The faculty and staff in the Department of Communication Studies are highly trained professionals who are dedicated to helping students. They are willing and able to assist in many and various academic matters. To secure assistance in planning your course of study you should meet with your advisor. You must meet with your advisor at least once each semester in order to obtain self-scheduling clearance for the upcoming semester. When you meet with your advisor you should review your academic file as it is your responsibility to see that your file is accurate and up-to-date. The academic files of Communication Studies majors are kept in a file cabinet in the main office (Main 512) and may be secured through an advisor or the department chairperson.
The following is a listing of the faculty and their teaching/research interests:
- MICHAEL P. BOYLE, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Mass Communication, News Coverage of Social Conflict, News Framing, and Television Production.
- TIMOTHY BROWN, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of African American Communication, Rhetorical Theory and Public Communication. He is the Department Chairperson.
- KEVIN DEAN, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Forensics, Rhetorical Theory and Political Communication. He is also the Director of WCU’s Honors Program.
- ANITA FOEMAN, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Intercultural Communication, Organizational Communication, and Interpersonal Communication.
- MARK HICKMAN, M.A., is a teacher and scholar of Rhetorical Theory, Small Group Dynamics, and Public Communication. He is the Director of Forensics.
- ELAINE JENKS, Ph.D., studies interpersonal and relational communication with research interests in communication and visual impairment, friendship communication, and health communication.
- MARIA (OLA) KOPACZ, Ph.D., studies mass communication with a focus on racial stereotyping and political reasoning. She teaches communication research, intergroup communication, and public speaking.
- DAVID LEVASSEUR, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Political Communication, Communication Theory, Rhetoric and Public Address.
- EDWARD LORDAN, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Public Relations and Editorial Communication. He advises the Association for Women and Men in Communication.
- LISA MILLHOUS, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Organizational Communication and Intercultural Communication.
- C. JACK ORR, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Persuasion, Training and Development, and the Philosophy of Communication.
- MICHAEL PEARSON, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Mass Media, Communication Research, and Computer-Mediated Communication.
- DENISE M. POLK, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Interpersonal Communication and Health Communication.
- MARTIN REMLAND, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Nonverbal Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Communication Research.
- J. KANAN SAWYER, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of Social Influence with a focus on Political Communication and Business Communication.
- PHILIP A. THOMPSEN, Ph.D., is a teacher and scholar of New Media and Communication Technology. He advises the student newspaper, The Quad. He is also our department's webmaster and educational technology coordinator.
- ANDREA DANIELS is the department secretary.