After 12 Years Kean Transitions Back to Academic Departments

By Anthony Reyna | Published November 17, 2022

Kean’s School of Communication, Media, and Journalism (CMJ), will now be known as the Department of Communication, Media, and Journalism according to a statement released by the department on Monday, Nov. 21.

“Returning to a department allows for better recognition of the academic pursuits of our students and faculty,” the statement said. 

The Department of Communication, Media, and Journalism is one of the most prominent at Kean University with 417 enrolled undergraduate students as of the Fall 2021 semester. 

The move will be followed across each of the different colleges at Kean by the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester as decided by the university senate. 

Dr. James Castiglione, president of the Kean Federation of Teachers (KFT) said, “Having a faculty member within the department as opposed to a manager who is less connected to the program will benefit the students. This is a more traditional approach that most universities nationwide follow.”

Kean’s departments will no longer feature executive directors and will instead be replaced by chairpeople elected from within the department. According to the statement, Dr. Jack Sargent will return as department chair for the Department of Communication, Media, and Journalism.

The move acts as a return to a more “traditional academic structure”. The university originally transitioned away from academic departments in 2010, and is changing back after 12 years.  

“KFT is fully supportive of the transition back to department chairpersons,” Castiglione said. 

Generally speaking, the term ‘school’ refers to a larger unit or group within a university. This transition will promote more attention to detail to the needs of each student, and faculty member as well as each academic discipline at the University. 

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