SMSU adds new master's degrees, journalism major

by Ann Bucy

SBJ Contributing Writer

New majors, new master's programs, new buildings. These are just some of the things happening at Southwest Missouri State University these days.

This past August, for the first time, a journalism major was offered. Prior to this, a student could major in mass media with a concentration in either print or broadcast media.

"Journalism is the now the fastest growing area in our mass media department," said Dr. Mark Paxton, journalism program chairman in the department of communications and mass media. "We've done a lot of recruiting, and there's a lot of interest in the program here."

Paxton said journalism majors at SMSU have some advantages over journalism students at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

"We're very hands-on with the students because the classroom size is so much smaller. Also, our classes are all taught by faculty members. At Mizzou, some of the journalism classes are taught by grad students."

Paxton said he hopes the program will continue to grow but added that SMSU never plans to try to compete with Mizzou's program. "We have our niche here, and that's just fine with us."

Dr. John Keiser, president of SMSU, said there have been 18 master's degree programs added since he took office. He also added six new programs in health science and a masters in social work.

Keiser said he sees a lot of opportunities for expanded learning and growth for the students. So he developed a public affairs mission for the student body and is looking at other ways to help make the students well-rounded, not just in their studies, but in the community at large.

"Our (public affairs) mission statement has been in effect for three years," he said. "It's gone from three or four pages to one statement: 'SMSU is a three-campus (Springfield, West Plains and Mountain Grove) metropolitan university with the single purpose of developing educated persons through the application of five themes: the performing arts, professional education, business and economic development, health and public affairs.'"

Public Affairs is now part of the IDS 110 (Introduction to the University) course and is the basis of a junior-level capstone course on public issues.

The capstone course, "Public Affairs Issues for the 21st Century," is an interdisciplinary seminar course. It covers a variety of topics and is taught by a number of different faculty members. The course is designed for students with at least 60 credit hours, and is only required for students entering SMSU during and after the 1997-1998 academic year.

This past spring, only one section of the class was offered. But by fall 1999, the university will be offering as many as 60 sections per year to accommodate the student population.

Dr. Victor Matthews, professor of religious studies, taught the first section of the capstone course, "Sources and Symbols of Power and Authority." The class was designed to get students to think about the way power can be manifested in their communities and their world.

The course was constructed with assistance from faculty from the departments of sociology, political science, art and defense and strategic studies.

"My belief in public affairs was not invented for SMS after a job interview," Keiser said. "It came from growing up in a small town and seeing everyone participate in the business of the school board, the coal miners' union and the city government. It came from starting to study history and the classics in grade school and the understanding of team effort which comes from participating in every possible athletic team and contest."

So what is the main goal of the public affairs mission? "Of course the goal of the mission is to turn out citizen students who have the knowledge and courage to present issues factually and with conviction," Keiser said.

"A scholarly correct approach appropriate at a university is one which identifies important questions and reaches conclusions after the facts are researched, verified and presented."

How have people responded to the mission? "There are cynics out there, but I'm pleased with the way things are going," he said.

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