New CU-Boulder College of Media, Design and the Arts proposed

University of Colorado Boulder Provost Russell L. Moore on Tuesday formally accepted a report by the Information, Communication, Journalism, Media and Technology (ICJMT) Steering Committee that proposes the creation of a new College of Media, Design and the Arts at CU-Boulder and a companion interdisciplinary institute.

The report is available at http://academicaffairs.colorado.edu/academicreview.

Moore noted that when the steering committee was formed in June 2011, he asked them to set forth a bold, transformative vision and that the committee had done so. The proposal -- which Moore called “a starting point for a series of exciting discussions” -- outlines a broad vision for a new college that incorporates disciplines ranging from journalism and mass communication, communication, social media and film studies to music, theater and dance, art, art history, and experimental digital arts and technology.

The report says the new college will “advance creative practice and enhance public discourse at the intersections of arts, scholarship and civic life. Embracing approaches drawn from the social sciences, humanities, journalism, architecture and the arts, the college will address the theory, conception, creation, delivery and use of all forms of media content and artistic works.”

The report also recommends creation of a companion institute to the college, the mission of which will be “broadly interdisciplinary, including current and planned projects involving the design, development and application of information communication technology for the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural and physical sciences, and the engineering disciplines.” The ATLAS (Alliance for Technology, Learning and Society) Institute could expand to fill the institute role, according to the report.

Moore noted that, among other things, the report moves forward the campus’s re-imagining of journalism education. Moore observed, “The journalism faculty have already made significant strides with the implementation of ‘Journalism PLUS.’ This college could create a rich technological and media environment in which our students could be exposed to the cutting edge of journalistic practice. And it would offer the kind of connection between professional training and broad education we have espoused.”

Moore also pointed out that this report goes well beyond the conversation on journalism to propose a campuswide engagement in these issues. “We will, of course, need to remain aware of the concerns of other programs. We need to remember that this is a report, not a decision, and we need to look to next steps.”  To that end, the provost will bring a panel of experts to campus to review the proposal, meet with a range of constituent groups and advise the administration on moving forward.

“I look forward to working with the faculty to think about the future of this proposal, and I hope to be able to make a recommendation to the chancellor as soon as possible,” Moore said.

Any proposal for a new college will need to go before the Board of Regents.

“I want to thank the ICJMT steering committee and its chair, Professor Andrew Calabrese of Journalism and Mass Communication, for their work in leading this visioning process. These are exciting, transformative ideas for CU-Boulder to consider,” Moore said.