Dean changes COAS stance

Following months of his public disapproval of plans to house a new school of communication, media and journalism within the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Journalism Dean Michael Evans is changing his tune.

Evans discussed proposed merger plans with Provost Lauren Robel and COAS Dean Larry Singell Jr., at a meeting Monday.

“The provost asked us to contribute in a positive way to the conversation and we’re honoring that request,” he said Tuesday evening.

Bonnie Brownlee, School of Journalism associate dean; Lesa Hatley Major, journalism senior associate dean and Jean Robinson, COAS executive associate dean, were also in attendance on Monday.

At the meeting, Robel emphasized her intent to move forward with her proposed plans to the Board of Trustees. 

“The room for changing her mind was gone,” Evans said.

Instead, Evans said his stance is now changing to ensure future planning in Robel’s framework is done in a “big, new and exciting” way.   

“If we want to shape the direction, we need to jump in and do that instead of standing back and saying ‘we don’t want to do this,’” he said.

Robel made the announcement recommending that the merged school be folded into the College of Arts and Sciences at the Feb. 19 State of the Campus address.

“We’ve since been trying to make an argument why we think it should be different,” Evans said.

Just last week, at a Bloomington Press Club meeting Feb. 25, Evans told those gathered he supported the merger, but not the new unit’s  proposed placement in COAS.  

“Throughout this process, I have been in favor of the idea of a merger because I think properly done, it would be wonderful in a number of ways,” Evans said at the meeting.

“I’ve been quite clear to the provost and to anybody else who will listen that I am adamantly opposed to moving into the College. She knows that. She knows all of my
arguments.”

— Matthew Glowicki