During the 2017-18 academic year, student board members reviewed the School of Communications’ accreditation self-study, considered school priorities for the year, and met with each of the four dean candidates vying to succeed Parsons.
The 2017-18 Student Advisory Board in the School of Communications convened for the final time with Dean Paul Parsons on March 29 to identify competitive peers among communication programs and provide feedback on the faculty attendance policy.
Earlier in March, members of the Student Advisory Board had lunch and conversations with each of the four dean candidates. Parsons is stepping down at the end of the academic year after 17 years as dean.
During the year, the Student Advisory Board reviewed the school’s accreditation self-study, considered school priorities for the year, provided feedback on new and renovated facilities and the technology infrastructure, and explored “the next big thing” for the school.
Parsons and Associate Dean Kenn Gaither, who gathers faculty nominations and invites students to serve on the advisory board, thanked the 15 members present for a productive year of student input.
Parsons noted that the school’s first Student Advisory Board was formed in 2002, and two members of that inaugural board have been prominent in the life of the school: Colin Donohue ’05, now director of student media at Elon, and Adam Garber ’03, video director in the Obama White House who received the school’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 2015.