By Carol-lyn Jardine
The college of Fine Arts and Communications announced Michel Perkins as the chair of the Department of Communications Tuesday, August 14.
Perkins said he is excited to be a part of the administration of the department and that some change can be expected.
“Certainly there will be change, but there will be continuity,” he said.
“I don”t have a vision substantially different from the last chair and probably not substantially different from the chair that will follow me at some time down the road.”
Perkins said many of the changes that will take place in the near future are things that have been in the works for sometime, such as extensive departmental curriculum revisions started last year.
“We”re sort of at the stage where the rubber meets the road now. We”ve got to take the grand principles and make them work,” Perkins said.
Department faculty members are supportive of Perkins. “We are moving into a new era. It”s good we have somebody that can lead us into the new century,” said Tom Griffiths, associate professor.
Departing Chair Laurie Wilson said she has had a good experience as department chair, but is excited to get back to working more closely with students.
Perkins received a bachelors degree from BYU in 1982 and a jurist doctorate from the University of Utah in 1985. He went on to work as a reporter and copy editor for the Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, N.M. from 1986 through 1989. While in Albuquerque, Perkins also worked as an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of New Mexico.
In 1989, Perkins made the move to Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, where he was an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications for ten years. Perkins was the Associate Dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications from 1996 to 1999.
Perkins came to BYU in 1999 as an Associate Professor of Communications with responsibilities to teach Mass Communications and Society, Communications Law and Writing for Mass Audiences.
Perkins said he spent the 2000-2001 school year as a visiting professor at BYU-Hawaii and helped set up the journalism program and curriculum.
