History
Chairs of the Communication Department
Mr. Ron Smith (Fall 2003-Present)
Dr. Janet Ramsey (1998-Summer 2003)
Dr. Mel Netzhammer (1993-1998)
Dr. Rik Whitaker (1984-1993)
Dr. Julia Piquette (1981-84)*
Dr. Ron Rabin (1977-81)
*Dr. Piquette is retired; all of the other former chairs are still associated with the department
Department History
1970s. The Communication Department at Buffalo State had its beginnings in the early 1970s, when the Speech and Theater Arts Department added radio and television broadcasting to its curriculum. At the same time, the College offered a separate journalism program. In 1977, these programs were combined with the creation of the Department of Journalism, Broadcasting and Speech, with majors in each of these three areas.
1980s. A Public Communication major was added in 1987. In the late 1980s, the department formalized two new majors, Journalism and Broadcasting, as well as the Speech minor. In 1989 the department was renamed the Communication Department.
1990s. The department's first computer lab was installed in the basement of Bishop Hall. Broadcasting studios for radio and television were outfitted in what once was the swimming pool of "the old gym," the lower level of the Theater Arts Building. In 1999, the department restructured itself academically to provide a core set of courses for all majors, reflecting the trend toward the convergence and overlap of the various communication disciplines.
2000s. Today the department has more than 560 majors, making it one of the five largest departments at Buffalo State, the largest department in the College's School of Arts and Humanities, and the largest Communication program throughout the entire SUNY system. The department features several computer labs working in both PC and Mac platforms. The digital audio and video facilities include production studios and post-production suites. A Communication Studies major was added in 2002.