Discussions begin for hopes of
speech major
Campus Times
December 3, 1999
In an attempt to offer speech communication as a major at the University
of La Verne, John Gingrich, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has
rounded a committee to seek the requirements to fulfill that goal.
"Having speech communication as a major has been a part of our
strategic plan for quite a while, at least three years, maybe four,"
said Dr. Gingrich.
Serving as one of the major steps in obtaining that goal, the committee
will go on a search early next spring to hire a full-time faculty member
with a terminal degree, most likely a doctorate.
Bob Rivera, assistant professor of speech, said he has been given notice
that once a person is hired, there would be no room for him in the new speech
program.
"If they want to have a speech major, I won't object to that. I
want to have speech as a major here," said Rivera, who has taught at
ULV for 22 years. "I can tell you in all modesty that there is no one
in Southern California more qualified to put together such a program than
I am."
Rivera has been involved in the ULV community through teaching general
education speech classes, serving as a coach for the traditionally-strong
debate team, director of forensics, coordinator of the Toastmasters club
and as an adviser to Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.
He is accredited with starting the debate program and bringing the Greek
system to ULV.
"Since [Rivera] does not have the terminal degree we are looking
for, he would not be hired to do this," said Dr. Gingrich. "We
are hoping that he would continue to be involved in the University."
Some of the responsibilities set for the position, according to Dr.
George Keeler, chair of the Communications Department, include teaching
general education speech classes, coordinating those classes, teaching foundation
classes in the Communication Department, teaching CORE classes, heading
the speech certification process and supervising leadership of the debate
program.
Other responsibilities include participating in the academic counseling
of students in the Communications Department, leading the development of
the speech program toward academic status and teaching classes in the new
conflict meditation center once it is established.
Dr. Keeler, professor of journalism a part of the committee, said the
direction of the program is unclear in the present time. The final decision
of the speech program will be made early in the new year.
Dr. Gingrich said the speech communication major will fit with other
goals for the future of this campus.
"We are going to be putting together an institute for peace studies
and conflict management and certain courses in communications fit with that,"
Dr. Gingrich said. "We also think that speech communications is worthy
of its own major and ties in with the existing Communications Department."
Dr. Gingrich said he anticipates that ULV will offer additional speech
courses, including small group communications, interpersonal communications
and other traditional speech courses the school has not been able to provide.
The program is expected to be implemented by next fall, but still has
to go through some procedural steps. The process for gaining speech as a
major is in its developmental stages. The proposal has yet to be inspected
and approved by the undergraduate academic policies committee.
"We keep putting it off and putting it off because we are so busy,"
said Dr. Gingrich, "and so President [Stephen] Morgan has agreed that
this is a reasonable time to put it in."
Dr. Morgan said, "Whether there will be an opportunity for Bob
Rivera to teach part time, I don't know. That would be up to the department,
the new faculty member and Dean Gingrich."