By: Armone’ Gates, Copy Editor & Megan Callahan News Editor

 VALDOSTA, Ga. – It’s time to turn over a new leaf, as VSU’s communication program will be leaving the College of the Arts starting in the fall of 2026 to join the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. 

 The program will be joining the Department of English for the creation of the new department called Communication and English. 

 The present department of communications will evolve into the department of theater, dance, and media, along with journalism, joining the mass media program.  

 The Dean of The College of Arts, Dr. Nicole Cox, elaborated on the department changes taking place.  

 “This has been a conversation for three years, but they were just conversations that never really came to fruition,” said Dr. Cox. “We started having a more earnest conversation about this last spring, and we got together to make some committees for faculty to see what this potentially would look like.” 

 Dr. Cox explained whether students within the communications or English department will or will not be affected by the combining of the two departments.  

 “The students will be fine, that is in all our conversations, in any type of curriculum change,” said Dr. Cox. “ If everything goes smoothly going forward, (the new degree) won’t go into effect until the fall of 2027.” 

 “We have students who are more at the beginning of their college journey, so we created what are called crosswalks,” said Dr. Cox. “Which are basically maps, for those who are under the old curriculum, this is how thatwill transfer into the new classes.” 

 “If there are old classes that we no longer offer but were a part of their required curriculum, we come up with replacements, so that there is a plan for everybody regardless of where they fall within this whole transition,” said Dr. Cox. 

 Dr. Cox also confirmed multiple other changes taking place within the College of the Arts as the theater program will be moving over to the new performing arts center. A group portion of art and design will eventually move from the University Center into the Fine Arts Building.  

 Starting in the fall of 2026, all communication classes will be held in West Hall.  

 Communications Graduate Coordinator and Assistant Professor Dr. Arrington Stoll explained how communications is getting ready for the changes taking place within the program. 

 “ I think communication fits really nicely within the humanities and social sciences, so I don’t think it will be a problem at all,” said Dr. Stoll. “ It will bring about new opportunities for students as far as, funding additionalgrants and traditional communication is in the social sciences.” 

 Dr. Stoll also elaborated on how the communications graduate program is going to look in fall. 

 “I’ve been told that there will be no changes to the grad program. There won’t be any changes for students regarding our four plus one program or the draft admission,” said Dr. Stoll. “To my knowledge, everything will stay the same for the grad program; the merger has no effect on the grad program.” 

 She also explained what everything will look like for current students in the undergraduate degree. 

 “As far as the undergraduate degree, the only difference for them is that they will be taking classes in West Hall,” said Dr. Stoll. “It’s the exact same just a different location.” 

 Dr. Stoll joked about trying to hopefully find a parking spot near West Hall in the fall. 

“We will still be teaching the same stuff next semester. Were going to have a little more difficulty finding parking,” she said. 

 Dr. Stoll explained what will be happening with the communication and mass media’s honor society, Lambda Pi Eta.  

 “So this is still up in the air, but as far as Lambda, the organization is still going to be there and functioning; the only difference is that it’s going to take more work from yours truly,” said Dr. Stoll. “Just have to calculate the GPA requirements for communication and mass media classes.” 

 Dr. James LaPlant, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, elaborated on his process with the merging taking place. 

 “In my first couple of years as dean, psychology moved from the College of Education and Human Services into the College of Humanities and Social Science,” said Dr. LaPlant. “The Comm and English merger is a bit more complicated because communication is in a multidisciplinary department, but as it comes to us, it’s not its own department. It will essentially be part of English.” 

 Dr. LaPlant also elaborated on what he’s hoping for with this merger. 

 “We have fabulous faculty in communications and English, so what I’m hoping is that there will be opportunities to develop new courses together,” said Dr. LaPlant. “Maybe even co-teach classes, which we have not done a lot of at Valdosta State.” 

 “So, comm is moving into West Hall classrooms and Ashley Hall offices, but I’m hoping that beyond that move, there are opportunities for collaboration on doing research, mentoring students, and scholarships,” said Dr. LaPlant. 

 Dr. LaPlant explained more about this matter. 

 “Communication, given the cool diversity of research in communication, I think there are opportunities for communication to connect with the social science disciplines within our college,” said Dr. LaPlant. “They’re apart of a department with English, but also I think communications could have some really cool opportunities to work with political science and psychology and that’s the stuff that’s super exciting.” 

 Dr. LaPlant explained what will come in Fall of 2027. 

 “ In the fall of 2027, what we hope to roll out is a joint bachelor’s degree in communication and English,” said Dr. LaPlant. “So if your friend starts fall of next year, she or he would pursue a bachelor’s in communication and English.” 

 “Starting fall of next year, the standalone B.A. in English would not be available for new students, same for the standalone B.A, in communication,” said Dr. LaPlant. “That should work smoothly because they are new to the university, and we would have told them at orientation.” 

 He also specified that current students won’t be affected, just the new incoming students starting next fall. 

 Dr. LaPlant also explained why the merging of the two departments is happening now. 

 “The discussion with the two departments coming together was a recent conversation that happened last year,” said Dr. LaPlant. “Part of the challenge with the pandemic is that we have seen a dramatic decline in enrollment in Humanities and even Social Sciences to some degree.” 

 “So, students pursuing English and journalism, we have also seen a decline in students seeking those degrees, and we have also seen a decline in students pursuing a communication degree,” said Dr. LaPlant. “My view is that we’re stronger together, so this predates the pandemic, but again, accelerated declining enrollments within the humanities and social sciences.” 

 Dr. LaPlant elaborated on more information. 

 “That is what really helped to reciprocate the conversation,” said Dr. LaPlant. “So, as we look at declining enrollment in some areas, how can we bring the degrees together and do some really innovative, cool stuff that also meets the career needs of students?”  

Dr. LaPlant expressed his excitement for what’s to come. 

 “Journalism becoming part of mass media in the College of the Arts, and communication joining together with English in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, creating some really cool synergies and innovations, and best prepares our students.” 

 These plans will go into effect starting on July 1.