As students of IU Kokomo’s Writing for Mass Media class fled into the classroom on a cold winter afternoon they were met with a new possible faculty member at the front of the room. This individual was Kai Prins, a doctoral student from the University of Wisconsin who was to give a teaching presentation. As part of the process of hiring new communication faculty members, Indiana University Kokomo, has the applicants present a research and a teaching presentation in front of communication students in their regularly scheduled classes.
While no one has been chosen yet for the position that will start in August 2025, three applicants gave both a research and teaching presentation in several communication classes at IUK.
To attain the Assistant Professor of Communication, position these applicants must have a doctorate degree in communication of a related field, teaching experience at an undergraduate level, and commitment to excellence in student-centered learning and collaboration.
The communication department has expressed that they do not want to make the decision about the applicants without feedback from the students, administrators, and other members of IUK in order to ensure the best fit for the position.
Erin Doss, Associate Professor of Communication Arts, communication program coordinator at IUK, and the chair of the search committee stated that “it was incredibly important to see how the candidates interacted with students. I also wanted to get feedback from students about the candidates because the person I choose will directly impact students in the future.”
Doss realized that the new faculty member won’t just be coordinating work with peers, so she “wanted to be sure students liked the candidates and were engaged by their teaching style. It was great to see them explain the research to students in a way that undergrads could follow and engage with.”
Across the campus, divisions at IUK value the opinion and feedback of students during these processes, and the students can tell. Students have shown great enthusiasm toward being a part of the faculty hiring process as they sit in on the presentations of the applicants and show strong participation.
Macy Chafin, a communication major stated “I was definitely interested in what the candidate’s lesson was going to look like. I enjoyed being a part of the job selection process. She found Kai’s lesson “very engaging.” and she “was intrigued by their material, as well as how they presented the content in general.”
It is clear that the students have enjoyed seeing these new applicants and being able to provide feedback to the current faculty about what they thought. Those who were in the Student Seminar for Communication class were able to share their thoughts about the applicants in relation to having just spent the last almost four years or more as communication majors. These students appreciated that they were able to share their opinions and have an impact on what the future of IUK’s communication division might look like.
Vivianne Pentland, a senior communication student at IUK said that “While we were looking at the candidates I was taking into account, as senior, the classes and the opportunities that I wished I had, not that I hadn’t had any, but it was nice to reflect and think about what the future students would like to learn coming to IUK.”
Like Pentland, Erin Doss is also thinking ahead to the future of IUK’s communication divisions. “I want someone who is excited to be in the classroom and to be part of student organizations and activities more broadly. To do that requires someone who is comfortable around students and excited about working with them. I think seeing the candidates working with students in the classroom and hearing feedback from students was super helpful when making decisions about who to offer the job to.”
