Reinvention is here to stay

How do we reinvent communigator for the 21st century, yet keep its strengths in substance and style from the past two decades? We grappled with this dilemma during the past year. This issue begins our answer to the question.

Credit for the new communigator goes mainly to the College’s first director of communications, Boaz Dvir, JM 1988. Boaz joined the College’s administrative team in December. He understands our culture on many levels: As a UF alumnus, he knows what it means to bleed orange and blue, and he knows how to connect with Gators wherever he finds them. As a College alumnus, he understands the specific vision, mission, and values that drive us – including maintaining excellence in all we do. As a veteran journalist with 15 years of experience as a writer, reporter, managing editor, and editor, Boaz also understands professional practice and the importance to the College of maintaining our connections with alumni and friends. In short, Boaz brings to this new position everything we could possibly want and the added value of deep passion for UF, the College, and for standards of fairness, accuracy, and balance.

We made connecting with alumni and friends a major focus for the College this past year. In November, a record number of alumni returned to campus for Homecoming, which included a College brunch. Just before Thanksgiving, we held two special gatherings with alumni in Washington, D.C.   

Also in November, more than 200 alumni and friends returned to campus for the premiere of “Negroes With Guns,” the story of civil-rights leader Rob Williams and the newest production from the College’s Documentary Institute faculty. We organized three additional screenings: two in North Carolina in February and the national premiere at the Lincoln Center in New York in March. We hope to continue such “road shows” so you can hear and see directly how we’re meeting the challenges of educating journalism and communications professionals for the 21st century.

Change has been constant at UF and the College since the last issue of communigator: UF has a new president, Bernie Machen, formerly president of the University of Utah (see story). The College has a number of new faces (and some veteran faces are in different places). Telecommunication added Assistant Prof. Helena Särkiö. Mark Leeps, MAMC 1988, joined WUFT-TV as news director. Cheryl Bradley joined the dean’s office as office manager.  

Public Relations was strengthened with new Department Chair Kathleen Kelly and new Assistant Prof. Youjin Choi, MAMC 2000. This brings the full-time faculty in public relations to 10. I believe this is the largest number of full-time faculty dedicated solely to public relations in any program in the country. We have high expectations for them – they are a dynamic group already building on the department’s long-standing foundation of excellence.

And we are well on the way to hiring four additional faculty for the 2004-05 year.

Some changes are edged with sadness: Prof. Emeritus Harry Griggs passed away in December. Adjunct lecturer Steve Correll died suddenly in January. And we lost a long-time staff person in September to Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mary Anchors, the College’s administrative assistant, had a can-do spirit, quiet demeanor, steady performance, and a view of learning as an adventure that made her a treasure and inspiration to all.

The arrivals and departures remind me again that, more than anything else, people define the character of an institution. We lost some serious talent and expertise this past year in retirements and other departures. Fortunately, we have the support of the University’s president and provost to rebuild that strength with new hires.  

Change provides an opportunity to reinvent. Reinventing communigator is one piece of the puzzle of the College. We take reinvention seriously because it is the only way for us to provide to current and future students the best possible learning environment, the kind that has marked this College for decades.

Our alumni’s success serves as a leading indicator of our effectiveness at reinventing ourselves in ways that fit our mission and goals. Your participation is key to shaping our College for the 21st century. We need to know how you are, what you are doing, and what part of your UF experience helped prepare you best. We want to make communigator more interactive – so let us hear from you.

I hope you enjoy the new communigator and continue to find it informative, well crafted, well designed – and a compelling read.