7/23/97

ATHENS, Ohio -- The College of Communication will begin overseeing the administration of Ohio University's Telecommunications Center effective immediately, according to Provost Sharon Brehm.

"This is an opportunity for the Telecommunications Center and the College of Communication to pursue their independent missions and to collaborate on areas of mutual interest," Brehm said.

Paul Gandel, associate provost for information and instructional technology, had overseen the center. Gandel is leaving the university in August.

"The College of Communication and Telecommunications Center have always worked closely together to provide training and internship opportunities for students and joint projects for faculty," said Kathy Krendl, dean of the College of Communication. "We are looking forward to a closer working relationship in terms of fulfilling our teaching, research and service missions within the institution. The expertise of the staff can better serve the overall university through direct linkage with the College of Communication."

The College of Communication includes the School of Visual Communication, School of Telecommunications, School of Journalism, School of Interpersonal Communication and School of Communication Systems Management. Paul Witkowski, interim director of the T-Com Center, said the linkage with the college will be good for students.

"We've got a stronger institutional and academic tie reporting through the college," Witkowski said. "We hire more than 100 students a year. They get practical, hands-on experience."

A national search is underway to replace Joe Welling, who retired in 1995 as director of the T-Com Center. Brehm said the committee hopes to have a new director by September.

The T-Com Center operates Ohio University Public Television, including WOUB-TV in Athens and WOUC-TV in Cambridge, and public radio stations WOUB-AM and WOUB-FM and its four sister stations in Southeast Ohio.