Kent State University’s Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in a Zoom meeting Wednesday, June 3. JMC is revised to the School of Media and Journalism (MDJ) within the College of Communication and Information.

This name change will take effect this fall semester. The signs through Franklin Hall will change this summer to accurately display the new name.

The school of JMC has remained the same name since 1987, and faculty have been thinking of changing the name for many years now due to the constant changes of the media world. 

“Mass communication is a huge umbrella and we felt that people that were looking for some sort of media job did not see themselves in that term,” said Jacqueline Marino, a JMC professor.

Staff including Jeff Fruit, professor and interim director of JMC, participated in the name change. Faculty leaders Marino and JMC professor Danielle Coombs took steps to survey faculty, students, alumni and others to get a range of views for this change. 

The survey included five possible names for the school to be renamed including: the Media School, the School of Media, the School of Media and Journalism, the School of Journalism and Media and remaining the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

After surveying various people and getting feedback, faculty voted on MDJ which then went to the Kent State Board of Trustees having the final say.

This update does not change any majors included in the school of JMC but hopefully represents its majors more accurately.   

“This is a reflection of where the program has already moved then anything else,” said Fruit.

Editor’s Note: The story has been edited to reflect changes to Professor Coombs’ title and the acronym for the new title. 

 

Gina Schlegel covers Business and Construction. Contact her at [email protected].