Internship Position Description POSITION AVAILABLE FOR SPRING, 2003

The Communication Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, seeks an outstanding undergraduate student to serve the department in the position of 'Webmaster' for the department's Web site. The Webmaster must have strong leadership and communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with faculty and staff. Excellent computer knowledge and skills are expected, along with a good sense of design, understanding of web usability factors and experience with HTML and other web technologies. Excellent writing skills are necessary for this position, as is an understanding of related legal and ethical concerns associated with online content. Strong working knowledge of illustration, graphics, and photography is preferred. Hiring preference may be given to applicants who are CST majors. This is a three-credit hour internship (CST 450) offered each semester. It is expected that the student selected for this position will be able to work as much as ten hours per week during the semester; it would be preferred that the Webmaster serve at least two consecutive semesters in the position.

The student Webmaster will be responsible for:

1) Overseeing visual, operational, and informational design of the site in accordance with professional expectations and in coordination with university design requirements;
2) Initiating, and responding to requests for updates/ maintenance of the department site;
3) Working closely with faculty supervisors on immediate and long-term site planning;
4) Working closely with CST department professional staff to coordinate needed resources;
5) Maintaining a working familiarity with the latest research in the area of Web promotion/ design/ application strategies.

Orientation will be provided for the incoming Webmaster by department faculty and staff. Upon beginning his/ her work, it is expected that the Webmaster will meet regularly with faculty supervisors who are immediately responsible for the conduct of work in this position. The Webmaster may occasionally need to meet with the department chair and/or staff, participate in departmental meetings, or participate in university-sponsored training seminars. The Webmaster may be asked to provide a certain amount of training to the student who is his/ her successor in the position.

All content created by the Webmaster in the conduct of his/ her duties remains the property of the Department of Communication Studies, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.

To apply, send resume and work samples to:

Dr. Doug Swanson
Department of Communication Studies
319 Center for the Arts

Deadline for application: December 1, 2002 or when position is filled

Professors Honored

The Communication Studies Department faculty voted in October 2002 to recognize Ronda Knox, Rick Rodrick, and Doug Swanson as "highly meritorious" for their accomplishments in teaching, research, and service.

Students Should Train As Writers

O'Dwyer's Public Relations Daily has an excellent article written by Jack O'Dwyer himself on PR graduates.  He stresses that students should focus on writing, computer skills, and other skills.  You can read the article here.

Communication Club Web Site Updated

The new web site for the Communication Club is now up.  Visit the site to find out how to join.  You can find it in the "Students" section or by clicking here.

Communication Studies Majors Meeting

Over one hundred majors and faculty members gathered for the second annual Majors meeting on September 10th.  The meeting focused on the writing-in-the-Major program implemented in the department last spring, and announcements about the Communication Club.

Telethon Preparation Underway

Students are hard at work getting ready for the 4th annual Coulee Region Humane Society Telethon. The telethon will be broadcast live over KQEG/UPN 23 and Charter Cable Channel 10 on Saturday, November 9th, from 7 to 9pm. Rick Wilson and Eleanor St. John, KQEG/UPN 23, will be this year's hosts. Mary Vinson, director of the Coulee Region Humane Society, and Jake Jahimiak, a Communication Studies student, will be on the tote board, and Nicole Lukaszewski, Becky Sherven, and Julie Haley, Communication Studies students, will be on the phone bank taking donations. People can bring in donations while we are on the air. The donations can be brought to the Communication Studies TV studio, Wing 208. Brad Fisher will be co-executive producer with Pat Turner and Mary Vinson, and the producers this year will be Communication Studies students Adam Dvorak, Jake Jahimiak, and Nicole Lukaszewski. Becky Sherven, and Julie Haley are in charge of promotion and fundraising. Students from CST 374 TV Workshop and CST 265 Applied TV are producing video packages, which will air during the telethon. Last year, this important event raised over $3,600 and $400 in supplies. Any student or faculty member can come and join us for this exciting and rewarding fundraising event by contacting Dr. Turner. It is our chance to give back to the community!

Communication Club Cookout

Thanks to all of those in attendance of the first communication club event. The cookout was a big success (measured by the amount of food consumed).

Faculty News

Dr. Ronda Knox is a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow for 2002-3. Only 15 persons in the state are awarded this prestigious honor each year.

Dr. Doug Swanson is the lead author of an article (in press) for The Social Science Journal. The article, "Implementing a Social Norms Approach to Reduce Alcohol Abuse on Campus: Lessons Learned in the Shadow of ‘The World’s Largest Six-Pack’" was co-authored by Aaron Zwaska (senior Communication Studies major) and Krissy Zegers (recent UWL graduate).  The article is a case study review of the first two years of the UW-L/ Reach & Share "0-5" program.  If you want to know more about the article, let Dr. Swanson know and he can send you an abstract.  Publication is expected either in January or April of 2003.

Dr. Swanson recently completed a two-year appointment to the College Scholarship Fund Review Committee for Kwik Trip, Inc.  The committee evaluates applications and awards college scholarship funds on behalf of the company.

Dr. Swanson is a candidate for Public Relations Society of America accreditation (APR).  He took written exams Saturday September 14th in Madison and will take orals on September 23rd.  The PRSA releases exam results in February 2003. He received a UW-L faculty development grant to pay for the process.