On Oct. 1, Baldwin Wallace University announced several cuts to various programs and departments, including communication studies, film studies and public relations.
This decision, attributed to long-term stability and shifting academic priorities, has left students questioning the future of these programs and their related fields.
The cuts to the Communication department, in particular, raised concerns about potential losses of foundational courses that are critical to media careers.
Rylee Barno, a sophomore media production major, shared some skepticism over certain classes being cancelled, “It would be a little weird having that as your major [and] you don’t have any professors that you can build connections with.”
Duane Battle, the department chair of Communication Arts and Sciences and an associate professor at BW, emphasized the importance of media production despite the recent cuts. “Anything that has a screen is produced by someone working in a job,” said Battle. “Whether it’s sports, advertising, entertainment… that’s some sort of media production.”
In the face of budget cuts and shifting academic priorities, the media production program is committed to evolving and adapting to meet the demands of the ever-changing media landscape.
“[We] want to stay ahead of the trends and stay current with how consumers are consuming media content,” said Battle. “Media is not going away.”
The media production program has been able to stand out due to its emphasis on hands-on learning, adaptability, and the foundations that allow students to meet the demands of an evolving media landscape.
“I try to prepare the students to not only think forward and be prepared for new technologies, but also understand where everything came from,” said Battle.
Barno was undecided before she chose media production as her degree. “I’ve always been interested in content creation in any form and with Media Production, it’s such an all-encompassing kind of major,” Barno said. “There’s so many different things that you could do with it.”
The Communications Arts and Sciences department has put a focus on helping students build practical skills for media careers in the future. There are hands-on courses that work with audio and video production and programs like the WBWC radio station. These programs assist in giving students opportunities to gain real-world experience.
Barno’s class with the radio station has helped her gain some of the hands-on exposure required for a career in media. “Our professor was very [clear], ‘we’re going to get you in the studio, on air, doing newscasts and looking at how everything works,’” said Barno.
Media production remains dedicated to preparing students for the dynamic demands of the media world. Barno offered advice to anyone considering a media production as a major,
“You [build] this important basis of what communication really is… and then you get to choose your own path of how you apply that. I think that’s really cool.”
