, reducing the amount of paper as a learning resource in their classrooms.
The CMST Department supports the college in meeting its Priority Themes in many ways, including, but not limtied to the following ways:
3. Closing Equity Gaps and 6. Fostering a Culture of Inclusiveness
- As mentioned previously, the CMST department faculty have been working to effectively include equity-minded teaching practices in their classrooms (e.g. syllabi, policies, teaching methodologies, etc.)
4. Meeting enrollment targets
- The CMST department has created an effective, varied (days, times, places, teaching modalities) schedule that is reflective of our current enrollment numbers; therefore, we have cut any extraneous sections that may not fill because of our lower campus enrollments.
Program Review
In February 2020, CMST completed its Program Review; we had the Validation Team site visit and we are awaiting the new recommendations.
Department Goals
CMST department goals include the following:
- Grow enrollments through marketing
- Increase degrees completed
- Create equity-minded classroom spaces/learning
Future Development Strategies
Strategy 1 - Forensics Assistant Coach (Level III)
The public face of our CMST department and the only intercollegiate competitive activity at Butte College is our Forensics Speech and Debate program. An assistant coach would help to provide coaching, judging and travel assistance for the 13 different events within Forensics, and to accommodate the growing emphasis of public spheres pedagogy, outreach and recruitment. Therefore, the CMST department requests a Forensics Speech and Debate Assistant Coach stipend equivalent to the Track and Field Coach Level 1 ($3448.37) OR a one class buy-out for an associate faculty member.
Initiatives
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
- Butte College Forensics competes against community colleges in Northern California that have anywhere from 2 - 4 coaches.
- Butte College is the only community college that offers 13 forensics events and only has one coach.
- In 2014, the Program Review Validation Team stated, “The team recommends that the budget for the Forensic Team be increased to provide stipends for additional events coaches.” They see the need for not just one, but two or more coaches to run a successful Forensics program.
- Each of the 13 events can be divided into 4 different categories which require unique qualifications and specialties. Much like offensive, defensive and special team units found on our sports teams, Butte Forensics offers: Platform Events, Limited Preparation Events, Oral Interpretation Events, and Debate Events. It is impossible for one coach to cover all disparate events.
- The team does not have enough help for safe tournament travel. If a coach is unwell or has a personal (or student) emergency to manage, the rest of the team is left completely unsupervised, uncoached, and without transportation.
- Our one coach provides transportation for as many as 18 students in a section. One coach can only transport (at most) 11 students.
- Required judging: When attending a competition, Butte College is required to bring qualified Forensics judges. One coach can only cover the judging commitment of 4 students, and yet, our program serves up to 18 students. Thus, not having enough coaches for judging means some of our students have to stay home, or that Butte college has to pay exorbitant judging fees.
- The assistant coach would also be responsible for marketing and recruitment of students to the team.
- The CMST department would like to grow our forensics program. This is going to be quite difficult without coaching assistance.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: Yes
Supports ILO - Think Critically: Yes
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: Yes
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: Yes
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 2 - Marketing and promotional materials
With the statewide push of the completion agenda, our college's committment to pathways, and a new funding formula, it is now more important than ever that we reach out to our students and promote our degree; this connection will help to ensure that students know about our CMST AA and AA-T degrees. Therefore, the CMST department requests $2587 to design and produce professional quality promotional materials for our major.
NOTE: If we had a fair increase in our yearly operating budget, we could use those funds to purchase necessary equipment (such as these promotional materials) in order to increase our pedagogical effectiveness and student success.
Initiatives
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Supporting Rationale
- Guided Pathways may help many students find the right path for their interests and career goals, but only if they have clear, easily accessible, pertinent information about that path.
- Some of our students work well in online environments, while others prefer the traditional, tactile paper approach.
- Communication Studies has a unique need to provide information about the possibilities that our major opens up. Ours is a highly versatile, interdisciplinary major that prepares students well for a variety of degrees and careers, but this fact is less intuitive or visible than some other disciplines (e.g. psychology leading to a major or career in that profession).
- Our program is unique in that most of our classes meet GE requirements, so students who take their GE within our program can fairly easily obtain a second AA degree, which enhances their value as transfers or upon entry into the workforce.
- Our major is particularly well-suited for undecided students, who may not be as well served by the Guided Pathways approach. Promotional materials will help such students see that they can still explore within our interdisciplinary degree, while moving forward efficiently.
- Given the flexibilty of our degree and its suitabilty for numerous careers, we believe we can inspire more students to obtain CMST degrees with access to quality promotional materials.
- SPECIFICS:
- Professional quality marketing materials that identify the GE and IGETC transfer suitability of our classes, the possibility of earning a second degree with your GE, the variety of upper division majors and careers that our degree prepares them for, and the value employers place on the communication skills we teach.
- Glossy, color, tri-fold pamphlets for distribution at promotional events on campus, and distribution to area high school counselors. Per Lisa Delaby: $1250 for creation of brochures and $262.00 for printing and shipping for quantity of 500.
- Quality cardstock, color handouts for distribution to Butte College counselors and Communication Studies faculty to hand out to interested students ($50).
- Promoting the Forensics program is key to recruiting new student competitors. 25 Forensics t-shirts and/or jackets cost roughly $35 each, equaling approximately $875. The shirts/jackets will be a highly visible representation of the team and its accomplishments (much like the BC athletic attire worn by student athletes).
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: Yes
Supports ILO - Think Critically: Yes
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: Yes
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: Yes
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 3 - Department Budget
CMST is a leader in FTES generation and enrollment for the college, even given the fact that our department is fairly small (as compared to other larger FTES generating departments [e.g. Math/English]). Per the SURE report data, our revenue to cost ratio is an excellent 1.52. We provide core GE classes for the entire student body. Our department has grown significantly in recent years, in terms of majors, full time faculty, and course offerings. To support our growth and student success, we request a department budget increase to $3000/year.
NOTE: If we had a reasonable increase in our yearly operating budget, we could use these funds to purchase necessary marketing materials, etc. in order to increase our pedagogical effectiveness and student success, reducing the number of department augmentation requests.
Initiatives
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
- Present budget $1367.00 (7 fulltime faculty = less than $200 per full-time faculty and adding in associate faculty $1367/13 = $105.15).
- According to the recommendations in the February 2014 Program Review Validation Team Report: "The CMST Department is drastically underfunded. Its current operating budget stands at $1,367 yearly, which is in stark contrast to allocations for other academic departments of similar size. The department has concrete student-centered plans that more proportional funding would support.These include the Great Debate and public sphere pedagogy, technology for student use and to demonstrate communication modes, conference opportunities and associate faculty training, as well as marketing efforts to publicize and grow the program. The Validation Team emphasizes that the Forensics budget must be a separate consideration, since this is an activity along the lines of sports teams or the Honors Society. Forensics should not be conflated with the department budget, unless the same applies to these other activities."
- Increasing our general department budget would allow us to meet at least some of the following general needs of the department. Some examples include:
- Obtain VoiceThread software annual subscription for innovative asynchronous content delivery in online classes $100 (x3 online instructors) = $300/year
- Discipline specific travel and conference funds (ICA, NCA, and NCFA) (cost variable). These conferences routinely hold “GIFTS” sessions at which faculty share “Great Ideas for Teaching Speech.” These materials are vital to keeping our classroom instruction fresh and timely for our students.
- Planning and executing an annual CMST “Talk Fest” Celebration for Communication Studies majors = $200
- Purchasing new documentaries for use in classes = $500
- Forensics Supplies:
- 2 Visual Aid Stands @ $70 each = $140
- 2 art portfolios for carrying visual aids @ $200 each = $400
- 20 Interpretation black book binders @ $6 each = $120
- 50 Oral Interp Black Book (performance) Materials (10PC) @ $4 each = $200
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: Yes
Supports ILO - Think Critically: Yes
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: Yes
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: Yes
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: Yes
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Requested Non-Financial Resources
As noted in our Validation team report (six years ago - we haven't received the report from our latest program review site visit in February 20), dedicated classroom space specific to CMST curriculum is needed. Last year, we lost the use of LRC 102, a classroom uniquely suited to our Small Group Communication and Argumentation and Debate classes due to the maneuverabilty of the furnishings and the large speaking space. The ability to move furniture to accomodate learning activities in many CMST classes is particulary essential in our Small Group Communication classes. In addition, our classes were moved to the LB building into rooms that lack updated technology and that are not conducive to performance-based classes. This was an enoromous loss and has hindered our ability to successfully operate those primary, GE classes. Additionally, LRC 137 has external doors with different numbers, which is confusing to students. Correct signage is needed. As well, social distancing in the classroom required becuase of the pandemic has made it unsafe to teach in LRC 137. The ped cap for classes that are taught in there is 25, and the Fire Marshall room cap is 28; therefore, it is clearly evidenced that there is not enough space in that room for students to sit apart. We have been using LB 104 instead and that space is working well.
Current Financial Resources
None.
Augmentation Requests
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | Communication Studies | Personnel | $3,448.00 | $0.00 | ||
| The public face of our CMST department and the only intercollegiate competitive activity at Butte College is our Forensics Speech and Debate program. An assistant coach would help to provide coaching, judging and travel assistance for the 13 different events within Forensics, and to accommodate the growing emphasis of public spheres pedagogy, outreach and recruitment. Therefore, the CMST department requests a Forensics Speech and Debate Assistant Coach stipend equivalent to the Track and Field Coach Level 1 ($3448.37) OR a one class buy-out for an associate faculty member. | � Butte College Forensics competes against community colleges in Northern California that have anywhere from 2 - 4 coaches. � Butte College is the only community college that offers 13 forensics events and only has one coach. � In 2014, the Program Review Validation Team stated, �The team recommends that the budget for the Forensic Team be increased to provide stipends for additional events coaches.� They see the need for not just one, but two or more coaches to run a successful Forensics program. � Each of the 13 events can be divided into 4 different categories which require unique qualifications and specialties. Much like offensive, defensive and special team units found on our sports teams, Butte Forensics offers: Platform Events, Limited Preparation Events, Oral Interpretation Events, and Debate Events. It is impossible for one coach to cover all disparate events. � The team does not have enough help for safe tournament travel. If a coach is unwell or has a personal (or student) emergency to manage, the rest of the team is left completely unsupervised, uncoached, and without transportation. � Our one coach provides transportation for as many as 18 students in a section. One coach can only transport (at most) 11 students. � Required judging: When attending a competition, Butte College is required to bring qualified Forensics judges. One coach can only cover the judging commitment of 4 students, and yet, our program serves up to 18 students. Thus, not having enough coaches for judging means some of our students have to stay home, or that Butte college has to pay exorbitant judging fees. � The assistant coach would also be responsible for marketing and recruitment of students to the team. � The CMST department would like to grow our forensics program. This is going to be quite difficult without coaching assistance. |
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| 2 | Communication Studies | $2,587.00 | $0.00 | |||
| With the statewide push of the completion agenda, our college's committment to pathways, and a new funding formula, it is now more important than ever that we reach out to our students and promote our degree; this connection will help to ensure that students know about our CMST AA and AA-T degrees. Therefore, the CMST department requests $2587 to design and produce professional quality promotional materials for our major. NOTE: If we had a fair increase in our yearly operating budget, we could use those funds to purchase necessary equipment (such as these promotional materials) in order to increase our pedagogical effectiveness and student success. | � Guided Pathways may help many students find the right path for their interests and career goals, but only if they have clear, easily accessible, pertinent information about that path. � Some of our students work well in online environments, while others prefer the traditional, tactile paper approach. � Communication Studies has a unique need to provide information about the possibilities that our major opens up. Ours is a highly versatile, interdisciplinary major that prepares students well for a variety of degrees and careers, but this fact is less intuitive or visible than some other disciplines (e.g. psychology leading to a major or career in that profession). � Our program is unique in that most of our classes meet GE requirements, so students who take their GE within our program can fairly easily obtain a second AA degree, which enhances their value as transfers or upon entry into the workforce. � Our major is particularly well-suited for undecided students, who may not be as well served by the Guided Pathways approach. Promotional materials will help such students see that they can still explore within our interdisciplinary degree, while moving forward efficiently. � Given the flexibilty of our degree and its suitabilty for numerous careers, we believe we can inspire more students to obtain CMST degrees with access to quality promotional materials. � SPECIFICS: o Professional quality marketing materials that identify the GE and IGETC transfer suitability of our classes, the possibility of earning a second degree with your GE, the variety of upper division majors and careers that our degree prepares them for, and the value employers place on the communication skills we teach. o Glossy, color, tri-fold pamphlets for distribution at promotional events on campus, and distribution to area high school counselors. Per Lisa Delaby: $1250 for creation of brochures and $262.00 for printing and shipping for quantity of 500. o Quality cardstock, color handouts for distribution to Butte College counselors and Communication Studies faculty to hand out to interested students ($50). o Promoting the Forensics program is key to recruiting new student competitors. 25 Forensics t-shirts and/or jackets cost roughly $35 each, equaling approximately $875. The shirts/jackets will be a highly visible representation of the team and its accomplishments (much like the BC athletic attire worn by student athletes). |
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| 3 | Communication Studies | $3,000.00 | $0.00 | |||
| CMST is a leader in FTES generation and enrollment for the college, even given the fact that our department is fairly small (as compared to other larger FTES generating departments [e.g. Math/English]). Per the SURE report data, our revenue to cost ratio is an excellent 1.52. We provide core GE classes for the entire student body. Our department has grown significantly in recent years, in terms of majors, full time faculty, and course offerings. To support our growth and student success, we request a department budget increase to $3000/year. NOTE: If we had a reasonable increase in our yearly operating budget, we could use these funds to purchase necessary marketing materials, etc. in order to increase our pedagogical effectiveness and student success, reducing the number of department augmentation requests. | � Present budget $1367.00 (7 fulltime faculty = less than $200 per full-time faculty and adding in associate faculty $1367/13 = $105.15). � According to the recommendations in the February 2014 Program Review Validation Team Report: "The CMST Department is drastically underfunded. Its current operating budget stands at $1,367 yearly, which is in stark contrast to allocations for other academic departments of similar size. The department has concrete student-centered plans that more proportional funding would support.These include the Great Debate and public sphere pedagogy, technology for student use and to demonstrate communication modes, conference opportunities and associate faculty training, as well as marketing efforts to publicize and grow the program. The Validation Team emphasizes that the Forensics budget must be a separate consideration, since this is an activity along the lines of sports teams or the Honors Society. Forensics should not be conflated with the department budget, unless the same applies to these other activities." � Increasing our general department budget would allow us to meet at least some of the following general needs of the department. Some examples include: � Obtain VoiceThread software annual subscription for innovative asynchronous content delivery in online classes $100 (x3 online instructors) = $300/year � Discipline specific travel and conference funds (ICA, NCA, and NCFA) (cost variable). These conferences routinely hold �GIFTS� sessions at which faculty share �Great Ideas for Teaching Speech.� These materials are vital to keeping our classroom instruction fresh and timely for our students. � Planning and executing an annual CMST �Talk Fest� Celebration for Communication Studies majors = $200 � Purchasing new documentaries for use in classes = $500 � Forensics Supplies: o 2 Visual Aid Stands @ $70 each = $140 o 2 art portfolios for carrying visual aids @ $200 each = $400 o 20 Interpretation black book binders @ $6 each = $120 o 50 Oral Interp Black Book (performance) Materials (10PC) @ $4 each = $200 |
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